Issue 2 - October 2017

LIFESTYLES page 8

Bite-sized Opinions

OPINIONS pages 4 & 5

VOLUME 60 NO. 2

T H U RS DAY, O C TO B ER 26, 2017

A Day in the Life of a Teacher

Girls Volleyball Conquers Milpitas

FEATURES pages 6 & 7

Rihanna’s LIFESTYLES page 9 influence on beauty

Switching Lenses

SPORTS page 11

FLIP SIDE page 12

The Prospector

CHSPROSPECTOR.COM

Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

MAYELA SANCHEZ STARTS CHS FUNDRAISER FOR HURRICANES NICO CHILLA features editor JENN ZARATAN

Latino music reverberated through the quad throughout the week of Oct 10. to announce the Puerto Rico and Mexico fundraiser to help the victims of Hurricane Maria and the Central Mexico earthquake. Started by senior Mayela Sanchez, the fundraiser raised $2,245, earnings that will will be donated to a poverty fighting organization called World Vision that is working in Puerto Rico and Mexico.

“After acknowledging the damage in Puerto Rico and Mexico from natural disasters, I was inspired by some popular Latino singers who were

stepping up to gather supplies and donate to help those in need,” Sanchez said. “I started researching and decided I should do something to help too. I told Sra. Canton about my idea, and she agreed to help me.”

Spanish teacher Kiki Canton helped to coordinate a partnership with Spanish Honor Society and the Latino Student Union, and alongside volunteers from her class, they held a weeklong fundraising event for the victims of these natural disasters. She also discussed the topic heavily with her Spanish sections.

Said Canton, “In my classroom, we talked a lot about what was going on in Puerto Rico and Mexico. My students understood why the topic was so important because we spent time in class talking about it and watching videos.”

A funding goal of $2,000 was set, and the first day was used to promote the event with posters and decorations around campus. Following the example of the C.E. King High School fundraiser, Sanchez asked students to donate $1 each in order to reach the goal.

At first, the task of coordinating the event was challenging. “It’s been time-consuming and taxing

Mayela Sanchez, continued on page 3

10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO, CA 95014

JAPANESE CLASSES WRITE TO PEN PALS CLAIRE WARNER news assistant

This year, students taking Japanese 3, 4 Honors and 5 AP will be writing letters and sending gifts to pen pals in Japan to learn about Japanese culture and understand the lives of fellow students across the world. Though Japanese 4 Honors and 5 AP have not begun the project yet, the Japanese 3 classes have started the project.

Kindai University High School, located in Higashiosaka, Japan, has partnered with Cupertino High School through Schoology, a social site that aims to connect students around the globe. While CHS students can practice communicating in Japanese, Kindai University students can practice communicating in English. Students on both sides will exchange messages through Schoology and send gifts that are not available in the other country.

Cupertino will be trading Ghirardelli chocolates, Starbursts and Sour Patch Kids for Kindai’s Japanese candy and stationery.

According to Japanese teacher Ruiko Nagai, the idea is to provide students in the Japanese program with an opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom. This gives them insight into high school life in Japan, enabling them to be more aware of different social backgrounds. “CHS students cannot get that [experience] anywhere else except from them,” Nagai said.

Junior Pratheek Sarma, who is taking Japanese 3, believes the Pen Pal Project is beneficial to Japanese 3 students. “It helps us share ideas and learn Japanese Classes, continued on page 3

BAY AREA SCHOOLS PROPOSE REPLACING LETTERBASED GRADING SYSTEM WITH TEACHER REVIEWS SYDNEY LIAO features assistant

Several Bay Area private schools are planning to reform the current grading system by eliminating letter grades and replacing them with paragraphed teacher reviews in what is called a mastery transcript.

With this alternative transcript, the member schools have one goal: to change the college preparation process by reducing student stress.

The idea was introduced by an established organization known as the Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC), consisting of over 120 independent schools across the nation.

Two of these schools, The Girls’ Middle School in Palo Alto and The Nueva School in San Mateo, have been using this mastery transcript for two years. The Nueva School in San Mateo uses solely teacher reviews for all freshman, and for sophomores to seniors they use teacher reviews and letter grades.

Scott Looney, head of Hawken School in Cleveland, Ohio and founder and board chair of the MTC, identifies that grades are one of the leading causes of adolescent stress. In order to achieve the grades they want, students sacrifice their mental health and put themselves under unnecessary pressure.

In the Bay Area, the home of many high-achieving students, this trend is especially apparent, and as a result, the region alone now has fourteen representative schools in the consortium.

Said Looney in a video for the MTC, “We’re creating a generation of kids who have the tendencies of perfectionism, and the mental health challenges that come with that are tough to watch.”

The consortium aims to shift schools’ focuses away from grades and to develop a digital mastery transcript based on paragraphed teacher reviews. Instead of receiving a grade for each assignment, students will either earn credit for mastery or be given

feedback and asked to improve.

The mastery transcript will include a pie chart illustrating what classroom skills each individual has mastered, such as collaboration and creativity. Additionally, each student’s home page will provide a link to their academic works, featuring essays, projects and more.

Through this alternative way of assessment, the MTC hopes to alleviate the stress placed on students and encourage them to focus more on the learning process rather than the outcome.

Junior Aakash Karvat predicts that students will find other means of comparison.

Said Karvat, “I do believe eliminating letter grades will ul-

There is only so much that a letter grade says.”

- Elena Gonzalez

“If they choose to still be assessed in the traditional way, they can sit in content-based courses and get letter grades and that’s what will show up in their transcript. But they can also sit in those same courses and instead be assessed through the mastery system,” Looney said.

CHS history teacher Elena Gonzalez supports the consortium, though she has some doubts and concerns.

“While the stress associated with achieving these grades would be eliminated, the stress to do well and get into college would still exist,” Gonzalez said.

Nevertheless, she sees a majority of positives to the system.

“There’s a positive to having a teacher write out feedback rather than assigning letter grades because there’s only so much that a letter grade says.”

As of now, MTC membership is only open to independent schools; however, the MTC plans on expanding the proposal to public and parochial schools in the future.

COURTESY OF SINEAD CHANG

timately reduce the pressure on students; however, the letter grades themselves are only one of many contributing factors to student stress.”

Implementing a new grading system is still a work in progress. Only a few months old, the MTC is still in its early stages and has set lofty goals that will take at least seven years to achieve, according to a CBS News interview with consortium member San Domenico School.

Replacing the 123-year-old A-to-F grading system with one that both high schools and colleges may not agree upon is no small task.

However, Looney’s plan is to give incoming high school students the opportunity to decide which transcript system they wish to be evaluated by.

COURTESY OF SINEAD CHANG

STUDENTS AT THE NUEVA SCHOOL | The Nueva School is one of the few that has incorporated teacher reviews on student transcripts and has been doing so for many years

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News

The Prospector

October 26, 2017

The Prospector

S TA F F 2017-2018

Former CHS Teacher John Bruce Plans Two New Programs at His New School ETHAN QI editor-in-chief

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LX, No. 2 | 2017 editors-in-chief allison lo ethan qi news editor santosh muralidaran opinions editor leo rassieur features editor nico chilla lifestyles editor catherine seok sports editor neerali shah flip side editor caroline gee copy editors esha radhakrishnan saagar sanghavi amy zeng xinyi zhang photo editors michelle ma jennifer zaratan online editors edward hsu lily rosen marvin business managers gene kim christina shao news assistants

taha shafiei claire warner

opinions assistants

tal ashkenazi kavya gupta

features assistants

sudyut yuvaraj sydney liao

lifestyles assistants

haejin cho aashna shah

sports assistants

yooni park anthony zhu

flip side assistant

ariana fahri

online assistant

ashley kang

photo crew

kenneth jeon varun shenoy

adviser ann peck Editorial Policy “The Prospector” is an open forum of expression for student editors to inform and educate their readers. It will not be reviewed by or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may and should coach and discuss content during the writing process.

The staff of “The Prospector” seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Cupertino community in an accurate, professional and unbiased manner. “The Prospector” will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.

If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in “The Prospector,” please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of “The Prospector” and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy.

“The Prospector” editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy.

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For the past few weeks, John Bruce, previously a World Literature and American Literature teacher at Cupertino High School, now working at San Jose High School, has spearheaded two initiatives to support the student population.

The first of which is an initiative to create a “new kind of classroom.” In an area where more than half of the students come from low-income households, Bruce believes that the students will benefit from this unique educational experience.

He hopes to revamp his classroom by creating a space “for project development and peer-to-peer collaboration.”

The room will include six stations, one of which will be a space for reflection, where Bruce hopes the students will be able to think metacognitively about their learning and engagement within the classroom. Additionally, he has instituted crowdfunding efforts online through DonorsChoose.org, where he hopes to raise money to buy supplies such as beanbag chairs and rugs for the classroom.

Said Bruce, “Having liberty and comfort while engaging academic activities will yield a

NEWS BRIEFS CHS ANTI-BULLYING The month of October was Stomp Out Bullying Month at CHS. The school promoted values of kindness, positivity and friendship throughout the month. Students created the “Wall of Kindness” where students may post encouraging messages, set up a thank you-card table for people to write notes of gratitude and created a video series to raise awareness about standing up to bullying. The month concluded with Challenge Day, a day to raise awareness about bullying and respect.

VEGAS SHOOTINGS On Oct. 1, a gunman opened fire on an outdoor country music concert in Las Vegas from his hotel room in a nearby casino resort.

