Issue 3 - December 2016

W ED N ES DAY, D E C EM B ER 7, 2016

The political differences between parents and students

Unique jobs

The history of pearl milk tea

Features page 6-7

Lifestyles page 8-9

Girls soccer kicks off season

The Turning Pointe

Opinions page 4-5

VOLUME 58 NO. 3

Sports page 10-11

Flipside page 12

The Prospector

CHSPROSPECTOR.COM

Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO, CA 95014

Racial diversity in Silicon Valley companies Amidst growing concerns of exclusion, companies aim to increase diversity

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE RAVI

JENN ZARATAN photo editor

Silicon Valley is unique not only because of its high number of successful tech startups but also for its diverse population.

However, the area struggles to bring diversity to its technology workforce. Companies have implemented numerous initiatives to increase diversity, but while improving, they continue to search for an ideal solution that is both effective and ethical. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported last May that the high-tech industry comprises 7.4% African Americans, 7.97% Hispanics, and 14.04% Asians.

Last August, business leaders discussed the need for a more inclusive workforce during the White House’s very first “Demo Day.” Thirty-three companies signed the Tech Inclusion Pledge, committing to construct objectives for diversity, publish demographics annually, and invest in coalitions that incorporate more minorities into the technology sector.

“Different people bring different strengths to the table, and in education as well as the office, it’s really important that you have representatives from every group in America,” said teacher Ashley Hooper. “There are people in areas aligned with race and

CHS ASB introduces genderneutral Winter Formal Court MELISSA SILVA editor-in-chief

ETHAN QI news editor // copy editor

Last month, Cupertino’s Associated Student Body (ASB) voted to create a gender-neutral Winter Formal court, suggested by the Spirit Committee. Individuals, rather than couples, are nominated to be royalty and represent their class.

These decisions were made in an effort to foster acceptance, inclusion, and diversity within the student body.

Said ASB adviser Wes Morse, “So I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I brought it up to last year’s crew, but last year’s crew was [unsure] ... The timing to have that conversation was this year, but by the time we had it, [homecoming] was a

ASB gender neutrality, continued on page 3

socioeconomic status who start on a completely different playing field than, say, [students in Cupertino] do.”

Affirmative Action policies, which give minorities a conscious advantage when hiring, have always been highly controversial. The term is most commonly used in the context of college admissions; the idea is to cancel out the disadvantages minorities inherently face, but it was banned from public institutions in California as well as in eight other states. In the case of Silicon Valley tech companies, Asians are generally not considered minorities and thus do not receive special consideration.

Said junior Matthew Atmadja, “When [companies or schools] have quotas for [accepting] certain races, I think it discriminates against other races and it feels unfair — they should just accept whoever has the capabilities.”

One company that has aggressively spearheaded efforts to increase diversity is Apple Inc. — compared to Google, Facebook, Microsoft and others, its racial demographics have largely diversified since 2014. But despite being located in a predominantly Asian-American community and having a relatively more diverse employee cohort, Apple still struggles to recruit a diverse workforce. According to Apple’s reports from June 2016, 55 percent of employees in its tech department are white.

Leadership positions in particular have seen limited progress, with minority employees slumping at 33 percent. Some companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, have adopted a “Rooney Rule” — an alternative policy to affirmative action, the “Rooney Rule” works to offer interviews to more minorities for executive positions, but does not give them any advantage in the decision-making process.

Companies have also approached the racial discrepancies by trying to encourage more minorities into the field in the first place. Facebook, for instance, maintains a university program in which 170 undergraduate minorities gain hands-on experience and knowledge about the field. They have also invested in TechPrep, an online learning tool for students interested in computer science.

Said senior Yatziri Arias, “Diversity is an important ideal to achieve, but I don’t think it should be a key factor to consider.

Programs that get minorities involved and grant them information are [a better approach], because at the end of the day, [people] should be accepted based on skills, not race.”

An obvious solution for racial gaps would be more than idealistic to expect, but progress can and is slowly being made as a result of companies’ sustained efforts.

Traffic issues worsen amidst construction GENE KIM news assistant JENN ZARATAN

CUPERTINO HIGH SCHOOL | Annual increases in student enrollment exacerbate morning traffic around the school

The recent campus construction has caused traffic in and around Cupertino High School to worsen, raising the concerns of its community. In particular, a lack of student parking spaces has contributed to the change in traffic circulation. Parking spaces have been reserved for the construction workers, rather than faculty members. Consequently, students are left with few places to park their cars, and are forced to do so in residential areas.

In addition to inconveniences community members attribute to the construction, safety is also a major concern for the CHS community. The increased traffic can frustrate drivers who are anxious to arrive at school without delay. Some students have noted that traffic causes drivers to make dangerous decisions.

Said sophomore Anirudh Krishnakumar, “As a biker, I run into a lot of dangerous situations on my way to school. The traffic is so bad in the mornings, the cars seem to get impatient and

CHS traffic issues, continued on page 3

News The Prospector

S TA F F

The Prospector

2016-2017

SANTOSH MURALIDARAN features assistant

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LVIII, No. 3 | 2016 editors-in-chief melissa silva meilinda sun news editor ethan qi opinions editor peter martin features editor aishwarya laddha lifestyles editor allison lo sports editor erin song flip side editor amy zeng copy editors caroline gee sudarshan kannan ethan qi saagar sanghavi photo editors catherine seok jenn zaratan online editors lily rosen marvin josephine robinson business manager amy zeng news assistants

gene kim anshul rajwanshi

opinions assistants

esha radhakrishnan leo rassieur

features assistants

edward hsu santosh muralidaran

lifestyles assistants

nico chilla xinyi zhang

sports assistants

neerali shah christina shao

flip side assistant online assistants photo crew

elena chang michelle ma utkarsh tandon justine qiu

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

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

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

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

Contact Us The Prospector 10100 Finch Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 prospector.chs@gmail.com

December 7, 2016

Trump presidency threatens Cuba-U.S. relations Since Nov. 8, the victory of President-elect Donald Trump has fueled uncertainty regarding his policy on the U.S.’s relationship with Cuba. In contrast to Obama, Trump urges Congress to maintain the trade embargo between the two countries. Since 2014, Obama has been issuing executive orders to normalize ties with Cuba and ease restrictions for U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba. By reopening the U.S. embassy in Cuba, lifting various economic sanctions, allowing commercial flights from U.S. to Cuba and licensing several American hotel companies to operate on the island, Obama has been a longtime advocate for a stronger relationship between America and Cuba. In the midst of normalizing relations, Trump has proposed reversing all executive actions Obama has taken unless Raul Castro, president of Cuba, establishes more political freedom on the island.

Both Obama and Trump seem to agree that Cuba’s establishment of freedom is poor and seek a free and democratic Cuba. Following the death of Fidel Castro, the former Cuban dictator, on Nov. 26, Trump condemned various actions Castro had taken under his regime. “While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve,” Trump wrote in a Twitter statement. Trump advocates for the halt of liberalization and the continuation of the trade embargo until the Cuban government grants such freedom to its people.

The trade embargo, officially imposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 after cutting off diplomatic relations, keeps companies from doing business in Cuba and prevents trade between the two nations. Though Obama’s executive authority gave him the ability to impose executive orders that the embargo otherwise bans, officially lifting the trade embargo as a whole can only be done by U.S. Congress.

“I know a lot of people are against [repealing the] embargo, but if I am looking at it purely from an economic standpoint, when we talk about trade in international business, we see that it is a good thing,” Jen Townsend,

NEWS BRIEFS

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business teacher at CHS, remarked. “Usually economies grow because you are trading [and] you can get products cheaper from other countries.”

In early Nov. 2016 after Election Day, Cuba declared five days of military drills in Havana following Donald Trump’s triumph. The Cuban government did not draw relationships between the military drills and Donald Trump’s victory. However, many analysts point out that Cuba has only employed these military drills seven times in history, and often at times of tension with the U.S. During Trump’s campaign, he announced his support for diplomatic relations with Cuba yet added that he would have created a better deal with Havana. However, one week before Election Day, he returned to his previous foreign policy proposal to reverse the current progression of normalizing relations with Cuba during a campaign rally in Miami, which many believe led him to win the popular vote in Florida.

“Until Cuba opens up in terms of its transparency, corruption and oppression, [since] tourism is a tremendous source of extra income and all that money goes directly to [Cuba’s] very oppressive government ... I do not think it is reasonable to send tourists to fund the regime,” senior Ben Ashkenazi said.

