Issue 6 - March 2017

F RI DAY, M A RC H 31, 2017

New engineering elective offered to sophomores

Self-segregation at CHS

NEWS page 3

VOLUME 58 NO. 6

FEATURES pages 6 & 7

Culture shock: traveling across the globe

The best of both worlds

FLIPSIDE page 12

OPINIONS page 5

The Prospector

CHSPROSPECTOR.COM

Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

NEW GUIDELINES ENDANGER FUTURE OF CUPERTINO DECA

10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO, CA 95014

Bill to ban Howard Zinn readings in classrooms SANTOSH MURALIDARAN features assistant

partake in the club. The CTE course requirement alone has dramatically slashed Cupertino DECA’s membership. Last year, 55 students represented Tino’s DECA chapter in the State Career Development Conference, whereas only 38 students did this year.

Despite the drop in chapter membership, Tino’s DECA chapter is faced with another issue. DECA advisor Sharon Boyd does not hold the credential necessary for her to satisfy the new rule.

Alternatives to this issue include Boyd co-advising with a teacher who holds a proper credential. Boyd has considered pursuing a single subject business credential but is not available to do so at the moment.

For some students, the two new guidelines are a loss of business-related learning opportunities outside of the school setting.

In Arkansas, State Bill HB 1834 was introduced on March 2 to ban public schools in the state from assigning books and articles written by Howard Zinn — an author whose works are frequently studied in Cupertino High School’s AP US History classes. Kim Hendren, the man who proposed the bill, is currently serving his third term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Historian Howard Zinn wrote a myriad of historical books that aim to shed light on the perspectives of minority groups — women, African Americans, slaves and Native Americans — and sold over 2 million copies of his works prior to his death in 2010. Many school curriculums across the United States, including some in Arkansas, feature lectures and assessments on various Howard Zinn books.

Support for the bill stems from conservatives and Republicans.

Republican lawmaker Hendren and many other conservatives disagree with the book’s placement in educational programs, which sparked the proposal and debate of this bill. In many states, people believe that Howard Zinn’s books include bias and encourage polarity geared towards a specific side of history rather than a more broader picture.

Said senior Ben Ashkenazi, an opposer of Howard Zinn and his works, “I do not like that Howard Zinn is a prominent feature of our [class] curriculum. He is partisan, regularly distorts history and is one-sided ... We read a heavily biased and misleading text with little to no warnings about its political nature.”

HB 1834 has provoked criticism as well. Many critics denounce the bill and question its justifications. They claim the bill limits students’ exposure to a different perspective of history, given that Zinn has been known by some to convey history through the eyes of various minority groups, shedding light on issues related to oppression and discrimination. They additionally question Hendren’s authority to adjudicate what specific materials are permis-

Cupertino DECA, continued on page 3

Howard Zinn, continued on page 3

COURTESY OF CUPERTINO DECA

ANSHUL RAJWANSHI news assistant

EDWARD HSU features assistant

At the start of the 2015-2016 school year, the California Department of Education (CDE) enacted two new guidelines for Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs).

The first requires members of CTSOs to take a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course and the other mandates that chapter advisors have a single subject credential. The Distributive Education Clubs of America, commonly known as DECA, is one organization on campus that is affected by these new guidelines.

Many DECA members believe that restrictions in eligible CTE courses, school elective credit requirements and A-G requirements set by the University of California and California State University systems constrict their ability to

Violinist Ralph Wang fundraises through performances AMY ZENG flipside editor // business manager

JENN ZARATAN photo editor

On cold mornings while the rest of the student body is just starting to straggle in, the sound of violin music fills the air and raises students from their sleepdeprived reveries; follow the music and you can trace it back to sophomore Ralph Wang, playing for early-comers on the on the library mezzanine or just outside the quad. Beside him, an open violin case sits with a sign reading, “Help support Tino Music Club” and “candy donations accepted” in small print underneath.

What started as a spontaneous decision to entertain his friends out of boredom gradually became routine; without fail, Wang brings his violin to school every Wednesday, practicing complex classical music pieces before second period begins.

“I wanted to entertain people; even inspire them maybe, so that hopefully

they would remember my playing,” said Wang.

His habit has done more than entertain: tips and donations dropped by appreciative spectators have gone towards campus activities he participates in: just from playing on street corners and at school, he was able to raise enough funds to throw parties for Music Club and benefit the Chamber Orchestra. Recently, however, he stopped accepting tips.

“I realized that I was playing just for the money, so I just decided that it wasn’t right to be playing [for only that]. I think I’ll accept donations again once I find a good reason,” said Wang.

As a sophomore busy with the challenges of academics and extracurriculars, Wang uses his early morning performances as a way to practice the violin and improve his technique. A pianist as well, he can often be seen playing either instrument on a regular basis.

“He’s a passionate guy and really loves music; you can tell just by being

around him,” said Music Club member Bennett Ngan, “Most of the time if I go to the green room after school, more often than not I’ll just find him playing piano.

Even when we have choir rehearsals, he’s always there and eventually we’ll have to kick him out when we’re performing.”

When asked what motivates him to come out every Wednesday morning, he instantly replied that he simply needs practice time.

“I used to have a teacher but recently I had to quit because my dad wanted me to focus on my academics. So I’m technically not allowed to practice anymore, and that’s another reason why I come to school to practice,” said Wang. “I used to actually not like [music], and my dad would push me — he’d say, ‘Ralph! Please play piano!’ And then now he’s like, ‘Please stop playing piano!’”

A violinist of about seven years now, Wang plans to continue his passion for music and play for whoever might pass him by.

JENN ZARATAN

RALPH WANG | On Wednesday mornings, Sophomore Ralph Wang can be seen playing in various parts of the school

News The Prospector

S TA F F 2016-2017

The Prospector

March 31, 2017

Reflections on first-year AP Environmental Science Course ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN opinions assistant

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LVIII, No. 6 | 2017 editors-in-chief melissa silva meilinda sun news editor ethan qi opinions editor peter martin features editor aishwarya laddha lifestyles editor allison lo sports editor erin song flip side editor amy zeng copy editors caroline gee sudarshan kannan ethan qi saagar sanghavi photo editors catherine seok jenn zaratan online editors lily rosen marvin josephine robinson business manager amy zeng news assistants

gene kim anshul rajwanshi

opinions assistants

esha radhakrishnan leo rassieur

features assistants

edward hsu santosh muralidaran

lifestyles assistants

nico chilla xinyi zhang

sports assistants

neerali shah christina shao

flip side assistant online assistants photo crew

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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.

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This year, CHS’ first AP Environmental Science class was introduced to the school’s suite of science courses. With the end of the year soon approaching, both teachers and students have come together to reflect on the course’s successes and challenges that still remain.

According to the course description written by College Board, Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) is an interdisciplinary class that scrutinizes a broad scope of topics pertinent to numerous academic fields, including terrestrial and marine ecology.

Said APES and Physics teacher Susan DesJardin, “To teach an AP class, you have to go to training which [Ms. Southerd and I] attended during the summer. The experience there helped us formulate ideas as to how we could teach the class. Also, we talked to other APES teachers in the district to see how they taught the subject. But in the end, you always have to [consider] the students you have in class and how things are working out for them.”

According to both instructors, students often approach the class with the misconception that APES is less challenging than the other AP sciences, leading them to underestimate the difficulty of the course.

Said APES and Physiology teacher Samantha Southerd, “APES has the lowest national passing rate of any AP science test, and you take that with a grain of salt when comparing Cupertino kids to the rest of the country. But at the end of the day, more people are passing AP Chemistry or AP Biology than AP Environmental Science. So when people say the class is easy, it depends on their definition of ‘easy.’”

Although the majority of the class time is typically allotted to labs, lectures and quiz debriefs, DesJardin explains that the scope of the content covered necessitates substantial self-discipline in studying.

Said DesJardin, “While any one topic or idea is not hard to comprehend, being able to relate everything and be in command of the breadth of information that you need to be successful in the class is hard.”

While students generally agree that APES is a demanding course,

NEWS BRIEFS

2

many see ways in which the course can be improved.

Said a senior who asked to remain anonymous, “I personally believe that the curriculum made by the APES teachers is good, but I wished that they had taken the perception of their students into account and tried to make the class more engaging. Instead of memorizing facts, I’d like to learn the real-world applications of the concepts taught.”

Said senior Jasmine Till, “APES this year was a rough but really cool experience. We’re like the guinea pigs, but Ms. Southerd and Ms. DesJardin did a really good job creating their own curriculum, making labs and organizing field trips.”