Nearly 60 people were killed and 500 were injured, making this the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history. The motive behind the gunman’s actions is unknown. Though the event was tragic, there was an outpouring of help and positivity in response as hundreds of people lined up to donate blood to the victims.

COMPILED BY AMY ZENG

more holistic learning environment where students’ happiness and comfort are considered in planning for their academic development and success.”

The second program he has instituted involves the new gardening club, in which he is now advisor for. The club now has several gardens at school where fruits and vegetables are grown and eventually donated to the homeless and school cafeteria.

Said President of the Gardening Club Natasha Ignacio, “When I started this club, [...]

I hoped to build a better environment for my school. I always want to make my school a better place and I think a gardening club is a good way to start.”

The students have begun to join in the effort, working toward the goal of aiding the community; they have even started planning workshops and involving staff with the garden, hoping to create a large sustainable organic garden for the entire community.

Moreover, Ignacio hopes that the garden will have a personal impact on its tenders. “I think this club will be an eye opener to people.

That it takes a lot of hard work to make things happen. This relates to life in general. These skills we are learning in gardening club will help

benefit our students in the future,” Ignacio said.

The garden is also a community-building effort. Beyond those who work to care for the fruits and vegetables, others can reap its benefits too. Said Vice President of San Jose High School’s Gardening Club Christopher Bishop, “I think that a garden is a perfect place for students to eat during lunch and I hope that they will enjoy the garden when It is finished. It will strengthen our school spirit and community if we have a place that looks nice and adds better scenery around the school.”

These two initiatives have been welcomed with open arms by students and staff. Bruce’s belief that education is more than grades and work have inspired him to create such change in San Jose High School and the surrounding community. With this initiative, they can begin to “earn a living for themselves and their families.”

JENN ZARATAN

Cupertino Rotary Club SANTOSH MURALIDARAN news editor

The Rotary Club of Cupertino, chartered in 1955, is a branch of the Rotary Foundation that has over 180 members involved with the local community in Cupertino, Calif.

The club is a branch of the larger Rotary Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to establish world peace through cultural exchange programs, international humanitarian programs, and, as seen in all schools in the Fremont Union High School District, educational activities and programs for schools.

The Rotary Club gives endowments, or money, to certain students for a variety of purposes.

Said CHS vice principal Geoff Wright, “[The Rotary Club] supports students who need to get to school with bus passes, covers costs for taking state tests to get diplomas and helps students find scholarships for tuition to go to college.”

Recently, the Rotary Club funded the creation of bike repair stations in all five schools of the Fremont Union High School District. The stations feature tools and air pumps to repair flat tires and minor mechanical issues with a bicycle. The station is open for use by members of the community as well as high school students.

“It’s just a really wonderful project,” Wright said. He notes that the stations have helped students who ride bikes to school everyday and allow them to have a quick access to tools they may need to access to for their bicycles.

This is not the first time the Rotary Club has helped out in the Fremont Union High School District. Several years ago, the Rotary Club hosted an interdistrict essay contest as an educational opportunity for students. To motivate students to participate, the Club offered a $500 prize to winners.

The Rotary Club has additionally sought to reach out to the youth community in the past.

In 2013, when current mayor of Cupertino Savita Vaidhyanathan was president of the Rotary Club, she expressed her desire for the Rotary Club to empower youth.

Said Vaidhyanathan, in an interview with The Cupertino Patch, “My emphasis for [the Rotary Club] is to involve and encourage the youth in our community.”

With the current efforts that the Cupertino Rotary Club invests in the Fremont Union High School District, Cupertino High School staff and students alike eagerly wait for what the club will do next.

October 26, 2017

Silicon Valley Cities Enact Stricter Regulation on Recreational Weed CITIES’ ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SPARKS CRITICISM AND SUPPORT. SAAGAR SANGHAVI copy editor

Despite California’s passage of Proposition 64, which legalizes cannabis for recreational use within the state, many suburban cities have made efforts to maintain stricter control of the substance.

Cupertino and several other Bay Area cities have banned the cultivation of marijuana and the smoking of marijuana in any public place. In addition, the exchange or sale of any drug outside of a licensed dispensary is considered illegal.

The local government’s regulations do not affect other cities; however, other areas, such as Campbell, have made similar efforts. While specifics vary, the state of California mandates that a maximum of six cannabis plants can be grown indoors in any given household and have yet to allow the sale of cannabis seeds.

Critics argue that the city’s restrictions have little meaning. Marijuana trade may still continue in the city, regardless of city council approval, considering that neighboring cities have different regulations. The circulation of marijuana may be inevitable due to its being allowed in nearby areas. Critics also say that the illegal sale of marijuana within city limits results in a loss of revenue for the city due to the lack of taxing for marijuana.

“The extent to which the city government is going to be able to enforce these ordinances is effectively zero. I don’t think that it’s very enforceable,

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and I don’t think that police would want to spend their time on these cases when there’s probably more pressing criminal issues they need to address,” senior David Tung said.

Supporters of these stricter regulations argue that regulations create a clean, marijuana-free community, despite the fact that the drug is allowed in some surrounding neighborhoods. This in turn suggests a higher quality of life in Cupertino compared to other suburbs, which is often associated with higher property values. According to supporters, controlling the substance within the city limits creates a community that allows children growing up to see smoking marijuana as something that is frowned upon. Drug-free communities may be a positive influence on communities, as marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead to the use of and addiction to stronger substances.

Said senior Megan Pavy, “Marijuana is one of those drugs where, if [an addict] stops taking it, they can experience very serious withdrawal symptoms. Not putting strict boundaries on its use makes it easily abused when used recreationally.”

Though marijuana is legal in the state, the city’s regulations place limits on marijuana that aim to keep stricter control. Analysts are waiting to see if such actions will be effective in accomplishing those goals.

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Mayela Sanchez continued from page 1

to try to get everything organized without full participation of people who volunteered,” Sanchez said during the fundraiser. “Obviously, people have other things to do, so at times, the end goal is just to make best of what we have.”

Despite these setbacks, the fundraiser was ultimately successful and surpassed the original goal. The money donated to World Union will be used for removing debris and distributing food and hygiene kits to affected families.

“I’m satisfied with the fact that students were able pull together and do another fundraiser, especially for the Latino Community,” Sanchez said. “I’m proud of the people who donated, and I am proud to have had people helping me even though they were not all Latino. It makes me proud to go to a school where this type of thing happens.

This fundraiser is notably different from the Hurricane Harvey fundraiser in that it was conducted without an organized body, and depended mostly on the willingness of volunteers.

“There were many students from different clubs [contributing], mostly led by Mayela,” Canton said. “It’s pretty cool that students were able to organize like that because the cause is so important.”

Japanese Classes continued from page 1

each other’s language faster. When we read their language and their translation, it helps us understand how they write it.”

Not only does the Pen Pal Project help CHS students learn Japanese, but it also allows students to learn more about their pen pals. “The Pen Pal Project tells me what the Japanese students like and what they know [about America],” Sarma said.

“What surprised me a lot was the fact that they have a lot of English movies. One of my pen pals likes Fast and Furious movies, which I didn’t know about.”

Junior Irene Tsai, who is also in Japanese 3, had a similar experience. Said Tsai, “My pen pal likes watching American dramas [such as Pretty Little Liars], which surprised me a lot.”

According to Tsai, pen pals exchange photos of their school campus. “Their school campus is really big and different. It was a culture shock seeing how different Japan is from America.”

Other students, like Japanese 4 Honors student Ken Kagawa, are not as enthusiastic about the project. On whether he is looking forward to the Pen Pal Project, said Kagawa, “Probably not. It’s a cool experience and all, but it’s not something I’d be interested in or committed to. It’s just me being lazy, but I’d just prefer not to do more work.” However, Kagawa still believes that the project will be beneficial to him and other students in his class when they start it. Said Kagawa, “[The Pen Pal Project] can allow me to be more open-minded because [the Kindai University students] come from completely different cultures and you have to learn to adapt to [cultural differences].”

Opinions

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October 26, 2017

Defending Unconventional Major Choices KENNETH JEON photo assistant

“When we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me.” These were the words of Steve Jobs as he reminisced about his early work.

Knowing that the modern world regards Jobs as a technological genius, you may be surprised to learn that the “it” in his statement refers to information from a calligraphy class. “If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts,” Jobs said.

This story is important to remember in the tech revolution in which the world has found itself. The value of science, math and engineering jobs has skyrocketed. This increase in value augurs a boost in STEM college majors. Moreover, other college majors are too often the punchlines to jokes. Even figures famous for being inclusive, such as Barack Obama, have questioned the usefulness of specific majors.

There is a divide between different college degrees based on their “worth” in the real world, which, while driven by good intentions, has created a toxic stig-

ma against partakers of these “unworthy” majors.

People should not devalue college majors that society has deemed nonapplicable in the working world, as doing so demeans personal interests and discounts their actual worth.

Personal interest is a prominent factor students take into account when choosing a degree. By belittling the nonSTEM majors, people are effectively belittling entire groups of people for being passionate about specific subjects more than others. In the case where an interest is not harming anyone, what moral justification is there in demeaning areas of study? Some may think they are helping students in the long run by guiding them to “real” majors, but this can do a lot more harm than good. The stigma surrounding non-STEM majors can drive students to deny their interests only to regret decisions later.

In February of 2017, Wellesley College surveyed their recent graduates and found that approximately half said they would change the numbers of courses they took as students, with the majority

OFF TRACK: DI

of ‘wish I’d taken more’ comments pertaining to the humanities in particular.

