The Prospector (January 27, 2012)

THE PROSPECTOR

SPORTS: Gokul Natesan FEATURES: Student and parent relationships influence students’ behavior CUPERTINO HIGH SCHOOL’S

VOLUME 53 NO. 4

10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO CA

FLIP SIDE: Christopher Oswald

ONLINE AT WWW.CHSPROSPECTOR.ORG

JANUARY 27, 2012

Students react to SOPA and PIPA COMPILED BY MADHURI SATHISH

Important SOPA Progression Dates May 12, 2011 Senator Patrick Leahy introduces PIPA.

Oct. 26, 2011 Representative Lamar Smith, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, introduces SOPA.

Nov. 16, 2011 The House Judiciary Committee holds a hearing for SOPA.

Nov. 16, 2011

Sites such as Tumblr and Mozilla participate in American Censorship Day, hosting banners demanding a halt to potential censorship.

Jan. 18, 2012 A massive online protest involving blackouts of Wikipedia and Reddit and banners to promote awareness on various other sites, such as Google, Mozilla and Tumblr, results in a drastic increase in the number of Senators in opposition to PIPA.

opportunity to perform at a charity toy drive in Los Angeles after the producers of Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” discovered their cover of the song on YouTube, which calls into question what impact the bill might actually have on the music industry. ince its proposal by Representative Lamar Smith on Oct. While the music industry, which includes several Hollywood-based com26, 2011, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has stirred panies, is a strong proponent of SOPA due to the bill’s promise to protect much controversy across the country. The bill’s intention music groups’ copyrights, it may not benefit as much as it hopes. Junior Isawas originally to impose more severe restrictions against copyright iah Castro, who posts his own song remixes on YouTube and puts on several infringement by targeting companies that served as mediums through shows in this area, believes that SOPA could potentially damage the music which individuals could industry’s operations in the long run share copyrighted content. if it prevented artists from postUltimately, the Department There are a lot of people out there who ing song covers and remixes online. of Justice or people hold“The way [those companies] even have no idea what SOPA is, and I feel like ing copyright claims would got those artists to their label in the that’s kind of outrageous because this be able to file court orders first place was... those artists did covagainst such corporations, is the possibility that could completely ers and remixes. For the time being, it and some students on camwould be good for them because nopus find themselves fearing change how the Internet is going to work right now body could use their music and stuff, for the future of such social but then, as years go, they’re not going Sophomore Andy Yang media platforms as Youto be able to find as best talent as Tube, Tumblr and Reddit. they could,” Castro said.

Critics of the bill beWhile an aide to Smith has said that SOPA would not lieve that it has the potential to cripple the Internet by limiting make it illegal for individuals to post a video freedom of speech. Many believe that the bill may have the power, of themselves singing to copyrighted if passed, to damage the operations of such companies as Google and Facebook. Some critics have also said that SOPA may possee STUDENTS sess the ability to prevent rising artists from posting song covers PROTEST SOPA AND on YouTube, due to the copyrights on musical tracks and lyrics. PIPA pg.2 Junior Brian Shin, who posts covers on YouTube alongside freshman Alexus Phomvongsa, explained why he believes making covers is such a valuable experience.

“Putting covers on YouTube is... sharing your music and style of music to your friends and family and the world,” Shin said. “People don’t start covers because they want to make money or anything like that, and I think it’s just ridiculous how big companies... are just trying to get more strict about their music and stuff, because the whole point of making music is to share it.”

Shin and Phomvongsa recently received the

MADHURI SATHISH copy editor

S

118,494

Do you download movies and/or music illegally?

YES

YES 215 POLLED

11/21/11

COMPILED BY AZADEH RONGERE

1956 Likes 50 Dislikes

NO

NO

Do musicians benefit from fans covering their songs?

10/14/11

views

664

Favorites

669 Comments

212 POLLED

12/18/11

1/25/12

Number of views of Brian Shin and Alexus Phomvongsa’s “Mistletoe” YouTube cover from Oct. 14, 2011 to Jan. 25, 2012

Speech and Debate team triumphs in recent competitions VICTORIA DUAN copy editor

After two varsity members and five novice competitors emerged undefeated from the Milpitas Fall Super Debate tournament on Nov. 13 last semester, the Speech and Debate Club is looking to competing and placing in higher ranking competitions this semester.

In Speech and Debate, students work to improve their speaking and presentation skills by participating in a variety of events ranging from Original Oratory, a self-composed speech, to the Parliamentary event, an impromptu debate. At club meetings, students prepare speeches and outline debates for their upcoming competitions. As a result of their efforts, this

year’s team has produced more undefeated members than teams of past years.

Club President senior Rahul Vasanth reflects on the growth of the club over the past few years of his membership.

“A large part is the dedication of our members and the years of efforts from previous officers,” Vasanth said. “During freshman year [Speech and Debate] was more like a club where we all hung out and had fun. Sophomore year some of us went to tournaments, but when it came to debate and events that weren’t Parliamentary debate, things were pretty tough… We got team status by junior year. There was a dip that year, though, in terms of new members and how dedicated [they were].” see SPEECH AND DEBATE’S SUCCESSFUL SEASON pg.2

ERIC JANG

S&D MEETING | The team practices for an upcoming competition.

2 NEWS the Prospector 2011-2012 STAFF

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

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

THE PROSPECTOR

Speech and Debate’s successful season (cont. pg1)

Vasanth cites the overall performance of the club thus far as a sign that the club is progressing in the right direction.

Said Vasanth, “It’s shown us that we’ve gotten here and we’re an established team now. We’ve got to keep moving forward, and start going up to those state tournaments and higher spots.”

The dedications of both the club’s officers and their adviser, English teacher Michelle Perry, both contributed greatly to the Speech and Debate team’s success thus far. Perry’s role as the team’s coach is crucial to the club’s success.

“Ms. Perry has to do a lot of work, in terms of signing us up for tournaments, coaching us and listening to our speeches,” Vasanth said. “She takes a lot of time out to go to our tournaments.”

Officers also invest much of their free time in preparing prospective competitors for tournaments.

“Officers serve as student coaches in weekly meetings, when they teach students ways to present their speeches or debates,” Vice President Danny Kim said. “Near tournament seasons, the officers mainly observe the students perform and give advice rather than spend 30 minutes on teaching. Since the officers are really pushing the members to practice, our performance has been substantially better.”

The membership has already spiked from a mere 15 members during the 2008-2009 school year to around 100 this year. The club’s officers are looking to recruit 20 to 30 more members during the new semester, and hope to bump current junior varsity members up to the varsity level.

Said Kim, “We’ve been able to incorporate new ideas, including the second semester recruitment, to our club and essentially make new decisions to improve our club unlike previous years.”

Speech and Debate officers realize the bright prospects of their club, and hold high hopes for their future successes as they continue to grow as a team.

ERIC JANG

CHRIS TRACEY

opinions nikhil kanthi assistants laura kao

Makeup-free week for confidence

features virena galotra assistants katie martin

Tino Challenge Club requests a week of no makeup to promote self-esteem and empowerment to all students

sports chris tracey assistants anand hemmady flip side chris cai assistant

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HARINI JAGANATHAN editor-in-chief

Tino Challenge Club is planning to launch Women’s Empowerment Week, which will take place during the week of Feb. 13. The initiative aims to bolster students’ self-confidence, with an emphasis on body image.

The campaign was conceived by Tino Challenge Club Presidents seniors Colleen Sengstock and Danitza Morante. Sengstock was inspired by the documentary “Miss Representation,” which discusses how women are sometimes portrayed negatively in the media. She wanted to promote the idea that women do not have to abide by the media’s standards.