In considering feedback from students about the curriculum, both APES teachers look forward to updating and revising their syllabus for next year.

Said Southerd, “We’re both so passionate about the subject and we know we’re teaching students who are going to change the world, so it is important to us to give the class our all. This year has been so difficult, stressful, challenging and emotional, but it was awesome.”

When Snapchat went public this month, St. Francis High School profited greatly. In 2012, the school decided to invest $15,000 in Snapchat as a parent saw great potential in the new app and urged the school to take a step forward.

Snapchat’s IPO increased St. Francis’s stake in the company and, after selling two-thirds of their shares, the school made $24 million.

On Feb. 22 Cupertino’s Apple Campus received a new name and opening date. Now called Apple Park and set to open in April, the new ring-shaped spaceship is estimated to hold 1,000 employees and contain more than 9,000 trees. The 175-acre natural setting, designed by the late Steve Jobs, is powered completely by renewable energy supplied by solar panels.

Nintendo made one of its biggest announcements in October with the Nintendo Switch console. The console was recently released to the public on March 3. The uniqueness of the Switch lies in its ability to be played on a big screen in homes and on the road as a portable device. Nintendo’s launch has brought over 1.5 million sales in just one week.

On March 10 South Korea’s former president Park Geun-hye was officially removed from office. Due to peaceful but sustained protests and a corruption scandal from Park’s party, the Korean constitutional court decided to impeach the president. With an incredibly difficult impeachment process, the event marked a defining moment in South Korean history.

On March 22 the city of London was hit with a terrorist attack leaving 5 dead and 40 injured.

Khalid Masood, the killer, first plowed his car through pedestrians on the Westminster Bridge. Then his vehicle crashed into a fence.

He finally emerged from the vehicle and fatally stabbed a Scotland Yard constable before being shot by police officers.

On March 24 the GOP suffered a defeat in their attempts to replace Obamacare with the American Healthcare Act. A lack of support from several Republicans led the bill to fall short of the necessary votes, causing House Speaker Paul Ryan to pull efforts to overhaul Obamacare.

COMPILED BY UTKARSH TANDON

CHS students participate in Synopsys Science Fair CHRISTINA SHAO sports assistant

COURTESY OF CUPERTINO STEM

Held on March 23 at the San Jose Convention Center, the 2017 Synopsys Championship was an exciting opportunity for middle and high school students to show off their scientific discoveries. However, for participants, the Synopsys science fair was not just about the one day they were judged. It took many months of careful research, testing and preparation to produce a project worthy of an award.

The projects are split into two categories: science and engineering. Science projects are the classic research projects with a question, hypothesis and experiment. Engineering projects are slightly different and involve developing a product that solves a problem. Projects created by CHS students included senior Bennett Ngan’s thermoelectric generator project and freshman Janvi Shah’s tool that diagnosed different types of cancers. Aside from the actual

research and testing, participants also needed to create a notebook to record their data results and a display board describing their project.

Said freshman Yash Shroff, who investigated the efficacy of daily tooth brushing, “I wanted to do the Synopsys science fair because I was interested in learning more about a particular field and research more. This project helped me gain research experience and learn how to conduct an experiment.”

He spent approximately five hours a week on his project.

Encouraging members to participate in the Synopsys science fair, Tino STEM Club guides participants through the scientific process.

Said co-president and senior Anita Ilango, “As officers, we assemble student registration forms, discuss science fair ideas with teams, edit project proposal plans and provide feedback on project progress and presentation.”

To simulate the environment of the actual Synopsys Science Fair and members to practice their presentations, the Tino STEM Club also hosted a Mock Science Fair in the College and Career Center on March 13. During lunch, participants set up their display boards and gave presentations about their project as CHS STEM teachers judged and scored them.

Even though the results for this year’s fair have not yet been released, in the past, around half of CHS students who participate have won awards.

However, many students find that the awards are often not as important as the process itself.

“More than anything, [Synopsys is] an excellent way to present my research and understand how to communicate results to a broad audience. You can always do scientific research, but being able to present that information … is an incredibly important skill to have,” sophomore Nithya Attaluri said.

Said Ilango, “We hope that the experience will instill in students a sense of curiosity that will continue to motivate them in future STEM pursuits and give them the confidence to take on challenging projects in whatever career paths they choose.”

March 31, 2017

The Prospector

Cupertino DECA

News

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continued from page 1

Howard Zinn

“Some people may not have been lucky with having all of the members in their group having taken CTE class, which really affects their chances of winning and their chances of enjoying the club because their friends may not be there,” junior Kritika Sharma, the chapter’s director of written events, said.

Said Boyd, “The competitions that I have seen students participate in, [where] they are dressed up professionally … and are so dignified and professional … That, to me, is a really important piece that might not happen [next year].”

To combat the drop in membership statewide, Cupertino High School senior Jay Shah, Silicon Valley DECA’s Vice President of Membership, has drafted a letter addressed to the CDE and plans to gather signatures from chapter, district and state representatives at the International Career Development Conference in late April.

Although the CDE has not offered an official explanation, Shah speculates that the new rules are an attempt for DECA to achieve its career business career pathway goals, making it so that only members who are serious about a career in business can participate in the club. With the advisor rule, many believe that the CDE hopes to level the playing field between chapters statewide because the level of engagement and experience by members can vary greatly depending on an advisor’s business background.

Until Shah’s appeal goes through, the future of the chapter remains precarious.

sible to use for children’s education.

At CHS, weekly discussions and assignments are assigned based on Howard Zinn’s book, “A People’s History of the United States.” Said Elena Gonzalez, social studies teacher at the school and opponent of the bill’s enforcement in Arkansas, “We choose to teach Zinn’s book because the students are assigned a textbook, ‘American Pageant,’ [which] comes from a very conservative standpoint, so we use Zinn‘s [more liberal book] to show students the contrasting side of American Pageant.”

Opponents also recognize the bias in Zinn’s books, yet many school administrations believe the interpretation Zinn provides is commonly unheard of and that students must therefore gain the exposure to it.

In response to this bill, the Zinn Education Project is offering free copies of “A People’s History of the United States,” one of Zinn’s best-selling books, to teachers in Arkansas.

Despite the support and criticism regarding this bill, it is expected to soon go before the House Committee on Education, and eventually, the Arkansas state government. If the government passes and enforces this bill, public schools in Arkansas will subsequently be prohibited from including any articles or books by Howard Zinn in their curriculum — a disappointment for some and a welcome change for others.

New engineering class offered to sophomores GENE KIM news assistant

Next year, the class of 2020 will be the first to participate in the new Introduction to Engineering and Alternative Energy course. This new elective is a three-year progressive program that will be offered to current sophomores. While students are not required to enroll for all three years, continuing in order to build upon prior skills is heavily encouraged. The class will be taught

by Mr. Scott Keller, who taught an engineering class at Milpitas High School and was an engineer himself beforehand.

Said Keller, “I am extremely excited to get the opportunity to start this class off the ground. I think the potential we have here to make this an outstanding program to be proud of is something that I am really looking forward to.”

Students will be given opportunities to plan, construct and

continued from page 1

troubleshoot devices that will enhance the energy efficiency of already existing products, including a solar-powered car during the second year of the program.

Students will learn how to use a digital design tool called AutoCAD, a software popularly used by professionals in the engineering field. In the last year of the program, an opportunity to receive an official industry-level certification for effective utility of AutoCAD will be given, which will assist students greatly when they look for a career in the field. Additionally, to further prepare students for work, designated roles such as project manager and materials manager will be assigned to students during each project. Each student will be given the opportunity to lead at least one major project throughout the year. To develop communication skills, students will also keep a technical journal tracking the progress of their work.

During the last year of the program, all of the skills developed throughout the three-year course will be utilized in one final capstone project. Through the use of another digital tool, AutoCAD Architecture, the students will design a city large enough to sustain a population of about 2,000 people. Buildings will be

designed to use alternative energy sources and be as energy efficient as possible. This capstone project will allow students to cultivate all of the skills necessary to be successful for their future career in engineering and sustainable energy.

“The goal by senior year is that students have gathered not only the technical skills of AutoCAD, but also the business management skills, the leadership skills and the collaboration skills that they would use in an engineering brief. And also their confidence level, so that they are well prepared when they go to college or if they want to become an engineer,” Keller explains.

With the many recent changes to Cupertino High School, the new engineering class is anticipated to give students an exciting opportunity to work in a realworld environment, as well as cultivate innovation.

