Issue 8 - May 2018

T U ES DAY, M AY 22, 2018

CHS Baseball

SPORTS page 15

VOLUME 60 NO. 8

Dance at Tino

Cosmetics

INSIGHTS: PERSPECTIVES page 13

FEATURES pages 8 & 9

The Dangers of Big Tech

OPINIONS page 5

A Whole Lot of Lists

FLIP SIDE page 16

The Prospector

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Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

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TINO HOLDS FIRST SENIOR SENDOFF RALLY

SYDNEY LIAO

ANTHONY ZHU

SENIOR RALLY | Tino Dhadkan performs a dance routine with several honorary members to celebrate the 2018 class’ coming departure from Tino.

opinions editor

posters together on the very first day. Around the second to third day, we start drawing out the letters and drawing out the pictures that go on the posters. On the last day, we mainly just tape and finalize the poster.”

Audience members always enjoy the various dance groups featured at rallies. Cupertino High School’s dance team, the Golden Spurs, performed with current members along with next year’s incoming members. The cheer team did a routine full of dancing and difficult stunts; as usual, the crowds were overall amazed by the performance. Tino Dhadkan, Cupertino’s official Indian dance group, performed an energetic dance that featured club members and other CHS students. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors also practiced an underclassmen dance that they performed during the rally, while the seniors had their own dance that was choreographed to a mix of songs, one of them being the renowned “September” by Earth, Wind and

Cupertino High School students participated in the Senior Send-off Rally on Friday, May 4th to celebrate the graduation of the seniors. This is the first time that Cupertino High School has organized this rally, and most agreed that it was an overall success. Each class represented a previous homecoming theme of the senior class of 2018 — the freshmen represented the Wild West, the sophomores depicted Harry Potter, the juniors portrayed the beach and the seniors were Grease. Each class spent the days prior to the rally working on posters and props to decorate the gym. This process requires a lot of thought and planning from each class.

Said Sophomore Jane Lee, “For the posters, we meet up outside school for an entire week for around two hours every day. We brainstorm ideas during our meetings, and after that, we decide on colors, cut paper and start taping the

Fire.

As the Senior Send-off Rally is the only rally that happens during Spring, all Spring sport teams were featured. Athletes from the swim team, boys volleyball team, girls softball team and boys baseball team each ran down to the center of the gym when they were called and performed a short cheer routine.

The Senior Send-Off rally also featured a sing-a-long game, where each class was played a portion of a popular song and had to continue singing the song for as long as they could. Every class performed exceptionally well at remaining cohesive as well as executing the lyrics cleanly and accurately.

In addition, the rally featured perfomances from various dance groups such as Tino Dadhkan.

ASB made the decision to have this rally for the first time in many years based on the input of the junior class.

MATH TEACHER MARK ST. JOHN RETIRES TAL ASHKENAZI

TAL ASHKENAZI copy editor

Mark St. John | St. John has been teaching

calculus and algebra since he first arrived at Tino

Math teacher and Future Business Leaders of America Adviser Mark St. John is retiring at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. He has been a prominent figure at Tino since he was employed in 2000. He has taught Calculus BC and Algebra 2/Trig since he first arrived and has left a great impact on many students and teachers. After this school year, St. John will have taught a total of 18 years at CHS. St. John had always wanted to be a teacher after he had children. Said St. John, “I told my children that I would teach when they finished school. So in 2000, when my daughter was in her last year of school, I decided that it was time to start teaching.”

He was born in Barbados and moved to America in 1985. He got his teaching degree at Stanford University before looking for work in the Fremont Union High School district. Said St. John, “Since I was living in this district, the first place I applied to was [FUHSD]. I submitted my application one night and I got the answer the following morning saying come in for an interview. That seemed very St. John Retires, continued on page 3

Said ASB Advisor Wes Morse, “The idea came from the juniors [wanting] to wish the seniors well and to celebrate their four years, which is why each of the classes were the four previous years.”

The seniors won the rally.

The ranks of the rally were as follows the seniors first, the juniors second, freshmen in third, and the sophomores last, just four points behind the freshmen.

The rally culminated with the seniors forming a huge mob on the gym floor after their dance.

This concluded a year of school spirit and festive.

Said senior Joycelin Liau, “This rallyseemed really special because we go to so many rallies over the four years and this one is just specifically meant for us and it brought back so many of the good memories I have had here.”

College Board announces change for AP U.S. Government and Politics LEO RASSIEUR editor-in-chief

For the March 2018 update, College Board announced that the curriculum and standards for the Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and Politics test would be redesigned to accommodate more applied learning and a focus on important court cases and founding documents. The aim of this change is to reduce the breadth of content required for students to memorize while freeing up time in the year to more deeply analyze concepts. To help facilitate the change, College Board has provided online resources for schools to use, including a new curriculum overview. Overall, both staff and students are excited for the change to be implemented.

Said AP Government teacher Sean Coleman, “The AP Gov team is really positive about it. I think we’re really excited about the changes that we’re looking to make here. It’s challenging because it is going to require us to change a lot of what we’re doing and what we know works but I think as educators we’re excited because we feel like this will give us more opportunities to really teach and for students to enjoy the class..”

Said Senior Siri Talatam enrolled in AP Government, “All the content we are expected to cover and remember come AP Exam that is not actually relevant to anything is more than overwhelming. The new change puts AP Gov Changes, continued on page 3

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News The Prospector

STAFF 2017-2018

The Prospector

May 22, 2018

CHS LEO CLUB ATTENDS ANNUAL FISH-A-THON SANTOSH MURALIDARAN

ARIANA FAHRI

editor-in-chief

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LX, No. 8 | 2018 editors-in-chief leo rassieur santosh muralidaran news editor kenneth jeon opinions editor anthony zhu features editor sudyut yuvaraj lifestyles editor aashna shah insights editor esha radhakrishnan sports editor yooni park

On May 5, 2018, Lions Club International, a non-profit organization dedicated to community service, hosted its annual “Fish-a-Thon,” where community members gathered together in the Stevens Creek Quarry in Santa Clara, Calif. to teach mentally and physically disabled individuals as well as visually impaired people how to fish. The goal of the Fish-a-Thon, which has been occurring annually for more than 30 years, is to bring light to the lives of the disabled and allow them to participate in an activity they otherwise may not have the resources to participate in.

The Fish-a-thon proved to be beneficial to the disabled people who attended the event and learned how to fish.

Jeff Hufferd, president of Cupertino Host Lions Club, organized and moderated the Fish-a-Thon. Said Hufferd, “The Fish-a-thon really stands out in [the disabled people’s] lives. We have adults here who have been coming since they were kids.”

Gernot Kindel, vice president of the Cupertino Host Lions Club, noted why fishing particularly had such an effect on the participants. Stated Kindel, “[Fishing] gives them an opportunity to have an experience with an activity that they may not normally be able to have experience with — fishing is a very physical and visual activity.”

The CHS Leo Club, a branch of the greater youth organization of Lions Club International, sent four volunteers to the Fish-a-thon, two of whom were members of the club. While the Fish-a-thon was a highly significant experience for the disabled, the volunteers cherished the experience as well.

Divyasree Chimmi, sophomore and member of the LEO club, attended the Fish-a-thon. Said Chimmi, “I had hoped to help people and give back to

flip side editor claire warner copy editors ashley kang kavya gupta tal ashkenazi online editors taha shafiei christina shao photo editors sydney liao ariana fahri business managers neerali shah varun shenoy

ARIANA FAHRI

VOLUNTEERS | CHS sophomore volunteers Annika Mandrekar and Anju Sumimoto pose with their friends at the event

the community by helping those who are disabled to have a good experience out of this volunteer event … and [through this event], I was able to form a connection with the [people I worked with].”

Anju Sumimoto, sophomore who is not a member of the LEO club but still came to volunteer at the Fish-a-thon, expressed similar sentiments. Stated Sumimoto, “I always like to communicate with people and get involved … I think this was a great [event] because everyone was able to do something with a common goal, and that is always a good way to move forward in my opinion.”

Although it may seem like an event directed towards those who eat fish, the Fish-a-thon did not discourage vegetarians from participating or volunteering.

Sreelekha Sreekantham, junior and secretary of the LEO club is vegetarian and still attended the event to both learn how to fish and use that knowledge to help disabled people fish. Said Sreekantham, “Even though I am vegetarian and will not eat the fish, seeing the joy in everyone’s faces and [engaging] in an outdoor activity in the mountains and seeing [the disabled people] have fun brings you happiness and them happiness.”

The Fish-a-thon proved to be beneficial to both the volunteers and the disabled participants.

The Fish-a-thon was the first volunteering event for Annika Mandrekar, sophomore and non-member of the LEO Club who volunteered at the event.

“It is really nice to meet everyone over here, because they are all really friendly,” Mandrekar said during the event.

When asked if the Fish-a-thon would motivate her to participate in more volunteering events in the future, Mandrekar responded with a definitive yes.

“This was a learning experience [for me], I got to see how volunteering was like, and it is definitely [an enriching] experience,” she said.

Overall, the Fish-a-thon was an event that appealed to a variety of different people and proved to be successful this year.

Said Hufferd, “I do not know why fishing is the right activity for everyone — it just is.”

news assistants

ethan qi amy zeng

FISH-A-THON | An attendee in a wheelchair fishes outdoors by the reservoir

opinions assistants

michelle ma gene kim

CUPERTINO VOLUNTEER FAIR RETURNS FOR 2018

features assistant

xinyi zhang nico chilla

lifestyles assistant

catherine seok

sports assistant

saagar sanghavi

flip side assistant

caroline gee

online assistants photo assistant

edward hsu lily rosen marvin jenn zaratan

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after being taught how to do so by a volunteer

CHRISTINA SHAO online editor

On Saturday, May 5th, the City of Cupertino held a Volunteer Fair in the Civic Center Plaza adjacent to the Cupertino Library. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., more than 30 organizations set up their booths, attracting a variety of potential volunteers. The day also included performances from InATalent and Harmonikatz Group and an art display from the Fine Arts League.

Said Cupertino mayor Darcy Paul in a promotional video, “My goal is to help ensure our sustained and long-lasting success. Volunteering is at the very core of our foundational principles as a society, and as a vibrant and thriving community.”

As president of the nonprofit organization, Loy OppusMoe was there to talk about the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation, which funds student activities in FUHSD schools.

The Foundation was looking for a variety of volunteers, from high school students to adults.

Said Oppus-Moe, “I’m really proud [the Foundation] can give back to the schools and of the parents and stu-

dents that participate, because it is really going back to the students, going back to the teachers and going back to the programs.”