“Even in the media and newscasts, people pay more attention to what [girls are] wearing than what’s actually coming out of their mouths,” Sengstock said.

Morante and Sengstock strategically planned to have the event during the week of Valentine’s Day. “The whole point of this week is self-confidence and self-respect because on Valentine’s Day a lot of people are like ‘Oh, I’m not with someone. I’m depressed,’ so we’re really pushing for people to have respect for themselves and others,” Sengstock said.

One focus of the campaign is to promote the idea that people should

ERIC JANG

TINO’S ORATORS | The team practices on Mondays and Wednesdays after school to prepare for competitions.

news seong hwan yoon assistants anna huang

lifestyles hong suh assistants jason chen

JANUARY 27, 2012

focus less on external appearance. Tino Challenge is encouraging girls not to wear any makeup during Women’s Empowerment Week, and has been promoting this idea with posters declaring “Off With That Eyeliner.”

“I’ve always been a big believer in doing what you want,” said senior Camille Hallin, Tino Challenge Club Public Relations Officer. “I don’t feel that I have to wear makeup. I feel like it’s something I have to get off my face.

It’s not fun for me.”

Tino Challenge has mainly promoted the event through Facebook.

“A lot of people have said they will participate on the Facebook group,” Morante said. “I think [student] response is mainly going to be during week of [the event]. Word is still going around.”

Although the week is called Women’s Empowerment Week, Tino Challenge Club does hope to promote self-respect and self-confidence among male students as well.

“We’re also trying to have guys be excited about this as well,” Hallin said.

“It’s not just about women, it’s more about accepting yourself. You don’t need to have huge muscles to be attractive.”

Exact plans for the week are still developing, but the club plans to expand its promotion of the event, with its members posting dramatic makeupless Facebook profile pictures.

STUDENTS PROTEST SOPA AND PIPA (cont. pg1)

tracks, critics and major corporations warn the public that the bill may not be so harmless, especially because of the ambiguous nature of the bill’s text.

On Jan. 18, the Internet played host to a massive online protest against SOPA and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), which is essentially the Senate’s version of SOPA. Various companies, such as Wikipedia and social news site Reddit, resorted to a technique known as nuclear option, in which they simulated a 12- to 24-hour blackout of their operations in order to exhibit what they believe the future would hold for their organizations if these bills were to pass. Meanwhile, Google, Mozilla and Tumblr placed various banners on their pages to inform users about SOPA and PIPA and to give them tips on how to protest the bills.

Sophomore Andy Yang, a frequent Redditor, believes that nuclear option is a terrific way to teach people about SOPA, and mentioned the dangers of being ignorant about it.

“There are a lot of people out there who have no idea what SOPA is, and I feel like that’s kind of outrageous because this is the possibility that could completely change how the Internet is going to work right now,” Yang said.Yang has signed vari-

ous online petitions to demonstrate his opposition to SOPA, including the White House’s official petition, and has attempted to encourage others to spread the word by posting about SOPA on Facebook and Reddit.

As Yang believed, the online protest did indeed spread awareness about SOPA, and it encouraged junior Maurice Truong to take action against the bill. “[The blacked-out websites] gave me the Senators’ phone numbers and were like, ‘call them now!’ I went to a website — first Wikipedia and then Google — and I voted.”

As of the evening of Jan. 18, more than 30 Senators were publicly against PIPA, a drastic increase from six Senators only 12 hours earlier, indicating the widespread effects of the online protest that same day.

Senator Harry Reid announced on Jan. 20 that Congress’s scheduled Jan. 24 markup of the bill had been postponed, but the bill’s ambiguous nature has created a cloud of controversy that has critics, users and various social media corporations banding together in order to prevent it from passing and potentially threatening their daily activities. While it is still unclear what SOPA will do if it were to pass, it may have the potential to do more than what it was originally intended to.

New Internet policy allows for more accountability

Tinostock showcases diverse array of talents KATIE MARTIN features assistant

JASON CHEN lifestyles assistant

As of this semester, students must have their computers and other devices registered in the library in order to access the Internet at school.

Although this policy has been in place for a few years, now it has begun to be enforced. There are now two separate networks in place for students and staff. Devices may be registered in the library. The only details collected in this process are the names of devices and their hardware identification numbers. Students may also register smartphones or other devices with Internet capabilities. The task of registering devices is simple: students just need to bring in their device to either librarian Pat Accorinti or Network Specialist Ron McNeil and simply state their student ID, and the rest will be taken care of.

“This is just more of a basic way to make our jobs easier,” McNeil said.

This policy aims to improve cyber security on campus, though it is mainly a safety precaution. With this information, devices involved in any unethical activities would be easier to trace, and potential hacking incidents could be more easily resolved. Furthermore, lost devices could be quickly located.

“It is not that we want to discourage students from using the Internet, but in order to gather that information, it has to be systematic,” Accorinti said.

The policy’s intention is not to prevent students from accessing the Internet on their devices; rather, its goal is to make Internet usage on campus safer and more organized.

The previous policy was back in 2002 when students had to actually bring in their computers with a form to have the Network Specialist sign it off and register the device. Now the school is transitioning to its new policy.

The policy was initially supposed to go into effect in August, but delays resulted in the several month setback of the teacher and student networks. The teacher network was set up before Winter Break (in December) and the student network shortly thereafter, during the break. While all schools in the district have had discussions about this new policy and were given information regarding its implementation, it has not yet been put into effect on all campuses.

This school is one of the first to have such a policy in place, and it is up to the staff and administration of the other schools to decide to do so.

3

THE PROSPECTOR

JANUARY 27, 2012

Filled with song, poetry and a sprinkling of comedy, Tinostock, the fifth annual school talent show, was held on Friday, Jan. 20. Although the Intra-District Council (IDC) talent show was cancelled this year in favor of a new event, IDC Fantastics, Tinostock carried on as usual.

Throughout the evening, students showcased their unique skills to a small but enthusiastic audience as well as a group of judges: teachers Monique Machado, Elise Robison, Eric Ferrante and Kevin Morgan. The wide variety of acts consistently drew strong responses from the crowd.

Energetic emcees, junior Alya Omar, senior Krystal Allen and sophomore Kimya Vazindel, introduced each routine and entertained the audience with their antics.

As in prior years, musical acts were by far the most popular. The show opened with an intricately melodic performance on the zither, a large Chinese stringed instrument, by freshmen Liza Chen and Andrea Lin. The acapella group Adam Ure and the Seven Dwarves presented a beautifully harmonized rendition of the Queen classic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A variety of oldschool and modern songs were performed by several bands. Second place winner, junior Aatef Baransy, showcased his talent

in an impressive drum number. And Gentlemedley, a three-man ensemble made up of senior Eric Jang, senior Curtis Chan and junior Jason Chen, performed a potpourri of pop songs on cello, violin and piano respectively. Their creative take on current tunes was popular with students and judges alike, and the group won first place.

Other performances took a departure from music. Freshman Marshall Pangalinan displayed his flair for comedy with a stand-up routine that touched on everything from procrastination to Judaism. His dry observations about high school left the mostly-student audience laughing and earned him third place. Both senior Derek Cox and senior Rebekkah Scharf recited original poems, but the emotions portrayed in their works, love and rage, respectively, were contrasting. Several members of the improvisation team Comedy Hour also made an appearance at the end of the show.

The evening drew to a close once the winners were announced, and spirits were high as performers took bows and greeted performers. Even without the promise of an IDC talent show, the Tinostock participants were just as excited to showcase their diverse talents and their peers just as eager to watch.

