Volume LI, No. 2

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 51, NO. 2

October 23, 2015

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

Investigative Report: Student Fitness On average, how many hours of exercise do you get per week spondents stated that they felt some neg(including PE and school sports)? ative health effects after using electronic devices for long periods of time, ranging 0-2 hours: from sore eyes to minor head, neck, and 19% According to the World Health Orga- back aches. However, the increasing use nization, more than 80 percent of adoles- of technology among youth correlates to \ 8+ hours: cents are insufficiently active. To examine more than just minor physical health ef37% how MSJ students compare with those in fects. A study by the US National Library national statistics, the Smoke Signal con- of Medicine National Institutes of Health ducted an investigative report on student found that technology use had a direct in2-4 hours: fitness. crease in Body Mass Index (BMI), obe12% Health has begun to take a backseat sity rates, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and in the lives of busy students. According decreased attention spans. According to to an online fitness survey by the Smoke a Kaiser Family Foundation study, teens of high school Signal, 48 percent of the 337 participants spend an average of seven and a half students nationwide said that they hours per day on technology. Compared are currently taking PE believed they to teens nationwide, MSJ students spend 4-6 hours: were not pay- fewer hours in front of technological 15% 6-8 hours: OF MSJ STUDENTS ing enough devices, but are not free from aches and are currently taking PE MSJcomputer STUDENTS 17% attention to painsOF from usage, according to *The results are based on a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal through Facebook regarding MSJ student fitness. believe that physical their health. students’ responses.

A total of 337 students from all four grade levels responded to the survey. health an effect fitnessgiant.com Physical EdAbout 41has percent of the students suron mental health ucation (PE) veyed stated that they were currently tak- aspect of our community, so what hap- ers reported that exercise reduces sympOF HIGH SCHOOL Teacher Jack ing PE this year, which is consistent with pens is that it comes in at the very bottom toms of depression and anxiety, and that STUDENTS NATIONWIDE Marden said, national levels. According to the Centers of the barrel as a ‘if you have time, do it’ exercise duration and intensity increase took PE in 2013 accord“Students are for Disease Control and Prevention, 48 thing.” its antidepressant effects. Moreover, exering to the Centers for less active, percent of high school students took PE Slightly more than half of MSJ stu- cise helps to reduce stress, a problem that Disease Control and but it’s not in 2013. However, almost two-thirds of dents surveyed get the recommended plagues both MSJ and modern society. RePrevention their fault. the students surveyed at MSJ stated that seven hours of physical activity per week, searchers looking at connections between They’re tech- they would not take PE if it were not re- with the rest falling more than two hours exercise and stress have varying explananological natives...born into the technol- quired for graduation, for reasons rang- short. This is better thanschool the national av- tions for the intermediate processes and of high ogy that generally interferes with fitness. ing from possible enrollment in more AP erage in which only 29 percent of high chemicals related with the two. The most students nationwide When people were younger, they would courses to beliefs that they could suc- school the recommend- popular theory is that exercise provokes are students currentlyachieve taking PE *The are based on a survey the Smoke Signal through Facebook beresults outside because thereconducted wasn’t by technolcessfully maned number of hours of physical activity a rush of endorphins, the human body’s regarding MSJ student fitness. A total of 337 students from all four grade levels responded ogy to keep them in... but [kids] have to age their fitper week. There are several long-term natural “feel-good” neurotransmitters. to the survey.

OF MSJ STUDENTS have the awareness of that so that they ness themselves. negative health effects that are associated Despite the debate over the specifics, are currently taking PE OF MSJ STUDENTS can, upon maturity, direct their efforts to Marden said, believe that physical with this trend. A study by the National however, studies have all come to the stay healthy on their own.”

“People are health has an effect Health Service has shown that sitting for conclusion that exercise reduces stress More than 80 percent of students that starting to no- on mental health too long is correlated with obesity, type II and fatigue, improves alertness and conresponded to theOFsurvey said that they tice…that they diabetes, strokes, and even certain types centration, and enhances overall cognitive HIGH SCHOOL spend more thanSTUDENTS the two hours recom- have to take [the] time out to do things of cancer.

NATIONWIDE mended by the American Academy of Pe- that are important even though the acaSee IR Exercise has been shown to ward off took PE in 2013 accorddiatrics on a computer or mobile demic load is overwhelming. [Fitness] … physical health detriments and aid mental NEWS Page 3 ing to the Centersdevice for per day. Approximately of and the re- is not prioritized so much by any other health. Arizona State University researchDisease half Control

By Ishika Chawla, Andrew Chen & Carolyn Ge Staff Writers

48%

41%

95%

48%

48%

41%

95%

48%

Prevention

MSJ undergoes campus improvements Hydration station and new databases are among changes made

*The results are based on a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal through Facebook

student fitness. A total ofdiscussion 337 studentsinfrom four grade levels responded Byregarding AshleyMSJ Chang theall2014-15 school year, memtoStaff the survey.

Writer bers were considering potential projects, and there had long been the concern about During the first week of school, the Mis- the state of the bathrooms and water founsion Possible Parent and Faculty Association tains. The student representatives proposed (MPPFA), a non-profit organization that obtaining new fountains because the state funds a variety of projects that benefit the of the old ones had become so filthy that student population, introduced a hydration the students preferred to stay thirsty. MPstation in place of one of the regular drink- PFA Co-President Monica Melville then reing fountains. The MSJ Library also received searched various alternatives and picked the new databases, SIRS Researcher and eLi- recently installed model. The MPPFA “exbrary, that came into effect on the first day pects to have two more, but their installaof school. tion is still pending, as there is an issue of The new hydration station is located on budget and payment,” according to MPPFA the C-Wing side of the Bell Tower Quad, Co-President Vivek Prasad. and it serves as a water fountain as well as The installation of all three hydration staa bottle-refilling station powered by a mo- tions will cost approximately $10,000. This tion sensor. In MPPFA’s spring-funding expense is greater than that of the fountains

themselves because in order to put in the new ones, the pipes connected to the old fountains must be dug up first.

Prasad said the MPPFA has more projects in mind for MSJ in the near future, including the addition of sixteen more classroom televisions by the end of October. The organization will continue to work to meet the needs of the MSJ community.

The MSJ library implemented its new FUSD-funded databases, SIRS Researcher and eLibrary, on Aug. 28, 2015. Discussion about the databases started last winter, and FUSD decided to apply the change across all the high schools in the district, an action that cost approximately $10,000. A test trial was performed in the last two months of the 2014-15 school year, but the official intro-

CANDY GIVERS AND TRICK-OR-TREATERS

HUMANS OF MSJ: FACULTY EDITION

Ready for the spirit of Halloween?

Pumped for the chance to fill your candy stash? Check out which type of trick-or-treater or candy giver you are!

Visit the Smoke Signal’s Facebook page to read exclusive faculty quotes, stories, and more in these next few weeks!

OCT. 30

FACEBOOK PAGE

duction was the first day of school.

Before the new databases were implemented, research was available to the MSJ student body through the Library of Congress website, which offered a search engine for publications, sources for teens, and resources by subject. “It served as an Internet public library, but it is no longer being kept this year,” said Teacher Librarian Maile Ferreira. Users may continue to access the site, but it will no longer be updated.

Contrasting with the Library of Congress website that consolidated all its data into one search engine, the databases are separated into two sources of research, SIRS Re-

See MSJ NEWS Page 3

FOR MORE COVERAGE,

VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

2 News

www.thesmokesignal.org

By the Numbers:

Gender Ratios

61 107

50%

48%

61%

39% Multivariable Calculus

107

AP English Literature

English 12A

78%

59%

69%

English is a required unit in all four years in high school. The English classes show that 24 female students are dominant in AP English Literature whereas male students tend to take the expository writing classes and English 12A classes available to them. In the surveyed AP English Literature classes, female students outnumber male students 107 to 48.

AP World History

22% In analyzing the math classes, the statistics show that CP Calculus classes equally distributed gender-wise. However, in higher level math classes, statistics show that the AP Calculus BC and Multivariable Calculus classes are exceedingly male-dominated. Female students tend to take AP Calculus. “There are only about six girls in my Multi class. I’ve only noticed this trend this year because it wasn’t as significant in years past,” said Multivariable Calculus teacher Matthew Lazar.

31%

41%

38%

50% AP Calculus BC

52% 48

48

By Ella Chen and Richard Zhou Staff Writers

The Smoke Signal analyzed the gender ratios of students taking certain classes. The numbers were gathered from school and teacher records. The total population of MSJ is 2,078 students, 52 percent of which are male and 48 percent of which are female. However, many of the elective courses offered do not reflect this ratio; in fact, there is a disparity between female and male students that take certain courses. The courses that most greatly indicate this disparity are typically language, science, and math classes.

CP Calculus

MSJ has 2,079 students 89

8

“I’m pretty sure that students in Silicon Valley are more exposed to tech in general and also more aware of stereotyping in the field which probably contributes to more interest in [computer science] in general among both male and female students simply because it’s so accessible.

From what I’ve heard though, there’s still a long way to go in the [computer science] industry for gender equality even if it’s a subconscious thing in some companies.” - Katherine Xiang, 11

25%

62%

49% AP Chemistry

AP Physics C

53%

AP Human Geography

47%

32

51%

75%

The humanities classes, like AP Human Geography, Ethnic Studies, and AP Psychology, share a fairly equal distribution of male and female students alike, suggesting that students100of both genders are interested in these subjects. However AP World History, seems to attract more female attention than the two US History courses. Those two courses are only offered to junior students, so the disparity may reflect that the junior class has a higher number of male students than female students

66

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

121

“I would think that biology would be more female dominated because boys are more mathoriented. But in my classes, it seems, the numbers are pretty balanced.” - AP Biology Teacher Arshiya Sultana

45%

36%

AP Computer Science

“I’m a little disappointed there aren’t more girls in my computer science classes. I’d like to see the numbers change and the ratios balance out in the coming years.” - AP Computer Science Teacher Charles Brucker

AP Environmental Science

AP Biology 55%

64%

33% 67% MSJ offers two computer programming classes to its students. About two-thirds of the C++/ Finite Discrete Mathematics courses and the AP Computer Science courses are male students.

The physics classes all have a male student percentage of 60 percent or higher, considerably higher than female percentages. AP Biology courses are slightly more female-oriented, but the gap is narrow. The anatomy and physiology class taught by Science Teacher Lauren WareHartbeck has very close distribution of students from both genders. However, more females seem to take the AP Environmental Sciences classes, which indicates that female students may prefer to take more theoretical classes.

corrections

for the sept. 25, 2015 issue News Pg. 2: The Chile earthquake occurred on September 16.

Opinion Pg. 7: Web Editor Nithya Rajeev and Feature Editor Katie Sun took pictures.

Feature Pg. 9: Hanauma is misspelled.

Centerspread Pg. 10: Government teacher Spenser Peterson’s name is misspelled.

Feature Pg. 12: The new SAT has four sections.

A&E Pg. 16: The album should be Sounds Good Feels Good. Geoff Knorr’s name is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 18: The Cross-Country team is split into Frosh/Soph, Junior Varsity, and Varsity teams.

NEWS IN

brief

Compiled by Staff Writers Mustafa Ahmed, Tanushri Sundar, and Richard Zhou

hiwhy.com Tentative plan have been made for a new parking lot at Mission Peak National Reserve.

en.wikipedia.org

bisinfotech.com

The Stone Mountain design will be redone to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.

Imagine Dragons raises funds for refugees through their new single.

Plans underway for new Mission Peak parking lot The City of Fremont and East Bay Regional District are discussing plans for a parking permit program for neighborhoods surrounding Mission Peak Regional Preserve. This would relieve “congestion” that often occurs on busy days when hundreds of hikers cannot find parking in the park’s designated parking lot and are instead forced to park in neighboring residential streets.

Stone Mountain redone to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. The Stone Mountain in Georgia once was a site for Ku-Klux-Klan cross burnings and Confederate gatherings. A tower in honor of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. will be added to the park. In addition, the park will include a permanent museum exhibit featuring the contributions of African American soldiers in both Union and Confederate armies.

Imagine Dragon raises funds for refugees The band Imagine Dragons, collaborating with Apple and SAP, introduced the One4 Project. Their goal with this campaign is to raise funds to help displaced refugees streaming into Europe from the Middle East. All profits from Imagine Dragons’ new single, “I Was Me,” will go towards the Project, and SAP will match 10 cents for the first 5 million downloads.

your age?

