Issue 4 - January 2018

T U ES DAY, J A N UA RY 30, 2018

VOLUME 60 NO. 4

FLIP SIDE page 16

Supreme INSIGHTS page 12

LIFESTYLES page 8

Space vs. ocean exploration

Hypebeast culture

Uncovering sexual harrassment at CHS

The presence of SoundCloud

Sports page 11

OPINIONS page 5

Finding value in volunteering

The Prospector

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Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

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FRESHMEN CLASS OF 2021 TO DONATE APPAREL MONEY TO VICTIMS OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

CATHERINE SEOK

AASHNA SHAH lifestyles assistant

On Jan. 1, The 2021 class council announced that it will be donating 50 percent of their apparel profits to the United Way Bay Area Wildfire Relief, an organization that assists residents in the North Bay who were affected by the wildfires. All donations to United Way Bay Area Wildfire Relief go to those affected by the recent Bay Area wildfires. This will help in providing basic needs, services to individuals and help fund food and rent costs to those who have “lost employment, case management services and mental health counseling.” The idea arose when the class council was brainstorming on how the apparel sales could benefit the community.

Said Jonathan Dinh, 2021 class president, “Our advisors told us to think about ways that we could give back, so then I started thinking about how the wildfires were happening and I wanted to do something more local rather than donating to a big organiza-

tion, so I brought the idea to the council. Everybody was pretty on-board with it.” Dinh got the idea after seeing the aftermaths of the wildfires and the hundreds of people who were impacted.

Said Dinh, “I saw everything in the news and how people are dying, and everything has been destroyed for a lot of people. The fact that it’s happening so close and it’s not too far away just makes it more real.”

The 2021 class council is anticipating high apparel sales. Said Vinayak Bagdi, class of 2021’s vice-president, “Apparel sales are going really well. I think we’ll make a good profit from our apparel and a good amount of that money will go to what we are trying to fundraise for. Right now, we have over 120 people who have ordered, which is a lot more than I was expecting. Our goal, as council, is that we want to get to 160 orders, so by the time apparel sales close, I hope we’ve reached that goal.” Many freshmen have been motivated to buy apparel this year, knowing that the money they spend is helping thousands in the Bay Area.

Said freshman Soumya Sridhar, “I’m glad that a lot of the

NEW SIGN LANGUAGE CLUB LILY ROSEN MARVIN online editor

On Jan.12, the American Sign Language (ASL) club held its first-ever meeting. The club is designed to be similar to a language class in which students will learn vocabulary and engage in skill-building activities, only in sign language.

Members will meet every other Friday to learn new signs and practice. The officer team has designed a curriculum for this semester and is excited to share it with their members.

Said sophomore and vice president Aarabhi MICHELLE MA

ASL CLUB | Officers Anagha Atawale, Aarabhi

Achata and Pavana Atawale spell out “ASL” using sign language

Achanta, “the plan is to teach ASL basically the way [the officers] learned. Starting out with basic conversation and moving onto more advanced words and topics. Towards the end of the semester we want to have small group discussions about relevant issues either in the deaf community or in current events.”

The team hopes to give their members a basic understanding of ASL with this semester serving as an introductory course. However, the officers are hoping to build a curriculum that goes beyond an average language class. They will also be teaching members about the deaf community and some of the issues they face.

Said Achanta, “We figured out that a lot of people don’t know about [ASL] and there is this barrier between deaf and hearing people. We wanted to help bring that together.”

In an attempt to help bridge that gap the officer team is hoping to bring in guest speaks to talk to the club about their experiences and some of the issues the deaf community faces.

Said Achanta, “My dad and his side of the family are deaf. Maybe one of them could come in and talk to us in ASL and we could either translate or get an interpreter. It would also be super cool to see if [members] could follow some of the main points

CHS ASL, continued on page 2

money is going to a good cause, especially because I wasn’t really planning on buying apparel until junior or senior year. The fact that they are donating the profits made me want to buy the apparel this year as well.”

Said 2021 rally chair Diya Aggarwal, “A lot of people have actually come up to me and asked where we’re donating it, and after we told them all of the information, they said that was great and they would buy the apparel.

However, many students have expressed a concern that donating this money will lead to less funds when the time comes for the class of 2021’s junior and senior prom.

Said Aggarwal, “Although we are going to have less money, we all agree that it’s worth it because even though we might have a couple hundred dollars less, we can always do more fundraisers to make that up.”

The 2021 class council is eager to donate money that will improve the lives of many people in the Bay Area and help the general populace.

CHS TO ADOPT NEW SCHEDULE IN AUGUST XINYI ZHANG copy editor

Urged on by inconsistent district-wide schedules and poor student sleep habits, the Fremont Union High School District publicized their goal of creating a more consistent “late-start” schedule during the 2016-2017 school year. After narrowing down two possible schedules with a staff vote held midJanuary, Cupertino High School FUHSD has decided now has two possible schedules for schools to adopt next August. After a staff vote held mid-January, Cupertino High School is projected to implement the variant with four block days each week.

As with any major change to school operations, the district needed sufficient evidence that the transformation will prove beneficial. After-school activities, class and teacher collaboration time, state laws and survey results were all factors in the schedules’ formulation. According to a FUHSD superintendent letter posted last June, the one year delay between the plan’s confirmation and implementation was necessary to ensure an optimal plan along with a successful district-wide transition.

Careful consideration yielded two potential candidates for a final schedule that met the two main goals of the school district. One features four block days per week (with Monday being the non-block) while the other is structured similarly to the one currently in use.

However, there was no consensus on which to implement among the schools. In the end, the district left the choice to the schools themselves. This gave teachers and staff at each site additional flexibility in determining what CHS New Schedule, continued on page 3

News

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

The Prospector

S TA F F 2017-2018

2018 CALIFORNIA STATE LAWS online editor Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LX, No. 4 | 2018 editors-in-chief allison lo ethan qi news editor santosh muralidaran opinions editor leo rassieur features editor nico chilla lifestyles editor catherine seok insights editor christina shao

INTRODUCTION

sports editor neerali shah flip side editor caroline gee copy editors esha radhakrishnan saagar sanghavi xinyi zhang amy zeng

The California State Legislature passed numerous Assembly and Senate Bills in 2016 and 2017, many of which took effect in January 2018.

MINIMUM WAGE California Senate Bill No. 3 increased the statewide minimum wage to $10.50/hour for business with less than 25 employees and to $11.00/hour for businesses with 26 or more employees. The minimum wage in Cupertino is now $13.50/ hour, a $1.50/hour increase from last year. Surrounding cities have also raised their local minimum wage by the same amount, with Mountain View and Sunnyvale now paying employees $15.00 an hour.

BILL NO. 3

online editors edward hsu lily rosen marvin

CALIF. MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION California became the sixth state to allow the sale of recreational marijuana for individuals between ages 21 and over after voters approved California Proposition 64 in 2016. Businesses selling marijuana are not permitted to sell the drug if they are located within 600 feet of a school, youth center, or day care. As part of California Senate Bill No. 65, smoking and consuming the drug remains illegal while operating a vehicle and in all public places.

The legalization of marijuana has raised concern as to whether the proposition puts profit in front of public health and whether the growing visibility of the drug will lead to increased usage by minors. Because marijuana still remains illegal at the federal level, the drug is prohibited from being mailed or crossing state line.

PROPERTY OF THE PROSPECTOR

EDWARD HSU

PROPERTY OF THE PROSPECTOR

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CALIF. PROPOSITION NO. 64 COURTESY OF HENRI SIVONEN

COLLEGE The first year of community college is now free to residents of Calif who no longer have to pay $46/ academic unit fee.

BILL NO. 19

STATE CAPITOL | The California State

Capitol building is located in Sacramento, California

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FUHSD LOTTERY FOR LYNBROOK

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sports assistant

features assistants

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ashley kang

With a growing number of students attending Cupertino High School and fewer people attending Lynbrook High School each year, the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) began a lottery process so that middle students living in the Hyde-Cupertino area would be allowed to apply for a slot to attend Lynbrook High School.

FUHSD originally planned to alter high school boundaries to ensure that some of those middle schoolers attend Lynbrook, but the district decided against it, some members of the community believing that new boundaries to be unfair and disruptive to school environments. Although the decision was made under the full jurisdiction of the FUHSD Board of Trustees, the board wanted a community-supported decision, thus holding meetings and forming a district-wide citizens advisory committee to allow people to address their concerns about attendance boundary changes.

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

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

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

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ANTHONY ZHU

Said advisory committee member Wes Morse, “Students who live in the Hyde area of Cupertino High School would be offered the choice as to whether they would want to enter a lottery for the chance to attend Lynbrook.”

Last year, all students who applied for the lottery were accepted. This helped stabilize the student population of Lynbrook, but many remain concerned.

Said sophomore Naren Ramesh, “The main complaint from my brother [who currently attends Hyde Middle School] is that he is going to lose all the relationships he has made with the people at Hyde. Lynbrook is also a more competitive school, and coming from a school with a [poorer] academic reputation like Hyde, he might fall behind on the academic curve.”

Naren also recognizes the benefits of attending Lynbrook. “On the other hand, Lynbrook might provide academic opportunities more suited for him.”

Although this issue has led to conflicted feelings from the students at Hyde, the FUHSD’s lottery system seems to be working so far.

CHS ASL

continued from page 1 of the discussion and maybe after they could reflect on how much they learned and what they didn’t know.”

At their first meeting, the club was full of many enthusiastic members, excited to learn the new language.

Said sophomore Emily Kondo, “I’m trying to go to every meeting I possibly can so that way I can pick up as much information as possible.”

However, ASL club is not without its challenges. As the only language club with no accompanying class, it will be entirely up to the student officers to adapt their curriculum as the club moves forward.

Said Achanta, “We know next year we’ll have new people coming in that don’t know anything and returning people who have already done the basics. Working with different levels is kind of a difficulty.

We’re planning on maybe separating the club and having two separate exercises or powerpoints.”

However, despite these obstacles, the officer team is thrilled to be creating a new kind of language learning experience.

Said president and sophomore Anagha Atawale, “We want the club to be a community so that we can support each other and learn ASL together. We don’t want it to be strict like a classroom. We want it to be something where we are all on a journey together and we are all learning together.”

NEWS BRIEFS HS CAREER FAIR Cupertino High School’s annual career fair is slated to take place on Feb. 2, where invited professionals from various fields will present to students about their occupations.

As usual, its goal is to aid students, especially graduating seniors, in determining what careers they might be interested in pursuing. CHS is planning on hosting police officers, wedding planners, and many more.

S CO R E B O A R D As of a few months ago, the display board located on the side of the gym, next to the analog clock in the quad, has been broken. It was caused by part failure, and Cupertino ASB is currently deliberating on the best solution for the situation. Two main options being considered. Those are options include replacing the board completely, or upgrading it to a color-screen variant.

JAPANESE NHS This year, Tino’s Japanese Honor Society club for students taking a Japanese class at Cupertino High, will be participating in Japan Bowl, a Japanese language competition created by the Japan-America society. This competition assesses students on their “knowledge of Japanese culture, society, daily life, history, geography, and current events.”

