Volume LI, No. 6 by The Smoke Signal

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 51, NO. 6

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

February 26, 2016

Stronger Than You Think campaign fights teen dating violence High school students work to promote healthy relationships By Kevin Li & Didi Wu Staff Writers

courtesy of team stronger than you think

Back Row: MSJ Junior Gia Pham, IHS Senior Simran Sen, IHS Senior Gibson Chu, IHS Senior Darren Huang, IHS Senior Amarinder Chahal, Middle Row: IHS Junior Catalina Geronimo, IHS Junior Catherine Li, MSJ Senior Neha Shah, MSJ Senior Anastasia Ecin, IHS Sophomore Miles Chu, IHS Senior Daniel Ho, Front Row: MSJ Senior Tiffany Wong, Team STYT Director Yasi Safinya-Davies, MSJ Junior Vivika Fernes, IHS Senior Hsiu Lin, IHS Senior Eunice Chan. MSJ Junior Christie Chiang is not pictured.

To learn more, consider using resources such as www.loveisrespect.org or the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233). Nearly out out of three adolescents are affected by teen dating violence.

CodeDay Bay Area attracts MSJ coders By Andrew Choi & Victor Zhou Staff Writers CodeDay Bay Area, a high-school focused programming competition, took place February 13 to 14 at Make School in San Francisco. The event, which over 260 students attended, including multiple MSJ students, was a competition organized by the nonprofit StudentRND to encourage students to start programming and web design.

“CodeDay isn’t focused on winning awards, or landing a new job. The focus is learning and creating.” - Sophomore Sanil Chawla

CodeDay began in 2011, in Seattle, when a gathering of local friends who wanted a challenge created the event. Since then, it has grown to cover 22 cities in 18 states. CodeDay is a nationwide event where student programmers, artists, musicians, actors, and everyone else can get together and build apps and games for 24 hours. High school students of all skill levels are welcome, with workshops and mentors available for those with limited coding and programming ex-

perience. At the beginning of CodeDay, all attendees with an idea come up and pitch it to the group. If students are on their own, or just without an idea, this is the time for them to join a group and build whatever they want. Though there are prizes for those who create the most impressive games and apps, CodeDay emphasizes that it is not a “hackathon,” and that the most important aspect of the event is to get new students interested in programming through engaging and positive experiences. “CodeDay isn’t focused on winning awards, or landing a new job. The focus is learning and creating,” said Sophomore Sanil Chawla, who is a StudentRND Regional Manager. This season, 263 attendees came to CodeDay Bay Area, making it the largest CodeDay in the country once again. Make School, which provided the venue for this event, offers an alternate college replacement for developers, and hopes to continue to work with StudentRND in promoting coding towards the young population in the Bay Area. “This is really revolutionary because it’s going to change the amount of innovation that’s going to happen in the world, it’s going to change the amount of problems we can go out and solve,” said Make School Founder Ashu Desai. Along with workshops provided by Splunk, Make School, and Hack+, StudentRND Founder and CEO Edward Jiang also visited the event, and said he was impressed at the massive attendance.

GIRLS’ WRESTLING NCS

Five MSJ students recently qualified for, and competed in, Girls’ Wrestling at NCS. Read about their results and accomplishments!

CONCERT EXPERIENCES

Missed a concert, but still want to find out what happened? Check out recollections of MSJ students’ favorite concert experiences.

In honor of February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, Team Stronger Than You Think, a youth group comprised of MSJ and Irvington High School students, launched two projects to raise awareness of teen dating violence. The two projects, a public service announcement and billboard, aim to increase the public’s awareness of teen dating violence. The public service announcement, a minutelong video showing various abusive situations and calling for heightened awareness of teen dating violence, debuted in theaters on Friday, February 6. It played in Pacific Commons, Newark, and Union City theaters right before the movies began. The team wrote the script for the video themselves, an effort that began August 2015. The group directed filming in coordination with Bay Area film company Your Media 2. The second project was an electronic billboard on display along Highways I-880 and I-680, Dixon Landing Road, and Mowry Avenue. In the process of designing the billboard, team members pitched their takes on the definition of love. Irvington High School Senior Hsiu Lin then created illustrated images, while MSJ Senior Anastasia Ecin photoshopped text images. These projects are a continuation of the team’s overarching goal to combat the lack of awareness surrounding teen dating violence. Team Stronger Than You Think Director Yasi Safinya-Davies said, “Honestly even people who do this work,

who work in the field of domestic violence, they still won’t get it for a long time . . . [because] understanding it, really being able to get it, knowing what is this beast called domestic violence takes a long time—because it’s so multilayered. It’s not so simple as ‘today I don’t know about it, tomorrow I do.’ So the learning of it, the getting it, it’s really an evolution.” Safinya-Davies, also executive director of Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments, a Fremont organization which provides shelter, support, and educational opportunities for individuals and families affected by domestic violence, mentors team members, provides connections to local businesses or officials, and makes them aware of opportunities they could pursue. The team, however, is largely self-directed, with members coming up with ideas and responsible for executing their plans. MSJ Junior Vivika Fernes said, “Because we are more educated, because we are here, we want to spread our education, educate our peers on this [teen dating violence]. Just like us, we didn’t know that much until [we got to] where we are now. We want the same [understanding] for our peers.” Ecin said, “I think that obviously [dating violence] doesn’t happen overnight. Nothing happens overnight. But if we just sit around and don’t do anything, nothing will ever be achieved. So the fact that we’re just beginning to turn the wheels—it will speed up, the wheels will go faster and faster and eventually it’ll make power and do things that make change. We’re the start, we’re the beginning, and the results are endless.” ▪

Juniors Aayushi Gupta, Vineeth Yeevani, Hetav Gore, and Ajay Dulai won the Best Application Award.

There was a large MSJ representation at CodeDay. MSJ students. For example, Junior Sayan Bhattacharjee, created Lifeline, an automated calendar for college applications. Senior Shivam Parikh taught a beginner’s workshop on Android Development, and Freshmen Abhi Upadhyay, Yash Gupta, and Rayyaan Mustafa gave a talk on building efficient products for consumers. Freshmen Ritvik Ramdas and Rithvik Ravikumar, and Sophomore Zakaria Ridouh, won the Beginner Special Award for their game, Jumpman, and Ju-

staff writer victor zhou

niors Ajay Dulai, Hetav Gore, Aayushi Gupta, and Vineeth Yeevani won the Best Application Award for their Libra app, which lets students read open-source books online. StudentRND and the CodeDay staff look forward to their next event, which will take place May 21 to 22, once again at Make School. Addressing the crowd at closing ceremony, Chawla said, “Keep coding, keep making . . . never stop hacking.” ▪

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Students from our Special Education department recently competed in the Special Olympics held at Newark Memorial High School.

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2 News

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The Smoke Signal

CTE Requirements By Michelle Dalarossa & Richard Chenyu Zhou

>>Background

MSJ’s Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), DECA, and Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), will potentially be terminated in response to a recently disclosed state legislative move requiring all CTSOs to have an accompanying Career Technical Education (CTE) course offered on campus. Without a CTE course, these programs will lose funding provided by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, a source of funding unique to CA schools that is specifically designated to help finance CTSOs. While other CTSOs, like the National Future Farmers of America and the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, exist throughout CA, they all have CTE courses that are taken in conjunction with them, and will not be affected by these changes. Because HOSA and DECA do not have corresponding CTE courses, they do not qualify to receive Perkins funding and may be dissolved in all schools in which they exist, including MSJ. This new requirement hits primarily student-run CTSOs, like those at MSJ, more severely than others because the absence of adult advisers makes it more difficult to find and employ instructors capable of teaching CTE courses. This year is a transitional year, but 175 MSJ HOSA members and more than 400 MSJ DECA members would be affected by this requirement if no CTE classes are added to MSJ by the 2016-17 school year. In addition, prospective officer candidates for CTSOs will not be able to run for state office positions unless they are enrolled in a CTE course. Potential CTE classes in future years may be implemented as zero or seventh period classes or as elective courses. “It's a change, and a change that we'll have to accept no matter what we can do. To get a policy change on the CTE's would involve national politics, which is simply out of our power. I wouldn't want to say if it's beneficial or harmful, because only time can tell for that. It would involve a lot of change in the way we do things traditionally, but I can definitely say that as long as we can adapt, it will not be detrimental in any way to MSJ DECA as a whole.” - Sophomore Raymond Yin, MSJ DECA Director of Publicity “I did DECA for the first time this year, and I would be really sad if I can't compete again next year. It was such an enriching experience that I couldn't get anywhere in the classroom.” - Junior Stephanie Doan, MSJ DECA Member

