Issue 2 - November 2023

THE PROSPECTOR

CUPERTINO SPIRIT IMPROVES Commissioners from the Associated Student Body share how they spread the pioneer pride

INVESTIGATIONS Hidden Battles: Uncovering Academic Pressure at CHS pg. 8

Restrictive Course Selection For 9th Grade Studentd pg. 13

SPORTS

Coach Oswald’s Last Season pg. 17

FEATURES

Tino Twins pg. 21

ISSUE 2, VOL 66 | NOV. 2023

OPINIONS

Student Phone Usage ................. 15

IN THIS ISSUE

Pros and Cons of Publicizing College

news

Admissions Review ..................... 16

Memorial Park Project of the Year 04 Homecoming Dance Returns ...... 05 Kaiser Permanente On Strike ...... 06

postscript Prospectober .............................. 25

State of The City ......................... 07

sports

investigations

Coach Oswald’s Last Season ...... 17

ic Pressure at CHS ...................... 08

Athlete of the Month: Dylan

Hidden Battles: Uncovering AcademHousing Scarcity ..........................10

opinions

Restrictive Course Selection For 9th Grade Students ............................... 13 COVER DESIGNED BY LISA ZIVANIC | COVER PHOTOS BY SHAONA DAS

Improving Tino Spirit .................... 18 Zamoruev .................................... 19 Fall Sports Summary..................... 19

features

International Students ....... 21 Tino Twins .................................... 23

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THE PROSPECTOR

STAFF 2023-2024

editors-in-chief Lisa Zivanic Jolie Han Sania Mehta news editors Andrew Qin Benjamin Liu opinions editor Shaona Das features editor Angie Li investigations editor Benjamin Liu sports editors Alexander Liu Hailey Ryu copy editors Anoushka Gokhale Joyce Lee Riya Malik Shaona Das

photo editors Evan Lu Rishita Shah

Dear Reader,

online editors Alexander Liu Andrew Qin Hailey Ryu Joyce Lee Katie Kim Rishita Shah

As the winter season approaches, we see the end of the fall sports season and pumpkin spice lattes. In light of this finality, Victoria Hunt covers Coach Chris Oswald’s last season on page 17, from his striking 45 years of dedication towards coaching football to his team’s gratitude for his guidance.

business manager Anika Rao writers Amrita Brar, Brian Kuo, Ira Lele, Jeongwoo Choe, Katie Mak, Miya Widman, Nikhil Krishnaswamy, Nitya Dhulipala, Noah Kang, Scarlett Guy, Victoria Hunt, Yeechen Pang, Zain Haseeb

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

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

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

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

Contact Us: chsprospector@gmail.com The Prospector 10100 Finch Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Speaking of gratitude, The Prospector recognizes the importance of appreciating the little things. Whether it’s pets or 85°C Bakery Café bread, the third edition of Prospectober shares what our staffers are grateful for as we enter the winter season.

But the coming months won’t be constantly filled with holiday cheer. Stress from school, regular decision college applications or early admission results will continue to follow us. On pages 8-11, Yeechen Pang and Zain Haseeb cover the academic pressures Cupertino High School students and teachers battle throughout the year. When college admissions start rolling in, turn to page 16, where Benjamin Liu and Alexander Liu examine arguments for and against publicizing college admissions decisions, using the story of Stanley Zhong as an example.

The holidays also provide a time for reflecting on those less fortunate. Hailey Ryu and Joyce Lee spotlight Cupertino’s ongoing housing crisis on page 12, examining the city’s efforts to provide more affordable housing and the impacts of the lack of accessible housing on our community.

We look forward to the coming season and all it may bring: whether it’s a tangled string of holiday lights or six finals, we’re here with you all the way. Stay warm and festive!

Sincerely,

Lisa Zivanic, Sania Mehta and Jolie Han

NEWS

MEMORIAL PARK PROJECT OF THE YEAR Cupertino’s Memorial Park is set to be repurposed

ANDREW QIN

A

3 | DESIGNED BY ANDREW QIN

news editor

sis. The degradation of the basin’s concrete lining and the pond’s large evaporative surface also posed environmental concerns by contributing to water loss issues.

For over a decade, the ponds have remained dry. In 2021, however, the City incorporated the Memorial Park Ponds Repurposing Project as one of its objectives within the

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Capital Improvement Program. The repurposing project called for a landscaping overhaul of the pond’s concrete lining. In its place, the City planned to implement usable green spaces, planted garden areas and paved walkways.

As part of this initiative, the city will also modify Memorial Park’s irrigation system to pro-

s the largest and most well-used park in Cupertino, Memorial Park has served as a popular recreational gathering and event facility for decades. However, in past years, visitors have noticed the park’s glaring flaw: its barren ponds.

With over 71,000 square feet of concrete lining, Memorial Park once held one of the city’s largest contiguous bodies of water.

The ponds were home to abundant wildlife, including migratory geese species, plants and insects.

In 2013, the City chose to drain the ponds in response to PHOTO | GURMEET MANKU the ongoing drought criPhoto of the Memorial Park pond in 2012 before it was drained due to the drought. The park is a popular recreational and community gathering spot for locals.

mote efficient water usage. The objectives of the repurposing project align with the goals established in the Memorial Park Specific Plan developed jointly between City Commissions and the City Council. The plan calls

for “restor[ing] and preserv[ing] natural habitat,” as well as “develop[ing] walkways and bikeways that further connectivity.”

Construction for the project began in June 2023 and is expected to stretch until the end

of the year, with the total cost estimated at $1.68 million. The project has received positive feedback, winning this year’s American Public Works Association Silicon Valley Project of the Year Award PHOTO | TINOASBMEDIA

RETURN OF HOCO ASB President and Spirit Commissioner share the process of bringing back the Homecoming Dance

ANGIE LI

A

features editor

NEWS | 4

n electrifying week of rallies, dances and games came to a close with the Homecoming Dance on Oct 21, 2023. The momentous occasion was celebrated by many, as the dance took place for the first time in four years.

Said senior Associated Student Body President Kabir Mishra, “I thought that bringing [the dance] back would bring [more] spirit to our school [and] a lot of people [expressed] interest in coming to the dance.”

Mishra also emphasized the practicality of a Homecoming dance compared to holding a Winter Formal or Prom.

Said Mishra, “Having a dance that’s at school makes it accessible for [more] students, and it’s also more comfortable and relaxed.”

However, with bringing back the dance, there were also several issues to overcome in the planning process.