COMPILED BY ETHAN QI

News

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

Alexandria Yao competes at 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships SUDYUT YUVARAJ features assistant

On Jan. 6, former Cupertino High School student Alexandria Yao competed in the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating National Championships, held at SAP Center in San Jose. A total of 15 teams competed in the Senior Division’s Pair event, including Yao and her partner Jacob Simon.

This year marked Yao’s fourth appearance at the National Championships and was Yao’s debut in the Senior level, in which she competed against the top figure skaters in the nation.

Yao attended Cupertino High up to her sophomore year before moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to pursue pairs figure skating.

She currently attends Connections Academy, an online high school, and lives in Colorado Springs where she trains at the World Arena alongside U.S. Olympians.

Winning Senior Pairs and 2018 Olympians, Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim, train alongside Yao every day.

“I look up to Alexa and Chris as role models,” said Yao, “They’re amazing.”

To prepare for her Senior debut, Yao worked with her partner to develop “higher level elements,” and sharpened her skills on and off the ice. Each day, Yao wakes up at around 6:30 a.m. to go to the rink and skates until 3 p.m.

Then, she continues with off-ice activities such as working out and recovery until late in the evening. Yao finishes the day with academics usually spending the rest of the night. This schedule repeats, 6-days a week, with her day off usually spent on school work.

This work is not unrequited, as choreography is extremely time consuming, and perfecting full routines is very difficult. To choreograph a routine, Yao works with a personal choreographer for two hours every day, for around a week.

However, the choreography is never truly finished as coaches add and modify elements to tailor-fit the routine to the team.

There are two programs to choreograph, the short program, and the free skate. The short program lasts up to two minutes and fifty seconds and requires techniques of every element, including a lift, throw, jump, death spiral and spin. The free skate, also called the long program, is generally four minutes and forty seconds, and is dedicated to demonstrating stamina and technical mastery of skating.

At 17, Yao, was one of the youngest skaters present at the Championships and competed against many skaters with more experience than her and her partner.

The day after her arrival in San Jose for the Championships, Yao fell ill

CHS New Schedule Aug. 2018 continued from page 1

would be best for themselves and students.

Aside from the start time, 8:00 a.m., both schedules also contain other changes from the original.

Said english teacher Lynn Chen, “Another thing [the district] felt was necessary was more time for students to work freely and more time for teachers to work together so they can put out better lessons. All the schedules had to meet the criteria: a later start time, three Tutorials, and two collaborations.”

Furthermore, block periods will be extended to 90 minutes while regular periods will be shortened to 45 minutes. Tutorials will now occur on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The periods assigned to each

All the [proposed] schedules had to meet the criteria: a later morning start time, three tutorials, and two [teacher] collaborations each week.”

- Teacher Lynn Chen block day were also shifted.

Chen and other teachers share concerns about the new class times.

“We are used to 50 minute periods and 80 minute block periods; teachers feel like 45 minutes are too short and 90 minutes are too long. That’s not an issue we have control over, but that’s an issue students will talk about,” Chen said.

The class times were key in the final decision between the two schedules. It was essentially a choice between long classes spread-out between subjects and shorter classes one after the other. Those in favor of the double-block schedule cite lightened stress-levels for students, especially on

with the flu. The illness took a significant toll on her physically and considerably influenced her performance the next day.

Said Yao, “I couldn’t even stand, I was so uncomfortable. Not being able to stand, and having to compete the next day was really rough mentally.

I wasn’t even sure if I could go out there and skate but I definitely knew I wanted to step out on the ice. It’s my hometown, and my Senior level debut, I definitely had to go out there.”

Even with her sickness, Yao seized her “opportunity to step out on the ice and skate [her] best,” placing 14th in the Senior Pairs event with a short program score of 40.97 and a free skate score of 87.15, adding up to a total score of 128.12. Yao and her partner placed 15th in the short program, but were able to jump ahead into 14th place due to their higher free skate score.

Yao stated that she will be pursuing higher education and plans to attend university in her near future. Figure skating in college is a prospect that Yao is considering, but it is unclear whether or not she will enter the collegiate arena.

She did not confirm if she would still be skating at the time of the next Olympic qualifier, but she did assert that for her, furthering her education is extremely important.

3

A BRIGHT PERSPECTIVE INTRODUCTION Often times, the news stories we see on main stream media are about unfortunate events that occur around the world and are centered around dark topics. Thus, the Prospector staff have decided to share three recent stories to reveal some good and positive news events that we feel ought to be shared and are unfortunately overshadowed by the negative news that tends to dominate our media story consumption.

SAUDI

ARABIA

For the first time in 35 years, Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on commercial theaters. On the weekend of Jan. 13, the first movie screenings were opened to the public, which included the debut of The Emoji movie and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie in Jeddah. This policy represents a significant shift in the ultra-conservative government’s restrictions, and allows for a better lifestyle for Saudi Arabians.

POLICE FORCES

COURTESY OF ALEXANDRIA YAO

U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS | Alexandria Yao and Jacob Simon perform a death spiral during the short program

Mondays, when most homework for all classes is due on the following day. Their opposition stood behind the easier transition process and the lesser need to tweak and experiment with the current curriculum.

For the athletics department, however, the onset of the later end time results in another layer of complications. P.E. teacher James Gilmore prefers the double-block schedule but sees it as an obstacle to afterschool sports.

“It’s going to be tough. The one-to-seven day should have been on Friday, because many people have games on Fridays. People will have trouble getting to events because school ends with sixth period at a later time. Athletes usually have seventh period free, for those with six classes, they should look at what days their games are even out their schedules accordingly.”

Before the vote, most teachers have asked their students on which schedule they would favor.

For Chen’s ELD class, the response was mixed, as was the general sentiment among the student population.

Said a junior who wished to remain anonymous, “Since I have a free first, the day would seem longer because I go to school later anyways. I like the original schedule the best, because it is the most consistent and less troublesome for students with [extracurriculars] after school. The additional tutorials are nice, but sometimes it is hard to focus on work.”

Others, like sophomore Sid Sridhar, have a clear preference for the modified block schedule. “Although [teachers] may shove tests on the non-block Monday, it takes less stress out because there are two days to do homework and longer class periods with more time for assessments, lecturers and labs.”

As students have different study habits, attention spans and personal schedules, it is impossible to please everyone.

“Both schedules had things we wish we could change,” Chen exclaimed.

The coming months will bring further details and more communication from administration regarding the transition process. Whether they see it as change for the better or worse, new and returning students and teachers must take advantage of the schedule’s features to ensure a successful school year.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, calendar year 2017 boasted a record low number of police officers killed in duty. It marked a 10 percent drop from 2016, and the second lowest number in over 50 years. Analysts attribute this trend to increased social and political awareness of issues regarding policing across communities. Hopefully, this trend will continue.

CA STATE LAW As of Jan. 1, a new California state law allowed alcohol manufacturers and licensed sellers to offer free or discounted rides through ridesharing services like Uber, Lyft, or taxicabs to prevent drinkers from the driving under the influence to have more safer roads and highways for drivers. This marks a unique instance where government and corporations have come together in attempt to solve public issues.

THE DPRK & SK Following joint North-South Korean talks on Jan. 15 between North Korea (DPRK) and South Korea (SK), the two countries have decided to march together at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony under a unified flag. North and South Korea also agreed to compete together in several events. Amidst mounting geopolitical tensions in the region, this cooperation marks a step in a direction toward peace.

COMPILED BY ETHAN QI

4the indispensable

Opinions

January 30, 2018

NIKKI HALEY

“We have never sought war with North Korea, and still today we do not seek it.” If I opinions editor told you that quote came from someone in the Trump Administration, you would probably just stare at me in disbelief and walk away. But it did — from the one Trump appointee who seems both overwhelmingly qualified for and effective in the significant role she has to play in shaping national policy. In an age of amateur-hour politics and senseless grandstanding, Nikki Haley is a breath of fresh air who may just save the nation from the destiny of brutal war envisioned by our commander-in-chief.

As Ambassador to the United Nations, Haley exudes authority and clarity. Her peer Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is an archetypical example of when the Trump administration fails. The first in his position in modern U.S. history to lack experience in public office, Tillerson parroted Trump’s typical slogans that his business savvy from years leading ExxonMobil would translate into cunning diplomatic skills as well. But it didn’t, primarily because he was preoccupied with keeping his job rather than making the responsible decisions necessary to keep the U.S. out of conflicts abroad.

Elliot Cohen, Director of the Strategic Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, commented in October that Tillerson “will probably go down as the worst ever” Secretary of State.

And this is not just because President Trump actively hindered him with cuts to the Department of State’s budget and assertions that he “can tell you who is going to win” if he and Tillerson took IQ tests. Secretary Tillerson’s resounding failure stems primarily from his inability to make decisions independently of the President. The U.S. can never have credibility with foreign leaders if our chief diplomat is spineless and told to stop “wasting his time” with North Korea by the president.

This is precisely why Nikki Haley LEO RASSIEUR

has had a unique opportunity to set U.S. foreign policy and achieve the cohesion necessary for the government to accomplish its goals across the globe. America faces more global crises than ever, so a particularly fervent UN ambassador is desperately needed to counteract the isolationist, incoherent “America First” policy outlined by Trump. So it was a bizarrely adroit decision on behalf of the president to appoint Haley — she achieved near-unanimous approval in the Senate by a vote of 96-4, dwarfing the flimsy 50-50 support that infamously incompetent Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos received, forcing Vice President Mike Pence’s hand with a historic tie-breaking vote. It is readily apparent why Haley received high praise from Republicans and Democrats alike: she served six years in the South Carolina House of Representatives and another four as governor, the first woman and the first Indian-American to hold the position.

Her eloquence and poise motivated party leaders to select her to deliver the 2016 Republican response to Obama’s final State of the Union speech, and Trump to choose her as the Ambassador to the United Nations. On North Korea, Haley has deftly drawn a line in the sand while also pushing for a peaceful, long-term plan for denuclearization of the peninsula. On Syria, she denounced both the chemical weaponry of the Assad regime and its pernicious support from Russia. Forceful insistence on a secure, increasingly democratic future for the globe is the role the U.S. ought to take on the international stage; that at least one member of the Trump administration can see that is an omen of better times.

In the Bay Area, we are quick to demonize Republicans and vindicate Democrats, regardless of their flaws or successes. Perhaps Haley can serve as a reminder that policymaking ought to transcend party lines. Republican control of all three branches of the federal government does not have to spell disaster; rather, there is very much potential for positive change. The blunders of the Trump Administration should not be blamed on Republicans as a whole, just as the victories of Ambassador Haley do not wipe clean the ineptitude of the White House. But each American, whether a private citizen or a career politician, can be intelligent, good-hearted, and patriotic. As Haley herself asserted prophetically in 2016, “While Democrats in Washington bear much responsibility for the problems facing America today, they do not bear it alone. There is more than enough blame to go around. … We need to accept that we’ve played a role in how and why our government is broken.

And then we need to fix it.”

The trouble with charter schools ASHLEY KANG online assistant

President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos voiced their support for a diminishing federal role in education as they channeled $400 million worth of funding cuts from public to charter schools. Charters are taxpayer-funded but privately run; they serve as places to experiment with new educational approaches that traditional schools would not otherwise offer.