ALL PHOTOS BY JESSE ZHOU

ALL PHOTOS BY JESSE ZHOU

TINOSTOCK | Students shine in the limelight with a variety of musical and soliloquial pieces while the judges evaluate their performances based on originality and talent.

UC budget cuts: students question the value of a UC education VIRENA GALOTRA features assistant

For the past few years, the University of California (UC) system has been facing a budget crisis due to a shortage in state funding. As a result, their educational programs and faculty resources have been directly impacted. This decrease in funds has also forced the schools to increase their tuition. Since this deficit also impacts UC programs and student-to-faculty ratios, some students have started to rethink pursuing a UC education.

The UCs’ core instructional funds come from three main sources — the state, student fees and UC general funds. The UC general funds come from money the universities earn through nonresident tuition, patent royalties earned from UC inventions and lab management fees, among other sources. Although the university system is supported by other private organizations, the money is usually limited to specific areas of funding such as research grants, athletic organizations and construction projects. In 1990, the state of California funded 78% of the total cost of education at the universities, far higher than the 48% today. This leads to an increase in the tuition students have to pay.

Enrollment in the universities has been cut in past years. The UC system reduced the number of students to be accepted by 2300 students in each of the past two school years.

The UCs have cut staff salaries and increased the number of furlough days in order to prevent the tuition fees from rising even further. The universities also advocate Gov. Jerry Brown’s new proposal, which grants the UC system an additional $90 million.

Guidance counselor Gregg Buie believes the UC’s increasing deficit has affected student’s decisions in applying to the universities.

“As more people go to college these days it has definitely become more competitive and as a result students tend to settle for the less competitive UCs,” he said.

Buie encourages students to apply to private colleges as they are more likely to provide scholarships, grants and financial aid.

There is a growing population of students who are no longer seeking a UC education. Senior Siddharth Chaphekar is one of the students who no longer wish to attend the universities.

“The UCs are not worth it anymore. The overall population [of the university] is really high now and the fees are increasing,” Chaphekar said.

However, there are students who still remain loyal to the public universities.

“I would still go to a UC even though there is an economic downturn because it’s still a good school and I really want to go there even though it may cost more,” senior Leonard Siew said.

Buie agreed and said, “Nevertheless, California public schools are still one of the best buys around.”

The UCs’ tight financial situation made some students hesitant to apply to the universities. However, many seniors still felt the schools were worth going to and chose to apply. While the budget cuts caused doubts in some students’ minds regarding a UC education, it is clearly still a top choice among students.

Top applied UCs at CHS

JASON CHEN

UC PRIDE | Students display the UCs with the most applications received (San Diego, LA, Santa Barbara, Berkeley and Davis).

1. Davis 2. San Diego 3. Los Angeles 4. Berkeley 5. Santa Barbara

143 135 130 111 86

COMPILED BY VIRENA GALOTRA

OPINIONS

4

JANUARY 27, 2012

Safety first: incorporate driver’s education into curriculum AZADEH RONGERE AZADEH RONGERE news editor news editor

My experience at the DMV included parking five miles away and waiting for hours in a tediously long line to take my permit test while the flickering fluorescent lights aggravated my headache. The thought of their disorganized departments, apathetic employees and shortage of chairs makes me cringe. Throughout my painfully slow experience I kept on thinking, “Why am I doing all of this for a permit test? I might not even pass.” At the peak of my desperation, I considered getting a motorcycle because their permit test line was shorter. This denunciation is much needed because the following simple solution to stop our DMV troubles is often overlooked: provide a driver’s education course here on campus.

This course would provide all of the information we learned or did not learn in the online courses. While many people skim the online course and cheat their way through practice quizzes, a required driving unit in PE classes would encourage people to listen to not only the rules of the roads and expectations of drivers, but also the consequences of driving carelessly and under the influence. PE classes would also include the permit test so students wouldn’t have to wait in the hair-pulling lines at the DMV. “People only skim through the course without paying attention to the information.

Some people don’t even know simple road rules,” senior Gabriel Tong said.

Many people guessed on the questions hoping to aim for 75% or higher on the permit test, which proves that the permit test itself is an inadequate measurement of our driving knowledge. In addition, there are only five different copies of the permit test, so many students can and do easily view these tests online and correctly answer the questions on the test based on their memorization skills rather than their true driving experience. This course would strive to persuade people that driving is a huge responsibility and it can yield serious penalties financial-

Hey Tino! How do you feel... about activity points?

2 3%

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ly and medically. Although the thrill and independence of driving can overpower the responsibility, this course would encourage students to become responsible drivers and view driving as a privilege rather than a right. Currently, teenagers aged 16 to 20 are involved in 12% of fatal vehicle accidents; a personal course could prevent teens from viewing driving as “cool” but dangerous. The personal movies, lectures and statistics provide much more depth than any non-interactive online course can offer.

“Having a course on campus is just more convenient because no one has time to go to the DMV. A license class here would also be better because it would be less expensive,” junior Niki Bell said.

In addition to a permit course, driving lessons would also be beneficial because the irrationally overpriced driving schools prevent many students from getting their permit or license. For example, people pay hundreds of dollars for three courses of driving school and an additional $100 for taking the permit and license tests. Plus, driving to the DMV inconveniences our parents, who have to sign forms and have to stand in just as gruesome lines.

For example, Saratoga High School students currently benefit from this free program provided by mandatory freshman PE during the health unit. Saratoga High School senior Ida Khadem, reminisces on the advantages of having a permit class available on campus.

“We have a teacher teach us the material. Also, we watch videos that help us learn about the rules of driving. It is easier to learn in a school like environment,” Khadem said.

Khadem believes that the personal experience of learning the dangers of driving with her classmates establishes a trust system because she and her peers will all be driving at the same to many similar locations. Thus, Khadem and her classmates strive to be better drivers not only for their own personal safety but also for preserving the well-being of their peers. Meanwhile, this faith in other drivers, an essential quality of a safe driver, cannot be established through online courses.

“The course benefited me because it taught me the rules of driving in California. I get to take the tests and receive my certificate of driver’s education completion in class instead of doing all that online,” Khadem said.

Thus, not only does the self-paced online course trigger laziness, but it also cannot compete with the serious mood and price-less convenience that a high school course offers.

es yy

Have activity points motivated you to participate more in school activities?

5% say ye s

77% say no Do you think that activity points are a fair representation of a student’s involvement in school activities?

95% say no 107 POLLED COMPILED BY ERIC JANG

STAFF EDITORIAL

Activity points fail to account for full depth of involvement Activity Points have traditionally been part of the school’s initiative to reward students who go above and beyond. Points are awarded to those who participate in a wide range of school activities, such as student leadership and publication groups.

Students receive prizes ranging from a “CHS pen” to a “Senior Award” depending on how many points they can accumulate before graduation. Although Activity Points are well intentioned, a rubric that determines an ASB President’s contribution to be exactly 3.3 times that of a lead Drama role and tutoring services to be twice the value of a club presidency has no place in a school where all extracurriculars should be embraced with equality.

ASB has certainly taken steps toward accounting for varying levels of participation; club presidents and officers generally receive more activity points than ordinary members, and it is up to club advisers and teachers to evaluate students based on their level of activity. However, club adviser involvement varies from club to club. Some actively work with the students, while others let the students handle most operations on their own. Not every adviser can be expected to assess every individual in the club without an intimate understanding of the day-to-day operations that go on within the club. When it comes to evaluating the participation of many unfamiliar club members, advisers must choose between giving the benefit of doubt — full points to any

CHRIS

CAI

student who comes asking for a signature — or the burden of proof.