Friday, February 26, 2016

>>What CTE Members Say “Requirements such as this restrict access to the vast opportunities organizations like HOSA have to offer. Due to a variety of circumstances, such as meeting graduation credit requirements, students still may not be able to participate in HOSA even if there was a CTE course offered. Instead of creating comprehensive CTE education for students, this legislation prevents a significant number of students from gaining any CTE experience during high school.” - Junior Rishab Ramapriyan, MSJ HOSA Director of Competitive Events “I think the CTE means well by re-quoting that participants of clubs such as HOSA and DECA take a course related to it because it could mean students would get credit and time to pursue their interests at school. However, we don't know what kind of credit or if we would even get credit. So, I think it's oppressing students’ freedom in extracurricular activities and unfair to all those who have put time and money into these activities.” - Junior Sarah Chong, MSJ HOSA Member “Though the changes were certainly unanticipated, I believe that the situation represents a unique opportunity to grow and learn. This won’t the be the last time that I, or any other DECA member, will face challenges in their career, and being able to turn a potential obstacle into a positive learning experience is an important skill to learn. I want to focus on resolving the issue instead of holding grudges against those who implemented this requirement. In addition, a business CTE course would be a valuable addition to the DECA program. It would directly supplement the competitive events that DECA offers, and it would give DECA members a more holistic view on the central themes that DECA is about.”

“I think it's a tremendous shame that MSJ students will no longer be allowed to participate in HOSA. Though our members aren't enrolled in CTE classes, MSJ HOSA has produced countless state and national/international conference winners, connected students with healthcare professionals, offered tours of local health care facilities, given students opportunities for hands-on-training, and started a sister program at Hopkins Junior High School. To restrict HOSA to only students enrolled in CTE programs is to take away all of these opportunities from brilliant, hard-working, and motivated students at Mission.” - Junior Kate Lin, MSJ HOSA Vice President “From what I know, someone at the state wanted to enforce the CTE guidelines that have been in place for a long time. It's mainly a matter of funding for the programs. The biggest change for us is that we won't be able to have 400 members anymore. It's going to filter out all the students who don't really put in the time and effort to the program, which is good, but it's also going to take out some students who are capable but don't have space in seventh period or zero period for a class. If it's an elective class, though, then freshmen and sophomores wouldn't be able to take it, which isn't good either. I think it's beneficial for our members because we have afterschool workshops that teach very practical things, but having a class that teaches the fundamentals is good . . . With classes in place, we might only have, maybe 150 members, which is like a full section of classes. We're trying to hire teachers who are capable of teaching these classes. There was a petition for our district to help with funding and in finding a teacher, but I haven't heard anything back from them yet.” - Tyler Robinson, MSJ DECA Adviser

- Sophomore Wenhan Fang, DECA Silicon Valley VP of Alameda County

corrections

for the JAN. 29, 2016 issue News Pg. 1: There were 12 student boxART! painters. The MSJ National Art Honors Society collaborated on the project. News Pg. 2: Pratham Gupta is a junior. The DECA State Career Development Conference is held from March 3 to 6. There were 17 DECA international finalists from MSJ

NEWS IN

brief

in 2015. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was misnamed. Feature Pg. 11: Photos courtesy Sriram Acharya, Samhita Banerjee, Samir Banerjee, Shriya Ghai, Rushali Kothari, Mitchell Wu, and Shengle Zhou. Centerspread Pg. 13: Special Education Teacher Stephanie Atwell’s name was misspelled. A&E Pg. 15: Actress Elizabeth Taylor’s name is truncated. Sports Pg. 22: Photos also by Staff Writer Zen Thumparkkul.

Compiled by Staff Writers Ashley Chang, Anu Asokan & Andrew Kan

atr.org Santa Clara County requests CDC to assess their teen community.

newsrepublic.com Supreme Court Justice Scalia passed away, leaving a vacancy on the bench.

washingtonpost.com The existence of gravitational waves has been confirmed.

CDC conduct study on teen suicide Palo Alto Unified School District, City of Palo Alto, and the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health have requested that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do a study on teen suicide in the community in hopes of spreading prevention measures. This comes as a response to the numerous suicide cases that occur annually in the county. CDC sent a team that will assess the past incidences, identifying risk factors, and recommending prevention methods.

Supreme Court Justice position vacated Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died late on February 13. With a vacancy on the bench, President Barack Obama will likely appoint a replacement justice in the coming weeks. However, some Senate Republicans have adamantly stated that they will not confirm any appointees that President Obama chooses. This could push the confirmation of the appointed justice until after the next president is elected, leaving the Supreme Court with only eight justices in the meantime.

Existence of gravitational waves confirmed Scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) confirmed the existence of gravitational waves, which were first predicted to be real by Albert Einstein. Gravitational waves are disturbances in spacetime caused by gravity that can bend the space around them, similar to the ripples of a suspended cloth when a heavy object is placed on it. The existence of gravitational waves gives scientists a new way of observing the universe.

Friday, February 26, 2016

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News and Opinion 3

STEM Success replaces MASH Teacher Matt Lazar, Junior William Bei, and student representatives from several MSJ STEM clubs collaborated to create STEM Success as a replacement for MASH. STEM Success works on a one-on-one basis and focuses on concept development rather than simply helping with specific questions. At the beginning of each semester, students fill out a form regarding which subjects they need assistance in, while student tutor volunteers choose students whom they are qualified to teach. Then, students and tutors arrange times to meet every week, building a longterm relationship. At the end of the semester, STEM Success advisors verify and grant tutors service hours. In December 2015, Larsen informed students of STEM Success and provided a website

“Some of the problems that we have heard with MASH were that kids that were tutors for science Junior Christine Yu tutors as a part of the STEM Success program. would often go, earn service credit, but never once interact with have students learn from other students rather By Andrew Kan & Brian Tseng than listening to a teacher lecture in hopes of anybody seeking help.” Staff Writers staff writer andrew kan

STEM Success is a math and science tutoring program that replaced MSJ Math and Science Help (MASH) in February 2016 in response to concerns that MASH was not fully meeting student needs. During an October 2015 Principal’s Advisory Meeting, staff discussed parent survey results revealing that many parents did not know where their children could go to for STEM help. At the time, students could stop by MASH, a school-led organization that allowed students to earn service hours by helping other students with STEM subjects during lunch or after school. MASH’s goal was to

creating a more enriching experience. However, few students attended MASH, and there was little interaction between tutors and tutees. Additionally, since MASH worked on a drop-in basis, there was no guarantee that the available tutors would know a specific subject. Principal Zack Larsen said, “Some of the problems that we have heard with MASH were that kids that were tutors for science would often go, earn service credit, but never once interact with anybody seeking help.” After the meeting, Sophomore Kevin Wu advocated for a new organization to fix MASH’s problems. Wu, Larsen, Assistant Principal Jeff Evans, Biology Teacher Lisa Ishimine, Math

-PRINCIPAL ZACK LARSEN

link for interested students to sign up for assistance. STEM Success schedules replaced the MASH schedules on the walls and in classrooms, and after a mandatory tutor orientation at the end of January, the program started the first week of February 2016. In addition to the original goal of MASH, the goal of STEM Success is to provide tutoring tailored to the needs of students. By assigning each student an individual tutor, STEM Success is an effort to support students in need of guidance in a more effective way than MASH did. Wu says, “I am hoping that STEM Success can continue to serve the student body and continue to grow and adapt to the needs of the students and serve them the best way possible.” To sign up for STEM Success help, students should email msjstemsuccess@gmail.com or talk to their counselor. Signup forms are given at the start of each semester, but students who sign up during a semester will still be placed on a waitlist. To join as a tutor, students will have to wait until the end of a semester and pass an applications process. ▪

staff writer lucille njoo

graphics editor monica tang

staff writer richard chenyu zhou staff writer zen thumparkkul

4 Opinion

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Friday, February 26, 2016

Are you in favor of limiting the number of weighted/ap classes that Abhish students are allowed to take per year? e

ula, 12

“Yes, because people overkill and cut other important time, like family friends, clubs, and just downtime, and they don’t actually do justice to those classes. They stress and often cheat out of desperation. They don’t enjoy the material. They just try to scrape some things together. I think three should be the cap, four at max.” Derek

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“No, but students taking more than four weighted classes should have a mandatory meeting with their counselor beforehand. Personally, I really regret taking so many difficult weighted classes at once, however, some students are able to handle it. Prior class performance, extracurricular activities, and type of weighted class—not all APs are created equally—should be considered.”

