VOICE MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016 Editor ial Team: Sabrina Chan Insha Khan Karishma Muthukumar Cover Ar tist: Malaya Sithichai
President's Note Greetings to our writers, speakers, poetry lovers, debaters, discussers!! Congratulations to surviving semester one in one piece and being the amazing people that you all are. I had a great time reading all your inspirational and talented pieces for the weekly writing competitions. So many of you are so eloquent and outspoken in your work and I really respect that, especially as someone who finds the best ideas within discussion. I hope to continue reading all your great submissions over the next couple of months as well! If you haven?t seen already, these past two months have been incredibly busy not only with Poetry Out Loud but also with TEDxWhitneyHigh! First off, congratulations to Myra Usmani, our winner of the Poetry Out Loud competition and Amy Domae, our runner-up. Everyone who presented was so amazing and we were only upset at the fact we couldn?t accept you all because you all demonstrated a certain side of yourselves on stage that we normally don?t get to see in the hallways. Thank you all so much for breaking out of your comfort zones to celebrate spoken word together. As for TEDxWhitneyHigh, congratulations to all our new 2016 speakers and everyone who auditioned! We had a record number of people who auditioned this year with some very unique ideas and we had a very enjoyable time listening to them all. This year we will be having speakers from Cypress, Cerritos, Oxford, University, and Whitney High School as well as UC Santa Barbara. Come out to hear these unforgettably inspirational people talk in our very own MAC theatre on March 11, 2016 at 6-8PM. For more information and updates, like our Facebook page (facebook.com/tedxwhitneyhigh). Also, another congratulations goes out to our new interns who will be helping us plan a successful 2016 conference for our SoCal community. These past two months have been very exciting for our club and for our community and we hope you stay and watch to see how it all folds out throughout the next couple of months. We promised you a change within Pen on Paper and we hope you are all still ready for the rest of the year where Pen on Paper will bring you our third annual TEDx and will be producing our very first club t-shirts for you all to wear and buy!! More information from that will be coming from our treasurer, Richard Yeong, very very soon! :-)) WOOT WOOT (p.s. get ready for some TEDxWhitneyHigh drawstring bags as well! Are you excited?) Thank you so much for being the POPPIN?people that you all are and making it a delight to serve you all for this term. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, feel free to contact me at any time. Good luck this next semester!! Best, Frances Lee
By: M ar ianne Nunez + Cather ine L u In a world of increasing interconnectedness, it is vital to share ideas with each other. TED, which stands for Technology, Engineering, and Design, is an organization that invites speakers to share authentic ideas about their passion through speeches. TED has hosted many conferences where famous American icons are speakers such as Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, James Cameron, and Stephen Hawking. This year, Whitney High School?s club, Pen on Paper, is hosting its third annual TEDx independent conference, called TEDxWhitneyHigh: Into, Through, and Beyond. TEDxWhitney High is a student-led conference that aims to introduce listeners to ?ideas worth spreading? and evoke insightful discussions about the ideas presented at this conference within the Cerritos community. This event will be held on March 11th from 6-8:30 p.m. in Whitney High?s new MAC auditorium. Doors will be open at 5:30 p.m. We invite all communities to come and enjoy the variety of discussions talked about by our wonderful speakers. This year, we have speakers Rohun Vora, Sriya Kappagantu, Lauren Waites,
William Cheng, Brianna Davis, Alijah Rivera, Phillip Leung, Shivani Lamba, Jason Jewik, and Dillon Sun presenting at this conference. Rohun Vora is a junior at Whitney High School who will be speaking about his experience the past year as he watched at least one movie each day and how he managed his time to be able to accomplish his goal. Lauren Waites is a sophomore at Cerritos High School who will be conversing about the concept of happiness and wholeness. Jason Jewik is a student at Whitney High School who will be discussing about artificial intelligence. Alijah Rivera is a college student from UCSD and a Whitney High School alumni who will be speaking about media representation. Alijah?s reason in why he chose media representation as his topic was because while he was ?arguing for more Korra's in our media, I (Alijah) discuss issues of representation in the media and how its current state affects us as individuals.? Brianna Davis is a senior at Cerritos High School who will be speaking on the stigma surrounding mental illness in high school. Brianna wanted to talk about the stigma behind mental health because she ? thought that this was the kind of issue that is really
prevalent among students our age but just isn't talked about or given enough attention, so I (Brianna) wanted to speak out on it and give people a new perspective.? Phillip Leung is a senior at Oxford Academy who will be speaking about the importance of realism in achieving any sort of dream. Phillip will be discussing his take on how he views realism as ?realism is often viewed negatively when regarding lofty goals.? William Cheng is a senior at Cypress High School and will be talking about real magic behind card tricks. He explained, ?Generally I just want people to have a good time, laugh, and smile whenever I do what I do.? Dillon Sun is a junior at University High School and will be speaking about how the original Star Wars film transformed our pop culture, influenced technology, and changed the way of living. He says, ? I?m obsessed with and love the Star Wars Saga. I grew up watching, reading, and playing with all-things Star Wars.? Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat!