Distinguishing different roles in extracurricular activities also fails to measure contribution accurately. Leadership roles and ranking officers receive more points on the Activity Points form. However, leadership does not necessarily mean “more activity.” Although leadership involves greater responsibilities, the non-officers and thankless jobs that go unheard of in every student group are every bit as important as the leaders. Comparing the different responsibilities of leaders and workers — if they can be compared at all — is not an accurate portrayal of dedication.

Even if leadership is “more active,” the roles “ASB President,” “ASB Officers” and “Senior/Junior Class President” still receive more points than any other category. It is peculiar then, that a Drama Student Director, someone who possesses the management skills necessary to put an entire production together, can only receive a third (50 points) of the points awarded to an ASB commissioner (150 points). In fact, the Activity Points system suggests that holding a leadership position in Drama is far less valuable than holding one in ASB, Music or Publications, although all of these students dedicate at least an entire class period to their work.

The prizes are small — nobody really minds missing out on a CHS pen — but it is a matter of principle, not of pens. People would care more about these points if they were used to nominate Homecoming Kings and Queens or to choose a class Valedictorian. A system that awarded similar points was proposed last year for Homecoming nominations. Kings and Queens would be nominated based on “how much they gave back to the school,” and different amounts of points were awarded to different categories. In early 2011, the entire student body voted through their Student Senators to reject the proposed Homecoming nomination system.

According to a student survey, 77% of students do not find activity points to be “a fair representation of involvement in school activities,” and 95% of students have “not found activity points to be a motivating force in further participation.”

We are not criticizing ASB’s goodwill in rewarding students for doing extracurricular activities as part of a long-standing school tradition. Activity Points are based on good intentions — a small “thank you” to students who define the school. We merely disagree with the notion that advisers can accurately determine how much a student has given back to the school, and that contributions from certain groups are precisely more valuable than others. Activity is difficult to measure, and that is why we propose that the school avoid policies that revolve around measuring the worth of students based on points. Let go of unfair traditions, and let students “get what they give” from their activities — that is the only true measure of contribution.

THE PROSPECTOR

JANUARY 27, 2012

Turn the lightbulbs on: Court’s ruling forces school district to reconsider plans for lighted stadiums KEVIN CHU copy editor

The Fremont Union High School District is forced to reevaluate its plans for nighttime football games at Monta Vista and Lynbrook High Schools.

Our campus should not be burdened with opening its stadium as the sole venue for these events, unless the resulting significant and seemingly unavoidable noise impact could be curbed.

On Nov. 30, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Joseph Huber ruled that the district’s “certification of an environmental impact report did not properly analyze and mitigate the noise that could come from two proposed track and field renovations at both schools.” The field improvements underway are funded by the $198 million Measure B school bond passed by voters in June 2008. Our school’s track and field likewise stands on school property, mere feet from residential backyards.

Transporting the whopping noise impact — from the five to six nighttime home football games per year at both Monta Vista and Lynbrook — to our school does not go far enough or show an “analytic route” to address the noise issues, as ordered

by Huber. And who can forget that Monta Vista and Lynbrook have historically held evening sporting events and band practices on our campus?

The best way to address the noise should show a practical method to reduce the noise, which had previously been neglected and served as the primary reason for the court’s ruling. Since the school district’s board of trustees already voted unanimously in December 2010 to go forward with the extensive renovation projects, its strategy should pinpoint the paramount issue of noise reduction at both campuses.

While addressing the amount of nighttime football games is necessary, a strategy centered on infrequently scheduling or reducing non-football evening events would not reduce noise from a significant to a less than significant level. As the court announced, a new Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must address the noise issue, and the district will need to detail why the solutions would eliminate the noise impacts.

FUHSD Superintendent Polly Bove admirably took initiative by stating that considerations could include new options for public address systems or construction of sound barriers near the property lines.

“All along, our goals have been to minimize the impacts on neighbors and to help create an asset for the community with these lovely fields,” Bove said.

Although Lynbrook-Monta Vista United, a group consisting of neighbors and concerned residents living near the school’s parameters, wielded the right to file the lawsuit against the district and its board of trustees, the unfortunate result was that these noise concerns were dumped into the laps of residents of homes near our school. Lynbrook and Monta Vista’s track and field projects did not match the California Environmental Quality Act, which requires EIR proposals of mitigations and alternatives which may reduce or avoid the environmental impacts of public projects. Similarly, frequent games held at our school would adversely affect nearby residents with the insufficiently analyzed noise impact.

It remains unclear how long the district has to find solutions and how the ruling will affect ongoing track and field construction. Both fields are slated for a tentative opening in 2012.

While the court maintains jurisdiction over the matter, the district and Lynbrook-Monta Vista United are not the only parties waiting on the next steps. Our school and the residents of adjoining property are looking forward to a solution to reduce the potential noise in our neighborhood.

JASON CHEN

Monopoly: the College Board’s game HONG SUH lifestyles assistant

Underclassmen, you’ll find out that once you take some College Board tests, your email inbox will soon be flooded with unknown colleges urging you to work harder, coaxing you to apply and even wishing you happy birthday. Upperclassmen, you’re probably familiar with those persistent and mostly annoying “college spam” emails. But what you may not know is the College Board’s story behind all this.

It turns out that the College Board sells each of our names and contact information to colleges in the United States for 33 cents apiece, earning $63 million using this tactic just in 2010, according to Bloomberg L.P. Since the early 2000s, the College Board has displayed a somewhat unsettling tendency to act more and more like a business despite its not-for-profit label. Though many denounce the College Board’s seemingly profit-driven measures, there’s nothing wrong with profit-making in itself, as long as it is in the correct context of fair market competition.

But when the College Board makes an enormous profit not because of its excellence but simply because it takes advantage of its monopoly on the standardized testing industry, there’s something wrong with the system that the College Board made for itself.

Most high school students with a reasonable amount of experience with the College Board already know of its exorbitant prices. The price tags on the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests and AP Exams generate constant complaint among students. The College Board charges $30 to rush-deliver SAT scores to colleges, while it costs $15 to do the same with ACT scores with only about two additional days. And, of course, the College Board earns a fortune simply selling students’ personal information to

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colleges (ACT Inc. also does this but the College Board makes about nine times more money from it). The College Board can hike up prices this way not because of its performance in the market, but because it is the only thing in the market other than the relatively size-impaired ACT Inc. And in October 2005, the College Board proved not only that their prices are too high, but also that the quality of their services is too low.

In that month, the College Board incorrectly scored about 4,400 SAT tests too low and outrageously failed to respond to or publicize the error until March 2006. The College Board’s lackadaisical attitude toward its mistakes stirred up a furious storm among colleges and individuals, especially since many colleges had already finished their applicant consideration process or were about to. In the context of a normal market, this would have seriously taken a toll on the College Board’s reputation. But because of its grip on the testing industry, it was able to make huge mistakes with a greater margin for error than should be allowed.

As individuals invested in education, we need organizations that will give the College Board a run for its money.

ACT Inc. is slowly garnering more support from colleges, but it still lags significantly behind the College Board; outside the United States, international students often have only one opportunity to take the ACT per year but have ten or more to take the SAT. We need a greater variety of recognized standardized tests, which will all cater to different types of learners. You shouldn’t judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, Einstein once said; in the same way, colleges should not judge applicants by their ability to excel on the narrow scope of the SAT, SAT II and the ACT. More organizations to compete with the College Board would give it less room for error and more room for diversity and progression in education. Maybe then, the College Board would be better able to truly pursue its mission statement, “to connect students to college success and opportunity.”

Where the not-for-profit organization’s money comes from and goes to

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$1.3 million:

The amount of the College Board CEO Gaston Caperton’s total compensation in 2009. His total compensation in 1999 was $404,000.