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“Well, I feel like in this case it’s a case of treating the symptoms. I mean, taking too many AP classes for your own ability isn’t something that just appears by itself; it’s because they have this mentality that they have to take this many AP classes without really enjoying them or learning them.”

“No. I don’t think it’s the school’s responsibility to monitor our schedule decisions. However, the school should encourage students to talk with their peers before signing up for certain classes. Theoretically, most people would be less stressed if the cap was very low, but other people might be more stressed since they’ll be forced to take online classes and do other extracurricular activities to compensate for the lack of weighted classes.”

Samir

“I don’t think that it would change our lifestyles at all. In the end, what we want to pursue, we will still pursue despite the fact that we can’t take AP courses at Mission. If Mission students are ambitious enough, and if they want to take AP courses somewhere else, online, or maybe at other colleges, then I think we would find a way. Mission regulating our AP courses would not help too much. It might help slightly for some people, but in general it won’t.”

“I cannot speak for my peers because I am only human and I am imperfect and cannot read their minds. So I will speak for myself. A limited amount of AP classes will allow me to be more invested in a subject and really dedicate to the class the amount of time it requires. Furthermore, I will not have to hear AP teachers say that ‘I signed up for this’ because that logic is flawed. You never know what you are truly signing up for until you’re in it. I will be able to put less emphasis on prioritizing and more emphasis on being purposeful.”

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“Yes, because you can quit selfstudying, but you can’t quit a class. If I could’ve given up APUSH, I would’ve a long time ago.”

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How would putting a cap on AP classes change student lifestyles?

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“Putting a limit would allow students to look at the bigger picture and learn to enjoy their high school years and not spend them with their eyes glued to a page rather than the faces of family and friends.”

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“Yes, I think that it would. It would also reduce the competition between me and my friends. Like, ‘Oh, I’m taking four, and you’re taking five. Oh my god she’s better than me, she’s going to get into a better college!’ That’s not going to happen, so I think that’s a great thing.” na

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“I think because a lot of other people see their friends taking a lot of AP classes, they start to want to take a lot of these courses as well. Limiting the number of AP classes students can take would help with lessening that pressure because if no one else is taking that many APs, you won’t feel the need to either.”

j, 11

“Honestly, I don’t think that it would help to make us less stressed. We’re always going to be worrying about one class or another. Although in retrospect, it might seem as if limiting the number of AP classes that we can take will help decrease our stress, but it would only make some students even more worried that they are unable to take as many advanced classes as students from other schools, decreasing their chances of getting into college.” ian Zha

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Do you believe that putting a cap on the number of AP classes students can take would make you and your peers less stressed? 10 ng, a h

Jeffrey

“Yes, I think the number of classes should be limited. Right now, even though I think I’m taking a proper amount of AP classes, I see many of my classmates dropping because of the stress. The number of classes we take are said to determine our worth, and in a lot of ways, Mission students fuel this through academic bullying. I would much rather limit the amount of classes and force students [to] view each other in a different way.”

Jenn if

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“No, because students should have the freedom to challenge themselves and push themselves to do greater things. Through this, we can also learn our capabilities and find our limits as well. Actually one of my favorite quotes is ‘I like pressure. If I am not on the edge of failure, I’m not being sufficiently challenged.’”

a h , 10

Limiting AP Classes for Students

“I am for limiting the number of AP classes [that students can take]. I have some friends who are juniors who complain about how they used to be so good academically but are now getting destroyed. All of them could have signed up for less classes but that will never happen here at MSJ. People always feel the need to do whatever it takes and that ultimately works against them.”

9 “Although I’m not taking AP classes right now, I think putting a cap on my friends’ AP classes could make them frustrated or disappointed. It prevents them from being as active as they might want to be, and reduces the amount of options they’d have. They can willingly opt out on AP classes if they feel too stressed.” photos by staff writers carolyn ge, mallika gupta, andrew kan, kevin li, & richard chenyu zhou

Millenial political views aren’t based on naivety

By Kylie Cheung Staff Writer

The millennial generation, which includes individuals born between 1982 and 2000, is often stereotyped as idealistic and naïve when it comes to politics. Typical prejudice about millennial laziness is factored in as the motivation for their strong support for tuition-free public college, affordable housing, and a higher minimum wage (Pew Research Center), while youth results in their stances on other issues being written off as naivety. But having lived through the consequences of the previous generation of politicians’ mistakes, millennials are able to see reason in political platforms once considered unthinkable. Environmentally conscious and anti-war stances by millennials, as well as increasing concern for freedom of religion, are specific examples of how their political views have been

shaped by growing up in an America that was largely built on the values of “Baby Boomers,” born between 1946 and 1964, and “Generation X,” born between 1965 and 1981. Decades of minimally regulating pollution, energy use, and oil and fracking, have resulted in grave warnings from climate scientists that millennials have been exposed to all their lives, fostering passionate support for environmental initiatives by the government. Simultaneously, the divisive rhetoric and policies implemented through religious values in politics have inspired the majority of millennial responders to Pew Research Center surveys to consider freedom of religion important. This is evident in their progressive stances on social issues like LGBT rights. The millennial antiwar-perspective could be understood as the most direct result of living under Baby Boomer policies. The many economic

and humanitarian revelations that emerged with the Iraq War have cast militarism and economic dependence on war in a negative light. In this respect, millennials are not making political decisions based on idealism and naivety but genuine, lived experiences, and knowledge that previous generations lacked of the consequences for certain policies. Baby-boomers grew up with free college, but militarization and other economic factors detracting from government investment in education have made the prospect of student loans and years of college debt very real to millennials. Today’s record-high tuition and housing rates, as well as its perilous job market, have steered the majority of millennials toward more populist economic stances, evidenced by overwhelming support for Democratic presidential candidate, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sanders took 84

percent of the millennial vote in Iowa to rival former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 14 percent at the Iowa Caucus on February 1, and 83 percent of the millennial vote to Clinton’s 16 percent in New Hampshire on February 9. Sanders’ predominantly young supporters are often stereotyped as unrealistic despite economic research indicating the significant amount of funding that could be raised from closing Wall Street tax loopholes and placing an excise tax on legalized marijuana, two focal points of his platform. The many millennials who either support him or other political ideas written off as ignorant idealism do so not out of naivety. Their political views and admirable passions for reform are inspired by their unique, collective experiences. ▪

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Opinion 7

Senioritis: Rediscovering balance? By Neha Shah & Annie Tang Centerspread Editors Senioritis. It is the “sickness” that allegedly affects every senior once second semester begins and is defined by Google to be a “supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation.” It is generally thought to lead to lower GPAs, an increase in unexcused absences, and a general lack of interest in school—leading to the common stereotype that students begin to slack off second semester simply because they now hold the title of a Second Semester Senior (SSS). At MSJ, however, this decline in motivation can sometimes be attributed to the long-felt pressure some have to be a “perfect student.”