Much support for Trump’s proposal lies within Cuban-Americans living in the United States, most of whom do not support normalizing relations with and lifting sanctions on Cuba due to the island’s communist government. Many came to the United States and settled in Florida as refugees. However, a strong and vocal opposition argues that Trump’s termination of Obama’s deals would prevent business investment and unnecessarily damage the two-year normalization process of U.S.-Cuba relations. Proponents argue because the U.S. has developed strong relations with Communist countries such as Russia and Vietnam, it is unnecessary to keep a blockade with Cuba.

The United States Treasury Department has fined over $5.2 million to companies violating the trade embargo. In spite of the opposing viewpoints of Obama and Trump regarding the U.S. and Cuba, critics are unsure of where U.S.-Cuba relations will lie in the future under Trump’s presidency.

The 1,172-mile Dakota Access Pipeline, a $3.7 billion project designed to transport crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois, sparked controversy due to its potential adverse environmental and economic effects. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe protested against the construction due to fears it would destroy sacred native lands and pollute the area.

Choi Soonsil, a close friend and advisor of Korea’s president, Park Geun Hye, has been accused of secretly controlling government affairs. After it was revealed that Soonsil was assisting Park in editing speeches, Park’s approval ratings have plummeted as people have previously speculated Choi’s corrupted involvement. Park has fired eight aides.

The Battle of Mosul began on Oct. 16th, 2016 in attempt to retake Mosul from ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Mosul was invaded and captured by ISIL in June of 2014.

The extreme violence has raised concerns for the 1.5 million civilians as they have been abducted and used as human shields in order to deter attacks.

On Nov. 14, New Zealand experienced powerful earthquakes followed by a tsunami and aftershocks. A 7.8 and 6.8 magnitude quake struck around midnight and just after noon near Kaikoura, respectively. After the two major quakes were 42 aftershocks. Though the quakes caused billions of dollars worth of damages, there are only two reported deaths.

Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25, 2016 at the age of 90. He was a communist dictator of Cuba for nearly five decades, and his death sparked powerful emotions among many. During Castro’s reign, health care and education improvements were made, but many were wrongfully imprisoned and prosecuted. Raúl Castro, Fidel’s brother, is currently president of Cuba.

The election of Donald Trump sparked dozens of protests around the U.S. Thousands of demonstrators gathered and marched through Chicago, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, and other cities. Although most protests were peaceful, several became riots and led to arrests. Trump has responded, calling for the nation to unify.

COMPILED BY CATHERINE SEOK

AI NEWS

AMY ZENG flipside editor // business manager

In the heart of Silicon Valley, technology is at the center of our lives. Recently, there has been an influx of new advances in tech that spans fields varying from the application of artificial intelligence in transportation to the creation of apps that allow for easy access to our DNA. Here are some notable advances: Though many of us may not realize it, artificial intelligence (AI), has already become a large part of our everyday lives. AI is capable of performing a large number of tasks in fields such as medicine, stock trading and customer service. These current functions of AI are extremely helpful and the field is projected to grow by more than 50% by 2020. However, AI has faced strong opposition as well. For example, the application of AI in military environments has led to the creation of robots with what appear to be superhuman qualities. Although this may sound like a scenario found in science fiction, outspoken figures such as Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have voiced their concerns.

Said entrepreneur and inventor Elon Musk in a 2014 interview, “I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that.”

Another growing use of AI lies in the autonomous vehicle field. Ever since Google announced the development of the first self-driving car six years ago, there has been tremendous growth in the industry. Popular companies such as Tesla and Uber have been experimenting with autonomous car technology. Even mainstream car brands, which include Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan, and BMW, are projected to have self-driving cars by around 2020.

These technological advances have manifested themselves in many aspects of our everyday lives. Some common examples would be Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Amazon’s Echo. Vocal and facial recognition make up a large part of these new technologies, which present an exciting new frontier for many students at CHS. Said junior Olivia Qin, member of the Robotics team, “The robotics team is working on a software project called image recognition. Basically, they’re able to know the exact location of an object using this technology.”

These technological advancements present new opportunities for various technology sectors to grow and expand. Situated right in the center of this activity, the CHS community will be among the first to witness these transformations.

Cupertino Marina Food Plaza to be demolished MICHELLE MA online assistant

JUSTINE QIU

Located at the busy intersection of Stevens Creek Blvd and De Anza Blvd, Marina Food, a full-service Asian supermarket, has been providing fresh produce, prepared foods, baked goods and other items to locals for over 25 years.

However, the Marina Plaza project, first proposed to the Cupertino City Council in the fall of 2015, plans to redevelop the existing supermarket and surrounding areas, replacing them with various housing, retail, office and hotel rooms.

The existing Marina Shopping Center is a staple for citizens because of its convenient location and business.

Said junior Olivia Chong, “I grew up with the plaza. I

Marina Food Plaza, continued on page 3

ASB gender neutrality continued from page 1

month away.”

The idea of a gender-neutral court was brought up prior to Homecoming but is just taking place for Winter Formal to allow for proper development. Depending on its results, the concept may pave the way and impact future school events as well.

To emphasize the idea of acceptance, the Media Team included a same-sex couple in the promotional video. In the video, the couple is featured, along with a heterosexual couple and a group of friends, going to Winter Formal. The idea was presented to the ASB class to gauge what a potential student body response may look like.

Said ASB media commissioner and senior Edith Liu, “Most people said that as long as we don’t put the same-sex couple as the main focus, it’ll be fine, but if we make it too exaggerated, people might feel offended or feel like that’s too much and unnecessary.”

In creating an equal emphasis on all three groups featured in the video — same-sex, heterosexual, and friend group — the video team

News

The Prospector

December 7, 2016

hopes to promote the idea that Winter Formal is an event to be enjoyed by students without any pressure of whom one should attend the dance with.

“We’re trying to not stick with what everyone thinks is normal. There’s a lot of heteronormativity and we just want to show that not everyone fits in with that. We want to include everyone; we want everyone to have the chance to be included even though it may not change anything,” junior and Spirit Commissioner, Valentina Zamarian said.

ASB anticipates a positive response from the student body, given the overall progressive attitude held by many students on campus.

However, it’s unreasonable to expect the entire school to accept this change.

Said English teacher Christina Masuda, “According to my freshmen, they will embrace the change. I do realize that there are students who would like to uphold tradition and tradition states that it is one male and female elected by popular vote ... and I respect that. I love Cupertino tradition, but I also know that when tradition tends to exclude, something needs to give.”

Marina Food Plaza continued from page 2

would go once a week, and the cashiers [at Marina Food] were always friendly. I am not happy with [the new plans,] because where is my boba going to go?”

Currently, the Marina Plaza project, owned by De Anza Venture, LLC, proposes the demolition of the 44,000-squarefoot shopping plaza and erection of a three-building development including 22,600 square feet of commercial space, a hotel with 122 rooms, and 188 residential units consisting of sixteen units at affordable prices for low-income households.

The City Council recognized the Marina Shopping Center as a potential site for new housing since May 2015; cities are required by the state to present locations in the city that could potentially hold new units every seven years.

Community members who have been fre-

3

CHS traffic issues continued from page 1

become more rash, which is definitely not good in terms of safety.”

More issues regarding traffic arise from within the school. The fence around the construction site has greatly limited the amount of room available to walk near it, with students limited to walking in single-file lines. Further, many students have expressed the inconvenience as they jostle through the congested area hoping to reach their respective classes on time. Although many students have opted to take alternative routes to get to class, many find that the main hallway is even more congested.

“It can be difficult getting to classes at times because it is so crowded,” Alexander Cruz, sophomore, said.

Unfortunately, these issues will continue to affect the community until the completion of the new facilities, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 2018. Until then, the administration encourages students to find ways to avoid potential gridlock. They have suggested increasing carpooling to reduce the number of cars in the drop-off zone, dropping off students at safe or designated residential areas and dropping students off on Tilson Avenue where the traffic is lighter than at the front of school. Leaving home slightly earlier in the mornings can also be an effective way to avoid traffic. The administration urges everyone to consider safety a priority when commuting to and from CHS and acknowledges the inconveniences of vehicle congestion and approach the disruption in an understanding manner.

Said Assistant Principal Geoff Wright, “While we will all benefit from the new facilities in the end, we are all experiencing the traffic issues, the noise issues and the foot-traffic issues that the construction also brought to our campus. We ask that people be patient, plan ahead and understand that this is a part of the construction process.”

quenting the center for groceries, food, drinks and doctor’s visits for many years are reluctant to see it go.