“I think the biggest [obstacle] was deciding whether or not we wanted to have a theme,” said senior ASB spirit commissioner Ashley Tsai. “[Once] we came up with ‘Wonderstruck,’ we based our decorations around the

theme [with] navy blue, gold and white.”

Mishra added that deciding ticket prices also created an unforeseen issue.

“A bit of insight on how ASB budgets work for events that spirit runs: [...] the account has to balance by the end of the year, which means however much we spend on the dances we should earn back from ticket sales,” said Mishra. “But our Winter Formal venue ended up being more expensive than anticipated [...] so we had to counterbalance that with making homecoming dance tickets more expensive.”

Despite these problems, the dance’s planning and results were overall very positive.

Said Mishra, “We anticipated no more than 700 people showing up, but we hit almost 1000, so I’m really proud that we were able to bring people from across the Bay Area.”

“I’m [proud] of being able to pull [the dance] off, especially after four years of not having it [or] much to go off of,” Tsai added. “I hope people enjoyed [hanging] out with their friends after a long homecoming week and had a good time

KAISER

PHOTO | TED EYTAN

vector or info/stats here,

GOES ON

will see what riya wants

STRIKE

Deck goes here — it should be a sentence without a period

Kaiser Permanente Antelope Valley in Lancaster, California

KAISER ON STRIKE Kaiser Permanente workers are on the verge of a historic union agreement RIYA MALIK

D 5 | THE PROSPECTOR

copy editor

ue to inadequate staffing, wages and patient care issues, Kaiser healthcare workers went on strike from Oct. 4 to Oct. 7. Its end marked the tentative agreement formed between union officials and Kaiser Permanente that would increase wages, expand job training and improve the performance-sharing plan, among other changes.

On Nov. 3, if Kaiser employees vote to ratify the agreement, it will prevent future planned strikes and signify a major shift in Kaiser Permanente and union relations.

The October strikes occurred across the United States, with tens of thousands of Kaiser healthcare workers participat-

ing in the protests to advocate for more staffing and hire wages and get the company’s attention.

In an interview with CBSNews, ultrasound technician and local S a n Diego union president M i chael R a m s e y said, “[We] don’t h a v e t h e ability to care for patients in the manner they deserve. We are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure we have a contract in

“

place that allows us to be staffed at the levels where we need to be.”

“We are determined, we are unified, we are exhausted, we are traumatized and we are ready to fight [...] if Kaiser does not get their act together and do what’s right for this workforce, for their patients, and communities,” said union representative Dave Regan in an interview with Spectrum News 1.

WE ARE DETERMINED, WE ARE UNIFIED, WE ARE EXHAUSTED, WE ARE TRAUMATIZED AND WE ARE READY TO FIGHT...

DAVE REGAN

”

Healthcare professionals out in Kaiser’s Northern Califor- tween the union and Kaiser is – including technicians, voca- nia facilities for ten weeks to de- strong, emphasizing the importional nurses, ultrasound sonog- mand more staffing and greater tance of supporting the healthraphers, and others – picketed access to mental health resourc- care workers’ needs in order to nationwide for better resources es, until they eventually reached create a sustainable healthcare to adequately care for their pa- an agreement with the company. environment for patients and tients. In some locations, even Because of this strike, California workers. patients joined the protests to increase attention. /hr At the S a n t a The state of California Kaiser union workers A $1500 one-time Clara facilplaced a $50m fine on are fighting for a livratification bonus will Kaiser Permanente for able $25/hr minimum be paid to all workers in ity, nurses its malpractices which wage on top of the 21% February 2024. and encaused the union strikes across-the-board ingineers crease in salary made up a large portion of the protestors, calling for a drastic launched an investigation into If the union agreement is ratchange in their resources and Kaiser’s healthcare practices, ified by healthcare workers, over pay. Due to worker gaps during resulting in a 200 million dollar the next four years, Kaiser emprotests, Kaiser facilities had to settlement and a 50 million dollar ployees will receive the following bring in temporary workers or fine from California. outlined benefits, expectantly people from higher positions.

In response to the temporary improving working conditions Surgery schedules were dis- agreement between healthcare and concerns the employees turbed as doctors were unavail- workers and Kaiser Permanen- currently have: a new minimum able and hospitals became in- te, United States Vice President wage of $25/hour in California, creasingly understaffed, almost Kamala Harris commended the an across-the-board 21% wage completely unfunctional. deal on social media platform X. increase, an improved PerforThe strikes this year are not Said Harris, “The Presi- mance Sharing Plan and further the first time healthcare and dent and I strongly believe in the investment in professional develunion workers have protested collective bargaining process, opment and job training to help the parent company’s managing and we know that when unions with the staffing crisis. practices. Around the same time are strong, our nation is strong.”

As of now, Kaiser workers are last year, in October of 2022, The public and government voting to determine if the agreemental health workers walked support for an agreement be- ment will be ratified or not

$50m $25

21%

21% 21%

WAGE

INCREASE

NEWS | 6

21%

$1500

STATE OF THE CITY

Mayor Mahan urges San Jose to take action for a safer, cleaner community IRA LELE writer

by allocating funds to the police department, speed safety cameras, zero-tolerance policies against drug dealing and Neighborhood Watch groups. Mahan highlighted the need for mental health reform in Sacramento to secure a safer and more humane system for treating individuals with severe mental health illnesses.

Mr. Mahan hopes to shift

Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose delivered his first State of the City address on Oct. 21, 2023 to highlight his key priorities for San Jose including a new element: providing citizens ways to get involved in building community action.

State of the City speeches set the agenda for the upcoming year, recognize accomplishments, share areas for improvement, and celebrate the community.

GETTING OUR Mr. Mahan spoke of four main CITY BACK ON TRACK themes of homelessness, public safety, cleanliness and ecoMEANS KEEPING CITY nomic investment, hoping for HALL FOCUSED ON community members to take an active role in San Jose’s wellTHE BASICS. being. He set up stations for a Small Business Buddies table, graffiti cleaning kits, Homeless Helpers corner, and similar local organizations to provide opportu- the narrative away from blamnities for citizens to get involved ing courts, housing costs, and with the San Jose community. The the homeless. To address San tables provide volunteering op- Jose’s rising homelessness crisis, portunities, maps, pamphlets and Mr. Mahan introduced newer adsupplies to get started. vancements on former Mayor Sam “And getting our city back on Liccardo’s vision for interim houstrack means keeping City Hall fo- ing sites. cused on the basics. Basics like “And because of [citizens’] ensuring everyone is safe in their support and advocacy, we now home, in their neighborhood, in have more than 1,000 new intertheir place of work, in their place im units and safe parking spaces of worship,” said Mahan. under construction or in the pipeMr. Mahan described how his line,” Mahan said. “Between 2022 team worked on protecting the city and 2023, we saw the number of

“

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7 | THE PROSPECTOR

MATT MAHAN

people living on our streets drop by over 10%, and 70% of those who have entered one of our quick-build housing communities remain housed today.”