a collective sigh of relief from the senior class at the realization that a break has finally arrived. Previous and restricting thoughts of “I have to do well, or else...” gradually lessen, and MSJ seniors are now able to take a step back and reevaluate the choices that they’ve been making without the worries or fear of academic consequences. For example, rather than sacrificing an additional two to three hours of studying for that difficult class, a SSS could choose to allocate that time elsewhere, where their interest truly lies—be it for another class, a hobby that they didn’t have time for, or even their own personal growth and health. In fact, for many seniors, second semester is a time that allows for exploration or discovery. While some choose to rekindle old passions, others may decide At MSJ, however, this decline to take up an entirely new hobby altogethin motivation can sometimes be er. This five-month period allows seniors attributed to the long-felt pres- to pick up the activities that they might sure some have to be a “perfect have initially set aside in order to focus student.” more on their academic careers. Those Regardless of the reason, when the who might have once laid aside their mufirst semester ends, there is almost always sical instruments, have a pile of unread

books in the corner of their room, or even put off learning another foreign language now have the ability to revisit these. During this time, seniors are also known to play around with different venues of self expression. Some dabble in the arts—learning to crochet, paint, or knit—while others choose to experiment with lifestyle choices, such as going vegan or creating an exercise regime to become more active. Still others may use these months to make new memories by spending more time with their family and friends. Seniors may even feel free to take part in a greater variety of events, such as going to see a concert on a weeknight, helping to create an unforgettable “first” experience. Through such exploration, seniors are able to have a better grasp of what they truly care and are passionate about. Beyond simply providing opportunities to learn more about themselves and those around them, second semester further gives seniors the ability to make decisions that can improve their overall physical and mental health. Even if they have to sac-

rifice one homework assignment so that they can finally sleep before midnight, or temporarily neglect tomorrow’s quiz in place of an invigorating, 20-minute jog, second semester introduces the perspective of readjusting priorities to those that

Even if they have to sacrifice one homework assignment so that they can finally sleep before midnight, or temporarily neglect tomorrow’s quiz in place of an invigorating, 20-minute jog, second semester introduces the perspective of readjusting priorities to those that allow them to take care of themselves once again. allow them to take care of themselves once again. Second semester serves as an opportunity for seniors to rediscover balance— to learn to worry a little less about their academic lives, and to focus more on their personal development, interests, and health. ▪

Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success fails to deliver By Anu Asokan & Carolyn Ge Staff Writers The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success is an association of more than 90 public and private colleges and universities that claims to promote the mindset that underprivileged students can and should go to college. Colleges can join the Coalition provided they have a graduation rate of at least 70 percent and are committed to meeting the full need for private schools or low in-state tuitions for public schools. The Coalition cites research showing that low-income or marginalized students underestimate themselves or don’t consider college as an option. Its solution is a platform that allows students to upload academic documents and essays to a virtual portfolio, where they can receive feedback from admissions counselors. The online application platform, an independent alternative to the Common Application or Universal Application, will be available starting in

April 2016. Though the Coalition claims to increase access and affordability, it doesn’t live up to its name. Instead, this platform leaves many questions unanswered and increases stress for students already intending to apply for college. The Coalition’s time-consuming and high-maintenance application will decrease, rather than increase, accessibility. By reaching out to students as early as ninth grade and providing feedback regarding their applications, the Coalition hopes to encourage underrepresented groups to plan for college earlier. However, if many of these students are not applying for college at all, even through streamlined platforms like Common Application, how will the Coalition persuade underrepresented students to even begin the application process? The Coalition has looked at research showing that these students have fewer resources or more obstacles, like parents with odd work schedules or a dearth of high school counselors at low-income schools, yet they

College Enrollment by Income:

pewresearch.org

The Coalition does not solve for the affordability concern at participating colleges.

have not answered a vital question: Who will make sure these students update their portfolios regularly? Perhaps the Coalition should ask students for their opinions, instead of offering a problematic application. Even more worrisome is that the Coalition, by itself, does not increase affordability; it fails to solve the root of the problem. Instead, it has created a list of colleges affordable for low-income students, even though the Department of Education’s www.collegescorecard.ed.gov already has this information available. The Coalition is not providing scholarships, helping students receive grants, or lowering tuition. Simply telling students which colleges will not put them in debt is not increasing affordability. Although the Coalition is targeting students who feel like college is not a likely option, it will still unintentionally affect most MSJ students. Being able to start on the college portfolio in freshman year will only exacerbate a competitive atmosphere. Students may be pressured to take advantage of the new system, defeating the goal of reducing the stress of the application process. The Coalition is turning college applications into an even greater burden for already overworked underclassmen. The Coalition should be commended for its intention “to address many of the barriers that prevent students from attending college or successfully earning a degree.” However, its application platform seems counterproductive and does not significantly increase access or affordability. The Coalition’s website does not state that its platform was tested by students, and that lack of feedback from its target population only hurts its cause. Before pushing yet another college application onto weary or confused students, colleges should give students a voice in the application process. ▪

bloomberg.com

Universities Participating in the Coalition Among the most prestigious universities taking part in the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success are Brown University, California Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Cornell University, Harvard University, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Purdue University, Rice University, Stanford University, Swarthmore College, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University.

Community College Enrollment and Transfers According to the College Board, 43 percent of all US undergraduate students and 26 percent of all full-time undergraduate students were enrolled in community colleges in the fall of 2013. Transfers from community colleges to the University of California from 2013 to 2015 have been on the rise, and the admittance rate has been declining, according to the University of California Office of the President. data compiled by staff writers anthony chen & tanushri sundar

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the

Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 51, No. 6 | February 26, 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/ about.

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harshita hashes it out

grace’s gray area

Removing blinders and cultivating empathy

Skipping school for opportunity By Grace Dong

By Harshita Gupta

Opinion Editor

Last week, I spent an hour on the website of Students for Life, a youth organization dedicated to “Abolishing Abortion in our Lifetime.” I scrolled through images of young adults who could be my classmates, people I could imagine being friends with, holding signs saying, “I am the PRO-LIFE generation.” It was difficult. I had to remind myself why I was reading the website, and resist my urge to dismiss it and think, “No, you’re antichoice!” It’s human nature–when we’ve always held a strong belief, it seems impossible that someone could think otherwise. The natural mechanism is: they’re irrational, or missing a piece of information, or have been fed lies all their life. It’s my natural mechanism too, but I’ve been fighting it recently by reading about the life experiences and perspectives that have shaped these alternate opinions. Reading the Students for Life testaments was an effort towards that goal. I’ve found that this forced open-mindedness leads me to intriguing discoveries. Take the Tea Party Movement: it’s incredibly conservative and anti-immigration, and fights for lower business taxes and “traditional” family values. It was difficult to read about and take seriously, but when I pushed myself beyond my initial disagreement, I realized that its leaders are concerned about many of the same problems its “polar opposite”, the Occupy Wall Street movement, is concerned about. Their priorities and perspectives have simply led them to believe that the cause of these common problems is different. They’re not “intolerant” or “selfish,” but they view cause-and-effect

Opinion 9

differently, which leads to an activism different yet similar to mine. I don’t agree with them, but taking the time to understand why makes me far less frustrated and far more aware. Thinking about intention and motivation is far more reasonable than dismissal. It’s easy to live within our bubbles on social media and friend circles. We can voice our opinions to people who echo them back to us, and dismiss the opposition as seriously misguided. We can follow Twitter channels that reaffirm our perspectives and let Facebook’s algorithms bump articles we will “Like” to the top of our news feeds, or, we can choose to make ourselves uncomfortable. It was shocking to me to realize that parts of the country feel the same way about Bernie Sanders as I do about Donald Trump. The reality, however, is that there are often as many vehement oppositions to a movement as there are supporters. By trying to understand why, we can rise out of the mindlessly-angry trend that political and social movements often fall to. We can be better critical thinkers, and by reevaluating our opinions, argue for them better. This reevaluation is, in a way, empathy. It’s being empathetic enough to understand the different backgrounds and experiences that shape mindsets. When gun reform-proponents read testaments by gun-owning Americans or pained antipolitical-correctness proponents follow social justice Twitter accounts, we cultivate empathy. It allows us to hold more intelligent conversations, see the similarities in our differences, and move towards compromises and understandings we hadn’t contemplated before. ▪

When presented with the chance to dance in the National Football League Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show alongside names like Coldplay, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars, how can you say no? I nearly did. My reasoning was simple—saying yes to this opportunity of a lifetime would mean missing school. Only having two weeks to learn and perfect a 12-minute show meant having an extremely intensive rehearsal schedule that featured six hour practices on school nights (not including the additional time for commuting, finding parking spots by the ridiculously crowded Levi’s Stadium, and lining up with hundreds of other cast members at security checkpoints). Other dancers participating took entire days off from school or even went on independent study for two full weeks. Me? I decided I was somehow going to make it to all rehearsals on time and ready to dance by leaving school early in order to minimize the amount of class time I would be missing. As expected, these absences were unexcused by definition since I did not report having an illness, medical appointment, quarantine, funeral of immediate family, or jury duty. What I did not expect was my resulting shame and guilt for “ditching” school. I dreaded talking to my teachers about missing their class. I was definitely shaking while walking into the office to explain where I had to be. As a student who hates missing class, having to skip school and receive the unexcused absences seemed like the ultimate shame. Despite arranging to take my quizzes and turn in my homework at another time with my teachers, I was positive that my record simply looked like a terrible case of senioritis.