Other organizations around the Bay Area also participated. Girls on the Run is a national nonprofit that strives to empower girls through hosting afterschool programs and encouraging them to run. The programs teach girls valuable life skills and culminate in a 5K event. A Silicon Valley-based group learned about the Cupertino Volunteer Fair at this year’s Big Bunny 5K, which was held in March at the Cupertino Civic Center.

“We were at the Big Bunny Run, and someone from this fair came up to us

and suggested that we come. Since we are looking for new coaches and we need a lot of volunteers for our 5K, we decided to come and check it out,” Girls on the Run representative Amy Flaskerud said.

Said President Alyssa Sakkas of the Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities organization, which organizes the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Memorial Park, “We like to use a lot of high school students, and they can participate in two ways. We have a volunteer sign-up with different jobs.

We also invite high school student groups to come to our festival, and they can do fundraising activities.”

Not only will volunteers help the organizations, but the experience devel-

ops valuable skills for the volunteers.

Said Oppus-Moe about the Foundation’s opportunities, “You learn the mechanics of fundraising, you learn what nonprofit management is about, and it gives you good experience for the rest of your life.”

During the fair, sophomore Shraddha Khanna was an emcee for a performance from InATalent, a nonprofit that organizes performances at various senior centers.

Said Khanna, “I have been a part of [InATalent] for about a year. It is something that I have really grown to love, and whenever I get the opportunity, I jump in to help … [The fair] was a great platform for all of our volunteers and I think it was really good for promoting the organization as well.”

The groups that participated in the 2018 Cupertino Volunteer Fair found the event considerably helpful in gathering a greater degree of interest for volunteering.

The volunteer fair proved to be beneficial to those who attended and was a great experience for many.

Many are definitely interested in coming back to the volunteer fair if it is to be hosted again the following year.

News

The Prospector

May 22, 2018

ST. JOHN RETIRES continued from page 1

convenient to me.”

When St. John was first interviewed by the district, he was given the option of teaching at any school in the district, but he decided that he liked the atmosphere of Tino the best. Said St. John, “All of the schools except Fremont were represented, then I heard back that I could choose whichever school I wanted to. I went to visit all of the schools and I really really liked Cupertino. What I really loved about Cupertino was that there was a place for students of all levels of achievement.”

Though he has made a lot of memories at Tino, one of his favorite moments at the school was the first ever Hall of Fame rally. Said St. John, “I still remember the very first Hall of Fame rally at Cupertino. It must have been my second year here, and I saw them honor people of a whole range of pursuits. There

was a doctor, an actor and athletes. It really struck me as an interesting idea.”

St. John’s list of favorite memories also includes FBLA, which he has mentored for ten years. Said St. John, “A number of my other favorite moments have been associated with FBLA. The first year we had someone win at a national competition. It was an event that we had entered three consecutive years. We started eighth, then got up to third then we got to first.”

St. John’s efforts in FBLA have not gone unnoticed by his officers. Said senior and FBLA officer Ruchi Shah “Throughout my four years in FBLA, I have noticed Mr. St. John not only actively contribute towards the progress of our chapter, but also act as a supportive, encouraging, and caring mentor.

Whether it be something as simple as celebrating his marriage anniversaries with his wife during Nationals or teaching us how a current issue can turn into a life lesson, Mr. St. John has always been committed to helping his students succeed. From

3

2006 to now 2018, Mr. St. John has worked incredibly hard to bring Cupertino FBLA to the top and I’m more than proud and grateful to call him my advisor.”

When St. John retires, things are going to stay busy for him. He plans to visit places he has not spent time in. “I have travelled a lot but I have not gone to the former communist countries in Eastern Europe. Nor have I gone to India, so those two are high on my list.”

St. John also said one of the biggest lessons he has learned in life is not to think that life is only possible in a few majors.

Said St. John, “What I’d like to stress with students is that this is not a race. You need to focus on what you are ready to do as a person, and if you work on the thing you are most ready to do, then you will be successful.”

Although St. John is leaving the school, he is not leaving the area.

“I do not live far away, so I am sure I will be visiting sometime soon,” he said.

NEWS BRIEFS AMINE EL MOZNINE WINS FIRST AT CONGRESS RUSSIAN ELECTION Vladimir Putin is due to be sworn in for a fourth term as president of Russia on May 7, 2018, after winning the election in March. Putin was re-elected president with more than 76 percent of the vote, his best election performance, but widespread electoral irregularities were reported by some international observers. Allegations of ballot-rigging dogged previous elections as well. More than 1,000 arrests were made in 19 cities across Russia on Saturday, nearly half of them in Moscow. The country’s bestknown opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, was barred from standing against Putin on the grounds of a conviction for embezzlement which he denies and alleges was politically motivated.

NUCLEAR ACCORDS In response to President Donald Trump’s pullout of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran Nuclear Deal, President Hassan Rouhani said on May 13, that Iran would remain committed to the 2015 nuclear deal if its interests were protected, while his foreign minister hoped the pact could be redesigned without Washington as a member. The U.S. withdrawal from the accord on Tuesday was a “violation of morals,” Rouhani said in remarks carried by state television. “If the remaining five countries continue to abide by the agreement, Iran will remain in the deal despite the will of America,” he said. The U.S. withdrawal from the accords has upset European allies, cast uncertainty over global oil supplies and raised the risk of conflict in the Middle East.

AIRLINE TENSIONS More than 30 airlines — including some US carriers — were recently told by the Civil Aviation Administration of China to remove any information suggesting Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macau are not part of China. “This is Orwellian nonsense,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement on May 5, 2018, calling the effort “part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies.” China’s government responded the next day, saying it would continue to deal with foreign relations per this “one China policy.” Beijing appears to be using its increasing economic clout to push international companies to adhere to its stance on sensitive issues.

COMPILED BY TAHA SHAFIEI

DEBATE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT AMY ZENG news assistant

Over the first weekend of spring break, most Tino students would be catching up on sleep or hanging out with friends. This wasn’t the case for senior Amine El Moznine — his weekend was spent at Mountain House High School, where he won first place in the Presiding Officer event during the states competition for Speech and Debate.

Though this isn’t the first time that El Moznine has competed in a Speech and Debate tournament, his preparation style has been under constant evolution.

Amine winning the Presiding Officer State Championship this year at Debate is both completely unsurprising and a real shocker” - CHS S&D Member Abrar Rahman Said El Moznine, “I spent a lot of time reading up on the rules, looking up previous rounds, going to prep from previous tournaments, and speaking to other people in the Speech and Debate community to see what I could do to best maximize my chances of succeeding.”

In addition, El Moznine also names YouTube videos as an integral source of information in helping him to see how to best prepare for the role of Presiding Officer. These videos showed him how to speak authoritatively, incorporate hand movements and body language into his speaking style, and follow the guidelines of congressional debate.

AP GOV CHANGES continued from page 1

less pressure on students to make sure they memorize and retain factual information that is only somewhat relevant to their overall understanding of U.S. government.”

Although there is a lower quantity of content, Talatam clarified that the difficulty of the course likely will not decrease. Said Talatam, “Even though there’s less pressure to memorize, there’s still difficult concepts that students will have to fully comprehend and demonstrate their understanding of to a greater degree of thoroughness than this year.”

Coleman also noted the increased necessity for strong analytical skills. Said Coleman, “What [this change] means for the class next year is that we will probably be doing some more discussion activities, diving deeper into some of the subjects, rather than just having to memorize lots of court cases; lots of laws and specifics.

For Senior Kayan Jan, the newfound challenge in the redesigned AP Government curriculum comes from the increased ambiguity of the questions. Said Jan, “The current test format was definitely fairly stressless as long as you had a basic understanding of government concepts. The new one requires a stronger set of writing skills, as well as patience for somewhat confusingly-worded questions.”

The new focus on analysis may make the class more like AP U.S. History, in some students’ views. Said Jan, “[The class] is definitely more aligned with AP U.S. History now. In AP U.S. History, not only were our facts graded, but our writing and stylistics choices were graded as well. It was much more difficult for me to gauge the score

During the tournament, El Moznine also credits his team and coach, Amartya De, for their help. Said El Moznine, “They were all very important in terms of helping me plan out how to approach each round, as well as making sure that I was calm and relaxed before each round.”

Likewise, El Moznine’s teammates played a crucial role in helping him to succeed, and were thrilled to see him succeed.

Said fellow Speech and Debate competitor and senior Meesha Reiisieh, “Amine and I have been in Speech and Debate since our freshman year, and I was really proud to see all his hard work pay off with his win at States.”

Though El Moznine’s win is largely due to his passion-driven work ethic and commitment to the club, fellow Speech and Debate member and junior Abrar Rahman attributes El Moznine’s success to an innate talent as well. Said Rahman, “Amine winning the Presiding Officer State Championship this year at Debate is both completely unsurprising and a real shocker. If you know the guy, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that everything comes effortlessly to him. He’s casually brilliant, but he takes being ‘effortlessly’ successful pretty literally, taking a really relaxed attitude to everything he does.

While I was furiously preparing at 3 in the morning the night before my rounds, he was 3 hours asleep. Being able to accomplish things without stressing over it is something that all of CHS can learn from Amine, what a legend.”

El Moznine’s victory was especially hard-won at this tournament, since he ended up having to compete in a tie-breaker. Said El Moznine, “They mentioned that it was on a tiebreaker. The final round is decided by a vote of the judges as well as all the students in the round, so that means I won on one more vote than my competition. But then, when I found out I won, I was very happy. I looked out to see my team supporting me, and that just made it all worth it.”

I would receive on a test. Similarly, the current AP Government test might just ask ‘What is separation of powers?’ whereas the new test might present a passage and make you select among statements that best match the passage’s main point.”

Jan found that the emphasis on clarity of writing would be a helpful addition to the course. Said Jan, “As a senior who isn’t taking AP literature, building on my writing skills through my history class would’ve definitely been beneficial, even with college applications

The new change puts less pressure on students to make sure they memorize... information that is only somewhat relevant” - A.P. Gov. Student Siri Talatram thrown into the mix.”

The change is part of a continuous effort by College Board to improve AP course curricula and tests on an annual basis, such as with the launch of the new AP Computer Science Principles in the 20162017 school year. Generally, the teachers believe that College Board’s improvements are commendable, although some of the current students wish that they could have enjoyed the change as well.