The mayor highlighted volunteer efforts by residents in coalitions to help clean up San Jose and at organized weekly meetings. He thanked city staff within Parks, Recreation, Neighborhood Services alongside his other Council colleagues.

Mr. Mahan promised to improve and streamline the permitting process by providing businesses with more transparency. He also stressed the need to ensure that the Planning Department is fully staffed and that their talent pipeline is expanded to reach more applicants.

Said Mahan, “We’ve brought 75% of permit application types online, recently launched a program that allows licensed design professionals to self-certify more of their plans, and in just a few weeks, we will open a new portal for building permits that gives greater transparency and certainty to everyone involved.”

The Mayor concluded by emphasizing the importance of community involvement to help tackle the problems facing San Jose and ensure a safer and cleaner city for all

I N V E S T I G AT I O N S

Hidden Battles Uncovering Academic Pressure at CHS

BY YEECHEN PANG AND ZAIN HASEEB

Inside

Housing Scarcity It’s harder and harder to find housing in Cupertino. Inside the effort to provide affordable residence.

By Hailey Ryu and Joyce Lee

pg. 12

Photo by Nikhil Krishnaswamy

INVESTIGATIONS

Academic Pressure YEECHEN PANG writer chool. A place where students invest eight hours each day, five days a week, learning. Students not only grapple with the weight of textbooks and exams but also navigate the web of expectations and competition that shapes their mental well-being, and much of the guidance they seek comes from the adults on campus, such as the Cupertino High School admin, teachers and counselors.

While students experience stress from various sources, almost 70% of the 47 CHS students surveyed by the Prospector identified the workload from academic endeavors as their main source of stress.

“I think a lot of stress can come from [when] you have multiple tests on the same day and you have to pick which one you need to get a better grade on,” said sophomore Lotti Austin. “I feel like that’s a very common experience. I have to pick and choose which one I have to do better in to keep my grade and not fail.”

Around 80% of the surveyed students shared similar sentiments to Austin, expressing that grades were one of their main stressors. According to an anonymously interviewed student, grades are not only considered a measure of academic success but are also often a status symbol among peers.

“As soon as we take a test, it’s like, ‘What did you get on this?

What’d you get on that?’ It’s just this really big competition of comparing scores,” the anonymous student said.

Students also identified Tino’s proximity to tech giants like Apple

9 | DESIGNED BY BENJAMIN LIU

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as a factor that further amplifies academic pressure in schools, especially in science- and technology-related subjects or extracurriculars.

“Most of the people who are taking Java or sometimes even AP [Computer Science], they don’t actually want to take it,” said the anonymous student. “They’re just like, ‘My parents made me do it’ or ‘It’s useful.’”

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THEY’RE JUST LIKE, ‘MY PARENTS MADE ME DO IT’ OR ‘IT’S USEFUL.’

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ANOUYMOUS STUDENT

On a scale of one to 10, the majority of students surveyed by the Prospector ranked their stress levels as seven or eight.

Austin described the multifaceted nature of student stress as extending beyond academic pressure.

“I feel like it’s a mix of both [academics and other aspects of my life] contributing to the stress I have,” said Austin. “My grades are bad because of my personal life. And my personal life gets worse because my grades are bad. But since my personal life is bad, I’m so sad. And so when I’m sad, I can’t do work. Then it’s just an endless cycle.”

Austin and the anonymously interviewed student both acknowledge the persistent barrier fueled by stigma and discomfort when discussing mental well-being with adults but agree that the school provided many resources for the students.

“I think that the school tries as

According to a 2021 Report by the Center for Disease Control and Preven-

4 in 10 (42%)

students felt persistently sad or hopeless

1 in 5 (22%) students seriously considered attempting suicide.

T f

Need Someone to Talk to?

CHS-Based Therapist

Christopher Hickey

christopher__hickey@fuhsd.org

(408)366-7326 Denise Salin

denise_salin@fuhsd.org

(408)366-7326

National Crisis and Suicide Lifeline

998

hard as they really can,” said Austin. ”I don’t know if I’d say it’s effective, but I think the only way to really improve is that we’d have to figure out some other way for the stress to just be lessened in general because you can have a barn of animals come during finals week. That’s cool, but I still have to do finals.”

of stre

Teacher Efforts

O

The Prospector received 47 responses from a survey sent to the student body.

Main Sources of Stress: (Student responses)

81%

Grades

70% College

66% Heavy

Workload

64%

f students responded with ess levels 7 or higher out of

back and take everyone into consideration [...] There were a lot of staff on campus losing loved ones to the virus,” McQuaide said.

During online learning, the school offered several resources to assist students academically and emotionally, including Wednesday office hours. Although courses are slowly returning to their original difficulty, the school’s efforts during

“

NOTHING REALLY URGED ME TO TAKE ACTION TOWARDS THE HEALTH OF STUDENTS. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING I KEPT IN MIND SINCE DAY ONE JENNY PADGETT

”

quarantine and online learning continued through the return in-person and supported many students as a result.

However, teachers recognize that the stigma surrounding mental health can make it difficult for students to reach out for help.

“The most important thing would be to normalize all this to help take away any shame students might feel while dealing with their feelings,” Padgett said.

Currently, many teachers provide resources such as stress corners, snack stations, office hours, workspaces and reflection forms. These resources helped students feel comfortable with seeking out help and approaching their feelings

INVESTIGATIONS | 10

ZAIN HASEEB writer ver the past few years, teachers at Tino have played a vital role in supporting students’ mental health by providing valuable resources and making themselves emotionally available, especially with the return of in-person schooling.

“Nothing really urged me to take action towards the health of students. It was just something I kept in mind since day one,” English and Terra Nova teacher Jenny Padgett said.

Similarly, Amanda McQuaide, an English and AVID teacher at CHS, observed that students’ high academic performance did not always signify a healthy emotional lifestyle. Oftentimes, the constant pressure led to burnout, agitation around simple tasks and closed-off behavior.

“When you see that closed-off behavior, that’s when you know you have to approach them, ask them what’s wrong and check in with them,” Padgett said.

Based on their observations of student mental health, teachers also often adjust their curriculum to minimize additional stress on students.

The COVID-19 pandemic — particularly the quarantine period of online schooling — played a major role in shaping course curriculums at Tino, especially in the English department.