The attendance policies do an excellent job at keeping students in line by keeping them from cutting school for the sake of cutting. These rules are in place to prevent students from missing out on their education and slacking off, yet they also discourage students from participating in remarkable or unordinary activities that overlap with school time. Whether it’s conferences, hackathons, or Super Bowl rehearsals, these events present amazing learning experiences that students may be hesitant or unable to pursue due to the current system. Students shouldn’t feel like “bad kids” for living outside of the box by taking advantage of learning opportunities outside of school. Oftentimes, these experiences can teach lessons that cannot be found in a typical classroom or textbook, whether they’re skills like networking with complete strangers or learning the behind the scenes of how a major production like the Super Bowl works. Students shouldn’t feel afraid or ashamed to do something that can enrich their learning simply because it does not fit into a rigid category on an attendance slip. I am still a student that hates missing school and I absolutely do not condone cutting class without good reason, but now I’m more aware about the lessons and experiences that are waiting to be discovered outside of school. As long as you’re able to keep up with your courses by arranging it with teachers and study buddies, don’t be afraid to take advantage of extraordinary opportunities even if it means taking an unexcused absence or two. My attendance record is probably a mess right now, but I would say performing in front of 68,000+ people live and 115 million people worldwide was well worth it. ▪

the Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Editorial: Appreciation or appropriation?

staff writer kevin li

staff writer lucille njoo

The release of Coldplay’s “Hymn for the Weekend” music video, filmed in India with depictions of Indian religious festivals, has sparked debate over whether it should be deemed appreciation or appropriation of Indian culture. While supporters claim that Indian culture is accurately and beautifully portrayed, critics accuse the artists of exploiting Indian people and traditions for personal gain. As seemingly harmless actions are criticized, cultural appropriation, the stripping and abuse of a minority group’s culture, is being reexamined. Are we overreacting to expressions like in “Hymn,” or are these concerns valid? Although the topic is controversial and different for each individual, it’s important to examine and evaluate the impact our decisions have on the diversity around us. It can be difficult to comprehend how something as simple as sporting a cultural element, like a bindi or cornrows, is offensive. Donning an elaborately embellished Native American headdress may seem like the perfect accessory to accompany one’s fringed boots, but it sends a dangerous message. It degrades sacred, hard-earned, and meaningful attributes of a group into a costume or fashion trend. It shows marginalized groups that tangible objects that convey the importance of their traditions are worth attention, while these traditions and histories themselves aren’t. For example, admiring the beauty of a Native American tribe’s attire, but ignoring the drastic ‘assimilation through education’ initiative in the early 1900s, exemplifies how we can be unintentionally oppressive. On the other hand, where do we draw the line? Many cultural groups are happy to see their cultures being acknowledged. The context of a cultural reference matters. The problem occurs when this reference is in an effort to be “cool” and “exotic,” rather than with a focus on genuine appreciation. While the fear of committing a misdemeanor should not hold one back from

exploring what other groups have to offer, conscientious behavior will only enhance our relations with one another. At MSJ, where 94 percent of the population consists of minority and mixed groups, this line between appreciation and appropriation gets even blurrier. We pride ourselves on the closely approaching Multicultural Week, but especially then, it is vital to accurately represent the world’s cultures, especially those that are underrepresented on campus. We should strive for accurate displays of traditions, by researching proper costuming, choreography, and music to better represent the customs in concern. By learning the true essence of a culture, we can avoid playing on stereotypes that limit our image of that group. Trying dance classes, experimenting with traditional cuisine and recipes, and communicating with individuals with the background you desire to learn about are just a few of the many ways to be more mindful. The key is to have fun with it, while also being thoughtful about your intent. We should recognize that Multicultural Week, and cultural celebration as a whole, is not solely a stretch of “exotic” performances and extended lunches; rather, the experience is meant for students to expand their knowledge and perspective and understand their peers, all while having an unforgettable time. Cultural appropriation will always be a controversial issue, defined individually, and always without a one-size-fits-all solution. People’s perceptions of the matter will vary, but the underlying messages are to be mindful, find the beauty in all cultures, and celebrate our similarities and differences. ▪

10 Feature

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, February 26, 2016

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT BRIAN XIE

AP Computer Science Perfect Score By Ansh Patel Staff Writer

Of the nearly 50,000 Advanced Placement Computer Science exams taken in May 2015, Senior Brian Xie was one of just 66 students in the world to achieve a perfect score on the exam. Xie answered every multiple-choice “We are very proud of Brian and his question correctly, and earned the maximum scores on the free-response portion of the amazing accomplishment. We have some of the best students in the exam.

Smoke Signal: How did you first become interested in computer science? Brian Xie: Computer science definitely feels like a field that b ecomes m ore fascinating with more experience and knowledge, so I can’t say for sure when I first “ became” interested in computer science. In fact, it was definitely a fi eld I disliked in my freshman year. I decided to sign up for a few online programming courses in my sophomore year, figuring it would be useful in the future, and since then I’ve slowly become more interested in the field.

country attending MSJ, and Brian is a proud example of that.” - Principal Zack Larsen ming language used on the AP test.

SS: How did you feel before taking the test? Were you confident, or did you feel you wanted more practice? BX: The grading curve is pretty generous for the APCS test, so I was reasonably confident. A little more time to practice multiple choice questions would have been nice, but my goal at the time was just to get a five, so SS: Did you receive any help from mentors I wasn’t too worried. along the way? How did they react to the SS: What went through your mind when you news? BX: My father was a big help when I was first learned you earned a perfect score? began dabbling in C. He helped me debug BX: To be honest, when I first heard that some of my programs and clarify some con- I was being congratulated for my APCS recepts that I was confused about. He was defi- sults, I had no idea why I was being connitely proud of my achievement, but proba- gratulated. Needless to say, when I finally bly even more surprised than I was about the learned that I earned a perfect score, I was very, very surprised. result. SS: How did you study for your computer science class? BX: I never actually took a formal APCS class, but I took a few online programming courses, in which I watched lectures and read a textbook to learn concepts and test them out in programming exercises.

SS: How long did it take you to study for the AP test specifically? BX: I spent about a month focusing on studying for the AP test. I also spent a few months prior learning the basics of Java, the program-

SS: Do you have plans for a future in computer science? BX: I’m not quite sure about my plans for the future, but it’s definitely a possibility. Also, I don’t actually have nearly as much experience in computer science as it might seem. Computer science is a vast field that goes far beyond the AP test, and the APCS test isn’t a great indication of expertise in the field. Overall, I feel like I happened to get lucky, and there were quite a few questions on the multiple choice section I found challenging. photo by staff writer ansh patel

ILLEGAL The following rules must be adhered to at all times; any violation of them is illegal action and violators will face consequences.

students Don’t exit the vehicle if not pulled up to the curb.

parents No U-turns on Palm Avenue. Don’t stop along the red curb line. Don’t stop on top of crosswalk. Don’t allow your student to exit the vehicle when you’re not pulled up to curb. Don’t drop off your student along Mission Blvd.

