Volume LI, No. 5

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 51, NO. 5

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

January 29, 2016

Students contribute to boxART! program

courtesy sherry zhou & staff writer chloe velasquez

(Left photo) Painters pose with the completed painted box. (Top row) Freshman Pamela Casipe, Junior Irene Yin, Freshman Alisa Luu, Junior Tanushri Sundar, and Sophomore Joyce Wang. (Bottom row) Junior YC Xing, Sophomore Allison Xu, Sophomore Negeen Amerian, and Junior Jocelyn Wang. (Unpictured) Freshmen Enya Xing and Anuja Konda, and Sophomore Sindhu Goli. (Right photo) The completed box.

By Lucille Njoo & Chloe Velasquez Staff Writers The MSJ National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and MSJ Visual Arts and Music for Society (VAMS), jointly collaborated to design and paint a traffic signal control box for Fremont’s boxART! program.

The boxART! program encourages members of the Fremont community to paint designs onto large metal traffic control boxes in Fremont. The program aims to beautify Fremont and encourage civic engagement within the community. The boxART! program was started in October 2014 as part of Fremont’s Make A Difference Day, which gives the community the opportunity to help with ongoing projects in Fremont and celebrate the acts of helping one another. Since then, the boxART! program has grown and produced more than 30 painted traffic control boxes throughout Fremont.

The Smoke Signal earns journalism honors

By Ella Chen & Michelle Dalarossa Staff Writers The Smoke Signal was recently named a Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Gold Medalist for its publications in the 201415 school year. This will be the fourth Gold Medalist award in the newspaper’s history; it won one for the 2001-02 school year, one for the 2005-06 school year, one for the 200607 school year, and now one for the 2014-15 school year.

The CSPA is an international student press association founded in 1925 and owned and operated by Columbia University. Each year, the CSPA reviews newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, and online media sources from student publications around the world. The asso-

The boxART! program was first introduced to MSJ earlier this school year when Program Manager Susan Longini came to Art Teacher Edie Christensen’s art classes to give presentations about the program and its benefits, such as receiving service hours. In November 2014, Junior YC Xing, MSJ VAMS’ public relations officer, initiated the collaboration with MSJ NAHS and designed the boxART! using templates distributed by the City of Fremont. The design itself is a colorful jukebox, inspired by the popular children’s television show Arthur. It covers all five faces of the traffic control box and is about four feet tall and three feet wide.

The design proposal was submitted to the City of Fremont’s Art Review Board one week before Thanksgiving break and was approved two weeks later. Once it was approved, MSJ NAHS and MSJ VAMS both advertised through social media for volunteers to help paint the traffic control box, in which 12 MSJ students signed up. The 12 students ciation selects adviser-judges to assess individual entries using an in-depth and standardized rubric called the Medalist Critique. Once the judge completes the Critique, a CSPA staff member reviews it for completion and accuracy. Since the implementation of Common Core Standards in California schools, the CSPA has created a new Common Core Curriculum Alignment guide in order to observe and adhere to the standards.

After reviewing four of the Smoke Signal’s issues from the 2014-15 school year as well as its website, the CSPA awarded the newspaper 885 points out of 1000, praising its coverage of “unique” and “diverse” topics as well as its “quality research” and qualifying it as a Gold Medalist. Each publication that the CSPA evaluates earns a score out of 1000 and either a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Medalist placing based on that score. The Smoke Signal advisor Sandra Cohen said, “Whenever I hear about an award like the CSPA . . . I’m just happy that they recognize exactly what we’re doing here . . . I’m so very proud whenever I see that we

DEBATE SPOTLIGHT

MSJ students recently competed, and placed, in two debate tournaments---the MLK Tournament at James Logan High School and the Stanford Invitational.

were Freshman Pamela Casipe, Freshman Anuja Konda, Freshman Alisa Luu, Freshman Enya Xing, Sophomore Negeen Amerian, Sophomore Sindhu Goli, Sophomore Joyce Wang, Sophomore Allison Xu, Junior Tanushri Sundar, Junior Jocelyn Wang, Junior YC Xing, and Junior Irene Yin. The traffic control box for MSJ NAHS and MSJ VAMS is located at the intersection of Driscoll Road and Paseo Padre Parkway, near CVS/Pharmacy, and was sponsored by the Fremont Education Foundation. Painting officially began on December 20, over Winter Break, and took place over the course of a week, lasting around three hours per day. “It was definitely really cold on some days—it was raining at some point, where we were holding umbrellas and painting at the same time, so it really helped us learn to keep going because we were on deadline,” said Freshman Anuja Konda. Several students’

“It’s no surprise to me that the Smoke Signal is again being recognized for its journalistic excellence . . .”

- Principal Zack Larsen

get this kind of recognition because it’s well deserved.”

The Smoke Signal is one of the few studentrun businesses on campus. Although it works closely with school administration and staff, it is not sponsored directly by MSJ. Funds to print the newspaper each month are raised primarily through advertisements. The Smoke Signal team consists of 50 staff members divided into editors who edit drafts and make page layouts, managers who oversee the day-to-day activities of the paper, and staff writers who collect data and write the articles. Laura Chen, former Editor-in-Chief during the 2014-15 school year, said, “We saw a lot of changes in my three years on the staff–from braver coverage like a multi-installment exploration of cheating, to highlighting diverse voices in

A-WING FLEX ROOM

A portion of the school is to be converted into a multi-purpose room for learning and socialization by early second semester.

parents supervised the painting and were joined

by Math Teacher Tyler Robinson, who helped the students construct a grid over the design layout to make the painting process more accurate. In total, the students worked around 30 hours to complete the box.

MSJ VAMS and MSJ NAHS’ boxART! is the first of three approved design submissions from MSJ to be completed. The other two approved submissions are currently undergoing review in terms of location and design, but will eventually be painted throughout Fremont this school year.

Several of the 11 student painters agree that the boxART! program has given them a valuable experience. As Sophomore Negeen Amerian said, “The most special part was that it [the boxART!] is going to be there for a really long time. It’s like leaving your mark on the city and that was really exciting for me because I’d never really done anything like that.” ▪ Humans of MSJ, to revamping our iOS app and website.”

An average cycle lasts one month, beginning with the formation of story ideas. Once editors choose which articles should be written, staff writers pitch to write the stories. Although writers typically have a week to submit a final draft of their articles, periodic rough drafts must be given to the editors for review and edits. On average, the newspaper is about 20 pages, with at least four pages printed in color. This year, the website was revamped and updated, something the CSPA also took into consideration. Every cycle is a new process for the staff, which looks to stay in touch with the MSJ community. Principal Zack Larsen said, “It is no surprise to me that the Smoke Signal is again being recognized for its journalistic excellence. For years the publication has been instrumental in informing MSJ students and staff as well as the larger community about events which happen on campus and beyond.

I look forward to reading every word of every edition.” ▪

FOR MORE COVERAGE,

VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

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Friday, January 29, 2016

MSJ DECA competes at Silicon Valley conference Over 80 teams place as overall award finalists

By Andrew Chen & Tanushri Sundar Staff Writers MSJ DECA attended the Silicon Valley Career Development Conference (SVCDC) that took place from January 8 to 10 at the San Jose Marriott. SVCDC is the first competitive conference of the school year, and MSJ DECA members compete with other students in Silicon Valley.

MSJ DECA was re-established in 2008, and chapter membership has grown drastically in the past seven years. DECA is a student organization that promotes entrepreneurship and leadership through competitive events and programs. It provides students experience in hospitality, marketing, finance, and management.

There are over 300 MSJ DECA members, making MSJ DECA the largest DECA chapter in California.

MSJ DECA participates in both competitive and noncompetitive conferences such as the Leadership and Competitive Excellence Conference (LACE), the State Career Development Conference, and the International Career Development Conference (ICDC). In 2015, there were 60 internationals qualifiers from MSJ, and three MSJ finalists at ICDC. There have been almost 150 internationals qualifiers from MSJ since 2011.

At SVCDC, students presented their events in front of real world professionals, receiving valuable feedback. MSJ DECA requires that each participating student does a roleplay, an impromptu speaking event in which a students receive between 10-30 minutes to prepare a 10 minute presentation on a business situation, and a written, a 5-30 page business report. All students prepare for cluster exams that test skills

related to the business skills their events focus on.

The conference kicked off on Friday night, with an opening ceremony in the San Jose Convention Center, adjacent to the Marriott Hotel.

Silicon Valley District Action Team (SVDAT) welcomed students to the conference and introduced the new CA State Officers. Following introduction was a talent show, with multiple MSJ students performing. Students attended their written and roleplay events on Saturday morning, which were all located within the hotel, and had the option of going to the traditional DECA Dance, held that night. The awards ceremony was held on the following day.

A total of 292 MSJ students attended SVCDC, and MSJ DECA swept one event, Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making, placing first, second, and third place. Awards were split into two sections: mini awards, which were given to students who excelled in single roleplays or cluster exams, and grand awards, which were given to students who excelled in their roleplay or written events overall. Of the 191 MSJ DECA teams at SVCDC, 83 teams placed as grand award finalists. MSJ DECA CoPresident Shivam Patel said, “Going into the conference I was really unsure and nervous, particularly because we were taking almost 300 kids which is a lot more than what we usually take . . . But coming out of the conference, I could say that I was genuinely surprised as to how many kids placed.”

Besides competition, students also elected the SVDAT, a board of high school students from the Silicon Valley region. Tasked with

FUSD increases lunch prices

By Ishika Chawla & Ruiwen Shen Staff Writers FUSD announced that it would increase school lunch prices by $0.50 by the 2016-17 school year on Nov. 18, 2015.