During the three-week break, teachers had a meeting to discuss support systems for students’ mental health and decided to alter their courses based on everyone’s needs, including the staff and teachers.

“We just needed to take a step

Administrator Solutions YEECHEN PANG writer ith so much time students spend on school grounds and school-related activities, the administration at Tino has provided students with many programs and resources to reduce student stress. In addition, teachers personally provide other resources in their classrooms, hoping to decrease stress.

Although the interviewed students greatly appreciated the effort teachers put into providing resources such as plushies during testing and study time in class, concerns lingered about whether stress relief tools and meditation spaces are sufficient to address the deeper issues contributing to student stress. According to the anonymous student, the resources provided seem more of a band-aid solution to a bigger problem.

“It’s implanted in your head that you always have to kind of hide if you’re doing unwell, and I don’t think that’s right,” said Austin.

“I think it should be normal not to be okay all the time.”

Creating an environment that normalizes discussions about well-being is important, and Tino’s school therapists

11 | THE PROSPECTOR

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have played a crucial role in breaking down the barriers associated with mental health.

Austin commended the school

therapists, acknowledging their positive impact. ”I think the only issue is that there are so many students and only two of them,” Austin said.

Another school-provided resource Austin has found helpful is Terra Nova, a program designed to support students who need help meeting their academic potential.

Although many students have free periods, Austin believes guided study hall periods like those offered

not always easy to access.

“A little thing about the school is these things are kind of hidden, like from parents and stuff. I didn’t know what Terra Nova was, and you have to dig on the website,” Austin said.

Austin was assigned to a closed tutorial in the library to further support her academically for a few months last year but was not informed about the details of this program before her participation.

“The fact that I didn’t know “IT’S MORE LIKE IMPLANT- where I was going or what it was, it’s a bit concerning to me,” said ED IN YOUR HEAD THAT YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS KIND Austin. “I was very embarrassed. I felt like the school was ashamed to OF HIDE IF YOU’RE DOhave me there. So it made me feel ING UNWELL AND I DON’T very dumb and I just wished that everything wasn’t so closed off in THINK THAT’S RIGHT that sense.”

LOTTI AUSTIN Tino’s journey towards a healthier, less stressful

by Terra Nova are more helpful for academic envitime and stress management. ronSaid Austin, “There are some built-in classes for all Terra Nova students. So it’s called Life Skills. It’s great. […] It’s more

“

”

t h a n just a homework class because sometimes we have meditation or coloring to calm me down.”

However, from Austin’s experience, these school resources are

ment involves providing resources and ensuring they are visible, accessible and integrated into the students’ experience. Through collaborative efforts from educators and administrators, CHS seeks to establish an ambiance of learning and personal growth for students by implementing accessible resources and robust support programming

HOUSING SCARCITY HAILEY RYU | JOYCE LEE sports editor | copy editor s the lack of accessible housing In Cupertino persists as a prominent restriction for prospective incoming families, the City of Cupertino continues to implement new solutions to combat the crisis.

Every eight years, California state law mandates that every city update its Housing Element, a policy document that details Cupertino’s plan to accommodate existing and projected demands. The 2023 update, the second draft of which was submitted for review in October of this year, states that the city must plan to build 4,588 additional housing units between 2023 and 2031.

Housing Element 6 focuses on alleviating socioeconomic disparities among prospective residents, highlighting AB686, a bill passed in 2018 in response to the lack of improvement in housing inequity from the 1968 Fair Housing Act, in its plans.

The plan also contains goals to target equity in education, fair housing services, housing equity awareness and affirmative marketing. According to Cupertino Mayor Hung Wei, the Housing Element aims to provide

A

a range of more affordable housing options for diverse residents from varying demographics, thereby supporting those who originally could not afford to live in Cupertino.

One factor contributing to the ongoing housing crisis is the lack of available housing as old residents stay put and the job market continues to grow, essentially causing a

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CUPERTINO IS STILL GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE PLACE [...] IT’S NOT GOING TO BE UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS HUNG WEI

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Prices of single family houses are getting higher and higher. This causes the city to look for higher density housing options.

INVESTIGATIONS | 12

supply and demand issue t h a t leads to price inflation. In addition, Cupertino has insufficient space to accommodate new residential structures. All of these factors contribute to declining enrollment in high costof-living areas like Cupertino.

“Most areas [that] have predominantly single-family homes are having declining enrollment issues because younger families [cannot] afford to move into the area,” said Wei. “[...] We can change our general plan,

change zoning to encourage owners of developers to come; it’s not going to save the district for the next 3–5 years. Whatever is [going to be] built, it’s going to take 3–5 years to be built, and for families to move in [and] raise kids, I’m thinking 5–7 years before we can see a little bit better enrollment.”

According to Wei, who served as a trustee on the Fremont Union High School District board from 2007 to 2018, the board has predicted declining enrollment in schools for over ten years.

Said Wei, “The school board members have, every year, demographic predictions for the next three years, five years, which are very accurate. And we knew, a long time ago, declining enrollment is coming to all areas, not just our district. All the wealthy areas have declining enrollment.”

Wei recognizes that the city’s initiatives to provide more affordable housing mainly target the recently inflated prices, not necessarily the original cost of living in the area.

“Cupertino is still going to be a very expensive place [...] it’s not going to be under a million dollars,” Wei said. “Young people like my son, they can’t afford 2.3 [million]. But they can afford 1.5.”

Wei hopes that with the city’s new initiatives to improve the housing situation, Cupertino will see more diversity in age, background and profession, looking at the subject from a broader perspective to include the above along with race and ethnicity as cited in the Housing Element and AB686. She ultimately aims to achieve goals that improve the lives of not only current but future residents in Cupertino

OPINIONS

RESTRICTIVE COURSE SELECTION FOR 9TH GRADE STUDENTS Commentary on the effects of minimal choice in freshman year classes

AMRITA BRAR, SCARLETT GUY

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writer | writer

“

I WOULD TRY TO JOIN AN HONORS COURSE, BUT THE RESTRICTION IS PROBABLY SAVING MY GRADE.”

NINTH GRADER

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if they wish to take another elective in addition to their language, or six classes and no arts elective. And for students enrolled in classes such as band or orchestra, which are usually continued after middle school, even the latter option will be eliminated.

Additionally, freshfolk face the restriction of no options to enroll in accelerated AP and Honors courses. The limitation on the ability of freshfolk to take these courses leads to less freedom in their paths of study, which can affect them both negatively and positively.