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Opinions

Closing the STEM gender gap requires a change in mindset JUSTINE QIU photo assistant

In the technological and mathematical industries exist a massive gender gap, and countless organizations and groups are working to repair it. Throughout the pursuit of equality in STEM fields, many have attempted to encourage female involvement in events such as hackathons, conferences and even in science and math classes, but many believe that such actions are not sufficient enough to truly inspire women to step up into the fields. Such organizations do good work to bring female groups together and promote education in STEM amongst them, and though the gender ratio hasn’t drastically changed, it is improving slowly and steadily. However, many organizations focus on bringing women, and only women, together; this alone will not be effective at improving diversity, nor will it empower women leaders in STEM. There is not a sufficient enough effort to help women thrive in the real STEM industry, where both men and women work, and where the male to female ratio is a whopping 7:3.

Lately, many student groups and organizations have begun hosting “all-girl hackathons”, where only women are able to come together and learn how to code. Through these events, girls are given a greater confidence to bring their ideas to life. However, many women are still too afraid to participate in a full-fledged hackathon, where both men and women are admitted. Such exposure is necessary, as many women who feel comfortable in an environment where there are only girls may not have the tools to thrive in an environment where they are still overpopulated by men. Organizations like Women In Technology and Girls Who Code are superb at attracting initial interest in STEM (the first level of involvement for women), but efforts do not expand further to help them adapt in areas where men still dominate in terms

of population. It is this aspect of diversity efforts that is problematic.

Currently, many women are afraid to work in STEM fields due to the belief that they are not smart or capable enough to contribute to the industry. For some women, stepping into the STEM industry is walking into depths of the unknown, and the fear of doing so prevents them from even trying to consider the option. However, organizations such as ReigningIt, a top writer in the Women In Tech topic, stepped up to the challenge to help motivate more women to face this fear. Every week, a dialogue of an empowering women in technology is posted on multiple sites, and each one of the interview transcripts tells a different story. Many of the women featured reported to have had a bumpy road to get to where they are now, and ReigningIt allows them to share valuable advice in stepping into the tech industry, and they provide personal experiences on dealing with the psychological aspects of breaking through the gender barriers.

So far, there have been countless attempts to encourage the involvement of women in STEM, and we have come a long way from where we were at the start. However, it is clear that with there is still a large step to be taken in order to reach our goals in improving the gender ratio drastically. Currently, more and more women are banding together to fight for their rightful places in the STEM fields. But for them to step across the line dividing the women in STEM groups and the real STEM industries, where there is more male involvement, requires different measures. In order to accomplish this, there needs to be more encouragement for women to share their ideas and participate in an environment resembling to current gender ratios, and there must be more support from men as well. With encouragement from both sides of the table, there is great hope in improving the gender ratio in the science, math and tech industries, leading to endless possibilities for technological improvement with the increase in perspective. The next step organizations must take is to help women thrive in mixed-gender environments

March 31, 2017

Women in Technology by the Numbers

7 to 3 The ratio of men to women in STEM occupations and fields.

41%

The percentage of women who quit STEM occupations.

17%

The percentage of men who quit STEM occupations.

22%

The percentage of AP Comp Sci test takers who are female.

COMPILED BY PETER MARTIN

no “safe space” for conservatives why ideological diversity should matter to everyone MEILINDA SUN editor-in-chief

On March 4, a mob of angry protesters occupied the venue on the campus of Middlebury College where conservative social scientist Charles Murray was to give a speech. Professor Allison Stanger, a self-identifying Democrat who volunteered to moderate the talk, was left with whiplash and a concussion. As the two entered a car to move the event to another location, rioters pounded on windows, climbed atop the vehicle and rocked it.

Regardless of the validity of Murray’s political claims, the recent spate of assaults on free speech — the exclusion of conservatives on college campuses in particular — is disturbingly widespread in liberal strongholds across the country. In progressive Silicon Valley, for instance, it is often forgotten that one out of every five ballots in Santa Clara County were cast for Donald Trump because so few of his supporters were willing to openly admit they voted for him. The fear of social ostracization that prevents nearly 20 percent of voters in this county from engaging with the other 80 percent should be troubling to voters of all political stripes, for civil discourse cannot exist when a significant portion of citizens are discouraged from engaging in it. Stifling discourse in the name of creating “safe spaces” only further widens existing ideological divides, especially in the very places where ideas are supposed to interact — schools.

Creating a generation of thoughtful, informed and engaged citizens starts in the classroom. Social studies courses must integrate a range of works by thinkers across the political spectrum, and educators must take care to present information in an unbiased manner. Rather than argue a single narrative — whether liberal or conservative — history classes should help students gain a better un-

derstanding of how individuals and communities perceived past events contrastingly. A core tenet of engaged citizenry is understanding the needs and beliefs of different communities. In Silicon Valley and other progressive communities, this means that social studies teachers must ensure that conservative and moderate students feel comfortable sharing their beliefs. While reading Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” is certainly educationally valuable, so is comparing Zinn’s writings to the work of an equally reputable conservative historian. While it is helpful for students to consider the arguments made in Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”, it is also useful to study excerpts from J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy.” Students should be introduced to beliefs not commonly held or expressed in their communities.

That conservative ideas are minimally included (or not taken seriously) in many classes only furthers the widespread and fallacious assumption that conservatives are conservative solely because they are ignorant. The same goes for schools in conservative communities that are removing liberal texts: if educators and students refuse to lend credence to an opposing viewpoint, or worse, merely dismiss it with a label, then they have failed to create a safe and inclusive space for students of the ideological minority. If the goal of social science curricula is to expose students to “uncomfortable” perspectives that refute their beliefs and to prepare them to participate in civil discourse, then the range of ideological perspectives offered must be widened. A community can only be called diverse and inclusive when it can tolerate, and better yet, welcome, an opposing viewpoint.

Silicon Valley’s schools will never be as tolerant and accepting as they purport themselves to be until conservatives feel welcome.

The purpose of this article is not to dismiss legitimate concerns about the impact of the Republican Party’s policies and rhetoric on minorities, nor is it an attempt to flagrantly disregard the ostracization of progressives in conservative communities; it also does not seek to downplay the necessity of diversity with respect to race, class, gender and sexual orientation. Rather, it seeks to challenge the predominant meaning of inclusion and discuss the widespread exclusion of conservatives in academic spaces, since it is these communities that continually drive the nation’s intellectual discourse forward.

The 2016 election has been a reality check for voters of all political parties: the country is more divided than ever. But the solution is not to shut down opposing viewpoints and blindside ourselves to perspectives we don’t espouse. Rather, healing this country’s vast political divide demands empathy and proactive engagement — liberals, conservatives and independents must to do more than dismiss the other side’s core convictions as the product of ignorance. To take a first step toward a more inclusive and less polarized society, social studies educators and students must practice ideological tolerance. When conservatives are silenced in liberal areas, and when liberals are suppressed in conservative communities, no one wins; the contest of ideas cannot take place when there is only one willing participant.

March 31, 2017

The Prospector

Opinions

5

Self-Segregation at Cupertino High School

chs students fail to take advantage of diversity SAAGAR SANGHAVI copy editor

“The nerdy Asian math geeks.”

“The Korean hip-hop dancer crew.”

While stereotypical high school friend groups like these may seem like something directly out of a typical Hollywood production, they do have some basis in reality. Too often, as high school students, we tend to stick closely with people of a similar background or race and neglect to interact with individuals with whom we may not see eye-to-eye. That is part of how we make friends — we align with people who see things the way we do and who have similar experiences; however, in doing so, we tend to narrow our vision on the world. Though inevitable to an extent, the self-segregating culture at Cupertino High School ultimately limits an individual’s perspective on the world and can be detrimental to one’s personal growth.

A tendency to align with individuals of the same race or ethnicity is inevitable — it’s only human nature to side with people who look similar and who are raised with similar values. A recent study from the Pew Research Center showed that people feel more comfortable around and relate better to individuals who look like to them. In a way, this helps carry on these values and contribute to the melting pot culture on campus, allowing racial groups to retain their own identity.

However, students can often shut themselves off from different opinions or ideas when they become too fixed in their cliques, limiting their contact with others. When individuals are so set in their social bubbles that they fail to look beyond, a lack of perspective develops.

Besides race,

a variety of other factors restrict the people we interact with.

Though not always explicit, things such as individual backgrounds or interests also can play a role on in who we choose to spend time with and how we develop our world view.

People like to listen to things that reinforce what they want to hear.

Essentially, if one has a fixed mindset about an issue, it is likely to stay that way. Because of this, individuals tend to surround themselves with people who think similarly and express similar opinions on their views. This, however, can give one a very narrow view on many issues.