This change will be carried out in two stages. First, FUSD increased lunch prices by 25 cents, from $3.50 to $3.75 on Jan. 1, 2016 in both elementary and secondary schools.

The second stage will also raise lunch prices an additional 25 cents to $4.00 overall, which will go into effect on July 1, 2016. This decision has been largely unprecedented and has been attributed to the newest regulations by the National School Lunch Program, a sector of Child Nutritional Services, both of which FUSD is a part of. This program is federally assisted and operates in public schools, residential child-care institutions, and private schools, and provides low-cost or free lunches to children on a daily basis.

“The most substantial reason for our price increase is due to the increasing prices of items provided in the meals . . . due to the drought cost of goods has been increasing steadily.”

- FUSD Child Nutrition Services Supervisor, Steven Baughman

“There is no single reason that has led to the necessary price increases. However, there are many factors that have lead us to believe that this was the only option. There are many regulations regarding meal prices through the National School Lunch program. The most substantial reason for our price increase is due to the increasing prices of items provided in the meals. Nearly 90 percent of our prod-

courtesy alisa su & zuhayer quazi

(Above) The MSJ DECA officers: Junior Alisha Agarwal, Senior Shivam Patel, Junior Brian Wu, Senior Romir Desai, Sophomore Raymond Yin, Senior Caren Zeng, Senior Sara Panjwani, Senior Michael Hsiu, and Senior Anaha Raghunathan. (Unpictured) Senior Pratham Gupta. (Bottom) The entire MSJ DECA chapter.

planning SVCDC and LACE, which was in November, the team recruits guest speakers, organizes event logistics, books hotels, and administrates events. Students who choose to run in the election process make a campaign poster and speech and were elected by delegates from every school in attendance.

With its competitive achievements, MSJ DECA is prepared to attend the upcoming state conference, the State Career Development Conference, in San Diego from March 6 to 8.

MSJ DECA hopes to take approximately 200 students to the state conference, and find further success. ▪

ucts are sources from California and due to the drought cost of goods has been increasing steadily,” said the FUSD Child Nutrition Services Supervisor, Steven Baughman.

“The FUSD Board of Education business services department made the decision to raise lunch prices to abide by the changing standards of the National School Lunch Program,” said FUSD Child Nutrition Director Allison Mayer. “And with the recession and all, there has been a trend of increasing lunch prices over the years.”

The changes made to the Healthy and Hunger Free Act of 2010 are estimated to raise baseline costs by eight percent due to the rise of food and operating costs, as well as the increase in produce prices as a result of the CA drought. In order to continue sustained revenue and meet the nutritional needs of students, food prices had to be increased. However, low-income students will not be directly affected by this change. In a press release, Mayer said, “Any price increase is unfortunate but ultimately necessary to remain compliant with legislation while still providing the great-

est variety of nutritious food options for our students. This new pricing structure will in no way affect students on the District’s Free and Reduced Lunch Program and by spreading the increase out over a six-month period, we hope the amount of inconvenience to families will be minimal.”

“Any price increase is unfortunate but ultimately necessary to remain compliant with legislation while still providing the greatest variety of nutritious food options for our students.”

- FUSD Child Nutrition Director, Allison Mayer

For those students at MSJ who may be affected by the price hike, Assistant Principal Jeffrey Evans said, “those who will have financial difficulty with the raising of school lunch prices, free/reduced lunch is available to them as a resource. Just ask the office for details.” ▪

corrections

for the DEC. 18, 2015 issue News Pg. 2: Beijing is misspelled.

Special Pg. 9: The California Youth Crisis Line should be the Crisis Text Line.

Centerspread Pg. 10: Staff Writers Mustafa Ahmed and Shivane Sabharwal also took photos. Senior Nishir Shelat’s quote is misattributed to Sophomore Allison Chan.

NEWS IN

brief

Compiled by Staff Writers Lucille Njoo, Amber Lee & Ashley Chang

eagleera.org Patterson Ranch’s 500 new homes were voted to not be placed under FUSD juristiction.

abcnews.com Flint’s water supplies have been contaminated by eroded lead and iron.

npr.org Tsai Ing-wen wins Taiwan’s presidential election and becomes the country’s first female president.

Alameda County judge denies Patterson Ranch’s lawsuit against FUSD Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo denied the developers of Patterson Ranch, a housing project in Fremont, a lawsuit against FUSD on January 12. The FUSD Board of Education unanimously voted in September 2015 that Patterson Ranch’s 500 new homes should not be assigned to an FUSD school because of lack of space. Patterson Ranch LLC filed a lawsuit on Oct. 9, 2015 to force FUSD to assign the new houses a specific school, but Grillo denied it.

US President declares federal emergency in Flint, Michigan President Barack Obama declared a federal emergency on January 16 in the city of Flint, Michigan because of a water contamination crisis. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will assist in responding to the crisis by covering 75 percent of the costs for distributing clean water and filters to city residents. Flint’s water supplies became contaminated with lead starting when the city began sourcing water from the polluted Flint River in April 2014.

Taiwan elects first female president Taiwan elected its first female president, Tsai Ing-wen, on January 16. Tsai, representing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), ended eight years of government under the Kuomintang Party (KMT). Because the DPP has traditionally leaned toward Taiwanese independence, Tsai’s election has strained the Taiwan-China relations that the KMT had strengthened under former president Ma Ying-jeou. The election also marked the first time the DPP has taken control of the Taiwanese legislature.

Friday, January 29, 2016

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AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

X

When colleges and universities follow affirmative action, they give special consideration towards applicants of groups that have been historically excluded or underrepresented. This ensures that these groups have equal access to academic opportunities. However, the Supreme Court held a hearing on Dec. 9, 2015 for Abigail Fisher’s lawsuit, Fisher v. University of Texas. When the University of Texas rejected Fisher’s application in 2008, she argued that other racial minorities were admitted despite being less qualified.

The university disagreed, saying that Fisher was not qualified enough to be admitted, regardless of race.

Fisher’s argument that factoring in race in college admissions is unconstitutional has jeopardized the fate of affirmative action.

>>>>PRO

In an ideal world, all people would have equal access to the same opportunities. In reality, many minority groups face more obstacles, such as systemic poverty and racism, than most white people. For example, even though standardized tests like the SAT and ACT play a major role in college admissions, poorer communities have less access to tutoring centers present in more affluent school districts.

African-American students, including preschoolers, are three times more likely to be suspended than white students, according to a 2014 study by the Department of Education. According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, African-American males ages 10 to 17 are also more likely to receive harsher punishments because they’re viewed as older than they really are. Until all students have similar opportunities and resources, colleges need to consider the obstacles a person has faced because of his or her skin color.

As a minority, it can be harder to compete with the majority simply because we often have less opportunities.

So I think for college, it should be more of an evaluation of how successful you have been with your given resources rather than, ‘Oh, here’s a minority, let ‘em in’.

- Imani Brown, 12 The purpose of affirmative action is to take steps to make it easier for people who are poor or who have a history of racial or social discrimination to get education or jobs in fields that they might not have been able to. It's a way to mitigate that inequality, and it's not a long-term solution, but a short-term solution to fix a history of inequality.

- Elliot Suh, 12

Diversity declines without affirmative action, shown by UC Berkeley’s 61 percent decrease and UCLA’s 36 percent decrease in minority student admissions after CA abolished its affirmative action programs in 1998.

Lack of diversity takes away from the educational purpose of engaging different viewpoints. In the long run, lack of diversity follows graduates into the workforce in the form of discriminatory working conditions and policies. In the fiscal year from Oct. 1. 2013 to Sept.

30. 2014, there were 88, 778 reported charges of workplaces discrimination according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If more government and business leaders are minorities, they can help shape policies and perspectives to help underserved populations because they have experienced race-related obstacles firsthand. By introducing diversity in college, students build the foundations for a broader range of connections as well as a platform of equality that they can use in the future. According to University of Michigan Professor Patricia Gurin, Ph.D., students of all races who grew up in segregated areas are more likely to have friends and coworkers of other races if they attended a racially diverse college than racially homogeneous one.

`One common proposal is that, instead of race, affirmative action should focus on income, especially since low-income families are disproportionately African-American or Hispanic. According to the Population Reference Bureau, 58 percent of low-income families are minorities, even though minorities are only 40% of all working families.

However, this proposal still does not cover the effects of racism or an inadequate public school education. Brown University Sociology Professor John Logan found that “The average affluent black or Hispanic household lives in a poorer neighborhood than the average lower-income white resident,” which means even middle-class or wealthy minority students can end up at a poorly-funded school with access to fewer resources. Affirmative action for low-income students can supplement affirmative action for minorities, not replace it.

I don't believe universities should accept students for the sake of being able to boast that they have an extremely racially diverse student body, but should instead look at students as an investment. If a student has, up until now, been unable to achieve very much due to circumstances beyond their control, but displays a motivation and potential for success, then colleges should accept that particular student because of that motivation and potential, rather than because that student will increase the minority percentage at that particular campus.

- Kate Lin, 11

Opinion 3

By Anu Asokan, Ashley Chang, Anthony Chen & Cindy Yuan Staff Writers

CON<<<<

Affirmative action focuses on the symptom rather than the cause of racial disparity in college. Racial inequality in education begins earlier in school and should be addressed there.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, Asian/Pacific Islander students on average scored 367 points higher than AfricanAmerican students on the SAT between 2012 and 2013. While the SAT does not fully indicate student achievement, it shows the disparity in academic benchmark performances among high school students of different races. This disparity highlights how high schools of different racial majorities do not equally prepare their students for college. Simply fixing racial inequality at the college admissions level conveniently overlooks the disparity in education already present.