$72 million:

The College Board’s profit in 2009. That number was $25 million in 2001.

4,400:

The number of SAT tests that the College Board incorrectly graded too low in October 2005. They did not attempt to reverse the error until five months later.

es: Expens 04 ,5 474,190

$63 million: The amount that the College Board earned in 2010 from selling students’ contact information to colleges.

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The number of competing organizations to the College Board.

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FEATURES

JANUARY 27, 2012

Student lives parent-free to attend high school of choice

ought a b My dad b hair ge s that it wa senio , Kathy Liu

ANNA HUANG news assistant

l over ing al g at k o o l in as s, yell om w ra my m r her glasse them. Afte e c n O , o n f e use ching d se the ho g if we ha frantic sear d. kin of hea us, as inutes ere on her m 0 3 w good that they w we sa ah, junior g A Nima

For most high school students, living under constant parental supervision is an accepted fact. Although many frustrated teenagers may fantasize wistfully about moving out and crashing on their best friend’s couch, few ever take the initiative. For junior Grace Kim, however, the daydream of living away from home is a very tangible reality.

Kim, whose family lives in a part of San Jose that falls under the San Jose Unified School District, lives with junior Jasmine Su so that she is still able to attend this school. Rather than moving her entire family, Kim decided to rent out a room in Su’s house to be closer to school.

Said Kim, “I found out that [Jasmine’s] house had an open room, so I just asked her if it was possible for me to live there... I do homestay, which means that I pay for food and rides sometimes.”

For the majority of the week, Kim does not see her parents in person and only keeps in contact with them through daily phone calls.

Although Kim’s lifestyle does appear to be less restricted than most, her parents still have certain unspoken expectations that may not be enforced and yet weigh heavily on her decisions.

“We trust her and she’s always been good with dealing with her studies on her own but she participates in so many different activities and extracurriculars that often we find her stressed out because she didn’t use her time wisely,” Sung Soo Kim, her father, said.

Even with her parents in a different city, Kim still manages to balance freedom with responsibility. While some teenagers may be tempted to exploit their parents’ leniency, Kim finds it harder to act out the further she is from home.

“In a sense, if I were to live with my parents here, I’d probably be more ‘rebellious’ because it’s my own parents. I think, in a way, I’m more well-behaved away from home,” she said.

Although distance can sometimes strain a relationship, Kim and her family maintain strong bonds based on mutual respect and trust. Despite her independence, she is still motivated by her personal goals and her parents’ expectation that she will stay on track in both academics and extracurriculars.

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“They have good intentions, but do it the wrong way. They want their kids to live their dreams, instead of letting them pursue their own.”

— Rodney Tang, senior

“Parents who limit their child’s curfew to a ridiculous extent and stop them from living their lives, because of their constant hovering.”

— Osker Lu, junior

We all kno define tee types: Ne Valley Gir how abou stereot

“Lots of times these parents force their children to do things they don’t want to, just for the sake of college applications.”

— Aditya Gollakota, sophomore

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CH EN

They humor, enco Meet the pare

The term originated from the book “Between Parent and Teenager” by Haim Ginott.

Many frustrated teenagers have also defined it as overparenting

ALYA OMAR flip side editor

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Helicopter Parent

Student finds chosen path from parent’s cooking careers

She has the moves like Jagger. She has the voice of a thousand angels. She has a talent for art that is so terrific it would make Van Gogh’s ears fall off. When it comes to the arts, senior Madina Hashemi is certainly the jack of all trades. But in her deck of cards, the ones with recipes on them are her forte: Madina is an aspiring baker and culinary artist, and it is due in part to her family lineage.

“Cooking and baking has always run in the family,” Hashemi said. “Ever since my dad was a kid, he was in the kitchen with his mom learning how to cook in Iran.

He even met my mom in a restaurant when she was 16. And ever since he was my age, he wanted to open a restaurant.”

Hashemi’s mother and father are the managers, founders and owners of Arya Restaurant, a global cuisine restaurant located on Stevens Creek Boulevard.

Her parents opened it in September 2008, serving Persian, Italian and American cuisine and offering belly dancing performances on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition to balancing school and extracurriculars, Hashemi also helps her parents by working as a hostess. She often also has to take care of her brother and sister, as her parents both have full-time jobs.

But full-time is an understatement. Her parents are currently working to open a second Arya restaurant in March, and hope to create a new dessert menu to accompany it. Hashemi recently got accepted into the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and hopes to integrate dessert ideas into the menu at home.

In fact, she is already making new recipes herself with the help of pastry books.

She is no rookie, either. For two years, Hashemi has been employed in the culinary industry, working at Alexander’s Steakhouse, La Patisserie Bakery, Margaret’s French Bakery and currently at Sugar Butter Flower.

“My parents were the main inspiration for what I want to do for the rest of my life. I can write and I love music, and I’ve always switched between those two, but a few years ago I decided that I should stick with baking,” Hashemi said.

And sticking to it she is. She plans on attending the Culinary Institute next year and aspires to open her own bakery after she graduates from college.

However, Hashemi has not ruled out the possibility of taking over her family’s business one day.

“My father keeps telling me, you SO know, ‘Arya will be yours one day,’ but I keep A J saying, ‘No! Take it! Keep it!’ Just kidding. It’s definitely a possibility.”

Me

CO MP ILE DB Y LAU RA KAO

A lifetime of parental inspiration

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7 A melting pot of culture THE PROSPECTOR

JANUARY 27, 2012

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Three students examine their parents’ mixed backgrounds

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HARINI JAGANATHAN editor-in-chief

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ourage, teach and enforce. rents: our greatest enemies and our greatest allies

Tiger Mom The term was made popular by the book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua.

The western equivalent of a tiger mother is a “Momma Grizzly.”

“They are mothers who push their children way too hard. My parents are not like this; they support me through my hardships in school.”

— Ophelia Ding, junior

“Moms who prey on their children 24/7.

They refuse to take their children’s happiness into account.”

— Wonjae Hwang, senior

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“They make their kids focus on academics more than necessary and restrict time for extracurricular activities. They hire extra tutors and worry too much about grades.”

— Ayush Chapagain, freshman

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Junior Julia Seaton eats lamb and potatoes with her family in Scotland during the summer and also receives gifts from her grandmother for Girls Day, a Japanese holiday. In an increasingly globalized world, many students have parents from two or more different ethnic backgrounds, and these students find that their parents’ upbringings have broadened their understanding of different cultures and influenced how they identify themselves.

Seaton’s father is from Scotland, while her mother is half Japanese, half GermanJewish. She finds that her parents’ different origins have mainly helped her gain a better understanding of other parts of the world.

“Sometimes my friends will talk about Europe, and I’m like ‘You guys, that’s not right, that’s not how it is over there,’” Seaton said. “I guess I have a better understanding than a lot of other people.”

Freshman Lela Brown, who has an African-American father and Japanese mother, finds that having parents of different origins has expanded her culturally, influencing her interest in anime and manga.

Both Seaton and Brown find that coming from two different backgrounds has its benefits, but they find that identifying themselves ethnically is not entirely straightforward.

“I’m more like half Japanese, half mystery because my parents told me, ‘You’re half Scottish, quarter Japanese and a quarter GermanJewish,’ and I have never known what that meant,” Seaton said.

“To this day, I’m not sure if Jewish can be a nationality.”

Despite her uncertainty, Seaton identifies more with her Scottish side.

“I understand certain aspects of Japanese culture, but I think part of it is that living in Tino, there are a lot of people who do identify with being Japanese, and I don’t feel like I fall into that group,” she said. “I feel like if there was a group that identified with being Scottish, I would fall more easily into it, because I just understand more of that culture.”