Some believe that the restriction affects them negatively, and that they should have more control over the classes that they choose,

even if they cannot adjust to the “basic” high school classes first.

If given the choice, many freshfolk would like to enroll in an AP or Honors course. One student stated, “If I was able to enroll in AP or Honors courses, I would. I think this would’ve positively affected my education, because I [could] take the advanced classes I want.”

While the lack of freedom in selecting one’s own courses might be considered detrimental, some students believe that this restriction affects them positively, and that it offers them a year to adjust to the intense rigor of high school classes. “It gives you a year before all the chaos,” said one freshman who wished to stay anonymous.

In another response, a freshman said, “I would try to join an honors course but the restriction is probably saving my grade.”

Additionally, not only does the restriction affect freshfolk in their course selection decisions, but due to the restriction, many upperclassmen do not have the opportunity to enroll in AP or Honors classes until their junior year, which significantly increases their course rigor in addition to the SAT and ACT if they choose to take a standardized test.

Because of the fact that many private universities with lower acceptance rates like Ivy League schools have a recommended number of accelerated courses, many students feel the need to fill their schedules with as many AP classes as possible, which not only increases their stress levels substantially, but because of the restrictions, it is much harder to meet this recommended number of courses if you start later in your high school career.

OPINIONS | 14

ith required courses such as Physical Education and Biology paired with the inability to enroll in Honors and Advanced Placement courses, freshfolk at Cupertino High School face a significant lack of freedom in their course selection. How will these already-limited liberties be further affected if additional courses such as Ethnic Studies and Health are officially implemented into the curriculum next year?

The Health course for freshfolk was piloted at Cupertino this semester, and was taught by freshman biology teacher Kristi Kuehn.

Said Kuehn, when asked about the course’s reception among current ninth graders, “I see a lot of enthusiasm and excitement for what they’re learning in class and I think what’s great is that we teach a broad variety of topics so [ … ] students are able to find things that matter to them in the curriculum.”

As an elective, Health has so far generated a positive impact on the small group of students it has been tested on, being described by one student as “very inclusive and fun.” Maintaining awareness regarding social and emotional health in high school, especially among young and impressionable freshfolk, has been a long time coming, particularly after the disastrous effects of the pandemic.

“I think that the decisions that were made by the district are wellthought-out. It’s something that fulfills a need that’s identified even state-wide, and I’m excited that our students have the opportunity now to be having this exposure during freshman year,” said Kuehn.

“Hopefully, we’re going to see that students are better able to self-assess what their health needs are and to find the resources to ad-

dress their health needs, which needs to be worked on more.”

However, despite assisting students in identifying when their mental health is at risk and teaching them how to apply strategies for addressing said issues, making Health and later on, Ethnic Studies, compulsory additions to the curriculum poses a threat to the already limited authority ninth graders are given in regards to what classes they can take. Said one freshman in response to an anonymous survey, “As good of an elective Health is, it should remain an elective as some students might want to take other classes they are more interested in.” Requiring these courses will leave freshfolk with the option of either a full set of seven classes

STUDENT PHONE USAGE

Assesing the benefits and setbacks of screen usage based on staffer data BRIAN KUO

H writer

15 | DESIGNED BY SHAONA DAS

uddled in a dark corner of your room, you are bathed in the eerie glow of your phone, lighting up your face as you stare wide-eyed into your screen. With every swipe of your Instagram doom-scroll, an ominous sense of foreboding creeps in. Your feed taunts you — this person has more followers than me, this person is better looking than me. And yet, despite this nagging urge to stop scrolling, you continue, seeking a n

elusive validation that you hope will manifest from increasing numbers displayed on your screen.

This is how many television shows and documentaries have portrayed the negative impacts of social media since it first started blowing up in the early 2000s. But even after a lifetime of viewing this negative, almost evil portrayal of social media, many of us — the student body — have still fallen prey to social media addiction. As a staffer explained, “Social media numbs your mind, so it feels good when

you’re mindlessly scrolling instead of doing work that requires intense concentration.” This addiction is often fueled by a desire for validation through likes and followers, which releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure that can further feed addiction. Despite social media’s

numerous positive impacts, many people suffer from social media addiction. And so, the question begs to be answered: how much is too much?

Let’s start on one side of the spectrum. Can students even attend high school in 2023 with min-

imal or no social media presence?

At Tino, a vast majority of students are active on at least one social media platform — it is almost a given. A staffer noted, “I think these days it is difficult to be active in the school community without a phone or social media.” Social media platforms like Instagram have also shown themselves as a powerful and efficient communication tool helping to enhance one’s high school experience. Being active on social media lets one stay updated on the numerous events and extracurriculars Cupertino High

School offers, easily message friends and acquaintances or contact new people. The ability to search and contact people online is a powerful tool for connecting with others. But once again, it is not imperative. Most school events are announced on the announcements, and clubs typically have recurring meetings

SCAN TO READ FURTHER

THE UNIVERSITY OF

PROSPECTOR

EXAMINING THE PROS AND CONS OF PUBLICIZING COLLEGE ADMISSIONS REVIEW PROSPECTOR ADMISSIONS BENJAMIN LIU | ALEXANDER LIU news editor | sports editor

Dear Applicant, 3.96 GPA, 1590 SAT, stellar computer science experience – and rejected by 14 out of 18 colleges. That’s the story of Stanley Zhong, a soft-spoken, well-mannered young adult. A story that, at a glance, seems perplexing.

A deeper examination reviews an even odder occurrence. After receiving the rejections, Zhong and his father, an engineer at Google, applied for a software engineer job at Google, something that Zhong called a “moonshot.” Much to their surprise and joy, Zhong was accepted, not as an entry-level employee but as a much higher “level four” employee.

Zhong’s story represented many Bay Area parents’ worst fears: an unfair college admissions process. Did Zhong reveal the inner workings of a college system that’s flawed at its core, or did the Bay Area stigma for STEM lead Zhong down the wrong path? Or was Zhong simply an exceptional case among the millions of processed college applicants every year? Many people took this situation as an argument for colleges to publicize reasons for admission, looking for an explanation.

The most important reason to publicize admissions decisions is so that applicants can see why they were rejected. In an interview with CNN, Zhong said that being unable to see why he was rejected gave him a lot of frustration. Zhong said, “[for] Some of the state schools, I really thought I had a good chance.”

Most people who support colleges revealing application decisions agree that simply giving a personalized note along with the admissions decision will clarify things with the applicant.