The Smoke Signal introduces a new monthly series courtesy of school resource officer Scott Sanders. The following are some tips and rules to adhere to throughout and beyond your time at MSJ, specifically addressing drop off and pick-up behavior around campus.

students Be ready to leave the vehicle when the vehicle stops. Have your backpack in your lap and ready to go. Don’t make people behind you wait for you to get your backpack out of the rear seat or trunk area.

parents Pull your vehicle forward as much as possible to give room for other drivers to drop off their students. Do not socialize with neighbors or friends during this time, it holds up other drivers wanting to drop off or pick up their student. photo by graphics editor kevin chen

Friday, February 26, 2016

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The Smoke Signal

THE

The vegan lifestyle seems daunting at first glance to most people. No animal products means no meat, no eggs, no dairy, no honey, and several other seemingly staple foods. This issue, four writers turn their diets (and lives) upside down, so that you don’t have to.

By Grace Dong, Pratham Gupta, Deeksha Raina & Cindy Yuan Opinion Editor and Staff Writers

CINDY I’m an athlete, so I try my best to eat healthy regularly, but I don’t think I can survive without meat. I am very adamant about drinking milk twice a day in order to grow taller because milk is important for every growing teenager!

DEEKSHA I’ve been vegetarian for as

long as I can remember. My staple diet growing up has consisted of salads, rice, and fruits, essentially vegan foods. The closest I’ve ever gotten to eating meat is the occasional omelette, which shouldn’t be too difficult to give up considering I eat it really rarely. Veganism, bring it on!

Feature 11

CONTINUE TO PAGE 12 & 13 FOR MORE COVERAGE

PRATHAM I love to eat food. It’s a

fairly easy way to destress and to study at the same time (You don’t get a lot of homework done while sleeping or reading a novel). Even though I only consume meat twice or thrice a month, dairy products are an essential component of my regular diet as I drink a lot of milk and love cottage cheese.

GRACE Straight off the bat—I’ve

never eaten a salad (come on guys, it’s rabbit food), so it’s pretty obvious what kind of shape I’m in to test the vegan lifestyle. I’m like a cat—carnivorous by nature, but forced to eat veggies thanks to food manufacturers like Science Diet Cat Food and Momma Dong.

expectations It’s like the night before a test—I have a plan, but I can’t brush off the feeling that it will crumble apart. My plan is to eat a lot of food to keep my body full, happy, and most importantly, unaware of the hole in my heart (and stomach) where meat holds a special place. For emergency backup, I will keep vegan “meat” available in case my first plan falls through and I cry out for the familiar texture of meat.

I don’t really have much of a plan. Most of the food I eat is already vegan, so I don’t think I’ll need to drastically change up my lifestyle too much. The only problem I can think of is that I typically consume a lot of dairy products. I drink milk in the morning with my cereal, usually eat either a butter croissant or a breadand-butter sandwich for lunch, and snack on yogurt after school. Hopefully I’ll be able to break away from those and stay committed for three weeks.

I can do this. Even though I haven’t gotten the chance to fully research vegan food, I plan on winging it. On the plus side, Maggi is vegan. I panicked at first when I realized that I won’t be able to drink copious amounts of coffee anymore, but I guess that soy/almond milk works just as well. My grandiose plan is to eat a lot of fruit and finally try out all those Indian dishes my mom keeps making. My supplementary goal is to learn to cook actually edible food.

My goal in these next three weeks is to not faint from malnutrition. I’ve always been a pretty picky eater. I’ve never been a huge fan of vegetables, nuts, or tofu, so I’m mainly worried that instead of eating vegan, I will just stop eating altogether. However, I do admit that it’s probably time for me to start eating more than just eggs and meat everyday. Going into this, I honestly don’t think the vegan lifestyle is for me, but I’m willing to give it a shot. photos by graphics editor kevin chen

graphics by staff writer lucille njoo

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CINDY

DEEKSHA

My first week went surprisingly well. My love for tofu, rice, fruit, and vegetables kept me alive and well, along with the magical culinary skills of my beloved grandmother and a few vitamin supplements. Thankfully, I barely noticed that I was missing out on meat, so I hope next week will go just as as smoothly. Chocolate, on the other hand, I am beginning to miss dearly.

That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Granted it’s only been one week so far and I’ve already taken my cheat day, but it should be easier from here on out. The first few days without my beloved milk, yogurt, cheese, and butter were painful, but I’ve now become better adjusted to my dairy-less lifestyle. I’ve also gotten so tired of checking the ingredients for every single packaged food that now I just avoid them entirely.

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PRATHAM

No, No, No! I don’t know how to cook and eating salad for breakfast is actually the most depressing thing I’ve ever done. I tried to make pasta but almost ended burning my kitchen down. On the plus side, however; I’ve learnt all kinds of new stuff about salads and fruits. I appreciate this challenge, even if it just helps in broadening my horizons. I have high hopes for Week 2.

Friday, February 26, 2016

GRACE

I’ve read more ingredient labels in this past week than I have in the rest of my life combined. I was pleasantly surprised (read: ecstatic) to find that Sour Patch Kids, Thin Mints, and Ritz Crackers are vegan—and unfortunately that means I’ve been eating way too many. I also ate my first salad. I can confidently say that I hated it.

GLAZED SWEET POTATOES ON RICE GARNISHED WITH GREEN ONIONS

black beans, yams, and lentils

I have been suffering extreme chocolate withdrawal. I wistfully stared at videos of delicious dessert recipes, mourning the loss of chocolate in my life. Thankfully, I realized that Thin Mints were vegan—and so I cleared out a box in two days. At this point I’m not even a healthy vegan, and I’m actually consuming a lot of junk food. It’s all good though. I’m still happy and satisfied.

Reality came crashing down on me this week. I ended up using my cheat day, and my dairy cravings really hit hard. At one point, I was so uninspired that I ended up eating saltine crackers and a slice of bread for an entire meal. My goal for next week is to put more effort into eating healthy and spend more time cooking actual food instead of grabbing junk food.

I have stopped consuming copious amounts of coffee, which is having an adverse effect on me. I am actually able to sleep a full eight hours now, which although good for my mental fortitude, is adversely affecting my study schedule. On the plus side, I’ve finally learned how to cook, if by cooking one means buying mostly pre-made foodstuffs and then just heating that up. I’m mostly eating salads and fruits these days.

My Week 2 went by super quickly— likely because I spent most of it dizzy and tired from hunger. I tried to ease back on my unhealthy snacking, making me realize that it’s ridiculously hard to eat actual meals as a vegan. My favorite dinner of this past week: Broccoli. Straight up steamed broccoli. I truly believe I am on my way to becoming a (malnourished) rabbit.

Honestly, throughout this entire process I was expecting some sort of change to affect me, positive or negative. However, almost nothing changed physically! I still weighed the same, I still felt sleepy in the mornings, and I still felt perfectly fine during workouts. The only challenges I had were mentally forcing myself not to long for meat or dairy products, and as the experiment went on, I started to care less about them. I think by easing in with transitory vegan “meat”, taking supplements, and eating enough to feel full at every meal, I was able to function just as I had before, without consuming a single plate of salad

The results of our experiment were completely different from what I had expected. I was hoping that by the end of our three weeks, I would have become healthier, slimmer, and more invested in living better. However, I ended up gaining weight and eating more junk food because, as I quickly realized, I didn’t have time to make myself well-balanced vegan meals. We probably would have been more successful if we had eased ourselves into the vegan lifestyle rather than go completely cold turkey. Although it was a wild ride, I can’t say I’m sad to let veganism go.

There is only do or don’t, there is no try. When I decided to take on this challenge, I thought that it’d be extremely easy but it wasn’t. I thought I’d end up fine but I didn’t. I thought I would learn a profound lesson but I didn’t. I learned exactly why our ancestors took the herculean job of hunting and domesticating animals on. Our forefathers were extremely wise. It certainly was a unique experience, I learned how to cook pasta at least. Going vegan is easy, going healthy vegan is hard - you have to make sure to eat balanced meals and ensure proper intake of protein, minerals, vitamins etc.

Becoming vegan was both easier and harder than I expected. Tons of foods are vegan if you look hard enough, but contrary to my initial thoughts, I probably gained weight instead of losing weight from being constantly unsatisfied and snacking 24/7. I missed being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want, but there were definitely moments where I fooled myself into thinking, “Hey, this isn’t so bad! I could be vegan forever!” But considering the fact I cried tears of joy when this experiment ended, I highly doubt that’s true.