A circumspect view on international cultures is highly valued and continues to be championed as our world globalizes. Our perspective on life will always change over time; as we grow and mature, our ideas and outlook on the world mature as well. By expanding our horizons, we can develop a more mature perspective earlier on in life.

In essence, to go beyond one’s comfort zone and to listen without criticizing or debating — to become exposed to a completely new perspective — can often be eye-opening. That is why pages like Humans of New York or Ask Amy gain so much traction: they expose and recognize the ideas, values, changes and challenges of a highly diverse population across the globe. Yet, why must we look at stories of individuals from exotic places around the world or inner-city Chicago to gain perspective?

Our school community is incredibly unique because of all the diversity it offers in terms of race, interests and backgrounds. It is high time that we recognize what we are so lucky to have — one of the most diverse communities in the world, coming together to learn, grow and discover together.

I urge everyone, including myself, to take that extra step and talk to someone new. It is always a challenge to break down barriers, but you may be pleasantly surprised with the ideas you will hear and the friendships you will make.

AN UNENDING CYCLE chs lacks safe bike routes LEO RASSIEUR opinions assistant

On Oct. 27, 2014, Monta Vista High School sophomore Ethan Wong was struck by a semitrailer truck while biking to school. He did not survive. Immediately, a sense of panic and disbelief crept throughout the community. I vividly remember my mother telling me not to bike to school anymore, insisting on driving me herself. Her hopeful plan did not pan out, as she found it bothersome to take me to school so early in the morning, and I found it equally inconvenient to walk back on my own. So, a mere two weeks after the fact, I returned to my original routine.

In the Monta Vista area, efforts were made to clear bike lanes of trucks and trash containers, but the long-term impact of these improvements remains unclear. Cupertino High School bikers also face perilous conditions to and from school, having to maneuver around a dubious bike lane, traverse a sidewalk which appears to have been the site of a minor earthquake and follow a laughably awkward recommended path to the bike racks. Nonetheless, school administrators support more biking, citing both a positive impact on the environment and lighter school traffic. While these goals are certainly laudable, the lack of effort on their part toward achieving them is demoralizing.

Consider the route which the school currently tells cyclists to take: after traveling down Stevens Creek Blvd., take a right turn onto Finch Ave. and continue until you reach the pedestrian crosswalk. Then, hop off your bike, wait until the crossing guards put a halt to traffic, walk your bike across the crosswalk and then resume biking to the bike rack. While this procedure seems mildly reasonable in theory, in practice, it is nearly impossible. To begin with, there is no bike lane on Stevens Creek Blvd., or at least not in any real sense. While an innocuous white line demarcates the bike lane, cars turning right to access the school occupy all usable road within a few hundred feet of the intersection. Cyclists are forced into a hazardous transition onto the sidewalk, risking collisions with vehicles exiting the Bank of America parking

lot, oblivious pedestrians and terrain obstacles like trees or protruding wedges of concrete. On Finch Ave., the recommended course slows bikers down by forcing them to walk with pedestrians on the crosswalk. Although the consequence of these hurdles may only amount to a few minutes of wasted time, such time may be invaluable to someone who is late. The fact is, many bikers disregard the school’s recommendation, choosing instead to merge into traffic to take a left into the school.

This puts bikers at odds with parents eager to step on the gas and get their kids to class on time.

But even patient drivers will not always notice every biker in their paths, and there are no signs or markings to warn them. Moreover, taking an alternate route, such as trekking through Creekside Park, is only practical for some students and leads to dangers of its own.

The fix to these troubles does not end with “yield” signs, however. School administrators and Cupertino city planners ought to establish a physical barrier, such as curb or posts, between the bike lane and traffic — particularly on Stevens Creek Blvd. The school should also enable cyclists to continue biking while entering the school by setting aside a left-turn bike lane similar to the one which runs along the road leading out of the school on Finch Ave. While these changes may congest vehicular traffic, an uptick in biking would certainly offset this, and improved safety is undoubtedly worthwhile.

Given all of the solutions that we have available to us, why is it that nothing has been done? For one, students and parents alike hold a “not my problem” mindset, believing that gambling with the risk of an accident is to be expected, or at least until one actually happens. Community members then flock to abandon the practice of biking altogether, regardless of their alleged interest in ecofriendly transportation.

But a solution is possible, and it would be a shame to allow another tragedy to occur. Considering the abysmal condition of Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino High School is practically overdue for a fatal accident. At the very least, reducing the stress of both drivers and bikers and preventing collisions with pedestrians are worthy causes. We pride ourselves on being proactive members of the community and environmentally aware, so we ought to take those ideals and implement them b y solving the disastrous bike safety problems at our school.

Features PARACHUT E KIDS Leaving the familiar for the future

BRAZIL

CATHERINE SEOK photo editor CATHERINE SEOK

MELISSA SILVA editor-in-chief

My friends know I’m Brazilian — maybe it’s easy to tell because of the way my attention is immediately caught by anyone who mentions the words “Brazil” or “Portuguese” or because of the Brazilian food I take any opportunity to share — but I still feel very “American” and out of place when I visit Brazil. Although I speak Portuguese (not Brazilian, mind you) pretty fluently and am fairly educated on the traditions, holidays and history of my country, I face the dilemma of “not being Brazilian enough.”

Both my parents are from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is also where my entire extended family lives. Almost every summer, I visit Brazil. Typically, I’ll start off my day with some “pao de queijo” (cheese bread) for breakfast, then head to the pool or to the beach to cool off. For lunch, I’ll enjoy my grandfather’s amazing barbecue (much more authentic than any Brazilian steakhouse around here) and sip some Guaravita (kind of like soda, but better) while I listen to Gilberto Gil sing some of my favorite songs. However, even with all those summers spent in Brazil and all my love and interest in my heritage, I still miss out on an essential part of truly belonging to a culture, having been raised in the U.S. As I walk down the streets of downtown Rio in my Brazilian shoes with my Brazilian family, I notice several sideways glances from others in my direction. Later, my mom laughs as she tells me it’s because I’m obviously a “gringa”. Apparently everyone can tell just by looking at me that I’m American. I walk like a foreigner, I talk like a foreigner and I think like a foreigner. Situations like these always get me thinking about how and why I, the child of two “cariocas” (natives to Rio) who raised me to love and understand my people and my country, can be so easily identified as an outsider.

The answer never came so clearly to me, since I was raised in this melting pot of cultures we call the Bay Area, where I have become accustomed to learning about different cultures on a daily basis. There is no typified Bay Area resident. In this sense, growing up, I never had to worry much about being seen as an outsider. But when I am thrown into a completely new setting every summer, although I am surrounded by family, I just don’t fit in completely.

Part of the reason behind my detachment from my country is the lack of Brazilian community I experience here in the U.S. Besides a few family friends, I get little exposure to people of the same origin as me. I can’t recall ever having a Brazilian classmate.

There have been so many times I’ve wanted to share a funny Brazilian video with a friend but ended up, obviously, being unable to do so — or ended up showing it to a friend anyway and having to explain every second of it. My inability to truly relate to a peer on a cultural level leaves me isolated as the sole representative of my country in my class.

With this isolation comes the responsibility of portraying my people favorably. Any action I take could potentially become a peer’s stereotype for my nation. On the flipside, because of the lack of exposure most of my peers have had to my culture, some immediately assign me to a stereotype. “You’re Brazilian? Why aren’t you tan?” “Your family is from Rio? You must love to samba.” “Do you play soccer? I love Neymar.”

My experiences as a Brazilian in America and as an American in Brazil, however, have offered me a uniqueness I have come to appreciate. It excites me to see my American friends so in love with the Brazilian food my mother makes. I appreciate the efforts of so many of my friends to learn about my language or my people, and I love talking about my heritage. In Brazil, I get to be the “American cousin,” the one who has been privileged to live in the land of Oreos and iPhones and who speaks the “blessed” language of English. Although I will never be completely American or completely Brazilian, I’m lucky to be able to experience both cultures and to have the opportunity to share the beauty of both countries. And to have quick and easy access to both burgers and brigadeiros in a matter of minutes.

As defined by Urban Dictionary, parachute kids are those who are “sent to a new country to live alone or with a caregiver while their parents remain in their home country.” Parents often send their children to America in the hopes that they have more opportunities and will eventually attend American universities. The number of these “parachute students” has only increased over the past decade in cities around the country and Cupertino is no exception.

The numerous students studying in a foreign

country each have their own reasons for moving t sands of miles for their high school lives.