Opinions 4 REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE May 22, 2018

The solution to the increasingly toxic party politics of America

VARUN SHENOY business manager

Aristotle favored conciliatory politics dominated by the center rather than the extremes of great wealth and poverty or the special interests of oligarchs and tyrants. This approach remains true even centuries after his death. It offers the most pragmatic and reasonable solution to many issues facing us. The current malaise in our political system is that both our major parties are highly divided, with contradictory viewpoints on important issues. This results in extreme candidates on either side who score political wins at the ballot and in power by staking positions far from the center. By doing so, they set up both themselves and the country to fail by refusing to use the power of negotiation and being flexible.

This, in turn, leads to delay in passing significant legislature. One classic example is that our two major parties often have serious arguments related to healthcare and military. This conflict has persisted with no clear resolution in sight. This is the direct result of having two extreme viewpoints at the center.

The solution to these extreme viewpoints is to be a moderate and use one’s own logic instead of pledging allegiance to a particular organization. It is important to have our own ideas and be dynamic. One example is Conor Lamb, the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 18th congressional district, who with his liberal policies, won the Pennsylvania special election. Although he ran as a Democrat, he supported a few Republican viewpoints. One such example is that he is pro-gun, and this fact appeals to many on the right. Both our major parties should look at examples like this when deciding on which political figure to support.

Another example of moderate politics is Michael Bloomberg. He got support from many and was able to

become mayor of New York City. He drastically improved the state of the city, by cleaning it up and reducing crime. He is an outstanding example of being independent and vouching for the correct policies than standing for what the party believes in. While many of his policies do seem to lean left, he can make change and not be stuck in government gridlock by staying out of political parties. Even more, this enables him to make his own political decisions without third-party influence.

Yes, it is very difficult to stay a moderate in modern times.

For the first time in human history, either a conservative or liberal can wall themselves into only hearing news with the same political bias. Liberals can tune into MSNBC, read the Huffington Post, and listen to NPR. Conservatives have their own assortment to choose from. However, it is more important than ever for citizens to make up their own minds on particular political topics. By affiliating yourself with a side, you are restricted from adopting ideas from the other side to gain a better understanding of what you want from your politicians. Centrism provides a better way for Americans to engage with the political system.

There are many benefits of being a moderate, the most important being that you are not tied to a party, and thus, you are not tied to a side on a policy.

It gives personal freedom to think clearly and follow policies which are meaningful for the betterment of society. A person can have controversial opinions on both sides and not be criticized. It gives a person the freedom to back legislation that is important to him/ her, and not just back what is important for the party.

As with most politics, politicians have different expectations, points of view, and answers to problems, making it difficult difficult to find a candidate that agrees with all of our views. We can only hope that change will occur gradually and people can see the moderate viewpoint and the benefits they bring to society.

bite sized opinions Liberal arts majors needed in tech

Don’t let the artist ruin the art

In the light of increasingly costly and high-profile scandals within the tech industry, hiring professionals need to shift gears and begin to legitimately consider hiring and valuing liberal arts workers as much as their STEM counterparts. While being able to code in new and interesting functions is undoubtedly important to any company looking to remain relevant in a fastpaced industry, it is just as important to make sure that the ethical, creative and personal standards highlighted in liberal arts educations are not left behind in the disarray of innovation.

Recent scandals, such as Facebook’s misconduct in privacy and data, along with Mark Zuckerberg’s inarticulate testimony, are proof that the industry needs more than just another batch of computer engineers to patch up the bugs. The bug in tech is not one that can be fixed by if-then statements — but rather by a significant paradigmatic shift in what the industry deems as important — which starts with hiring more liberal arts degrees.

To the untrained artist, place a piece from Hitler among a collection of Laloue, and few would even bat an eye. Perhaps there might even be a few compliments directed at the work, perhaps in its austerity, or how the use of watercolor almost creates a colorful monochrome. Yet if the onlookers knew that these paintings were produced at the hands of a murderous dictator, the responses would be quite different; the difference, therefore, is in the context of its consumption. And while art certainly cannot be divorced from artist, holding each at arms length away from each other may enable an appreciation of art in a new, profound way. It may also provide us insight into empathy — how someone whose actions were universally reviled could still manage to create beautiful works — or into creativity, psyche or mental illness, among a range of other very human conditions. And better yet, it may even evoke a greater understanding of art as a whole.

No guilt in voting for a third party

The stigma against being average

As the senior class prepares to take on adulthood, one of the biggest civic responsibilities students should be prepared to act on is to vote. In the 2016 presidential elections, many who voted for third-party candidates, such as Jill Stein and Gary Johnson, were on the receiving end of backlash from Democrats, with criticisms levied against their “wasted votes” and idealism that costed some an election. While the left’s conviction in their candidate is admirable, the problem lies not in third-party voters.

Like mainstream voters, third-party supporters are performing their fundamental civic duty of voting for the candidate and party that they believe in. In fact, voting for third parties intensely diversifies our pluralistic democracy and works to break free of the partisan gridlock and politics that are unproductive to free speech and to democracy. To those upset, be angry at those who did not vote, not those standing up for their beliefs.

Society today, especially in the Bay Area, responds to the word “average” almost as one would respond to a subtle insult.

The great societal cringe toward the mean is unsurprising; in a goals-oriented, capital world, “average” has been synonymous with laziness or a lack of drive. Yet average depends on how one defines it — an average student in California is different than an average student in Florida; likewise, an average somewhere in the world will not be the average elsewhere. It is important to recognize that averages do not transcend boundaries; by definition, they are constrained by the sources they are measured against. Indeed, there will always be an average, even if everyone has drive and passion. So regardless of its definition, it becomes up to each individual to take ownership of their average and to create meaning within the word itself, to live a more fulfilling life, whether it be average or not.

COMPILED BY ETHAN QI

The Prospector

May 22, 2018

SUDYUT YUVARAJ features editor

“Order in the next 17 hours and 34 minutes to get it by WEDNESDAY, May 23,” says Amazon dot-com as I order my tenth ACT prep book, soothing my fears that it won’t arrive in time - while also giving me an excuse to do absolutely nothing until said date. The prompt arrival of the book is accompanied by a reminder of the overwhelming power and efficiency of the two hundred billion dollar brainchild of an alarmingly muscular man named Jeffrey.

However, as much as Mr. Bezos’ biceps and lack of facial hair terrify me to the core, it pales in comparison to the unchecked, Big Brother-esque power wielded by his company.

Amazon.com, Incorporated is unquestionably the most influential online retailer - in part due to shady offline business practices. Amazon’s company culture and downright abusive treatment of employees has been fairly well documented—in a 2015 article, the New York Times published a six thousand word article detailing employee’s stories of how the company has done injustice to them. One story that stands out is about employees having extremely restricted break times to the point where many bring in bottles to urinate in so that they can meet efficiency standards.

White collar employees are not free from Amazon’s intense standards, set with the expectation that they won’t be met. This work-intense environment has pushed some employees to do well, but at the cost of many more workers’ mental health. Amazon additionally has an extremely genderstaggered workforce, with extremely few women in the workplace. Employees have been placed on a “performance improvement plan” when facing personal life events, such as

pregnancy or cancer, and are pressed to keep up their work efficiency with the penalty of losing their job if they do not.

Unfortunately, sketchy business practices and immoral treatment of workers are not limited to Amazon, Inc. In recent years, Google has been exposed for paying female employees substantially less than male employees in equivalent positions.

Google, being the most popular search engine in the world, also asserts significant control over which search results are actually seen by viewers. The company has been known to have a liberal political stance, and there have been reports of censorship of conservative news sources unless explicitly searched for. For example, when the term “google censorship of conservative news” is punched into Google’s search engine, the first result is “Judge dismisses lawsuit alleging Google censorship of conservative ...” The next five results are also articles about Google winning lawsuits on the topic of its censorship. It should be noted that the Wikipedia titled “Censorship by Google” appears on the bottom of the second page of results, and does not have the same first page blurb as many other wikipedia articles do. When the same term is searched for on the search engine Yahoo, the first article is a detailed report by US News on Google’s censorship, followed by other conservative news sources with more information.

Google’s AdSense has also become the subject of controversy. Bringing in about 24 percent of its annual revenue, AdSense is responsible for filtration of advertisements for each user. Given Google’s openly liberal political stance, it comes as no surprise that ads from companies affiliated the right wing are prioritized below ads for other companies. AdSense also borders on violating privacy rights, as “personalized advertisements” are based off collections of users’ past searches.

The idea that large corporations sell personal data has

Opinions

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been very well known to users of social media, but this year those who remained in the dark were jarred out of it by the Facebook Cambridge-Analytica Data Scandal. CambridgeAnalytica was a consulting firm that specialized in data mining for elections. C-A illegally acquired the personal data of 50 million Facebook users through 270,000 users who voluntarily gave their info to an app called “thisisyourdigitallife.” The app collected information on the registered user’s Facebook as well, the factor that granted it access to mass amounts of data.

Said data was used it to create illegal voter profiles for the 2016 presidential election. It has also been reported that officials working at Cambridge-Analytica (C-A) were in close contact with the Kremlin-linked oil corporation Lukoil - supporting accusations of collusion. It should be noted that former advisor of Donald Trump Steve Bannon was a board member of C-A around the time of said scandal.

Apple has also been repeatedly attacked for its usage of sweatshops in China — where labor laws are far less protective — to maximize production of iPhones and other hardware. Foxconn, where Apple products are manufactured frequently place nets on the outside of their buildings in order to catch employees attempting to kill themselves by jumping off the roof - nets that do not work most of the time. These factories pay extremely low wages, creating a loop that renders employees unable to leave servitude.

A lack of pressure from citizens and the government has allowed such corporations — which could definitely function without unethical treatment of employees — to persist in such practices As a society, we must keep in mind that the power of these corporations can only be limited by legislation passed in the upcoming years, and that we need to support efforts to put an end to such treatment of fellow human beings.

Gender inequality in the draft frage granted by the 19th Amendment in 1992. More recently, the Women’s Marches on Jan. 21, 2017 and Jan. 20, 2018 generatflip side editor ed enormous crowds of protesters, primarily focused on the fight for women to have equal freedoms to men. However, a critical asThe American struggle for gender equality has deep roots, pect of gender equality remains mostly untouched. For equity to and since the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, the push for wom- exist in its purest form, not only must both sexes share the same en’s rights has only intensified. The movement has also resulted freedoms, they must also share the same burdens. in many successes, such as the prohibition of discrimination in The Selective Service law requires all men over the age of hiring practices by the Civil R i g h t s 18 to register for the Conscription in the United States, more Act of 1964 a n d commonly referred to as the draft. The draft is the compulsory women’s s u f - enlistment of men into the armed services, and is aimed at satisfying the target number of able bodies in the military when volunteers are lacking. Although the Conscription was last enforced in 1973, the federal government maintains the ability to use the draft whenever deemed necessary. Thus, it is still essential that women, like men, are obligated to register for the conscription to reinforce the true gender equality that many Americans seek.