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Friday, February 26, 2016

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The Smoke Signal

Feature 13

oing vegan is a huge shift that can often come with many unexpected repercussions and results. Veganism is not equivalent to “going on a diet,” though it does involve changing the types of foods in one’s diet. Vegans do not use animal products or by-products such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, honey, and gelatin. Many people choose to be vegan because they do not wish to promote animal product industries or believe that it is healthier for their bodies and the environment. The key to being vegan and staying healthy is having a varied and nutritional diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. It is easy to get adequate protein, zinc, and iron through tofu, beans, nuts, and leafy green vegetables. Vitamin D can be readily gained through sunlight exposure and fortified soy or nut milks. Vegan diets are naturally free of cholesterol and low in saturated fat. However, vegans often need supplements or specially fortified foods for calcium and Vitamin B12. Vegans also need to include good sources of alpha-linolenic acids such as flaxseed, canola oil, and soybeans in their diets to maximize productions of omega-3 fatty acids. Skipping meals, eating less, or not receiving the proper vitamins and nutrients are easy mistakes to make and could result in dangerous energy loss.

The writers were allowed to choose one day on which they could revert to their non-dairy diets and bask in the glory of all things dairy.

Food is so important on Chinese New Year that I had to take a cheat day and eat delicious meat. Before my first bite, I was thanking the gods for blessing the world with meat. However, the meat experience was such a let down that I wasn’t even sad about having to go back to being vegan. I couldn’t even eat much of it before I got to the point where I felt stuffed.

I took my cheat day on my dad’s birthday because he looked so downcast when I told him that I couldn’t eat the cake that I just had to relent and take a break from my vegan-ism. The rest of the day was glorious—I ate madelines, brownies, pasta with cheese, and practically inhaled half a pack of Samoas.

I had real milk today for the first time in two weeks. I finally had chicken for the first time in a month and drank REAL coffee in god knows how long. I feel as if I’m going through caffeine withdrawal and these two cups have to last me another 10 days. On the down side, I have to return to being a vegan tomorrow. It is a jail of my own making.

Holy sweet mother of all things beautiful. I didn’t realize just how much I missed meat and eggs until I was stuffing my face with three sunny side up eggs, a slab of eel, a bento box of duck, a plate of shrimp, and heaven knows what else. Several Snapchat friends replied to me commenting on how “deprived” I sounded.

photos by graphics editor kevin chen, photos courtesy grace dong, pratham gupta, deeksha raina

& cindy yuan

14 Centerspread

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, February 26, 2016

Yearbook consists of one third period class run by Yearbook Adviser Jean Dotson and three Editors-in-Chief, with section editors who design and check every page of the yearbook thoroughly and carefully. The yearbook classes cover Link Crew, orientation, all of the dances, sporting events, the Senior Waterworld trip, seasonal blood drives, plays and performances, Homecoming, and Multicultural Week, with special coverages like last year’s MSJ 50th Anniversary spread. Every month, their printer, Herff Jones, gives them a quota of about 50 pages, and they assign design teams that complete about 10 pages each, featuring mugshots, spotlights, and events as needed. These design teams differ every month, and every student gets to work with different people and sections every time. Before sending, the design team head and Editorsin-Chief proofread it. When the pages come back as proofs, the section editor, layout editor, copy editor, and Dotson check it before sending the final version to the printer. Eventually, their work culminates in a 300page yearbook at the end of the year, a snapshot of student life at MSJ.

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“Before joining, I had definitely not realized the time and effort involved in putting together a yearbook. Much of Yearbook is about commitment. I think the most important thing I learned from this class was how to set antd stick to concrete deadlines, while still producing high-quality work.”

“I’ve learned how vastly talented MSJ’s student body is! We do student spotlights every year, and we try to highlight students with unique hobbies, like cutting hair or horseback riding. It’s nice to see how diverse we all are even though we are often just lumped together as the ‘Mission kids.’” - Kristie Chiang, 11

- Vicki Xu, 9

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Centerspread 15

“Peer Resource has given me another close group of friends as well as a new outlook on everyday issues. It’s also caused me to wake up at 6:00 a.m. every tday! The class has given me satisfaction that the impact we make, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, helps our school community. I’ve learned that no one is exempt from mental disorders or illnesses. A very common sickness, depression, is very present at our school. It is so difficult to detect and even harder to treat. The happiest, nicest people you know may be in such excruciating pain and suffering, and you might not even notice.”

- Christopher Ha, 11

By Ashley Chang, Andrew Chen, Anthony Chen & Ruiwen Shen Staff Writers

Leadership consists of two classes, both aimed to develop skills that are necessary for success in today’s competitive work environment, whether in a leadership role or not. Leadership 2 (L2), with 50 members, is composed of junior and senior class officers, ASB officers, and students who pass both an application process and an interview. While the two classes have the same goal of developing leadership and other skills, they rarely interact directly, as Activities Director Ben Breazeale usually acts as the mediator between them. L2 operates through committees led by appointed committee heads, who are chosen after an application process and interviews. These committees include Alumni, Activities-Team, Campus, Community, Election, Fundraising, Green, Homecoming/Multicultural, Publicity, Student Store, Student-Teacher Relations, Sports, and Tech. Class officers must fulfill their duties while taking part in committees with the rest of the members as well.

“Before I joined, I didn’t realize how much work went into so many of our events. Learning to lead is an understatement. I learned the process behind putting together large events like Homecoming, Mtulticultural, blood drives. I learned to work with people and communicate ideas. I’ve learned to become a more efficient and effective leader.” - Kousheyo Kundu, 11

Ever wonder how MSJ’s student organizations are run? The Smoke Signal presents a behindthe-scenes look into how Peer Resource, Yearbook, and L2 work to create activities and content for the MSJ community. Staff writers interviewed teachers and members to find out the purpose, structure, and process of these organizations.

Peer Resource is an organization that aims to help students deal with sensitive topics, create a healthy and supportive school environment, and provide general support for the student population. The organization functions as a graded zero period elective that fills A-G requirements. Classes start at 7:05 a.m. every day, except Wednesday, when class is held at lunch. Led by Counselor Joanna Jensen, Peer Resource currently has 34 members known as Peer Mentors. They serve as listeners that students can comfortably reach out to, offering help through a one-on-one buddy system called the Buddy Program and an open outreach program called Open Arms. Students may be referred to the Buddy Program by a counselor, teacher, or another student. Students themselves can go to Jensen to sign up for a Peer Buddy. However, Peer Mentors often help students outside of these programs. Once a month, Peer Resource plans a school-wide event, such as passing around flowers with positive quotes attached or putting jokes and inspirational quotes up on lockers to brighten people’s days. Peer Resource also holds an annual benefit show in the spring that features various performances and speakers and covers a social issue that needs attention. Even though holding the class on campus is supported by MPPFA, the organization itself is self-funded, much like a school club, and students raise money through fundraisers. For more coverage on Peer Resource, refer to page 26.

“Last year, each member was required to make a speech about how their life was affected by Leadership, something that I thought was really cheesy. However, after an emotional first speech set a precedent, it was obvious that our class was meant to be something deeper and stronger than just a team. As the year continued, the speeches, whether they were about being indecisive when choosing where to eat or battling personal hardships, revealed more and more about each person. It’s funny to look back and realize that some seemingly insignificant and shallow speeches ended up being the reason why I see L2 as a family rather than a team.”

“I’ve learned a lot about balance, from my own happiness, my interactions with Peers, and the standards I hold myself and other humans around me to. I’ve learned to be more mindful of the circumstances that other people might be going through, and I have been exposed to the realities of the stigmas at Mission. I’ve learned to look a little bit closer when one of my classmates seems to be disconnected with what they’re doing so that I can help more people.”

- Joshua Liu, 12

- Mallika Gupta, 10

photos by graphics editor kevin chen, staff writers ashley chang, andrew chen, anthony chen & ruiwen shen, courtesy marilyn nguyen & graphicsfuel.com. graphics courtesy jennifer dutra, marilyn nguyen & brian wu.