While this may sound practical in theory, evidence reveals that charters can be quite problematic, and with over 6,700 charter schools educating 3 million students nationwide — a number that has tripled over the last decade — it is clear that these institutions have become worrylingly prevalent. Although district schools have their share of disadvantages, charter schools are just as if not more flawed with their scandal-ridden administrative bodies. In order to settle a compromise, the Department of Education must demand a moratorium on new charter schools until the following concerns are addressed: one, that charter schools be subject to the same standards of transparency and accountability as public schools, and two, that charters cease to perpetuate segregation.

Traditionally, schools go through a rigorous screening process to ensure financial and academic adequacy before opening—unfortunately, this is not the case for charters. In 2008, 119 charter schools shut down, and 14 never completed their school year. The utterly lax approval process fails to differentiate between legitimate and hastily-drawn applications. Thus, efforts made by

Florida charter processors to narrow down proposals by application length proved arbitrary and ineffective.

Former charter school IVY Academy’s application, for example, was a substantial 400 pages long, including promises of strict regulations for academic integrity. While this seemed legitimate on a surface level, it was later discovered that IVY founder Trayvon Mitchell plagiarized from an application submitted by Franklin Academy two years prior — but not before IVY was already approved. A lax approval process places students’ educations at stake, and yet “high academic standards” are what charters advertise to prospective students.

Furthermore, administrators are paid on a per-student basis, $7000 on average for each enrollment. Despite such affluence, at least ten executives have pleaded guilty in the last decade for charges like fraud, misusing funds and obstruction of justice in Philadelphia alone. For a quarter of a century, charters have misinterpreted their freedom from regulations as an opportunity for cor- ruption, leaving taxpayers without a school to send their children.

Perhaps the most flagrant actions of charters are their attempts to segregate inconspicuously. Students who attend socioeconomically integrated schools perform better academically and develop a variety of cognitive and social skills. However, charters

BITE-SIZED

OPINIONS

account for nearly all schools where minorities face the most extreme racial isolation. By cherry-picking higher performing students from neighborhood schools, charters leave behind students with disabilities, language barriers and behavioral problems.

A 2013 study of Pennsylvania’s schools by the Education Law Center found that students with physical and emotional disabilities were under-enrolled, with some at nearly half the expected rates in Philadelphia. Similarly, In 2016, the Boston Globe found that while one-third of the students in the public school population are English-language learners, only 13 percent of charter students are. These levels of segregation correspond with low achievement levels; in fact, on average, schools that enroll 99 percent minorities have fewer students reaching state proficiency levels in reading and math than ones that do not exacerbate segregation. While charters may hide under empty claims such as “our school is not a good fit for disabled children,” it is only to their disadvantage.

The idea of charter schools seems almost ingenious; their hybrid characteristics reap the benefits of public funding while legally bypassing federal rights and protections for employees and students that are rigorously enforced by the state in traditional public schools. However, an examination of faulty policies and hard statistics reinforces the conclusion that charter schools cannot succeed in their disastrous efforts to obtain the best of both worlds.

DO MORE THAN RAISE YOUR HAND TO PARTICIPATE

To achieve a perfect classroom, we are asked to participate by raising our hands. Our participation scores are then entered into the grade book at the end of each semester, penalizing those who do not raise their hands and assuming that silence is apathy. In truth, this is not grading the entirety of a student’s classroom participation — only a fraction of it.

Classroom participation, properly defined, includes a range of things from active listening, thoughtful comments and questions, and effort on written and spoken assignments. When participation is taken into account, instructors must implement other forms of participation such as small group discussions, and exit slips.

A PHILOSOPH CUPERTINO H

At Cupertino High Sch philosophy is the few weeks Core. Philosophy’s usefulne courses, extending further reasoning. Additionally, phil of perspective, supporting s teaching students to approac angle. Skills like these are n become more common to m anger rather than useful dia have the knowledge to bette life before heading into the w

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

Opinions

5

SPACE OCEAN

why the future of humanity lies in exploring the universe

why the secret to saving Earth lies in the depths of the ocean

CHRISTINA SHAO

CLAIRE WARNER

insights editor/business manager

news assistant

Ever since man first walked the Earth, we have looked to the stars for guidance and inspiration. We have told time by tracking the Sun’s position in the sky, followed the North Star to find new lands, and wove timeless legends with the constellations. When man made history by walking on the Moon in 1969, we took an extraordinary leap for the future of space exploration. Seeing Earth from space and visiting nearby planets has given us a better perspective of our place in the cosmos, and we must continue to take advantage of our space programs to benefit our future generations.

Man’s very first breakthrough in space exploration started with a satellite.

Though Sputnik 1 simply orbited the Earth while sending out intermittent beeps, it paved the way for much of the crucial modern technology we now have. With more than 1,000 commercial satellites currently in orbit, we can watch television, communicate wirelessly across oceans, find our way using the Global Positioning System (GPS), and access the internet. These advancements in human civilization were all thanks to our audacity to escape the pale blue dot we call Earth.

Not only does space exploration bring us satellites to transmit our Instagram feeds, but it also inspires much of the technology we use in our daily lives. As aerospace engineers develop new ways to deliver humans to space, they simultaneously discover new ideas that could be used to benefit life back on Earth. Thanks to NASA’s research on cameras small enough to fit on spacecraft, we now have selfie-snapping, Vine-recording digital cameras that can fit seamlessly in our cell phones. When NASA was developing technology to enhance images of the moon, they never would have imagined that the same technology would be used to save thousands of lives in the form of CAT scans.

Moreover, viewing our planet from space has provided us with valuable and possibly life-saving information. NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) relies on satellites to obtain and transmit information about Earth’s ocean, geology, and climate. In 1985, scientists discovered a large hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica by studying data collected from satellites, and to this day, the ozone hole continues to be monitored from space. Satellite imaging has also helped us discover and observe other events, including instances of human rights abuse in remote areas and rescue operations responding to natural disasters. And even dayto-day data that we take for granted, such as weather forecasts, are only made possible by the satellites that are the product of space exploration.

Although the ocean offers another frontier for exploration and scientific discovery, its advantages do not outweigh those offered by space exploration. Many supporters of ocean exploration are appalled by the danger astronauts place themselves in, not to mention the hefty price tags. But there are just as many ways for a deep sea mission to fail as a deep space mission to fail, especially since the ocean is exerting nearly three tons of force per square inch on an object that is only 2,000 meters deep. And while it may be true that NASA is spending billions of taxpayer dollars, ventures into ocean depths come with their own staggering expenses as well. A simple scan of the seafloor to build a one-hundred-mile pipeline, for example, costs $50 million.

From satellites to CAT scans, space exploration has plunged us into a world that the ocean could never have offered. Though the stars that have always inspired us may not seem so mysterious anymore, they will continue begging us to explore them, offering ways to not only better lives but to save lives. Telling stories of our failures and stories of our triumphs, our posterity will be looking up at those same stars, our persevering beacons of awe and curiosity — markers of the universe’s wonder yet untamed by mankind.

HY CLASS AT HIGH SCHOOL

hool, the most exposure given to s of the government unit in World ess goes beyond math or science into introspection and inductive losophy encourages a multiplicity students’ lateral thinking skills by ach problems from more than one necessary in a world where it has meet adversity with self-righteous alogue. Students should moreover er understand their aspirations in workforce and adulthood.

LET STUDENTS GIVE TEACHERS FEEDBACK

On a regular school day, it is likely you will pass by at least one student on campus with some form of NASA apparel. Its red, white and blue logo is a nationally recognized symbol of one of our country’s most esteemed programs. However, if you ask the average Cupertino kid to describe the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) emblem, they would be left scratching their head.

NOAA is a government agency that provides weather forecasts, studies the changing environment and leads several ocean expeditions a year. Despite its enormous contribution to scientific research, its projected 2018 budget is 4.8 billion dollars, which is substantially smaller compared to NASA’s 19.1 billion. However, several factors prove that we should be more invested in the seas. Although the ocean makes up 71 percent of the earth’s surface, 95 percent of it is unexplored. Considering humanity has never witnessed the birth of a great white shark, there is much to learn about the ocean. Many marine biologists believe there could be thousands of undescribed marine organisms, suggesting that exploration of this ecosystem offers us a unique opportunity to make a variety of scientific discoveries.

Moreover, ocean exploration has economic advantages. In volcanic regions on the ocean floor, black smokers release deposits of copper, silver and gold. These resources, increasing in value as their surface counterparts are depleted, remain untapped due to high costs. But with exploration and development of new technolog y, we can find ways to extract these metals profitably without sacrificing the health of neighboring ecosystems.

Furthermore, ocean research has led to the development of several pharmaceuticals. For example, Bryostatin, a macrolide lactone, comes from coral rhizomes and is used to fight cancer. Encouraging ocean exploration can prove highly beneficial as it supports a multitude of medicinal discoveries.

Moreover, environmental changes will have catastrophic effects on the ocean if we do not take a precautionary approach. Corals, formed by the symbiotic relationship between polyps and algae, are sensitive to ocean warming and acidification. When water temperatures are too warm, algae within a polyp dies and can no longer supply it with nutrients. Eventually, the coral turns white and perishes in a process called coral bleaching. A study conducted by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network projected that we could lose 25-33 percent of the world’s remaining coral reefs in the next 20-40 years. Thus, bleaching poses a significant threat to our seafood supply, seeing as coral reefs provide one-tenth of the global fish catch. Likewise, phytoplankton, microscopic plants that drift through ocean currents, provides over half of earth’s oxygen. With the occurrence of unprecedented climate change, it is imperative that we utilize research to preserve these organisms for our welfare.

According to NASA, space exploration is necessary for advancing technology, satisfying our curiosity for the unknown and inspiring younger generations to pursue interests and careers in science and technology. As logical as these reasons are, they are just as pertinent to ocean exploration as they are to space. But while the moon is 238,900 miles from earth, Santa Cruz is 30 miles from Cupertino, making it a more practical realm of exploration.

Because ocean investigation can also lead to numerous findings befitting to our daily lives, it is difficult to justify prioritizing space exploration.

The ocean plays a significant role in our modern world and holds a multitude of discoveries that could immensely impact our country’s economy and wellbeing. Exploration can expand our understanding of the ocean and help us utilize its services to our maximum benefit.

Meanwhile, we must address occurring and potential environmental issues through research that will enable us to understand how human activities are affecting earth’s natural processes. Finally, we should stop associating space travel with the possibilities of the future, for when we do this, we underappreciate the purpose of other valuable programs. Instead, we must recognize ocean research as one essential contributing factor to our prospective prosperity.

Some teachers have a tendency to ignore student input in regard to classroom policy changes and how they teach.

Students should nevertheless have say in the process because they are the ones who are directly affected by these changes. A simple way to accomplish this would be through anonymous teacher evaluation surveys. This would provide instructors with insight on their strengths and help them identify their weaknesses. These evaluations, instead of being used in the performance review process, should be accessed solely by teachers in question. As a result of the surveys’ anonymous nature, instructors can learn to improve their quality of instruction without potential for students feeling singled out.

EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESSES School is where we spend the majority of our day; it is where we form crucial relationships and find our sense of identity, but it is often the source of our anxiety. For many, it is here from which mental health issues stem and intensify. Just like bullying or social exclusion, many mental health issues are preventable, and although many schools crack down on harassment, it is equally important for students in inevitably stressful academic environments to understand their mental health. Students should understand how to treat their own or others’ symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Merely advising to “tell a teacher or a trusted adult” is no longer enough.