Said senior Cindy Chen, “Although my mom init wanted to send me to a school in England, my uncle w ed and convinced my mom for me to move to Cuper because the Silicon Valley is the center for technology I would be surrounded by people who are all motiv to learn.”

Said junior Andrew Park, “My dad and I moved first, and I stayed because I thought it would be a good portunity for my education. America is competitive c pared to Korea and as a result, I feel healthier and hap here.”

While Park initially moved to Cupertino durin freshman year as a result of his father’s job, Chen mo to the U.S. as a sophomore because of the numerous portunities Cupertino offers. Regardless of the stud reasons for moving, they have experienced huge cult academic and social changes during their time in America.

“Even after moving from Korea, it’s still competitive, but I get to have different expe-

TRAVELERS ACR

On the move Home is where the heart is MICHELLE MA online assistant

For most people, a normal childhood consists of running toward the familiar tune of ice cream trucks, playing with the neighbors’ kids and riding a bike around the block. The word “childhood” generally would evoke the image of a house — a house that has been at the center of the making of countless memories. However, for people like junior Nila Elumalai and seniors Sanika Mahajan and Tasha Wang, there have been many such homes.

In the words of Wang, “because I have moved around quite a bit, home is more of a who than a what or a where.”

CATHERINE SEOK

NILA ELUMALAI

6

March 31, 2017

Elumalai has lived in a total of five states — Arizona, Alabama, Delaware, California and New Jersey. In total, she has moved five times.

Said Elumalai, “I’m pretty adaptable. I don’t really care where I’m living as long as I can get internet connection.”

She adds, “Alabama and Delaware were [comprised of] mostly white people, but it was elementary school, so I didn’t face racism — I feel lucky for that.

Here, it’s so racially diverse that you can’t really feel like an outsider or an insider.”

SANIKA M

Mahajan was born in Bomb Minn., Indianapolis, Ind., Irvine seven significant moves before th Although she does not reme of moving as a whole has shaped Said Mahajan, “for a long tim cried, and never even felt emotio sad, but I thought moving was no Regardless, having to leave cially for friendships.

Said Mahajan, “I tried very phone number and email don’t w Park’ on Facebook is, like, the har hard [to stay in contact with my mean a lot to me. Things and peo

thou-

tially wantrtino y and vated

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Features

The Prospector

March 31, 2017

riences such as being on sports teams, participating in rallies and being in clubs.” said Park. “These things are really great, but also really hard to experience in Korea.”

Said Chen, “Here, it feels like the people are friendlier; you always see people waving, greeting each other and saying, ‘Hey!’ in the hallways. Also, it feels like the teachers here are our friends. I really like the relaxed relationship between students and teachers. Back in Hong Kong, I don’t think people were really like that.”

For many, the most difficult aspect of living in a foreign country is overcoming the language barrier.

Said Park, “I was really good at English in Korea, but once I moved to America, I was shy and I wasn’t able to speak as confidently. [To improve,] I began with short conversations and watched a lot of movies. I learned the phrase, ‘Does it ring a bell’ from the movie, ‘Wolf on Wall Street’ and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”

Although parachute students are not able to spend much time with their parents in person, communication is still possible with technology. “It’s nice because I’m able to always call my parents and see them whenever I want,” said Chen.

Although living situations have changed for many of these students, some choose to continue their studies in Cupertino. Park’s family returned to Korea after a year of being in the U.S. Said Park, “My mom, dad and sister moved away at the beginning of my second semester of sophomore year, so it was really hard for me [to adapt].

Living with my host family was awkward at first, but now it’s pretty normal. Here, I am able to learn about different cultures, but also how to manage time and responsibilities and [develop] skills important in the future. I have even decided what I will major in.”

Said Chen, “I learned that there is more to the world than what you see. There are so many opportunities here; you can connect with others through clubs and pursue what interests you. You can get a taste of a little bit of everything — it’s a pre introduction to life and I think that’s really helpful to students.”

copy editor

CATHERINE SEOK

TASHA WANG

COURTESY OF SANIKA MAHAJAN, TASHA WANG, NILA ELUMALAI, CINDY CHEN, ANDREW PARK

CATHERINE SEOK

bay, India, but later moved to Sunnyvale, Calif., Trenton, N.J., Minneapolis, e, Calif., Eugene, Ore. and finally to Cupertino, Calif. She has been through he conclusion of her elementary school years. ember much about the individual places in which she has lived, the experience d her life. me [constant moving] was my reality; it’s all I knew. I would expect it. I never on. I noticed when I moved that my friends and people around me would be ormal.” the feeling of familiarity and being forced to start afresh can be tough, espe-

hard to keep in touch with my best friend from when I was in Irvine, but her work anymore. I tried to find her on social media, but searching for a ‘Nicole rdest thing ever. I have never been able to find her. I know that I’ve tried really y friends], but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. It doesn’t mean they didn’t ople have to change, and you just have to let it happen.”

CANADA

CAROLINE GEE

ROSS THE GLOBE

MAHAJAN

CATHERINE SEOK

7

Wang has moved from Washington to San Jose, Calif. to Taiwan to Hawaii and back to Cupertino, Calif.. While she has encountered numerous setbacks, including a language barrier in Taiwan, and having to redo ninth grade to earn high school credits in Hawaii, she still considers moving to be one of the best things that has ever happened to her.

Said Wang, “moving has shaped me more than anything else in my life. Having experienced so many different places has helped me be more open to other cultures and differences people have. I like that I have a greater worldview, and I could not imagine staying here my whole life and never seeing the other parts of the world.”

According to all my friends, I “look” very Chinese; now, ask me to speak in Mandarin, and all I can say is “Ni Hao” (hello). As a fifth generation Chinese American, I’ll admit that the only connection I have to my culture is red envelopes and Chinese takeout. When it comes to the language, traditions and even important dates, I’m about as informed about the Chinese culture as someone of Brazilian descent.

For the most part, not being very “Chinese” doesn’t bother me.

My dad is a fourth generation Chinese American who often returns from Chinese restaurants with the wrong order; my mom, although born in Hong Kong, moved to Canada at age five. Apart from attending an obligatory annual Chinese New Year dinner to appease my more traditional paternal grandparents, my parents have always made little to no effort to educate me about my heritage.

But there is one time of the year when I am fully immersed in my Chinese heritage, and that is when I travel to Richmond Hill, Canada to visit my mom’s parents. A suburb of Toronto, Richmond Hill used to be like the typical Canadian town in that it was occupied by a Caucasian majority — until a surge of Chinese immigrants turned it into a sprawling city of dim sum restaurants and Chinese bakeries. While other people who travel to Canada attempt to take selfies with moose and enjoy the mountain scenery, my annual trips are characterized by an abundance of Chinese food and a general feeling of confusion.

A typical day in Canada would be as follows: after a quiet morning, my mom, grandparents and I would go out for a ridiculously large lunch, followed by a quiet afternoon and another even larger dinner. The rest of the evening would be spent trying to digest the mounds of meat, noodles and stir-fried vegetables that my grandparents never ceased to pile on my plate (needless to say, my mom and I are always a few pounds heavier at the end of the trip).

There’s a reason behind the “quiet.” My grandparents moved to Canada in their thirties and had to learn English as their second language. Coupled with my complete inability to form a coherent sentence in a Chinese dialect, it can be difficult to hold long or deep conversations with my grandparents. At every meal in a crowded Chinese restaurant, I usually sit in silence while my grandparents speak to my mom in rapid Cantonese. The explosion of dialects from the tables around me — sharp and aggressive, exotic and overwhelming — gradually blend into one monotonous blur. Most of the short dinner table conversations I have with my grandparents are to give my opinion on a dish (“good”), answer a simple question about my hobbies (after which my mom will usually translate what I said in Cantonese) or to say that I am “bao” (full).

It’s not that my grandparents don’t love me or don’t want to get to know me. But without the luxury of holding significant, thoughtful conversations, they have to rely on nonverbal actions to interact with me. My mom always says they show their love through food and shopping, as seen by my grandmother’s aggressive eagerness to buy me a new shirt or book. At the same time, I try to connect to my grandparents however I can, whether that means through watching TV together or helping them with simple tasks, like organizing papers.

For the majority of the time in Canada, being set apart by a language barrier isn’t a huge downfall. But there are those occasional dinner parties where the entire table will erupt into laughter and I’m stuck wondering if I should go along with it. Or the times when my mom and grandma are obviously talking about me and I have no opportunity to speak for myself. In those occasions, I often wish I hadn’t given up on Chinese school or wish that I had taken more interest in my culture and traditions.