The most pressing issue of the Conscription in the United States is that it fails to represent common American beliefs.

Eighty-two percent of respondents to a 2017 survey conducted by the Huffington Post said they believed “men and women should be social, political, and economic equals.” However, only men are required to register for the Conscription, which means if a draft were employed today, only men would be pushed to the front lines, never guaranteed to return home. Yes, women would suffer the forcible loss of family, friends and loved ones, but never would they be told to gamble their lives for the interest of their country. Considering the perilous risks of being drafted into the military, one can hardly argue that women have their fair share of this burden. Consequently, men and women cannot be considered “equals” in this regard. To accurately represent the values of the majority of the United States populaGE} {CHAN F tion, the Selective Service Law must be amended to include O Y TES COUR women in the draft.

In addition to being inconsistent with conventional ideas, CLAIRE WARNER

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the draft requirements are the furthest behind in the push for gender equality in military activities. On Dec. 3, 2015, the United States Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, announced that the military would open all of its positions to women. By giving women equal opportunities in the military as men, the United States took a drastic step in encouraging female participation in defense. However, the Selective Service law remains unchanged.

This inconsistency raises doubts concerning the legitimacy of advancements made in gender equality within this government sector. Some interpret the draft as an attempt to limit female aid in military service, which can misconstrue American ethics. The only logical way to prevent these misinterpretations is to enforce equivalent registration between men and women.

The idea of drafting men and women is not a new one, and it has faced significant opposition. Common arguments against mandatory female registration come from politicians who speak for the well-being of their daughters. For example, in an interview conducted by the New York Times, said Senator Ted Cruz, who has two daughters, “The idea that we should forcibly conscript young girls in combat to my mind makes no sense at all.” By referring to females 18 years or older as “young girls,” Cruz suggests women are defenseless in the face of conflict while men are capable of fighting gruesome battles. This attitude is detrimental to women’s confidence and prevents many of them from acquiring opportunities thought to be better suited for a “capable” man. However, history has proven that women can be just as successful as men in various military positions — for example, Ann E. Dunwoody served in the United States Army as a four-star general, demonstrating Cruz’s argument is invalid.

Although the proposal of drafting women is highly controversial, it is an essential step in the current civil rights movement. In the past, gender equality has mostly consisted of expanding the rights of women, but one cannot always rise to the highest standard of living; it is sometimes necessary to forfeit privileges to obtain similarity. It is now critical that women strive for genuine equity by altering the Selective Service Laws.

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May 22, 2018

SUMMER 2018 PORTFOLIO PREPARATION CLASS

fundemental knowledge and understanding of art processes training in visual communication and self-expression skills development of portfolios for art colleges and universities every tuesday/wednesday from june 19th, 1:30-4:30PM & saturdays, 10:15-1:15, 1:30-4:30PM (408) 244-8311 artclass70@gmail.com www.sjaart.com 2905 homestead road santa clara, ca 95051

May 22, 2018

The Prospector

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Features

May 22, 2018

Connoisseurs of Choreog

C O M P E T I T O R S S O L O I S T S

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September 19, 2017

AASHNA SHAH lifestyles editor

After watching her older sister join Cupertino’s dance team, sophomore and Golden Spurs dancer Sophie Jacquet was inspired to express herself through dance as well. With over five years of dancing experience, Jacquet has been taught many dance styles, including jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop.

One of the reasons Jacquet loves to dance for the dance team is being with some of her best friends and seeing improvements in others and herself.

Said Jacquet, “I really like the aspect that you can like show, show your emotion through your movement and also just like bonding with your teammates and your friends. It’s really fun. I liked the people I dance with my team, so just every practice and every performance is fun. I really like seeing improvement within the team and yourself as an individual.”

Sophomore and Golden Spurs dancer Marie-Claire Norins learned dance as a youth.

Said Norins, “It interested me because I thought it was a good, athletic experience but also kept me interested since I didn’t feel like I was exercising but it had those benefits.” Across over 10 years of dancing, Norins has learned to dance several different forms, including jazz, modern, contemporary, ballroom, hip hop and ballet.

Norins enjoys dancing because she sees it as a way to express herself. Said Norins, “I enjoy that it is a form of expression, and I love the involvement of music and just using the parts of your body as a way to express myself.”

In her future, Jacquet will continue to pursue dance. Said Jacquet, “I will definitely be dancing throughout the rest of high school. Beyond that, I think I will do that as a hobby, but not a full time career.”

At a young age, sophomore Jishnu Swamy was introduced to Indian dance and fell in love with it, albeit in an unconventional way. Said Swamy, “I really got into dance after I broke both my arms and wrists. I had a recovery period of a couple months and I spent a lot of the time learning as well as watching YouTube dance videos.”

Swamy has made an effort to learn multiple different kinds of dance, ranging from cultural dances, like Bollywood and Bhangra, to hip hop and break dance.

For many students, dance is additionally a means of expressung themselves and release any stress that they might retain A M E LL O E A from school. Said Swamy, I L CH EY MI DN “Dancing gives me freedom Y S to express emotion and create art. It has trained me to connect with music and increased my coordination between mind and body. It has also gotten me through many setbacks and allowed me to stay positive. Dancing also helps me bolster my confidence and make friends, especially when at a mixer or school dance; even if you lose a battle, people respect you.”

In his future, Swamy definitely sees dance continuing to play a major part in his life. Stated Swamy, “After high school, I might join a college team or become a dance instructor. Whether recreationally or professionally, I know that dancing will always be a part of my life.”

KAVYA GUPTA

job perfectly.

Despite how tense competitions can be, there are many fun aspects as well, whether it be any team rituals, winning an award, or even the overall experience.

Team traditions like Secret Sister or pre-stage rituals always boost the morale of the group, leaving behind plentiful memories to collect after the competition.

Stated junior and Golden Spurs captain Crystal Qin, “We have certain traditions and motivational things that we do each competition which really add to the whole experience. In the long breaks in between each routine we also have a lot of time to talk with each other and a lot of fun locker room stories come out. Looking back at all of our hard work, successes and failures throughout the year, it is such a great feeling knowing that it was all worth it in the end.”

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Less than a week from the date of the competition, dancers are working hard to perfect every step of their dance. They are focusing on keeping their arms straight, pointing every toe and memorizing every beat of the music. Then comes the performance. Standing in a circle, the captains give the team a quick pep talk. As they hear the starting notes to the song, they grin at each other behind the curtains and enter the stage. Such is the routine of Cupertino’s Golden Spurs dance team.

Competitions can be nerve-wracking, even for the experienced. Plastering a smile on one’s face while facing a panel of ruthless judges and eager competitors is no small feat. But considering all the time and work dancers dedicate to achieving perfection, just standing on the stage completely overshadows any remaining fear.

The first step to any competition is preparation. At the beginning of the year, the Golden Spurs hire professional choreographers to prepare their routines.

However, knowing just the steps to a dance isn’t enough to making it award-worthy — the dancers must learn positioning and how to be coordinated with each other.

The steps must come naturally to them and rather than robotic memorization.

Even then, the routine can only be taken to a competition after hours of practice.

Said sophomore and second-year Spur dancer Nicole Zera, “We practice these routines every day in order to perfect them by competition season. We use rallies, football games, and basketball games to practice performing in front of an audience. This way, by competition, our routines are ensured to be successful.”

Showcases and competitions may sound similar, but in reality are very different. Showcases typically include performances at rallies, sports games or other spirit events. The main difference between the two is the presence of judges at competitions. Along with increasing the level of intensity dancers are faced with, judges make the competition much more complex and challenging. At the same time, dancers are also given an incentive to work towards, such as winning an award. The Golden Spurs typically perform six to eight dances at showcases, without breaks in between. They only compete with four dances however, and usually dedicate the entire day to a competition.

Said Zera, “At competitions, we are competing against other schools for the top prize. On the other hand, showcases are not judged and they are simply for entertaining purposes. We still put in maximum effort into both.”

CHS is also home to dancers who compete individually. The experience of performing alone at a competition is completely different than that of a dance group’s. Said sophomore and individual/Dhadkan dancer Jishnu Swamy, “Competing solo is tough because everyone is focusing on you; there is no safety or cover when you mess up. At the same time, you get so much freedom to truly express yourself.”

Compared to competing in team, dancing alone does not require perfect coordination with the rest of a team. In group dances, it is important nt A sista L that everyone works together, but it can IL as CH res be stressful as the performance u O C at relies on everyone doing their NI fe

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Features

The Prospector

May 22, 2018

graphy C U L T U R E

9

MICHELLE MA opinions assistant

EDWARD HSU online assistant

The dance teams at Tino span many genres, from Bollywood to hip hop. While each team cultivates its own distinct culture, there are striking similarities in the attitudes of individual dancers and in the ways each of these groups persevere and grow over time.

Some dance teams exist not only to perform, but to raise awareness of and collect funds for charitable organizations as well. Senior and resident of Tino Dhadkan Isha Shah describes how the club aims to preserve the founders’ vision. “Dhadkan is a Hindi word and it means heartbeat. When the club was established two years ago, those officers wanted to do something close to the heart,” she said.

Dhadkan, unlike other dance organizations on campus, places a larger emphasis on outreach organizations that offer volunteering and cultural immersion events. On top of putting together stellar performances at school events and rallies, they focus on something “close to the heart” through donations to the Indian Literacy Project, a charity that works to increase the literacy rate in India by funding children’s education. This adds a new dimension to the purpose of the dance orgnization.

Nichole Zera, a sophomore on the Golden Spurs team, breaks down her team’s pre-spotlight routine. Said Zera, “Right before we enter the competition floor, we all huddle in a circle and the officers give us a pep-talk.”

Said junior and Golden Spurs captain Crystal Qin, “The officers give a short message that will encourage the team to do their best.

But other than that, we’re just as excited and nervous as everyone else.”

Although the classes are competing with rival classes, the competitive atmosphere only helps motivate dancers to perform at their best.

Davin Clark, rally chair for the Class of 2018, stated that at the end of the day, members of Tino dance groups are just looking for enjoyable experiences that will form lifelong memories. “I’ve really enjoyed preparing for and performing at Homecoming with the Class of 2018. It’s always exciting and exhilarating to dance alongside my friends and peers, even if I don’t know them as well,” he said.

For senior and Dhadkan member Rashmika Bhatt, her experiences dancing will always bring fond memories of cultural remembrance and social togetherness. “Being in Tino Dhadkan has been a way for me to be closer with people and I feel proud to have performed at rallies and shows to express my Indian heritage,” she said.