Said senior April Ye, “Ever since I remember, I have been going to Marina Food. It was an entire family tradition to go together on the weekends, and it was a part of our lives. Even though it was old, smelly and worn out, it was somehow a part of my childhood.”

The Marina Plaza project received numerous permits and approvals from the Cupertino City Council on Sept. 6 but still awaits a building permit. Construction will not be able to begin until an agreement is reached with adjacent property owners. Additionally, the Cupertino Union School (CUSD) and Fremont Union High School (FUHSD) districts have yet to meet with the project applicants to discuss the proposed contributions of an annual $46,000 to CUSD and $18,000 to FUHSD. With new developments come fresh shops and features that can evolve the city. Among these potential benefits are affordable

housing and hotels, which will serve to revitalize the neighborhood with new faces and amenities.

If permitted, the plaza will join a myriad of other developments in Cupertino such as Main Street and The Hamptons.

Granted, the loss of the current Marina shopping center will be felt by a part of the community.

Said Jenny Chen, Cupertino resident and parent of students in the FUHSD and CUSD, “Marina Food is at a very convenient location for me. I am used to coming to this plaza once and getting a lot of things done. [Once redevelopment begins] I will have to make more stops in one trip to finish all these errands.

[Nonetheless, redevelopments] make the city lively.”

Marina Food may not permanently disappear. Store owners are currently in negotiations for several nearby locations.

Construction is projected to begin as early as by the end of 2016. Reconstruction will likely be com- plete in 2019.

Opinions

4

December 7, 2016

Non-Citizen Voting in SF School Board Elections

Proposition N seeks to amend the city's charter to grant non-citizen parents or guardians of San Francisco Union School District students the right to vote in school board elections

PRo

SUDARSHAN KANNAN

LEO RASSIEUR

copy editor

opinions assistant

Regardless of citizenship status, it is imperative that a parent have a say in their child’s education. San Francisco’s Proposition N would amend the City Charter to allow parents, legal guardians, or caregivers of children under the age of 19 to vote in San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education elections regardless of U.S. citizenship status, so long as the parent, legal guardian, or caregiver meets the City Charter’s minimum age requirements for voting in a municipal elections, they are otherwise not disqualified from voting, and the child resides in the San Francisco Unified School District. The measure would go into effect for the November elections in 2018, 2020 and 2022, and would expire after that unless the Board of Supervisors adopts an ordinance allowing it to continue. A city with a 35 percent immigrant population must be open to people of diverse backgrounds, as rejecting Proposition N would disenfranchise an entire segment of the municipality on an issue in which they possess a crucial stake.

Allowing non-citizens to vote on school board elections allows parents and others caring for children enrolled in the San Francisco Unified School District to have a voice in education policy affecting their children. Given that their children are affected by decisions made by other parents, they are entitled to participate in the process that implements policy that impacts the educational atmosphere of their children. A 2002 study by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory shows that children with parents involved in the education process have improved performance and higher levels of college enrollment. The measure would go into effect for the November elections in 2018, 2020 and 2022, and would expire after that unless the Board of Supervisors adopts an ordinance allowing it to continue. Thus, this proposition may not have long-term impacts upon the city education given that the proposition is only a trial run. This would be a pilot program for expanding voting rights to non-citizens so they can be involved in community politics affecting their lives and their families. Finally, given that San Francisco non-citizen residents pay taxes that fund municipal services and programs including the school district, they are entitled to a vote. Essentially, this comes down to the fundamental principle that taxpayers should have some say in where their money is allocated to and what it is used for.

The issues at hand are whether parents, regardless of citizenship status, should have a voice in deciding educational policy affecting the future of their children, and whether taxpayers have the right to partake in the process of allocating their hard-earned money. More importantly, allowing non-citizens to vote franchises immigrant parents with a vested interest in the policy that impacts their children on a daily basis. As taxpaying residents of San Francisco, non-citizens should be able to voice their concerns about policies that involve the allocation of their tax dollars, a fundamental aspect of a democratic society.

CON

At first glance, passing California’s Proposition N, which would allow non-citizens in San Francisco to vote in school board elections, seems like a no-brainer. Shouldn’t education policy in a city with a 35% immigrant population be open to people of diverse backgrounds? In fact, a 2002 study by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory shows that children with parents involved in the education process achieve higher grades and have improved levels of college enrollment. But this issue is bigger than San Francisco, or any other city in the country. This proposal diminishes the significance of American citizenship and represents a blow to democracy itself.

Suffrage is the primary incentive for U.S. immigrants to become citizens. Historically, elections at every level of government have been decided by slim margins. Democrat Loretta Sanchez won the 1996 congressional election in Orange County, Calif. by just 232 votes — just 0.26% of the total vote count. Sanchez had circumvented the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by calling for non-citizens and illegal immigrants to vote, resulting in the rejection of 624 noncitizen votes in her favor. This discrepancy was only discovered because these voters had previously made citizenship requests. With an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country, it is quite possible that Sanchez owed her slim victory to non-citizens not discovered by the voting process.

In spite of this, the state legislature has consistently dismissed stricter voter citizenship verification, ostensibly in the name of diversity. But by allowing greater liberties for non-citizens, we have inadvertently nullified the votes of citizens themselves. We may idealize that immigrants will vote for candidates and policies which promote equality and diversity, but we cannot create progress by stealing elections from American citizens. It is unreasonable to expect someone who has not passed the citizenship test and may not have an elementary command of the English language — let alone know what the Bill of Rights is — to make educated policy decisions. Some of these immigrants are experiencing democratic government for the first time in the United States. And yet, politicians like Loretta Sanchez have built their careers on this exact demographic. Such occurrences are not unique: 22.4 million immigrants in the United States — more than half of all immigrants — are not citizens, but the vast majority are still able to vote due to ineffective regulations.

That is not to say that we ought to admonish immigrants for lack of civic education. In fact, we should respect them by encouraging them to learn enough about the American system of government to pass a citizenship test. But if we allow Americans who are severely lacking in requisite knowledge to vote, we only exacerbate poor public policy and make it easier for the alt-right to blame immigrants for American struggles. Our stance on school board elections must be the same as our stance on state and federal elections — one must become an American citizen before having the right to vote.

STUDENT ACCESS TO RESEARCH LABS SKEWS SCIENCE FAIR COMPETITIONS UTKARSH TANDON online assistant

We have all heard of the student who has supposedly discovered a new cure for cancer as part of their science fair project. Such claims draw immediate curiosity from judges — they question its overall validity and ask students to back their assertions with significant data and analysis. But questioning stops there. Many of these students, in reality, work in research labs that make any discovery significantly easier to produce. Since judges are often oblivious to these advantages, they sometimes erroneously award recognition and inaccurately evaluate the merit of a student’s contribution to a scientific advancement.

Students who choose to work in labs receive an immediate advantage of mentor support, and in many cases, this can extend far beyond simple guidance. Most of the time, a student will arrive at the lab and on day one be assigned to work on an already undergoing study — a highly professional research project managed by the student’s mentor. While being surrounded by the highest grade equipment and Ph.D. researchers, students are at an advantage to make additions or modifications to the well-established study. These modifications seem significantly more revolutionary than home-based research since they involve complex lab-centric research such as DNA and genebased structuring. But in reality, many students may follow pre-defined procedures by their mentor and then present in their science fair that they achieved the overall goal of the lab’s original research — allowing them to make those broad “I cured cancer” statements.

This already-created platform blurs the line between what the student used from prior research and what they actually invented themselves, thus leading to confusion and inaccuracies in judging. Judges err to the side of the

exact value of what was presented and this leads to the “lab students” receiving potentially unfair recognition.

Many private schools have figured out this loophole and have gone the distance to provide students direct access to accredited lab facilities by using their influence in the science industry.

Most science fair kids from these schools, for example, are pushed to conduct their research in a lab since the school recognizes the inherent edge students receive. These students are not necessarily any more talented or hard working; they simply reap the benefits of the current science fair system in which lab-oriented research is difficult to evaluate due to its intrinsic collaborative environment.

This process therefore perfectly explains why more than 80 percent of winning science fair students come from private schools: the schools support students in their search for laboratories since it improves their overall success rate in fostering victory. On the contrary, students from most public schools do not possess of a direct means of access to lab contacts and thus end up working on their own in home-based settings and have lower success rates in competitions. These students may be developing more applicable and innovative advancements, but they go unnoticed in comparison to students with professional-sounding lab-centric research.