Friday, October 23, 2015

57%

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

News 3

IR| Student Fitness continued from page 1

function.

Even though most survey participants acknowledged the negative mental and physical effects from a lack of fitness, the results showed that students as a whole still did not pay enough attention to their health. When asked what they would do to improve their health in the future, the majority mentioned eating healthy, sleeping more, and exercising on their own time. PE Teacher Julia Madsen said, “Students should perceive their physical fitness as the most important thing they can

No: 48%

Yes: 52%

0-2 hours: 19.3%

Organized sports - at school Organized sports - outside of school

8+ hours: 36.9%

Do you think No: you pay enough 48% Average hours of exercise per week

Working out at the gym

*Excluding “Other sport” and “No participation” responses.

12% 6-8 hours: 16.7%

Daily tasks

learn in their youth. I think [PE] is overall the most important subject in school because it is the one subject that follows us no matter where we go or what we do.

Our bodies deserve to be taken care of, and being physically fit and healthy will Do you enhance of think our lives for good.” ▪ Less: the rest you get more or 43% less exercise than people More: your age?

57%

At home work-outs

More: 57%

attention to your health?

2-4 hours: 12.2%

4-6 hours: 14.9%

29% 33%

Yes: 52%

23%

15%

PE

15%

Other

MSJ| Improvements continued from page 1 Do you think No: you pay enough 48% attention to your health?

Do you think you get more or less exercise than people your age?

Less: 43%

What are your main sources of exercise?

MOST Popular Sports 1. Cross Country (Co-Ed) 2. Track & Field (Co-Ed) 3. Badminton (Co-Ed)

Do you think you pay enough attention to your health?

4%

8+ hours: 30.7%

Debate competes at Voices Average hours of sports Foundation Invitational participation No participation: 35.2%

per week

Lincoln-Douglas debaters advance in annual competition

Yes: 52%

6-8 hours: 11%

The new hydration station has been installed in the Bell Tower Quad.

searcher and eLibrary. The former is aimed at directing students toward articles discussing leading issues and global conflicts. It displays pros and cons of current events, stimulating debate among its users. eLibrary, on the other hand, focuses on general research.

Students can narrow down their results by having the choice of selecting the medium by which they want to obtain information.

Both databases align their material with the

staff writer ashley chang

Common Core curriculum, allowing students to search for articles that correspond with the curriculum standards. Ferreira said, “When you go to college, it’s all about the databases and the research, so it’s good that we have this now.” ▪

0-2 hours: 6.2%

By Andrew Kan 4-6 hours: 2-4 hours: 6.9% 9.9% Staff Writer

The Debate Club competed in the Voices Foundation Invitational from October 10 to 12 at Presentation High School in San Jose.

The Voices Foundation Invitational (VFI) is an annual national debate competition which started in 2005. Though most participating schools are from California, there are schools that compete from Washington, Iowa, and Nevada. The competition is aimed towards LincolnDouglas (LD) debaters. LD debate is a one-on-one debate that places emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy.

In the VFI, there are six preliminary rounds, several elimination rounds, and a full double octa-final (top 32). Each round consists of seven parts. Participants who end the preliminary round 6-0 automatically pass into the elimination rounds. Participants who end 5-1 or 4-2 also have a chance to pass into the elimination rounds if their judges give them high speaker points. Points are awarded to a participant based on their speaking regardless of whether they beat their opponent or not.

The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) makes the topics for VFI. October’s topic, released on Aug. 15, 2015, is “Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.” According to NSDA, the topic is intended to “ask debaters to explore the rights of adolescents in making choices for themselves” and “places medical decisions at the forefront.”

The Debate Club has been competing in this competition since 2009. In 2013, current LD team captain Shivane Sabharwal advanced to the triple octa-finals (top 64).

The Debate Club sent two teams to the event, seven members from its varsity team and two members for its novice team. Since this competition is aimed towards LD debaters, only that portion of Debate club attended. Before the event, Sabharwal said, “We hope to clear all of our varsity and novice debaters to elimination rounds. It would be great if some of our debaters advance to late elimination rounds such as quarterfinals or semifinals.”

“It was exciting to see the various strategies different types of people took to affirm or negate the topic. I don’t think we are dissatisfied, but we know that we can perform even better.”

- Junior Prachit Bhike The MSJ team had three people advanced to the elimination round. Junior Prachit Bhike and sophomore Rohan Srinivasan advanced to the double octa-finals, while senior Sabharwal advanced to the semifinals (top four). Srinivasan said, “My future goals are unclear, but I hope to eventually reach a high elimination round at one of the national circuit tournaments, just like this one.” Bhike said, “It was exciting to see the various strategies different types of people took to affirm or negate the topic. I don’t think we are dissatisfied, but we know that we can perform even better.” ▪

4 Advertisement

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

Please Contact Elite of Fremont for details.

There is an early bird discount for registration before December 5th.

43433 Mission Blvd, Suite 235 Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 979-0808

visit us online at: www.eliteprep.com/fremont

Friday, October 23, 2015

the

Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 51, No. 2 | October 23, 2015 www.thesmokesignal.org

41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Alice Cheng, Katrina Cherk News Michael Hsiu, Apoorva Rajanala Opinion Grace Dong, Harshita Gupta Feature Chakshu Hurria, Katie Sun Centerspread Neha Shah, Annie Tang A&E Sarina Chitre, Andrea Tam Sports Amrith Krishnan, Rishab Ramapriyan Graphics Kevin Chen, Monica Tang Web Jacinta Chang, Nithya Rajeev Tech Andrew Chen, Brian Tseng Business Shivane Sabharwal Circulation Tanvi Raja Ads Andrew Choi, Sayan Ghosh Events Deeksha Raina, Ruiwen Shen Writers & Photographers

Mustafa Ahmed, Anu Asokan, Ashley Chang, Ishika Chawla, Anthony Chen, Ella Chen, Kylie Cheung, Michelle Dalarossa, Carolyn Ge, Mallika Gupta, Pratham Gupta, Andrew Kan, Amber Lee, Kevin Li, Lucille Njoo, Ansh Patel, Tanushri Sundar, Bindhu Swaminathan, Zen Thumparkkul, Chloe Velasquez, Didi Wu, Cindy Yuan, Richard Zhou, Victor Zhou

Advisor Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@the smokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length.

To advertise in the Smoke Signal, e-mail ads@thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the pages of, or carried within, the Smoke Signal , is paid advertising, and as such is independent of the news and feature content.

The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The Smoke Signal

harshita's brain hacks

www.thesmokesignal.org

Opinion 5

the Grayce Area

Spirit Exchanges

By Grace Dong & Harshita Gupta Opinion Editors

Harshita Gupta: Nice Homecoming profile picture Grace! I see you’re still in hoo hah hype mode.

Grace Dong: The hype never dies. My mom calls me crazy but I call it dedication. I saw you got pretty into it all during Homecoming Week too! Especially with that toga.

HG: That outfit took far too long to put together... I’ve honestly never felt the “class spirit”, and only watched performances for the airbands, not the emotion and “pride”. But you’ve participated enthusiastically in Homecoming all four years, right?

GD: Yep. The screaming, the pom-poms, the insane amount of duct tape. Every aspect of Homecoming has enamored me since I was a skinny little freshman stuck in the N-wing.

Whether I was dancing onstage or cheering during the other classes’ days, I poured my heart and soul into MSJ’s Homecoming Week, and I just couldn’t get why others didn’t feel the same.

In the past three years, this once a year event has come with its ups and downs in terms of the awards given and class drama, but at the end of the day, Homecoming was an adrenaline rush.

Homecoming was a good time.

Whether I was dancing onstage or cheering during the other classes’ days, I poured my heart and soul into MSJ’s Homecoming Week, and I just couldn’t get why others didn’t feel the same.

HG: It’s been difficult for me to feel the Homecoming spirit in the past. I couldn’t stomach the inter-class bashing, the spite, or the pleasure taken in the drama between groups. The senior and junior class last year would often go at each

other pretty viciously–and I couldn’t get past all that to enjoy the excitement of it. I would watch and cheer, but I was never emotionally charged or excited. I would often be upset by how insensitive we would be to each other. Homecoming left me feeling like an outsider who just “didn’t get it” because I did not have fun.

GD: I had a small level of resentment for classmates who didn’t watch the skits or didn’t stand up and cheer. I wrote them off as unspirited, unsocial, and boring. I never realized just how unappealing Homecoming could seem, because I never realized how some of the extremely “spirited” behavior could come off as vicious, inappropriate, and crude.

HG: This year felt incredibly different though. It became obvious how changed things were when our class was chanting along to the singing airbands on sophomore day. The week did start off with talk of how the seniors this year are “tame” and “not pumped”, but it was less a lack of spirit and more a lack of one-upmanship. It was the first time in my memory that a class seemed to care more about simply having a really great time than about being the best group out there. I’ve heard far fewer “we have to win” statements all week than ever before. The vibe is different.

GD: Definitely different. And in a good way, too.

Even though seniors wanted to win first place, we wanted to win if and only if we deserved it.

It wasn’t about becoming champions simply out of seniority. It was about putting on the best performance of our lives to prove how hardworking and talented our class is.

HG: Watching my friends in the airbands left me with a glowey, pizza-box-warm feeling, proud of the time and effort they had put into their great performances. The gleeful joy on dancers’ faces,

the crazy sing-alongs that I couldn’t stop myself from dancing to. It was a more genuine fun than I thought Homecoming was capable of.

GD: Watching other classes’ skits and airbands was invigorating. It was amazing to see them show off the hard work and talent of their class and to acknowledge that just a year ago, two years ago, or three years ago, we were in that same exact spot. As for our performance this year, it was an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, I yelled, I cried. We didn’t need to bash on underclassmen or stir up inter-class drama to amp up our class pride. When I looked out in the crowd and was met with an amphitheater full of standing, screaming teenagers–class pride swelled in me.

And I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be.

The last few lines in the senior play: “self-confidence, sacrifice, perseverance, and unity,” were a true testament to how the spirit of Homecoming has evolved over the last four years.

HG: The senior skit was an embodiment of that changed attitude. I was particularly amazed at how our class was okay with sacrificing the senior lead, and handing the spotlight to the freshman, sophomore, and junior characters. It was a mature way of recognizing that we won’t be here for much longer. Stage time is far less important than leaving behind a legacy–a legacy as a class who encouraged others and led by example. The last few lines in the senior play: “self-confidence, sacrifice, perseverance, and unity,” were a true testament to how the spirit of Homecoming has evolved over the last four years. I am honored to have been a part of something so honest and true. ▪

the Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Editorial: Gender Ratios in Context

staff writer zen thumparkkul

staff writer cindy yuan

Of all the students enrolled in AP Physics C, 75 percent are male and 25 percent are female, but on the contrary, 31 percent of AP Literature and Composition students are male while 69 percent are female. Perhaps we have noticed that some classes are skewed towards one gender or the other. But the numbers reveal a striking disparity between the proportion of males and females pursuing STEM versus humanities courses.

One major cause of this disparity originates in the lack of role models for females in STEM fields. Women have only recently broken away from past limitations and must continue to further their progress through leading by example. Often we look to teachers, friends in college, or other adults for advice on career choice, and the absence of such mentors leaves female students without a guide for their forays into STEM. Without experienced female professionals to turn to when venturing into uncharted territory, it’s easy to fall back on fields with higher female percentages or to simply not venture at all.

Stereotypes of emotion and logic add to the barrier that stymies a balance in STEM and humanities fields.

Intellectual pursuits, often tied to stereotypical gender characteristics, are consequently thought of as more feminine or more masculine. English and history, for instance, are considered “softer,” more reflective and profound, and therefore seem fitting for females, the supposedly more emotional gender. But consider the technical and empirical nature of computer science and engineering on the flip side, and we see an overwhelming majority of males in these areas.

Despite a few exceptions, pop culture has depicted males as the brilliant scientists―roles like these have male actors lined up almost on default. The Big Bang Theory, a popular TV sitcom with millions of viewers, portrays physicists as bizarre misfits. Looking past the three male protagonists and at their female counterparts, it’s safe to say which, between the gauche, unattractive female scientists and their pretty, socially apt, “un-nerdy” neighbor, most young female viewers would want to emulate.