Personally, I'm against affirmative action, although I can understand why it may be necessary in some cases.

I believe that taking action to reduce discrimination is excellent, but that actively selecting minority groups over others is not a good way to go about solving discrimination and is instead promoting discrimination in a new form… I believe that applications should actually be completely needblind and profile-blind when being reviewed—that is, there should be no name, picture, race, location, or other form of identity listed. This would allow for a truly unbiased reviewing process and will allow colleges to focus on the actual applicant rather than social reasons for acceptance.

- Sanil Chawla, 10

Affirmative action gives more opportunities to historically excluded minorities by taking these opportunities away from other demographics. Many Asian-American students are qualified for top universities, but are rejected because those coveted slots are reserved for African-American or Hispanic students, including those who may be less qualified by objective measures like GPA and test scores. A study by Princeton Sociology Professor Thomas Espenshade and Princeton Alumna Alexandria Walton Radford, Ph.D., determined that compared to white students, Asian-Americans needed 140 more points on the SAT, while African-American students needed 310 fewer points, out of 1,600, to be accepted to a private university.

After private universities admit athletes and people of significant fame or legacy, Asian-Americans and other demographics excluded by affirmative action must compete more furiously than ever for fewer opportunities.

Merely admitting more students from a certain demographic does not necessarily increase interactions between different races unless colleges encourage more diverse interactions amongst their students on campus. Otherwise, affirmative action simply promotes more hostility towards minority students from those who believe that these students entered college based on their race rather than merit. University of North Carolina Professor Rupert W. Nacoste, Ph.D., writes in his book, Taking on Diversity, “On any campus, students do arrive with old relationships that push for keeping to the old back-athome ways ... Tendencies to self-segregate because of being anxious about interacting with racial others is highly correlated with lack of diversity experiences.”

The colleges’ attempts to create racial diversity with affirmative action merely achieve a statistical pseudo-diversity on paper without promoting actual diverse experiences among students.

Diversity shouldn't be forced. Colleges shouldn't want diversity just for the title of being diverse.

- Joy Halvorsen, 9 I'm against affirmative action because it's founded upon racial discrimination, and as an ethnic minority, it places me and my siblings and friends at a disadvantage for a better education, one that our merits deserve…

No two students, no matter how similar in achievements and ethnicity, will ever be identical; thus, I don't think colleges need to worry about creating diversity intentionally. Instead, they should focus on bringing in the deserving students and let diversity be generated of its own accord.

- Katherine Chen, 12

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Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 51, No. 5 | January 29, 2016 www.thesmokesignal.org

41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Mission Statement: The Smoke Signal’s mission is to represent the voices of the Mission San Jose High School community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums.

School population: 2072 students

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 Chenyu Zhou, Victor Zhou

Adviser 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, email 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.

All policies on distribution, corrections, and bylines can be found at www.thesmokesignal.org/ policies.

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Reflecting on the Consumer Electronics Showcase

By Grace Dong Opinion Editor

Opinion Editor

created for them get little to no support.

Instead, the focus should be on technology like Edyn- a garden and agriculture sensor that detects how much water plants need, and delivers the right amount.

Edyn is starting off by selling to exotic gardeners who can pay for the product, but once demand increases and price decreases, it’ll sell to farmers in developing nations at a low cost. Edyn can help them grow food more efficiently and sustainably, even saving water in the process.

It’s an intelligently realistic business plan, that aims to bring technology to the communities that need it most. The founder of Edyn, ecology and evolutionary biology major Jason Aramburu, got the idea from his experiences researching soil in Panama and distributing Biochar in Kenya. Birthed from experiences, rather than a theoretical programming class, solutions like Edyn are what CES needs more of.

Aramburu has an intuitive understanding of a complex problem—and although he is a “tech outsider,” far different from the typical Silicon Valley engineer, it’s imperative that work like his is welcomed in technology spaces.

Technology’s place in the world is transitioning. Its value is no longer in standalone applications, like faster iPads and better servers, but in how this already capable technology can bring value to other fields. The industry must move on from the remnants of the dot-com-boom: what’s faster and what’s better, and recognize the value in solutions that aren’t as typically tech as before. ▪ Harshita attended the Consumer Electronics Showcase from January 6-9, to present her product “Parihug.”

Letter to the Editor: Response to Dec. 18, 2015 Editorial “Voices From Within: Our Realities Of Mental Health” Dear Editor, Thank you for the “Voices from Within” column in the December Smoke Signal. I want to congratulate the Smoke Signal team for a job well done.

As a parent, I deeply appreciate the bravery of the column’s contributors who share their struggles and vulnerabilities. I truly hope that this column encourages other students who experience similar struggles to come out and seek help.

One suggestion for the next “Voices from Within” column: it’d be wonderful if students could share specifics of the love and support they desire from their parents, teachers & peers. Parents sometimes are unsure of how to support our children without adding undue pressure on them.

STAY POSTED FOR MORE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL

Inconsistency in Media

By Harshita Gupta

Keep up the good work!

A grateful parent.

Opinion 5

grace’s gray area

harshita hashes it out

“INNOVATIONS BETTER THE WORLD AT #CES2016:” the first lines of an email sent to the 100,000 attendees of the Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES). Ironically, they’re followed by “CES 2016 wrapped today as the most expensive one thus far”—emphasis on expensive. The largest technology trade show of the year, CES is a platform for the best innovations of the year—be they from two-people startups to corporates like LG, Samsung, and Intel. Although CES was exciting, it presented multiple disappointments indicative of larger problems in the technology industry— and the showcase’s empty infatuation with the fancy, flashy, and expensive is the cause.

As I walked past gold-plated Beats headphones and a 150-inch Panasonic TV, I half-frustratedly, half-amusedly tried to think of potential buyers. Only 15 pieces of Panasonic’s last mammoth TV, a 103inch, sold in 2015. Not a surprise considering the $62,500 price tag. The pursuit of “cooler” and “fancier” tech might seem valuable, but it leads to a larger problem: this tech often manifests in the form of luxury items for people with disposable income. Yes, more vibrant plasma TVs and shinier headphones are exciting, but when they take up 95 percent of floorspace at the “biggest tech event of the year,” they normalize extravagant solutions rather than ones for healthcare, poverty, education, and third-world drought and famine.

The industry focuses on technology for those who can pay, rather than for messy, important problems around the world.

The problems that need solving remain unaddressed, and often the few products

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“We Need To Talk About How Hot Drake Got in 2015.” “14 Men That Made 2015 A Maddeningly Hot Year.” These are common headlines that oversexualize men and can be found on Buzzfeed, a social news and entertainment website.

“Honest Advice On Why You Should Love Your Body.” “22 Times Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Shut Down Sexism In The Best Damn Way.” These are also common headlines found on Buzzfeed—except they promote messages of body positivity and feminism.

Do I sense a double standard here?

Buzzfeed is a widely popular and influential site—with more than 6 million likes on its main Facebook page, countless teens and young adults follow its posts daily, making the hypocrisy of its content all the more inexcusable.

Last October, Buzzfeed rolled out a new feature readers could subscribe to called “Dude a Day.” “So, Buzzfeed has a newsletter about hot guys now. It’s what your inbox wants,” reads a self-promotion posted on the site that is also linked at the bottom of many aforementioned articles that objectify men’s bodies.

Granted, the men in the newsletter, which emails a “super-hot dude into your inbox every weekday—emphasis on the super-hot,” voluntarily send in their photos, but this does not justify Buzzfeed creating an entire newsletter to oversexualize men, especially when so much of its other content criticizes the oversexualization of women and promotes body positivity. Yes, women are objectified much more in media as a whole, but no, that does not give writers permission to reduce men to just their looks. Posting an article about how

all types of women’s bodies are beautiful next to one that consists just of a list featuring gifs of men taking off their shirts to reveal six-pack abdominal muscles (“Hot Men Taking Their Shirts Off and Then Putting Them Back On”) sends the message that gender equality is only applicable sometimes—that it is sexist to objectify women’s bodies but it is okay to hypersexualize men’s.

In a way, Buzzfeed’s actions do make sense. By creating a newsletter that exists solely to highlight attractive men, it can cater to its largely young adult audience.

By publishing articles that support gender equality and similar topics, it can maintain its liberal, feminist audience. However, this does not warrant publishing articles that hold one gender to one standard but another to a completely different one.

Buzzfeed’s contradictory content reflects a wider trend in mainstream culture that skews what gender equality really means. When promoting a larger value such as the belief that women should have social equality to men, hypocrisy only detracts from the cause.

Either make it okay to sexualize both genders on magazine covers and in media or make it not okay to sexualize either. That is a topic that can be discussed in another column on another day, but hovering in this middle ground with one foot in and one foot out delivers an inconsistent and negative message that makes gender equality seem like something that has an off switch.

When it comes to serious messages such as gender equality, media companies have a responsibility to walk what they talk, and us readers have a responsibility to realize when they don’t. ▪

the Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Editorial: Challenging Discrimination An online article published by the Smoke Signal earlier this month highlighted Senior Parwana Khazi’s letter to Donald Trump—a powerful message questioning the discourse on religion. In light of Khazi’s post and recent events both around the world and at MSJ, it’s important to evaluate how discrimination based on race, religion, or sexual orientation manifests itself at MSJ. Our community might love facts and science and talk less about spiritual and political beliefs, but this gap in conversation leads to a gap in thought. Since a majority of us don’t talk about race, religion, sexual orientation, and differing beliefs, the implicit assumption forms that we’re all homogenous. MSJ students have similar values, backgrounds, are mostly of the same race—therefore, discrimination can’t exist.