Unlike Seaton, Brown tends to identify more with her Japanese side.

“I speak and understand Japanese, and I visit my maternal grandparents more than I do my paternal,” she said. “But people can’t tell I’m Asian until they look really close at my face.”

Junior Kai MorelosZaragoza, who is of half Japanese, quarter Mexican, and quarter Caucasian descent identifies more with his non-Asian side.

“For values, I like the non-Asian side more because it’s about working hard and making the best out of any situation or job, no matter how bad it may be,” he said.

Apart from influencing how she identifies herself, Seaton finds that her parents’ distinct upbringings has shaped the way she thinks about ethnicity and culture in general. The realization that many people are only of one ethnic background did not occur to Seaton until she was in middle school. “[My sister and I] are the only Seatons that have more than Scottish blood in us, and just that aspect of it is kind of cool,” she said. “There are people who don’t get both sides, different halves from both parents. It’s the best of both worlds because I can see different sides.”

COMPILED BY MICHELLE CHEUNG 118 STUDENTS POLLED

30.6%

LIFESTYLES

JANUARY 27, 2012

LAWRENCE LUK

gets with the

program JESSE ZHOU features editor

O

ne intriguing student has given many people the power to explode trees, control lightning, telepathically move faraway objects and create dark voids that bring people into another dimension. He grants these powers not by using a wizard’s scepter, but by using the keyboard of his computer at home.

Senior Lawrence Luk is a noteworthy student programmer on campus. Luk demonstrates his mastery of the computer language in many ways, but he mainly shows his programming expertise through “Minecraft,” a popular online game that simulates survival in a strangely Lego-like environment. “Minecraft” players know the typical procedure of the game, which consists of building shelters or forts, harvesting crops for sustenance or fighting nighttime monsters. However, Luk has taken “Minecraft” to a whole new level with his plug-in called “Demigods.”

His plug-in allows players to gain eerie powers that mirror those

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of the gods of Greek mythology.

Luk was first inspired to create his plug-in while reading “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan, a fiction novel that chronicles the journey of a 21st-century boy and his efforts to stop a war between three of the most powerful Greek gods: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Not surprisingly, many of the powers that Luk has programmed into “Minecraft” are reminiscent of those shown by the characters in the book. In fact, the name of the plug-in is derived from what many of the characters call the protagonist: a demigod, which is fitting for Luk’s plug-in because the term strictly means half-god and half-human.

“I was in [AP United States History] and I was reading “The Lightning Thief” and I was like, ‘I want to make this into “Minecraft.”’ It’s been too successful, I think,” Luk said.

Luk, who is a former AP Computer Science student, now logs onto “Minecraft” solely to test the powers he has created for the players who use his plug-in. The popularity of “Demigods” is staggering — it has an estimated download count of over 100,000, with a similar number of video tutorials for the plug-in on YouTube. However, despite its popularity, Luk sometimes faces many bickering players seeking his assistance.

“Every time I log on, one side goes like, ‘Oh, the other side is overpowered! You made them too strong! This is OP! They griefed [the act of destroying another person’s creation on “Minecraft” purely for the enjoyment it causes] my base! Why don’t you fix it for me?’” Luk said. “It’s still really fun though, because at least they’re talking about a thing that I made.”

After maintaining such a massive, one-year project, Luk said he learned at least one lesson he will never forget.

“I’ve learned that people are fickle. Both the people who own the servers, and the people who play the game. People ask for change, but then they don’t want it when you give it to them. It’s really hard to satisfy people, so you should just do your own thing and hope they go along with it.”

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THE PROSPECTOR

JANUARY 27, 2012

WAR HORSE MOVIE REVIEW “With superb technical aspects and great actors paired with a potentially poignant script, it truly is a shame when the final product is this lackluster. Joey had an amaingstory to tell; it just was not told properly.”

3 out of 5 STARS

DIRECTOR: steven spielberg

RELEASED dec. 25, 2011

GENRE: drama action adventure NATASHA SHARMA

NIKHIL KANTHI opinions assistant

Steven Spielberg’s latest cinematic venture “War Horse” appears to be a touching tale of love and compassion, but due to an excessively censored and rushed plot, the movie fails to live up to its expectations. Though technically and artistically outstanding, the film’s lack of emotional appeal induces apathy toward the plot and its titular character.

The story opens in rural England, where a young man, Albert Narcott (Irvine) has to train his apparently untameable horse Joey to plow a rocky plot of land before the merciless landlord (Thewlis) takes their farm away. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, however, Narcott loses Joey to the British cavalry as the Great War is announced. For the next two hours, the story follows Joey through the harrowing battlefields of World War I as he passes through British, French and German hands. As a whole, Joey’s journey across a palate of people and places exemplifies a touching sentiment; regardless of one’s nationality or social standing, everyone has the choice to do the right thing.

While having the potential to be heart-breakingly poignant, “War Horse” falls short in the delivery of its script. Through the heavy censorship of violence and choppy editing, the story is stripped of most of its emotional value.

Considering that it is primarily a war movie, the censorship of violence heavily cripples its message. There are trench charges during which not a single drop of blood is shed. It is unreasonable to expect barbaric gore in a Christmas movie, but if every death is censored in a prolonged action sequence, all sense of danger is obliterated. By the time the heroes reach

their destination, the audience no longer fears for their well-being.

The severe editing also does the story injustice. Joey forges bonds with his caretakers in a series of events, but before the bond develops enough emotional weight to make the audience care, Joey moves to a new setting. The movie simply does not build the relationships between the horse and the people to their potential. By the time the movie ends, the audience is left with a sense of impassivity not only toward Joey, but also toward the two-and-ahalf-hour journey he has taken.

“War Horse”, does, however, have aspects where it passes with flying colors. In terms of technical genius, Spielberg lives up to his standard. From the sweeping views of farmlands to the harsh pans of No Man’s Land, every special effect and camera angle is consummate.

The movie also makes great use of color as a result of the post-production touch-ups that have become so characteristic to Spielberg.

Artistically, “War Horse” is superb in terms of art and set design. It is quite a feat to convince the audience they are a century back in time for two-and-a-half-hours, but not a shred of doubt enters the audience’s mind for the movie’s entirety.

The film’s greatest strength lies in its actors. Irvine shines the most and by the end of the movie, it is a poignant afterthought that with the right direction, he could have been a powerful emotional center to the script.

Sadly, these poignant afterthoughts speak for the entire movie, for “War Horse” has all the right pieces which were simply put together wrong. With superb technical aspects and great actors paired with a potentially poignant script, it truly is a shame when the final product is this lackluster. Joey had an amazing story to tell; it just was not told properly.

WANT TO ADVERTISE WITH US? email us at prospector.chs@gmail.com

SPORTS

Taking it to the top of the key GOKUL NATESAN 2011-2012 Season PPG APG RPG 5.9 23.2 1.8 Career 1.2 4.4 14.9

senior

SPG 3.1 1.8

His sneakers slide across the glossy floor, the rhymthic beats of his steps punctuated by the tempo of the basketball. Slamming the dunk, Gokul Natesan is the quintessential basketball player, and is in the perfect middle ground junior between a team player and a star athlete.