Although highly prestigious science fairs such as Intel/Regeneron STS contact mentors and ask questions about the student’s research environment, most fairs from the regional to national level do not adequately investigate the influence of lab settings and mentorship. Some regional fairs have made feeble attempts to separate students into different categories, but competitions are still failing to value the actual caliber of scientific advancements when comparing one student with another in terms of resources available. There is no need to discourage lab-based research, since many students — even at the high school level — invent incredible disease detection systems with little to no help at all in laboratories. It is simply imperative that stronger measures are taken in all science fairs to accurately judge the merit of a student’s research by considering the extent of third party influence.

December 7, 2016

The Prospector

Opinions

PARTY TIME

5

The political differences between students and parents ANSHUL RAJWANSHI news assistant

This election has been full of interesting historical milestones and trends. The Prospector decided to investigate how political opinions differ between parents and students. The AP Government textbook says that parents are the number one influence on a child’s political viewpoints. To put this theory to the test, an anonymous survey was shared with Cupertino High School students, and they were asked their political points of view and their parents’ points of view. This article is not a traditional opinions piece and is more so a commentary about this study.

Cupertino High School is a majority of minorities on campus. The student body consists of many different groups especially from East Asia and India. One can see an interesting dichotomy in this situation. Some eastern nations, especially when parents come from low-income areas, tend to be more conservative when it comes to social issues such as abortion and gay marriage. As of now the Republican Party is headed towards the far right and is growing more polarized on social issues, with major party leadership supporting radical stances on these wedge issues. That may make parents from these conservative environments more willing to support the Republican party as shown by the 20% of fathers who support the Republican party. Children in Cupertino are influenced by the socially liberal atmosphere on campus which is currently favored by the Democratic Party. This accounts for the 70% of students who identify as Democrats on campus. It should also be noted that mothers tend to be slightly more conservative than their children but significantly less conservative

than fathers. This disparity between mothers and fathers may be because major social wedge issues have to do with sexuality and women’s health. Women may not be as comfortable with supporting a party that takes a hard line, conservative stances on social issues.

One of the most interesting discoveries is that all three demographics have about 20% of people who identify as either independent, third party, or nonpartisan. In a school environment that seems extremely liberal and Democratic, it is interesting to find that about one-fifth of the school does not identify with either major party in politics. When taken in the context of the current election that just passed, this number may be skewed by the timeframe, as many people are discontent with the major parties.

The goal of this study is to show that our school is diverse and that it is important to understand that not everyone on campus thinks exactly like we do. While the study shows that the majority of the school is Democratic it is important for Democrats to also support Republicans and independents to build a strong school community. At the same time, Republicans and independents need to understand that they are in the minority and that they cannot push their values and policies too much. When it comes to protest and political discussion on campus it is pertinent that the school works to make sure no one is disrespected and even if the students can’t be completely inclusive that people don’t feel threatened. Our diversity gives the student body incredible educational experiences to learn from each other and each others’ perspectives. Hopefully, this study can help the school appreciate the diversity that exists on campus and makes the student body politically unique.

STUDENTs’ Party affiliations

FATHERs’ Party affiliations

MOTHERs’ Party affiliations

70% DEMOCRATS

62% DEMOCRATS

70% DEMOCRATS

20% OTHER

18% OTHER

24% OTHER

10% REPUBLICANS

20% REPUBLICANS

6% REPUBLICANS

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THE GLOBAL IMPORTANCE OF TAIWAN

Why America must not abandon it

ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN opinions assistant

The political status of Taiwan as a nation is a widely debated topic in realms of international relations around the world. Although the U.S. is geographically 273 times larger than Taiwan, our nation depends on this country for a variety of reasons.

As Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-Wen continuously presses for distancing the country from China, Beijing has become increasingly aggravated by rhetoric they describe as politically inconsiderate, especially since Taiwan’s political status is a sensitive topic for both countries. While China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, the country itself is already fairly self-sufficient.

However, whenever Taiwan hints at the possibility of officially declaring statehood, China simply reminds Taiwan of their ‘right’ to forced reunification. The resulting tensions in the AsiaPacific region have concerned politicians across America. Many believe that consistent U.S diplomacy with Taiwan could, under extreme circumstances, escalate to a Sino-American war.

Thus, it has become urgent for the U.S. to take action on China’s stiffening stance against Taiwan, whether it is by tightening or discretely disengaging their relationship with the island.

As the latter would only further exacerbate the fragile situation in the region, it is crucial to evade any instance of abandoning Taiwan.

Preserving our alliance with Taiwan is one of our most salient interests in handling matters pertaining to the Asia-Pacific region, as Taiwan aids the U.S. in security, control, influence and relations with other countries.

America’s consistent interactions with Taiwan allow it to

wield heavy influence in the larger vicinity and strengthen its relations with nearby nations. The U.S. has accordingly assumed a military security role in the region. If the U.S. were to renounce Taiwan by withdrawing all connections from the island, simply for the sole purpose of avoiding further provocation of China, it would be sending the message of American unreliability to other nations depending on it for defense purposes. This perception, along with China’s power projection via its absorption of the now-reachable island of Taiwan, would compel countries to find other means of protection through nuclear fortification. Japan, one of the affected countries, would not require much incentive to take drastic measures. As Japan obtains 40% of its energy from nuclear power, if given a reason to feel threatened, the nation could assemble nuclear weapons within a year. The U.S.’s abandonment of Taiwan would potentially alarm the already concerned Japanese public and prompt the manufacture of defensive ordnance despite Japan’s fluid non-nuclear policy. If this were to take place, other countries would be swayed to also build their arsenal, possibly causing a global arms race.

Our relationship with Taiwan grants the U.S. a substantial amount of influence in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, it endorses values of democracy and fundamental human rights, allowing empowered citizens to partake in the governance of their countries. The importance of promoting American ideals not only strengthens our tactical presence, but also encourages governments to democratically reform their countries, bolsters our economic goals and secures our trade agreements. Refreshing our diplomacy with other nations and checking in on our investments allows us to maintain peace and keep the global economy active. Retreating from Taiwan would allow China to easily take

over the island, handing it the opportunity to launch its maritime vessels through its unrestricted east coast ports and easily maneuver through Taiwan’s waters. As China slowly becomes more assertive, America’s stable hegemony will begin to degrade, affecting future American diplomacy with countries in the region.

Considering that China is a nationalist state with its own forms of governing, the transfer of the title of hegemon from the U.S. to China would lead countries to choose undemocratic policies in order to adapt to China’s new political influence in the area.

Nations newly aligned with China could become more hostile to the U.S, weakening the economy and foreign relations of America. This would be detrimental to the strategic diplomatic, political, and economic safes that the U.S. has put in place in the region. Chinese hegemony would also result in the retirement of the U.S. military in Japan and South Korea, a U.S navy deficiency and the imposement of foreign policies on the U.S. The occupation of the seaports of Taiwan would undoubtedly give China an advantage, allowing it to stretch east and limit U.S reach beyond Guam. The U.S power outthrust in this Pacific island is of great implication, considering that much of the U.S weaponry and fuel is harbored in this American base. With limited access to the area, the U.S will be contained in its proximity, unable to expand its power. To While it is important for the U.S to avoid any conflict with China in the status quo, giving up one of our key allies in the AsiaPacific region could lead to the loss of U.S. nuclear deterrence and alliances. Taiwan may seem to be a modest player in the world of prevalent global superpowers, but it holds the strings to keeping the globe afoot.

Features

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December 7, 2016

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James Li

Traditionally work breaks are a time for relaxation, to sit back and take a break from work, but for junior James Li, work breaks are when he gets to have fun and ride go-karts that he helped make.

Li works at Actev Motors, a Silicon Valley startup with a goal to change recreational vehicles.

Said Li, “Silicon Valley is the only place where people have the opportunity to put their ideas forward and create a company that can build all these impressive products.”

Actev Motor’s first product is called Arrow Smart-Kart, a go-kart that parents can control through their smartphones. It includes various safety features such as anti-collision, max speed control, auto stop and geofence. These karts are made specifically for children ages five to nine, but can still be used by people of any age.

Li first heard about the position through his father’s old boss. Initially, the prospect of adding a job to his college list and the fact that the CEO is an MIT alumni intrigued him to apply; however it was Li’s curiosity for startups that truly got him involved.