GIFTS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE CREATION OF STRONG BONDS AND LASTING MEMORIES. FOR THIS WEEK'S WRITING CHALLENGE, RECALL THE BEST GIFT YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN AND LET US KNOW WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL TO YOU.
CHRISTINA HUR It may be $2 and from Wal-Mart. It wasn't even wrapped, but it was from he who always pushes me away and then asks for help on math homework. I look into my stocking and out of nowhere he tosses a box of Swedish Fish gummies to me. "I got this for you," and he walks back to his room. That was his way of showing he cares during this holiday season.
FRANCES LEE Thank you. I don't think you ever meant it as a gift but it's the best one I've ever been given and I'll never forget it. Because you fighting for our friendship and being there for me through the absolute highlights and the lowest of lows I could reach meant the world to me. You could give me present after present, wrapped in cute Christmas wrapping paper with the sweetest of notes, but nothing will ever compare to the love and compassion you have showed me these past few years. Your time, your laughter, our conversations, your understanding: they are the most meaningful gifts I could ask for because they are absolutely irreplaceable. You fought for us when I thought we were going to give it all up. You fought to keep this alive. We might not have known it then but we were so close to the end. But when you took my hand and let us fix ourselves through our words and slight head bobs, I couldn't have asked for a more miraculous moment in our history together. So I thank you for that - for helping me, for helping you, save ourselves from a mistake we would have regret forever.
EDISON WONG The best gift I've ever been given was a phone call. When I was younger, my family and I went to Universal Studios around Christmas and being the energetic and eager me, I raced around the entire place making my parents frantically look for me. At one point, I lost my parents. Scared and helpless, I didn't know what to do so the only thing I did was cry. I remember being stranded for twenty minutes, and with no one to help me. Luckily, this young lady came up to me calmed me down, and asked for my parents phone number. I didn't know it but I had one of those identification cards and she calmed my mom for me. My parents came, rushing and distressed. If it wasn't for her, who knows where I would be now.
CATHY HUANG I t ook t he long way home t onight , passing by t he old light house. I could see no one else nearby, except for t he same dog t hat had been wait ing beneat h it last week, t he last t ime I came here. The skies were clear, revealing t housands of pinpoint s of light above us. It was a rare sight for me t o behold in t his cit y. But I had heard somewhere t hat a dog only had a fourt h of our visual acuit y, so maybe it only saw t he light house beacon blazing before it s eyes. I t ook a few more st eps down t he road, t hen st opped t o t hink. W hy was t he dog st ill wait ing alone by t he light house aft er a whole week? There had t o be anot her light it was wat ching for -- not elect rical, not celest ial, but human. I could only imagine what had happened t o it s owner, if it had one. Maybe it was like t he one Japanese dog who kept wait ing for it s mast er at t he t rain st at ion aft er he had passed away. But I was get t ing carried away. It was lat e, aft er all. I cont inued on my way home, resolving t o t ake t he long way t omorrow night , t oo.
CHERYL-MAE MALLABO I was drowning, alone. The walls of wat er were shards of glass, st abbing int o my rib cage. The st ing of sea was drilling it self ont o my wounded eyes, And t he beams of light from a nearby light house were sporadically Jumping off t he waves as if a choir of st ars were at t empt ing t o save me. My gasps became a slow rhyt hmic lullaby as my arms Reached out just t o t ouch not hing but t hin air. Just as I was about t o give up all hope, Just as t he silver linings of my nearby invisible palms began t o fade int o unconsciousness; I was pulled. Rat her, t ugged by some commanding animal I could not fat hom but be t hankful for. It ripped me from t he wat er's sheer poignant grasp, And I was laid down ont o pocket s of shift ing sand. I st ayed t here for a second, closing my eyes and cat ching my breat h t ill I was licked by my savior. It caught me off guard as I jumped back only t o see a reassuring border collie and a welcoming light house.