Conversely, most ‘wish I’d taken fewer’ comments were about courses in the STEM field.”

Naturally, stopping a student from making a poor choice is the right course of action for someone who expects to immediately become the next Stephen King with an English degree. But interfering may be unwise if the student has carefully thought about their decision and holds realistic expectations for their future, as is true for many humanities students.

The stigma is, at a fundamental level, based off of real information and a wellintentioned desire to keep young people from “throwing their lives away” with impractical majors. The fact is, however, STEM-oriented jobs are more abundant, and their numbers are expected to grow.

Additionally, while math and science are obviously essential life skills, this does not mean that other majors are useless. NonSTEM jobs clearly exist for a reason, and a STEM-centered economy nonetheless offers a variety of positions for people of non-STEM majors — many just as likely to foster success.

History or anthropology majors experienced in analyzing human behavior and political interaction can directly

apply their studies to anywhere from advertising to public relations to political analysis. Film and art majors can use their knowledge for design work. Liberal arts, the most infamous group of “useless” majors, is a highly valued area of study by employers.

A 2013 national survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that 74 percent of employers would recommend a liberal education to a young person they know as the best way to prepare for success in today’s global economy. A 2014 AACU survey showed that humanities, business and education majors earn on average more money shortly after college than STEM majors do, and still make an average of around $65,000 at peak earning age. These earnings by no means signify failure. The nonSTEM majors are just the same as STEM majors; they can open entirely new doors to specialized industries or help out in other fields.

The stigma against non-STEM students needs to stop; risks, consequences and rewards exist for any major and career, but their importance differs from person to person. We need to be respectful when considering others’ career choices and interests, and their consequent life paths.

P L OMA

ANTHONY ZHU sports assistant

Feminism began as the fight for equality between men and women: equal voting rights, equal pay and equal treatment under the law. Unfortunately, some members of this noble movement have lost sight of their original objectives and twisted the movement into something unrecognizable. Though women’s rights and liberation have come far, radical feminists often manipulate the goal of gender equality to shame women who seem to adopt traditional gender roles and of Americans believe put down the entirety that the feminist of the male population. movement unfairly Should a woman blames men for become a CEO or a stayat-home mother? A firstwomen’s challenges wave feminist would argue that a woman should be able COURTESY OF KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION to lead whatever life she desires. Nowadays, many feminists think women must put their careers before their families.

Consider the reactions to Michelle Obama when she said, “And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady … You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still ‘mom-in-chief.’ ” Feminists took their dis-

46%

How Modern Feminism Has Lost Sight of Gender Equality

pleasure to social media, criticizing the former First Lady’s choice to be a mother first and foremost with tweets like, “Ok ‘mom in chief ’ is not where I thought that sentence was headed. [The speech] was so soaring just before that.”

Mrs. Obama is a well-educated woman who chooses to prioritize the supposedly-more traditional role of being a mother, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, many feminists believe that it is more prestigious for a woman to become a scientist or politician than a mother. A core tenet of the original feminist movement is that men and women should both be able to choose their roles in life without regard for societal pressures.

Some modern feminists also frown upon women’s decisions to marry. Consider a quote from Sheila Cronin, the leader of the National Organization for Women: “Since marriage constitutes slavery for women, it is clear that the women’s movement must concentrate on attacking this institution. Freedom for women cannot be won without the abolition of marriage.” Here, Cronin portrays marriage as a woman’s servitude to her husband, failing to acknowledge that most women marry voluntarily and have power equal to their husbands. Is it that hard to believe that women can go into marriages willingly and still lead fulfilling lives?

Moreover, feminists often perpetuate the female-victim/ male-criminal model for sexual assault, saying things like “men need to be taught not to rape,” as if men are always the abusers in these scenarios. In reality, data from the National Crime Victimization survey finds that 38 percent of all rape and sexual assault victims are male and that in 2013, nearly 1.3 million men were ‘“made to penetrate’” someone else. These numbers reveal how men are also victims of rape; the idea that males are always the perpetrators and females are always the victims disparages the men who wish to speak out about their abuse.

Additionally, some feminists attempt to promote gender equality by lambasting men. When former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a

BITE-SIZED OPINIONS

man. If you want anything done, ask a woman,” she criticized 50 percent of the population. Feminists argue that these anti-male sentiments do not truly reflect their values; however, many people connect these messages of misandry to the feminist movement, hurting its credibility. According to a poll conducted by the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation in 2015, 46 percent of Americans agree that the feminist movement unfairly blames men for women’s challenges.

When radical feminists disparage women in traditional roles and unfairly place blame on men, it undermines the legitimacy of the feminist cause as a whole. Many groups such as Women Against Feminism have been emerging, not because they are misogynistic, but because they believe the feminist movement has strayed too far from its original ideals. Instead of giving in to the radical sects of feminism, we should strive to establish gender equality without attacking either one.

#1

BRING BACK THE MICROWAVE

Two years ago, students could warm their food with a communal microwave in the school cafeteria.

This period of culinary opulence was short-lived after a few students abused their microwave rights and microwaved pieces of foil. Unsurprisingly, the microwave broke down. This incident was reported to administration, who removed the microwave but never replaced it. Since then, students have have been forced to scrape by with cold burritos and utterly unsatisfying lukewarm soup, but it is time for the suffering to come to an end. It is unfair to punish all students after the mistakes of a few who chose to be irresponsible.

Instead, the majority of students who had respected their microwave privileges should continue to have them. The age of cold, pathetic lunches is over. It is time to bring back the microwave.

Opinions

The Prospector

October 26, 2017

5

NATIONAL CRYPTOCURRENCIES

VARUN SHENOY photo assistant

PRO

This month, Bitcoin (BTC) prices skyrocketed passed the $5,000 mark, after starting the year at $966. Bitcoin has risen by more than 750 percent in the past year and is now worth nearly four times as much as an ounce of gold. One Ethereum (ETH), another digital currency, started off the year at a valuation of a modest $8. Today, its value stands near $300. With the advent of widely-successful cryptocurrency, several countries are tinkering with the possibility of replacing paper tender with a digital currency. Many tech-savvy individuals, venture capitalists and Wall Street investors are shoveling money into digital currencies in hopes of a stronger, decentralized economy. The fundamental ideas behind these currencies are to cut out the middleman from transactions, expedite the process of transferring money from one individual to another and safeguard an individual’s capital. Implementing a national digital currency would be beneficial for the U.S. government and its citizens.

Every cryptocurrency consists of a ledger distributed among all participants. A ledger is a detailed digital record of all transactions that have ever occurred on a given blockchain. Each time an authorized transaction takes place, it is noted on everyone’s copy of the ledger. A ledger is organized into blocks, each one holding a set of transactions that have been processed and verified. The blockchain is immutable and holds transactions in chronologi-

cal order, detailing the addresses of the two wallets exchanging money and the amount delivered. In general, blockchains are decentralized, meaning that no individual or organization has the ability to create, update or destroy transactions that occur.

The idea of Fedcoin, a government-issued cryptocurrency, has been floating around the Bitcoin community. The Fedcoin blockchain would give the Federal Reserve the authority to manipulate the blockchain as well as the power to add or remove Fedcoin to the system as needed.

Blockchains utilize sophisticated cybersecurity algorithms to prevent fraudulent transactions, ensuring the safety of assets.

Because of this, cryptocurrency is a much safer alternative to printed cash. Furthermore, virtual currencies are efficient: transactions occur quickly without the need of a middleman. Middlemen facilitate a transaction between two parties, often taking a commission. Through digital currencies, middlemen such as Visa or Mastercard would no longer be necessary.

The use of cash has declined significantly over the past decade. Many online services, such as Venmo and Paypal, provide new venues for businesses and consumers to send and receive money. A reliance on these apps for our day-to-day needs places economic power in the hands of private entities. As more people rely on these products, these corporations rack up money through

£

$100,000,000,000

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a small fee on every transaction. Rather than provide immense power to these corporations, the government should establish their own cryptocurrency.

Some individuals believe that cryptocurrencies are too novel to be immediately implemented within a national setting. However, this is not the case; many developed nations have prototyped systems for a digital fiat currency. Some have even begun testing them among their citizens. This month, Dubai debuted their own national cryptocurrency “emCash.” In a press release, Dubai Economy deputy director general Ali Ibrahim said, “A digital currency has varied advantages – faster processing, improved delivery time, less complexity and cost, to name a few.” emCash uses state-of-the-art blockchain technology and is designed to handle a plethora of transactions from “their daily coffee and children’s school fee to utility charges and money transfers,” all through the use of smartphone near-field communication — the same payment technology that Apple Pay and Google Wallet use.

Cryptocurrency is revolutionary and will likely change how we interact with money in the near future. The records are secure, verifiable and permanent. With blockchain serving as the basis for both private business and government services in the U.S., the economy would be significantly more efficient by gutting unnecessary transactions by middlemen and reducing the time it takes for money to travel. Thus, with cryptocurrencies, doing business in the U.S. will become simpler than ever before, potentially accelerating economic activity and generating long-term growth — a credible reason for the U.S. and other nations to act now.

Estimated total value of all

cryptocurrencies TAL ASHKENAZI opinions assistant

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$

CON

At first glance, cryptocurrency — a form of money that can be accessed, traded and earned online — may seem like an ideal replacement for traditional paper currencies. It is high-tech and eco-friendly. It can be transferred overseas more easily than cash.

It is practically unhackable, seeing as a sophisticated blockchain system uses computing power from multiple users to verify its transactions. Even with these benefits, however, there are major disadvantages to cryptocurrency, including value fluctuations, uncertainty surrounding the system, its newness and government tracking.