COMPILED BY TAHA SHAFIEI

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January 30, 2018

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

MICHELLE MA

JENN ZARATAN

MICHELLE MA

MICHELLE MA

January 30, 2018

The Prospector

7

Features

8 Style YOONI PARK sports assistant

“Hypebeast” culture is a trendy intersection for lovers of contemporary fashion and streetwear. This genre of fashion consists of various exclusive designer brands that provide people with a unique style. And for people with high expectations for their personal appearance, outfit choices play an important role in daily life. In terms of hypebeast style, this mainly connects to wearing all highly priced brands simultaneously.

Some popular brands among hypebeasts include Supreme, Off-white, Bape and Palace. The price of a single item from any one of these brands can start from $40 (any general Supreme short sleeve), reaching as high as $15,000 (Supreme x LV Leather Jacket). Items worn by hypebeasts are highly influenced by big-name social media preferences. Streetwear icons such as @aripetrou and @gullyguyleo play a significant role in the hypebeast community, often sparking large trends in short periods of time. With a wide variety of clothing options, there are numerous brands that appeal to a wide variety of people.

Said sophomore Nathan Ju, “Through personal preference, my favorite brands are Supreme, Pacsun, and Adidas. Although

this may seem surprising to many people, I don’t enjoy wearing brands for their brand name.

I wear clothes that appeal to my eyes.”

A few such trends that caught the attention of streetwear enthusiasts across the world are oversized clothing and major luxury brands. Said senior Raja Arulraj, “The trends are mainly based on what icons wear in the fashion and music industry and in pop culture as a whole.”

The most controversial topic in streetwear at the moment is the concept of the “dad shoe.”

As the name suggests, these are shoes that one would typically expect to find a middleaged adult sporting -- but not so much a trendy 16-year-old.

Despite the criticism, however,

January 30, 2018

more than five different colorways of the Triple S were made and are worn by popular rap group Migos.

Said junior Aaron Hung, “I think [dad shoes] have become a lot more popular in the last few months, especially since the summer. Yeezys are getting very popular because Kanye is popping out a lot more than he did in the past. People’s perceptions differ. The people who were invested in it earlier, like me, we kind of perceive the market as watered down.”

Hypebeast attire can be quite costly, especially with well-known designer brands and labels.

Said Ju,“The reason why streetwear and hypebeast clothing is so expensive is because there is a high demand but ex-

Recept

tremely low s u p p l y, so people SANTOSH MURALIDARAN will pay news editor hundreds and thouWhy would anyon sands of dolchoose to buy a $3,00 lars to acquire hoodie just because of th these clothes. The brand name when the reason the demand are bound to get crit is so high is because cal looks from oth the people that sociers? Clothing an ety idolizes today such accessory item as,Justin Bieber, Kanye often remai West, Jerry Lorenzo, et ordinary, ye cetera are all wearing these when certai brands as well.”

NATHAN JU | Standing in the hallway wearing a Bape Mask and a Supreme Box Logo Hoodie

The

Choice VARUN SHENOY photo assistant

A pair of Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Zebras” and a Supreme box logo hoodie will cost you approximately $515 and $800, respectively. Some fans even bought a red brick with the Supreme logo stamped on it for $200.

Big name brands, such as Bape and Off-white, sell clothing at seemingly ridiculous price points. Nonetheless, many teenagers chase after these pieces, paying hundreds of dollars for products that sell out within seconds. To understand this trend, it is necessary to take a step back and learn about the humble beginnings of streetwear culture.

Contemporary streetwear goes

hand-in-hand with hip hop and skateboarding, and it often takes design inspiration from different cultures, sportswear, the military and pop culture. Supreme, Thrasher and Stussy originated as exclusive lifestyle brands for the skateboarding community; however, in recent years, they have evolved to attract a broader global audience.

Some fans attribute the recent rise in streetwear to its exclusivity, comfort, long-lasting quality, funky style and appealing aesthetic. Others attribute the recent success of streetwear brands to the widespread influence of celebrities.

Said streetwear enthusiast and sophomore Nathan Ju, “Personally, I believe that the big hype of streetwear comes from the celebrities who wear ‘hypebeast’ clothing. Cultural icons such as Kanye West, Kate Moss, Travis Scott, are often seen wearing brands such as Supreme, Bape and Palace and are responsible for starting trends overnight. With that being said, many

children, teens and even adults idolize these celebrities, and in attempt to portray their wealth or to achieve a social status, try to dress like them.”

Ju also believes social media is a primary reason for the quick burst of popularity that these brands have embraced over the past few years.

Said Ju, “I believe that it is currently a highly trending topic because of how relevant social media is in the lives of people of all ages. Now, with new ways to spread your pictures and ideas to others, the concept of streetwear has branched out to an audience of all ages.”

Streetwear brands maintain exclusivity and “hype” by ensuring that the supply is significantly less than the demand. For example, Supreme’s famous basketball sleeve retails for $38, but third-party vendors upsell it for $140. For many, the resale of streetwear is a suitable venue for business with substantial profit margins. Said Ju, “Supreme was the first brand that re-

ally caught my eye as a moneymaker.

I wanted to buy a simple hoodie that said ‘Supreme’ across the chest. After searching it up on eBay, I was shocked to see that this simple hoodie was worth $700, whereas in retail, it was a mere $150. Ever since then, I have been waking up early on Thursday mornings [when Supreme drops their newest goods] to purchase Supreme items for retail and flipping them for profit.”

Some individuals are drawn to the streetwear community due to its tendency to form close, tight-knit connections with those who have similar interests.

Said junior Akshay Prabhu, “When I first started getting into shoes and hyped clothing I would go on Facebook groups where many people sold shoes at [reasonable] prices in order to make friendships and bonds.”

Prabhu ultimately chose to forego streetwear when people began to unfairly purchase sought-after branded

clothes using the help of technology. Recently, t pebeast’ industry has been infiltr bots — computer programs tha matically purchase an item as so drops.

Said Prabhu, “[As] the yea on, more people have started usi in order to get more items and se items at a much higher rate, with of making money, not bonds.” many see the purchase and sale o ing as an appealing reason to g street fashion, others view the tion of streetwear as a valuable p Said junior Jo Elston, “F [wearing streetwear] is more o lecting hobby. When I get a new ie, it makes me feel good becau collecting [something].”

Ultimately, the culture a derlying motives behind streetw much more than meet the eye. just about looks and fashion; it’ the hobby, friends, connectio

brands are worn by celebrities, the price and popularity of these items often rise significantly. The people who buy such clothing after it gains popularity are often dubbed “hypebeasts,” and the proliferation of such people has evolved into hypebeast culture. Yet the culture has been criticized by many who see little purpose in purchasing expensive clothing simply for the brand name.

Senior Alex Gorvitovskiy, who often wears brands like Adidas and Tommy Hilfiger, avoids high-priced brands such as Supreme and Bape.

Said Gorvitovskiy, “Usually, I don’t wear lots of branded [clothes] because wearing a brand doesn’t neces-

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Features

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

sarily make one look good.” He feels that the brand name prevents one from truly embracing their own identity and that their identity is stolen by the brand they are wearing. Said Gorvitovskiy, “Whatever you wear should be an extension of yourself.

There is a line between having your clothes identify you and you giving identity to your clothes.”

Hypebeasts themselves have received similar reactions from peers.

Junior Jo Elston believes that many people misjudge his personality and lifestyle because of his clothing choices. Said Elston, “‘Streetwear’ carries a negative connotation, and a lot of people think I am spoiled or that I am trying to [act superior by] wearing it.”

However, Elston’s motivations

for wearing streetwear sharply contrast with others’ perceptions. “It’s not like I’m actively trying to make people feel bad about the way they look by wearing super expensive stuff. I just enjoy doing it as a hobby,” Elston said.

On the other hand, junior Aaron Hung believes that hypebeast fashion draws admiration due to its price and appearance, especially as it makes its way into the mainstream. “ A lot of people’s perception [of hypebeast clothing] comes from how expensive it is, and I think people in this area, now that the market’s coming to fruition, are thinking “oh that’s pretty cool” —hype is derived from exclusivity, as well as just looks.”

Sophomore Nathan Ju embraces this connotation, and often wears,

buys and sells branded clothing like Supreme because it helps him build confidence. Though some may give him judgemental looks, Ju believes that wearing such fashion is worthwhile because of the connections he builds with others.

Said Ju, “When we go to the mall, [I] and some of my friends are wearing $1,000 hoodies, so we do get looked at, and a lot of employees ask to take a picture in our hoodies. It’s a cool feeling, and it makes you feel like you are a celebrity.” Ju also believes that streetwear has helped him fit in, something that he claims to have struggled with prior to developing interests in streetwear. Through wearing, buying and selling Supreme, Ju has found his niche in a close-knit group of friends.

9

Despite Ju’s confidence and pride in his clothing, his parents have different reactions. Said Ju, “Everyday I go home from school. I start packaging, hop in an Uber and go to the post office, but [my parents] want me to spend more time focused on my studies.”

So why would anyone choose to buy a $3,000 hoodie just because of a brand name? The brand name, the clothing style, the price and the status associated with streetwear may be a deterrent to some people, but those who wear it live under a different version of what confidence, happiness, and purpose looks like.

NICO CHILLA

entrepreneurship. Said Ju, “In a way, I didn’t get into streetwear for the clothing, but for the money and the culture that comes with it.”

The

Trade SUDYUT YUVARAJ features assistant

In the words of 2017’s favorite high schooler, “Gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang, gucci gang.” Followed by, “Spent three racks on a new chain.”

In conclusion, “Yuh.” Hold on. Three racks? That’s $3,000. Even with the job at 85° Bakery (that you keep telling yourself you’ll apply for but never do) that pays $13.75 an hour, it would still take two hundred and nineteen hours to earn, assuming all the money is spent on the chain, only the chain, and nothing but the chain.

Chains are not the only “hypebeast” item worth thousands of dollars — a Supreme map jacket costs approximately $8,000, and a resold pair of Adidas Yeezys can cost up to $5,000. However, if you manage to get your hands on one of the few retail pairs sold, fresh Yeezys cost a manageable $200, about as much as an average student’s daily boba expense.

Many students at Cupertino High noticed the opportunity and, in a burst of Silicon Valley spirit, have taken advantage of the hypebeast economy, purchasing and selling high-end clothing for profit, like offerings on the New York Stock Exchange.

Junior Aaron Hung makes three to five sales a month, earning up to $450 in monthly profit by selling jackets, shoes and other “hype” items. Hung and many other students utilize social media and different sales applications to find sources and customers for sales.

Said Hung, “[I use] a lot of different platforms. There are websites like Grailed, StockX and an app called GOAT, but most sales are made through Facebook — that’s probably the best platform to get sales done. It’s definitely on Facebook Marketplace, but most of the actual transactions take place in niche groups like ‘Bay Area Sneakerheads,’ or ‘Bay Area Hypebeasts,’ and other groups like that.”

According to Hung, establishing credibility on such platforms is essential. Gaining trust from other consumers is extremely important and can lead to significant benefits.