Visiting Canada is a trip that I both celebrate and dread. It’s like stepping into another world, one full of unfamiliar smells, dialects and tastes. But at the same time, there’s no escaping the feelings of bewilderment and loneliness that perplexing dinner table conversations can provoke. At least these yearly trips remind me that I can’t escape the manifold facets of my ethnicity — no matter how many generations away I am.

Lifestyles

8

so you want to

ACE THAT INTERVIEW

March 31, 2017

ILLUSIOILUSION ILLUSIOILUSION THE ILLUSION EFFORTLSEFORTLESS EFFORTLSEFORTLESS OF EFFORTLESS SUCCESSUCCESS SUCCESSUCCESS SUCCESS

ETHAN QI

ERIN SONG

news editor // copy editor

sports editor

1

research the company or organization interviewing you beforehand

2

prepare to arrive at your interview location at least 15 minutes early

3

thank your interviewers in person and by mail

4

brainstorm possible responses

5

smile

Set aside some time to research specific aspects of the organization’s unique environment and programs. If possible, try researching your interviewer online to acquire information about your interviewer’s fields of interest (just don’t reveal to them that you cyberstalked them).

Although a seemingly obvious piece of advice, many people misinterpret this tip as meeting their interviewer 15 minutes early, not arriving to the location 15 minutes early. Prospective applicants can spend time they have before the scheduled interview time to prepare themselves to exude the right professional frame of mind and calm themselves.

Common courtesy goes a long way in making an impression on potential employers. Before concluding the interview, thank your interviewer for taking the time to talk with you. Although not absolutely necessary, one can also write a thank-you email to the interviewer following the interview itself.

Brainstorming possible responses differs from preparing exact answers for an interview. Instead of memorizing a script, find three aspects that you want your interview to remember about you by the end of your interview. You want to revolve your answers so that each response leave the interviewer with the impression that you embody these three desired qualities.

The human brain tends to release agitating hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine in times of extreme stress. High levels of such hormones can severely inhibit one’s ability to think properly. Smiling can help reduce the production of these hormones and calm any frayed nerves before the interview.

good luck!

While we were young, we were told the story of “The Little Engine That Could.” Intended to inspire virtuous traits such as perseverance and dedication in the young, it served as an age-old metaphor for success and hard work. However, the old parable might do itself more justice to the more modern paradigm of success by revising its name to “The Little Engine Who Incredibly Efficiently and Easily Could.”

With college admission statistics growing grimmer every year and competition becoming ever more stiff, it is no longer adequate to just work hard. Rather, students are pressured to accomplish more in less time. Though maximizing one’s input or output ratio is not something to be looked down upon in and of itself, the extent to which this fixation has progressed is worrisome for both the mental and physical health of students and teachers.

Said English teacher Jenny Padgett, “Somewhere along the line in education, it became uncool to have to work hard at something. What is frustrating for some students, especially in a high-performing school, is that you get students who don’t run into that wall.

They are able to, with minimal effort, do really well. If you’re the kid that bumps up against that as a sophomore, and everyone else seems to be sailing through their classes, and you’re working and working, you don’t want to admit that — it seems like you’re not as smart.”

This culture has emerged as the dominant archetype of Cupertino students; it is not uncommon to hear or notice people claiming to have not studied for a test when in probable actuality they spent all night poring over a textbook, or have withheld information from others in response to the threat of competition. While lies and deception alone are reprehensible acts, these actions have much more wide-reaching effects. By doing so, peo-

“why study when you can Netflix?”

“i didn’t even study” “due tomorrow, do tomorrow”

MORE THAN MUSIC beyoncÉ

ple dismiss the value of hard work — they devalue it and bring it a new connotation — and instead venerate seemingly effortless success.

Said junior Noa Nevo, “I think the first time I experienced this was in Chemistry Honors. There was this prevalent insecurity of, ‘Wow, I must be dumb if I took five hours to do my chapter notes and other people didn’t.’ I can understand why people wouldn’t want to share [the amount of time they spend studying], but I feel like it’s unnecessary for people to go around and say ‘I didn’t study and I got an A.’” As hard work and long hours no longer bring the praise that they once did, students have indirectly placed a new value on raw intelligence, which skews the balance in huge favor of those who are naturally gifted and destroys the level playing field we preach for at the same time. Working hours and hours to grasp that complicated chemistry concept that might have taken someone else lesser time has now come to mean that you are dumber and inferior in what counts as “important” at CHS. “For somebody who definitely has to work hard to get a good grade, it’s frustrating to see these people who don’t try and still get the same grade. It feels very unfair, but that’s just a really important life lesson because there’s always going to be someone better than you. And it’s not something that should let you stop,” said Nevo.

Hard work should not come at the expense of another; it is not a zero-sum game where we have to push others down to put ourselves on top. This culture of cutthroat and unhealthy competition defeats the purpose of competition by undermining hard work and people’s ability to improve themselves. A Cupertino where we can take pride in the work that we do is not only a better Cupertino, but also a more productive one. It’s time we stopped putting ourselves down and proudly declaring that yes, indeed, we did spend five hours studying for that test.

LILY ROSEN MARVIN online editor

- pretty hurts

“Pretty Hurts,” released in 2014, is a critique of the harsh beauty standards placed on women as well as society’s tendency to emphasize beauty over more important qualities such as intelligence and happiness.

Said Beyoncé, “The things that young women go through [for beauty] are just really heartbreaking for me.”

John Lennon’s “Imagine” is a response to the violence of the Vietnam War, encouraging listeners to imagine a world without conflict. In recent years, the song has been used by charitable organizations such as UNICEF, promoting the idea that “the world will live as one.”

john lennon

- imagine

Lifestyles

The Prospector

March 31, 2017

Each year during the spring, animal shelters experience “kitten season” or “puppy season,” which is when animal breeding peaks and shelters are flooded with young animals. The large influx of kittens and puppies places pressure on shelters, which often do not have the space or resources to support hundreds of new animals each month. It is best to adopt pets during this time, so that fewer animals are left abandoned and animal shelters have more space.

By subscribing to the email lists of local animal shelters, you can stay updated on which animals are looking for homes. This is helpful for those who are deciding whether or not to adopt a pet or do not know what type of animal they want to adopt; subscribers can also learn more about the process of adoption.

things to keep in mind when you adopt PETs AISHWARYA LADDHA

After adopting, having your pet professionally neutered or spayed can provide many medical and behavioral benefits for both your pet and your household. Neutering or spaying is the removal of the reproductive organs in male and female animals; neutering can prevent many medical problems like uterine infections and prostate issues in your pets, allowing for a longer and better quality life for your beloved pet. As a rule of thumb, dogs are typically neutered at six to nine months old, while cats should be neutered at eight weeks old.

features editor

ALLISON LO lifestyles editor

Instead of using inhumane methods of eliminating stray animals, no-kill animal shelters use a preventative approach to solve the problem of abandoned animals.

These animal shelters promote the spaying and neutering of pets through accessible sterilization services, while also caring for animals until a loving home can be found.

9

the lost art of shopping NICO CHILLA lifestyles assistant

Over spring break, I decided to pick up sketching after a long hiatus. To do so, I needed to purchase how-to book, and, naturally, the first place to look was the internet.

After ten minutes of delving through top-ten articles and Reddit forums, I compiled a selection of the most refined and well-known drawing resources available. In the next 20 minutes, I pored over the hundreds of user reviews for these products in a quest to find the ultimate “how to draw” book. I came close to buying “Drawing From the Right Side of the Brain,” a fourth edition text with 854 reviews contributing to a 4.5-star rating.

However, in a moment of indecisiveness, I gave up and headed to Barnes & Noble instead — a choice I would not regret.

The massive bookstore was relatively vacant — which was not a surprise considering the rise of e-books and online shopping. Despite this, I felt like a universe had opened up in front of me as I walked into the art section of the store. Ironically, the internet had given me tunnel vision in the process of searching for a product. As I walked among the bookshelves, I was suddenly aware of drawing workbooks, themed books, project-based books and even some unrelated but fascinating art instruction books. Flipping through “Drawing From the Right Side of the Brain,” I discovered that it was far more text-heavy than I needed, and I eventually opted for an entirely different book.

The lesson I took from the experience is that online shopping is a double-edged sword. Nowadays, when one wants to buy a new gadget, book, video game or article of clothing, there is rarely a need to leave the house. After all, Amazon’s infinitude of buying options never fails to satisfy specific wants and needs. However, the perk of being able to choose the exact product one desires takes away the buyer’s chance to explore new merchandise and enjoy the shopping experience.