Fluctuations in the value of cryptocurrency are more drastic than changes in the value of cash, even with government oversight. Worse, these sudden fluctuations may affect more people more quickly than cash value fluctuations. Bitcoin, the world’s flagship cryptocurrency, looks more like a stock exchange than a reliable source of money. Although its value has been on the rise since January of 2017 (its current exchange rate is one Bitcoin to $5,605) it nevertheless oscillates constantly. Currencies implemented by governments need value stability in order to ensure that transactions over long periods of time are protected. An example of this is buying a home and needing to pay off loans. People need a stable currency so that their mortgages do not fluctuate each month. The changing values would complicate such loans

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and hurt individuals who are not constantly tuned in to these fluctuations.

Another issue with cryptocurrency is the relatively new nature of the system. A fully cryptocurrency-based market has not been tested in America, and the initial prospects are uncertain.

Uncertainty itself can negatively impact markets, slowing planning and investment.

A related issue is the speed of cryptocurrency adoption. The slower a cryptocurrency is adopted and the less it is used, the lower its value. This has been demonstrated by the performance of other cryptocurrencies compared to Bitcoin. Etherium, for example, is a cryptocurrency that is a lot less popular than Bitcoin.

Its value has increased, but it is still worth a lot less than Bitcoin because it is less used. This creates a feedback loop: If markets do not use cryptocurrency, it is rendered less valuable and therefore less likely to be used in the future.

In addition to issues of value instability, newness and uncertainty, the issue of government tracking looms as a major disadvantage of cryptocurrency. Every cent that is spent in cryptocurrency can be traced by the government. Although governments can reduce fraudulent transactions by tracking down thieves, the bigger picture and precedent are grave. The idea that the government could track people without their consent is a legal and moral

issue. It means that every purchase, from detergent to diamonds to drugs, could be tracked and located, taking invasion of privacy to frightening new heights.

Government tracking presents privacy concerns without solving the problem of financial scams. Learning an entirely new way to transfer money leaves people vulnerable to hackers and phishers. Conmen could steal money and transfer it to banks or accounts overseas before authorities respond. Under a system of cryptocurrency, more people will have their liquid assets stored in the system, which could make the problem of fraud and money theft even worse than it is today.

There is also a score of smaller issues dogging the implementation of a cryptocurrency. How will the government introduce this technology? Governments historically are inept with technology — case in point: the Affordable Care Act website at launch, which crashed unceasingly. Until the government is confident in its ability to manage a task as challenging as implementing a cryptocurrency, the associated risks could lead to potentially disastrous effects.

America is not ready to handle a cryptocurrency. Although implementing one may be well-intentioned, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. Fluctuations in value, government tracking and governments’ track record of botching the implementation of even simpler systems. Only time will tell if a cryptocurrency is worth the money and effort that the government will have to commit in its implementation.

BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED

#2

#3

YOUTH AND POLITICAL APATHY CAUTION: MAY CONTAIN STRONG WORDING

Political apathy in youth is becoming alarmingly widespread, especially in an age where awareness of current events is crucial. Youth do not feel invested in the actions of their representatives, as they have little firsthand experience with taxes, pension, healthcare, and other concerns. This interferes with prospects of democracy; students should not be learning foundational government processes only in senior year classes, but throughout high school. By teaching civic duties to students from a young age, schools can ensure that students are responsible adults. Additionally, being civically engaged in the community can provide students with an incentive to have politically aware.

Democracy ultimately calls for concern and participation of all citizens. It is essential that we encourage the youth to take the initiative and educate themselves.

HISTORICITY OR DIVERSITY?

The blockbuster, “Dunkirk,” faced disapproval due to accusations of whitewashing. Although this is yet another example of Hollywood’s failure to respect America’s minorities, the movie brings into question how we should define historical accuracy when it comes to diversity. In the case of “Dunkirk,” by excluding Indian and African actors, the movie stayed true to the accuracy of historical narratives. Conversely, in the Broadway show, “Hamilton,” people of color portray the white Founding Fathers. However, this change can be seen as a purposeful decision to make commentary on America’s mistreatment of minorities instead of as discriminatory actions. Thus, we must consider that casting choices are made for the sake of remaining historically accurate or to advocate for social change through purposeful diversity.

#4

NO PRIDE IN SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

Coming to school half an hour late with dark circles under our eyes and a venti-sized beverage from Starbucks has become more of badge of honor than a sign of distress; however, this culture of glamorizing our sleep deprivation is dangerous. In fact, up until 2009, sleep deprivation was a legal form of torture implemented by the U.S. military. Most students believe in sacrificing a few hours of sleep for the sake of productivity, but the long-term impacts of reduced ability to process information, learn and perform indicate that doing so is counterproductive. It is crucial to understand the toxicity of this lifestyle, change our mindset towards sleep and set an attainable standard.

Idolizing this unsustainable pattern of time management will only serve to justify continually worse behavior.

COMPILED BY ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN

Features

6

October 26, 2017

KAVYA GUPTA

1 In the Classroom AASHNA SHAH lifestyles assistant

Four periods of World Core, one period of American literature, two prep periods and two breaks: the staff decided to follow Mrs. Hooper for one whole day to gain an insight on the life of a teacher. This is what we saw.

GENE KIM business manager

Among the Classes While teaching is at the forefront of every teacher’s mind, teachers also develop meaningful relationships with students beyond academics. “I think that students learn better when they are happy in their environment, when they want to be in class, and when they want to be at Tino,” history teacher Sean Coleman said. “Also, a lot of staff has made an effort to make Tino a welcoming place. The more we focus on [building connections with students], the better we will do in educating them.”

Coleman, who works with sophomores and seniors, has different ways of building connections with either class.

“With my sophomores, we have to grow a little bit together towards the beginning of the year. They seem to be less willing to joke around with an authority figure. I have to start out the more traditional way, with me telling them what to do, but eventually we develop a relationship where students are able to share their ideas more openly,” Coleman said.

“With my seniors, because they have been at Tino for a long time, they naturally feel more comfortable with me— sometimes, a little too comfortable. Since I am

teaching a college level course, I expect them to make that switch from being casual to serious,” Coleman said.

A Growing Bond In AVID, teachers focus on helping students prepare for college through college tours, test prep and academic support. AVID is unique in that students have the same teacher throughout high school. “When my AVID students were freshmen, most of the focus was on helping them succeed in their classes. By junior year, we were getting ready for the PSAT, SAT and ACT, as well as going on college visits,” Gilmore said.

While many students grumble about waking up at 6:30 a.m. to be on time for school, many teachers face an even more challenging morning routine.

Said literature and history teacher Ashley Hooper, “I wake up at 5:30 and I live on the east side of San Jose, which is 10 miles away. The traffic is nasty in the morning, and my son gets dropped off at a daycare near Saratoga. I have first period prep, which is awesome because even though I try mightily to be here at 7:15 on a regular basis, it’s a challenge.”

Hooper starts each period by creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. She asks students about their weekends as she shares her own, telling them about taking her son to a pumpkin patch, complete with adorable photos.

Throughout the class periods, she gives off an energetic and humorous personality that fills the room.

Said Hooper, “I understand that [students] are overworked and don’t sleep enough. Being enthusiastic about things is really important to me.”

Teaching four periods of the same content can be tedious.

However, Hooper makes an effort to switch things up and improve each period. She tries to have different conversations with each class. Said Hooper, “Teaching is such a non-routine thing. Every day is a little different. Every day I have something different to do.”

opinions assistant

Known for its competitive atmosphere, our school pushes teachers to constantly improve. Tino’s teachers display dedication to their work, exemplified by Spanish and AVID teacher Jessica Schaetzke. Said Schaetzke, “The fact that Cupertino and our district is so competitive encourages me to be the best teacher that I can be, and provide

JENN ZARATAN

2 When Students Aren’t Watching Brunch and lunch are as much of a break for teachers as they are for students, a fact made evident after shadowing Hooper.

The first few minutes were surprising; there was no email checking, paper grading, file sorting or any other ordinary task of this nature. Instead, history teacher Blair Pador hovered enthusiastically over Hooper’s laptop as they tried to find Pador’s new house on Google Earth.

They were joined by his-

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tory teacher Kelly Roush — the three of them clearly a group of friends who have bonded over years of teaching together at Tino.

“Mrs. Pador, Mrs.

Roush and I used to be like the Three Musketeers,” Hooper said. “But I see less of them now since they only work part time.”

The scene was more reminiscent of a few close companions catching up after the weekend than of teachers planning lessons. Hooper shared a story about her family trip to NICO CHILLA

MICHELLE MA photo editor

JENN ZARATAN

In addition to supporting the students and building a safe learning environment, Gilmore tries to develop personal connections with them outside school “By the time they were seniors, we did a whole bunch of stuff. They came over to my house during thanksgiving dinner, we had a couple socials, an end of the summer barbeque at my house. The kids know my family and know a lot about me,” Gilmore said.

The relationships between Gilmore and his students during these activities have lasted past their graduations. Said Gilmore, “I still keep in touch and text all of my students who graduated. In fact, last summer, I invited them to join me for coffee once a week, and it would be really cool to catch up and talk about college.

An Anchor for Students Developing a relationship with a teacher entails spending time together and building trust. Law teacher Sean Bui feels that being both authentic and inviting helps when building a strong relationship.

“I want to see my classroom as a home for

TA’s and Teachers There is never a moment during the day when Room 404 is not filled with students.