Li works twelve-hour shifts every couple of weekends. At Actev Motors, Li works on making one part of the product by wrapping wires as a part of the hardware for electronics.

Since the engineers guide Li through the process and the purpose of each part, he still must learn to work with others, despite the fact that Li is the youngest worker there, at age 16.

Said Li, “Everyone stays focused on their job, but it is important to have interpersonal skills, and the ability to work with people, in particular for a startup.”

Li is excited to learn how startups operate and what type of work they do. Specifically, the firsthand experience he gains through learning how the startup works, inspired him.

“A skill I learned is to be focused, punctual, and deliver on what I build all the time,” Li said.

Working at Actev Motors has motivated and influenced Li’s choice of major.

Said Li, “Being around all this technology pushes me to go for electrical engineering in the future.”

As a perk for his work, Li is allowed to test the various prototypes of the startup.

“The most enjoyable part of the job is testing the go-karts. They have a huge parking lot where I get to ride the go-karts. It is cool to test out and to enjoy what I helped create,” Li said.

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While the average student spends the afternoon on homework or school sports, Junior Jeff Ngo uses his first six to eight hours to play “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive,” a first person shooter game. For Ngo, playing video games isn’t laziness; he earns money by playing on a competitive team.

“I play in a league division close to the top in North America. There’s an organization that salaries us to play for them and represent them,” Ngo said.

In recent times, competitive gaming, or eSports, has gained immense popularity with games like “Overwatch,” “League of Legends” and “CS: GO.” There are national and global competitions for top teams, such as the League of Legends World Champions that drew a crowd of almost 20,000 to its final in LA. Opportunities are growing for players to pursue gaming as a career.

“Many people perceive video games as a waste of time, which they pretty much are,” Ngo said. “However, if you have the potential to be good, I think you should take that chance.”

Ngo initially played video games recreationally with friends, but quickly became interested in the competitive side of the game. He began to join teams and learned from the community around him.

“I started from the bottom and then worked myself up through the divisions. I performed pretty well and had good statistics, so other teams saw me for that, and I got picked up. From there I just worked my way up the ladder,” Ngo said.

Athletes will be familiar with Ngo’s method of “staying in shape.” With his team, he devotes hours to practicing and improving communication.

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“You have to be playing the game constantly so you don’t get rusty,” Ngo said. For example, I do aim training so I don’t miss my shot [in a game] when it matters. There’s a lot of team play as well, like I watch demos [reels of previous games] with my team to learn.”

While some may scoff, Ngo considers the game as one passions and seeks a future career playing on a top team. To this end, oritizes practicing over his schoolwork, and gaming has become his main

of his he priextracurricu- lar.

“I don’t manage time the best. I usually play the whole afternoon and only do my homework late at night, which is why my grades aren’t the best,” Ngo said. There’s a lot more potential in me playing this right now than in my education, so I think I should commit to it.”

Jeff’s job is a testament to the vastness of opportunities available to this generation through technology. Whether you agree with his unorthodox priorities or not, it is undeniable that Ngo has courage and ambition.

copy editor

XINYI ZHANG lifestyles assistant AT AN

to those who did not know her directly.

Said Lee, “I would often have the resources but no one to sell them to. No potential customers really knew about [Saturdate].”

Business quickened after Lee set up an Instagram account. The platform allowed Lee to communicate with and advertise to a wider audience, granting Saturdate opportunities to expand its consumer base. Following her Instagram launch, she increased the diversity of clothing items that Saturdate offered, appealing to even more shoppers.

Saturdates’s growing online reputation did not come free of all challenges, however. As school and extracurriculars occupy her spare time, Lee struggles to keep track of all her online orders.

However, Lee believes that her working experience has granted the skills necessary to take on the increasing demand.

Regarding her daily procedures, said Lee, “I learned to manage time better switching to and from my job. I usually spend about 30 minutes to an hour each day processing immediate orders and dealing with the packaging, but I try to plan ahead for future orders when I have a large chunk of time to account for the days when I am busy and procrastinate on the job.”

Her love of the industry and the profitability of her business drive Lee to continue running Saturdate past high school. However, she plans to distribute some of her workload to her parents, who are eager to support her efforts.

Looking back, Lee attributes her success to her tenacity and luck.

Lee recalls, “It seemed intimidating at first, but it all came down to going forward and hoping for the best. You learn most of the finer details afterwards, so the best way is to get experience as soon as possible.”

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A world of e v e r changing trends, the fashion industry is a hectic place for all indulgers. Nevertheless, for senior Megan Lee, tracking the most prominent clothing preferences is just a part of her daily life.

Lee is the founder of Saturdate, an online-based business that retails teenage girls’ clothing and small accessories such as bracelets and necklaces. Established four years ago, Saturdate (www.shopsaturdate. com) now has over 3,500 followers on Instagram and ships to customers around the world.

When she was 13 years old, Lee wanted a unique job that suited her inter- est in fashion but was too young for the industry to hire her. Determined to pursue and profit from her passion, Lee launched Saturdate to allow her to manage the workload at her own pace. With minor help from her parents, Lee established her online market and set out to learn the nuances of managing a business.

Lee chose to take it one step at a time. “I did not really have any expectations in the beginning … I was comfortable even if it took longer for [my business] to grow,” Lee said.

Initially, Lee focused on selling chokers and crystal necklaces because they were easy to find in stores and were popular online. However, Lee was unsure how to effectively market the products

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Although a local cyclery may not seem to be the most exciting place to many, for seniors Kenji Nezu and Kevin Hsieh, working at Evolution Bike Shop brings new adventures every day.

Said Nezu, “A general day consists of fixing scheduled bikes, assembling new bikes, keeping up inventory, following up on orders and dealing with customers. Working at a bike shop is usually busy but sometimes it’s quiet.”

Hsieh fell in love with biking as a freshman.

Said Hsieh, “I started biking to school because I didn’t want my parents driving me to school for the rest of my high school years. I wanted to be independent. I didn’t want to use my old heavy mountain bike, so I bought my own. When it arrived it came partially assembled, so I had to build up the rest. I enjoyed every bit of it. That’s how my interest in bikes started.”

Both Hsieh and Nezu are avid cyclists and have been cycling for many years. Hsieh currently serves as the Treasurer for the Cupertino Bike Club and enjoys road biking in his free time.

Said Hsieh, “I wanted to do something I was interested in rather than rushing to simply get any job. I decided to go for bikes because it was a my hobby and I enjoyed working with them.

Kenji was actually the one who hooked me up with the job a few weeks after school started, and he interviewed me when I was applying here.”

Both Hsieh and Nezu commented that the most challenging part of their job is working with people.

Said Nezu, “You definitely get experience working with different kinds of bikes at a bike shop. You also learn people skills working at a bike shop. When customers yell at you, it’s a good experience to learn how to deal with the situation and not escalate it.”

On a daily basis, bike shop employees see a variety of fixes. “We mostly see flat repairs and tune ups,” said Hsieh. “When there are no repairs to do, we build bikes out of the box, or label and shelf products. We keep the store and work area clean, stocked, and organized.”

Ultimately, though both Nezu and Hsieh have other career plans ahead of them, the skills they gain at the bike shop are a valuable asset for their futures.

“You definitely get to meet new people, gain retail experience, and learn how to be more responsible,” said Nezu. “Time management is a big one, too.”

At the end of the day, working at a bike shop has had a large impact on Kevin and Kenji as cyclists.

Said Nezu, “Working in a bike shop has in some ways taken away time from biking—I’m definitely a lot busier and don’t have as much time on my hands. However, it magnifies your appreciation for a hobby — I began to appreciate bikes so much more after getting this job.”

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Features

The Prospector

Megan Lee

December 7, 2016

Lifestyles

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YOU KNOW MY NAME, NOT MY CULTURE

background check: pearl milk tea

ALLISON LO

lifestyles editor

MEILINDA SUN

Almost everyone in the Bay Area has tried pearl milk tea at some point in their lives, but most people may not know where the drink was created, how the drink When I first heard about Miley Cyrus’ bindi, Kendall Jenner’s cornrows, came about or the drink’s significance in and Katy Perry’s kimonos, I didn’t know how to feel. While many people Taiwanese culture. quickly decried these situations as instances of cultural appropriation and Unlike the average cup of iced tea, expressed their disdain for the practice, I was overcome with feelings of pearl milk tea is a combination of tea, milk ambivalence because I was forced to grapple with the uncomfortable possibility (or occasionally ice cream) and its famous that I too participate in this practice. topping, tapioca pearls. The pearls are My daily dose of pearl milk tea originates from Taiwan. My blue and white made from cassava flour and black sugar, striped shirt is inspired by the uniforms of French seamen in Brittany. My skirt’s then cooked until they reach a chewy pattern is described as an “Aztec print.” If cultural appropriation is ubiquitous, consistency. then I participate in it.