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Lifestyles

the story of miley cyrus

May 22, 2018

SUBSCRIPTION BOXES

How Cyrus has changed the face of pop culture

CATHERINE SEOK

ARIANA FAHRI

Over the years, monthly subscription boxes have become increasingly popular, containing a selection of items, all a mystery until it arrives on your doorstep. With hundreds of themes and options ranging from beauty to food, there is something for all ages, interests and hobbies. Because there is such a large array of subscription box services, The Prospector has compiled a list of our favorite picks.

photo editor

Miley Cyrus’ change from Hannah Montana to the unfiltered and Disney-inappropriate version of herself shocked the entire world as hundreds of headlines covered her dramatic transformation from her teen idol days to the bold, buzzcut-wearing woman unafraid of the judgment coming her way. She wanted to get away from her reputation as only a Disney actor. In an effort to adjust how people perceived her, Cyrus changed her hair, makeup, style and musical genre to get the message across.

As a result, sales of her Bangerz album exceeded the one million mark and her music video “Wrecking Ball” had over 944 million views.

Said freshmen Esha Dasu, “She didn’t want to be known as this little role-model from Disney Channel.” Everyone experiences the point in their life when they want to experiment and find themselves; the only difference here is that Cyrus did this in music videos and on the cover of magazines.

After the final episode of Hannah Montana and her successful song, “Party In the USA,” she faded into the background for many people who grew up watching her show.

“I grew up watching Hannah Montana and I forgot about her when I entered middle school,” Dasu said.

“Wrecking Ball” was Cyrus’ first big hit after a period where the singer and actress was contemplating leaving the music industry entirely. After playing the role of a scripted teenager for so long, it comes as no surprise that adjusting was a struggle. The major change between her old and new personalities led to a large amount of media coverage on her. Her music video got millions of views.

Said sophomore Maya Krispin, “Child actors don’t know what a normal life is.”

Since child actors, are used to being on set daily and are constantly working, many do not experience going to school. While on Hannah Montana, Cyrus had a private tutor on set.

After the end of Hannah Montana in 2011, Cyrus was glad to put an end to the constant parading around in sparkles and pink. In an interview with Parade’s Magazine, said Cyrus, “I can’t breathe looking like that anymore”.

After having spending years building her reputation with Disney, Cyrus wanted to make the divide between Hannah Montana and herself clear. From cursing on television to getting tattoos on seven of her fingers, she was visibly edging away from the standard of perfection she was expected to conform to on set. As a result, she dealt with a lot of hate from media for being true to herself and doing what she wanted to do.

Naturally, with the release of her music video and her infamous 2013 VMA performance with Robin Thicke, Cyrus

dealt with the backlash of being different. Cyrus told MTV News that, “If people get past the point that I’m naked and you look at me you can tell that I look more broken than even the song sounds. It’s one of these songs that everyone is going to relate to; everyone has felt that feeling

lifestyles assistant

Birchbox

Birchbox, one of the first dominant subscription services, is a monthly subscription box that contains items for skincare, hair, fragrance and makeup.

With an option of either beauty or grooming, this subscription box appeals to all. After filling out a personalized profile, users will be sent five name-brand samplers to their door.

Blue Apron

Perfect for those find grocery shopping and meal planning a chore, Blue Apron offers healthy meals delivered to your doorstep. After choosing your meals from a large set of options, Blue Apron will send fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients with a step by step guide for you to cook your next meal.

at one point.”

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, said Cyrus, “America feels like my aunt [telling me], “‘You know, you’re growing up so much and we don’t want to see you grow up and I think why people loved Hannah Montana was because Hannah Montana did feel real, and that’s because I was under there.’”

“She was probably frustrated because she was not able to become her true self and make those mistakes everyone makes growing up,” Krispin said on Cyrus growing up in the movie industry.

Although Cyrus was in the news for being a wild child, she now seems to have entered a more mellow phase.

One of the ways Cyrus dealt with criticism in Hollywood was by getting the word “love,” tattooed on her ear. In an interview with E! Magazine, said Cyrus, “There’s so much negativity in the world and what you only need to hear is all the love. Love is what makes the world go around, and that’s all we need to focus on.”

While most celebrities are labeled as perfect individuals, those that break that mold get hated on by society through various social media platforms. When Cyrus released her new album, groups of Old Miley versus New Miley formed on the internet, and the details of her rebellious acts, such as her MTV VMA’s performance with Robin Thicke, were published in numerous articles. Many thought her new persona was just a temporary façade ready to break at the first sight of the upcoming wave of critique coming her way for being different and well, growing up. Cyrus has kept on boldly expressing herself through her music and style. While she is no longer a teen idol, she changed into a real role model for everyone afraid to branch out into the unknown.

Sockwork

Sockwork really helps you to step your sock game up. With a variety of options including “fun,” “pro,” and “mix,” you’ll be able to choose from bright and spunky socks to more classic socks. The brand also donates a percentage of its profits to a different Veteran charity each month. As with many other services, Sockwork is a simple process.

Cloth & Paper

Cloth & Paper is for all the stationery fans. With three options — a Stationery box, a Penspiration box, and a Penspiration & Stationery box — each contains unique items, including those from brands such as Rifle Paper Co., Tombow, Smitten on Paper, Caran D’Ache and much more.

My Geek Box

My Geek Box is a monthly subscription box filled with t-shirts, posters, vinyl figures, wearables, and household items all themed with your favorite tv shows, movies, and other franchises. The subscription service also has additional benefits, including coupons and discounts to their online store, which sells other knick knacks.

Lifestyles

The Prospector

May 22, 2018

a minimalistic life for a week

TAHA SHAFIEI online editor

Scrolling through Instagram or YouTube, it is easy to find tutorials on how to declutter your life and become a minimalist. The intention of this, of course, is to improve your productivity and regain a sense of purpose in your daily routine. In essence, it is the art of not being extra.

All of this seems fantastic until you are are five videos in, and it becomes clear that in order to be a minimalist, you can live with no more than 100 things. You cannot own a car, home or television; you cannot have a career; you must live in exotic places with obscure names; and you must be a white male in your twenties from a privileged background.

Well, not entirely, because even though people will try to make you believe that this fad with limiting restrictions will turn your life upside down, that is simply not true.

Although sometimes this is what is depicted, it is also a particular form of minimalism. And unlike those ridiculous diets that you will inevitably use to try to gain that summer body of your dreams, minimalism does not have to ruin your life — or anything for that manner. The extent to which you embrace it and its definition is entirely up to you, but the purpose of minimalism is the

same among all that practice it, removing what you do not need in your life. From the clothes you wear to what writing utensil you use, minimalism can assist you in finding freedom, or at least liberate some breathing room. This is what I believe minimalism to be but seeing that I have spent only a few weeks attempting to live this lifestyle, I have a long way to go. I did start with the basics, living clutter free, traveling lightly and dressing with less clothing, but from the get-go, they all presented their challenges.

Teachers seem to insist on sending you home with a stack of papers each day, so it was near impossible to live clutter-free. An entire weekend was not enough to sort through and remove the stack of papers that have sat in the corner of my room for a good chunk of the year, not to mention the papers that are still hanging around from last year. This is on top of the ten new sheets I bring home everyday. If anything, I will eventually spend a month removing everything and then reorganizing everything else that remains in order to achieve the level of orderliness portrayed by all the popular minimalism blogs. Traveling lightly also presented a problem. Certain classes require me to carry a binder around, which is currently filled to the brim with papers that I will never and have never look at, while other classes require me to carry my laptop, which is easily the same weight as the binder. And even though I was able to remove a good inch-thick stack of papers, I was still left with a bag that did not feel any lighter.

As it is, I have a small wardrobe. I go through just about every piece of clothing that fits my skeleton of a frame in a week, so cutting down on the clothes I wear was not an option.

But even though it has presented me with a handful of problems in the few short weeks that I have tried it, minimalism gives people more than it takes. From showing you what you need or even want, to saving you money, minimalism is a long-term investment.

11

coffee talk

ARIANA FAHRI photo editor

I have had to use Google an outrageous amount of times while staring at a menu at the coffee shop and still, when my friend whispers to me, “What in the world is an affogato?” I shake my head, and we end up ordering a Frappuccino — again.

Here is a quick rundown of all of the different types of coffee in most coffee shop menus.

Espresso: The essential part of a coffee drink. Acting as the base, espresso is included in most coffee drinks. When the barista asks if you want a double espresso or “double shot,” it merely means adding double the amount of espresso. For dessert, an affogato or a scoop of ice cream with espresso is the best of both worlds.

ESPRESSO

Espresso-based with an addition of steamed milk or foam. The literal translation of Latte is “milk coffee.” The latte caters to people who want a sweeter, milder flavor. Subsequently, this lowers the amount of caffeine content and lessens the coffee flavor.

LATTE

Similar to a latte but contains more chocolate and foam on top. Also, it provides more caffeine than a latte because it typically has a double shot. In Italy, a cappuccino is considered a breakfast drink and is only on the menu before 11 a.m. Capuccino is a perfect start to your day, especially if you need energy to get yourself through a busy day.

CAPPUCCINO

Hot water with a shot of espresso. It tastes like a diluted version of an espresso shot. It was first created during World War II, when American soldiers ordered coffee and got a espresso instead. Espressos come in smaller portions than most cups of coffee, and so they added water and the Americano was born.

AMERICANO

MOCHA

A mix of coffee and hot cocoa with microfoam or milk. It is essentially a latte with chocolate incorporated into the drink. The chocolate flavor is most often from chocolate syrup or cocoa powder. While mostly served hot, there are many different iced variations. The combination of coffee and chocolate improves concentration and attention span according to recent scientific studies done

by Clarkson University.

TRAVEL ADVICE FOR SUMMER planning the trip

When it comes to planning your vacation, you may need a little help, especially if you are headed somewhere you have never been before. Whether you are struggling to fill your day or cannot figure out how to narrow down the many tourist attractions, it never hurts to get some help. There are countless travel bloggers who dedicate their YouTube channels to teach viewers about the best ways to travel. These blogs cover everything from short road trips to month-long travels across the world. Many bloggers also create videos to help you plan trips for a limited amount of time. For example, if you search “Paris in five days” you will be able to find travel plans custom-made for the length of your stay. Finally, try and get trip planning advice from someone who has lived where you are planning to travel. Whether in person or online, getting tips from someone who knows the area well can give you the inside scoop on what crazy tourist traps to avoid and what hidden gems a city might have to offer. Many cities, including popular hubs such as Paris or New York, have hidden attractions to them that only locals know about.

time management

Do not forget, you are on vacation, and that means you should have some time to relax. When you are planning your trip, it can be hard to cram all the fun things you want to do into the short time you are there. However, if you are worn out from a day of travel after flying into a new time zone that jam-packed day you planned may be more exhausting than fun. While this may vary from person to person, a good rule of thumb is to make every other day busy. That way you will have the energy to enjoy your busy days and still have some downtime. When planning activities be reasonable about your time.