Among them are Physics Fellows, who help teacher Charles Williams run the AP Physics C class across all periods.

AP Physics is often considered one of the hardest classes on campus, but Williams and the Physics Fellows want to show students that they need not be intimidated.

Said Williams, “We are all members of a team and we all have one goal — to help students learn physics. I find that [the Fellows] are great people, so the relationship is quite amicable.”

Working as a Physics Fellow requires hard work, but it is a rewarding experience for participating students. Said Williams, “They are learning how to teach, and are [devel-

oping a better understanding] because the best way to learn physics is to teach it.”

Having a group of people experienced with the subject is helpful for Williams to improve the curriculum. Said Williams, “It’s a lot of fun to have a bunch of young people [teach], and [it also gives me] a group of people that I can get feedback from.

They critique quiz questions for me, and they [point out] which ones are good and which ones we should change. I treat the Physics Fellows as professionals rather than as kids.”

The Physics Fellows have a unique community connected by a passion for learning and teaching physics. “I think one of the things we’re all looking for is a place to be, where people with like interests can come in and do things together,” Williams said.

Club Managing There are over 90 clubs on campus, each of which has an advisor who handles paperwork and provides a space for meetings. But being an advisor is more than doing paperwork; it means giving up personal

my students,” Bui said. “So if they ever want to come because they are tired, want to hang out or need to talk about something that is bothering them, I feel really privileged that they come to me.”

Bui understands that some students

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a pumpkin patch, where he baby son was sick and refused to smile in any photos.

Aside from th friendly interaction, break give teachers the chance to prepare for the rest of the da and communicate with faculty For example, Hooper used the time to call World Histor teacher Monique Ronalter and explain the tasks for American Literature students in Ronal ter’s Terra Nova class. This i one of many errands she run during brunch; others includ making copies, picking up mai and talking with students.

Hooper’s lunch routine showed a side of teachers that students may be less fa miliar with. Weaving her way through the 100s wing and back to her own classroom Hooper stopped along the way to talk with fellow staff mem bers. Teachers sat on desks as they engaged in casual conver sation, the same way student might socialize in the quad. Af ter years of bonding, the staff are just as much companion as they are coworkers.

time, providing officers with advice and making connections with students beyond the classroom. History teacher Elena Gonzalez advises TiNO Stress, Latino Student Union (LSU), Tino Hoops and Junior State of America ( JSA).

Each club differs not only in its purpose but also in the kind of role Gonzalez plays. Said Gonzalez, “I am definitely a lot more involved with Latino Student Union because I’m actually advising them by planning things out with them, so LSU takes a lot of my time. It seems like they really appreciate my input, which I find really interesting.”

may be hesitant to trust an adult with their problems. Said Bui, “I feel like teenagers can sense when someone is being inauthentic, so I try to be 100 percent me.

Whether that’s through telling bad jokes, sharing stories about my wife and dog,

adv LS ing atio cer sm all be the zal

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talking about a bad day my students in that way students that I am here do mean that.”

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th a rigorous curriculum ared for the next level.”

High School currently -time teachers—some d others who have been S team for as long as 25 ss of how long they have ach teacher contributes school’s culture. tzke, “I am very aware of my students face. I try to ning environment where

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students can do a lot of their work in the classroom. I have realistic expectations for them, and I just try to create a space where students feel less stressed.”

At Tino, competition among teachers isn’t an issue because of their collective goal of helping students. To facilitate effective learning, the staff in various departments work with each other to design interesting lesson plans for the benefit of students.

Said Physics teacher Hugo Steemers, “[Teachers here] all strive to be the best they can be, and at the same time, they all want to help me be the best teacher for my students.”

Teachers also hold great importance when it comes to the mental health and well-being of the students. Said guidance counselor Belinda Olson, “Teachers are our eyes and ears because they view our students every day and they can sense changes in behaviors, moods, or personalities.”

The district strives to find NICO CHILLA

3 Why Tino?

HAEJIN CHO lifestyles assistant

In Their Free-Time Almost every student has a hobby, whether it is chatting, reading books or playing a sport. Just like students, staff members at CHS have hobbies outside of the classroom, too.

Both English teacher Zach Jacobs and AP computer science teacher Ted McLeod have compelling interests that students may find surprising. For teachers who can uphold the excellence demonstrated by current staff. For example, before new staff receive tenured positions, they are placed on two-year probationary periods. During this time, they must display their ability to foster learning environments, design lesson plans, and support their students. After multiple administration evaluations, teachers are either recommended for tenure or let go from the district, ensuring quality among our educators.

By contributing daily to the positive climate that surrounds our school, and working to help their students succeed in the future, our teachers continuously prove how lucky students are to attend Cupertino.

Hooper appreciates this district; though she has taught at a couple of different places, she is thankful to have an opportunity to work at CHS. Said Hooper, “I’ve been [teaching] for 13 years now— four and a half years at this school, and five years in this district. I tell Ms. Tomberlain that they will have to drag me out of this place because I love it here.”

According to Hooper, the teacher culture at Tino is an essential part of this affection.

“I think that the teachers here are very aware of how special this place is, how special this district is and how special NICO CHILLA our little bubble is because it is wonderful. Teaching is more than just a job, and the teachers here are insanely good,” said Hooper.

Students may not realize

While it is her first year vising JSA, Tino Hoops and SU, Gonzalez has been advisg TiNO Stress since its creon last year. By now, the offir team is able to run meetings moothly on its own. “It’s actuly nice to be in here with them ecause it’s a stress-free zone for e 50 minutes of lunch,” Gonlez said.

Likewise, several Tino Hoops members are current or ormer students of Gonzalez, nd she is able to interact with hem outside of the classroom hrough the club. Said Gonalez, “Tino Hoops is a lot of oofy guys, so it’s fun to be out here with them. A lot of them,

Features

The Prospector

October 26, 2017

instead of playing, sit out and talk to me.”

Despite the significant time commitment, being a club advisor allows Gonzalez to form close bonds with club members. Said Gonzalez, “To my actual students, [I have] more of an academic role. I’m just the teacher. But with LSU, I am a mentor. And with TiNO Stress, I’ve had the [officers] as students and TAs now, so the relationship is a little bit closer.”

y and relating with “Cupertino is a very special place for me,” y or just telling my Bui said. “I want to continue to make it so e to listen, I really for my students. If that looks like establishing a good connection or establishing makes an effort to a safe place, then that’s going to be my ommunity at Tino. goal.”

t h e pressure teachers face to effectively instruct and guide students to success. Parents constantly worry about what students are learning and the influence teachers have on them.

Said Hooper, “Parents want what is best [for their children]. Teaching is the most important job you could have from a parent’s perspective since you affect their kids on a daily basis.”

Teaching may seem like a monotonous process after years and years of the same curriculum; however, Hooper’s solution is to find passion in the

Jacobs, this interest is in riding motorcycles.

Said Jacobs, “When I was a little kid. I decorated my room with motorcycle wallpapers, and my dad owned one.

When he left to go for a ride, I loved the rumble that shook my house, the gasoline smell and the gleaming appearance of that motorcycle.”

Despite the tight schedule and busy daily life Jacobs lives in, he still manages to spend time with his motorcycles. “I have a job and family, but I try to ride my bike at least three or four times a week,” Jacobs said. “Sometimes, I take the car to school, but in the past two years, I started commuting on my bike because of the traffic jams in school areas.”

While Jacobs enjoys the thrill of riding behind handlebars, AP computer science teacher Ted McLeod prefers lines of codes.

McLeod’s passion for games has influenced him to devote a large part of his life to video game development. Said McLeod, “I always thought it would be cool to make video games. When I was in college, I initially majored in mechanical engineering, but since I liked playing video games so much, I decided to make games instead.”

McLeod decided to create RPG, Seed of Evil, as a passion project while still in college. After spending hours working to perfect the game, he released Seed of Evil this past spring on the App Store.

7

“Seed of Evil is a 2-D RPG game which has a character seen from bird’s eye view that gets rid of monsters when upgraded with special abilities,” said McLeod. “I take great pride in this game because I used to spend almost 12 hours a day working on graphic design, fixing errors and implementing new ideas.”

Additionally, McLeod’s hobby has become a way for him to interact with students. Said McLeod, “I have had students who aren’t in my classes come in and ask me advice or questions about the processes of making games and other things related to graphics. They ask me some questions about having a job in gaming, and I feel great when these students approach me and have a dream of making games.”

Making Friends

The Cupertino environment encourages us to meet new types of people and form lasting friendships. However, this is not exclusive to students; the teachers have also formed strong bonds with each other on campus.

ELD teacher Benjamin Chang and ELD program coordinator Sean Bui have been good friends ever since they discovered that they had shared goals and hobbies.

Said Chang, “Having a mutual interest in helping students build literacy and being an enthusiastic fantasy football fan were aspects that made me think highly about Mr. Bui.” Although teachers take their discussions related to students seriously, at the same time, they also make short breaks from time to time to have conversations about personal interests.

“One time, I had invited him over to my house to have an ELD conference,” Bui said. “But during those meetings, we broke off into our own conversations and talk about our main interest, which is fantasy football.”

While interacting during discussions, Bui and Chang have both realized how these everyday friendships among teachers can have substantial impacts on their mindsets.

Said Chang, “What I value about Mr. Bui is that he shows passion in teaching his students and it makes me want to get on his level to emulate the positive aspects of him.”