Past ideologies may accidentally contribute to these unwarranted gender divisions. Education, considered a

path to a career, was focused on educating males to pursue lucrative, demanding careers. The male role as the breadwinner of the family, which was the norm just decades ago, has since deteriorated and grown outdated in the modern day. It’s increasingly become a matter of taking the plunge and breaking tradition.

The first step in combatting this disparity in education is realizing the existence of the problem. Failing to recognize the issue at hand only serves to perpetuate its influence on our personal lives and society as a whole. We must ask ourselves if we are influenced by social factors when choosing what subjects to pursue, a tough question to answer when influences come in various forms including our own peers and families.

We must strive to create a more inclusive environment for education. Only through the collaboration of educators, students, administrators, and parents can this goal be achieved. This isn’t just about females in STEM fields; it’s about tearing down the walls both ways so that students feel encouraged to explore new subjects, so that excitement and enthusiasm are the determining factors in career decisions.

On-campus organizations should cultivate such an environment. Individuals should not feel like outsiders when exploring different fields, especially if they are novices. Creating opportunities for beginners to delve into novel interests provides students with resources to learn new skills and reinforces the fact that these avenues are open for everyone.

Just a few decades ago, the absence of gender equality in our education system could be attributed to shortcomings in policy and position. Since then, the gender gap in education has been bridged considerably, but it is now the strings binding us to tradition and to gender stereotypes that perpetuate the disparity in gender ratios. It is time to come to terms with this apparent disparity and decide whether we want to remain a part of the problem or become a part of the solution. ▪

6 Opinion

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

Hampshire College Dropped from US News’ Rankings

“The quantity of applications went down, but the quality went up… applicants collectively were more motivated, mature, disciplined and consistent in their high school years than past applicants.”

- Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash

However, the fact remains that despite the benefits of Hampshire’s decision, it has lost recognition. Leaving Hampshire off the national rankings speaks to the questionable validity of US News’ judgement. Where do its priorities lie?

US News is widely known for its yearly ranking list. When life after high school is filled with countless universities to choose from, rankings play a huge role in influencing perceptions of a college’s quality. Is this ideal?

US News’ decision raises questions as to the

“What is the difference between Hampshire’s test blind policy and the more common test-optional policy?* • •

Unlike ‘test-optional’ institutions, we will not consider SAT/ACT scores regardless of the score. Even if it’s a perfect score, it will not weigh into our assessment of an applicant.

Many colleges have adopted test-optional policies to compensate for the gender, class, racial and ethnic biases that have been found with standardized testing. In this case students can decide whether or not to have them considered as part of their application. We are test-blind because we found through our own internal research that in addition to being biased, these standardized tests are poor predictors of success at Hampshire.”

*Taken from Hampshire College’s FAQ

First Generation College Students

“SATs/ACTs are strongly biased against low-income students and students of color, at a time when diversity is critical to our mission.”

– Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash

18% 18% 16% 14%

10%

12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%

2015

2013

Since disregarding test scores, Hampshire has seen significant changes in admission results – the percentage of first generation college students increased from 10 percent in 2013 to 18 percent, and students of color increased 10 percent in one year.**

Students of Color 31%

35% Percentage of Student Body

In an unprecedented move, Hampshire College, a Massachusetts liberal arts school, has stopped accepting SAT/ACT scores from undergraduate applicants. As a result, the US News and World report removed the college from its rankings, displaying a simplistic, shallow view on admission methods.

More holistic admission criteria speak more of an applicant than strings of numbers.

Hampshire has gone a step further than the hundreds of other colleges which implement “test-optional” policies. They’ve taken an individualistic stance towards standardized tests.

A recent statement by Hampshire’s president, Jonathan Lash, revealed in a Huffington Post blog a substantial increase in the quality of its applicant pool, citing not only the increase of students of color, but the percentage of enrollment invitations accepted.

objective nature behind these lists. In a recent rubric breakdown, US News labeled schools that do not accept ACT/ SAT scores as nontraditional, and thus ineligible for ranking. In cases such as Hampshire’s, this jeopardizes its admissions. To each high school student examining the report, rankings are a core aspect of their decision, and Hampshire’s lack of a ranking drops its reputation and worth.

In attempting to create a fair and unbiased list, US News ostracizes all unconventional approaches. This disregard affects more than the ranking list or the school itself–it also has a far reaching impact on students, removing non-traditional colleges from their consideration. As more holistic views on students gain momentum, the obvious bias in the US News’ rankings only detracts from its validity.

In abolishing the SAT/ ACT from its evaluations, Hampshire has exposed major shortcomings in the ideals that govern our country’s education system. Standardized tests are only one part of a nationwide belief that students can be measured on a sliding scale of intelligence, and that any other, more nuanced way of determination is invalid. The Hampshire drop heavily enforces this belief, and the bias towards the easy rather than the insightful threatens the core of American education.

This trend is evident at MSJ, where students place heavy emphasis on college rankings when researching institutions. In such an intensely competitive environment, one cannot help but wonder which schools will join Hampshire as an “unranked” and thus inconceivable future college choice. Unless measures are taken to present a fair ranking of all colleges regardless of their application approach, students with huge potential, who could be solving the world’s biggest problems in a decade, will continue to be misinformed and misled to the college that the rankings– rather than their dreams–lead them to. ▪

Percentage of Student Body

By Kevin Li & Bindhu Swaminathan Staff Writers

30% 25%

21%

20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

2014

2015 **Statistics from www.hampshire.edu

Trigger Warnings Misused to Avoid Opposing Views

By Anthony Chen & Didi Wu Staff Writers

During a town hall meeting on Sept.

14, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa, President Barack Obama said, “I don’t agree that... students at colleges...have to be coddled and protected from different points of view.” By blindly following emotional reasoning, some college students are indeed rejecting all views contrary to their own, to their personal detriment and society as a whole.

“I’ve heard of some college campuses where they don’t want to have a guest speaker who is too conservative. Or they don’t want to read a book if it has language that is offensive to AfricanAmericans, or somehow sends a demeaning signal towards women.”

- P resident

of the

US B arack O bama

The discourse on what has been termed “liberal coddling,” however, is complicated by how it has been tied up with the usage of trigger warnings. Following suggestions by the Oberlin College Sexual Offense Policy Task Force for faculty to make use of trigger warnings on course syllabi, hot debates arose where trigger warnings were equated with censorship.

Trigger warnings are not meant to suppress ideas but actually serve a very legitimate purpose. They’re notices or disclaimers that subsequent information might evoke strong emotional responses because of past traumas. For example, people with post-traumatic stress disorder can experience debilitating flashbacks when unpreparedly exposed to triggering

material. When there is that possibility of disabling distress, it is reasonable to expect professors will be more sensitive based on individual need, as the Oberlin students did. People have gone through varied experiences, can come from unexpected backgrounds, and trigger warnings acknowledge the students’ lives outside of the classroom. They give students who would appreciate a heads-up time to prepare for a lecture on a triggering subject or steel themselves to watch a disturbing movie, not a free pass to get out of disagreeable discussions.

However, instead of using trigger warnings as a method of helping trauma victims feel safe enough to learn, students can misuse trigger warnings by mindlessly slapping labels on to all perceived microaggressions, a term for casual, unconscious demeaning of socially marginalized groups. For example, Hump Day at the University of St. Thomas was cancelled due to worries that camel petting, the event’s highlight, was a microaggression that could offend people from the Middle East.

There’s reason to feel sensitive about certain actions and remarks because many students may have fallen victim to institutionalized and internalized prejudice.

As every person has bias, it seems possible that we all hold implicit bias that can manifest in everyday actions. Certainly then it’s admirable for any person to be aware of and actively attempt to prevent discrimination, because we do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past, using undue hate against any group as an excuse for violence.

On the other hand, there is a difference between active discrimination and a conflict of opinions. In the latter case, discus-

sion should never be stifled. In literature as in life, students can’t only fixate on surface topics lest they lose a deeper understanding of the bigger picture. Chinua Achebe sets Things Fall Apart’s racial violence against the backdrop of colonialism to illustrate a broader point about cultures and power. Ovid’s Metamorphoses depicts graphic rape and misogyny but paints a picture of Greek and Roman culture and is notable for its influence on Western literature and art.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s 2014 Disinvitation Report shows that since 2000, average yearly attempts to disinvite college guest speakers have increased from 7.5 to nearly 25 percent.

Over the past few years, there has been a trend of increasing socially-liberal atmospheres at numerous colleges. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s 2014 Disinvitation Report shows that since 2000, average yearly attempts to disinvite college guest speakers have increased from 7.5 to nearly 25 percent.

There were three times as many disinvitation attempts for conservative speakers as there were for liberal speakers, as found by the report.

There is an increasingly divisive split of opinion, perhaps due to the current bipartisanship of politics, and it has led to a new generation immensely polarized and protective of its values. Everything today is right because it is morally good. The idea that all opinions can be simply classified as moral or immoral is ubiquitous in debates beyond the framework of colleges and politics.

The world cannot be seen in such black and white terms. But through what psychologists refer to as “motivated reasoning,” students defend their views in the name of others, based on emotion rather than reason. They give the public a moral obligation to protect the community by hiding away those controversies, by arguing that certain controversies are too sensitive or offensive for other people. If an action is done for the greater good of a community, it becomes easier to support that cause.

This under-prepares the students for the complicated realities of society, since they will eventually have to face these opposing opinions in society and debate them rather than silence those views. Therefore, the solution to the liberal students’ expectations to be coddled lies within recognizing that a debate of values contains much more than morality and learning to consider more substantial aspects of opinions, such as their practicality and motivations.

Students must see controversies without the skewed lens of good and evil to truly appreciate discussions and debates, while giving opposing opinions and controversial topics the recognition and respect that they deserve. This type of thinking gives rise to a diversity of values and perspectives to enrich a campus like MSJ’s. When we see issues such as abortion, gun control, and immigration policies from only one perspective, we lose sight of their inherent complexity. There needs to be open-minded discussion in our society and at our school, and attempts to understand opposing views. Otherwise, talk of these subjects will lose value. ▪

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Opinion 7

Offensive Halloween Costumes Promote Insensitivity the critical international issue of illegal big-game hunting.

There is a popular saying that humor is “tragedy given time,” but not enough time could ever pass for these all-toocurrent social “tragedies” to be mocked and trivialized. In the same vein, it will never be the right time to joke about the historic bigotry of “black face,” a comedic performance that demeaned and dehumanized African Americans in slave-owning America to entertain the white working-class.

The most controversial of this year’s lineup of offensive Halloween costumes is Caitlyn Jenner’s. While Spirit Halloween, the company that manufactures the costume, claims it is meant to “celebrate” Jenner, the costume’s unisex label and advertisement featuring a cisgender male model are concerning.

There’s almost no doubt some who purchase the costume will wear it to mock

Jenner and portray her transition as a joke. Many activists, as well as the writers of a change.org petition against the costume make the valid point that the transgender lifestyle simply isn’t a costume. Even without the Jenner Halloween costume, transgender individuals are likely to be perceived as inauthentic, and are publicly shamed, mocked, and humiliated enough as it is.

Ultimately, there exist social issues and groups of people that don’t deserve to be reduced to trivial costumes and attempts at humor. Doing so sends out the message that these issues and groups aren’t serious or worthy of respect. Offensive Halloween costumes don’t just promote intolerance and ignorance – they’re simply trite, and not at all clever comedy. ▪

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Respond to “Cecil the Lion Killer” Costume

By Kylie Cheung Staff Writer

Halloween is a little over a week away, and some Halloween costumes have been stirring controversy on the Internet. Costumes in the likenesses of “Jared from Subway,” a convicted pedophile; Bill Cosby, a comedian who confessed to using date rape drugs this summer; Cecil the Lion and Dr. Walter James Palmer, an American dentist who illegally hunted the lion; and most notably, Caitlyn Jenner, arguably the face of the transgender community, have all faced activists’ ire and even petitions. However, many also point out that they are “just costumes,” not meant to be taken seriously. Jenner herself said in a Today show interview in September of the costume in her likeness, “I’m in on the joke … no, I don’t think it’s offensive at all.”