“Once you build a reputation, it’s much

easier to get things for ‘joogs,’” Hung said.

“Joog” is slang for a discounted price, and discounts from large collectors means larger profit margins. Evaluating deals is a large part of the hypebeast trade, as product value frequently oscillates due to the changes in popularity of celebrities or brands.

“The market’s pretty volatile,” Hung said. “A lot of times, things that people think are initially good go down or up in price. What you have to keep in mind is [finding] the right time to sell something. You have to evaluate if the product is worn, or new, and you have to evaluate if the value that you are getting is beneficial for you.”

The trade of hypebeast attire has undeniable value. Even excluding pure monetary gain, the involved parties — in this case, Tino students— doubtlessly benefit from their engagement. It encourages frugality and investment in one’s income, not just spending. The responsibility of the business is beyond that of an allowance and has higher profit margins than most student-held jobs. The hypebeast trade truly enhances our student body and reshapes our wardrobes as well.

Lifestyles

10 2018

black panther

After the dramatic events of “Captain America: Civil War,” King T’challa returns to his home in Wakanda, and is given the sudden responsibility of ruling the country as a result of his father’s death. However, he is soon forced to team up with the CIA and Wakanda’s special forces as Black Panther when two enemies plot to bring his kingdom down.

Based on Madeleine L’engle’s 1962 novel, “A Wrinkle in Time” is a sci-fi adventure film starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Storm Reid. When Meg Murry meets Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit, she is sent on a journey to rescue her father from a distant planet—and save the world from the mysterious looming darkness.

This coming-of-age movie follows Simon Spier, a teenager struggling to come out to his family and friends as gay, as he pursues a relationship with an anonymous classmate online. As he tries to identify the person who he had fallen for, Simon finds himself playing the roles as a wingman to a blackmailer who holds his secrets.

The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy unite to prevent the destruction of the entire world from the evil Thanos. Together, they must find a way to save humanity while keeping the all-powerful Infinity Stones out of Thanos’s reach.

fallen kingdom

“Fallen Kingdom” picks up four years after the destruction of the theme park Jurassic World, leaving behind an island with genetically enhanced dinosaurs.

Claire and Owen return to the island to rescue the dinosaurs from an exploding volcano.

the crimes of grindewald Magizoologist Newt Scamander takes the aid of a young Albus Dumbledore and others to prevent wizard Gellert Grindelwald from taking over the wizarding world and bringing pureblood wizards to rule over all magical and non-magical beings.

november

fantastic beasts:

june

jurassic world:

may

avengers: infinity war

MARCH

love, simon

MARCH

a wrinkle in time

february

m ov i e s

January 30, 2018

chillin' in the kitchen with chilla insider secrets on college student-level culinary cuisine, & simple threestep recipes to enrich your high school lifestyle.

NICO CHILLA features editor

“Do you know what time it is? Why would you make pasta?” a friend exclaims over video call as I head into the kitchen at two in the morning.

The answer? Because I can, of course.

Over time I have acquired a valuable skill that many of my peers seem to lack: the ability to cook for myself. While I’m no cooking connoisseur, I have a collection of three-step recipes (see list) that I depend on for most lunches and the occasional dinner. In fact, it has been over a year since I set foot in the school cafeteria. Not that I have anything against cafeteria food — I just prefer my homemade pastas and sandwiches. Moreover, it gives me total control over what I put into my mouth. That freedom to cook yourself whatever you want, whenever you want is not to be undervalued. Allow me to share some of the wisdom I have gathered over years of lazy cooking.

Becoming a college student-level cook is an unsurprisingly easy task: it mostly involves boiling water. If you have the patience to wait 10 minutes while things boil in a pot, a whole new world of easy cuisine will

bubble up in front of you. Chicken noodle soup? All you need is water, egg noodles and what we in the lazy cook industry call a “broth cube:” a dissolvable block of magical chicken/vegetable goodness. The great broth cube is the secret ingredient in many of my lineups. My pasta, however, is the easiest recipe of all. No sauce necessary — just strain your pasta of choice over the sink, then add olive oil and a sprinkle of cheese (if you’re like me, more of a downpour). Sans cheese makes for a vegan/vegetarian-friendly recipe, and there are many alternative sauce choices to complement your meal.

“But Nico, this isn’t a full meal! What if I’m still hungry afterwards?”

Not to worry; this is why I keep a running stock of frozen chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, garlic bread and sausages. Ten minutes in the oven or two in the microwave will yield an excellent side dish.

The bottom line is, cooking for myself has saved my family time and money; my parents do not have to feed me if they are busy, and I am never forced to get takeout, wasting money. This may be especially beneficial in college, where my oasis of good food will stand out amongst the sea of instant ramen.

chilla's choices: ultimate rice: let broth cube dissolve in 4/3 cups of boiling water add half a cup of Uncle Ben’s rice let it simmer for 18 minutes pasta: put water in pot, wait for it to boil, and add pasta of your choice let it cook on high for ten minutes drain water through a strainer, add seasoning of your choice

grilled cheese or grilled pb&j make a sandwich with some peanut butter and jelly or two slices of cheddar cheese melt some butter in a pan on the stove and throw that sandwich on it wait for one side to toast, flip over and repeat, then take out and squish sides together

Meditation AMY ZENG copy editor

The Oxford Mindfulness Centre claims that practicing mindfulness can improve depression, well-being, physical health and stress. Over the course of this month, I experimented with various mediums to achieve mindfulness through meditation.

Google has its very own one-minute breathing exercise module embedded into its search results page, serving as an easily-accessible option to take a step back and relax. Simply type in “breathing exercise” into Google’s search bar, and you’ll be treated to an instructive graphic that coordinates the soothing repetitiveness of a slowly expanding and shrinking circle to your breathing pattern. I found the circle mesmerizing, and it did help me feel a little more in tune with myself.

Though effective, I was doubtful that this brief exercise could provide me with all the benefits of a longer, more professional meditation. Thus, I decided to expand my search.

My next attempt at meditation came in the form of the UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Center, which provides a series of free guided meditation podcasts through their website. I was reassured by the fact that this wasn’t just some random video floating around on YouTube, but rather a scientific series associated with a large research university. These meditations consist of only sound, with no guiding images or video. As I sat down in my chair and listened to the calm voice of the meditation guider instruct me to “notice my breathing pattern” and become “aware of the thoughts in my mind,” I found myself drifting off into sleep instead of becoming more focused and alert. Granted, my experiment was taking place rather late at night, but I just couldn’t re-

Lifestyles

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

bay area nature spots TAL ASHKENAZI opinions assistant

trail on prospect road This is a short, semi-strenuous trail that takes you up to the hills overlooking the Silicon Valley. Upon reaching the highest point on the trail, you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the city, and a look at some of the best looking houses in the area.

villa montalvo Originally owned by a senator and later donated and converted to an outdoor art gallery, this remarkable piece of architecture is a dream location for both photographers and art enthusiasts. Look for events in their amphitheater or take small hikes around the villa.

golden gate park When you come to San Francisco, there are two must see places for everyone to enjoy: Golden Gate Park, which has a beautiful view of the bridge and offers many prime spots for picnics, and the 16th Avenue tiled steps lead up to Grandview Park, and Larsen Peak.

hakone gardens Hakone Gardens is a beautiful place to relax on a nice day. Originally built as a retreat for wealthy developers, it is among the oldest Japanese gardens in the western hemisphere. There are small walks to modest bamboo and zen gardens, and sit down on one of the many benches to enjoy the fresh air.

the evolution of JENN ZARATAN photo editor

Since the days of selling CDs out of one’s trunk in gas station parking lots, it has always been a tough world for aspiring artists. The main challenge for young musicians remains in getting their name out and finding a way to showcase their talent.

But with all the technological advances of today, it seems only fitting that a hip, convenient and millennial-controlled medium exists for such a purpose. Yes, American Idol has returned, but another company has proved itself an even more effective stepping stone towards musical stardom: SoundCloud.

Since its launch in 2008, SoundCloud has emerged as a major music-streaming and sharing service. Although artists can post music of any genre, rap, R&B, dubstep and remixes largely dominate the platform. What truly sets SoundCloud apart, however, is that it charges nothing to both upload and listen to music; it has become comparable to the YouTube of music –– its key idea being that anyone can post.

“It’s a

almaden quicksilver park This mercury mine has been turned into a wildlife trail that leads to the top of the mountain. Definitely one of the better hikes in San Jose, it has a semi-strenuous, but rewarding wind to the peak. because it is not forested, bring a hat.

sanborn county park This park is located right next to Walden West in the Santa Cruz mountains and it offers many hikes that you might not have noticed even if you have visited. The peak of Sanborn offers some great views with amazing wildlife in between.

for a week sist closing my eyes and lost consciousness.

I needed to find a guided meditation series that was portable, easy-to-use, and not so sleep-inducing.

I found inspiration in the least likely of places. As I was listening to songs on Spotify, an advertisement popped up about how the music-streaming service now hosts podcasts as well. If Spotify has podcasts, they are bound to have something related to meditation as well. A quick search, a click on the first icon to pop up, and lo and behold — I was now listening to Spotify’s very own “Guided Meditation” playlist. Out of the three methods that I had attempted, my Spotify discovery yielded the most fruitful results.

The different meditations contained within this one playlist introduced me to a much wider range of mindfulness programs than I ever could have found on my own. One par-

ticularly memorable find was a “Stretch and Breathe Meditation,” which combined what I had previously thought a sedentary practice with light movement, creating a final product that was reminiscent of yoga.

Though I can’t say with complete certainty that I will begin mindfully meditating on a regular basis, I do know that this process has helped me feel calmer and gain perspective on problems that might have otherwise seemed like the end of the world. By focusing on my breathing and becoming aware of my thoughts without judgement, I learned to accept what I was feeling at the time and simply let it be. Incorporating mindful meditation into your everyday routine may seem like a daunting task, but my experiences this month have led me to believe that doing so will be helpful and potentially even lifechanging.

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mix of both [small and big-name artists]. There are those really popular songs that you can listen to, but generally, people I know who make songs on their own use SoundCloud because they don’t have to pay to do it and it’s easier,” senior Hadiyatou Diallo said. “I feel like because I don’t take [my music] super seriously and it’s more just a hobby, it’s good for SoundCloud.

It’s more for myself and to put myself out there.”

Diallo was a long-time SoundCloud user, starting as a listener before eventually becoming a creator just before her sophomore year. Like Diallo, many students share a similar story and post music in their spare time. Even more simply use SoundCloud to listen to lesser-known, independent artists whose work is unavailable elsewhere. As a result of its duality –– working as both an access key to independent artists and a way to conveniently become one – – SoundCloud has given rise to millions of small, local musicians in a way that was never possible before. Recording in the comfort of her own home and using the app, Audacity to edit songs on her laptop, Diallo’s re-

sources seem to be that of a typical high school student. Yet, Diallo has amassed over 2,000 plays on her own most popular song, and averages over 1,000 plays for all of her others.