Although tapioca pearls have been What is the distinction between a design influenced and inspired by a around for years, pearl milk tea is a culture, and one that steals and appropriates? What is the difference between relatively new culinary invention. Up cultural appropriation and the cross-cultural exchange that is characteristic of until the 1980s, tea was only steeped and globalization? When does “borrowing” from other cultures cross the line and served hot as per tradition. Teahouses become cultural appropriation? and stands eventually began to serve it Can I eat ethnic foods? Am I permitted to attend cultural festivals that do not as a cold drink after taking inspiration pertain to my own ethnicity? Is it acceptable for me to wear clothing whose prints from the growing popularity of are inspired by design elements from another culture?

Japanese iced coffee.

I do believe that there are many instances in which cultural appropriation is The invention of pearl milk tea inappropriate such as wearing blackface and treating objects of religious significance was a fluke; it made its first appearance as mere accessories without understanding the cultural context behind them. I also in 1987 in Taichung, Taiwan, understand that a culture is not a costume; dressing up as a Native American for when Lin Hsiu Hui, the product Halloween is insulting. Genuine cultural appropriation makes caricatures out of development manager at the Chun civilizations. Sacred religious and cultural objects should not be trivialized. At the Shui Tang teahouse, accidentally same time, I worry about a dangerous slippery slope in which cultures scramble discovered the combination. While to declare ownership over clothing, hairstyles, and designs. I am concerned that bored at a staff meeting, Ms. Lin this brand of ownership cuts off opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and the spontaneously decided to mix fen tolerance that comes with it. Partaking in ethnic customs, attending a Chinese New yuan, a Taiwanese tapioca dessert, Year party and wearing a qipao, for instance, can be valuable opportunities for others with her iced tea. Staff members to learn about Chinese culture. received the unusual combination Like my peers who disparage cultural appropriation, I seek to treat other cultures with enthusiasm, and the resulting and religions with respect. As someone who enjoys fashion, architecture and design, product was added to menus, the discussion surrounding cultural appropriation is important to me because I want to remaining a bestseller in teahouses honor customs and heritage while allowing clothing designers to access a full range of even thirty years later. inspiration. Are the two are mutually exclusive?

Pearl milk tea has many Cultural appropriation confuses me because there exists a murky distinction different names; it is often referred between appropriating and appreciating. While some practices are unacceptable, others to as “bubble tea,” “boba tea” are hotly contested; it is therefore critical that both sides of the broader debate about or even just “boba.”

However, cultural appropriation acknowledge that even the well-intentioned may appropriate inadvertently and that there are some lines that must not be crossed. editor-in-chief

MEDICAL CARE how to respond to medical emergencies Bleeding Wounds

Choking

1. A major indicator of choking is when the patient’s hands are clutching their throat. Other indicators may include inability to talk, gagging, or difficulty breathing.

2. If the patient is choking, call 911.

3. Perform the Heimlich Maneuver if familiar with proper technique. If not, then follow instructions from dispatcher.

4. For steps on how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver, refer to right.

these alternate names carry slightly different meanings that are not entirely correct. The original name of this drink in Mandarin Chinese is zhenzhu naicha, which literally translates into English as “pearl milk tea.” The name “bubble tea” may seem synonymous as the pearls are sometimes called tapioca bubbles, but this term refers to a different drink altogether — a cold, plain tea that has been shaken until a thick layer of foam forms at the top.

The most popular name in the Bay Area for pearl milk tea is perhaps “boba naicha” — a name that is authentic neither in its meaning nor in its origin.

Though many people now understand “boba” to be another name for tapioca pearls, the Chinese phrase actually originated as a vulgar slang term referring to a certain female body part.

For this reason, “boba” is a name used exclusively outside Taiwan.

Pearl milk tea can now be found at nearly every tea stand or cafe in Taiwan. Tea bars have expanded overseas to the U.S., the U.K. and even Australia; especially in metropolitan, culturally diverse areas like San Francisco and New York City, tea houses such as Sharetea and Ten Ren have found their niche. Though not all tea enthusiasts know the story behind pearl milk tea, its growing popularity marks the spread of Taiwanese tea culture worldwide.

NEERALI SHAH sports assistant

Unconsciousness 1.

2.

3.

4.

Lay the person down in an area that is safe and clear.

Check for pulse while calling 911.

Follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

If there is no pulse, perform CPR if certified, or follow the dispatcher’s instructions. If there is a pulse, keep the person comfortable and safe.

Heimlich Maneuver

1. Stand behind the person. Wrap your hands around their waist to tilt them forward slightly.

2. Make a fist with your hand and place it over the patient’s belly.

3. Grasp your other fist and press it hard into their abdomen with a quick, upward thrusts as if you are trying to lift up the patient.

4. Do up to five abdominal thrusts. If the patient still shows signs of choking, repeat this cycle.

*Note: All material in this article is provided for the reader’s information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. If someone needs medical advice, please consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional. In the event of emergency, call 911.

CORNER

1. Wear gloves to prevent transfer of disease.

2. Apply a gauze pad and pressure to stop the bleeding. Apply more gauze as needed.

3. If the bleeding is heavy, call 911.

4. If the patient is impaled, do not remove the object. Leaving the object in can reduce blood loss and prevent further damage.

December 7, 2016

Lifestyles

The Prospector

December 7, 2016

9

GIFT-WRAPPING GUIDE FOR DUMMIES ERIN SONG sports editor

From the various selections of wrapping paper to the ongoing debate of ribbons versus bows, wrapping presents has constantly presented itself (no pun intended) as a challenging task. Fear not, however, for The Prospector brings you a simple guide to wrapping gifts using only wrapping paper and tape!

1.

3.

Find out how much paper you need to use. Cut a sheet of wrapping paper so that there is enough to fold the ends of the paper over more than halfway across the box on each side.

Fold over the paper upwards on the long end of the box. Align the edge of the paper with the edge of the box.

4.

2.

Place box along the longer end of the wrapping paper. Leave just enough paper to fold over the edge of the box.

Fold the other end of the box. Pull the paper tightly, and fold the end of the paper under so that there is a fold along the box edge.

Reluctant to splurge on an entire roll of wrapping paper? Try these creative alternatives to give your gift that unique touch:

+Black paper +chalk lettering +silver ribbon +Brown paper +twine +Old sheet music +Red ribbon

5.

On one end of the package, fold the corners of the paper to make a triangle shape. Fold the straight end of the triangle over, pull it over the edge of the package, and tape it down.

6.

Repeat steps 1-5 with the other end of the package.

Decorate to preference.

+Tissue paper +wide ribbon

TAKING TO THE STREETS evolution of street art in the bay area AISHWARYA LADDHA features editor

Street art is a unique form of expression — one may go so far as to call it urban storytelling. Street art can tell the story of the people and the neighborhood, relaying a humble and powerful tale of experience or emotion.

The most common form of street art, graffiti, popped up around the 1920’s with the rise of gang culture, and was later picked up by neighborhood practitioners. By the 1970’s, graffiti began to serve as a modem to incite a movement or change, especially with the surrounding social revolutions occurring.

Nowadays, street art does not always have to be charged with messages; it can simply be an act of bringing chaos or beauty to the otherwise blank city canvas.

Keeping in mind that there is a difference between an act of vandalism and street art in this context, street art is a sophisticated cultural phenomenon — one that has evolved and catalogued the poli-cultural struggles and revolutions of the people.

Through its murals, images, and messages, street art proves its worth as both a modern art form and as a voice of the city. The almost rebellious nature of street art, since they are found on the sides of buildings and tunnels instead of in museums, adds a layer of artistic infrastructure to a city.

Street art is a hidden world. You don’t expect to see it, you stumble upon it.

And its subversive culture pervades every community, including our own.

Said a Tino student who chooses to remain anonymous, “There are definitely spots in Cupertino, including some pretty big ones that are done by pretty big names from ALL PHOTOS MEILINDA SUN ALL PHOTOS BYBY MEILINDA SUN

East Coast labels, that will come over and ‘tag’ [a signature indicating your art]. There are a couple big artists from San Francisco and a couple from LA that are pretty popular.