We have less physical fights and bullying than any of the schools we read about in the news or see on TV, so we clearly don’t have any problems, right?

Overt discrimination might not rear its ugly head at MSJ, but its silently lethal cousin, bias, does. Discrimination is openly insulting, harassing, or physically assaulting someone on the basis of background. Bias, on the other hand, is more complicated and difficult to prevent—identifiable almost only by the individual it affects. When we see a person’s skin color or learn about their religion, the images we form in our mind’s eye of their homes, their daily routines, their abilities, and their motivations are shaped by our biases. An example of a more common and less harmful form of bias is judging a person based on the way they speak inside the classroom. When we see our peers giving speeches in class, a confident speaker leaves an impression of competence and ability, even though their knowledge of the subject may be limited. On the other hand, a classmate who is better-

versed with the material may come off as the opposite because of nervousness. This type of bias is more harmful, however, when our subtle perceptions of competence and intention are influenced not by personal attributes like public speaking skills, but by the unchangeable: skin color, last name, or how “gay” their voice sounds. Which is worse?

Racism that is obvious and identifiable—such as slurs in hallways and physical threats å—or snide jokes and heteronormative assumptions whispered in class? Combatting the former is more obviously the right option. Breaking up a fight or reporting someone for calling a student a “terrorist” seems simple. But the small biases and underhanded comments are left unchallenged far more often. “You’re being too sensitive,” or “It was a joke, calm down,” are more acceptable defenses for calling someone a “faggot” or using the word “gay” as a joke, than for explicit bullying and harassment. Marginalizing the less tangible becomes easy. Discrimination becomes silently rampant.

Though discrimination at MSJ doesn’t manifest itself in the same ways as it does in other parts of the country, it should not be ignored. Denying and not realizing the existence of a problem only worsens the stigma around it. It produces a space that avoids difficult topics and is unwilling to start a discussion or change. It’s important to be more than neutral—we must be aware of our biases, advocate for change, open up a dialogue, and protect our values of acceptance and community. ▪

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Opinion 7

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The Smoke Signal

student spotlight

By Ansh Patel Staff Writer

andrew chen

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Feature 9

In December 2015, Senior Andrew Chen advanced to the national finals of the 2015 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, a tournament for high school students that fosters intensive research in STEM fields, furthering competitors’ understanding of the value of scientific study.

Siemens Competition Finalist AC: The trip was probably one of the best experiences of my life. The other competitors were all brilliant and it was a lot of fun hanging out with them. We actually had a lot of other activities besides the competition, too; like, we got to tour the National Mall and make wrestling robots. It’s something that I’ll definitely remember.

Smoke Signal: When did you become interested in STEM? Andrew Chen: I was interested in STEM at a very young age. I used to play with LEGOs all the time with my brother, and I guess that really got me interested in building and engineering. I remember waking my dad up really early in the morning so we could build a storage shed together. I also had access to my family’s computer early in elementary school, which had a really big impact on my life.

SS: How did you learn about the competition?

AC: Probably a combination of word of mouth and press. The Siemens Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions for STEM research, plus I’ve seen past Siemens winners in the Smoke Signal.

SS: Did you receive any help from mentors along the way?

AC: Yeah, I’m very grateful to Professor Joel Kubby and Dr. Xiaodong Tao from UCSC [University of California Santa Cruz]. It’s really great that I had the opportunity to work with them, and whenever I was confused or had a problem, they were there for me, and their guidance and support were invaluable.

SS: Can you give us a brief summary of what your entry was about?

AC: In my project, “Enhancing Imaging Resolution and Depth With Adaptive Optics Focal Mo-

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Chen poses with his finalist medal.

dulation Two-Photon Microscopy”, I developed a novel method for microscopes that lets us see deeper and clearer within live biological tissues. I did this by counter-intuitively applying a noise pattern, then performing signal analysis in order to achieve a much more refined image. Since this method can be used in living tissue, I hope it can aid new scientific discoveries and the treatment of deadly diseases.

SS: What got you interested in that specific topic?

AC: Since my early childhood I’ve been very nearsighted, and I’ve wanted to improve vision and imaging since second grade. I jumped at the chance to tour UCSC’s Center for Adaptive Optical Microscopy when there for a summer program, and that’s how it all got started.

SS: Can you describe your experience at Washington D.C.?

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SS: What lessons did you learn from your experience?

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SS: How did you prepare for the competition?

AC: To enter, you need to submit a paper and a poster, so most of the work was pretty much done, but I also practiced presenting and defending my research. MSJ administration was very kind, and they let me run practice presentations and speeches in C-120 so I could get used to large audiences.

SS: Are you currently looking into a career in STEM? AC: Yes, in college I’m looking to study Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences or Engineering Physics, and I plan to be a scientific researcher or an engineer.

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Friday, January 29, 2016

By Ashley Chang, Andrew Choi, Brian Tseng & Victor Zhou Staff Writers

To kick off 2016, four Smokies took on the challenge of making New Year’s resolutions. They tracked their progress throughout the course of a week. Will they be able to overcome the hurdles of apathy and idleness to reach their goals?

ASHLEY

ANDREW

BRIAN

VICTOR

When it comes to selfcontrol, I’m your typical sine graph. One day I’ll be way up high, exuberant about being able to uphold my promise to myself. Then the next day I’ll plunge into the deep dark depths of “It won’t be horrible if I skip a day, right?” It’s a perpetual cycle, one that can only be broken with willpower…or maybe a horizontal stretch?

To be perfectly honest, I haven’t put much thought into New Year’s resolutions before, so this is definitely a new thing for me. But overall, I would consider my self-control to be pretty satisfactory. Sure, there are times when I can’t resist the temptation to put homework off for another hour, but I can usually accomplish tasks if I really set my mind to it.

There’s a reason I’ve never really tried living up to my New Year’s resolutions: I’m the kind of person who eats ice cream before dinner, or stays up all night to finish reading a new book. Needless to say, my self-control isn’t the best. Years of procrastination haven’t helped either, but maybe this year will be my chance to turn over a new leaf.

Despite seeing my friends fill up my Facebook wall with their “lms tbh” and “New Year, New Me” posts, I ’ v e never really gotten into the habit of New Year’s resolutions. For most of my life, my most important goals were whatever tests or tournaments that happened to be that week. Although I prefer to focus on the most relevant events, years of sports practices have honed my discipline.

I plan to run every day to get in shape for the upcoming track season. Something tells me that I’ve been inspired by the constant inquiries about my lack of training off-season from Dr. Fry (and his desk-banging stick).

I’ve decided on using Duolingo to learn Swedish this year because even though I already speak three languages, learning another one can give me a completely different perspective of life and an opportunity to connect with new people (who doesn’t want to meet Swedish girls?).

I started studying for math competitions in the middle of elementary school, and began learning physics halfway through middle school. It’s long past time for me to try my hand at computer science. Though I’ve tried dabbling in C++ and Python, I’m hoping to pick up from where I left off last year and learn how to program in Java.

If I have to do this every day, why not make it a productive, practical learning experience, right? I decided to try cooking dinner for my family every evening. Plus, if things go smoothly, this will ensure I won’t be eating ramen or fast food in college a few years down the road.

It’s highly probable that I’ll stick to my resolution for the first few days, but then that determination will slowly wean. Marking my activity on a calendar will better allow me keep track of my progress: a check for success and a cross for failure. With visible results, I won’t be able to brush off an unproductive day. As Shia LaBeouf once said, “Don’t let your dreams be dreams.

Yesterday you said tomorrow. So JUST DO IT!”

In order to succeed, I’m going to need to set up a time in my day when I can focus on learning Swedish. So for the foreseeable future, I’ll spend 30 minutes after dinner trying my best to absorb this new language. I’ve also implemented a reminder system on my phone so that it’ll be hard to forget. I’ll probably start my learning process with rudimentary, basic words, and with in a couple days, move my way up to forming simple sentences.

This time, I won’t make the mistake of telling myself I’ll do it in my spare time. I’m planning to spend an hour every day after school focused entirely on programming.

I’ll also keep track of how much progress I make, so that I can tell when I’m slacking off. By committing to a fixed schedule, I’m hoping to reprogram my brain and break my habit of procrastination. After all, life is like eating a box of chocolates—if you can’t control your impulses, then you’re going to spend a lot of time feeling ashamed of yourself.

To tell the truth, a few years ago, I tried to learn how to work it in the kitchen. However, after a few impromptu lessons in the proper use of ice packs and bandages, I gave up. This time, under the supportive gaze of my parents, I’ll make it a little farther. Starting from simple dishes, I can work my way up to something with flair.

With a little luck, seasoning, and a sprinkle of finger dexterity, my family might find my food palpable.

Despite my self-doubt, I ended up sticking to my resolution. It was worth it to be able to commit to something and feel satisfied about the achievement afterwards. Recording my progress was definitely to my benefit because knowing that I had succeeded in the previous days pushed me to maintain my record. Yet then again, it has only been one week, so maybe I’m not as selfdisciplined as I think I am, but hopefully, I will be able to keep my goal for the rest of the year.

Somewhat surprisingly, I’ve been able to stick to my resolution. Even with finals coming up, going to Duolingo after eating dinner became a habit and I was able to learn very basic Swedish over the past week. At first, the reminder system on my phone was imperative to my success, but after a few days, it really became unnecessary because of how much I enjoyed learning the new language. Hopefully, I can continue on my journey to becoming a communicative Swedish speaker.