However, this may backfire in unforeseen ways. Students may all skew toward the college’s requirements and colleges will not be able to cultivate a diverse pool of applicants. Additionally, competitive applicants may compare with each other and argue over their results with colleges, causing it to spiral into a tug-ofwar between students eager to get in and admissions teams struggling to create the best possible class of college students. Full transparency in college admissions could place undue stress on both institutions and applicants, potentially causing delays and inconsistent decisions as colleges reevaluate choices.

Sincerely, PROSPECTOR UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS

SCAN TO READ FURTHER

OPINIONS OPINIONS | 16

Zhong’s background plays the most important factor. As the son of a Google engineer, much of Zhong’s achievements are tailored toward that of a software engineer. This gave Zhong an edge over even other Google applicants. However, the cost of this is a low college admission rate. A duality emerges: less competitive colleges will not accept Zhong because his STEM resume is overqualified, and they would rather hand their spot to an applicant with a more appropriate level of academic success. More competitive colleges also will not accept Zhong because he lacks humanities and other extracurriculars to balance his resume. Therefore, Zhong is stranded in a Goldilocks zone of rejection

SPORTS

COACH OSWALD’S LAST SEASON

After 45 years of coaching, Head Football Coach Chris Oswald concludes his illustrious CHS career VICTORIA HUNT

A writer

17 | DESIGNED BY HAILEY RYU

fter a long and successful career coaching Cupertino High School’s football team, Coach Chris Oswald is concluding his last season as head varsity football coach.

“I’ve either played or coached football for 45 years in a row. So it’s time to do something else,” Oswald said.

After playing college football, he began coaching at Santa Clara High School, then went to Central Missouri State, Valley High School, Pleasant Grove and finally came to CHS as the Head Varsity Coach.

U n d e r Oswald’s coaching,

CHS not only won the helmet back from Monta Vista High School and kept it for seven years but also led the team to two league championships.

Assistant Coach Brian Hazel expressed his opinion on how the football team will change without Coach Oswald’s guidance.

“I mean, it could be catastrophic. He really is such a good coach, we don’t deserve him…We are going to miss him,” he said. “He made Cupertino more of a winner than it ever had been.”

The annual rivalry game against MVHS to battle for the helmet had high stakes, as CHS had lost the previous year.

The helmet is a trophy awarded to the team that wins the highly anticipated match and is one of the most crucial parts of the football season.

“Right now [the h e l m e t game] is all

business.

We got to win.

There’s s o m e hope that will make the playoffs, so I keep telling the kids to have no regret. There’s a process to it, and that process leads to success,” Oswald said..

The team’s hard work paid off, as CHS came out on top with a score of 41-14, serving as a triumphant way for Oswald to end his career.

Oswald has made long-lasting impacts on the team’s legacy and the players he has coached.

Thulasinthan Vithiyashankar, ex-player and assistant to Oswald, expressed how Oswald has influenced him and his experiences.

“The positive impact he made on the JV players helped them develop not only into good varsity players but also into good people,” said Vithiyashankar.

“Someone might be able to fill his position as head coach, but they will never replace his role as a mentor, an educator, and a role model.”

Oswald’s coaching is held in high regard by his peers and players. While he will be retiring as Head Coach, his impact and legacy will continue for many years to come

IMPROVING TINO SPIRIT ASB athletics commission boosts school spirit at sporting events

H

opinions editor

“

”

utes before a game [and] helping us clean up after games.”

In addition to their in-person plan, the team created an Instagram account designated to promote CHS’s athletic activities. “[The account] just spreads awareness to the student body that games will happen. Especially with graphics, it makes reading more appealing than just looking at a schedule,” Bae said.

Thus far, the commissioners centered the majority of their promotion on football. With the football season coming to a close, the team is planning ahead for winter athletics.

“I think we’ll try to engage the student body with some winter sports. Basketball is one of the biggest winter sports, so we’d like to get kids to attend those games. Soccer as well — we just want people to come out to all games,” Bellam said.

With all upperclassmen comprising the spirit commission, there is a risk of reduced leadership and consistency next year when the seniors graduate, jeopardizing ongoing efforts to bolster school spirit.

“The goals that we have for this year were also from previous years and their benefits. It would probably continue,” Bae said. “We would emphasize that [next year’s commissioners] can reach out to us.”

SPORTS | 18

can pass out because it usually gets more people to come ey Tino, how do you feel? to games,” Bae said. “We also In past years, football implemented glitter and face game attendees met this paint.” staple cheer with a quiet, murThe team developed their mured response. But with the plan further as the school year Associated Student Body ath- progressed and incorporated letics commission’s initiatives to student feedback. The commisincrease student support at Cu- sioners have since recognized pertino High School’s sporting the benefits of their initiatives. events, the bleak responses to “Overall, everyone seems this question have grown liveli- more united as a school. I know er. when I was doing the glitter on CHS is notorious amongst everyone’s faces — I think I was neighboring schools for its “lack doing it for an hour and a half of spirit” that seemingly stems — people just kept coming. It from its academically rigorous was great seeing how people nature. However, ASB’s athlet- voluntarily wanted school spirics commissioners, it on their Sarah Bae, Jusfaces,” Bae tin Yu and Pavan said.

OVERALL, EVERYONE Bellam, have been T h e SEEMS MORE UNITED AS determined to chalcommisA SCHOOL. [...] IT WAS lenge this stigma sion’s initiaGREAT SEEING HOW PEOthis year. tives have “We all play PLE VOLUNTARILY WANTboosted sports, and so we the morale ED SCHOOL SPIRIT ONTO see what student of those THEIR FACES. sections are like in on both SARAH BAE other schools and sides — how the entire stuthe bleachdent body goes ers and out and supports their athletic the field. Coaches, players, teams,” Yu said. “We wanted to and parents of players have have something similar happen all shown gratitude for the infor our games as well.” creased attendance and exciteIn the fall season, the com- ment at games. missioners implemented stuOther members of ASB supdent section chants, bleacher ported the commission’s addecorations and themes into vancements.

CHS’s football games.

Said Bellam, “ASB has been “We have been purchasing really helpful, signing up for merglow sticks and small things we ch booths, coming out 45 minSHAONA DAS

SPORTS ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

DYLAN

ZAMORUEV

HAILEY RYU | sports editor

J

unior Dylan Zamoruev is racking up achievements on the Cupertino High School football team as the team’s starting defensive tackle.

Zamoruev started playing football as a sophomore, joining the CHS Junior Varsity football team. This season, as a junior, Zamoruev played for varsity. “[I joined] to compete in something physically challenging. I really enjoyed the games because of the atmosphere, whether it be the band, cheer, or the overall excitement of my teammates,” said Zamoruev.