Are you someone who can spend hours in a museum or will you get bored? Can you travel for several hours and then go right into an activity or will you need some rest in between?

All these things are important considerations. It is also important to make sure that you have enough time for all of your travel. There’s nothing worse than being in an unfamiliar airport and having to desperately rush to your terminal because you did not plan enough time between your flights.

saving your money

Traveling on a budget can be a real struggle. However, there are some easy ways to cut costs. One major thing to remember is that wherever you are going, there will always be stuff to do that’s free. Find out where the pretty parks are, look for cool hiking trails, or if any of the local tourist attractions have a discount or free days. Also, use your age to your advantage. A lot of places will give discounts on travel, activities, food and more if you mention your a student. If you are planning on spending a lot of time at tourist attractions remember that those areas are going to be pricey. Everything from food to souvenirs will cost more and often times tourists don’t know they are overpaying. If you are planning on spending money, especially if it’s on food, try and get a few blocks away from any major tourists attractions. Products are likely to be more reasonably priced and you will get the chance to explore the place you are staying on the way. Finally, visit the local tourism offices. Most major cities will have these, and you can find “tourism cards” that will include discounts for major attractions, tours and often restaurants.

COMPILED BY LILY ROSEN MARVIN

Insights

12

May 22, 2018 Investigations

the experiences, practices and motivations of the religious and nonreligious

RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE IRRELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE KENNETH JEON

SUDYUT YUVARAJ

news editor

features editor

GENE KIM

SYDNEY LIAO

opinions assistant

Although often overlooked, religion plays a significant role in many students’ lives at CHS. According to a survey conducted by The Prospector, about 60 percent of the 118 respondents identified as being religious. Fortunately, many students feel that Tino is an accepting environment in regards to religion. About 83 percent of the students reported having a generally positive experience with how they are treated due to their beliefs.

It seems that, in general, students’ religions are often respectfully left alone. Said junior and Presbyterian Raphael Ng, “I think Tino is friendly towards religion, mainly because it’s hardly the focus of this school. I think it’s more of a bonus; a small trait you may not have known about [a person].”

However, living in a predominately secular area inevitably makes it difficult for some students to feel comfortable expressing their religious views and practices.

Said junior Matthew Wang, president of Footprints Christian Club, “Sometimes it’s hard to be open about my faith at school because many people have very different beliefs than I do.”

Senior Ellie Wong is another Christian at Tino. “I have always believed in God, but I’ve always been a little self-conscious because I didn’t want to give the impression that I’m trying to convert everyone,” she said.

Said junior Hindu Dhanya Sree Prem Sankar, “Most of the time when I talk about my religion, everyone’s awkward and reply, ‘Well, it’s probably because you’re forced to [believe],’ or something like, ‘you are probably that good Indian.’ Everyone thinks that I practice my religion because my parents force it upon me and are strict about it or assume that I am a ‘good child.’ Everyone tends to change the conversation because no one is ready to listen to my beliefs about my religion.”

Despite the difficulties some students face when expressing their religious beliefs, many still choose to adhere to them. According to the same survey, around twothirds of religious students at CHS are self-motivated in practicing their beliefs. “I still believe in what I practice,” Wong said, “because it’s powerful. There have been many instances in my life where God has helped me persevere through [life], and my friends at school and church have been encouraging and supportive in helping me keep my faith.”

Some students also feel that their religion is not just a belief system, but a part of their identity. In this respect, religion is more of a lifestyle than an ideology.

“I feel like practice isn’t really the right word for me,” Wong said. “It’s more of a lifestyle. It’s part of my identity, so I’m constantly living out my faith.”

“For me,” Wong said, “religion is more of a relationship, not a list of dos and don’ts. It’s me talking to God, and God talking to me.”

Some students feel that interacting with older religious individuals encourages them to continue adhering to their beliefs. Said Sankar, “Volunteer at a temple and my ‘friends’ are the grandpas and grandmas who regularly come to the temple to volunteer. I absolutely enjoy being with them because they are really optimistic about life and I can openly express my opinions about religion and they are ready to hear about it. My interest towards religion expanded because of them. They tell us their life experiences and spiritual beliefs and it is interesting to hear a perspective from someone who is not a teenager.”

Of course, some students find conflicts between different aspects of their individual lifestyles. Said Ng, “I don’t latch onto [Presbyterian practices], because I can’t really have the lifestyle I want if I follow accordingly.”

But even students that do not feel as strongly attached to their religion are able to embrace it by adapting themselves and their beliefs to reach a peaceful resolve.

“I have [few] qualms with it — just a few things where I’m like, ‘Hmm, I’m not sure if I like that,” Ng said, “[Religion] certainly helps. When I’m on the edge of my bed, I’ll think, ‘This is what I used to do. It worked before; I’ll try it again.’ I’ll tell myself, ‘Be better, calm down, trust in predestiny and all will be well.’”

Whether relational, systematic, works-based, communal, private, familial or publicly expressed, religion remains an integral part of many students’ lives at CHS. Although there is no defining experience that can categorize religious individuals, the diversity is something to be admired and respected as an enriching part of the CHS community.

photo editor

CAROLINE GEE flip side assistant

Every morning, junior Arshia Kapil watches as her mother prays before she places her hands on her daughter’s face, wishing her the best for the day. It is a daily ritual grounded in Hinduism that, as an atheist, Kapil finds difficult to understand—but she still appreciates the sentiment.

Although initially raised to be Hindu, Kapil later diverged from her parents’ beliefs into atheism. Said Kapil, “Once I started learning about science in middle school and learning about how life works and the Big Bang theory and all of that, I believed that no one person could just create all of this.”

In a survey conducted by The Prospector, 37.3 percent of 118 CHS students identified as atheist or agnostic. Out of this sector, 95.7 percent of those students stated that their decision to not practice religion was a choice they made on their own.

The influence of family followed, with 47.8 percent of those students crediting their nonreligious values to their parents, guardians or other relatives.

Nevertheless, Kapil often attends religious ceremonies with her parents as an observer, still finding them entertaining. Many events are not limited to purely religious practices like praying but also incorporate broader community-oriented activities.

For senior Amanda Ting, an upsetting medical incident in the past year influenced her to abandon her Buddhist faith and convert to agnosticism. “I remember staring at the [hospital] wall and thinking, ‘If my religion says that the gods have blessed me to live a good life, then why am I here?’” Ting said.

The presence of religion can be especially beneficial in times of adversity, serving as a rock for many religious individuals to fall back on. Even so, most atheist students are not troubled by the lack of such faith in their lives. Some shrug and live by the motto that most outcomes have a direct cause behind them and every problem has a solution. Others follow similar logic-based reasoning to blame poor outcomes on pure luck.

Said junior Tara Giri, “Sometimes [my parents will] try to convince me there’s a universe out there, something watching over me, but I’m just like, ‘Nah.’ I think that there’s nothing, and I’m cool with it.”

While most atheist students are not bothered by the religious beliefs of others, the idea of institutionalized religion can be off-putting to some. Said Ting, “When someone mentions that religion or God is number one in their life, I feel kind of unsettled. Shouldn’t you and your well-being be number one?”

Senior Parker Magnuson grew up atheist but developed stronger feelings for his irreligious preferences from viewing some negative aspects of religion’s influence on people’s lives in history and in current times.

Said Magnuson, “Stuff like the Westboro Baptist Church, where I see that a lot of churches are sort of misunderstanding what is really meant in their religion, and learning about how certain religions are a lot more involved in how people are supposed to live their lives turns me against religion.”

According to The Prospector survey, most atheist students do not experience backlash or judgement from their religious peers.

Giri identifies as atheist, and while one of her close friends is Christian, their differing beliefs do not clash with their friendship.

“My friend kind of accepts it, and I think she is diverging more into atheism,” Giri said. “We’ll make jokes about God and things like that, so it’s never really gotten in the way of anything.”

Many students agree that Tino is generally accepting of religious diversity, but some believe it would be beneficial for students if the school promoted discussions on religion.

Said Magnuson, “If it’s not discussed, you get misinterpretations of beliefs, like how there are a lot of churches out there that misread into the Bible, and without it being discussed you don’t get to see all sides of the field.”

May 22, 2018

The Prospector

Insights

13

Perspectives

A Love Letter COSMETIC ALTERATIONS

ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN insights editor

Dear RogerHub, Junior year has been a vicious vacuum of joy and hope. I start every day staring blankly out of a car window while the unluckier half of my parental unit chauffeurs me to my routine doom. Typically, I enter first period with feelings of pure despair, furiously wishing on my stars that my teacher won’t ask about my 15 zeroes. The rest of the day I spend glaring at my laptop screen, hoping that I could erase the contents of my student portal. At this point I can’t say I feel bad; I just don’t feel at all.

Every ray of sunshine in my life has been mercilessly terminated by the perpetual grimness brewed by Cupertino’s cutthroat academic lifestyle. It is a true Shakespearean tragedy. Nevertheless, in the midst of the torture of watching my grades stage a reenactment of the Titanic, I must take a moment to share my gratitude to you as one of the few sources of my constant support during these times of hardship.

I have tried many times to conceptualize my love for you; alas, I know that this is a fruitless endeavor. The passion I feel for you is enormous, like an abyss, if which you fell in, you would fall and fall and fall and fall and fall until you finally reach the very bottom of my very spacious heart.

You found me on the brink of despair, during the usual season when one embarks on a sorrowful exploration into the deterioration of self-esteem: the week prior to finals. In a period of extreme self-loathing and sudden religious fervor, you have come as my savior.

Your core philosophy of candor makes you a difficult application to work with. Every time I approach you, I never know whether I will find solace or torment. I realize that I am not the best student, but your causal responses to ‘try harder’ or ‘aim a little lower’ when I realize I’ll never be able to break an 80 percent sure makes me wonder if you are really the problem. Is my worth defined by a letter? Would my value as a person change if I had decided to bubble in a Christmas tree on my scantron? Who are you to tell me what I need on my final?