They’ve done murals underneath the highway tunnels.”

Due to their inconspicuous nature, when these art “spots” are found, it is like finding an easter egg but in real life.

Said the student, “Nobody really shares spots, so when you do go looking for spots, it is like you are on your own. For me, it is exciting when you find someone that has a big name and you find one of their tags somewhere.”

But street art is a flexible term that is not limited to just graffiti. The subway scene of New York has evolved into a contemporary art process; artists are often commissioned to make the urban commute a lighter process.

Just recently, a colorful sight greeted the New York commuter’s early morning: thousands of post-it notes lined the walls of the underground for passerby to write their emotions or thoughts on following the election. The artist of the project, Matthew Chavez, titled his piece, “Subway Therapy.”

Recently, a project was discovered in Cupertino: a group handpainted grey electric boxes dotted around Cupertino with colorful environmental awareness scenes and messages. Similar city beautification through street art projects have occurred in South Korea, where a group of designers painted streets with a hydrochromic paint; the painted streets reveal their colorful designs only when the rain washes the city.

Street art distinguishes itself from the constricted art community as a voice for the public, and while we may never actively participate in street art, there is certainly a lot to appreciate about it.

10 Sports GIRLS SOCCER BEGINS SEASON WITH INTENSE SCRIMMAGE December 7, 2016

CAROLINE GEE copy editor

On Friday, Nov. 18, Cupertino High’s varsity girls’ soccer team challenged Branham High School on home turf. The final score was 0-1 in favor of Branham, but the Tino girls still gave an encouraging performance for their first game of the season.

In the first 15 minutes of the match, Tino’s defense was constantly under pressure as the ball was almost always on their side. Branham’s left forward soon made her presence known on the field, as Tino’s defense had to block a number of her dangerous crosses.

Said junior Brittany Perrier, who plays right and left forward, “In the beginning, we were not very organized and we were trying to force the ball. Instead, we should have tried to pass back more often.” After those initial 15 minutes, however, Tino’s offense was able to connect tricky passes in the midfield and take some shots on goal.

Branham’s speedy forwards forced Tino goalie and freshman Lyric Rosa O’Hayer to make a multitude of close saves. Rosa O’Hayer frequently stepped out of the goal to charge at her approaching opponents, leaving the net wide open. Twice during these instances, center back and senior Nicole Zamora Caballero made spectacular saves by kicking the ball away just before it was about to cross the goal line.

After a half-time talk from varsity girls’ soccer coach Gavin Goes, the girls returned to the field and almost immediately advanced onto Branham’s side of the field.

Said Goes about his pep talk, “We talked about the forwards checking in more, rather than simply drifting along with the play, and the outside forwards getting nice and wide so that when we sent the ball wide, it [would create] more space in the middle.”

In the middle of the second half, Branham’s offense succeeded in scoring a point — their forward charged down the left side of the field before crossing the ball to a teammate who shot the ball high into the back net. Undeterred, Tino’s players maintained composure and continued to implement their style of possession and ball movement for the rest of the game.

Although the final score ended with Tino losing by one point, Goes does not view

JENN ZARATAN

the loss as a failure. “I was not really concerned about winning,” Goes said, considering that this was the team’s first game. “I was concerned about playing well, keeping our shape well and keeping the ball well — and I think in the second half, we did a lot better at that.”

SHOOTING HIGH: GIRLS BASKETBALL NARROWLY WINS FIRST GAME OF THE WINTER SPORTS SEASON

JENN ZARATAN

JOSEPHINE ROBINSON online editor

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, the girls Cupertino Varsity basketball team played its first scrimmage of the year against Mountain View High School. It was a tight game, with Tino winning 43-42.

The CHS team dominated the first quarter, leading by the end 16-6. Sophomore Sahana Krishnamurthy (#34) won the tip-off, and junior Selena Wang (#5) scored the first point. During an intense second quarter, the teams each scored 10 points.

In the second quarter, sophomore Conny Yang (#4) stole the ball and scored from under the net, also known as a layup. Although Yang got fouled, she managed to win her team another free throw.

Then with a minute left in the quarter, Senior Rilizza Isla (#1), made two successful layups. With 10 seconds remaining in the first half of the game, Yang made a successful block, effectively defending against the Mountain View High School team.

However, during the third and fourth quarters, Mountain View gave the CHS girls a run for their money, leading 11-4 and 15-13 respectively.

During the third quarter, however, Yang stole the ball, followed by a layup made by Isla. In the fourth quarter, junior Adeline Liu (#11) stole the ball and made a layup, followed by yet another layup by senior Kayla Kaneshiro (#2).

The girls basketball team has noted that teams from other schools tend to hold a height advantage.

Even with a height disadvantage, however, the Pioneers still managed to play successfully.

Said sophomore Kimberly Yamaguchi (#10), “The scrimmage went as expected. We expect that every other team is going to be taller than us–we have a pretty short team. But I feel like we have some advantages in that our players tend to be faster and better shooters.”

The intense scrimmage revealed the tight-knit bonds formed between the players. “During the scrimmage, we learned what we did well on and what we have to work on, I think we supported each other well, we were like a family,” said Wang.

As seven seniors graduated last season, the team also welcomed the season with six new girls on the varsity team.

“There is an addition of six more sophomores on our team. We spend hours together every day and six days a week together, so we bonded pretty well, and occasionally we go to lunch or breakfast together. I think that we just have to learn how to play with each other and work on communication.” said said Wang.

Despite the relatively strong dynamic of the team, the addition of several new members on the team requires increased efforts in communication and collaboration.

Said Yamaguchi, “Since the six new players moved up from JV, I think we have a pretty good bond, but we need to learn how to work together.”

During practice, the players try to help each other as much as they can, with the shared goal of improving themselves both individually and together as a team.

“I think we need to work on shooting. The practice is more like a scrimmage, so it’s like playing against other teams, and it gives the new players a taste of what it’s like to play against other varsity teams,” said Yamaguchi.

The beginning of a new season also brings forth a need to condition and practice with each other.

Said senior Kayla Kaneshiro, “We try to practice hard against each other, we have to remember not to slack off during practice. If we do not play rough defense, then we are not improving our teammates. We also need to focus on shooting because our team is small, so shooting is important.”

The girls are prepared to compete in additional games and tournaments successfully, including one taking place in San Luis Obispo, hoping that their rigorous practices will pay off.

“I hope we win Leagues and make it to CCS, and I think that overall we will have a good season,” Wang said.

Athlete spotliGHT: AILBHE WALLIS LILY ROSEN MARVIN online editor

“Rowing is pretty rare. Most people don’t know about it. It started because my cousin is on the Irish National team. He’s crazy good at it, and he was able to get my brother into it, and then my brother got me into it,” said senior Ailbhe Wallis. Wallis is a member of the Los Gatos Rowing Club’s Varsity Women’s team where she has rowed competitively for six years.

Wallis tried many sports, including soccer, swimming, and water polo, before discovering her passion for rowing.

“It’s funny because one of the reasons I like rowing so much is because it is so incredibly difficult,” Wallis said. “Most people think it’s only an arm sport, but you have to use your legs and everything. One of the things that’s cool about rowing is that anyone can do it decently but doing it well is hard. I feel like in a lot of sports you start and right away you know it’s not your thing, but with rowing, everyone can do it. I was good at soccer but not good enough that I could get recruited to an Ivy league for it. I tried rowing, and I just knew that I liked it so much more.”

One of Wallis’s favorite things about rowing is the friendships she has made with her teammates.

“Obviously I’m crazy biased, but the closeness you have with your rowing teammates is unlike anything I have had playing a different sport. A lot of people talk about how they are close with their teammates and how they go to parties together and hang out. For me, if my car breaks down in the middle of nowhere at night I don’t call my parents, I call my bow seat. That’s not even a joke. You get closer than family. My friends on the rowing team know me better than my parents.”

For Wallis, her six years of hard work and dedication continue to pay off.

Starting next fall, Wallis will be a Freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, a Division I institution, where she has been recruited to become a member of the women’s rowing team.

December 7, 2016

Sports

The Prospector

WRESTLING GRAPPLES WITH NEW TURF IN FIRST MATCH

11

ELEMENTS OF WRESTLING

CHRISTINA SHAO sports assistant

On Nov. 29, the Cupertino wrestling team experienced a unique change in turf for its season opener.