Zamoruev and the football team practiced rigorously in preparation for games, having practice every day right after school. Their prac-

tices start with a warm-up lap and team or dynamic stretches, and then they split into position groups before practicing as a whole team to run plays.

When asked how he feels before going into a game, Zamourev said, “I’m usually excited going into a game [and] not really that nervous. Postgame, I feel pretty much completely spent as the adrenaline wears off and I start to feel things, but this is usually combatted with a meal.”

As a defensive tackle, also known as a nose guard, Zamourev is a defensive lineman who disrupts the opponent’s plays and rushes the offensive quarterback.

For the week of Oct. 2 to 7, Zamourev was nominated for Bay Area News Group Boys Athlete of the Week for his outstanding statistics during a game against

Gunn High School, where the CHS football team won 20-13.

“I think [getting nominated is] cool.

I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I’m proud to represent our school’s football team.

The game against GHS was also Zamourev’s best game of the season.

“That game, I had a game-winning strip tackle, seven QB hits, five hurries, three solo tackles, and two tackles for loss; ultimately, I ended up leading the team with sacks for this season, which is my most notable stat.”

Zamoruev is not done with his high school football career yet; he also plans to play for the team for his senior year next season. “I want to be a senior starter and lead the team in sacks again like last year,” said Zamoruev

19 | DESIGNED BY ALEXANDER LIU

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL The girls volleyball team found the day-long tournament Spikefest to be a memorable event of their season. In the event, the team was able to grow closer and play many games together as well as have competitions with nearby teams.

This season, the girls field hockey team found playing in the upper league to be competitive, challenging them to become better players. The team found the Leigh RoundUp Tournament to be the most rewarding part of their season, where they bonded with new players and played five games throughout the day.

FIELD HOCKEY

GIRLS WATER POLO The girls water polo team considers their last game against Monta Vista High School as the most memorable moment of their season as all of the seniors were able to score at least one goal. Although they lost to MVHS in a previous game, CHS was able to make a comeback and win against the team.

FALL SPORTS SUMMARY

GIRLS TENNIS CHS’s girls tennis team’s most memorable part of the season was their match against Los Gatos on. The match began with lineup complications, resulting in two forfeits for CHS. Despite these roadblocks, the tennis team defeated Los Gatos with a score of 4-3.

GIRLS GOLF

BOYS WATER POLO

Reflecting on the fall 2023 season, CHS’s girls golf team’s most memorable moment was qualifying for league finals this season, an achievement that has not been met in the past several years.

The boys water polo team found this season to be a major improvement from previous years, placing third in the league as opposed to ranking last in previous years. The team was able to stay resilient and continued to improve to a win.

FOOTBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

The football team went up against Monta Vista on November 3rd for their annual Helmet Game. The team was able to come together and regain the helmet after their first loss in seven years last season, beating the Monta Vista Matadors 41 -14.

The boys cross country team’s most memorable moment was qualifying as a team for CCS this season after four years of being unable to. The girls team had members place first and second at the FUHSD championship meet.

FEATURES

InTERNATION Students from across the world share

MARCO AND LOTHAR LIN KATIE MAK

T writer

21 | DESIGNED BY ANGIE LI

wins Marco and Lothar Lin experienced an eventful journey moving schools and across continents, from Taiwan to the United Arab Emirates to California.

The Lins grew up in Taiwan and moved to the UAE for their freshman and sophomore years due to their father’s job. After those two years, they moved once more to California and have attended Cupertino High School ever since.

In Taiwan, the Lins didn’t enjoy the standardized curriculum.

“You don’t have time to do extracurriculars or to decide what you want to do,” Marco said. “Most of [your] time is

just in school and it’s all about small talk. Speaking English at tests and academics.” school was even more challengThe two faced additional ing in the UAE because everydifficulties in the UAE because it one else’s main language was was during the COVID-19 panArabic. demic and they were the only “In [the] US, people talk students from too fast. But in [the] Taiwan in their UAE people [spoke school.

IT’S IMPORTANT English] with a The Lins THAT YOU HAVE SOME- strong accent, so mostly took online ONE TO TALK [TO] both [were] chalclasses there but ABOUT CHALLENGERS lenging,” Marco preferred hybrid [WHERE] YOU REALLY said. learning because

After two NEED HELP. there were fewyears in the UAE, LOTHAR LIN er distractions. the Lins moved Additionally, few to California and people attended hybrid classes, settled at CHS. Currently in their allowing a consistent group of second and last year at CHS, people to stay in the same class- they have enjoyed the environroom and become closer. Marco ment, especially compared to found making friends easier Taiwan’s curriculum, with more when they weren’t changactivities and clubs to join. ing classes every period, The Lins feel they benefithowever, Lothar still ed from their experience moving found forming a comacross continents, from tremenmunity to make friends dous improvements in reading challenging. and writing English to overcomThe Lins had ing and learning from challenglearned to speak es. basic English in ele“You want to check mentary and middle whether there are any opportuschool in Taiwan. nities that you can be involved However, learning with, or friends you can practice English at school as a English [with],” Lothar said. “It’s required course was important that you have somehard to apply to daione to talk [to] about challenges ly life because of the [where] you really need help. differences between Said Marco, “We [have] paperwork and everyday each other”

“

”

NAL STUDENTS their experiences moving to Cupertino

SAM ETHAN MATHEW NIKHIL KRISHNASWAMY

M writer

oving schools, regardless of location, has its challenges. But in Cupertino High School Junior Sam Ethan Mathew’s case, he didn’t just move schools — he moved continents.

Mathew was born and raised in Bangalore, India, and moved to Cupertino, California during his sophomore year. After him and his family moved over 8,000 miles due to his parents’ work and a chance for opportunities, he faced several struggles.

Said Mathew, “At first it was not really welcoming, but it’s become better over time.”

For students like him, fitting into a new culture and set of norms was challenging.

“When you first get here, there are all these untold norms, and everyone is there to judge you, but at the same time, no one’s there to correct you,” said Mathew.

Moving into the U.S. from a foreign country also posed linguistic challenges. The English that Mathew spoke in India dis-

tinctly differed from the English spoken here.

“One of the main struggles I had was effective communication,” Mathew said.

Like many other challenges Matthew faced with his move, he eventually overcame it by shifting his perspective. “[Living in California] slowly became…the new normal.

[I] shifted from that closed perspective [of what I had originally imagined America to be] to… understanding what America really is”

ESHA VAGGAR NIKHIL KRISHNASWAMY

F writer

sophomore year. Although she was used to moving, she continued to have issues with making meaningful connections with others in both Bangalore and California.