Others see SoundCloud as a starting point in their pursuit of a music career. As a testament to the extent of its opportunities, most o f SoundCloud’s biggest stars are unfathomably young. At 17 years

old, L i l Pump has gained 85.3 million plays on his hit, “Gucci Gang” alone. A year ago, the rapper managed to gain the attention of millions at the release of his selftitled debut album, which at the time was exclusively on SoundCloud. A long list of other stars have done the same, garnering fans without the initial help of big-shot producers or labels, and then signing major record deals afterward: Post Malone, Lil Uzi Vert, Kehlani and Khalid, to name a few. Of those, Lil Uzi Vert is the oldest at 23, continuing a pattern of artists coming as young as the teens in their fanbase. Nominated for “Best New Artist” and four other awards at the upcoming Grammys, Khalid impressively created the music for which he is nominated before graduating high school. The “Location” singer credits the website for his success, saying in a tweet last year, “Thank you so much @SoundCloud for giving me an outlet to become creative. Who knows where I’d be without you.”

While its value as an accessible outlet still remains, more recently, SoundCloud has made a careful shift towards commercialization and promoting well-known artists rather than the independent artists it has been popularized for; in early 2016, the company introduced “SoundCloud Go”, an additional service similar to Spotify Premium. SoundCloud’s ads are nothing new, but “Go” members must pay to skip the ads and listen to a select handful of popular songs.

Drake and Kendrick Lamar are among such artists.

Whether a place for aspiring artists to get their big break or for music-loving students to share their art for fun, SoundCloud has revolutionized the way music is shared; the next breakout artist could come from the cliché garage origin of successful tech CEOs –– or, perhaps more likely in their parent’s house, tinkering around on their laptop and using a social media-like platform to launch themselves into the public eye.

Insights

12

January 30, 2018 Investigations

OUT OF THE SHADOWS Giving a voice to sexual harrassment victims at Tino

GENE KIM business manager

KENNETH JEON photo assistant

“They justified it as jokes.”

Amidst the latest scandals with Harvey Weinstein, Larry Nassar and the slew of other sexual harassment cases that have arisen in the media, one thing is clear: time’s up. The Prospector staff decided to investigate sexual harassment at Cupertino High School with the hopes of shedding light on a highly sensitive but very relevant issue.

According to a school-wide survey that generated 135 responses, 30 percent of respondents have experienced sexual harassment before. That number dropped to 14 percent when respondents were asked if they had experienced sexual harassment specifically at Tino. However, as 19 percent of respondents stated that they

3 out of 10 Tino students have experienced sexual harassment do not feel safe from sexual harassment at Tino, the issue is more prominent at a school-level than it seems.

Junior Naomi Gau suffered one of the hardest years of her life as a sophomore.

In fall of 2017, a varsity boys’ team added Gau to their group chat on Facebook messenger and proceeded to joke about raping her. When Gau reported the incident to administration, the school responded swiftly — and so did the backlash.

“After I reported it, [the harassers] had their friends going around saying that I couldn’t take a joke, that I was asking for it, that I was too serious,” Gau said. “They had a lot of justifications for

14% of students have been sexually harassed at Tino

that Gau suffered to the failure of many victims to speak up. In addition, the emotional trauma inflicted by sexual harassment can make reporting difficult.

Said a sexual harassment victim who wishes to remain anonymous, “It’s the way it’s construed by people that makes it feel like when you’re talking about [sexual harassment], you have to be really strong and you have to be confident in what you’re saying. I felt like if I did say something, it wouldn’t be confident. It would just be weak and sad.”

Some students believe it is necessary to grow a thicker skin against certain kinds of harassment, such as rude comments and catcalling. Said junior Jordan Chew, “You can never really stop other people from doing what they’re going to do, if they’re going to catcall or if they’re going to call you gay … I think it’s important to be able to ignore it.” Despite this, Chew believes that taking action is also important. “I think if you’ve been [sexually] harassed, and it’s affecting you … it’s definitely something you should seek help for. Whether that’s in friends or an adult.”

But being overcritical of the validity of a victim’s report can be counterproductive.

Discrimination between different “levels” of sexual harassment can contribute to victims’ self-doubt over their right to speak up. “Listen to what

[the victim is] saying and don’t dismiss or apologize it away,” literature teacher Jenny Padgett said. “Don’t ask them, ‘Are you sure that’s what it was?’ Because people won’t feel safe if they feel like suddenly they are the ones being questioned and they are the ones being doubted.”

The ambiguity over what defines sexual harassment can also muddle the lines between what is or is not punishable.

As one respondent to the survey wrote, “Sexual harassment doesn’t have a onesize-fits-all definition. There are always exceptions if we look at it with specific criteria. If it’s defined as using a position of power to exert influence in exchange for sexual favors, then ‘yes’ now has the meaning of ‘no.’ If a man asks for consent but has no creepy intentions, and the woman feels threatened and says ‘yes,’ did he sexually harass her or not?”

Other responses were much more straightforward, defining sexual harassment as making unwanted sexual advances or verbally degrading another person’s body. Said a student who wishes to remain anonymous, “I don’t think that there’s one authority that can just tell you, ‘This is the definition of sexual harassment’ — no one else can change [how you felt].”

So how can Tino create an environment in which victims of sexual harassment feel justified in speaking up for themselves? Many interviewees stated that Tino could directly address the issue of sexual harassment, perhaps during one of the Advisory periods that typically focus on race.

Said sophomore Janae Pabon, “[The administration is not] really trying as much as they could to completely make people feel like they are there for them.

I feel like we have a pretty safe school, but [the school] could do more to bring awareness to [sexual harassment] and make sure if anyone has had it happen to them, they can still talk to someone.”

While the school’s current approach

If I were put back in the same situation, but ... as a bystander, I wouldn’t just sit quiet anymore because I don’t want someone to feel like nothing was done.

may not be perfect, sentiment for community-wide change is shared by the administration. Said Assistant Principal Geoff Wright, “As a community of adults, we are actively trying to educate, to promote behaviors and to support students

when they are harassed to change that culture. The more communication we have about any topic, the less hidden power it retains. I really do believe that the conversation needs to be more detailed and that our attention needs to be elevated to help shift our community to be more positive.”

The school may benefit from gen-

Literature Teacher Jenny Padgett

flipside editor

what they did and even after reprimand, they still didn’t think that what they did was wrong.”

The backlash affected Gau for months. In the hallways between classes, random passers-by harassed Gau and called her derogatory names. Said Gau, “There were a lot of comments about me being a b***h … It was taking away my right of being a student here at Tino, of feeling safe.” The retaliation followed Gau outside of school, as well. One perpetrator found out where she lived and told others her address, causing Gau to consider calling for a restraining order.

According to the survey, out of the 32 percent of respondents who have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment, more than half did not speak up. One can connect the dots between the backlash

Anonymous

CAROLINE GEE

I would like to tell victims who do the work to help heal themselves … that it does get better.

That you can live a full and happy life despite the really horrific things from your past.

erating more conversations about what constitutes sexual harassment without necessarily settling on a single rigid definition. While the physical aspects of sexual harassment, such as inappropriate touching, are blatantly obvious, many often take the verbal elements and the resulting emotional impact too lightly.

Said an anonymous victim of sexual harassment, “[Sexual harassment] can include a joke or something that could be construed as a joke to some people, and it’s not really faced head-on by a lot of people. It’s not really talked about enough, so I feel like attention could be drawn to it … because it’s just people don’t really know what it means to be sexually harassed.”

Wright emphasized the effort to recognize harassment as more than blatant bullying. “One thing students should always remember is that ‘no’ means ‘no,’ and that ‘no’ can come in any form. It can be a verbal ‘no’, it can be a physical turning away, it can be a request to stop, any of those,” Wright said. “We can be inadvertent in hurting someone, we can be intentional, we can do it by omission or by commission, but the effect is that someone is hurt.”

In regards to the backlash against the #metoo movement, the debate over the question of what is or is not sexual harassment can be confusing, especially when the punishment for harassers becomes severe. However, if Tino truly wants to create a safer environment against sexual harassment, recognizing the case-by-case complexity of sexual harassment and embracing victims’ stories is essential.

“Bottom line, we have no idea, when we walk past a person, what kinds of abuse or problems they are going through. The rule of thumb should always be compassion,” Padgett said. “I guess that’s what I would remind people: compassion for others, compassion for yourself. And that goes a long way [in] helping people feel safe and whole.”

Insights

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

13

Perspectives

Making the most out of second semester EDWARD HSU

Do you like being out of the house?

online editor

No

START

Do you want to be more active?

Yes

No

Do you like working with your hands?

Your mental health should always be a priority. Give yourself enough time away from work to relax. Don’t think that meditating and taking a breath of fresh air are a waste of time! These are simple but effective ways to help you feel more relax, it is important to that you give yourself time to rest and recover.

No

Yes

Do you know how to drive?

Yes Thoughts on cooking?

Are you stressed?

No

Yes

No

Yes

So cooking’s not your thing, and that’s okay! You could try decorating your room or try bullet journaling if you have a few art supplies lying around your house. These tasks will help you become more organized and push you to develop your personal style. Don’t be afraid to explore different styles and add a personal touch to your creations!

No

copy editor

Valentine’s day is coming up, and you have no bae. Hold your tears. I can’t say I’ve been where you are right now, but I’m here to help. The following is my FDA-approved military-grade game plan for bagging a boo and waving goodbye to lonely nights.

Phase one: If you and your crush are in the same class, never stop looking at them.

Stare into your crush’s soul as your teacher lectures on American colonialism, winking at them every time they look at you. Vary your winking pattern with one eye at a time and two eyes at a time. When your teacher asks you questions, don’t break eye contact with your crush and answer the question. Your old pal teacher will get the hint and make closer seating arrangements for you and your crush.

Phase two: Send your crush a detailed email of emergency medical procedure, and tell them that if they don’t forward the email to five people, their luck will turn for worse.

Phase three: Ask to borrow three pencils, one pen, a pair of blue scissors and an eco-friendly eraser. Fifteen minutes into class, abruptly stand up and drop your crush’s stationary. As they move to help you pick up the fallen school supplies, place your hand over theirs. Gaze into their eyes. Whisper, “Skip the chest compressions.” Then yell, “Jesus take the wheel,” and fake a heart attack. They will be forced to use their knowledge of emergency resuscitation that they have learned via your email and give you mouth-to-mouth.

Phase four: In the back of the ambulance your pal teacher called for you, take a moment to cherish your first kiss. Open your eyes, remember the ancient martial arts of your ancestors and bust through the ambulance doors. Run back to school and wait outside your crush’s class.

Phase five: When the bell rings and your crush heads out to lunch, slip them a note telling them to meet you near the back of the school. They will be confused and may choose

to buy lunch first. Remember, love requires patience.

Phase six: Do not meet your crush near the back of the school.

Distance makes love fonder. Your crush will be anxious and worried about you.

This is good. Very good.

Phase seven: Make friends with your crush’s siblings and family. Enlist the help of a thirteen-year-old hacker and get the inner “deets” of your crush’s online life. Be wary that the NSA may be on your tail.

Phase eight: Email former president Barack Obama and tell him of your love for your crush. Include information that you have learned from your buddy hacker. Mention the keyword “Snowden.” The NSA will no longer follow you.

Phase nine: Begin wearing the same clothes as your crush. This will make you stand out, and your crush will compliment you on your exceptional sense of fashion. Your crush will associate you with their favorite high tops.