These are all questions that I have pondered over the course of our relationship. But at the day’s end, I have come to understand that my anger with you has been misguided. I realized that I imposed my deepest insecurities upon you in hopes that you would be able to sugarcoat a solution for me. Instead, you gave me the raw truth, and that I suppose is more meaningful. I conclude this letter with another reminder of my adoration for you. Although this letter kinda got a tad too real in the end, it really does speak from the very bottom of my heart.

ESHA sugar daddy JENN ZARATAN photo assistant

Descriptions tack on details such as “likes hikes in the woods” or “looking for an intelligent yet adventurous girl”; the profiles, at first glance, could come from any other dating website. But such descriptions also lie under disclosed net worths and annual salaries –– many above 1 million and $200,000, respectively. The website is not eHarmony, but the leading sugar daddy matchmaker, SeekingArrangement.

Sugar daddies have become a common subject of memes, often surrounding students turning to desperate measures for funds. Urban Dictionary defines the term “glucose guardians” as the “gender neutral term for an older (but not always) individual who takes care of someone in the form of money or expensive gifts oftentimes in exchange for companionship or sexual favors.” Beneath its humorous exterior, questions of ethics, feminism and safety venture into the darker reality of glucose guardians.

Grappling with tuition costs, college students constitute a large portion of the sugar baby demographic. Seek-

ASHLEY KANG copy editor

It’s 90 degrees in sunny Seoul, with humidity at a sweltering 80 percent — and there are still people walking around in long-sleeved shirts, sporting colorful umbrellas and extravagant visors — all to avoid one thing: tanning.

Taking extreme measures to meet societal beauty standards is not a practice exclusive to South Korea. According to a survey by Psychology Today, a sizable portion of Americans are dissatisfied with their bodies. Upon converting the percentages to current population figures in the United States, they found that 60 million both dislike their noses, their complexion, and yet another 50 million dislike their hair.

According to Medical Doctor Martin Donohoe, motivators for cosmetic surgery include ethnic prejudice, age discrimination or unfair treatment in the workplace.

These societal trends pervade our lives through assumptions of sociability, intelligence and class. While cosmetic alterations might boost self-confidence, it is imperative that we examine the roots of ‘beauty’ before millions go under the knife.

Historical records have shown that beauty ideals vary from culture to culture, as well as over time. For example, where women are valued primarily for their ability to bear children, full-bodied women with broad hips are considered the most beautiful.

In Fiji, large bodies are a symbol of one’s status and power under the assumption that they can afford more to eat. Thus, individuals classified as obese in the U.S. are considered the most attractive and desirable members in a culture halfway around the world.

During the 1960s and ‘70s in America, the popularity of motion pictures and television helped to usher in the era of plastic surgery. Americans began altering their bodies to resemble those of Hollywood stars, like Marilyn Monroe, who flaunted curvaceous figures and milky skin. But as social conditions and gender roles changed, so did ideas about beauty. Just as women started making advances in the areas of education, employment and politics, the ideal female body began resembling those of Twiggy or Kate Moss, whose lanky figures epitomized those of thin, flat-chested supermodels. However, when the Industrial Revolution occurred, the poor developed pale complexions as they toiled inside dim factories while the upperclass began traveling abroad and returning home with darker skin, which in turn, became more favorable.

While most of the modern West has now embraced the idea of bronzy skin, a vast majority of East Asians are utterly convinced that having fair skin is the only way to look beautiful. Historically, having tan skin was once a telling factor in being of a lower class. Those with darkened skin had spent hours working outside under the sun, completing physical labor to earn their way. Those who could afford the luxury of not working outdoors flaunted porcelain-white complexions, radiating wealth and status.

Based on the extensive range of beauty ideals across cultures, it seems futile to strive for universal attractiveness. In reality, such an appearance does not and will not ever exist. No matter how much botox we inject; how much time we spend exercising; how many diets or bleaching products we try, we can never conform to the everchanging ideals that were impossible to achieve in the first place, but perhaps we can satisfy our own visions of human beauty.

ingArrangement cites, “Since 2006, more than 7 million students have joined SeekingArrangement.com … to meet wealthy benefactors.” The company went as far as launching a campaign specifically advertising the student loan angle.

As for pay rates, most websites leave the pair to come to an arrangement. Some guardians give monthly allowance, while others, seeing that as too business-minded, prefer gifts or lavish trips. Regardless, earnings are undoubtedly higher than what a student could make elsewhere. One woman told Seventeen in 2014 that her sugar daddy paid her $400 per date, along with buying her textbooks. However, according to SeekingArrangement, what is known as “payper-meet” suggests being an “escort”, not a sugar baby, and is prohibited terminology. Rather than a business transaction, some see sugar babies’ distinction from prostitution as simply receiving benefits from a mutual relationship.

Online platforms rely on explicitness to make arrangements work: profiles designate spots for glucose guardians to report marriage status, children, salaries and what they are looking for. Some may come on the site looking for platonic relationships or a sugar daddy to dine with, but it is common for profiles to mention or hint towards an expectation of sexual activities. On the sugar baby side, users must report ethnicity, height, age, body type and spending habits.

Safety, however, is the one thing SeekingArrangement cannot make transparent. Like many of its competitors, the site says it checks their members for criminal offenses. In actuality, profiles are not required to be verified, and most are marked as not.

Beyond safety concerns, ethical questions stir heated debate: does the practice cost self-respect, or defy feminist values? It would be untrue to say all glucose guardians are heterosexual males, but male sugar daddies are significantly more common than sugar mommies (SeekingArrangement reports more than 484,600 sugar daddies to 42,900 mommies). It may seem to perpetuate an idea of male financial dominance and female subordination. The age gaps, which can range from seven to upwards of 40 years, are also a point of controversy.

One sugar baby under the name Aurora wrote on SeekingArrangement’s sister blog site, “Just because your sugar daddy gives you money and gifts does not mean that you are his subordinate. … There is nothing wrong with having … high expectations [and] having these does not mean that you are against [women]. As long as we female sugar babies continue to respect ourselves … we need not choose between the sugar lifestyle and the feminist lifestyle.”

Controversies aside, with rising tuition bills and the ease of the Internet to spur it on, glucose guardians seem likely to persist for some time.

14

Sports

May 22, 2018

EXPLORING UNPOPULAR SPORTS BRANDS

a spotlight on the affordable, undiscovered sportswear brands that outperform the competition ANTHONY ZHU

Comfort

opinions editor

Price

Everyone knows the brand names that dominate the athletic industry: Nike, Adidas Camelbak, to name a few. However, the most well known items are not always the only ones that will perform the best. People tend to buy the brands that everyone else are buying and they never get the chance to try out and see if another brand would be a better fit for them. Although popular brands like Nike tend to be comfortable and of high quality, it is possible to get the same level of quality with a cheaper, lesser known brand.

Yummy and Trendy, a high performance activewear brand, offers lightweight and comforable leggings at around $80-100. They’re around $20 less than most Lulu Lemons and they come with high performance 4-way stretch fabric along with a breathable and moisture wicking design. This is perfect for people who participate in a wide variety of athletic activities.

If you’re interested in being stylish while staying fit, Sweaty Betty is the perfect place for medium-cost athletic clothing that look good and feel really comfortable. They offer cute hoodies, stretchy leggings, lightweight tanks and more. Although this store is based in London, they have a nearby location in Palo Alto, Calif.

For those who are looking for a really low-cost yet still high quality brand, Joe Fresh sells a variety of hip and affordable active clothing. Most of the activewear they sell costs less than $30. On their website, you can find leggings, tees, tanks, and joggers for prices that’ll keep your health and your wallet happy.

Another brand that is usually known for its casual street clothing but also carries stylish and effective athletic wear is H and M. They offer running tights, sports bras, jackets, tops and swimwear for $6-$60, which is a fairly inexpensive price range. Many of their products may be better suited for everyday wear so make sure to try things on and see if they are comfortable for moving around in before buying.

If you need to get fit but you have no time to go the mall, Target is the perfect place to quickly get cheap, high quality athletic wear. In addition to it’s really low prices, Target athletic wear is comparable to Nike and Lululemons in both quality and looks.

Although quality may be a factor of how popular a brand is, advertising, athlete support and time of establishment all contribute greatly to what customers are inclined to buy. When buying athletic wear for any purpose, there are many factors to consider such as the comfort, the price and the fashionability. The best and most affordable brands may be hidden gems that we can discover by exploring and trying out new things. The bottom line is every brand has its positives and negatives and we should try different brands out and see what makes a good fit for us.

Value

Comfort Price Value

Comfort Price Value

BEN WINN(ING) IN CHS SWIMMING LEO RASSIEUR editor-in-chief

At the swimming senior night on March 23, junior Ben Winn broke the CHS record for the 200-yard individual medley (200 IM). The previous record holder was three-time Olympic champion and previous world record holder John Hencken, with a time of 1:55.90. Winn broke Hencken’s record by half a second, achieving a time of 1:55.40. For the 200 individual medley, swimmers had to demonstrate mastery of all four strokes, including butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, for 50 yards each. Each of these strokes take years to master and perform to perfection.

Said Winn, “This is my first high school record. I have broken Pacific records, but I’m sure they have all been broken by now. As time goes on, people get faster.”

Winn has been heavily involved in swimming for many years and has incorporated it into his lifestyle. At a very young age, Winn was introduced to swimming, and has participated in the sport since. Success at the competition required a great deal of preparation for all those involved, including Winn. His hard work and dedication have led to him attaining his goal and becoming a successful and well-known swimmer. Said Winn, “In total, I have been swimming for thirteen years. Two hours practice every day, six days a week. Sometimes I have morning practice and afternoon practice. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have four hours [of practice] and every other day is two hours except for Sunday, which I have off.

It’s just school, swim, sleep.”

To accommodate his ambitions in swimming, he counts on his mother, coaches and friends to support his athletic endeavors. These dependancies play a major part in his success in swimming. Said Winn, “My mother helps me: she drives me, volunteers for me and puts in a lot of work for me to compete. The friends and the coaches [make swimming worthwhile]. I have made 13-year friendships, and the people I am friends with still swim. The coaches beat me down and bring me up.”

Coach Allison Beebe attested to the intensity of practices. Said Beebe, “We use a lot of our practice time to work on specific areas of Ben’s race to help him prepare to compete at his best. He is a great racer, and the 200 IM involves all four strokes, so it shows his versatility as well. We use a lot of our practice time to work on specific areas of Ben’s race to help him prepare to compete at his best.”

Beebe added that Winn’s support of his team is another standout quality worth mentioning. Said Beebe, “He is great at listening to people when they are going through tough challenges, and he is a great friend to his teammates. He brings positive energy to the group dynamics, and he has a great sewnse of humor.”