YOUR NAME IS THE GAME. WRITE A POEM IN WHICH EVERY LINE STARTS WITH THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR NAME.
SARA RYAVE sometimes she stays up too late and worries about what people think when they read all her little poems and then spell her name with an h
CASEY YOON Casey A boy or a girl? So you're a boy? Ey, I know a girl named Casey! You're not helping your case
FEATURE THE STUDENT: ZEREEN AHMED One of Pen on Paper's own cabinet members, Zereen shares her personal experiences with writing and how it has shaped her into the person she is today. By Sabr ina Chan FIRST OF ALL, W HAT STYLE OF W RITING DO YOU MOST PREFER?
I enjoy writing short stories and poems the most, although I have written longer pieces with several chapters. I only recently became interested in writing poetry because it has helped me reflect the emotions I?ve currently been experiencing. I think it?s a very beautiful, artistic, and creative way to portray something of your interest, especially because there are various forms of poetry. It can be simple or deep yet the emotion it conveys is so captivating. As for short stories, I believe I enjoy them the most because I?m constantly creating scenarios in my head that I would love to see in real life, and although I can?t actually make them happen, I do have the capability to create the life of a fictional character and control
what happens from there and get to capture it all down on paper. Most of my short stories and poems do have a central theme which would happen to be love, specifically teenage love. I think it?s so fun to write about the various ups and downs in relationships and define love through words on paper.
the inspiration from my own life, then I?ll use an everyday real life scenario that I?ll encounter at school or home and create something very different out of it by adding plot twists or play around with it until it?s become the ideal fantasy that people dream about.
A ll my inspiration is
HOW DO YOU GET YOURSELF IN THE MOOD THE W RITE? HOW DO YOU OVERCOME W RITER'S BLOCK?
definitely from past real life experiences. What I find hilarious yet very amusing is that although I?m only 17, I?ve been through so much that I always have something to write about. I?ve experienced various emotions, adventures, and situations that are quite peculiar that you wouldn?t normally expect a 17 year old to really have knowledge about, but it?s certainly a profound and accommodating contribution to my writing. And if I don?t use
Writer?s block is hands down one of the worst things in the world. Fortunately I don?t have to deal with it as often because I almost always have something, even if it?s the most ridiculous thing, to write about. But to overcome writer?s block, I?ll usually search for inspiration online. Most of the time, it?s an amusing image or a quote or a even a line from an already existing book that will capture my attention and from there I go on and create my own piece
W HERE DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM?
from it. I also love going to the park and observing my surroundings until someone or something will usually capture my attention and I?ll write the general idea down in my journal before I can lose it. And to get myself in the mood to write, I love to pull out my favorite journal, surround myself in a quiet area which is usually my room, turn off my lights and turn on my twinkly holiday lights, light some candles, and play some soft ambient music in the background. I know, so hipster, right? HAS YOUR W ORK BEEN FEATURED IN ANY PUBLICATIONS?
Yes, it has actually! I had one of my poems published in a book in the 6th grade and I?ve had one of my short stories published in Whitney?s very own Anthology, A Teenage Mind. I also wrote articles for a website called Coming of Faith so numerous of my articles were actually published on their site.