These Halloween costumes ultimately serve to reduce human beings or issues that critically affect different groups of people to trivial humor, to be laughed at and then dismissed. But the controversy over whether or not there should even be controversy over humorous approaches to politicized issues is hardly new. Long before the emergence of the Caitlyn Jenner costume in August and long before Rebel Wilson made light of the issue of police brutality with an anti“stripper police” costume at the VMA’s, there were matching Chris Brown and battered Rihanna costumes. There were costumes of Boston Marathon bombing victims, pedophilic Catholic priests, Ebola victims, George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, and every year without fail, “black face” or other racial stereotypes and tropes. In every case, there has always been someone to laugh at or even defend each costume.

In the wake of any scandal, there will almost always be a Halloween costume that undermines the significance of the issue at hand, as well as the circumstances of the populations directly affected by it.

In many cases, individuals who feel per-

graphics by graphics editor monica tang

sonally offended by these costumes are told to “take a joke.” However, there’s something quite wrong when an individual who is statistically more vulnerable to police brutality is told that “black face” is just a joke.

As Jenner’s Today show interview demonstrates, however, not all individuals whose demographic is made fun of are going to be offended. However, the tolerance of individuals within a demographic should hardly be used to justify humor that trivializes serious issues, or promotes bigotry.

In response to a “Cecil the Lion Killer” costume, PETA released their own comeback: “Cecil’s Revenge”. The costume features a stuffed lion mauling a dentist, complete with a name tag that reads, “Dr. Palmer.” costumeish.com

“It’s really clear that the costume is meant to make fun of Caitlyn and transgender people by putting it under the category of humor...

We’re in a moment of ongoing violence and crisis in the community. It’s a real affront to the community to think you can make fun of transgender people and go to a party dressed like Caitlyn when we’re struggling to survive on a daily basis.”

- Executive Director of the Transgender Law Center Kris Hayashi, to CNN

Costumes of Jared Fogle, a former Subway spokesperson who confessed to owning child pornography in August, transform the destructive issue of pedophilia into a laughing matter, and portray it as socially acceptable. The Fogle costume, an attempt at humor, promotes a lack of empathy toward individuals directly affected or victimized by pedophilia, and desensitizes people to the issue. Similarly, Bill Cosby costumes deemphasize the mounting issue of daterape and the experiences of rape victims who, like the women Cosby confessed to violating, weren’t believed when they reported their experiences. The Cecil the Lion and Dr. Palmer costume minimizes

peta.org

“Halloween aficionados can turn the table on trophy hunters’ ghoulish pastime with PETA’s new pro-Cecil costume.

As animals continue to die in agony at the hands of trophy hunters, it’s only fitting for people to make fun of Palmer for his illegal, violent pursuit.”

- Ingrid Newkirk, PETA President, on PETA’s website

8 Advertisement

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

Now that Halloween season’s coming around, it’s time to break out the horror films. The Smoke Signal has compiled a list of movies to give you nights of horrified screaming and terrifying dreams. Curl up on the couch while watching these, and maybe you’ll never want to leave it again.

www.thesmokesignal.org

THE SMOKE SIGNAL’S GUIDE TO

HORROR MOVIES

By Sayan Ghosh, Chloe Velasquez, & Victor Zhou Staff Writers

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

the purge SCARE FACTOR: 1

What if, suddenly, all crime were legal? Director James DeMonaco uses this novel idea to depict a side of human nature most would not embrace. Set in modern America, this film’s believability and suspense draws in viewers and keeps them intrigued.

SCARE FACTOR: 1 This film takes the horror genre to a different level. Addressing the various stereotypes of horror film characters and corny, overdone plotlines, this movie is bound to deliver laughs, fun, and even a few “don’t go in the closet!” statements from its audience.

psycho SCARE FACTOR: 3

SCARE FACTOR: 2

This old school film is a horror classic, birthing many of the slasher films that would become so popular. With its seemingly clichéd cast of characters and plot, it is not until the reveal of the murderer’s secret that audiences are most shocked. However, its age is evident and viewers today may find it unappealing.

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, this horror film diverges from the commonly followed path of raging murderers and psychopaths. This movie’s twists and turns will have audiences grinning and gasping in turn as Radcliffe hunts for justice and retribution for his girlfriend’s murder.

the sixth sense

alien

SCARE FACTOR: 3

SCARE FACTOR: 3

This film’s famous tagline of “in space, no one can hear you scream” should be changed to “in this film, everyone will hear you scream.”

The audience is put in a suspense-filled ride as the characters try to escape from the terrifying alien that they are trapped with.

the conjuring SCARE FACTOR: 4

This film ties the drama and horror film genres together beautifully. It’s an emotion-inducing film which strives to send chills down the audience’s spine, all while producing heart-wrenching and tear-jerking moments.

rosemary’s baby SCARE FACTOR: 4

This horror flick delivers an almost too real depiction of supernatural events. With thrills from beginning to end, this film follows the terrorization of an innocent family by a dreadful spirit. Who says that haunted-house horror films are clichéd? They obviously haven’t seen this film yet.

Motherhood was a grand thing— until this film was created. A well-known classic, this film significantly raises paranoia levels as terrifying revelations are discovered. The main character raises a question: are these people really my neighbors, or are they something else?

SCARE FACTOR: 5

After watching this film, every creak or mysterious sound in your house is definitely a ghost. Jokes aside, this film successfully delivers a frightening unraveling of events that appears realistic enough for the audience to be worried about its own safety. Nighttime or daytime, there is no escaping the creepy side effects of this film.

What better way to “wow” your film teacher than with a documentary about evil spirits and murder? This eerie found-footage film, offers no escape from the supernatural voodoo and witchcraft that awaits these aspiring film making students in the ominous woodlands.

HORROR? MORE LIKE BORE-ER. PICK A BETTER MOVIE NEXT TIME.

COME ON, I BARELY EVEN HAD TO CLOSE MY EYES.

Did you put the right DVD These might cause the in? While these movies may occasional goosebump or still be entertaining and fun, draw out a gasp once in a they lack the ability to surwhile, but all in all, these prise you. It’s Halloween— movies are still pretty tame, you need a good scare (or in and you’ll have a peaceful this case, a different movie)! night’s sleep.

ratings

By Brian Tseng Staff Writer

3

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Xorblax of the red planet. I’ve learned through intercepting radio transmissions that the inhabitants of the blue planet often keep records known as “diaries” for posterity, so I have created one of my own in light of recent events. My civilization has lasted for thousands of solar revolutions, but everything changed when the rovers attacked. We were forced to move below ground to avoid ending up buried six feet under, and ever since, we’ve lived in constant fear of discovery, for surely only a warlike civilization would send to our planet their famed “Viking” rovers. Though there have been close calls in the past, in which we took the opportunity to shut down their “Spirit” rover, we have remained undetected… until now.

LOG ENTRY #2 Now, let me come to the heart of the matter.

Just a few planetary revolutions ago, a great uproar rose up on the planet that we have decided to name after our war god Irth. Their radio transmissions indicated that their intergalactic war agency, NASA, has made a major discovery in regards to our planet. In the past, there have only been rare peeps from them about our world, but their news media is currently blowing up with so-called “tweets” about the announcement. This can only mean one thing: we’ve been discovered.

Our only choice now is to fight, as our atmosphere is far too thin to allow for easy flight. Though fear and terror are beginning to circle the planet, we must stay strong in the face of this calamity.

LOG ENTRY #3

paranormal activity SCARE FACTOR: 5

the blair witch project

2

a Martian’s POV LOG ENTRY #1

horns

1

Feature 9

4

Fortunately, the worst has not yet come to pass, though it soon may. They claim to have found flowing water upon the surface of our planet, which must have been foolishly caused by careless regulations in one of our nuclear power plants.

Though it is too late to fix the leak, we have at least been given time. Unfortunately, they seem to regard this as a commodity nearly as precious as their famed oil, which they appear to collect through the sending of “democracy.” They will undoubtedly send this feared weapon of theirs to our planet in the name of manifest destiny. How can we combat illegal immigration from another planet? Building a wall would be at best ineffective and could possibly be interpreted as a declaration of war.

5

BRING SOME FRIENDS OVER, AND BE PREPARED WITH THE REMOTE BY YOUR SIDE.

GRAB YOUR PILLOWS AND WARN YOUR NEIGHBORS BLANKETS. YOU WON’T BE BEFOREHAND TO NOT WORRY LEAVING THE COUCH TONIGHT. IF THEY HEAR SCREAMING.

Leave your finger on the pause button to save you from some serious nightmares. It will help to have your friends guard the perimeter of your bed. There’s no denying that you’re going to sleep with the light on.

There’s no way you’re ever going to reach your room.

It’s time for some major fort building. You better hope your pillows and blankets will be able to withstand whatever you’re hiding from.

It might also be a good idea to leave your emergency contact information. These movies are so terrifying that you will either faint, refuse to ever leave your house, or live in extreme paranoia.

The Smoke Signal ranked these 10 movies based on overall “scare factor.” While those ranked as a one might put you to sleep, watching movies with a scare factor of five will ensure restless nights and a lasting fear of the dark. graphics by lucille njoo, imdb.com

log entry #4 One does not simply prepare for war without extensive research. We have searched through our own archives of their radio transmissions regarding interplanetary war, but all we can find are portrayals of their esteemed space wizards wielding laser swords to conquer entire star systems. Though they seem to be troubled by unidentified faceless oddities destroying their crops and kidnapping members of their species, this serves only to fan the flames of their hatred towards other civilizations. We can only hope that we may find peace with them, but it seems a farfetched hope indeed. This is Xorblax, signing off. May this log serve as one of the last remnants of our civilization before we face the aliens.

10 Feature

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

THE

DIEHARD TRYHARDS TAKE ON the citizenship test

ZEN

I am a dual citizen of the United States and Thailand. Although I was born in Los Angeles, California, I spent over 13 years of my life feeling completely at home half the world away in Bangkok, Thailand. Even now, the feeling of being “American” feels considerably foreign to me.

PRATHAM

I was born in India, and moved to California two years ago. Having been exposed to just a smidgen of American Culture in this brief time, especially while attending a high school with a majority of students being of Asian descent, I think that I haven’t yet experienced full immersion.

thoughts before the test Having been raised outside of the states, I must admit that I have very little knowledge of my birth country’s history and cultural heritage. For once, I feel unashamed to say I have low expectations of myself for an upcoming test.

I expect to pass the citizenship test. I believe that I have enough knowledge regarding United States history, as my past and current teachers have been extensive with this topic.

Friday, October 23, 2015

By Pratham Gupta, Tanvi Raja, Shivane Sabharwal & Zen Thumparkkul Staff Writers

The Smoke Signal decided to investigate MSJ students’ knowledge about American history, geography, and government after many seniors underperformed on a citizenship test in their government classes. Four staff writers took the citizenship test and reflected on their experience.

TANVI

SHIVANE

Growing up, my childhood was fast-paced. I’ve lived in cities in India, New Jersey, Georgia, and three in California in the past 17 years. I’m an Indian citizen by birth, but I plan to apply for American citizenship soon. I haven’t taken a practice test since the SAT, but hopefully this one will help me with the real citizenship test.

I am a citizen of the United States by birth.

I’ve spent most of my 16 years growing up in the Bay Area. Although I have two Indian parents, I consider myself 100% American.

I’m pretty nervous right now, actually. I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this test but I’m fully prepared to break out my arsenal of AP US History knowledge if necessary. This one’s for all the permanent residents.

I was born and raised in America, so the country runs through my blood. With this base of knowledge, a couple questions about the US should be no problem. Plus, I got an A in CP US History, so I figure I’m pretty much set for this test.

thoughts after the test I am not at all surprised at how poorly I fared on this test. Even before I learned of my test results, I had already braced myself for the cringeworthy outcome I was bound to face. Most of the questions made me wish I had taken the meager social studies classes in primary school more seriously.

Dumbfounded, I could only freeze on the spot as I repeatedly chanted, “I don’t know” for the nth time. Born an American, I now feel extremely grateful I never had to, and will never have to apply for US citizenship.

Taking the actual test would be a nightmare come true, and so will junior year’s compulsory US History course. Hopefully next year’s history lectures will help upgrade my national awareness status.

score: 2/10

Even though I was confident I would pass the test, I still kept believing that I might fail.

The test itself however, was extremely easy.