In contrast to the usual indoor location in the campus mat room, the team held its first match on the CHS football field, hauling large wrestling mats on the field that captured the attention of several students. The meet, which took place at 6 p.m. against Leigh High, consisted of both girls and boys matches.

The team decided to change the location of its meet under the bright lights of the football field to increase coverage. The attempt to attract attention from the student body certainly proved successful, with dozens of intrigued students crowding to spectate the Cupertino wrestlers tackle their opponents as well as the cold.

However, wrestling outside in the cold weather presented new, unique challenges for the athletes. The cold weather in particular had thrown some minor challenges during the event for the wrestlers, who are more accustomed to performing indoors.

Said senior Christophe Peters, “It is a very different experience than what we are used to. It actually got so cold outside that there was some ice on the mat. It was very difficult to wrestle because we were slipping on the mat the whole time.”

Despite the difficulties with cold air and slippery mats, the teams on both Cupertino and Leigh handled the unfamiliar wrestling environment with good humor and sportsmanship. Said Peters, “There was one instance where my opponent slipped and just fell on his stomach. If I had gotten behind him, I could have scored. I tried to go for him, and I also fell. We just fell at the same moment. That happened to a lot of other people too. It was funny sometimes to watch.”

Peters has noted that the wrestling team has worked particularly hard, compared to its usual light pre-meet practices, in preparation for its first meet. Although most athletic teams struggle at the beginning of their seasons due to out of practice players, the wrestling team was determined to

1. STANCE

2. SHOT

A good stance involves a wrestler keeping his or her back slightly rounded, head up, and eyes focused on the opponent. Legs should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

3. PIN

The shot is a vital component of a wrestling match. The wrestler steps forward between his or her opponent’s legs and grabs one or both legs.

The half-nelson is one of the most common pins. Wrestlers slide their palms on the back of their opponents’ heads and push them forward to pin them.

make its first meet a memorable one.

Said Peters, “I think our coach thought we were slacking off too much the day before because it was a lighter practice and we were not trying as hard. Once he convinced us to work harder, it gave us a better mentality.”

The historic meet started out with sophomore Pranjal Mishra’s match. At the beginning, her opponent tried to hold her down, but Mishra quickly recovered. After exchanging multiple attempts at pins with her opponent, Mishra eventually lost 3-1. Even though she lost her first match, Mishra came back to win a match later in the night.

Even though the wet mat presented a tough challenge for the athletes, Cupertino ultimately won the meet in the end. To prepare for the rest of their season, Peters thinks that the team can work harder on conditioning and technique.

Needless to say, the wrestlers look forward to returning to the familiarity of the indoor mat room.

MONTHLY SCOREBOARD BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 0-0-0

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER: 1-1-0

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 1-0-0

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER: 2-1-0

WRESTLING: 1-0-0 Scores courtesy of MaxPreps

Free Seminars - ivy.gl/seminars Getting into Top Colleges Saturday at 10am

CHS CHEER TEAM: A CLOSER LOOK

Leadership Development for High School Students Saturday at 11am

CATHERINE SEOK

PETER MARTIN

Managing Stress Saturday at 1pm 7 Habits of Highly Effective Students Saturday at 2pm

opinions editor

As the Winter Showcase Rally approaches, performance groups school wide prepare for the show. According to junior Meesha Reiisieh, the Cupertino High School cheer team is no exception.

Said Reiisieh, “A few weeks before the rally starts we start learning our dance, which is about 45 seconds to a minute. Once you’ve cleaned up the dance and made it look perfect, then we start doing our formation for the routine. It’s really critical our formations are created in a way that every member of the student group is close to each other so when we transition we can get there more efficiently. Once we’ve perfected the dances we typically start on our stunts. We either do individual stunts or we do a pyramid where in some way all the girls are somehow connected.

In those weeks leading up to a rally, practice ramps up. “We typically dedicate all of our practices the weeks leading up to the rally all towards the rally routine and we practice an hour and a half to two hours every day of the week except Wednesday,” Said Reiisieh. “A typical practice would start with running to warm up, and then we would stretch to make sure we can do all of our jumps and be flexible for the routine. We typically start off with the dance, and we make sure it looks clean. If it does we can move on to stunts. If we have extra time during practice we work on individual stunts, but typically leading up to rallies we don’t have that extra time, so we focus on the pyramid or the rally stunt.”

For the upcoming rally, the cheer team has new plans in preparation for the event.

“For this rally we’re trying something new in terms of stunts and in terms of the dance,” said Reiisieh. “One of the things that we’re trying out that’s new is walking and moving while we’re in a stunt, which is extremely difficult because you’re holding a 100 pound girl and walking. We’ve also learned some new things that aren’t necessarily traditional cheer. There’s been some controversy about that on the team, but I think in the end we all know that it’ll work out.”

“The cheer team has evolved in more than just technique,” said Aparna Shakkarwar, senior and one of the four cheer team captains Shakkarwar has noted a distinct improvement in the relationships between the cheerleaders.

Said Shakkarwar, “My freshman year there was a lot of drama between the girls, it wasn’t that great. Since then we’ve definitely become much closer as a team. We’ve bonded more, we get along more. I also think we’ve improved skill wise, both stunts-wise and dancing. I think we are better and we have a lot more potential.”

We are offering over 50 free books to Cupertino HS students.

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Flip Side

December 7, 2016

12

NOVEMBER IN PHOTOS a

JENN ZARATAN

CATHERINE SEOK

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

WINTER FORMAL FASHION FALL SHOW | Senior Hilary UNITY VIGIL | Sophomore COMEDY HOUR SHOW | Oglesby performs in CAT’s first Sandhya Tiku writes on a post- Junior Alex Gorvitovskiy per- SHOW | Juniors Saloni Dangshow of the year, The Drowsy it wall created by the organiz- forms as a part of Comedy oria and Aditya Lakshmanan model in the fashion show Chaperone ers of the Unity Vigil Hour’s improvisation show

CATHERINE SEOK JENN ZARATAN

WINTER SHOWCASE RALLY | Senior Ziba Jafari performs with the cheer team during the last rally of the semester

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS what’s your budget? more than 25 less than 15 15 to 25 what type of person are you giving a gift to?

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Finals

December and January

Monday, Dec. 12 - Thursday, Dec. 15

School Resumes Tuesday, Jan. 3

Winter Formal

Martin Luther King Day

Mid Year Break

SAT

Thursday, Dec. 15

Monday, Dec. 19 - Monday, Jan. 2

Monday, Jan. 16

Saturday, Jan. 21

COURTESY OF ILYA OREHOV

CATHERINE SEOK

the turning pointe JUSTINE QIU photo assistant

A lot goes through my mind the few seconds before I go on stage; I catch myself thinking about the moves, the music, and even the lights, but one thing that never fails to cross my mind is the reason why I’m about to go on stage. Even though I’m almost always running through the wings in the last second and tripping over the wires on the floor, I always remember the first time I performed The Nutcracker as a little gumdrop, and my vow to work as hard as I could to become the Sugar Plum Fairy.

That vow didn’t go exactly as planned. Growing up, I was constantly bullied in the studio by both my peers and teacher. By the time I was nine, I would lock myself in the bathroom and wouldn’t show up to class until forty-five minutes later. As time went on, I began shutting out any emotions I had: anger, sadness, and the little bit of happiness I had. My mom noticed this and withdrew me from the academy.

I thought I had left any dreams of becoming a prima ballerina behind me when I left my studio. I never wanted to see The Nutcracker ever again, because anything that had to do with it reminded me of the pain that everyone caused me. However, my mom knew that I still had a dream to hang on to, and however much I begged her not to send me back to a ballet studio, she did.

To me, moving studios never really made a difference because I didn’t ever find a place where people straight out accepted me and didn’t treat me like an outsider. Even at the academy I chose to stay at, my classmates scoffed at me during warmups and sent me demeaning emails and texts. At that point, I decided that I didn’t need to be friends with anyone and that I was there to dance and nothing else. However, when I started to improve, my classmates began opening up to me more, and my mindset eventually evolved. Though the gap in my heart took time to fill, it wasn’t too long before they became some of the best friends I’ve ever had.

Despite all the ups and downs throughout the years, I have never missed a single Nutcracker performance. Looking back, everything I went through was worth it, and after moving up to roles like the Flower Queen and Snow Queen, I finally debuted in the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy when I was fourteen. It may be my last year performing in The Nutcracker, but memories of performing such a special ballet with some of my best friends will always hold a special place in my heart.