Bui also appreciates Chang for being a cooperative member of the ELD staff team. Said Bui, “I am lucky to have Mr. Chang on the ELD team because he is a viable person who acts as an extremely supportive soundboard by periodically conversing with me about the questions I have for my students.”

content she teaches.

“Enjoying what I teach is really important to me. There are all these little things in history that helped me be more enthusiastic about it,” Hooper said.

“For example, every once in a while, even as a history teacher, there are things that aren’t super interesting at first. I didn’t find Napoleon very interesting when I started teaching about him, but then I started learning about his wives and the intrigue in his life.”

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NICO CHILLA

Lifestyles

October 26, 2017

Abuse in Young Adult Literature the unintended consequences that fantasy novels have on unaware audiences

LILY ROSEN MARVIN online editor

One needn’t look far to find depictions of relationships in teen media.They are in the music we listen to, the shows we watch and the books we read. But as someone who once adored the Twilight books, I can safely say that not all these depictions are healthy. Twilight, for example, checks nearly every box on the National Domestic Abuse Hotline’s list of unhealthy qualities. Herein lies the problem with Young Adult literature; it opens the door for not only the portrayal of but also romanticization of abuse. Most people can pinpoint the many concerning scenes in Twilight without much effort, but things get a little stickier when abuse is hidden, especially when the novel falls into the young adult genre.

There are very few limitations on what can be written into Young Adult (YA) books, and this liberty can be concerning because the genre is targeted mostly at readers from the age of eleven to eighteen. In this critical developmental stage, teens begin to practice the relationship models to which they are exposed.

Said marriage and family therapist Sarah Theismann, “Our ideas about relationships and intimacy affect our whole lives. We get models with the relationship of our parents and that builds the foundation and then on top of that come what happens to us as teenagers and what we experience there.”

Whether they like it or not, Young Adult authors are writing for a very impressionable audience— and with that comes the responsibility to be a positive influence. It is easy to fall into the tropes of the genre, or to romanticize unhealthy relationships and dodge topics that are hard to discuss. But when authors do this, they are neglecting their responsibility to consider the impacts they have on their readers.

It can send a confusing message when the main character in a novel falls for a romantic interest who turns out to be manipulative and controlling. Although perhaps meant to add drama to the story, these mixed signals can lay a problematic foundation.

Said Ama Delevett, a therapist who works with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, “If you are subjected to something often enough you start thinking of it as normal. If readers are seeing this abuse and think it is the norm that could be very harmful.”

This becomes even more important when writers choose to explore sexual relationships, bringing up the important issue of consent. It is a tricky topic for some authors to navigate, who sometimes choose to avoid discussing it all together. “[Consent] is one of the most important things to learn about when you are learning about sexuality. Understanding and respecting that keeps everybody safe. I think that it is a tragically missed opportunity if authors leave that out,” Theismann said.

One of the best ways to teach consent is to apply it to real life situations. When authors fail to do so, they are not only overlooking an important learning op-

portunity but are also creating disquieting scenes.

This doesn’t mean that there is no place for abusive relationships in YA. Said Theismann, “I think it is a good idea to portray them so that people can learn what is not healthy. [Books] would be helpful to support young people in recognising abuse, learning how to deal with it and learning to set boundaries.

However, Theismann stresses the importance of writers not romanticizing abuse. Said Theismann, “Romanticizing abuse could lead to [readers] either entering an abusive relationship or being abusive to others and seeing that as normal and loving.

In all fairness, authors are not educators. Their job is to entertain. However, their choice of audience means they need to think about the effects their works could have. Said Delevett, “I think literature can be a great discussion starter and certain books can be great tools to facilitate conversations.”

These books can still be amazing tools, but there needs to be a system in place to help teens navigate the ambiguity of young adult literature. A possible solution is a site akin to Common Sense Media targeted at teenagers. Common Sense is a website that not only identifies the possible controversial issues in books but also provides resources for parents to facilitate healthy discussion. While this is a good resource, it doesn’t appeal to teens specifically. Creating a site for the YA genre that teens are more inclined to use may take some of the burden off of writers’ shoulders as well as provide resources for teenagers. Turning these books into vehicles for productive discussion has the power to change the way an entire generation of readers relate to one another.

charitable celebrities why celebrities have an obligation to use their platforms for good

TAHA SHAFIEI news assistant

This year, three hurricanes have struck America, totaling an estimated $150-200 billion in damage costs. Many celebrities have contributed to charity; they have asked for donations, promoted awareness and given large sums to support the relief effort. But still others either choose not to donate or to keep their contributions under wraps. Considering celebrities’ positions in society and their influence on the general public, they ought to donate to charities in times of disaster.

Today, famous figures use social media to connect with their audiences. According to the Globalwebindex, one in four Twitter users retweets a celebrity each month, and the most followed individuals on Instagram are, unsurprisingly, celebrities. This use of social media gives celebrities significant influence over the actions of their followers. Their position gives them the ability to bring social injustice into the light and hold others accountable for their actions. This allows our celebrities to be the beacon from which real social change can come However, celebrities do not always make good use of the power

they hold on platforms.

The most common use of their platforms is selfpromotion. Even during times of crisis, many of these accounts disregard the events at hand. At the same time, some accounts do advocate for charities and ask their followers to donate along side them. But compared to the entire group of celebrities who are active on social media, very few publicly promote for charity.

The disregard celebrities have for disasters is unfounded. Publically supporting a relief organization or charity does nothing but benefit both sides, regardless of the celebrities’ original intent. By attaching themselves to a

cause, celebrities make themselves stand for something more substantial. They appear to be caring and less egocentric than their social media profiles may lead you to believe. The organization benefits from the publicity as well as widely-viewed promotion draws more donation. By supporting charity, a celebrity can create positive social change through awareness.

Famous figures may be avoiding contributing to relief efforts, but celebrities are obligated to advocate for local charities and recruit their followers to donate as well. They must lead by example to show us that millions of us users can come together in a time of need.

The Prospector

October 26, 2017

Lifestyles

9

FF EE N N TT Y Y B B EE A AU U TT Y Y How Rihanna’s line of inclusive beauty products has changed the beauty community forever

ASHLEY KANG online assistant

After weeks of alluring promotion on social media and news outlets, the highly-anticipated highlight of Sept. 7 arrived: the launch of Rihanna’s makeup line, Fenty Beauty.

Though the line’s success is partly due to her fame as one of the world’s biggest pop icons, it is more accurate to attribute the brand’s popularity to the versatility of its curation.

With an unprecedented range of 40 different foundation shades across skin tone spectrum, Fenty Beauty has been deemed the new generation of beauty by consum-

ers and celebrities alike. For centuries, the cosmetic industry has failed to appeal to a broader demographic, and with such an egregious shortage, it is no surprise that the business has stagnated. The inadequacy of diverse offerings for individuals underrepresented by makeup brands is where Rihanna’s philosophy emerged.

Said Rihanna, “Fenty Beauty was created for everyone […] all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races. I wanted everyone to feel included.”

The success of such a philosophy has sparked a ripple of panic in the notoriously-select beauty industry. Too often, people of color and their specific needs are dismissed by companies as an afterthought; mainstream brands such as Yves Saint Laurent or Tarte Cosmetics will throw in a few shades of brown to avoid criticism rather than to make legitimate efforts to expand their

the fake side of

instagram ALLISON LO editor-in-chief

Instagram has been around for several years now, but one social media phenomenon is still popping up more and more on this photo-sharing platform: the “finsta.” According to Urban Dictionary, a finsta is a “fake” Instagram account where users post pictures away from the judgement of peers or coworkers. Users often create these private accounts for the eyes of close friends only, in addition to maintaining “real” public profiles. And while having a finsta is quickly becoming a fact of life for those active on Instagram, especially teens, finstas are key contributors to the artificiality of everyday social media profiles.

Instagram is a place for all users to share their day-today experiences, as well as a platform where models, bloggers, hobbyists and celebrities can gain exposure. But as we strive to follow the footsteps of famous users like @kimkardashian or @champagnepapi, the overemphasis on having an aesthetic feed drives a unhealthy obsession over painting our lives as picturesque. Users often try to emulate the figures they follow by constructing feeds of heavily-edited photos portraying lives of leisure and luxury for followers to see. And there is nothing wrong with wanting an aesthetically-pleasing photo feed, but we are so focused on how we appear to the public that main accounts are now rarely an accurate representation of our identities.

When maintaining a perfect public Instagram becomes too consuming, finstas create an escape route from the superficialities of public Instagram. But the freedom that a finsta provides only reinforces the idea that we must only post photos that fit mainstream standards. We must always have an aesthetic feed and anything that does not follow social media norms we must keep private and to ourselves.

And in many ways, this defeats the purpose of Instagram — to share experiences significant to us with the people who matter.

It is sad that users feel a private finsta is the only space where they can be themselves on Instagram. Even I have jumped on the finsta bandwagon; like other teens, I put effort into crafting an pretty feed on a main account, while only sharing daily thoughts and personal experiences through a casual secondary account. Many of us are guilty of falling into the trap of social media superficiality, and this takes away from the meaning of what we choose to share with the world.

We call our private profiles “fake” Instagram accounts; yet, our public accounts are often where we are often the most superficial. While social media is a way to share the exciting events and experiences in our lives, things that might seem mundane to others but still hold personal significance are just as valuable, if not more. Social media platforms, Instagram in particular, allow us to show others what we care about and how we feel, and a finsta account should not be the only place where we can do so with genuity.

product lines. This weak attempt to be inclusive is a deceptive facade to avoid making actual progress. Struck down by Fenty’s unrivaled success, however, competing companies are now facing the repercussions. Scrambling to win back customers in the midst of Fenty’s success, brands have started imitating Rihanna’s campaign for diversity.