I had sufficient knowledge of American history and government that I could confidently answer all the questions. I expected to answer really specific questions concerning our history, or maybe pop culture references as these new trends also contribute to the “American Identity.” I had s’mores for the first time in October, and they were overrated. I guess that I am kind of missing out on the “American Experience.” I’m still confident that in a positive environment like MSJ, I can immerse myself in a diverse and multicultural environment.

score: 9/10

The citizenship test is an oral examination that tests prospective citizens’ knowledge about American government, history, and geography. To qualify for this test, candidates must fall under the following categories: permanent resident for at least five years, child to US citizen, spouse to US citizen, or member of US armed forces. In order to pass, applicants must answer six out of ten questions correctly. They are also required to take an English test, in which English reading, writing, and speaking skills are examined. Applicants are given two opportunities to pass this test.

One less test to worry about now. Not really sure what I thought I expected, but something along the lines of navigating the red tape of US laws was definitely a possibility in my mind. Thankfully that didn’t happen. The test is incredibly easy if you’ve lived in the US and simple to study for if you haven’t. Most of the people I know were born into American citizenship, but I’d like to see them take this test and compare our results. Most questions were general knowledge so I’m glad I haven’t been completely stumbling through life. I’m totally ready to ace the real thing when the time comes.

score: 9/10

Although I was caught off guard by a couple of questions on the test, it was not very difficult overall. Many of the questions were common knowledge, and the complex ones contain information that any student that has taken an American history or government class would know. Any prospective applicant should brush up on their knowledge of the names of important government officials such as the Speaker of the House and Chief Justice. Although I was born in America and didn’t have to take the test for citizenship, I’m quite confident that the real test would have been a breeze. Passing this test should be the least of an applicant’s worries when there’s government bureaucracy to deal with.

score: 8/10

school survey statistics *The results are based on a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal through Facebook regarding MSJ students’ citizenship statuses. A total of 325 students from all four grade levels responded to the survey.

All information is taken from the US Citizenship & Immigration Services website.

GENDER

ARE YOU A US CITIZEN?

IF YES, HOW?

grade level breakdown

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Centerspread 11

By Carolyn Ge & Ruiwen Shen

Staff Writers

As MSJ students arrived on the morning of October 5, they were greeted with two rows of blue balloons spanning the length of the amphitheatre and streamers wrapped around the railings. At lunch, they squeezed onto the grass in anticipation of Fast and Furious, class of 2019 style.

The area between the library and the amphitheatre was particularly eye-catching, where a cardboard 19 and black plastic sheets resembling a road laid. The backdrop depicted a car breaking out of a brick wall with a city skyline in the back but had a section of blank light-blue paint on the right that abruptly cut off the picture. It was sandwiched between the bold slogan “In the fast lane, On the right track” on blue plastic sheets while “One Nine Fresh ‘n Fine” ran along the bottom of the stage.

The freshmen put a creative twist to their skit with Brian, the enemy from Washington High School (WHS), initially scheming to steal MSJ’s “secret weapon,” switching sides and becoming the unity symbol of MSJ. Switching between WHS, MSJ, and a party location, the freshmen provided refreshing perspectives for the audience. The climax of the skit was when MSJ won the race against WHS, and Dom, the senior, proclaimed that their secret weapon was actually unity. All of the classes did the unity clap in response to the touching ending.

The costumes of the actors were simple, with girls wearing solid blue dresses and boys decked out in tank-tops or t-shirts. However, the main props were the student-made cardboard cars that greatly impressed the audience. The actors were even able to “drive” the sturdy cars by sitting in them and “walking” across the stage, even turning the wheels on one car.

The Freshmen voiceovers and actors were expressive and in sync. The line distribution among classes were fairly equal, giving each class many opportunities to cheer. However, the skit was very fast-paced, ending a while before lunch ended and often progressing while classes were still cheering, which made it difficult to follow at times.

The freshmen performed six airbands. They started strong with an energetic band and strings collaboration that played Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and got the entire crowd pumped. The transition from the party scene into the jazz airband was smooth, though the Freshmen dancers were sometimes out of sync and had unclear formations and movements. The following Bollywood and hip-hop airbands were neither introduced nor in context, and the audience didn’t react as strongly to them as they to the first airband. The hip-hop dancers didn’t smile, thereby not captivating the audience, but the Bollywood airband’s inclusion of baby powder was an impressive detail. The last airband “drove” the skit home fittingly with “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth, part of Furious 7’s soundtrack, and tied back to Fast and Furious to MSJ’s theme of unity. This airband led to a finale dance that consisted of all the participants. photos by staff writers michelle dalarossa & kevin li, 123rf.com & pixalbay.com, courtesy abhi upadhyay

12 Centerspread

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

By Kylie Cheung & Zen Thumparkkul Staff Writers

By Michelle Dalarossa & Deeksha Raina Staff Writers

The Lion King Sophomores roared with spirit and energy on the second day of Homecoming Week. From the abundant savannah-themed decorations to the musical-style skit, the Class of 2018 displayed their pride and enthusiasm over the course of the exciting day.

“The sophomore The sophomores’ eagerly awaited day officially decoration was really colorful and began when dedicated students arrived in the bright. I liked how they had songs and dancing even during the skit, and morning to set up balloons, signs, and backdrops. they implemented the airbands well into Plastic leaves, vines, and yellow and white balloons the overall performance. It was a solid were strung across the length of the amphitheatre while “I think the fight sophomore performance.” scene was one of the best a poster with the phrase, “Why you always lion?” could

Anish Parasrampuria, 12 parts of the performance. The be seen along the stage front. The walkway besides the decorations were pretty good and the Amphitheatre was wrapped in yellow crepe paper and lion head on the ramp was quite caution tape, and a roaring cardboard lion cutout guarded cool. The skit was really creative and Zazu was just awesome.” the entrance to the staircase. The main backdrop, depicting Soumya Bandreddi, 9 a scene from The Lion King, was surrounded by two other yellow backdrops that spelled out “Hakuna Matata.” These elaborate decorations set the stage for the sophomores’ skit.

Once the lunch bell rang, students of all grade levels rushed to the amphitheatre to watch the performance. Since The Lion King is a musical, the sophomores incorporated several of The Lion King’s songs into their skit, even adding a romantic subplot between Nala the junior and Simba the sophomore using the famous track, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.” The skit emphasized the importance of school unity over class rivalry.

Frequent puns and allusions to other classes’ themes kept the performance humorous and gave each class enough time to cheer for their on-stage representatives, which they did with gusto. Each class showed their spirit through the use of vuvuzelas, whistles, and “I thought the deafening cheers, increasing the energy and excitement of the crowd sophomore performance was and maintaining a high level of spirit throughout the performance. really well put together and they Each of the airbands drew the crowd onto their feet to dance, definitely had a lot more coordination than last year as freshmen, so that was good. I sing, and cheer along with them. These included two singing airbands think the concept of having the musical and four dance airbands — hip-hop, K-Pop, Bollywood, and jazz-funk, aspect to it was interesting but it could each one receiving standing ovations from the spirited audience. Both have been better executed because it singing airbands engaged the audience as everyone rose to sway and didn’t really add too much to the play overall. Decorations were pretty good but sing along with the performers. The jazz-funk airband displayed their flexibility and sassy choreography while the K-Pop airband showed off their I feel like they could have done a bit more with the staircases on the side, because high-intensity dancing. They were followed by the ever-popular Bollywood people normally do a lot there. Other airband, and in the middle of the skit, a fast-paced fight scene earned several than that the sophomores were really good. They did a good job.” gasps as well as abundant applause. The final airband was a hip-hop group

Ashlesha Sathe, 11 that combined remixes of both old-school rap songs and modern pop tunes.

Once the skit ended, members of all the performances gathered on stage to dance to a remixed version of The Lion King’s renowned song, “The Circle of Life,” concluding the result of their hard work with an upbeat last hurrah.

www.thesmokesignal.org

Centerspread 13

“Our class had some problems even going into the first few official rehearsals. But I’m really really proud of how everybody pulled it together and put on an amazing performance. I was also very proud of the juniors in the audience. They really stepped up their game, cheering at the perfect time and energizing the performers!”

Kousheyo Kundu, 11

On October 7, students, staff, and parents arrived upon a scene straight out of the popular, intergalactic film Guardians of the Galaxy at the amphitheatre. Black balloons and fabric decorated with silver and white stars hung overhead, and the amphitheatre was impressively decked out in decorations resembling audio sets and spacecraft featured in the movie. Left of the stage, the sideramp featured a long black, space-themed tunnel. The galaxy banner that spanned the front rim of the stage was a colorful exception to their otherwise black-and-white decorations.

They opened with a spirited band that rallied the juniors with the simple question, “What team?” Their answer was, of course, “17.” The band proceeded to perform the classic “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and was met with standing ovations throughout, as well as unified arm-waving. The band was followed by a group of singers performing renditions of “Omen,” “Sunday Candy,” and “Trap Queen,” engaging their audience and receiving an enthusiastic response.

The opening performances were followed by a skit that offered a creative, MSJ-centric spin on Guardians. After the MSJ “spirit orb” was stolen by Washington High School’s Ronan and his Husky minions, Freshmen Rocket and Groot, Sophomore Drax the Destroyer, Senior Gamora, and main protagonist Junior Star Lord assembled to traverse the galaxy and reclaim the orb. Through a series of entertaining plot twists and conflicts, the Warriors of the Galaxy reconciled their differences and overcame Ronan’s power to reclaim the spirit orb with the force of their own spirit. Their final showdown with Ronan ranged from humorous (the dance-off serving as a distraction), to visually dynamic, with an explosion of white powder.

Throughout, the skit was interwoven with a variety of energetic airbands, ranging from swing-style ballroom to a duo performing high-intensity hip-hop and breakdance that drew in the crowd with the use of a selfie-stick. Other airbands included a Tahitian dance performance, which featured a mix of fastpaced music and hip-shaking. The Bollywood airband engaged the audience with classic Bollywood music and dynamic choreography, while the K-Pop airband featured hip-hop influences and Guardians-themed gear. The juniors’ hip-hop airband tackled mash-ups of popular music featuring a range of slow, punctuated moves and fast, hard-hitting steps. Toward the end of the skit, the jazz airband took center-stage and attacked well-known instrumental music with creative choreography. The Juniors closed with an impressive display of unity, performers returning to the stage dancing to the classic “Footloose,” reflecting their theme movie’s retro approach to music.

The Juniors of the Galaxy united to proudly display their spirit and sense of class unity, from their skit to their enthusiastic audience.

They weren’t shy about getting on their feet, waving flags, singing along, and cheering on their peers. Like all other classes, the class of 2017 contributed to making this year’s Homecoming Week out of this galaxy.

“The juniors did a great job today, especially in energizing every class today. The skit promoted unity over competition which was very nice, though I lost track of the plot at some points. The Bollywood airband really impressed me because of the incredible number of dancers and high energy of the performance.”

Lindsay Yang, 12

“The most captivating performance of all so far was definitely the juniors’ boys break dance airband, masterfully executed in time with the music. Overall, I think that the junior skit suffered from relative lack of romance and “unity” moments.

Other than that, it was great and deserved all the cheers it won from the audience.”

Samir Banerjee, 9

“I thought the junior Homecoming was really great! The skit was a bit hard to follow at some points, but the unity aspect was certainly emphasized at the end. The decorations were well thought out, despite a few mishaps, like the black paper over the grass area. The air bands were great, and the dancers were talented.

Overall, a great performance.”

Divya Rangavajjhala, 10

“I really liked how this year we came together as a class, last year it was really messy because everyone was really new to everything, so this year we got to work as a team.”

Jessica Lee, 10 photos by staff writers mustafa ahmed & zen thumparkkul, canstockphoto.com, courtesy annie chen & michelle ng

photos by staff writers lucille njoo & tanushri sundar, lyshastra.deviantart.com & thelivingmoon.com, courtesy anita carraher, michelle gore, brian wu & katherine xiang

14 Centerspread

www.thesmokesignal.org

“I think they put in a lot of hard work, into decorations especially. Even though one of their banners got pulled down, they still pulled through and did a good job. Their hip-hop “For the senior was great.”

Tiffany Li, 11 performance today, I think the dances were amazing, the skit was ok, and the ending was fabulous. As far as the decorations go, I think the confetti was a really good touch and the banners they dropped at the finale were really cool.”