You are now on the leaderboard. Continue wearing matching clothes and deepen your crush’s desire for you.

Phase ten: Ask your crush to get boba with you. If your crush doesn’t like boba, seriously evaluate the value of a potential relationship with them. While waiting for your oolong milk tea with grass jelly, turn to your crush and get down on one knee. Everyone around you, from your old pal teacher, Obama, NSA Joe, buddy hacker and the barista, will gasp.

Tie your crush’s shoelaces* and ask them out.

Congratulations comrade, you have got the bae in the bag! *If your crush is wearing crocs, abort mission immediately and marry Obama instead.

This is a serious indicator of your crush’s inability to maintain a healthy relationship with you and bespeaks their tendency to eat wasabi while listening to One Direction occasionally.

Do not repeat my mistakes. Moreover, you can never go wrong with Obama.

No

Yes

Yes

Whether or not you’ll have a car with you in college, learning how to drive is a very important skill (and a cool experience) to have. If you’re 18 years or older, you can apply for a driver’s license without getting a permit.

How to get a bae for Valentine's Day ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN

Do you like being alone?

You can stick to jogging or working out in the gym, but where’s the fun in that? Now is the time to broaden your horizons with SoulCycle or Crossfit to elevate your exercise routine to wholebody workouts. There plenty of videos and guides online to help you get started.

There’s nothing more like being a second semester senior than exploring the Valley with your friends. Popular destinations to check out include Downtown Willow Glen, Castle Rock State Park or Vietnam Town near Downtown San Jose.

Maybe you’re already a good cook. Or maybe you’re not. Either way, challenge yourself to perfect one recipe this semester. Don’t be fooled by the elaborate and “fool-proof ” recipes you find online. Macarons, eggs benedict and croissants are difficult to pull off on the first try, so get cooking!

CURIOSITY CUT THE CAT In my long 17 years of life, I have found myself in situations that result in myself getting injured for the most embarrassing reasons. Here is one of them — Catherine vs. tuna can lid.

CATHERINE SEOK lifestyles editor

momther: can you open the tuna can? be careful though the edge of the lid is really sharp!!

how sharp though?

the (tuna ) **touch** ah yes it is quite sharp indeed

(my

er)

fing

a tunatunana tuna n ut ut tutntunauna ttuna unnaatuna a tuna tu catherine seok

Sports

14

January 30, 2018

Juicing: 4 recipes, dozens of health benefits IMMUNITY BOOST

NEERALI SHAH sports editor

Ever wonder if those juice cleanses really work? Or is the cleanse simply a hyped up way for boujee companies to sell their fancy pressed fruits? Whatever the case, here are some juices that will satisfy your sweet tooth and are helpful for your health. When making all of these juices, I personally find my Vitamix blender the easiest to use because I don’t have to cut any produce before putting it into the blender. For other blenders, I recommend chopping or grating your ingredients before placing them into the processor.

Disclaimer: The juices in this article are not meant to be complete meal replacements, especially for athletes. However, drinking these juices will keep you full for longer than you might expect, while also adding healthy ingredients to your daily diet.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ingredients

5 grapefruits 1 lemon 2 limes 1/4 medium pineapple handful of ginger

TROPICAL FRUIT ingredients

2 pink grapefruits 3 blood oranges 1 navel orange 1 stalk of rhubarb 1 pint strawberries 1/2 cup blackberries

grapefruit:great diuretic which helps reduce water retention ginger: anti inflammatory and boosts metabolism lemon and lime: helps flush out the acidic toxins in your system pineapple: helps with digestion and helps maintain eye health

ingredients

1 cup coconut milk 1 scoop chocolate protein powder 1/2 cup blueberries 1 cup spinach 1 banana 1 tablespoon almond butter

health benefits

blood oranges: high in anthocyanin and low in calories strawberries: helpful for people with oily skin; acts as a healthy natural sweetener blackberries: high level of antioxidants; rich in vitamin K, which promotes healthy bone growth rhubarb: provides 45 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin K

ARIANA FAHRI flip side assistant

The selfie. This phenomenon rampant in today’s vocabulary and spurred by its use on social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, has spread like wildfire to the last place people are expected to look flawless—the gym.

The gym selfie is all about flaunting your active self while holding some dumbbells for extra authenticity and proudly wearing your Nikes or Lululemons. Typically, the poser is twisting to find their best angle, drinking an overpriced coffee and casually flexing their nonexistent abs. Their back is usually impressively arched in order to maximize the booty-pop and of course, it’s essential that they show off at least one flexed calf. That may sound intimidating, but know that as long as there’s an elliptical machine in the frame, they’re all set.

Given that the point of gym selfies is not to work out but to look good, gym selfies tend to perpetuate our idea of perfection. The fact that many people believe that they should appear just as flawless after an extreme Zumba class as they should for a night out indicates a misconception between the reality of the gym and the glamourous posts seen online.

Gym selfies are evidence that the desire to reach “perfection” can spread to even remote parts of daily life, and with it a cycle of negativity.. From matte skin to the perfect hair, perfectly-filtered photos have become a staple in our feeds and a standard in our own lives. An increasingly damaging idea of perfection has prevailed against the hard truth—that going to the gym means focusing on health and sweating for results.

Unfortunately for many, it is impossible to face flawless picture after flawless picture without being tempted to recreate them. With the supposed connotation of appearing natural, the selfies come out to reveal anything but.. Filtered thoroughly, the presented image may be immaculate but the work going into it is extensive. We look over hundreds of photos to pick the perfect one, then run it through two, no three filters, and even then not posting it out of self-consciousness and fear of its position on the totem pole know as social media.

Even more backwards is that we are surrounded with these heavily edited images and deem them motivational, inspiring and “#goals.” And we still wonder why most teens struggle with body image and pressure on social media platforms.

Despite pursuing our physical health when we work out; we should switch our focus on correcting the impulsive and backwards thinking motivating our obsession with showing off on social media in the first place. Endlessly, we perfect our self-criticism to the point where it became an unconscious,personal competition that we can never win.

The gym has transformed into a place for Instagram photoshoots, and the results are plain to see. The mirrors are crowded with eager, glamorous posers too polished for the lifting machines and treadmills. This recent trend is only getting started. In a couple years, it won’t be hard to imagine a 60 year-old granny trying to get her water aerobics on at the local YMCA and being blocked by hordes of jazzed-up teenagers crowding the pool with their selfie sticks.

ginger: anti-inflammatory; has the ability to reduce nausea and aid digestion garlic: natural antibiotic agent that helps the fight against cold and flus parsley and cilantro: help boost lymphatic circulation (important for filtering out bacteria) kale: packed with folate and vitamins A and K

1 bunch kale 1/2 bunch parsley or cilantro 1 green apple, cut and seeded 2 inch ginger 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 lemon or lime, peeled 1 cucumber

CHOCOLATE PROTEIN

health benefits

INTRODUCTION TO GYM SELFIE CULTURE

health benefits

ingredients

health benefits

coconut milk: contains healthy fats that are filling chocolate protein powder: provides sweetness to the drink and healthy amounts of protein blueberries: high in antioxidants and phytonutrient content spinach: has high calcium content; beneficial for the growth of healthy bones almond butter: one of the healthiest substitutes for peanut butter due to its lower sugar levels and higher fiber content

Caffeine curing or counteracting exhaustion?

ANTHONY ZHU sports assistant

Many student-athletes at Cupertino High School depend on caffeine to get them through their demanding schedules of practices, homework, tests, games and more. Almost inevitably, some use caffeine to cope with the lack of sleep.

There are also those who use caffeine to enhance their athletic ability, allowing them to work harder during practices and to have greater energy in games. With this ubiquitous use of caffeine, it is essential to know how exactly caffeine affects athletic performance and if we can use it to our benefit.

First, let’s take a look at how caffeine works.

The sudden caffeine-hiwgh one gets from a cup of coffee is due to its molecular similarity to adenosine, the chemical that informs the brain it’s tired. This enables caffeine to bind with adenosine receptors, which obstructs the actual adenosine from binding, preventing the brain from experiencing tiredness.

So yes, caffeine can make you less tired for a while, but overdependence will lead to the desensitization of you adenosine receptors, causing withdrawal and tiredness. Additionally, caffeine causes your adrenal gland to release epinephrine into your body. While its benefits of heightened alertness and strength improve your athletic performance, it is dangerous in high quantities. As such, finding a right balance is crucial.

There are a variety of ways athletes can consume caffeine such as coffee, boba tea, red bull and gum. While the form one consumes it does not impact the effectiveness of the caffeine, how much you consume will considerably affect your body.

That is why it is crucial to inspect the food labels to find out how many milligrams of caffeine something contains. Because everyone reacts differently to caffeine, athletes should conservatively experiment to find the amount that is best for them.

As a rule of thumb, caffeine passes from the digestive system to the bloodstream relatively quickly–a time of 15 to 45 minutes. It then reaches its peak stimulatory effects 30 to 75 minutes after consuming it. Due to this, it is best to drink coffee an hour before you work out.

A commonly held belief is that coffee and other caffeinated drinks are not valid forms of hydration, as its dehydrating effects negate the effect of water. This myth is dispelled by a study from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, which found that there were no harmful effects of drinking caffeinated drinks on 24-hour urine volume. This means, in regular amounts, your coffee is just as good at hydrating you as does water.

With all of the benefits that caffeine can provide to athletes, there is a multitude of downsides to this drug. Caffeine may lead to nausea, digestion issues and headaches. These side effects may induce discomfort and even worsen athletic performance.

In addition, since caffeine is a temporary stimulant, it is essentially “borrowing energy” so one consequence may be experiencing an energy crash halfway through a CSS game. These are some of the reasons why Cupertino High School’s Athletic Trainer, Rochelle, has developed a staunch anti-caffeine stance. Says Rochelle, “There’s no need for caffeine– it’s artificial energy. It’s better if you condition, get in shape, and get your energy from food.”

She also notes how most many caffeinated drinks such as Red Bull and Monster contain harmful and potentially toxic chemicals. Her advice is, “Athletes should not drink caffeine ever, especially when they want to be at their best.”

Personally, I have seen both sides of caffeine. I have experienced hours of caffeine-induced cramps and devastating crashes. I have improved swimming times and retained better focus in class after drinking a cup of coffee. Athletes range from people who never use caffeine to people who can’t function without it. In the end, it’s important to know yourself and how this chemical affects you.

Sports

The Prospector

January 30, 2018

15

BOYS BASKETBALL FIGHTS HARD VS. LOS GATOS MICHELLE MA photo editor

On Jan. 17, Pioneer fans and Wildcat supporters gathered in the Cupertino High School gym to cheer on their respective boys’ varsity basketball teams. Despite putting out some of their best plays of the season, Cupertino ended with 58 points to Los Gatos’ 64 points — a close loss to a challenging opponent.

Tino faced a rough start when the Wildcats relied heavily on their two strongest players, 6’6” Dylan Belquist and 6’3” Alex Brakenguelke, to score the first eight points of the game within the first two minutes.

The first few points for Tino were earned by a free throw and a well-placed three-pointer made by junior and wing John Duan. With 1222 on the board, the Pioneers began picking up the game and gaining momentum in the start of the second quarter.