Although online outlets are the clear winners in terms of pricing and convenience, physical stores are far from going extinct. This is because the true benefit of in-person shopping is its function as an experience; it conduces a relaxed, venturesome atmosphere. Shopping trips are an opportunity to enjoy an afternoon with friends meeting local sellers and trying on clothing. By contrast, cold computer screens and web browsers make shopping a task of knowing what you want and undergoing the order process. The layout of a website is designed to offer exactly what the user asked for; this is perhaps the greatest downside of online shopping. Exploring a retail store has the bonus of exposing shoppers to new products and options that had perhaps not occurred to them.

The next time you buy something, consider sacrificing some gas to appear in-person at a local store or flea market. You may be surprised to discover the satisfaction of exploring the shop or find unique merchandise that you would never think to search for on a website. Although e-shopping is a growing market, the ageold retail formula has advantages that online retailers will never replicate.

popular songs that advocate for change macklemore & ryan lewis

Gaga’s anthem of equality preaches acceptance regardless of differences. While the song addresses both sexual orientation and race, it has found it’s niche within the LGBT+ community. This song inspired Gaga to create the Born This Way foundation, a nonprofit designed to support troubled teens.

lady gaga

- same love

“Same Love” was released in 2012 in the midst of the fight for same-sex marriage in the U.S. When asked why he wrote the song, Macklemore said, “I knew I wanted to write a song about gay rights and homophobia within the hip-hop community and the world.”

- born this way

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

10

Sports

March 31, 2017

NEW COACHES FOR SPRING SEASON Boys Volleyball: Jessica Schaetzke & Neil Salazar

Jessica Schaetzke has been playing volleyball since seventh grade and has performed on her high school and college teams. Before starting work as a Spanish teacher at Cupertino High School, she was also the coach for a high school volleyball team in Minnesota. When a position for the CHS volleyball team opened, Schaetzke took it eagerly, even though she had never coached a boys team before.

Schaetzke made the transition successfully, although she had trouble adjusting to the hectic schedule during the athlete tryout process in late January.

Said Schaetzke, “I usually arrive at school at 7 a.m., but now I have to leave [from school] around 7 p.m. instead of four. I had to adjust my schedule to account for the twelve-hour workday.”

Schaetzke has to cut out the time she normally spends on schoolwork and recreation to make room for her coaching responsibilities. Nonetheless, she believes that interacting with students on the court more than makes up for the time that she loses to herself.

“Looking past personal concerns, coaching has really been a rewarding experience,” Schaetzke said. “I get to form relationships with the athletes ... and working with students to improve their game outside of the school day is what makes coaching enjoyable.”

Through training and competition, Schaetzke hopes that her junior varsity athletes will develop both their physical and mental capabilities. As volleyball is all about making the right plays at the

HENRY ZHANG lifestyles assistant

With the start of spring season comes new changes in the coach lineup. Varsity volleyball coach Bob Huff and junior varsity coach Morris Bisted left at the end of the previous season; in their place are two new instructors. Furthermore, the badminton team has a new assistant coach.

right time, Schaetzke believes that a quick, team-oriented mindset is just as important as a well-tuned body.

Said Schaetzke, “I want my team to work hard, have fun, and hopefully learn a few life lessons along the way … the skills picked up in volleyball can be applied to everyday life.”

Meanwhile, Neil Salazar came to coach the varsity athletes upon the request of his wife, assistant principal Yukari Salazar. Salazar has been an active member of the sport for ten years and has played for recreational and competitive leagues during his career. However, he has never coached before.

Making sure that each player is accounted for is Salazar’s primary challenge. Two of Salazar’s varsity players started the season injured, and one more was injured at the beginning of the season.

Working with the entire team to track the progress of these athletes and making proper arrangements during training and competition occupied most of his free time. To better know his students and to establish an efficient system of communication, Salazar has been interacting with team captains and Ms. Schaetzke.

For Salazar, the most enjoyable part of coaching is utilizing the coach’s inherent leadership role to motivate the students to be the best that they can both in and out of the sport.

Said Salazar, “I like encouraging the student athletes to work hard and be competitive … they must work better as a team and put in maximum effort in every match they have.”

Badminton:Albert Chow A graduate of Cupertino’s Class of 2006 and a past member of Cupertino High School’s badminton team, Albert Chow had always wanted to return to CHS to coach the sport. Finally, Chow volunteered to become the assistant coach after CHS teacher and his longtime friend Oliver Yeh directed him to the school’s badminton coaches. Although Chow does not have previous experience coaching for a team, he has guided his fellow teammates during his time on the CHS badminton team.

Transitioning was easier for Chow than it was for the other new coaches. Chow works for an insurance agency and has a flexible schedule, so setting aside specific time intervals to coach did not impede with his career. Chow is a volunteer coach, and he sees his position as part of his hobby. However, Chow believes that at the junior varsity and varsity levels, athletes should focus on training and

not competing to win. Chow wants his athletes to enjoy the sport because they enjoy playing it and working to improve, not because they want to win.

Said Chow, “The sport itself doesn’t matter. What does is the work ethic you learn, the physical ability to push your body further and the mental fortitude to keep putting in one-hundred percent, even when you are down.”

However, the aspect of coaching that Chow enjoys the most is watching the athletes’ progression in badminton impact their personality.

Said Chow, “I see some students come into badminton really shy, but as their skills develop, their confidence in themselves and in speaking up also improve; they feel more free to be themselves and express their emotions.”

TRACK AND FIELD: AN INSIDE LOOK ELENA CHANG flipside assistant

Cupertino High School’s track and field team is comprised of a variety of athletes, all of whom spend three hours each day training after school. Track and field consists of five event categories: distance running, sprinting, hurdling, jumping and throwing. The team competes at both mandatory dual meets and at weekend invitationals. Dual meets are three-hour-long weekday meets in which the team competes against one other school from the same league, while invitationals are all-day competitions that host a multitude of schools from various leagues.

An essential aspect of track and field is discipline, and athletes are expected to understand the heavy time commitment of the sport.

“When Coach Armstrong tells us [to do] something, he expects [us] to do it immediately.

Doing things on time, turning things in on time, recognizing deadlines, working hard and having a hard work ethic [are necessary]. I feel like I have learned to try my best and try my hardest [at] every practice,” sophomore hurdler Maxine Schultz said.

Athletes can compete in a total of four events, and some may even try their hand at new ones.

Said junior hurdler, jumper, distance-runner and sprinter Jake Davidson, “When I first started doing hurdles, one of the only pieces of advice I got was, ‘attack the hurdles.’ It’s the same for everything else; you can’t falter, you have to meet the challenge before you can clear it.”

Most track and field athletes begin the season with the rigorous challenge of getting in peak shape. “The hardest part of track and field is getting into shape and being able to reach expectations set by myself, other competitors and the coach,” junior triple- and long-jumper Matthew Atmadja said.

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

JENN ZARATAN

Track and field practices usually last for three hours, longer than most other sports’ practices at CHS. The entire team jogs one mile and stretches in a circle as a warmup. Afterwards, athletes split up into their respective event groups to tackle different workouts.

The workouts can be exhausting, especially when athletes are constantly on the move from one set to another. Even after a rigorous distance, sprint, hurdling, jumps or throws workout, the athletes must head to the weight room at least once a week. In addition, with so many different workouts occurring simultaneously on the track, athletes must stay mentally alert to avoid mishaps and collisions.

“I always remind myself that every second I’m working hard, I’m getting stronger, and every second I’m not working hard, I am wasting my time,” mid-distance runner and junior Rohan Mohta said. “By telling myself this, I’m always inspired to make the most of the three hours of practice every day, as the season flies by faster than anyone runs.”

Although the team has over 60 people and consists of many different event groups, athletes across different events still maintain close relationships.

“It is like a family. We are all pretty close together, and there is a lot of encouragement among each other. It is a competition between everyone, but it is friendly,” senior mid-distance runner Kinh Nguyen said.

At meets, the athletes can be seen encouraging their teammates enthusiastically, demonstrating the necessity of team dynamics. During the last race of a dual meet, the 4x400 relay, the entire CHS track and field team crowds the turf and cheers on the relay runners as they finish. Said senior distance runner Frank McMullin, “We cheer as hard as we compete. We all know how hard it is to compete, regardless of difference in events, so we make sure to cheer them on during competition and congratulate them afterwards.”