Somya Sharma, 9

The Smoke Signal

By Ella Chen & Brian Tseng Staff Writers

Colorful cutouts and backdrops greeted MSJ students arriving in the amphitheatre on October 8, with flaming buildings and the Golden Gate Bridge lining the stairways. Red and white balloons hung next to a “Hoo Hah” banner over the blazing red backdrop and posters, while dazzling streamers joined the giant 2016 sign along the railing. Underclassmen found that many seniors had already taken up the center of the lawn, leaving only the sides and back available to the spectators. The air was charged with energy as the seniors chanted their famous homecoming line, “Hoo-hah! You wish you were a senior!” The decoration and tech teams raced around to finish last-minute preparations before the performance.

The seniors kicked off the performance with a sing-along rendition of Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance,” which was quickly followed by two more singing airbands that had the audience waving and cheering. Another round of the senior cheer led into the beginning of the skit, where the actors were introduced in the“Homecoming discussion meeting.” Referencing all the classes, Senior Elliot, banded together with Junior Starlord, Sophomore Simba, and Freshman Mia to defeat Doctor Huskey and stop the zombie apocalypse. Past themes of the class of 2016 were also mentioned throughout the play, such as the Wreck-It Ralph prisoner, the Now You See Me magician, and the Fantastic Four. From the start, the need for unity was emphasized, with Elliot talking about the need to work together to stop the apocalypse. Though at times the speaker quality made the skit hard to follow, the actors stayed in sync with their voiceovers.

The airbands upped the energy by starting off with a color guard performance. After a quick introduction, color guard members from all classes hit the stage behind the three captains, something not usually seen in homecoming performances. The crowd responded with loud cheers as members of all classes stood in unison to cheer on the performers. The extensive Bollywood airband allowed some male seniors to flash their dance moves. But perhaps the most insync dance was the jazz funk performance, in which the dancers on stage twirled, stepped, and moved in perfect harmony with the music. The seniors also had Tahitian and ballroom airbands.The crowd was receptive to both performances; everybody swayed to the beat of the remixes used by the performers. One new airband never before seen was the Senior Haka, a chanting dance performed solely by male members of the senior class. All the classes stood up to watch the hip-hop performers present their choreography. At the very end, the senior class surged onto the stage; they chanted, jumped, and then enjoyed the last of their homecoming roller coaster together.

Friday, October 23, 2015

“My favorite part was our unity as a class.

Our class came together and dealt with the stress and pressures. We faced problems and overcame them together. I liked the ending where every senior came together on stage and we danced together.”

Gavan Singh, 12

“Honestly, I thought it was really energy packed and the really had a lot of creative ideas, especially with the overhead stuff and the different scrolls that fell down. Even though they did come apart, like when the scrolls fell down and when there were a few rough parts, ultimately they pulled through and everyone felt really great and the spirit was all really great.”

Raymond Yin, 10

photos by staff writers ashley chang & RICHARD CHENYU ZHOU, courtesy marliyn nguyen

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Advertisement 15

Tutoring Gurus

16 Advertisement

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

Tutors: UC-Berkeley, UCLA grads

Score High Stay Ahead

SAT I, SAT II, AP 300 points increase from diagnostic SAT I score guaranteed Finest tutors (UC-Berkeley, UCLA grads) $100 Small class size < 12 (others 20-60) early 1:1 feedback (none by others) registration 8 wk in-depth English/Math review (most offer short 3wk-5wk) discount!

Best content in the industry (others recycle the same old content) Intensive 8wk Summer Boot Camp

     

College Admission Counseling Superior strategy, selection of 15 best matching colleges 

  

Personalized college selection - private, UC, CSU Counseling by experienced UC-Berkeley and UCLA grads Essay, Application, Financial Aid, Interviews Counseling for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders

$200 off of any package!

G7-12 Tutoring

One grade up in first quarter guaranteed   

Small class size (2-3), highly experienced tutors Novel one-step-ahead tutoring Leader in summer subject previews

Free trial class!

Common Core, Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Cal, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, Computers, Statistics, English, Biology, G7-8 Math/Science (510)449-9233 info@tutoringgurus.com www.tutoringgurus.com #202, 3755 Washington Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

Arts & Entertainment 17

www.thesmokesignal.org

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R M u s i C : C I R C A WAV E S

Under the Radar

| SELENA GOMEZ

| F i l m : t h e M A R T I A N | T H E WA L K

the martian is out of this world

Selena gomez

Circa waves

By Chloe Velasquez Staff Writer Circa Waves brings summer vibes and sweet nostalgia to the sound of rock-n-roll. This indie rock band formed in Liverpool, England, in 2013 and consists of four members: Kieran Shudall (vocals, guitar), Sam Rourke (bass), Colin Jones (drums), and Joe Falconer (guitar). Inspired by the passion and energy from the early ‘00s rock music, Circa Waves aspires to bring back this same style, but with its own take.

While providing its fans with music that is electrifying to both dance and sing along to, the band emphasizes the fun, laid-back side of rock. Its debut single “Get Away/Good for Me” was released in December 2013, which gained Circa Waves quick attention, and now has over 10 million streams on Spotify. The band also proudly released its first album Young Chasers on March 30, 2015, which includes wellknown hits “T-Shirt Weather” and “Young Chasers,” including 12 additional tracks. According to Shudall, the album is all about reminiscing on teenage youth and summer memories like going out, meeting new people, and having fun. “It’s a really interesting part of growing up, and I wanted to express that,” he said.

Having recently completed its first American tour, the band was able to perform each show with success. Circa Waves got audiences to fall into the rhythm of the atmosphere, relax, and rock out to the infectious energy emitting from its performance. The band is currently working on establishing future shows and writing new songs, hoping to improve the sound and scope of its style. ▪

A&E

By Mallika Gupta Staff Writer

By Kevin Chen Graphics Editor Hollywood, I got one question for you: Why is Matt Damon stuck in space again? Ridley Scott’s The Martian joins the long list of scifi/action-adventure films that have passed through the box office, but unlike Damon’s previous performance in a certain big hit of the same category, it brings with it a large dose of wisecracking humor that manages to take the mood of the movie from life-threatening seriousness to lighthearted laughter within a matter of milliseconds. A cast with a number of familiar stars including Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, and Chiwetel Ejiofor brings about a commendable performance that provides an entertaining and definitely recommended watch.

The Martian follows astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) and his efforts to survive by himself on Mars after the rest of his team is forced to leave him behind as they abort their mission in the face of an oncoming storm. With his own intellect and some help from NASA, Watney manages to overcome obstacle after obstacle while maintaining a healthy sense of humor.

While the cast does provide a

convincing and emotional performance, the script prevents much character development and the film as a whole is mostly carried along by plot points. Hints of a romance between two of the astronauts are shown twice throughout the entirety of the movie, but neither appearance lends anything to the story.

It’s easy to see the characters happy and overjoyed at their successes, but aside from Watney, it’s hard to connect with any of the individual characters.

From the very start, panning down from a view of the stars, the film greets viewers with stunning visuals that beautifully illustrate the alien landscape of Mars. Massive dust storms and tornadoes traveling across incredibly detailed Martian terrain contrast sharply with the tiny, lone rover that represents Watney and his attempts to survive.

Frame composition and timing are perfect, with scenes flowing from one another smoothly. The occasional use of “helmet-cam” footage also manages to add to the usual collection of cinematic shots.

Also rendered in amazing detail are futuristic technologies such as the Ares spacesuits, the Hermes spacecraft, and even Mission Control, which all strike a perfect bal-

imdb.com

ance between references to today’s available technologies and an artistic vision of 30 years from now. The film thankfully doesn’t make too much of an effort to use scientific lingo and provide poorly crafted explanations of how its advancements work, but it stretches itself a bit then when viewers are introduced to Childish Gambino the astrophysicist.

Aside from odd casting choices, the film is scored by popular and successful composer Harry Gregson-Williams, who provides a relatively unremarkable soundtrack that does the job but without anything noteworthy. Most of the musical attention is instead drawn to the disco music that Watney plays to keep himself company, which also successfully provides comic relief multiple times throughout the scenes.

While The Martian fails to bring anything new or particularly stand out in its individual components, as a whole it remains an entertaining watch worth its 140 minutes. It certainly won’t win any Academy Awards, but definitely earns a place on this month’s movies-to-watch list. ▪ Rating: B+

U p d a t e s the walk strikes the perfect balance

By Tanushri Sundar Staff Writer

Owl city CONCERT regency ballroom | 10/24/15 Owl City, an electronic-music project by artist Adam Young, will be performing in the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on October 24. Owl City came to fame with its chart topping single, “Fireflies,” and has popularized electronic pop music. It has produced songs for animated films such as Wreck-It Ralph and The Smurfs 2.

walk the moon concert masonic

auditorium

|10/26/15

Indie rock band Walk the Moon is performing in the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco on October 26. Its latest hit, “Shut Up and Dance,” was released in its album Talking is Hard in December 2014.

The group is full of spirit and is sure to engage the crowd with its infectious energy.

BRIDGE SCHOOL BENEFIT SHORELINE AMPHITHEATER | 10/24/15 & 10/25/15 The Dixie Chicks, Sheryl Crow, Ryan Adams, St. Vincent, and more are coming together for the annual Bridge School Benefit.

All funds raised go to The Bridge School, which educates children with speech and physical impairments. The concert is organized by artists Neil and Pegi Young, who helped found The Bridge School and have organized the Benefit concert since 1986.

the peanuts movie G rating|11/6/15 The Peanuts Movie chronicles the tale of the lovable adventurer Snoopy, who must fight his archenemy in the sky while Charlie Brown simultaneously attempts to win the heart of his neighborhood crush. The 3D animated film commemorates the 65th anniversary of Charles Schulz’ comic strip, Peanuts.

Music review

By Andrew Choi Staff Writer On the morning of Aug. 7, 1974, Frenchman Philippe Petit managed to do the unthinkable―walk across a cable between the two World Trade Center towers in New York City. More than 41 years later, Director Robert Zemeckis dramatizes this unbelievable artistic coup, as well as the events that led up to it, in a dazzling film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the fearless Petit. The marvelous cinematography and 3D visual effects that Zemeckis is renowned for, combined with the breathtaking stunts and commendable acting from Gordon-Levitt and Charlotte Le Bon, make The Walk a much more valid and rewarding film than it appears at first glance.

The film is told from the point of view of Petit as he looks back to a time when his ultimate dream was to walk between the two Twin Towers.

Having been captivated by tightrope walking since a very young age, Petit spends years mastering and perfecting the art, with the help of a circus show-

man named Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley). Finally, along with some of his friends, including his girlfriend Annie (Le Bon), Petit travels to New York City to carry out the feat.

Screenwriters Zemeckis and Christopher Browne fail to captivate moviegoers in the first half of the film, as it is drab and painstakingly boring, with much of the content being rather unnecessary. It is obvious that what Zemeckis wanted was a clear, strong foundation for his characters, but the buildup to Petit’s walk drags on for too long. However, once Petit arrives in New York City, the pace of the storytelling is perfect, with nothing too rushed nor too slow. The wire-walking sequence is especially breathtaking, with every second astonishingly unhurried and dreamlike.

Gordon-Levitt does a laudable job portraying the audacious Petit, bringing warmth and charm to the film. His movements throughout the movie are smooth and precise; every single step is meticulously controlled. Gordon-Levitt narrates the film with a somewhat over-the-top French accent, but it ends

imdb.com

up fitting right in with the movie’s upbeat tone and mood. Le Bon does an adequate job of portraying Petit’s lover, Annie, as she skillfully feeds off of Gordon-Levitt’s energy throughout the film, creating a natural connection between the two.

Zemeckis’ use of 3D and visual effects is simply stunning, making the audience feel like they are right there alongside Petit, walking amongst the clouds. He is able to beautifully recreate the famous towers that once soared above the Manhattan skyline.

His effects are not cheesy either; instead they are creative and innovative.

In addition, the camerawork is subtle and meticulous, adding to the awe-inspiring experience.

All in all, the combination of the exciting premise, notable acting, and Zemeckis’ cutting edge filmmaking makes The Walk a solid film that will undoubtedly surprise and wow moviegoers. ▪

After a three-year hiatus, Selena Gomez released her album Revival on Oct. 9, 2015, receiving a surge of positive feedback from her “Selenators” who definitely missed her, as did the rest of us. In this second solo album, Gomez sheds her cutesy image, coming into her own as a more mature artist experimenting with new sounds. The album’s 11 songs include catchy pop jams as well as raw tracks that show a more vulnerable and honest side of the 23-year-old.

In an interview with Billboard magazine, prior to the release of the album, Gomez revealed that she had been diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease, which caused her break from the spotlight. After a course of chemotherapy, the young star has come back with an introspective album that encompasses Gomez’s shift in perspective.