Unfortunately, their futile attempts have failed to impress anyone — including sophomore Sonika Biyani. Said Biyani, “I think Rihanna is [making progress in the beauty community] because as soon as Fenty Beauty came out, a lot of brands felt the need to point out that they had dark shades too, so she’s raising awareness about the need for inclusivity.”

To showcase the inclusiveness of the beauty line, Fenty’s media promotion featured more models of color than white models, bolstering the unparalleled diversity in campaigns this fall.

Whether intentional or not, the cosmetic industry is ignoring dark-skinned customers at their own disadvantage. While the global reaction to Fenty Beauty has been overwhelmingly positive, some may dismiss the brand as another high-end celebrity endorsement. Admittedly, Rihanna’s products are not as cheap as their drugstore counterparts; however, with prices between $20 and $34 per product, they are still relatively affordable in comparison to high-end brands such as Esteé Lauder or

Cover FX, both of which have made similar attempts at catering to a broader consumer base.

Putting all things into perspective, it is easier to appreciate Fenty Beauty’s efforts towards accessibility and inclusivity. But this is not to be misunderstood. Providing a diverse range of makeup shades should not be considered some unconventional venture unique to Fenty Beauty, nor should it just be a trend. Instead, it should be a universal standard that every brand makes the effort to meet.

Rihanna’s fame is not enough to explain Fenty’s overwhelming success; there is a void in the market for beauty products that appeal to minorities. In fact, a number of the darkest shades of Fenty foundation have already sold out on Sephora’s website. All over social media, fans and retail employees have shared photos of empty racks of Fenty products, and influential celebrities have been equally enthusiastic in their praise.

Said Fenty model Nneoma Anosike, “The beauty world for people of color has welcomed yet another brand that goes into understanding that we melanins have different undertones and shades … We have amazing brands representing us, yes, but not enough.”

The effusive support for Rihanna’s line has made its global impact overwhelmingly clear: Rihanna is ushering in a new era of inclusivity with Fenty Beauty — and the industry is following her lead.

Sports

10

October 26, 2017

RECOVERING FROM LOSSES

on our next matches ahead of us.”

An athlete can take on contrary physical effects when learning to cope with a loss. Losing a game can be extremely for stressful for an athlete, especially when they have been competing at high intensity, which can eventually lead to low energy or morale. Winning a game can result in an athlete with stronger motivation, however, on the other hand, facing a defeat can be somewhat more physically draining. Whether it is on the court, field or pool, the facial expressions of athletes often differentiate the winning and losing team. If an athlete is constantly has low energy, it becomes extremely unhealthy and may harm them more immediately due to the high levels of stress.

“Right after a game, my team and I are usually drained and there’s really no excitement to keep us up so it’s usually pretty quiet for our team after a loss,” varsity football captain and senior Michael Robles said.

However, being behind or losing in a game is not always bad for a team. Small losses in the midst of games are not nearly as discouraging as they are motivating, and often make athletes work harder. A player with a true athletic mindset eventually learns to make a comeback and recover even after a defeat in their games.

Said varsity volleyball player and senior Kaitlyn Oh, “ After we lose, I feel more motivated due to the fact that our need for a win becomes greater. Hopefully, by the next game, we are able to fix our mistakes to play better.”

For an athlete, there is something to gain from losing — important learning experiences. An athlete should learn from the competition and the commitment of others. They also must learn to respect their opponents, and most importantly to deal with these types of situations that may occur in their season. However, in the end, athletes should learn to be motivated and pick themselves up from the ground no matter the outcome of their games.

YOONI PARK

sports assistant

Throughout their high school years, athletes encounter all kinds of instances that contribute to their overall experience during their athletic career. A large part of playing a sport is coping with losses that occur during the season. Depending on the sport, athletes learn to handle their losses in different ways. Regardless of the differences among athletes, it is important to understand how these losses impact a player.

Experiencing losses during games can impact an athlete’s psychologically. When teams or an individual athlete face defeat, they are affected in ways that are not always easily observed by surrounding peers. When an athlete goes through the process of recovering from a loss, negative physiological effects may occur. Poor performance is often a ETHAN QI result of this — as a player faces obstacles in sports, the loss can cause them to lose focus and feel like giving up.

Physiological strains of an athlete also rise from the pressure of competing and intense physical overwork. Athletic recovery is more of a team effort than an individual task. Relying on your teammates emotionally can be helpful, especially when dealing with a difficult loss. Winning a game gives athletes a sense of confidence regarding their strengths and skills, which is essential to good performance. Playing a sport comes with moments of victory and enthusiasm, but with that also comes times of frustration and disappointment.

With these moments of hardship, athletes must learn how to cope with these losses in their games.

Said field hockey captain and senior Eva Chen, “After losing a game, we usually take time to reflect on our losses and talk about it the next day. Losing is definitely VARSIY FOOTBALL TEAM | Coach DeMonner huddles the varsity football to review difficult for all of us but we learn to move on and focus their next play

Field Hockey: Sam Jaehnig

CAROLINE GEE flipside editor

NEERALI SHAH sports editor

Junior Samantha Jaehnig, a varsity field hockey player at Cupertino and an avid member on her club team, has been selected as one of the elite field hockey players of America in the U16 division.

Jaehnig’s journey into field hockey began at the age of 11 when her mother took her to practice at a local club. Her mother played field hockey in high school and coached the girl’s varsity field hockey team at Cupertino during the 1995 and 1997 seasons. Fostering Jaehnig’s love for field hockey, her mother continues to be a strong supporter for Jaehnig’s endeavors though her field hockey experience.

Jaehnig was formally introduced to the competitive aspect of the sport when her club team registered in a program called Futures, a USA Field Hockey program that prepares young girls for collegiate and Olympic-level competitions. Through the program, Jaehnig attended an intensive full-day camp, where the athletes scrimmaged, learned drills, and competed with other players in the NorCal region. There are five sessions in the camp, each ranked by skill level; Jaehnig has participated in the most advanced session for the past three years and will be attending this year’s camp at UC Berkeley.

Said Jaehnig, “The teams from the top session of this camp attend a regional tournament. After the regional tournament, they are selected to play in a higher level tournament located in Pennsylvania, called the National Futures Field Hockey Tournament.”

During this tournament, players may be selected for the Junior Olympic team, one of the most prestigious youth field hockey tournaments in the U.S. Jaehnig has played on the junior Olympic team for the past two years.

Even with her strong skill set, Jaehnig is a humble athlete who enjoys spending time with her teammates. She describes the bal-

Boys Waterpolo Victory

MICHELLE MA

FIELD HOCKEY| Jaehnig plays offense against Lynbrook High School

ance between school work and field hockey as a way to alleviate stress. “In school, I am getting a grade for my work, and people are expecting me to do a certain amount of work,” Jaehnig said. “Field hockey is the best part of my day because I don’t have to worry about anything other than my game.”

During high school season, she is comforted by people who understand the highstress environment of Cupertino High School.

Said Jaehnig, “The friends I made during field hockey are people who I trust and I know I can go to them for anything I need. I feel more connected to my high school team because I can relate to them about the stress from this school in specific and I feel more at ease with them.

I value my relationship with my high school team.”

Jaehnig plays field hockey on an average of six days a week and puts in at least two hours every time she steps on the field. Her commitment to both field hockey and academics, despite her rigorous course load this year, portrays a successful athlete in every aspect.

The audience had barely blinked before junior Casper Wu scored a point from afar, less than 30 seconds after the game started.

While the game proved to be a bit more rocky after an encouraging start, the Tino varsity boys water polo team succeeded in winning against Saratoga with a final score of 14-12 on Oct. 5. For the entirety of the first quarter, Tino dominated the scoreboard and was almost always on Saratoga’s side. A combination of getting to the ball quickly and making clean passes helped Tino gain an early lead.

Said varsity boys water polo coach Bradley Collinwood, “We did well in the first quarter; we did really well at our press, and they couldn’t really move the ball around, which made it difficult to shoot as they couldn’t pass it.”

Saratoga pressed more aggressively in the second quarter, leading to a score of 8-3 for Tino as the halftime whistle blew.

Despite their early lead, the Pioneers emphasized playing “good water polo” with “good technique and form,” instead of focusing only on the points.

Said Wu, “You want to get everyone involved and get as many passes as possible, make sure everyone touches the ball, move the goalie around on the other side and just try to break the other team’s defense.”

After half-time, Saratoga showed a change of pace and scored a goal almost immediately. Tino continued to take advantage of Saratoga’s many inaccurate passes to switch the play and quickly shoot on-goal.

Junior Jake Saro made several scores from difficult side-angles to the goal. Saratoga began to catch up as Cupertino’s defense struggled to mark their players effectively, leading to several nearly undefended shots on goal by Saratoga.

Said Collinwood, “Things that we could have improved on was gaining a stronger position on offense and on defense, like instead

of guarding somebody where they can attack the cage without you in the way, having our defense get in between the guy and the goal.”

In the fourth quarter, a lack of communication between Tino defenders granted Saratoga an easy goal. Tino made several shots on goal, but the majority hit the goal post or were blocked by the goalkeeper. However, Tino managed to pull through with a final score of 14-12.

Said Wu, regarding the closeness of the match, “It’s partially because of fatigue, and also because we tried to do a new defense that we haven’t worked on quite as much, so both of those factors contributed to our small lead.”