“We found a nice rhythm after the first quarter when we started to play the game correctly and gave [Los Gatos] some problems,” Coach Craig Ellegood said. “We ran offense better and did not do a great job defensively, but we held our own on the board. Overall, our energy level picked up; we started to make some plays and had multiple people contribute, [which] really helped quite a bit.”

Due to the contributions of each team member in this game, Tino players had, on average, a 55 percent field goal percentage, 12 percent higher than that of Los Gatos players.

With 20 seconds left before halftime, senior and guard George Ellegood made the last basket of the quarter, a three-point shot. The score was 26-32.

words of encouragement while a timeout was called. Unperturbed, the Wildcats scored several free throws and Ellegood made another layup — the Pioneers were once again trailing by one

MICHELLE MA GEORGE ELLEGOOD | Varsity basketball player #2, George Ellegood, pulls up to take a deep three versus Los Gatos High School defender

Returning energized after a Golden Spurs halftime dance performance, senior and center Meelad Danai landed a two-point shot. With another field goal from Ellegood, Tino was one point behind Los Gatos within the first minute of the quarter. Tino’s cheer squad yelled out

point. Rebounding a missed shot, Ellegood secured the two-pointer that pulled Tino forward to a 35-34 score. The crowd watched intensely as Tino players Jack Townsend, Skyler Santos and Richard Yang, armed with positive energy, each scored three-pointers.

Said Ellegood, “We shot the ball well and started to feel really good about ourselves. We had confidence in what we were doing on the court, moved the ball, made good decisions and finished shots.”

In the third quarter alone, Tino scored 22 points, putting them ahead by three points and keeping spectators at the edge of their seats.

During the final quarter, both sides kept up the energy and played fiercely for the lead. With only four minutes left in the game, the score was tied. However, the Pioneers were unable to continue to keep the pressure on their opponents and began to fall behind.

Said Ellegood, “We gave them run-outs.

We had two bad turnovers at the top of the key, and they did not even have to think about what they were doing offensively. They got uncontested layups, and that was a big problem for us.”

In the last four minutes, the Pioneers were only able to score three points. “We fell a little behind and a little more behind and we were chasing them at the end,” Ellegood said.

Now a little over halfway through the Santa Clara Valley - De Anza League season, Cupertino held an 11-6 season record by the end of the game.

Said Ellegood, “We were disappointed [because] the guys played well and they played harder than they have [before], and they didn’t get to win … They did come back after they went down early. [Their] goals haven’t changed.”

The team hopes to remain competitive in all games and ultimately place in the playoffs.

CUPERTINO GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER TEAM PLAYS HARD AGAINST GUNN AASHNA SHAH lifestyles assistant

On Jan. 19, parents and fans crowded on the bleachers to support Cupertino’s varsity girls’ soccer team. Despite their hard work out on the field, Cupertino lost to Gunn High School with a final score of 2-0.

The majority of the first half was played on Gunn’s side of the field, with Cupertino’s offense putting pressure on Gunn’s defensive line. Tino had control over the ball for most of the first half and came close to making goals several times. Shots were taken by sophomore Zaida Chavez and senior Amie Boyle with a penalty kick by senior Kelly Sawyer. Additionally, Boyle held possession of the ball multiple times in the game and fed strong through balls to the wing players and striker. However, the girls attempts at making goals were stopped by Gunn’s goalie.

Said sophomore and outside back Mukta Ubale, “We’re always frustrated in these kinds of situations, especially since none of our shots were going in. We had a lot of opportunities but we just couldn’t get it in, so I was frustrated. But I thought we played really well on the field, passing-wise.”

Throughout the half, Tino’s passes to the other players were smooth and were rarely intercepted by Gunn. They were able to string together many passes, which served as the foundation for the constant fire of shots on the Gunn goalie. The girls’ team held onto the ball especially well transitioning from defensive to offensive. Senior Maddie Macon made precise passes to the center midfielders and gave the girls many chances to switch their play from defense to offense. The team collectively showed hard work and perseverance throughout the game leading them to almost a dozen shots on frame.

At the end of the first half, the teams were tied 0-0. Tino’s strong offense and Gunn’s secure defense made sure that no goals had been scored. Cupertino’s tactics on the ball, however, slowly faded as the game went on. They came out with the same drive as they had in the first half, but they left areas of field open for Gunn.

Said Ubale, “I felt really good, and I felt like we were really ahead, that we were playing the better game than the other team.”

In the second half, Gunn successfully made two goals in a span of five minutes. Tino’s defensive line quickly came back and successfully stopped further goals Unfortunately, even though the girls regained their momentum in the second half, they were still unable to score. The game ended with a final score of 2-0, to Gunn.

Like with all their games, the preparation for this game was extremely intensive. Said Ubale, “First of all, we scout the other team, so we go and watch their games and see how they play. After that, we alter our mentality so that it benefits us while we are playing. And then we practice, and then we come to the game, prepared mentally and physically.“ During the game, the team made sure to keep in mind the different strategies that they had planned to implement. Said junior and right defense Andrea Aguilar, “We tried to do a lot of short passes and tried to get the balls through them so that they could just go down the field so that we could eventually score.”

Throughout the season, the team has seen a major improvement in their playing skills. Said Ubale, “I think we’ve really been

improving, so we started off with a good game or two, but when we had our downfalls, we really worked together as a team to bring it back up. I think we’re going on an uphill climb right now.”

Coach Sean Coleman was extremely proud of his team and their performance on the field, despite the fact that they did not win. He finds that their hard work and the countless hours they put in during practices have really paid off on the field.

Said Coleman, “I think we were unlucky to lose the game. I was really proud of the way that we attacked, the way that we held onto the ball. We had the ball much more than Gunn did, and we had a lot more chances than Gunn did. Overall, I thought we played really well.”

MICHELLE MA CUPERTINO VARISTY GIRLS SOCCER | Brittany Perrier #20 plays right wing against Gunn defender, follwing her is Amie Boyle #10 showing for the pass back

Flip Side

January 30, 2018

16

JANUARY IN PHOTOS MA COURTESY OFMICHELLE LILLIAN KANN

JENN ZARATAN

PIONEER POETRY SLAM | Junior Valeriya Sukovya performs at Tino’s 3rd annual poetry slam

HACKATHON | Future Business Leaders of America hosts its first-ever 12-hour long hackathon

COURTESY OF ANIRRUDH SURESH JENN ZARATAN

MICHELLE MA

CLUBS FAIRE | The new science-based magazine, “Les Nouvelles,” attracts potential members

BIKE CLUB | Tino’s bike club embarks on a 38-mile long road trip on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

JENN ZARATAN COURTESY OF SIMRAN SINGH

WOMEN’S MARCH 2018 | Tino students and teachers join together for the Women’s March in San Jose

you can manage your time better by lucy macdonald SYDNEY LIAO features assistant

Inundated with homework and extracurriculars, I bought You Can Manage Your Time Better by Lucy MacDonald to help eliminate stress through better time management.

The best part about this book is its superb organization. Each category introduces a different scenario, and there is something for everyone, from procrastinators to workaholics, children to parents. The time management for students section was especially useful, with tips on creating a study schedule and prioritizing.

However, doing the exercises themselves was time consuming and required great thought; I spent an average time of 15 minutes on each activity. That might not seem like a lot, but it added up with a full schedule. In the end, I picked out the exercises that I was actually interested in, such as starting a planner. The planner proved to be an efficient organization tool, and I hope to continue using it even though the experiment is over.

While this book did not dramatically change my habits, it was a good starting point for my journey of time management. It met my high expectations for self-help books, and I would definitely recommend it.

SELF-HELP BOOKS

After hearing about the hype surrounding Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, we decided to give self-help books a try for ourselves. We found two books to help us tackle problems with productivity and to see if these books can truly make a difference in our lives.

fidget! by heather fisher ALLISON LO editor-in-chief

As someone who has the attention span of a goldfish when working, I’ve long searched for the ultimate hack to productivity. I was interested in reading Fidget!, by Heather Fishel, to try out its unique and somewhat counterintuitive approach to maintaining productivity.

The book encourages fidgeting and getting distracted in order to stay focused. Each of the “fidgets,” or distractions, are organized into sensory categories (sight, taste, sound, touch and movement). Over the course of a week, I tried different distractions from each category while doing homework.

Some tips, like doodling and working with background music, were so distracting I couldn’t get anything done.

Others, like looking at memes and pacing, were habits I already had. But to my surprise, most of the distractions were useful for staying focused long-term. I found the “movement” and “taste” categories the most effective: fiddling with random objects provided an outlet for my restlessness and drinking hot tea helped my concentration.

What makes the book so effective is that it encourages mental breaks. Not many people can sit still for four hours, and Fidget! was a surprisingly helpful guide to using positive distractions.

ALL PHOTOS BY JENN ZARATAN

Next Month: February Seniors vs. Staff Powderpuff

Career Fair

Advanced Drama Showcase

President’s Week

Thursday, Feb. 1 Thursday, Feb. 1

Friday, Feb. 2

Monday, Feb. 19 - Friday, Feb. 23 COURTESY OF @SCOTTCHANNING

MICHELLE MA

WHAT IS IT WORTH? SAAGAR SANGHAVI copy editor

Volunteering holds various meanings for different people. For me, it’s a concept that has evolved with my perspective on the world.

My freshman year was marked by a childish, naive point of view on community service. I saw myself as a social justice warrior, fighting for change and dramatically impacting the world—even if the extent of my work was picking up trash for an hour. When working with the poor or ill, I viewed myself as their savior and lifeline, although they clearly had more to teach me than I had to give them.

I genuinely believed in the work that I was doing, and I loved every moment of it. It was cute, it was innocent, and honestly, it’s something I think about in hindsight and cringe. I now realize the hypocrisy and blindness behind my naive mindset; not only did my “single story” of people in poverty create generalizations, but it indirectly perpetuated the effect of their victimization. As I matured through high school, my thinking started to become cynical—the lack of genuine passion I witnessed from my peers gave me a practical view of human nature. “If everyone is doing this for their resume, then why am I here?” I questioned myself for my work and lost motivation.

“Who am I joking when I think I’m changing the world? We’re weakening infrastructures. Worse yet, we’re letting people think they don’t have to work hard by giving things out for free.” Did volunteering have a place in the world at all?

Despite my somewhat destructive introspection, I kept myself believing in the mission behind all the work that I did. I took part in several club community service projects and channeled my desire for self-satisfaction and compassion in the world around me to work hard for others. I challenged myself to apply my unique skills in new ways and inspire others to find passion behind their efforts.

The idea of finding value in volunteering beyond self-satisfaction remains a challenge, and it’s something that I’m still working on.

While it would have been detrimental to let cynicism define me, it served as a valuable tool in terms of shifting my attitude to one that recognizes the world for what it is and takes action accordingly. The innocent me would kindly give a beggar on the street a coin, while a cynical me would keep the cash to myself, knowing that it might end up wasted. The current me, a realistic optimist, would listen to their stories and make them feel valued by taking concrete steps to raise awareness on the issue of homelessness.

If done right, I believe volunteering has its place in the world— it’s not about me trying to change the world or “fix” a person’s life. It’s about finding ways to inspire, learning to empathize and hearing new perspectives to broaden my worldview.