CHRIS TRACEY

18.0 ppg 1.1 apg 2.2 spg 5.7 rpg

Cupertino pioneers 6’ 3”, 175 lbs.

sophomore

#42 SG/SF

13.0 ppg 1.4 apg 1.4 spg 4.8 rpg

freshman

5.2 ppg 0.4 apg 0.2 spg 1.0 rpg

ALL PHOTOS BY JASON CHEN

SUNWOO JEONG sports editor

Throughout his high school basketball career, senior Gokul Natesan developed from a player with sweaty palms and shaky knees during tip-off to a confident leader with a tremendous love for the game. Before Natesan made a name for himself in basketball, many people saw him as a scrawny player lacking physical and mental strength, unfit to compete against great players and handle himself during tough situations on the court. Despite making the varsity basketball team since freshman year, he had to prove to everyone that he belonged on the court.

Since freshman year, Natesan has gained 30 pounds and has grown around four inches in height. However, Natesan’s physical attributes do not compare to his mental and statistical growth. Natesan’s disciplined work ethics brought him from 5.2 points average per game his freshman year to a career high of 23.3 points per game his junior year. Natesan is currently ranked 15th in the nation for average three-pointers per game and third in the Central Coast Section (CCS) for average points per game.

Natesan is the team captain but also values the involvement of each player in order to

create a better team.

“We want it so that everyone steps up because this makes us better as a team. But in pressured situations or situations that don’t go as planned, Mr. Ellegood expects me to take charge and try my best to make something happen,” Natesan said.

Natesan feeds off the competition from other great players as well as from the excitement of the crowd to push him to perform his best. The suspense of a pressured situation also encourages Natesan to play harder, motivating him to make the best out of each game.

“The feeling of being out there in a big game is just surreal,” Natesan said.

In the midst of all the peculiar aspects that add to the “feel” of the basketball game, Natesan highly values the brotherhood of the team as well as the consistency of PE teacher Craig Ellegood’s coaching. From the team dinners once a week before a game to the laughs that he shares with his teammates both inside and outside of the gym, Natesan is able to use this bond to raise the trust and chemistry between him and his teammates during the game. Despite creating a serious atmosphere during practice with rigorous drills and scrimmaging, Ellegood is very well respected by Natesan and the rest of team.

“I like the fact that he comes out every

day, ready to work,” Natesan said. “Whether it is in the spring or the fall, he is there to help you get better and to help you improve on a certain spot that you are lacking. He has no offday and every day is a day to help you become a better player in every aspect of basketball. He never takes a day off.”

Apart from his high school basketball career, Natesan is also a member of an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) club baksetball team called the San Jose Ballers and allocates some time to working with coaches of that team. Before the season started, Natesan met up separately with specialized coaches to fine-tune different parts of his game. In addition to working out in the weight room with one coach to get stronger, Natesan also practiced shooting around 600 shots with another coach, twice a week, to become an even better player.

Natesan hopes to continue playing basketball in college, as he already has some scouts on his tail. From all of the experience that he has accumulated in four years of varsity basketball, Natesan hopes to deliver to the younger players an important message.

“The overall rating of a team is not just the sum of its individual parts. It’s so much more than that. You don’t always need to have the most talent to win.”

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JANUARY 27, 2012

Mindset on the

MIDFIELD

SEONG HWAN YOON news assistant

This season, varsity soccer coach Edison Penafiel is pushing to get players to bond and work as a team rather than a mere assortment of talented individuals.

Though Penafiel has only introduced this philosophy recently, the young, aspiring varsity soccer team is pushing to build a team from a solid foundation of talented individuals to a strong group held together by trust and camaraderie.

“You’ve got to be selfless; you have to play for the person next to you, for the person behind you and you have to sacrifice so that you can make them look good,” Penafiel said. “You have to be a total team player.”

The boys varsity soccer team has been together since their preseason conditioning in late October. However, the final roster and the intense training did not begin until roughly a month ago. Fortunately, the team has outstanding players, so the coach is more focused on developing team skills than improving individual talents.

“It’s a new philosophy,” Penafiel said. “I don’t think a lot of them have heard these words before, but we’re getting there.”

The team has masterfully demonstrated this difficult concept during the second half of their match against Fremont.

“Well, the strength that the team has is that it’s a young team,” Penafiel said. “We have good potential for this season, but it’s the team for the future; three, four years on the line.”

Penafiel and most of the players feel that they are building a great team for the future and among them is freshman Marcos Anton, a valuable addition to the team, who shares and supports the coach’s philosophy.

Anton has been playing soccer since he was three years old and has played the sport in Argentina and Colorado. He has also been preparing for a soccer career by playing with numerous other high school teams during the summer.

Senior Andrew Bell, the captain of the varsity team, has also expressed his appreciation and understanding of unity and teamwork.

“We started slow, trying to get guys out as usual,” Bell said. “Cupertino High hasn’t been that big in soccer… But we keep getting better as a team once we start playing with each other.

Basically, as a team, we have to know each other.”

He tries hard to motivate the team and help them grow with his insightful comments and tips.

Though the young team faces numerous challenges, this is just the beginning of what may go down in the history books of the school’s athletics program.

As Bell said, “Be happy, play a good game and never give up.”

CHRIS TRACEY

11

THE PROSPECTOR

JANUARY 27, 2012

Fencing Fast Facts Fencing was part of the first Olympic Games in Greece.

There are three types of fencing weapons: épée, foil and sabre.

Since 1896, fencing has been one of only four sports included in every modern Olympic Games.

COURTESY OF KEVIN ESNAULT

Traditionally, a fencer’s uniform was required to be completely white.

Fencing is the only combat sport in which the weight of both duelists does not matter.

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Esnault siblings to attend Junior Olympics CHRIS CAI flip side assistant

COURTESY OF KEVIN ESNAULT

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With protective gear on and épée swords in their hands, senior Kevin Esnault and his freshman sister Camille are talented and accomplished épée fencers. For both brother and sister, fencing is a lifestyle and an all-consuming passion. Épée is the only form of fencing in which the opponent’s entire body can be targeted. Recently, Camille placed first in division three of the Summer Nationals and Kevin placed second at the Junior Pacific Coast Championships. Kevin also placed first in the qualifying matches for the Junior Olympics, Junior Épée division. Meanwhile, Camille qualified for the Cadet Épée Division and the junior division for girls. In February of this year, they will be attending the Junior Olympics competition held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Esnaults took up fencing five years ago on a whim. Their parents told the siblings to choose a sport and they were conflicted between fencing and archery. They decided to start with fencing and they found it so fascinating that they decided to stick with it and forgo archery.

Their reason for choosing fencing stems partially from their national origins.

“It’s a French sport, I guess ‘cause we’re French we hear about it a lot,” Kevin said.

Students and teenagers by day, fencers and athletes by night, the Esnaults practice almost every other day of the week. Their practices do not include the private lessons with their coach and the competitions they enter every two weeks.

Fencing is a year-round sport so there are no break periods between seasons. The Esnaults have continuously practiced and competed regardless of other activities since the day they started fencing.

Despite their heavy loads of schoolwork, fencing remains a priority to them.

“Sometimes, it’s horrible because you have finals or a lot of homework and you have to skip a day or two,” Camille said. “It really affects you physically, since you haven’t been fencing, your daily routine.”

Their success in competitions is largely due to their passion for the sport. A glass case on one of the walls in the fencing center holds photos and

medals the club members have won. Quite a few of those medals and pictures belong to the Esnaults.

The Esnaults find that fencing is a lifestyle for them, since much of their lives revolve around it. All the time and effort they pour into fencing reward them with a great deal of experience. During one of Camille’s competitions, she was up against a very adept left-handed opponent in the final round that determined whether she could advance into the top eight bracket.

She lost her concentration when she was one touch away from advancing and lost. “[At] the end, I took off my mask and I was crying. I was crying and I was like, ‘No! I lost!’ and I ran away. Then I checked out my ranking and I was in ninth place!” Camille said.