Gomez begins and ends the album on high notes, a statement to the media about how the negativity she has received won’t bring her down.

The first track “Revival” incorporates booming drums in a message about how Gomez’s experience in rehabilitation has reshaped her mindset as a person. The album begins with Gomez speaking to the listeners: “I dive into the future. But I’m blinded by the sun. I’m reborn in every moment, so who knows what I’ll become?”

She lets it be known that she will not let anyone put her in a box, whether in terms of her music or her personal life. Revival’s songs explore freedom, heartbreak, and having fun.

Gomez experiments with a new mix of pop and EDM styles, with echoing beats in some upbeat tracks, while using soulful piano instrumentals in other songs that show the listeners a different side of the young artist. The deluxe version of the album, displaying a more suggestive cover, features three additional tracks. In the last of these tracks, “Perfect,” Gomez conveys the heartache of comparing herself to the “other woman.”

In “Camouflage,” Gomez exposes her heartbroken side that is habitually kept locked out of the public’s eye.

The album also features some sultry tracks, such as the single “Good For You” released in June. “Hands to Myself ” and “Body Heat” clearly indicate the evolution of the former Disney Channel star as she grows up.

Aside from the romantic aspect of her songs, Gomez delivers an empowering directive to her listeners.

The final track of the album’s original version, “Rise,” is an uplifting song in which Gomez tells her listeners to rise above the hurdles that life can throw “even when your bones feel like weights.”

As part of her resurgence since her diagnosis, Revival consists of captivating hits that announce that Gomez is confident and taking control of her career. ▪ Rating: A-

Rating: Abillboard.com

allmusic.com

18 Arts & Entertainment

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

By Sayan Ghosh & Lucille Njoo Staff Writers

The employees at CREAM are delightfully enthusiastic. At periodic intervals after a batch of cookies is finished baking, one can hear the entire staff yell “Fresh Cookies!” in unison. However, the ordering process is rather disorganized and slow because of the rather inefficient setup.

There isn’t a clear distinction where the lines should begin and end.

Despite the awkward setup, the employees’ obvious eagerness to serve and infectious enthusiasm makes up for the cumbersome process.

Cookies and ice cream and milkshakes - oh my!

The popular chain CREAM, known for its cookies and ice cream sandwiches, opened at Pacific Commons in Fremont on October 3.

This particular branch of the rapidly expanding chain which was founded in 2010 in Berkeley and has locations in cities such as Palo Alto, San Jose, and San Mateo, is about 20 minutes from MSJ, near several popular restaurants such as Blaze Pizza and the Habit. Despite the lengthy wait (about 15 minutes on a Thursday evening), the reasonable prices and great variety make CREAM a worthy visit.

CREAM’s environment is welcoming and exciting due to the constant rush of people and general hustle and bustle. The interior is clean, sleek, contemporary, and, in general, quite upbeat. The restaurant contains only one table, which makes eating ice cream a messy process for those without seats. The inconvenience is made worse by the fact that the shop is frequently extremely crowded, with lines often going out the door. However, only about six people can sit at a table and eat, and there is not much outdoor seating either. In addition, the background pop music can be slightly too loud and overwhelming, making it hard to converse over.

The pricing of the food is generally quite reasonable. A single ice cream sandwich costs $2.99, with toppings an extra 75 cents. An ice cream taco with three scoops costs $3.99, and a single cookie is 89 cents. The $5.49 ice cream milkshake is the only item on the menu that is noticeably expensive.

CREAM mainly offers a variety of ice creams, cookies, and combinations of the two. Although they boast 21 different flavors, there is nothing particularly spectacular about their ice cream; most of the flavors are standard ones that can be found at any store, such as Rocky Road and Strawberry Cheesecake. The cookies are also of common flavors, such as Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle, but like the ice cream, are delicious. We ordered an ice cream sandwich consisting of White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies, Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream, toppings such as gummybears and cherries, an ice cream taco, several cookies, and a rocky road milkshake. The ice cream sandwiches are messy to eat, but the contrast between the freezing cold ice cream and the hot, freshly-baked cookies makes the sandwiches interesting and tasty. The milkshakes are also quite well made and complement the hot cookies well. The CREAM taco is a creative, customizable treat that can’t be found elsewhere. We ordered one with Cookies ‘N Cream, Peanut Butter Twist, and Rocky Road ice cream, in addition to marshmallows and Oreos to top them off. Although there was nothing besides the Taco that distinguished CREAM from any other ice cream store, everything we tried tasted very well made. creamnation.com, tripadvisor.com, yelp.com

LYRICAL - FRI. 6:30 - 7:30 JAZZ - MON. 7:30 - 8:30 HIP HOP - MON. 8:30-9:30 HIP HOP - FRI. 7:30 - 8:30 HIP HOP - SAT. 1:30-2:30 BALLET - FRI. 4:30 - 5:30 BBOY/GIRL - WED. 7:30 - 8:30 CLASSES FOR ALL AGES & LEVELS

PROFESSIONAL LONGEVITY QUALITY DEDICATED

PERSONAL INVALUABLE CUSTOMIZED EXCELLENCE

ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE DYNAMIC TALENTED FACULTY

18 Reasons. 18 Years.

OUTSTANDING MEANINGFUL INSIGHTFUL CREATIVE

INNOVATIVE FUN SMALL GROUPS RESULTS DRIVEN

Serving all of your educational needs since 1998, Mill Creek Academy offers quality academic enrichment, test preparation, and college admissions consulting.

We are committed to delivering the highest quality of expertise to support your child’s academic achievement. www.millcreekacademy.com

Email: directors@millcreekacademy.com Phone: 510.353.0400

1544 Washington Boulevard, Fremont, CA 94539

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Movie Ticket

Gloomy Tunes

Giveaway

The Smoke Signal is hunting for the best songwriters in MSJ! Submit up to three of your renditions of pop songs as twisted Halloween lyrics to ae@thesmokesignal.org before October 30, and we will post them anonymously on our Facebook page. The person who gets the most likes will win a pair of free movie tickets!

By Anthony Chen & Amber Lee Staff Writers

Ever wonder what it would be like if pop singers went trick-or-treating with you?

Pale Face (“ Blank Space ” by

Taylor Swif t)

So I’m gonna live forever Or I’m gonna go down in flames Garlic makes us cringe and bend over As we screech and yell in pain Got a long list of ancestors But we don’t hunt for brains ‘Cause you know those are for zombies, And they love them brains.

Ghost Tow n (“Ghost Town” by Adam Lam bert)

‘Cause we’re pale and we’re vampires In the sun we can’t go far.

It’ll leave us breathless Or with a nasty scar We are the very best predators Our victims’ blood will rain But I’ve got a pale face, baby Covered in bloodstains.

Bad Luck (“Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift) ‘Cause baby now we got bad luck, You know we’re having it real rough, Because we looked at that black cat, When it crossed on our path, hey!

Now we got cursed, This is the absolute worst, We made a really big blunder, And baby now we got bad luck, hey!

Died trick-or-treating Walking the streets Of some old ghost town I tried to believe That this was some dream But I could not get out

Shut Up an d Run (“Sh ut Up

Diet Cheater (“Cheerleader” by OMI) Halloween’s around the corner Can’t restrain my sweet tooth longer All this candy’s totally tempting And I’m empty when they’re gone And they say Do you need me?

Do you think I taste sweet?

Will you go out trick-or-treating?

I say no, but in reality

Hallow

een Ma dness

Moon)

“Oh don’t you dare look back.

Just keep running, top speed” I said, “They’re on our backs” She said, “Shut up and run with me!

These zombies won’t give up on me.”

She screamed, “Ahh, ahh, haa, Shut up and run with me.”

Rather Be (“Rather Be” by Clean Bandit) I’m a thousand miles from comfort, In a haunted house of screams, And as long as I’m trapped in here There’re places I’d rather be I would run forever, fleeing from this scene So scared to death that my heart, it might not continue to beat

Oh I think I can’t stand this diet anymore Candy’s always right there, too hard to ignore Oh I think I can’t stand this diet anymore Candy’s always right there, too hard to ignore.

You ain’t gotta worry, it’s an open invitation I’ll be waitin’ right here, real patient All day, all night, creeping out passerby Don’t run because I’m scary, I got a lot of candy All day, all night, trick-or-treating for life, no lie.

and Dance ” by Walk the

They bit her arm, I don’t know how it happened.

Took to the streets and we ran,

Saw all of the wraiths Lock up the gates I could not exit Walked into the flames Called out for aid But there was no answer And now I know this place is a ghost town.

Come & Get It (“ Come & Get It”

by Sele na Gom ez)

Arts & Entertainment 19

With every step I take, just keeping fear at bay Jumping at every sound Why did I take this dare? I’m wondering why I came with my friends to fool around?

When you gave me this dare, why’d I take it?

In the dark I don’t know if I’ll make it Know with all of my heart this ain’t worth it Now there are so many places I’d rather be.

(“Summ

ertime Sadness ” by La I got my red dress on tonight, na Del Rey) Creeping through the dark in the pale moonlight, Done my hair up sleek vampire-queen style, Sharp fangs out, I’m coming alive

I’m not too shy to jump out and scare you, I got no regrets.

I love this much too much to spare you, this fright ain’t Oh, the scent of blood is in the air, finished yet.

I’m rising from my grave as the moon casts down its This fright ain’t finished yet… glare, So baby if you want candy…

Honey I’m on fire, I feel it everywhere, Everything’s scared of me now.

If you want candy come and get it I got that Halloween, Halloween madness Na na na na, na na na na, na na na na Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

If you want candy come and get it Na na na na, na na na na, na na na na.

20 Advertisement

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

Mission Peak: Ohlone Trail The Ohlone Trail is Mission Peak’s gentler and more popular hiking trail. However, don’t be fooled; this seven-mile hike is certainly not easy. Expect an arduous climb up oftentimes uneven terrain, with a precipitously rocky final stretch that requires both nimble footwork and concentrated balance. Hikers that make it to the top, however, are rewarded by an impressive and remarkable panoramic view from an elevation of about 2500 feet that spans all the way to the San Francisco Bay. The next time you’re in search of a challenging hike, head over to the Ohlone Trail.

Difficulty: Challenging Nature: 4 stars

www.thesmokesignal.org

Mission Peak: Stanford Trail The second Mission Peak trail, the Stanford trail is an intense and strenuous workout. This six mile hike is steeply inclined and completely barren, making it tough and grueling for hikers of all levels. Although the trail consists mainly of dried grass and the occasional cow, the view from the summit is a scenic wonder and prime picture hotspot. Be sure to bring a hat, plenty of water, and an ample supply of sunscreen.

Alameda Creek The Alameda Creek Regional Trail is a 12-mile trail that starts in the Niles Canyon and passes through Coyote Hills, ending at the San Francisco Bay. This trail is especially popular for marathon trainers, but for those that are looking for a more leisurely workout, there are many other alternative routes that dot the trail. Motor vehicles are prohibited, so runners and bicyclists can use the paved pathway peacefully and safely.

Difficulty: Challenging Nature: 4 stars

Difficulty: Challenging Nature: 3 ½ stars

Cross Country Trail Picks

By Anu Asokan & Michelle Dalarossa Staff Writers

Quarry Lakes This park features several deep blue lakes surrounded by grassy picnic spots and well-paved trails. The trails are easily accessible by foot and weave around the lakes. When running here, you can feel the soft lake breeze against your face and spy wildflowers dotting the hills. “Quarry Lakes is good for beginners because it’s generally flat and connected to the Alameda Creek Trail so you can reach many communities,” said Senior Mavis Zeng, a varsity Cross-Country runner.

Difficulty: Easy Nature: 5 stars

Sports 21

The Smoke Signal set out to review some of the finest nature trails in Fremont, with recommendations from the school’s CrossCountry team. Take a look at these five picks, which are rated by how natural they feel and how difficult they are.

Difficulty Level Key: Easy: Short distance, flat, well-paved Moderate: Slight inclines and hills, longer distance Challenging: Many steep hills. bumpy or slippery roads, long distance Nature Level Key: 1 Star: Urban, surrounded by buildings; noisy 5 Stars: Secluded, full of trees and greenery; quiet

“Nature trails are like an endangered species—our habitat is encroached on, and there are less trails to run on.” - Cross Country Head Coach Jack Marden

Mill Creek Road To newcomers, Mill Creek may be a pleasant surprise: a deceivingly normal street suddenly leads to a hilly forested path. This is a favorite of the MSJ Cross-Country team, whose Coach Marden practiced here when he ran for MSJ Cross Country in high school. Once you get past the frightening first hill, the rest of the road is manageable.