March 31, 2017

The Prospector

SEASON TO SEASON

the challenges of adapting body type for a new sport NEERALI SHAH sports assistant

Athletes push their bodies to fit their sport, but a select few adapt to various sports and sustain their technique for each sport. Cupertino High School offers a variety of sports in the fall: football, field hockey, water polo, tennis, cross-country and volleyball. Winter sports include soccer, basketball and wrestling. In the spring Cupertino has track and field, baseball, softball, gymnastics, badminton, volleyball and swimming. There are many opportunities for a student athlete, they can play one sport in high school and continue that game into a club season, or they can be a double or triple season athlete. Athletes that choose to participate in more than one sport have to continuously shift focus for different muscle groups to meet the gruesome requirements for each sport. Each sport works a particular group of muscles. Cross country focuses on muscle building from pelvis to thighs. Field hockey works on their upper body and quadrilaterals. Soccer is a sport that emphasizes the lower body more than their upper body. Track and field varies per event, but the throwers primarily focus on explosivity. Basketball, water polo, wrestling, gymnastics and football are some of the more dual active sports.

The strenuous cycle of building and rebuilding an athlete’s muscles is an extremely difficult task, yet many student athletes are able to successfully commit to themselves to becoming a trisport athlete. For example, if an athlete decides to play field hockey in the fall, soccer in the winter and swimming in the spring, they must obtain a range of technical skills and have a versatile body.

During their field hockey season the athlete will be engaging their shoulder muscles as well as their quadrilaterals, but when they transition into their soccer season they will not actively be using those hard earned upper body muscles.

However, once spring comes along and they begin swimming, the athlete has to now work on those upper body muscles again.

Sophomore, Pranjal Mishra, runs cross country, competes on the wrestling team, and is on the current JV gymnastics team.

Said Mishra, “I started competing in three sports because i enjoy training. Although it becomes difficult because cross country requires cardiovascular strength …[and] wrestling focuses on upper body strength, and so does gymnastics.”

These tri-sport athletes not only require an incredibly strong core and mental strength, but they also must condition their brains to memorize the various exercises. Despite all the differences from these sports, each of them work the three most important aspects to a functioning human body: the core, the lungs, and the heart. Making one’s body able to successfully handle sports that heavily work the lower and upper body is truly a phenomenon in its own.

Sports

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Boys tennis seeks a comeback SUDARSHAN KANNAN copy editor

Having been moved down to a lower division, boys varsity tennis is hoping to re-establish their place at the top of the El Camino League of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).

While the team has been fairly successful in the past with multiple CCS appearances, Varsity Boys tennis had a difficult season last spring, struggling to adjust to the challenges of the upper league, especially with the elevated level of play and the loss of several Class of 2015 seniors.

However, having been relegated back to the lower level El Camino League, the team has its sights set on regaining its place at the top of the El Camino League. Said junior Adiyan Kaul, a second year year member, “Given that we are in the lower division this year we definitely want to win our league and not lose a single league match this year. We are on our way of completing the mission as we have have beat every team we played so far by a significant margin. We would also like to qualify for CCS, and hopefully do well there.” The team matches consist of three singles matches and two doubles matches, with a singles win earning one point for the team and a doubles win earning two points for the team.

With the return of standouts senior Mihir Singh and juniors Nathan Fekadu and Aditya Singh, the Pioneers possess a very solid singles line-up. Practices are normally an amalgamation of drills, conditioning exercises such as running, and rallying with teammates. Says Kaul, “Our coach [Manny Zarate] likes to focus his drills on things we need to improve on based on what he saw we lacked in our games.”

A physically demanding sport, players must rely heavily upon their endurance abilities and footwork skills, utilizing an assortment of groundstrokes and volleys to effectively counter their opponent’s attacks. With a tough schedule, including games against powerhouses Palo Alto and Sacred Heart Preparatory, the team must maintain its focus and rigor in order to surmount such challenges to reach CCS.

JENN ZARATAN

Flip Side

March 31, 2017

12

MARCH IN PHOTOS CATHERINE SEOK

CATHERINE SEOK

CATHERINE SEOK

JENN ZARATAN

ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN

ETHAN QI

EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES TINO GIVES RALLY | Teacher | Junior Isabelle Gutierrez Oliver Yeh sings “You’re Weltakes part in a simulation of a come” from Disney’s “Moana” drunk-driving accident at the Tino Gives Rally

JUNIOR PROM | Junior Aditya Prabhu attends junior prom, hosted at Napredak Hall in San Jose

INTERNATIONAL WEEK | Freshman Kesar Arora plays in the Keifer vs. Schaetzke soccer game

SPRING PLAY | Senior Yatziri Arias performs in CAT’s modern-day production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

CATHERINE SEOK

Every high school has a unique cast of characters. Spend enough time in a classroom, however, and you may begin to recognize some familiar faces. Every classroom has at least one of these archetypes. Not you of course!

You are a unique individual who cannot be so easily categorized! Here are six student archetypes that you may recognize.

Classroom Archetypes the GHOST The Ghost is but a spirit haunting the classrooms of their past. They never speak, never make eye contact and refute all social interactions. They quietly do the classwork and then drift from the classroom like an incorporeal being. Being around them is like sitting with a less entertaining Napper.

the napper The Napper is always asleep. They are effectively part of the classroom furniture. While they sometimes fight to stay awake, they inevitably end up slumped over their desk again, snoring.

the HUMAN SMARTPHONE The Human Smartphone spends every minute of class on their phone. No matter what is going on, they are either typing on Facebook Messanger, sending a photo on Snapchat or scrolling through iFunny. A subset of this archetype is The Human Headphones. This student wears headphones for the entire school day, only taking them off when the teacher asks and putting them back on five minutes later.

the Connoisseur This student eats a one-person buffet of food in class every single day. It doesn’t matter what the teacher’s food policy is: this student will eat regardless. Furthermore, they can find a way to eat anything in class. They will be seen mixing salads, building burritos and checking their crock pot all throughout the lecture.

the late kid There are two kinds of The Late Kid. One runs into class every day exactly 30 seconds late, covered in sweat with a panicked look on their face. The other saunters through the door 15 minutes late drinking a mocha frappuccino.

Both are consistently never on time, and always by the exact same amount.

the FOREVER UNPREPARED Hey, can I borrow a pencil? Do you have a lined paper? What homework? The quiz is today?

COMPILED BY PETER MARTIN

Clubs Day

Thursday, April 6

April

Blood Drive

Monday, April 24

Spring Break

One Acts Performances

Smarter Balanced Testing

Debate State Tournament

Monday, April 10 - Friday, April 14 Monday, April 17 - Tuesday, April 18

Thursday, April 27 - Saturday, April 29 Friday, April 28 - Sunday, April 30

COURTESY OF RICK HINCHCLIFF

best of both worlds JOSEPHINE ROBINSON online editor

I knew from a young age that I did not look like my parents in the way that other kids did. My mother is Chinese, and my father is white. While I look relatively racially ambiguous now, I appeared more white than I did Asian when I was younger. Inevitably, this led to strangers occasionally giving me and my mother strange looks when we would walk around outside or asking my mother if she was my nanny. It was always weird for me to hear that, because to me she was just “mom.”

Being biracial has many advantages, like getting to know people from two completely different sides of the world. My relatives in China live in the Shandong province and they operate a small family farm. However, my family in the U.S. is completely different. My grandpa is a minister at a Unitarian Universalist Church in St. Louis, MO. While the two sides of my family could not be more different, I have had the privilege of getting to know both. I also get to eat all the Chinese food I could dream of, which is pretty rad. However, there are some obstacles that have prevented me from being totally comfortable in my own racial identity. To me, my close friends and my family, I am half white and half Chinese — plain and simple. However, for some people, the idea of someone being biracial might be hard to accept. There are people who, upon finding out about my dual ethnicity, like to bombard me with comments like, “but you’re not white” or “you’re not Chinese, though.” I have been receiving comments like these for as long as I can remember, but, although I am confident in my racial identity now, it wasn’t always this way.

When I was younger, I assumed the race-based identity that other people assigned me. I would always question myself about whether or not I was allowed to say I was Chinese or if I was less Asian than others. The older I grew, the less confused I became about my identity, despite other people still not being on the same page as I was. I would feel the need to prove myself to other people — that I was in fact both Chinese and white. I wanted others to see me the way I saw myself.

The biggest reason why I felt the need to prove myself is that I felt like people were robbing me of who I was. I partake in Chinese culture just as much as someone who is fully Chinese would. I speak the language fluently, eat mooncakes, wear red when I am supposed to and I know the folklore associated with the holidays. So, when people who do not understand what it is like to be biracial try and take away a part of my identity, I feel frustrated.

The older I got, the more I realized that other people do not define who I am, only I can.