Senior David Tung, one of Winn’s teammates, praised his team spirit. Said

Tung, “Ben’s accomplishment is a source of pride for our swim team, and his performance inspires us all to shoot for our dreams. He is pretty much the best you could hope for — an amazing swimmer, teammate, and friend. His ability as an individual swimmer is only exceeded by his passion and dedication as part of the swimming team. One time, he gave me a run-through of breaststroke tips a couple of minutes before my heat, and I ended up [setting a personal record].”

Winn went on to compete at the Central Coast Section on May 11, advancing to the state swim championship which took place on May 18. As for future objectives, Winn has his eyes set on the Olympic Trials, although he knows that his success is not guaranteed.

Said Winn, “Olympic Trials is my all time goal. I don’t expect to go more than the Olympic Trials because of my physical stature — I have stopped growing. But if I make the Olympic Trials, I know I probably will not make the Olympics, but maybe if I represent a different country!”

Winn’s perseverance often stunned onlookers. Tung recalled one time when Winn had a cramp during leagues but powered through the debilitating con-

dition and even beat several competitors.

Regardless of the pain that Winn was feeling, he knew that he had to continue to swim and make his teammates and coach proud. Said Tung, “Despite swimming through the cramp the entire time, Ben still managed to make the consolation cut and beat out several other swimmers.

I believe anyone else would have gotten out of that pool, myself included, and would have been completely justified. But Ben Winn is something else.”

COURTESY OF TIMOTHY CHOU

BEN WINN | Ben Winn sets his foot on the starting block as he gets ready to race against his opponenets

May 22, 2018

Sports

The Prospector

CHS BASEBALL 2018 SEASON OVERVIEW

15

2017-2018

CUPERTINO HIGH SPORTS AND ATHLETICS RECORDS at a glance

YOONI PARK sports editor

OVERALL SEASON RECORD

SAAGAR SANGHAVI

5-1

sports assistant

On May 4th, 2018, the Varsity Boys Baseball team had a match against Los Gatos at home. This game was the Senior Night of five graduating seniors: Ben Townsend, Lucas Banks, Ander Hersh, Icko Iben, Justin Chow and Dylan Thiel. The team had a large crowd and huge attendance at the game, and won the game 2-0.

In their season so far, they are 12-12 total. In league, they were only able to win three of their 14 league matches. Unlike the past years, baseball has been an overall struggle for the boys on the team. However, losing games is all part of being an athlete and they must learn to cope with this, especially at the end of the season, when they have another one ahead of them. For these players, losing a game can become a learning experience and motivate them even more for their future matches.

Said Pete Hernandez who coaches the baseball team, “It has been a season of ups and downs; we are in the higher league where we’re playing Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and Wilcox, so we are up playing a lot of good programs, it is a little different from what we’re doing before, obviously being in the El Camino League.“We competed really well, we hung as best as we could, a lot of really close games. We pretty much competed in every game.

Some of the highlights of the game included spectacular pitches by senior Ben Townsend, that brought an advantage to the team’s game.

“I am especially proud of Ben Townshend for his strong performance throughout the game,” Hernandez said. “He was pitching for almost 7 innings straight, and did not let me down on a single one.”

For seniors, this game holds a special significance in their hearts.

Said Senior Lucas Banks, “Working together as a team to win a ball game is amazing because in the end everyone comes together and roots for each other

BOYS

10-2

3-13 GIRLS

BOYS

4th

2nd

OVERALL SEASON RECORD

7-1 OVERALL SEASON RECORD

8-4-0 OVERALL SEASON RECORD

5-1 OVERALL SEASON RECORD

It has been a season of ups and downs ...

We had three or four one-run losses which kind of hurt us, but we finished out the season strong.”

5-1

- Pete Hernandez and it creates a brotherhood between all the guys on the team.”

Looking forward to the rest of the season, the team has a bright future ahead.

“We have a tournament against Milpitas, best two out of three, just to see who goes up and who goes down. As of now, the selection process will be on Saturday to see if we qualify for the playoffs. We’re really hoping that we do, that would make it our third time in four years to make it to the playoffs which is why it’s really important for us,” Hernandez said. “I am just worried that it might come down to a coin flip, where we either make it by a point or miss it by a point.”

At the end of the day, coach Hernandez is proud of all that the team has accomplished so far and reflects on a successful season.

Said Hernandez, “All in all, though, the kids have played well. They’ve done a lot of what we’ve asked, and I think they see the reality of how much work playing a sport needs to be. It’s the only way we’re going to be successful in the De Anza League.”

GIRLS

GIRLS

BOYS

7-5

6-6 BOYS

GIRLS

1-10-1 GIRLS

10-2

6-5-1

BOYS

3-13 GIRLS

BOYS

1-13

7-8

YOONI PARK

YOONI PARK

GIRLS

8-6-1

BOYS

3-11 OVERALL RANKED

3rd GIRLS B A S EB A L L T EA M | Be n W i n n p i t ch e s t h e b a l l t o t h e o p p o si n g t e a m , L o s G atos on May 4, 2018

4th

BOYS

10th COMPILED BY NEERALI SHAH

Flip Side

May 22, 2018

16

MAY IN PHOTOS SYDNEY LIAO

SENIOR SENDOFF RALLY | Students lead the freshman class in a cheer

COURTESY OF ANNA JACKSON

CLAIRE WARNER

TEACHER APPRECIATION NIGHT | Volleyball celebrates teachers on senior night

AP TESTING | Seniors Archie Sravankumar, Jai Sankar and George Kim hold AP packs

COURTESY OF MATHEW CHAO

COURTESY OF MICHAEL CABANATUAN

SENIOR PROM | Four seniors pose in their dresses at Santa Clara University

PRO-PALESTINE RALLY | Juniors attend May 15 Rally to Commemorate Day of Nakba

ARIANA FAHRI

teachers’ book recommendations For thousands of years, literature has been inspiring people from around the world. Regardless of genre, books continue to impact the way we think and perceive through vivid storytelling. Four Cupertino High School teachers share the book that influenced them the most.

Amartya De: Consisting of anecdotes and instructional principles that can be applied to different situations, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey aims to stimulate personal growth, and for De, it certainly did.

Said De, “I’m now more aware of the people around me. I ask myself what kind of things I should or should not emulate from people.”

De recommends the book to people in their mid-20s.

Jenny Padgett: As a teen, Padgett was aware of injustice but afraid of being a victim of it. Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, a novel of harsh realities, rampant inequality and economic disparity, inspired Padgett to see beyond the narrow lens of a bystander and understand what it means to be a member of society.

“Steinbeck taught me the power of community and the power of using the strengths that people have, even if they’re not as educated or don’t have money,” Padgett said.

Allanah Ujifusa: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is a high-fantasy classic that takes readers on an unforgettable adventure, but what really stands out to Uji are the empowering messages it conveys through various themes.

“It is a story of friend- ship, teamwork, loyalty, war and bravery. It’s a fight between good and evil, and good wins,” Uji said.

“His books demonstrate that you can change the world no matter how big or small you are.”

Elise Robison: Salt by Naayirah Waheed weaves concepts surrounding race, gender, greed and pain into her poetry, using words as a form of reflection. Robison appreciates how the writer deftly tackles controversial subjects while maintaining sophistication. Robison sees elements of herself in Waheed’s words, making Salt more than just a book, but also a voice that spoke to her own ideals.

Said Robison, “Salt helped me find justification and reassurance that some of my feelings aren’t [singular].”

COMPILED BY SYDNEY LIAO

ALL PHOTOS BY SYDNEY LIAO

coming soon to chsprospector.com

by Santosh Muralidaran

Week of May 27: Vegan Baking Video

by Saagar Sanghavi

On June 2: Graduation Photos

(1) Open Spotify mobile app (2) Click on search bar (3) Click on camera icon (4) Point camera at code (5) Enjoy!

https://tinyurl.com/ prospector-spotify

Week of May 20: How to Make the Most of Your Summer

Prospector Spotify Playlists

COMPILED BY NICO CHILLA, GENE KIM, MICHELLE MA AND CHRISTINA SHAO

A Whole Lot of Lists XINYI ZHANG features assistant

Lists aren’t my thing. Although I often plan a daily schedule and broadcast my plans in front of my peers, I seldom follow my intended course of action. Regardless, most of the time I can successfully finish a day’s assignments and obligations without any help from a checklist, albeit without any promises made regarding the time of their completion.

However, when it comes to long-term goals, like learning a new software platform, establishing a workout routine or improving in a video game, they are either scrapped one-tenth of the way through or left in a perpetual state of idle development. And if not reaching the goal isn’t forlorn enough, my progress always stops before the point where “the going gets tough.” It’s like wanting to learn how to bike but then giving up after buying the bike and the training wheels.

Although it sounds like motivation deficiency or procrastination, the issue does not stem from inefficient allocation of time or an unwillingness to work hard; instead, it’s an ugly blend of my desire to see improvement and my eagerness to explore new things.

I don’t mind making lists because I like thinking that I’m staying organized, but I hate following them because they are restrictive. What if I wanted to spend an extra hour learning about a concept that the textbook said I didn’t need to know “as of now”? What if I wanted to play one more round because I wasn’t satisfied with my performance in the last game?

Trying to control what happens despite the circumstances seems like an unnecessary struggle between one’s will and a natural force.

Unfortunately, a long-term goal is a giant list of smaller checkpoints with a particular order to its completion. Everything is connected and the course of action should gradually build up to the final achievement.

But my course of action is all over the place. Instead of accomplishing one aspect of the goal and then moving on to the next item of business, I aspire to do everything at once — a little bit of this, a little bit of that — and observe some form of overall progress. I would rather start a new item on my list than cross off an existing one. I dislike having everything fall into place like pieces of a puzzle; I prefer seeing everything in place at the beginning, and go from there to sharpen the picture.

When I run into roadblocks, I eagerly relocate thinking I can temporarily avoid the problem and do something worthwhile by learning another skill instead, only to face more barriers because I didn’t master the first skill. With each iteration, the hope that I can get everything together by exploring something new dwindles, and soon, I find myself frustrated at the inevitable lack of progress. As I back myself into a corner, the prospect of continuing my blunder in darkness becomes all the less appealing, and I start looking at other options entirely.

High school is the final stop before life becomes a series of self-driven pursuits. At least for me, knowing what I want to do and what I have to do to get there isn’t enough — to understand and surpass my limits, I must first narrow my mindset, embracing what’s already there and associating what seems insignificant to potential greatness in the future. Having the freedom to pick my battles is comforting, but more often than not the fastest way to success is a straight line through adversity. And that would be a list.