Att lära sig svenska är roligt! (That means “learning Swedish is fun!”)

We’ve all faced the difficulties of trying to work free of distractions. Spending an hour immediately after school focusing on a task that requires the use of a computer? I couldn’t have asked for a better test of my self-control. Despite digital temptations, I’ve managed to consistently practice my programming skills without getting sidetracked. In all likelihood, I won’t be able to maintain my progress, but I’m glad to finally start a new year by following through on my resolution.

If there is any one thing I learned, it is that good food is one percent cooking and 99 percent preparation. Only after session after session of defrosting food, washing food, cutting food, I finally earned the opportunity to stand behind the stove, even if I was only making soup. Eating my own dishes with my family was by far the most rewarding part, and I think that the week overall has been a valuable experience, and it is definitely something I would continue doing.

Friday, January 29, 2016

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Feature 11

By Carolyn Ge, Deeksha Raina & Bindhu Swaminathan Staff Writers

SHR

IYA G

HAI,

12

“TO CELEBRATE MY 18TH BIRTHDAY, MY FAMILY AND I WENT TO LOS CABOS, MEXICO FOR A WEEK. EVERYDAY WE SAT BY THE BEACH, ORDERED SMOOTHIES, AND ATE AN The Smoke Signal conducted an onUNLIMITED SUPPLY OF NACHOS. ON THE DAY OF MY BIRTHDAY, line survey to find out what adventures the “THE I DROVE A JET SKI, WHICH FLIPPED OVER BECAUSE I WAS MSJ student population undertook over winter MAJOR DRIVING TOO FAST, PARASAILED ON A WINDY DAY break and selected some stories to be showcased.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND DROVE AN ATV IN OF MY TRIP THE DESERT AND OVER THE MOUNINCLUDED JUMPING TAINS. WITHOUT A DOUBT, OFF THE THOUSAND-FOOTIT WAS ONE OF THE HIGH AUCKLAND TOWER, FEEDBEST BIRTHDAYS ING KANGAROOS, HAVING AN EMU EVER.” STALK ME FOR HALF AN HOUR, AND VISITING SYDNEY, A LIFELONG DREAM OF MINE. ALONG WITH ALL THIS, IN NEW ZEALAND, I FIRST VISITED HOBBITON, THE SET OF THE HOBBIT FILMS, AND THE WAITOMO GLOWWORM CAVES, WHERE THE TOP OF THE CAVES ARE LIT UP LIKE STARS, CAPTURING EVERYONE’S BREATH.” E, 10

ERJE

A BAN AMHIT

“I WENT TO PERU AND ECUADOR. IN PERU AND MACHU PICCHU, I SAW THE ANCIENT INCA RUINS. IT WAS WORTH IT TO HIKE UP THE HUAYNA PICCHU FOR THE SCENERY UP IN THE MOUNTAINS. IN ECUADOR, WE SAW A VARIETY OF ANIMALS, INCLUDING SEA LIONS AND SEA TURTLES. THROUGHOUT THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, WE SAW A LOT OF LAVA IGUANAS. SNORKELING WITH SEA LIONS AND TURTLES IS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.”

10

S

“THIS DECEMBER, I FLEW TO COLORADO ­— MY HOME FOR MOST OF MY LIFE- FOR A WEEK. THERE, I SAW ALL OF MY OLD FRIENDS AND ROMPED IN THE SNOWY STREETS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS. I WENT SKIING FOR A TOTAL OF 24 HOURS OVER THE COURSE OF 3 DAYS IN THE FINEST POWDER, AND SAW STAR WARS TWICE- ONCE WITH FRIENDS, AND ONCE WITH FAMILY.”

NERJ EE, 9

R BA

2

“MY FAMILY AND I VISITED HAWAI’I THIS BREAK, ADVENTURING AROUND MAUI AND BIG ISLAND. WE IMMERSED OURSELVES IN THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE ISLANDS, FROM THE LUSH TROPICAL RAINFORESTS TO THE COASTAL BEACHES. WE ALSO EXPLORED LOCAL HAWAIIAN TOWNS, TASTING THE TROPICAL FRUITS. THE MOST EXCITING EXPERIENCE WAS HIKING UP MOUNT KILAUEA, AND WALKING ACROSS SOME OF THE ANCIENT CRATER FLOORS.”

“ O N NEW YEAR’S EVE, I WENT UP TO TREASURE ISLAND WITH MY FRIEND JEFFREY NI TO NOT ONLY ENJOY, BUT ALSO TAKE PICTURES OF THE SF SKYLINE AND FIREWORKS. TO ME, THE EXPERIENCE WAS ENJOYABLY TECHNICAL AND ABSTRACT AT THE SAME TIME. A GOOD AMOUNT OF PLANNING HAD TO BE DONE TO DETERMINE WHAT TO BRING AND WHAT CAMERA SETTINGS TO USE, AND WE SPENT HOURS WALKING AROUND THE ISLAND BEFOREHAND TO FIND THE RIGHT SPOT. THE SKYLINE LOOKED BEAUTIFUL IN ALL 100 FRAMES I SHOT, BUT ONLY THREE HAD THE FIREWORKS THE WAY I WANTED.”

MITCHELL WU, 11

SRIR

RUSHALI K OTHARI, 1

SHENGLE ZHOU, 11

SAMI

“I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT YOSEMITE IS LIKE IN THE WINTER AND DECIDED TO SEE FOR MYSELF THIS YEAR. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, PACING THROUGH THE TRANQUIL WILDERNESS AND GENTLE SNOW GREATLY REMINDED ME OF DISNEY’S FROZEN. EACH STEP, BREATH, HEARTBEAT ALL BROUGHT SOOTHING FEELINGS THAT MADE THIS WINTER BREAK A TRUE ADVENTURE.”

RYA, A H C AM A

12 Centerspread

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Centerspread 13

photos by staff writer, tanushri sundar, courtesy of special education department teachers stepanie atwell, ronalyn lumain & sujata singh.

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Arts & Entertainment 15

By Mustafa Ahmed, Kylie Cheung, Pratham Gupta & Bindhu Swaminathan

The year 2015 was marked with both criticism and celebration of diversity in film and TV, from atypical roles that defied traditional gender values to the casting of non-white actors. And with a new year slated to be full of highly-anticipated movies and shows, it’s important to recognize just how powerful representation of different groups and lifestyles can be, and how crucial it is that we redefine “normal.”

While some argue that the casting of Taylor as Cleopatra was justifiable because historically Cleopatra was Macedonian Greek, it is worth noting many of the film’s charac ters are played by white

actors.

Historically, the films featured diverse actors, giving important roles to women and minority actors like Carrie Fisher and Samuel L. Jackson. The most recent film drew racially-charged criticism for casting an African-American Stormtrooper. However, many supported diversity over plot accuracy.

Diversity – or lack thereof – in casting and creating characters for film and TV, has become an increasingly discussed issue. On the surface, there might seem little harm in predominantly white casts, or action films with exclusively male leads, but it’s troubling that as a collective audience we’ve grown so accustomed to this artificial normalcy that the casting of an African American male lead in the latest Star Wars film aroused controversy. Similarly, it’s troubling how difficult it is to name a powerful female action lead beyond Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. Ultimately, diversity in the media is crucial so that more groups can accurately represent themselves, role models all kinds of people can identify with can be established, and the destructive idea that any single group is the norm can be dismantled.

Historically, and even today, American films have featured central characters played by white male actors. This tends to deny young girls and nonwhite youths role models (beyond a superhero’s love interest or “token” minority friend) they can identify with on a higher level. Even films in which women or people of color play important roles in the development of the plot, the characters’ roles tend to be laced with sexist or racially-charged stereotypes. Instead, allowing different groups, cultures, and lifestyles proper, balanced representation not only fights cultural ignorance, but positively impacts how individuals perceive themselves.

Misrepresentation of different cultures remains concerning. The slow integration of minorities into mainstream media provides a false sense of progress. In fact, the practice of white/cisgender actors playing minority or transgender characters through the use of makeup and prosthetics is commonplace even today. From Ashton Kutcher’s blatant brownface in a 2012 PopChips commercial as a “Love Guru,” to Cloud Atlas’s use of oriental eye makeup, the exercise has not in fact ended since the stereotype-ridden character Mr. Yunioshi (played by Mickey Rooney) of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A study

by UCLA found female characters were underrepresented by a factor of nearly 2 to 1 among lead roles in film, and women had the lead in just 25.6 percent of films. The Hollywood Diversity Report found that only 16.7 percent of minority actors were leads in 2015 films. White and cisgender actors in these roles not only deny members of these groups to accurately represent themselves, but convey the message that whiteness remains the preference.

White and male actors dominating mainstream films for generations present the very dangerous idea that these groups are the default. As an audience, we tend to internalize this concept, which alters how we perceive society, and “otherizes” groups that don’t neatly fit under the straight, white, and male categories. The media is largely a reflection of the society that it speaks to, and as society becomes increasingly diverse, it’s time for the media to show that no single group is the norm.

Though we tend not to associate Hollywood with politics or polarizing social justice issues, characters created and actors cast carry serious weight. Diversity in the media matters: it affects how, as individuals, audiences perceive themselves and society.

Ridiculed for her “mudblood” lineage, Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series served as a member of the fantasy world’s “racial” minority, but was assigned a white actress in the original films. However, the casting of black actress Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child earned praise from both J.K. Rowling and fans.