With a new coach and strong team dynamic, the Pioneers are looking forward to improving in the long-term. Said sophomore Justin Hsieh, “Most of our starters are juniors, so they’re all going to be seniors next year, and I think it’ll be really interesting.”

KENNETH JEON

VARSITY BOYS WATERPOLO | The boys waterpolo team runs a play against Saratoga

October 26, 2017

The Prospector

Sports

11

Girls Varsity Volleyball Defeats Milpitas ARIANA FAHRI flipside assistant

On Oct. 10, the girls’ varsity volleyball team ended their match against Milpitas High School successfully with an overall score of 3-1.

Said Senior Kaitlyn Oh, “We prepared by hearing every player’s input and being mindful of what they are capable of.”

After winning the first set, or round, Cupertino dominated the match with scores of 25-16. The team’s high energy and strategy aided them despite a rocky start. The tension escalated as both teams prepared to face off.

Varsity coach Danny Chan said, “The team started off slow in the first game but improved soon afterwards.”

In the second set, Milpitas challenged Tino by playing more vigorously and upping their game,which resulted in a close score of 25-21. The varsity team did not back down and senior Kaitlyn Oh made several strong aces, or serves that score without being successfully received by the other team.

Said Oh, “I needed to serve aggressively to throw off the other team’s hits, especially in the beginning.”

The tide turned during the third set when the Trojans edged out the Pioneers with a score of 23-25. A mix of poor communication and low energy on the court gave away the set to Milpitas.

“We needed to recentralize ourselves and get on the the same page,” junior Kaitlin Linne said, after the Milpitas team finally broke Cupertino’s winning streak during the third set.

The competitiveness was not present as the players were not able to match the energy and effort the Milpitas team was putting in.

Said Oh, “We have to be in the pit to realize we need to step it up.” According to Oh, the team’s lacking desire to win resulted in a set where they could have played better.

The varsity team made a comeback in the final set as they defeated Milpitas with a score of 25-19. Tino focused on maintaining a strong defense throughout the set and continued to block the other team’s attacks.

Sahitya Krishnamurty led the team with fourteen kills,

followed by Kaitlin Linne who scored eight kills. made up for it with their own chants and cheers from the bench.

Regarding the team’s performance, freshman Sahitya Every time there was a time-out, the team huddled together Krishnamurthy said, “The team was doing a better job of covering and came away with loud cheers of “Tino!” The Cupertino balls that came from the other team and as it went on, the serving team brought up their energy by constantly encouraging and consistently improved.” supporting their teammates on the court.

While a strong offense is key, sometimes the best offense to “The crowd’s level of energy transfers into our own energy. have is a strong defense.

When the crowd gets involved, so do we,” Oh said. Without their Said Linne, “Having an aggressive defense helped us pull it in. usual group of supporters at home games, Tino had to focus We also had a lot on maintaining of blocks picked positive attitudes up towards the and spurring end.” each other on.

Getting into Seeing their team the spirit of the members scoring game beforehand points pushed is important the players for all athletes forward with and for these renewed vigor volleyball players and confidence. it is no different.

“Linne had While some a few big swings of the players that sparked the ate together team. She swung before the game aggressively and to motivate when she got themselves, kills, she got others focused pumped and on getting in the her excitement JENN ZARATAN right mindset. sparked the rest Said Oh, GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL | Senior Amie Boyle and sophomore Sahitya Krishnamurthy of the team,” “We prepared by block a spike from Milpitas Danny Chan hearing every player’s input and being mindful of what they are said. capable of.” Oh believes getting in a good mood and preparing A successful combination of powerful serving, consistent mentally is essential to playing well. defense and motivated players helped Tino win against Milpitas.

Whenever someone saved a ball or dove for the ball to prevent The team’s coach believes that a volleyball game requires everyone it from hitting the floor, the team cheered for them regardless if to be doing their job, whether they are playing or helping those their attempts were successful. According to Krishnamurthy, the who are. girls rely on each other during the game, but also to motivate one Said Chan,“Everyone has a specific role and we need another throughout. everyone to do their part to win the game.”

While the audience was large represented by Milpitas, Tino

Flip Side

October 26, 2017

12

OCTOBER IN PHOTOS COURTESY OF JASPER EDBROOKE

MICHELLE MA

MICHELLE MA

KINDNESS WALL | The wall is an integral part of Stomp Out Bullying Month

FIELD HOCKEY | Girls varsity field hockey win their game against Lynbrook

MICHELLE MA

ANTHONY ZHU

COURTESY OF DEEPALI MITTAL

AIR QUALITY | Senior Sa- GIRLS TENNIS | Junior Jina mantha Lin wears a face Chang and sophomore Ruhi mask due to poor air quality Dhayagude play doubles

ULTIMATE FRISBEE | Students battle in a lunchtime tournament

s e t a t s r u o know y

rd bee epidemic, it’s ha ever y turn and the at e rs th ste in sa ng di l ni ra sig tu Jerry Brown’s ashington, na v.

W Go in s e, pl on ati am ex str r fru fo , us Between all the ally celebrate. Take memorate this joyo of news we can actu last month. To com ts bi ur . sa tid ow e no th di kn t e te no tic t sta no l igh to officia ls you m orrisi as California’s strange state symbo m e us or m ph lo few no a sty are gu re Au historic moment, he

California'’s Official State Fabric: a year before naming an official dinosaur, Denim Just our state legislature easily passed a bill SOUTH CAROLINA'S OFFICIAL STATE declaring denim as our official state fabric. Assemblyman Marc Levine proposed it to honor California’s history, HOSPITALITY BEVERAGE: TEA specifically in regards to blue jeans and the famed Levi Strauss. A staple item for miners during the Gold Rush, jeans became popular for their practical durability and have stayed in style ever since.

Maryland’'s Official State Exercise: As the first to name an official state Walking exercise in 2008, Maryland has set a high

bar. With many hiking trails and parks throughout the state, legislatures appropriately designated walking as a state symbol, promoting the exercise for its physical and mental health benefits.

Rhode Island's Official State Drink: Coffee Milk If you’ve never had the chance to try this wonderfully sweet iced beverage, your next trip to Rhode Island may serve as the perfect e occasion. Coffee milk is not mad ee coff with but with coffee beans, syrup or extract that is mixed into milk . The drink, a local specialty of the island, became a state symbol back in 1993.

Seeing as milk was already South Carolina’s state beverage (and that of 20 other states too, because we love our milk from every corner of the country), there had to be another way to fit tea in. Legislatures named tea the official state hospitality beverage in 1995, its “hospitality” aspect being the key in separating it from its other liquid symbol.

An official state microbe is a symbol unique to Oregon, claimed proudly which Brewer’s Yeast as theirs in 2013. The bacterium is most commonly used in beer and bread production and loads its consumers up with a supply of protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins.

Oregon'’s Official State Microbe: Brewer’'s Yeast

While it may sound frightening, dog mushing is a completely non-violent sport. True to Alaska’s snowy climate, the official state sport encompasses multiple activities all related to dog-powered transportation.

Dog mushing has been prevalent in Alaska for decades, but the state officially recognized it in 1972.

Alaska’'s Official State Sport: Dog Mushing COMPILED BY JENN ZARATAN

Next Month: November Veterans Day

Fall Sports Night

Drama Fall Show Opening Night

Thanksgiving Break

Friday, Nov. 10

Friday, Nov. 10

Tuesday, Nov. 21

Thursday, Nov. 23 - Friday, Nov. 24

JENN ZARATAN

SWITCHING LENSes CATHERINE SEOK lifestyles editor

It’s a quiet Friday night. I’m exhausted from running around taking rally photos earlier that day, and my legs are burning from all the squatting to snap pictures. Yes, it’s quiet … until the messages start to roll in.

“Are you done with the photos yet?”

“When will you be done?”

“Can you finish by tonight so I can post them?”

I mean, it’s pretty clear that I’m not, seeing as I haven’t uploaded them yet. Some of y’all must think that I hoard the photos and scroll through them without sharing just for funsies. But for every event, I manually edit each photo while watching the number of unread Facebook messages jump to 25.

Yet, I still do it.

I’ve been trying to figure out why myself, too. Editing and uploading are stressful, and half the time, some of y’all are too cheap to give picture credits. (Yikes!) But really, photography is one of the few hobbies I’ve pursued this far because I enjoy having complete creative control over what you, the viewer, sees, but more importantly, feels.

When you look at a photo, what do you see and feel? Is what you see directly related to what you feel? As a photographer, I’ve learned that it’s rather what you don’t necessarily immediately notice within a picture — lighting, temperature, composition and shutter speed — that contribute to the ~vibe~ of the picture.

Coming to understand all these factors has led me to improve my photography; I’m able to capture interesting moments that convey emotion and mood. The best part about photography, however, is that no matter how many photographers there are and how many photos are taken, each photo is unique. Each photographer has a different style of taking photos and having control over each factor always results in something fresh and different.

Photography has shown me how everyone has their own personal perspective. No two people will have the same ideas, passions or opinions, and similarly, no two photographers are the same. I’ve come to respect these differences, and ultimately embrace them. I can’t take photos from all the angles, so having others provide their own take on the event makes photography a collaborative process. As photographers, we hold the power to mold photos into our own visions, and this is all the more reason to consider the photos of others — they convey a different experience.

Over the years, I’ve become one of the “official” photographers for the student body, and this has given me a place within our school. So wherever you go, for whichever event, you’ll find me: in the stands, on the field, sitting on the gym floor or running around, clicking away on my camera and capturing the world through my lens.