Kevin’s encounter with loss was slightly different: he personally knew his opponent.

During the Junior Pacific Coast Championships, Kevin missed the gold by one touch to a close friend.

“He was kind of frustrated and he went down to tie his shoe and that broke my concentration in the moment. He ended up catching up and I ended up losing by one point,” Kevin said.

One of the most important aspects of fencing for the Esnaults is the constant interaction with other fencers. People they meet at competitions — opponents and friends — all become a part of the Esnault siblings’ fencing life. However, the two siblings have played a large role in shaping each other as fencers too. The Esnaults have shared the same lifestyle for much of their lives, but occasionally they compete against each other.

Though the siblings occasionally become angry at each other while they practice together and are reminded by their coach to “fence, not fight,” they are ultimately able to grow closer through their joint fencing sessions.

“Yeah, [fighting] is normal. When we’re done, we shake hands and give [each other] a hug,” Kevin said.

The Esnaults have structured their daily schedules around fencing; it is more than just a sport to them. It is a passion and a way of life.

FLIP SIDE

12

JANUARY 27, 2012

JANUARY IN PHOTOS

ERIC JANG

JESSE ZHOU

CHRIS TRACEY

COURTESY OF AL HASSANI

CHRIS TRACEY

JENGA-STICS | Senior Jeanette Adame, junior Sunwoo Jeong, senior Cindy Shi and junior Sam Lee work to stay balanced in a game during FUHSD’s first IDC Fantastics Rally. THE KEY TO THE CURE | Members of Tino Cancer Society sell lanyards in an effort to raise money for cancer research. TWIST AND SHOUT | Sophomore Aaron Forristal grapples with a Palo Alto opponent during a wrestling match. TINO’S STOCKFUL OF TALENT | Junior Gregory McLaughlin showcases his rocking talent at Tinostock. BLACK SWAUSTIN | Freshman Austin DeLozada dances in the freshman class’s ballet routine at the Winter Rally.

CHRIS TRACEY

Oswald calls the shots SINDHU GNANASAMBANDAN opinions editor

T

eachers and former students run into each other all the time. These chance encounters usually result in quick, awkward chats followed by the two going their separate ways. But history teacher Christopher Oswald had quite a different experience approximately a year ago; after pulling over to greet his former student and quarterback who was jogging down the street, he got, along with a friendly conversation, a job offer to work in a security position at his student’s bar.

On Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., Oswald can be found working at a bar in Japantown. Last year, he worked the same hours on Wednesday nights.

“It was really hard when I used to get home at 3 [a.m.] and teach at 7:30 [a.m.],” Oswald said. “It still takes me a good day and a half to recover from working on Saturday nights.”

During these early hours, he focuses on creating a safe environment for visitors and employees. He checks IDs and makes sure people are dressed appropriately, both so that customers f e e l comfortable and so that the bar owner and the bartenders don’t have to worry that the law is being broken.

“The driver’s license, just like money, is periodically recreated such that it has become more and more difficult to counterfeit. I wouldn’t say that that was the case when I JASON CHEN

was in high school; people used to cut them up and do all sorts of things,” Oswald said. “I mean, if I still have a doubt, I can always ask for another form of ID to back it up or I can hit them with a quick question. If they mess it up, I send them away.”

Often he does not even have to ID the clubber — although he still does — as his former students, now in their late twenties and early thirties, regularly attend. These are students from back when he taught and coached at Santa Clara High School. In fact, Oswald’s current security partner is also a former student. Even when he has to deal with someone a lot bigger than him, things have run quite smoothly as his ex-student also happens to be an exMarine.

“My partner can be the tough guy and I can be the diplomat,” he joked.

Beyond having a great network of students, Oswald’s experience as a teacher and coach over these years has also given him a skill set that helps him in his second job. “[Teaching] helps because you learn to deal with so many different types of people and recognize or read them before they even walk through the door,” Oswald said.

However, not all skills developed from teaching are of use in the security arena.

Said Oswald, “The nice thing about [working in security] is that I don’t have to plan or prepare or be in charge and, in that sense, no one is looking to me for anything except ‘can I get in?’”

Although students only see Oswald as a teacher, he is more complex, as he is also a parent, a coach and a security guard. If students wish to meet Oswald the security guard, though, they should wait until they are 21.

CHRIS CAI

UPCOMING EVENTS: FEBRUARY Comedy Hour

Valentine’s Day

Powderpuff Week

End of Fourth Grading Period

Fri, Jan. 27 (7 p.m.)

Mon, Jan. 30 - Thu, Feb. 2

Groundhog Day Thu, Feb. 2

Tue, Feb. 14 Fri, Feb. 17

Winter Break

Mon, Feb. 20 - Fri, Feb. 24 CHRIS CAI

TRUTH & WISDOM

Over 5,000 retail stores in San Jose have banned plastic bags in an effort to reduce waste.

The U.S. government is working to clean up radioactive material left from World War II after the first atomic bomb. Their method is failing and poses a toxic threat to the atmosphere.

Wikipedia blocked its English pages for 24 hours in protest of SOPA. 162 million people experienced the blackout.

A female polar bear cub born on New Year’s Day is being raised by humans in China after being rejected by her mother.

Anand Hemmady Respect the bandwagon Be yourself. Be that one different person. Do what you want to do. Our society has been gently crooning these maxims into our ears since we were little children. Individualism is entrenched in today’s culture. We are always urged to be ourselves and to not give in to what society wants or demands of us if it interferes with what we want to do. Being different has become of more importance than ever before. Going against the crowd is generally approved of, while going along with the crowd is, although not necessarily belittled, rarely praised. Such people can be seen as phonies, as the omnipotent and omniscient Holden Caulfield would undoubtedly say. In other words, our culture has wholeheartedly embraced and thus become one with nonconformity.

Today, people are generally considered nonconformists if they do what they feel is right, which often contradicts what society deems proper. As Sarah Palin would say, a nonconformist is a maverick, or someone who follows their own values. This fits in perfectly with our individualist society.

In a culture of nonconformity, who would be the conformists?

Rather counterintuitively, the conformists in such a society would fit our current definition of nonconformists. Our society endorses nonconformity. Thus, anyone who is a supposed nonconformist is essentially following what society says. These people therefore become conformists. Convoluted? Perhaps. Irrefutable? Indeed.

What about supposed conformists, then? It only follows that in a culture of nonconformity and individualism, those who stick with the crowd actually go directly against society, and in doing so, become nonconformists. By refusing to conform to nonconformity, conformists become nonconformists.

I have a friend who is a stereotypical nonconformist. He refuses to listen to mainstream music, citing it as too commonplace and dull. For similar reasons, he eschews common clothes in favor of more exotic and uncommon clothing. In being so rigidly opposed to the mainstream, however, my friend is actually conforming to today’s society of nonconformity, and is therefore a conformist through and through. Another friend, on the other hand, listens to mainstream music. In this day and age, though, doing anything mainstream is looked down upon as joining the crowd. And thus this friend, by following the mainstream and through it the crowd, is really a nonconformist.

Perhaps what this means is that our society should reevaluate its view on the crowd. Members of the crowd are not simply phonies and materialistic people who suppress their own personal desires to fit in with society. They are, in fact, rebels and individualists for supporting the crowd at a time when doing so is looked down upon.

So that supposed epitome of individualism who strays from the crowd to assert his individuality? In reality, he is a conformist, because he is conforming to a society of individuality and nonconformity. He is following society’s lead and is trying to project his own uniqueness. On the other hand, that supposed conformist who does follow the crowd is really a nonconformist. In a world where conformity is discouraged, she who opposes the norm and follows the crowd, becomes, ironically, a nonconformist.