Like many mainstream sitcoms, HIMYM was criticized in its day for its dominantly white cast. Still, its main characters defied gender roles, as its male lead obsessed over romance and emotional intimacy, while a female lead focused on her career and balancing her feelings. It was also a sharp commentary on the sexual double standards of life as single men versus single women, but ultimately disappointed feminists by stressing that motherhood was the only means for its female characters to be happy and comT h e plete. fantasy drama has earned praise for the dominance of its female characters, but it’s also earned criticism regarding race and gender. Some have argued its excessive portrayal of sexual violence toward women, while unfortunately not unrealistic, both trivializes rape and makes it appear the only story arc for female characters over leadership.

Rampant female nudity alongside fully-clothed males also arguably promotes the objectification of women. Characters in the books known to be individuals of color are predominantly cast as white.

The film received major backlash for its exclusion of significant transgender activists and the blatant “whitewashing” of its predominantly heterosexual cast. Reviewers were shocked by the excessive focus on a fictional white character, Danny, and the lack of airtime devoted to the historic riots. The events seem to have been disguised as a coming-of-age romance film, hiding the real story underneath.

Although director Roland Emmerich should be acknowledged for bringing this story to the forefront; the sacrifice of history for mass appeal is upsetting. A petition led by GSA Network cited this public dissatisfaction in its urged boycott of the film. The campaign reprimanded the film for disregarding the efforts of black trans women and drag queens in the nationwide riots, and essentially called an end to the “white savior complex”.

Of the 20 actors who received acting nominations from the Academy — including Best Actor and Best Actress — not one was a person of color. Most notably, highly influential black films and black actors seemed to go largely unrecognized for another year, inspiring outrage on social media and by critics. And although the critically acclaimed Straight Outta Compton was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, this credit went to its four white writers. This is an indicator of potential problems that emerge with a board of predominantly white male judges. Filmmaker Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith have publicly expressed their disappointment and have revealed their intentions to boycott the 2016 Academy Awards. The hashtag #OscarsSo White has been trending on social media in light of the lack of racial diversity.

photos from clipartbest.com, imdb.com, salon.com

& thereadventurer.com

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Arts & Entertainment 17

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R M u s i C : m o l otov c o c k ta i l p i a n o | Pa n i c ! At t h e d i s c o

Under the Radar

| F i l m : t h e r e ve n a n t | j oy

the revenant Founders

Music review

By Andrew Kan Staff Writer Despite the artist name, Robert W. Weber does not have anything in his music style that reminds one of burning bottles and incendiaries. A former cocktail restaurant and cruise ship pianist as well as the sole musician of Molotov Cocktail Piano, Weber’s songs create a peaceful atmosphere, especially helpful for hard-working high school students trying to plough through their homework.

The vast majority of Weber’s songs are piano transpositions of famous pop hits from both the past and present. He has already transposed hundreds of hits from a variety of famous artists including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Queen; anyone with a taste in both pop and piano can enjoy his music. What sets this Indiana-born apart from other pop pianists is the magnitude of songs he has produced and his loyalty to a song’s original tune. When played side by side with the authentic version, Weber’s will hardly miss a beat or note while still retaining the melody.

Weber released his debut album, Christmas Future Past, in December 2015, and has used it to prove he is more than just a mere copycat of the pop greats. Though the song names in this album are names of traditional Christmas choir songs, the songs in this album are almost completely opposite from their originals. While his other songs remain faithful to the originals’ tunes and are played using piano notes, the pieces in this album are mostly comprised of electronic beats, and the melodies only have a loose connection to their original songs. The main point of the album though, which is conveyed wonderfully, is to show that Weber can produce his own independent works.

Now that he has released his debut album and has begun on his second one, Weber has shown that he can perform two vastly different music styles, piano and electronic, but he still has a lot to prove as an artist who started in early 2014. ▪

By Didi Wu Staff Writer

imdb.com

By Andrew Choi Staff Writer Moviegoers are taken on a nightmarish plunge into the frigid and hostile 19th century American wilderness, as acclaimed director Alejandro G. Iñárritu tells the story of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) in The Revenant. However, despite an astonishing performance by DiCaprio (arguably his best ever) and incredible cinematography by the Academy Award winning Emmanuel Lubezki, this biographical Western epic falls short of expectations, especially due to its lengthy nature and confusing plot changes.

Set in 1823 in the unsettled wilderness of the Louisiana Purchase and loosely based on a true story, the film follows Glass, an accomplished frontiersman and guide traveling with a military party led by Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson). An attack by Arikara Indians leaves most of the party dead, and Glass himself is later critically injured after being mauled by a grizzly bear. Three men, including a soldier named John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) agree to look after the wounded man

while the rest of the party moves on.

Fitzgerald breaks this pact, however, and leaves Glass for the dead, but Glass manages to crawl out of his shallow grave and begin his journey towards revenge.

DiCaprio’s astonishing acting is a testament to his commitment to a role, as he partakes in endeavors such as sleeping in a dead horse’s carcass and trudging through miles of deep, cold snow. His dialogue is limited to mostly grunts, but nevertheless, the manner in which he portrays the brutal Glass is special.

While DiCaprio has been snubbed by the Academy in the past, this spectacular performance will surely make him one of the favorites this February.

The visionary result that cinematography genius Lubezki creates is incredible. Everything from the wide panoramas of the vast freezing wilderness to the close up shots of DiCaprio huddling for warmth in a hastily made tent is visually awe-inspiring. Few cinematographers would have been able to pull off the magic that Lubezki created. In addition, the score composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto add terrifically to the bleak mood.

However, the 156-minute film feels much too lengthy and drawn out, and Iñárritu certainly could have done better by shortening this brutal epic by 10 or 20 minutes. But Iñárritu truly disappoints when he attempts to move the film from something substantial to the supernatural.

Instead of focusing on Glass’ struggle and fight towards vengeance, the Mexican director incorporates half-baked ideas including numerous hallucinations and flashbacks.

The CGI also disappoints at times, with the bear attack on Glass particularly poor. With the technological advancements that film has gone through, you would expect the bear attack to look at least somewhat realistic, especially with it being such an important scene in the movie.

All in all, the combination of the tiring length, drawn out plot, and confusing directing by Iñárritu, makes The Revenant an average film at best. Yes, the cinematography and acting is superb at times, but you’ve got to feel that Iñárritu could have done a much better job with what was such a promising premise. ▪ Rating: C+

‘joy’less

A&E

Updates

By Victor Zhou Staff Writer

nine track mind charlie puth | 1/29 Shooting into stardom with snappy singles like “See You Again” and “Marvin Gaye,” up-and-coming artist Charlie Puth releases his debut album, Nine Track Mind after delaying the album’s official release since last November.

SuperCity 50 Urban EDM Festival 2016 o.co coliseum, oakland | 2/6 Featuring prominent EDM stars such as Alesso, Diplo, and the Chainsmokers, this hip-hop concert is the first of its kind at the Coliseum. It is no coincidence that the performance is on Super Bowl weekend, and it will definitely add beats to the already lively celebrations.

Alessia Cara KNOW-IT-ALL Tour the fillmore, san francisco |2/11 Up-and-coming singer Alessia Cara is on tour for her premier album, Know-It-All. Praised for her creativity, honesty, and powerful lyrics, Cara is only 19 years old. Joined

by Kevin Garrett and Craig Stickland, Cara delivers her unique voice to the Bay Area.

imdb.com

By Tanvi Raja Staff Writer Joy, based off a true story, is a comedic drama that follows the journey of a young woman struggling to accomplish her dreams of successfully becoming an inventor. Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) lives a pitiful life of divorce and financial struggles while she works as a booking clerk in New York. Her family scene isn’t too great, either; her ex-husband (Edgar Ramirez) and father (Robert De Niro) live in her basement, her mother is a cranky soap opera junkie who all but lives on her bed in front of the television, and her half-sister acts in self-righteous jealousy. It is clear from the first ten minutes of the film that Joy has tough living ahead of her, although her future seems bright due to her creative mind. When she finally breaks out of her slump and invents a miracle mop, the plot takes on a new dynamic of hope of happiness. That is, until, she realizes how much it re-

ally takes to run a business and profit.

From there, the audience is taken on a journey involving a tough television executive (Bradley Cooper), fraudulent business practices, and a woman struggling to accomplish her 17-year old dream.

With a star-studded cast, this movie carries considerable expectations.

Lawrence’s performance is excellent, consistent with her history of playing erratic, unpredictable characters. Her character is lovable, yet strong-headed, which is clearly seen when she barges into a large scale corporation’s office to complain about a broken deal. Similarly, Ramirez plays an equally important role and becomes surprisingly likable, despite his daunting title of ex-husband, and his ability to show a balance in the line between love and friendship is impressive. Despite the commendable acting, the plot stayed at extremes of rushed and lagging, failing to maintain a suitable pace, for the entire duration of the film, and many conflicts

and resolutions were extremely predictable.

Director David O. Russell used a variety of different filming techniques, which included uncomfortably close shots of characters and unusual camera angles. Although his directing provided a different perspective from typical filming technqiues, the angles seemed misplaced and inappropriate for the scenes. The soundtrack was enjoyable and fit the movie surprisingly well, ranging from jazz to rock.

Although entertaining with a well-chosen cast, Joy unfortunately falls flat in many aspects, from the plotline to the cinematography. If you’re looking for a uncomplicated, decent film during a slow night, Joy is the one for you. ▪

Released January 15, Death of a Bachelor is pop-rock band Panic! At the Disco’s fifth studio album and the first entirely composed and produced by lead vocalist Brendon Urie, with help from outside writers.