Said Vaggar, “when you’re from a different place and you have a different accent, people treat you like you’re exotic.”

She felt like a foreigner in both places because she had moved away so many times.

Even after moving to

the Bay Area, she struggled to make friends. She stated that most people have friends from middle school or their freshman year, but she only joined Cupertino High School a few months into her sophomore year.

“Being the outsider of a friend group that’s already existing is very hard because you’re always overthinking the right thing to say the right thing to do in order to fit in, but you don’t really understand,” Vaggar said

FEATURES | 22

or Junior Esha Vaggar, moving became the norm after she moved over five times before kindergarten, switching multiple times between India and California.

“I’ve moved so many times in my life. I didn’t really care. I didn’t miss one place.

And I went to another […] okay, new city, new house, start again,” Vaggar said.

Vaggar moved from Bangalore, India back to California during the summer before her

S

TINO TINO

Four pairs of twins across Cupertino High School’s campus share

ophomore twins Alyssa Yee and Sophia Yee connect over their shared love for band, an interest they have shared since middle school. The duo play in Cupertino High School’s wind ensemble, with Alyssa playing the alto saxophone and Sophia playing the marching baritone.

Having a shared hobby has helped the twins grow closer. “[Being in band together is] the greatest experience ever,” Sophia said. “I feel like I can talk to her about anything [...] We run over band recordings and after each competition, we talk to one another and tell each other how we did individually.”

While the two share a common passion for music, they elaborate on how sharing their hobby would not have been possible if they were both in the same section.

Said Alyssa, “It’s nice to be separated and have our own friend groups and then come together to talk about related band things.”

While the two aren’t identical, they still get mixed up by other band members and teachers. The twins describe how, although being called the wrong name doesn’t bother them, they are still individuals and would appreciate those around them getting to know each of them separately.

Said Alyssa, “We’re different people. And you can’t just purposely or accidentally call us around with names. You should get to know us, individually and know us together”

23 | THE PROSPECTOR

SAMANTHA AND I

MADISON DEJILLO

IRA LELE writer

ALYSSA AND

SOPHIA YEE NOAH KANG writer

dentical senior twins Samantha and Madison live everyday getting asked who is who. Sometimes, others fail to realize that the twins are not one person, purely because of how similar they look. The twins have had a lot of funny experiences throughout their life, the most memorable being when people ask them about twin telepathy.

“A lot of people think we have twin telepathy, and we often make planned responses to trick them,” Samantha said.

Maddison added, “Also, one time our aunt and uncle said that when we were little, they wanted to take a picture of us and make it black and white and store it in the attic, so that later when a family finds it, they would think we’re clones.”

The twins then explained what it’s like having a twin.

Said Samantha, “She’s with me 24/7, and we stay up so late oftentimes just talking about anything. It’s just like having a really close sibling.”

Despite how much time they spend together, the twins don’t know everything about each other’s lives.

“Every time we have a long night talk we find out something new and it’s crazy,” Maddison said

TWINS TWINS

their unique experience growing up alongside one another

N KAUSHIK AND

IRA LELE writer

KARTHIK CHANDRAMOULI

inth-grade twins Kaushik Chandramouli and Karthik Chandramouli share a common passion for cricket—a game they’ve played together since they were kids. The twins began the sport when they were 5 and grew up sharing their love for its invigorating nature.

In addition to their shared passion, the duo credited their closer dynamic to their lack of age gap.

“We’re way more connected than normal brothers and sisters.” Kaushik said.

The two experienced being mistaken for one another more often during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When we wore masks, teachers sometimes mistook us,” Karthik said. “There’s still friends who confuse us [for] each other.”

This occurrence became infrequent when the mask mandate was lifted.

“Most of the time now people just think we’re brothers. Either people don’t care that we’re twins or they just go with it.” said Karthik.

Kaushik goes on to explain some of the adjustments the twins do for each other.

“Whenever he has to go somewhere at school I have to go with him too. We have to wait for each other to go anywhere, so it gets kind of annoying”

NOAH KANG

J

writer

AMIE AND

SOPHIE HUA

FEATURES | 24

uniors Sophie Hua and Amie Hua have a relationship resemblant to a younger and older sister, rather than twins.

“I’ve already assumed the role of a younger sister, I don’t even think of myself as a twin. My whole life I always thought that I was the younger sister and she was the older sister, but we’re the same age,” Amie said. “I literally feel just like a sibling, like a builtin best friend.”

The twins further illustrate their relationship by describing it as someone the same age who you spend your entire life with.

Said Amie, “I know she’s always there for me whenever I’m in a difficult situation, she’s literally a part of me.”

“Knowing that you have someone who’s literally gone through like, 90% of the same experiences as you is really comforting,” Sophie added.

On a more lighthearted note, the twins share their funny experiences during their late night talks before bed.

“We have loft beds so often I go into Amie’s loft and just sit there and [we] talk for hours,” Sophie said. “But one time my mom came into our room and thought Amie was talking to herself”

POSTSCRIPT

PROSPECTO

A combination of “Inktober” and gratitude, featuring “What are you

1

ZAIN HASEEB

9

NITYA DHULIPALA

25 | DESIGNED BY JOLIE HAN

17

“Friends!”

“Pinterest”

HAILEY RYU “starbucks”

2

YEECHEN PANG “85 bread lol”

10

ANIKA RAO

18

ALEXANDER LIU

25

MIYA WIDMAN

“play doh”

“water polo team”

“my pets”

3

BENJAMIN LIU

11

SCARLETT GUY

19

RISHITA SHAH

26

ANDREW QIN

“mathway”

“airpods”

“tofu”

“kevin jia”

4

VICTORIA HUNT “my sisters!”

12

SANIA MEHTA

20

JADE WONG

27

LISA ZIVANIC

“find my iphone”

“iced coffee”

“prospector”

BER 2023

drawings from all staffers answering the prompt: grateful for?”

5

BRIAN KUO

13

JOLIE HAN

21

SHAONA DAS

28

NOAH KANG

“Among Us”

“onigiri!”

“bed”

“blanket”

6

14

22

29

ANGIE LI “squishmallows”

NIKHIL K. “water”

JOYCE LEE “thesaurus.com”

ALEXANDER LIU “my iphone 5”

7

KATIE MAK “boba”

15

JEONGWOO CHOE

23

KATIE KIM

30

AMRITA BRAR

“red bull”

“emojis”

“spotify”

8

IRA LELE “my garden”

16

ANOUSHKA G.

24

EVAN LU

31

RIYA MALIK

“music”

“internet”

“books”

POSTSCRIPT | 26

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