Mill Creek is so separated from the hustle and bustle of the street that you can’t hear anything but chirping birds and the burbling creek. Be wary of the many blind turns. With mossy oak trees looming overhead and greenery all around, it’s hard not to feel peaceful and content on this secluded road.

Difficulty: Moderate Nature: 5 stars clipartpanda.com, pixabay.com, freepik.com

ON

P

I IN

T

O Sx

R PO

Gender Barrier Hurts Intersex Athletes

S

nytimes.com

By Tanushri Sundar Staff Writer Recent gender-verification tests administered to female athletes unravel a misunderstanding of what gender truly is. Santhi Soundarajan, an Indian national who won the silver medal in the 800 meter race in the 2006 Asian Games, was stripped of her medal after she was asked to undergo a gender-verification test, which she failed. The results ruined her life and career. She now works as a coach and said of a potential comeback, “I would like to, but I know I can’t. I am physically and mentally totally broken.” The gender barrier in athletics is unfair to intersex individuals, who do not fit the gender dichotomy.

Female intersex athletes are criticized and barred from competitions by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who fear that extra testosterone grants them an athletic advantage. Female athletes who fail gender-verification tests often have intersex conditions such as Androgen Insensitivity System (AIS), and 5-Alpha Reductase Deficiency (5ARD). Individuals with AIS are genetic males but are resistant to testosterone and live as females. Individuals with 5-ARD are also genetic males who are assigned female. They do not have Dihydrotestosterone, an androgen which allows the formation of the male reproductive system.

It makes little sense to crudely redefine the gender line by segregating athletes by hor-

mone levels. Since 2011, the IAAF has required that female athletes have testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per liter, yet extra testosterone makes little difference in the scope of athletic competition. Research by Peter Sonsken, a professor of endocrinology at the St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, shows that there is a negligible gap in the testosterone levels between male and female athletes, which means that advantages such as height, muscle mass, red-blood cell count, and even money likely play a greater role in athletic performance than intersex conditions. If intersex conditions were advantageous, intersex athletes would be dominating the field. This gender criterion is ineffective and victimizes intersex athletes.

Once labeled as neither male nor female, intersex athletes are no longer accepted as part of the competitive norm. They are urged to take “corrective steps” including hormone therapy and/or surgery to reduce testosterone levels and continue competing. Corrective steps impair natural athletic ability and are unfair to the athlete who feels pressured to meet unjustified standards. Four female athletes from developing countries underwent excessive surgery and hormone therapy in the 2012 London Olympics to reduce their naturally high testosterone levels. The inclination of our society to provide correction for another individual’s body highlights our fear of what we do not understand. Intersex athletes, like all professional athletes, have committed their entire lives to competition, and it is wrong to destroy their identities by preventing them from competing.

We have no authority to regulate athletic competition between people, as all bodies are advantaged and disadvantaged. An equal playing field, though noble, is unachievable, and our efforts to gain one are discriminatory. ▪ clker.com, freevector.com, 4vector.com

Inside Club Fitness

By Shivane Sabharwal Staff Writer Club Fitness is a new class this year that Wednesdays, an outside fitness instructor such many seniors are taking in order to complete as a volunteer yoga teacher on Thursdays, and PE credits. It replaces the traditional PE class a day of outside sports on Friday. in which students cycle through different Randazzo hopes to introduce her students sports units for three to four weeks at a time. to many more ways to stay fit, and will be PE teacher Stephanie Randazzo reinstated the bringing in instructors to teach students Brazilclass in order to get students ready for exercise ian dances and Zumba. Along with physical exwhen they become adults. Most adults will not ercise, students in the class research a new roube part of a sports league – they will most like- tine or sport and present it to the entire class. ly be going to gyms or fitness classes. The class That sport or workout will then be done on teaches students how to maintain health and Fridays by the whole class. Overall, Club Fitstay fit when playing sports is not an option. ness is an interesting class that offers students The traditional structure of the class is the who want to escape traditional PE an opportuweight room on Mondays, a new workout such nity to try out many new fitness routines and as boot camp on Tuesdays, the cardio room on prepares them for staying healthy as an adult. ▪

Club Fitness students engage in exercises led by PE teacher Stephanie Randazzo.

staff writer shivane sabharwal

“I enjoy it in that some of the things we do are non-conventional, such as yoga that’s not offered in PE. Also, some classes are student led, so we get to sign up for certain activities to learn and teach the class which is pretty different and fun. I also like that it’s an upperclassmen geared class, and that we do more work out based stuff rather than sports. (Also not having to run as much as the weekly miles in PE is definitely a bonus).” - Trisha Shang, 12 “We had a parent come in to teach us yoga last week, and that was really fun. I look forward to Zumba and the student presentations. Ms. Randazzo is a great teacher; she treats us like adults.” - Justin Yue, 12 “I enjoy [Club Fitness] because it is more health oriented, rather than simply sports centered.

This allows us more time to focus on considering practical exercises that we will be able to do next year during college. As to whether it is better than PE, I cannot say because I was originally in band, and did not participate in normal PE. I do think it is more practical than PE because it is focused around what exercises are most realistic for a young adult to do on a daily basis. I recommend the course to any individual whose standards for a PE course are in line with this intent for a fitness course.” - Ajay Damodaran, 12

22 Sports

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Which type of

Friday, October 23, 2015

By Ansh Patel, Cindy Yuan & Victor Zhou Staff Writers

SPORTS FAN are you?

Every sports fan has a different way to cheer on their favorite athletes! But with so many different types of sports fans, how can you possibly figure out which one you are? Don’t fret! Simply answer the questions in this quiz—multiple choice, yay!—then match your endpoint to one of the description boxes below in order to answer the critical question: What type of sports fan are you?

I have to go!

You’ve made it to the game, what do you do?

I’d better get my costume and flag ready for the game. I hope I will get a chance to see the players before the game starts.

Go to 1.

START

I’ll just watch the game at home.

It’s the same deal anyway.

Your favorite team is playing their historic 800th game, but the game is far away in Estonia. What do you do?

Stadium ticket, check. Comfortable walking shoes, check. Team schedule and location list, check. Threefoot long camera and tripod, check. Go to 2.

I got an invitation to a huge party yesterday, and friends are always fun, right? I should probably get ready for it now.

It’s game time! The party has started.

What are you thinking about?

You watch alone because, well, sports and parties don’t go together. It’s about appreciating the sport. So, what’s your routine?

The hype is building up, and I am so not missing out on Oh! That quarterback just hit an ace! it. Live Twitter following, InIt’s time for everyone to get Oh sorry...we’re watching soccer? stagram hashtag searches, hyped because our team is goYeah, I’m really just here because my furious Facebook status uping to dominate today! Let’s friends are here. I don’t even watch dates, live Snapchat stories, get this party started! Go to 4. I’m ready for it all. Go to 6. sports. Go to 5.

1. The Stylish Showgoer

The classic “superfan” who cares more about their own persona than the actual sport. There is no costume too spirited for you, because you’re always on top of your team fashion game.

2. The Committed Cameraman

Nothing’s ever worth anything unless it’s saved in pictures—lots of pictures. Always fighting for the best angle, you’re the fan who is most likely to watch games through the viewfinder of your DSLR.

The game will start in three hours. How do you prepare?

3. The International Embracer

You’re not about that mainstream American sports life. Time differences mean that the big game is happening on the other side of the world in the middle of the night, but you love to watch your team and your sport.

4. The Pumped-Up Party Animal

What’s a sports game without the deafening cheers, shouts, and emotions?. But as long as you and your buddies are having the time of your life, it’s all good.

Your big game may be starting in three hours, but mine starts in twelve. I will stay up until 3:00 AM to watch my Russian cricket team if I need to, because a true fan sticks by their team, even if they can’t make the live game. Go to 3.

Goodness, why is nothing going right in this game?

Coaches, get it together! I love this sport to death and if they would just listen to me, we would win everything. Go to 7.

5. The Befuddled Buddy

Your sports-crazed friends always find ways to drag you along with them.

But by the time the game is underway, the only thing you can really do is attempt to blend in with the natives.

6. The Social Media Spammer

You never fail to use the Internet to stay on top of your sports game updates. If there’s a big game, your friends will always know when you are watching, due to your frequent Snapchat story updates and fastpaced tweets.

I hate it when my team loses. They just really are not going anywhere. I don’t even think they’re my favorite team anymore.

Go to 8.

7. The Couch Coach

When your team gets into a mess, you know exactly how to get them out of it. But sadly, their real coach does not.

Unfortunately, your team cannot hear the instructions you shout at them through the TV screen.

8. The Bandwagoning

Betrayer

Why wouldn’t you root for the winning team? You’re the type of fan who never pledges allegiance to a single team—unless they’re the best in the league.

graphics by graphics editor monica tang, staff writers amber lee, deeksha raina & zen thumparkkul

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Sports and Photo 23

Football Faces Off Against Washington Washington prevails in Homecoming Game

Warriors square off against the Huskies in the third quarter.

By Mustafa Ahmed Staff Writer The Varsity football team competed against Washington in this year’s Homecoming Game.

A sizeable crowd came to Tak Fudenna Stadium to see the game, and many spectators were sporting the school’s colors in support of their respective teams. The atmosphere was teeming with anticipation as spectators were eager to see MSJ take the field. Though MSJ lost 38-0 to Washington, the game provided action-packed plays that drove the team toward the goal line.

Neither side was firmly in control at the start of the game, and both MSJ and Washington had many opportunities to score. Washington’s stalwart defense, however, prevented MSJ from taking the lead in the first quarter.

Particularly noticeable was its rushing defense, which effectively neutralized MSJ’s running offense. Consequently, MSJ was unable to run the ball effectively and generated only a few yards offensively each drive, with most drives lasting only three plays before the team had to settle for punting the ball.

The second quarter was much more exciting than the first, as both sides were able to get the ball rolling. MSJ quarterback Bubba Guzman threw a string of successful completions, allowing MSJ to advance towards Washington’s

MSJ Cheer keeps spirits high with its routines.

end zone. However, in a dramatic turnover Washington intercepted a long pass. Washington continued on to score another touchdown, giving the team a 24-0 lead by the end of the first half.

During halftime, the Homecoming Court nominees were brought in horse-drawn carriages to the stage facing the MSJ fans. The nominees for Homecoming King included Seniors Stanley Chiang, Justin Yue, Zuhayer Quazi, Brian Chou, and Jason Chen. For Homecoming Queen, the nominees included Seniors Yvonne Chen, Tracy Mao, Heather Wang, Natalie Sin, and Marilyn Nguyen. Seniors Stanley Chiang and Yvonne Chen were crowned as the king and queen. The second half started with an egregious error, as MSJ’s opening kickoff to Washington went awry, allowing Washington to start close to the 50yard line. With 10:17 left in the third quarter, Washington intercepted another pass and took possession. While Washington could make nothing of the subsequent drive, MSJ later conceded yet another touchdown with 6:31 left in the quarter to give Washington a resounding 31-0 lead.

The fourth quarter started off quietly before Washington scored a touchdown with 7:05 left in the game to give the team a 38-0 lead. MSJ did not give up and made one final drive down the field, coming within 30 yards

Juniors Jason Yu, Pratik Patel, and Senior Bubba Guzman take a knee post-game.

of Washington’s end zone. In a single disappointing play, Washington intercepted an attempted pass and sealed the deal.

When asked about the game, Head Coach Sam Baugh said that MSJ struggled because “people were in the position to make plays but just didn’t make the call for them.”

MSJ may have been shut out by its oppo-

nent; nevertheless, the team showed valor and spirit even when faced with a double-digit deficit. The crowd remained similarly buoyant, cheering on the football team throughout the game. The football game and halftime festivities capped off an exciting Homecoming Week. ▪

The Homecoming King and Queen, Seniors Stanley Chiang and Yvonne Chen, pose for a picture. photos by staff writer victor zhou

24 Photo

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 23, 2015

photos by staff writers adele shen & richard zhou, graphics from gallery.yopriceville.com

photos by staff writer bindhu swaminathan