Since drummer Spencer Smith left the group in April 2015, Urie has been the only member remaining. Death of a Bachelor shows this new individualistic direction, as it’s full of more personal tracks such as “Hallelujah,” where Urie acknowledges the power and spirituality of owning up to his “sins” and the past in general.

The album begins with the high-energy single “Victorious,” which, while up-beat and catchy, is relatively bland musically and generically pop punk. “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” and “Hallelujah” follow the same vein. While Urie’s vocals, alternating between intense and gentle, carry them through, it’s “Emperor’s New Clothes” that is the first to be truly gripping, which is thematically appropriate, as the song is about the end of an old dynasty and the beginning of new, glorious one. Urie is playfully arrogant, taunting with his repeated line “finders keepers, losers weepers.” The almost-demonic distortion of his voice at times is delightfully creepy.

The explosion of variety afterwards keeps the album fresh, as the style and mood changes from one song to the next. The album’s namesake “Death of Bachelor” is a unique mixture of baroque pop and electronic music that highlights Urie’s waves of soulful crooning and more forceful vocals. “Crazy=Genius” includes extremely upbeat lounge jazz with a foxtrot-like beat, while “LA Devotee” is a guaranteed favorite, an alternate-rock song capturing what Urie loves most about Los Angeles, where he currently lives.

“Golden Days” and “House of Memories” take on more somber tones as Urie recalls the past, honoring influences that inspired the group’s first album and examining his memories while utilizing unconventional harmonies.

“Impossible Year,” which closes the album, is a surprising twist, as it appears much darker and more dismal than expected of an album which in part celebrates the new path the band has embarked on. Urie laments that “there’s no sunshine/this impossible year/only black days and sky grey” accompanied by mournful piano with a trumpet instrumental intermission.

The song finishes with a drawn-out electronic synth note that briefly rises in intensity right before fading away.

Death of a Bachelor provides a nostalgic look at where the band has come from, blended with snippets of Urie’s own personal life and the overarching idea of the “death of the bachelor” which references Urie’s marriage in 2013 but also his feelings of being a new person.

Overall, the lyrics are evocative, though the verse composition itself is typical and occasionally repetitive.

However, for a one-man job, Death of a Bachelor showcases an amazing variety and Urie doesn’t disappoint as he adapts to each song’s style. ▪ Rating: B+

Rating: Bpanicatthedisco.com

allmusic.com

18 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, January 29, 2016

By Ella Chen, Sayan Ghosh, & Shivane Sabharwal Staff Writers

photos from 123rf.com, asos.com, coolhunting.com, electrotechgadgets.com, flanderstoday.eu, huffingtonpost.com, lefashion.com, muyuela.com, notey.com, scriptmag.com

& wheretoget.it

Friday, January 29, 2016

The Smoke Signal

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Sports 19

Boys’ Soccer faces off against Irvington

By Kevin Li Staff Writer On Friday, January 15, MSJ’s Boys’ Soccer faced off against league rivals Irvington Vikings in a home game at the Tak Fudenna Memorial Stadium. Irvington dominated long stretches of the game as MSJ fought to get things going offensively, and the Vikings ultimately won 5-1 in a one-sided contest.

Irvington started the game strong, gaining possession early and then continually pressuring MSJ’s defensive players. Freshman Michael Bettencourt, the Warriors’ goalkeeper, had to make a series of tight stops to keep his team in the game. However, in the 20th minute, the Vikings offense prevailed, scoring the first goal of the match. Boys’ Soccer Coach Fodé Doumbia urged his team on from the sideline, calling for tactical discipline and more attacking precision. The Warriors responded by remaining compact when the visitors had the ball, then breaking at speed when they won possession. This led to a series of good dribbles down the left by the Warriors, but they lacked support and thus failed to create any substantial attempts. Though Irvington continued to press for another goal, they were denied by the goal posts and staunch goalkeeping, and the score remained 1-0 at half-time.

After a series of formational tweaks during the break, MSJ began to keep hold of the ball for longer periods of time in the beginning of the second half. The changes paid dividends 15 minutes into the half as the Warriors’ number 3, Senior Joshua Chan, pounced on an error by Irvington’s keeper to level the score, 1-1. Coach Doumbia was just as relieved as the rest of his team at the crucial goal, and instructed them to push up in search of the winning goal. With 25 minutes remaining, however, Irvington found the net again from a corner. The Warriors were once again forced to play under greater pressure in search of an equalizer, and were just starting to create chances in the opposition half when a foul on the edge of the Warriors’ area

Sophomore Shrey Vasavada and Junior Vedant Mehta jump over a defender in pursuit of the ball.

gave away a free kick, from which the Vikings scored. Irvington would go on to score two more goals and won 5-1.

Throughout the game, the Warriors fought until the final whistle to get another goal.

Every player on the pitch for MSJ was determined to claw their way back into the game, and were constantly communicating and rousing each other’s spirits. Right-back Junior

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

Kane Tian was an outlet down the right hand side, providing passes to release his teammates and doing a solid defensive job. One of MSJ’s standout players was goalkeeper Bettencourt. His quick reactions and brave goalkeeping in the first half saved the Warriors on more than one occasion.

The game was more closely contested than the scoreline might suggest, with battles

in midfield and chances on either end giving both sets of supporters something to cheer about. Despite the loss, the Warriors vow to work harder and come back stronger. Tian said, “We didn’t do enough again, and we’ll have to try and work harder in practice.” ▪

Junior Vijay Srinivasan throws the ball back into play from the sideline. photos by web editor jacinta chang

20 Advertisement

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EDUCATIONAL

A

OLLEGE ADMIS C S ND

VISORS S AD ION

Insight Education Newsletter: Course Selection

Friday, January 29, 2016

SI

NCE 1999

Happy New Year! With the new year comes many new things, resolutions, looking back and looking

forward into the coming year. It feels like you just started the school year, but now you are already having to look at your next school year by choosing classes. How do you even begin? It can be a stressful and hectic time to think about the year. Here are some tips when thinking about course selection.

E G E A L D L M O C I SS D N

Review your High School's Plan and Class Mapping

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A T C I U O D NAL E

VISORS S AD ION

The first thing you should do is review your high school’s plan and class mapping. All high schools will have one that is most likely accessible on the website or you can pick up a hard copy at your counselor’s office. Once you have that sheet handy, it should help you figure out what class should be next in your sequence. You need to make sure you are fulfilling your high school’s requirements for graduation, but you should also consider what courses you need for college admissions. A great place to start is to review the UC A-G approved courses your high school offers—that way you can choose electives and classes that will count towards your UC GPA.

Do you know what you possibly want to major in? Consider what courses you may need

if you do pursue that major. So if you need to take physics by senior year, make sure your math course complements the science (make sure you have the skills to take the higher level science course).

Consider extra courses outside of School

You can also consider if there are courses you want to take outside of school to show mastery or interest in a specific area of study. You want to show that you are capable of taking college-level courses, and there are a variety of ways to do that.

You can take a community college course during the summer, take an AP class, do a class online through a university. Colleges will be excited to see that you took initiative to challenge yourself and that you can handle yourself in their school.

SI

Don't do what your friends are doing

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Sometimes you may feel the urge to do what your friends are doing…. DON’T DO IT! Do what is right for you and what will complement your interests. What electives are you truly interested in? Do that elective or extracurricular activity. You want a meaningful experience for yourself because you will be writing about your experience not your friend’s.

Finally, the dreaded D

If you made a D in a class, taking the next course in sequence and making an A in the next class will show mastery of the first class, but WILL NOT replace the grade. There will still be a D on your transcript and it will be calculated into your GPA. So figure out if you can retake the course during summer school, or if your school approves an outside course to replace that grade.

Overall, when you are selecting courses, take classes that are rigorous for you and make sure you have the time management skills to succeed in your courses and stay involved in extracurricular activities. You want to enjoy your high school experience, so do what is best for you, your personality and your interests!

Insight Education

39355 California St, Ste 209, Fremont 510-400-7600 | info@insight-education.net www.insight-education.net

APPLY TO COLLEGE PREPARE FOR LIFE

Friday, January 29, 2016

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The Smoke Signal

By Ishika Chawla, Lucille Njoo, Cindy Yuan & Richard Zhou Staff Writers

Average Time Spent Daily Studying by MSJ Athletes

1-2 Hours 21%

3-4 Hours 15%

of MSJ Athletes feel less

stressed by playing sports.

59% of MSJ Athletes believe they have an advantage in school. *The results are based on a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal through Facebook, regarding MSJ student athlete participation. A total of 250 students responded to the survery.

With balance, comes benefits...

Sports 21

A Game of Balance

Average Time Spent Each Week Playing Sports by MSJ Athletes

66%

www.thesmokesignal.org

When the bell rings, signaling the end of another school day, most students head home.

However, student athletes must set aside another few hours of their day in order to practice sports, while still maintaining school work and studying for tests on top of these tiring activities. So, what is it about sports that makes this trade off worth it?

Students First, Then Athletes...

Many students at MSJ play a sport, whether in or outside of school. No matter which sport they play, from basketball to water polo, there is one thing that ties all of them together; they are student athletes. Student athletes deal with many of the same issues we do, friends, and sleep. However, there exists another dilemma–-juggling school and athletics. Becoming good at a sport takes lots of hard work and time, things that typical high school students might already lack. Adding on practices and games only take away from those precious minutes.