I think one of the best feelings in this world is getting to see your final piece printed on paper or a legitimate website where everyone will be able to read it. And even if it?s not published, I always love having my own hard copy of anything I write because it creates this sense of accomplishment. WHAT HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR PURSUIT OF WRITING AND HOW DO YOU PLAN ON INCORPORATING IT INTO YOUR FUTURE CAREER? My life has undoubtedly influenced my pursuit of writing, but another influence would have to be all the encouragement I?ve received from people. Whether it be my friends, family, or my teachers, when people show appreciation for my writing, it automatically motivates me to write more. Similar to how celebrities claim that it?s their fans that keep them going, it?s all the support I receive from others that impacts my writing. However, I?ve learned to slowly let go of that because I can?t always rely on praise from others--no, that will surely discourage you as you continue to grow as a writer. But because of
that stepping stone, I?ve learned to write for myself and then share it with others. As for incorporating writing in my future career, I definitely have plans for that! I aspire to be a high school English teacher when I?m older. I?ve also considered teaching writing as a class, but for now my goal is to master a regular English class first. I also want to write a novel someday, sort of as a side thing since writing is one of my hobbies, but one thing for sure I plan to keep writing intact, whatever form it may be, as I grow older. Yes! I can honestly offer DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANY OF YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS THAT ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN WRITING? so many pieces of advice, but I?d like to highlight the top three things that always help me in my writing. Firstly, don?t let others put you down about any piece that you write. It honestly does not matter if your best friend or your favorite teacher isn?t as fond of a poem or story you wrote. There are always going to be people who love your work and people who dislike your work. But if you constantly focus on what others
think about your writing, then it?ll simply discourage you. Put your heart into what you write and as long as you?re satisfied with it, that?s really all the matters. Secondly, inspiration is everywhere! Yes, I am aware that writer?s block can really suck, but it?s not as difficult to overcome as it sounds. Go to the park; maybe the old couple walking slowly together side by side holding hand in hand will spark up a story of how they used to be high school sweethearts and used to stroll through the park everyday but were separated by some accident and after several years they found each other again. Notice the pizza you?re eating at lunch; maybe the pizza delivery guy had to face various obstacles before arriving to school with all those boxes of pizza. Create a story about those obstacles! Use your imagination and I promise it will take you far. Last but never least, be honest in your writing. I?ve noticed that the pieces that I?m most honest in tend to be the ones people love most, probably because they can relate to it a lot. Don?t write about personal stuff you?re not comfortable with sharing, but there are so many ways you can display stuff about yourself and
stuff you?ve been through with writing, and the more honest you are, the more people?s attention you?ll capture. Being honest is also a great way to release what you?ve kept hidden inside you for so long, and people don?t even have to know that it?s based off a real incident! The poem I?ll be sharing is called ?Once.? It was inspired by someone who once was a really big part of my life. A person who once inspired me, made WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE POEM YOU ARE GOING TO SHARE WITH US TODAY? me laugh, and made me believe in love. However, that was only once upon a time and soon this person became the reason I cried, the reason I couldn?t sleep, and the reason I lost hope. I thought this poem was a great way to portray how one person who once had such a great influence in my life completely changed it forever. Although there were many tears, sleepless nights, and painful heartaches, I?d like to thank this person for inspiring me to create one of my favorite poems that I?ve ever written.
ONCE BY ZEREEN AHMED You used to make me smile once As I shook heartily from laughter and joy. The fluttering butterflies you created in my stomach Were never brought forth by anyone But you.
You were my motivation once. You kept me going and used your passion to nourish me back to life. But who knew that you-The only one who saw potential in me-Would be the reason behind my downfall.
I used to rave about you once. You sauntered through my mind night and day. A rosy blush crept onto my face At the simple mention of your name.
Once upon a time there were no nightmares Where you refused to acknowledge me. Where my smile was replaced with tears, Where your ignorance spoke louder than the dreadful silence between us, Where my frown was a permanent line drawn across my face And the painful loneliness that was created from the dead butterflies Caused me to suffer in solitude. Where the only highlight of my day was Being able to Stay away from you.
You used to be the highlight of my day once. I begged the sun to rise And counted hours until I could be with you. My eyes refused to conceal the excitement At the small glimpse I caught of you. My ears longed to hear the melodious sound of your sweet, sweet voice. I used to dream about you once. Me in my delicate lace veil, dressed in white; You recieving my father?s blessing. I woke up before you could place the ring on my finger And promise me forever And say ...I do
And so, Perhaps some dreams are better left unwritten And some words left better unspoken...
THE WHIMS OF WHAT'S IN BY SABRINA CHAN AND INSHA KHAN
1. SHOW TO WATCH: HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER Packed with endless drama and so many twists and turns, HTGAWM will definitely not disappoint. Following a brilliant defense attorney and her trusty team of interns, each brimming with secrets darker than the next, the show chronicles a series of thrilling defense cases of often less-than-innocent defendants.
2. FASHION DO'S : WIDE LEG PANTS Release your pants from the shackles of skinny jeans and stop disguising your leggings as pants! Try some of these wide-leg trends in the world of pants and show your legs some love: 1.Bootcuts: This style of jeans flares below the knee and can be worn with a fitted or cropped top, organized layers and either heels or boots to get the most out of the elongated leg. 2. Palazzo Pants: This loose, flowy, pajama-like style allows for maximum comfort while making a statement and remaining effortlessly stylish.
2. MUST READ : THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD Zora Neale Hurston's delightful novel chronicles the emotional development of Janie Starks, a strong protagonist struggling to strike a balance between conflicting cultural backgrounds and desires. She searches for herself and the woman that she aspires to be throughout her three marriages. Full of vivid imagery and heartbreaking narratives, TEWWG is equally heartbreaking and uplifting.