Student athletes are students first, athletes second. All high schools in CA forbid students from participating in athletics if the student’s GPA falls below 2.0. “No pass no play” policies like this one are only preventative measures, but it is equally as important that student athletes understand their responsibilities with respect to both their sport and their grades, and learn to balance their schedule and priorities accordingly. “I emphasize the fact that they are students before athletes, so studying is very important, and they need to know they have to study to be eligible to play,” said Boys’ Soccer Coach Fodé Doumbia.

Physical Fitness

Social Circles

Mental Health

Leadership

Playing a sport is an excellent way to stay physically fit. In the US today, almost two-thirds of adults are overweight and 80 percent of people do not get enough exercise. As students, inactivity tends to be part of our everyday lives.

We sit at desks for seven hours at school and several more while working and eating at home, making staying healthy an even larger challenge. The exercise that comes with playing a sport, however, is the most powerful weapon to combat obesity and maintain a healthy body mass index. Regular exercise is proven to reduce cholesterol and moderate high blood pressure. In addition, exercise helps reduce the risk of future health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. Playing a sport on a regular basis is also a good way to build healthy habits for the future. Since it’s difficult to make time for physical activity in our busy schedules, participating in sports is a good way to ensure that we get the exercise we need.

Sports are an effective way to expand one’s social circles and get connected with the larger community. School sports teams bring together students from different backgrounds, so joining a team allows people whose friend circles typically do not coincide to meet and connect with each other. Girls’ Tennis Coach Linda Campana said, “You build a core of friends–teammates–around you, [so] that while you’re adjusting to high school life, you have a number of people to talk to.” Getting to know new people besides close friends is a valuable way to expand horizons and learn about the bigger world. In addition, MSJ’s teams compete against other high schools in the Mission Valley Athletic League. The friendly rivalry between schools allows student athletes to connect with their peers outside of MSJ and learn about other students’ lives outside of the MSJ bubble. Even participating in sports that are not schoolorganized can enhance engagement in the local community and initiate new friendships. Whether they are intramural or independent, sports are a good medium for forming social connections.

Physical fitness not only provides benefits to the body, but it also has a significant impact on the mind. Several studies have shown that exercise has the ability to improve memory, mood, focus, and sleep. It also alleviates depression, reduces stress and anxiety, and increases gray matter density.

With exercise having the ability to release endorphins, or hormones that trigger a positive feeling throughout the body, playing sports has a tangible impact on individual’s mood and relaxation.

The production of endorphins during exercise is often called a “runner’s high” and has the ability to reduce perception of pain and improve outlook on life. Sports also have the benefit of improving an individual’s self-esteem, because as one’s strength, skills, and stamina increase through playing sports, his or her self-image will improve as well. Finally, sports improve thinking, learning, and good judgment. The skills developed through sports extend far beyond the sports field into the classroom, and provide major mental health benefits for the rest of one’s life.

Through sports, student athletes are given opportunities to learn invaluable skills of teamwork and leadership. Teamwork is a life skill that is necessary in school and beyond, and the process of training and competing with a team instills this invaluable trait in athletes. In team sports, it is critical for athletes to work together, with each athlete adjusting and melding to the characteristics of the team, working towards a common goal in order to win. In team scored individual sports, athletes perform individually but retain a team bond through sportsmanship and training. Leadership through sports comes naturally as athletes work together and guide fellow teammates. Teamwork and leadership are skills absolutely necessary in life, and student athletes are able to channel these skills by participating in sports. “Joining a school team taught me what being a “team” really meant, and how to compromise with people to produce the best results,” said Junior Sarah Chang.

Emotional Intellegence

In a community that is so focused on academic success, sports are often overlooked as factors contributing to overall intelligence, and are often surpassed in favor of activities that are considered to be more “beneficial” such as tutoring classes and academic clubs.

Emotional intelligence is something that academics do not focus on teaching, but can be learned through sports. On average, student athletes have better emotional intelligence than students who do not participate in sports, averaging significantly better in problem solving, empathy, assertiveness, and more.

Sports offer constant repetition of problem solving with direct consequences, causing student athletes to be more successful problem solvers and risk takers, on average, than students who do not play sports. By playing sports, students can elevate their emotional intelligence and use it throughout life.

What does MSJ think?

Coaches

Athletes

Teachers

“Students should be good students, but I think that athletics interfering with school is inaccurate. You learn [from sports] things that you can’t learn anywhere else: how to be a good teammate, how to be your best no matter what the circumstances are, how your body responds under pressure. You can’t learn it any other way.”

– Cross Country Coach Jack Marden

“I come [late] and I start homework. I write a time schedule for every day and I set aside time for studying, homework, and other work I have for the week. I put my time schedule limit at 11:30.

You learn time management, and have pride and get represent your school while doing well in school as well. You have to be ahead in class. On weekends, you don’t have time to do fun stuff, you have to do class because you lose like two hours every day.

At school, after you get stressed out, doing a sport relieves a lot of stress.”

– Shrey Vasavada, 10

“. . . I was an athlete at Mission, and some of my best memories were being in the high school swim team. As a teacher, I don’t think I give a workload [for my class] that is out of line with being able to have a balanced lifestyle.”

– AP Statistics Teacher Jan Frydendahl

“I think it’s an advantage to play sports because the mind and the body needs to be well balanced, and the students who play sports have much more chances to balance the body and mind.”

– Boys’ Soccer Coach Fodé Doumbia.

“Especially with the education culture at Mission, a lot of students get caught up in like classes, school, so I think it’s healthy for them to get a release both physically and mentally. The more you work out, you release endorphins, so it’s good. I would think student athletes would be advantaged.”

– Assistant Baseball Coach Spenser Peterson

“The best benefit in my opinion is that you get to bond with your teammates and become a family. The drawbacks to being a student athlete is mostly a higher risk to falling grades. ” – Flora Chang, 9 “Generally after season starts, I would try to use read to finish most of my homework so that it would free the rest of my day for practice. Most days I would also be in the library during lunch to try and get as much work finished as possible. I think being a student athlete really forces you to have to manage your time well in order to stay on top of your grades and team practices.”

– Sarah Chang, 11

“I encourage my students to pursue athletic activities outside of school because I think it’s important to have a balance between school and other extracurricular activities such as sports or arts and crafts. I guess I don’t ensure that my student athletes have enough time to train, honestly. I know their schedules when they have matches or games, and I make sure I communicate with them about work that’s pending or due. I think [doing sports] teaches teamwork, and because you do have this extracurricular activity, it makes you more of a well-rounded person.”

– Spanish Teacher Elvia Sepulveda “It’s called ‘student athlete,’ it’s not called ‘athlete, forget student.’

I think that it helps you manage your time, it helps you in a lot of ways. It teaches you how to teamwork, it teaches you how to be part of a team and work with other people, it keeps your body physically fit, things like that.”

– Science Teacher Robin Van Deusen

22 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, January 29, 2016

Winter Sports Photos

photos by staff writers anthony chen, carolyn ge, andrew kan, tanushri sundar & victor zhou

Friday, January 29, 2016

The Smoke Signal

Fremont honored its 60th Anniversary on January 23 with a celebration commemorating the city’s achievements over the years. The anniversary ceremony took place at Capitol Ave., where the City of Fremont government office is located.

The celebrations included a time capsule ceremony, which showcased Fremont’s thriving culture and development today, a picnic, and live music. The Washington Township Museum of Local History displayed a previous time capsule, which contained items such as city founding memorabilia, government plans, historical pictures, and a bottle of brandy produced in Fremont, to remember our past and how far the city has come.

Mayor Bill Harrison, former Mayor Gus Morrison, Congressman Mike Honda, Assistant City Manager Jessica von Borck, City of Fremont Youth Advisory Commissioner Sonia Sachar, Assembly Member Kansen Chu, and other officials gave speeches describing Fremont’s growth and development from a quiet rural town to the bustling technological hub it is today, and how it will evolve

down the road to adapt to modern challenges. Following their speeches, the City Council members proceeded to bury the capsule with a commemorative plaque at the site of the future Civic Center. Entertainment was provided with performances from American High School’s marching band, Fremont Christian School’s Senior Jazz Band Dixie Dominus, and several dance routines from Yoko’s Dance and Performing Arts Academy. Freshmen Jaycee Horng and Sharon Tao, who participated in the dance performances, hope that in the future, Fremont residents will all pick up something that they are truly passionate about and continue to pursue it.

To choose the contents of the time capsule, organizers conducted surveys of Fremont’s community to find items that best represent Fremont. Along with this survey, students enrolled in FUSD schools in grades K-12 submitted essays or art to the city, depicting how Fremont is important to them or how the city will change in the future. Furthermore, those in grade levels 7-12 shared pictures on Instagram with the

hashtag “#FremontTimeCapsule.” Winners of these contests, which were selected by grade level, had their essays, art, or photos immortalized in Fremont’s history.

These articles, which included a laptop with current city documents, and other examples of modern technology, will be collected by the City of Fremont Youth Commission and unveiled again at Fremont’s 100th Anniversary to continue the city’s

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legacy of change and diversity. Businesses and charity and community groups are encouraged to host events and participate in the celebrations throughout the year to show their spirit and enthusiasm for this special occasion. “We’re all working together here, celebrating together, planning for the future of Fremont,” said Harrison. ▪

photos by staff writers deeksha raina & victor zhou, homedecordesigns.com, fremont.gov, upload.wikimedia.org, ncry.org, sgpa.com, custom.shopkimco.com & globe-views.com

24 Photo

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Friday, January 29, 2016

photos by staff writers zen thumparkkul & cindy yuan