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, February 26, 2016

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R M u s i C : s y lva n e s s o | t r oye s i va n | k a n ye we s t

Under the Radar

| Film: deadpool

troye sivan delivers a wild concert

By Sayan Ghosh Staff Writer

By Harshita Gupta Opinion Editor Tired of top 40 pop music, but don’t want bass-heavy rock or somber indie? Meet Sylvan Esso. This one-of-a-kind duo plays with imagery, unconventional synthesizers, and dreamily layered vocals to welcome, relax, and energize listeners, all in the same track. Formed in 2013 by vocalist Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn, Sylvan Esso made their debut with their eponymous album in 2014. Both Meath and Sanborn hail from folk backgrounds: Meath was one of three singers in Appalachian-folk-rock band Mountain Man, and Sanborn was a producer for psychedelic folk band Megafun. The band carves itself a one-of-akind electro-coffeehouse niche in the already uncommon folk-pop genre. Listening to the group, however, brings anything to mind but folk. There’s no twanging guitars or humming on the tracks. Rather, airy vocals and strangely fitting electronics create laid-back indie tracks to head-bob to while lying in a hammock – upbeat yet welcoming. Although they operate at different energy levels and pitches, Sylvan Esso’s vocals-as-beats formula closely resembles that of synthpop group Chvrches. Meath’s repeated, hypnotizing vocals extend on this effect with vibrating auto-tune or mellow self-harmonies. Her voice blends into Sanborn’s electro-pop, resembling one of many instruments rather than dominating as a melody. Their music could very well be instrumental. Sanborn is unabashedly diverse with the turntables; his track additions vary from simple percussion like in “Could I Be” to crowd-claps in “Hey Mami”, to more exaggerated, sci-fi synthesizers like in “Wolf.” With music of such a specific style and so rooted in repetition of vocals and beats, you’d think that Sylvan Esso’s tracks would start sounding the same, but each presents a distinctive quality, from content to execution. The same combination of synths is never repeated. Song lyrics range from covering mindfulness in “HSKT” to cat calling in “Hey Mami.” Two seconds into a new track, a specific vibe takes hold. Sylvan Esso uses their singular style to share distinct experiences and moods. It’s light, take-everywhere, and listen-anytime kind of music. The band completed their first international tour in July 2015, and is currently working on a follow-up to their first album. While they perfect their sound, let the debut feature in your next music adventure. Start with the more sultry “Coffee” or get straight to the quirky dance number “Dress.” Sylvan Esso will not disappoint. ▪

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Music review

courtesy annie tang

By Grace Dong & Annie Tang Opinion Editor and Centerspread Editor 20-year-old South African-born Australian actor, singer, songwriter, and Youtuber Troye Sivan brought his endearing dance moves, soothing voice, and charming lyrics to the Oakland Fox Theatre on February 8. Sivan is currently on tour in support of his debut album Blue Neighborhood. The Bay Area welcomed the Internet sensation-turned-pop star with open arms as fans lined up around the block more than four hours in advance. Allie X, the co-writer of seven tracks on Sivan’s album, opened the show with her own dynamic, energizing set that displayed her stunning vocal range and bold dance moves. Her strong stage presence and signature sunglasses immediately caught the audience’s attention. Listeners were also able to hear the live version of her single “Old Habits Die Hard” that she had released a few days prior. After Allie X’s opening, Sivan started his set with a chilling performance of “Bite” on a stage illuminated with white strobe lights and shrouded with dense fog. Only Sivan’s silhouette was visible as he set an electrifying tone for the rest of the night. Sivan then launched into the

sweet love song titled “for him.” and the heartbreaking “Fools,” showing off his impressive vocal ability, relatable lyrics, and rainbow tie-dye shirt. Sivan introduced his next song “Heaven” as one that describes his personal experience coming to terms with his sexuality. The emotional impact behind the song was evident; audience members not only tearfully sang along, but also held up paper clouds featuring the phrase, “YOU BELONG IN HEAVEN,” in response to the lyric, “Without losing a piece of me, how do I get to heaven?” Emotions in the theater continued to climb as Sivan sang “Suburbia” while waving around a rainbow flag that featured fan messages, a gift he received shortly before the show. Audience members continued to sing along to every word as Sivan sang his single, “Wild,” a beautiful rendition of Justin Bieber’s song, “Love Yourself,” his 2014 single “Happy Little Pill,” and his song “Ease.” Sivan then shifted to a darker, more intense tone with his song “DKLA.” Red smoke billowed out onstage, and the bass imitated an intense heartbeat that audience members could feel resonating in their chests. Sivan seemingly ended the concert with a breathtaking performance of “Talk Me Down,” as the crowd

swayed along to the gentle beat. Sivan then thanked his fans and left the stage, only to have screams of “One more! One more!” and “Encore!” trailing after him. To the crowd’s delight, Sivan returned to the stage sporting one of his own merchandise pieces, a baby pink sweatshirt with the word “Fireproof ” written across the chest. The audience surged with renewed energy while Sivan sang his final two songs, “Lost Boy” and “Youth.” At Sivan’s request, the crowd shouted the lyrics, “My youth!” along to his energetic, spastic dance moves—ending the concert on the perfect high note. The stripped down performance worked spectacularly with Sivan’s calming voice and lyrics. The minimalistic stage, which featured only the accompanying band and three stick drawn house outlines in the back, was well complemented by the special effect light shows and the soft fog. Though his set was only a little more than an hour long, Sivan more than delivered with his amazing stage presence, connecting with every fan in the intimate venue with his honest personality and music. ▪ Rating: A

deadpool is life

By Anu Asokan & Chloe Velasquez Staff Writers There’s only one way to describe Deadpool: fresh. This isn’t another superhero movie. In fact, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) doesn’t even want to be labelled as a hero. He’s a man with only two things on his mind: regaining his previously attractive body and slaughtering his enemy in the most satisfying way possible. The irony, of course, is that his enemy is the only one who knows how to restore his body to its former glory. The film is drenched in sarcasm. The opening credits mock Hollywood cliches, listing the character’s names as “some hot chick”, “a British villain”, and “the comic relief.” Upbeat, sunshiny songs from the ‘80s play during torture scenes. And of course, our dear anti-hero’s greatest strength is not his super healing ability, but his humor. He can’t resist commenting on anything and everything: the food stuck in his enemy’s teeth, other comic book characters, and the producers at Fox. He admits that he’s not the

brightest guy around and gets a kick out of irritating the uptight sadists he encounters, even when his life is in their hands. Aside from this gleeful joke fest, the audience gets a peek into life before Deadpool, or in this case, the life of Wade Wilson, a man willing to sacrifice anything for the woman he loves. Of course, these emotional scenes may be short-lived, but they allow a nice break and a little character development. Reynolds reprises his role as Deadpool with an almost natural perfection. Unlike Deadpool’s previous appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, with his mouth sewn shut, he’s finally able to speak in all his morbid, annoying, and crass glory. Thanks to Reynolds, Deadpool’s sardonic tone doesn’t seem forced. Morena Baccarin, who plays his girlfriend Vanessa Carlysle, adds a more serious touch to the film, without killing the comedic buzz. Deadpool’s best buddy Jack Hammer, played by T. J. Miller, amps up the humor factor as well with his straightforward remarks. However, Reynolds is definitely the center of attention and makes the film what it is: a vulgar joyride.

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Deadpool is not free of flaws. Although the film is filled with delicious sarcasm and humor, the story arc isn’t anything new. The film is predictable and doesn’t provide any other memorable aspect of plot, aside from Deadpool’s back story. The villain Ajax (Ed Skrein) is an interesting character, but his lack of character development makes his plotline not worth mentioning after exiting the theatre. Action-wise, all the fight scenes followed the same blueprint of any typical fight scene in a Hollywood action film. In the end, however, the humor definitely outshines the flaws. Deadpool is a story of unlikely friendships; a taxi driver, blind drug addict, and bartender are among Deadpool’s sidekicks. Reynolds fits the part perfectly and brings a refreshing character to a long list of boring, stereotypical superheroes. After all, how often do we meet someone willing to butcher anyone in his way but doesn’t have the courage to tell his ex-girlfriend he loves her? If you’re looking for a witty, unnervingly fresh film packed with action and crude one-liners, Deadpool is for you. ▪ Rating: A-

Kanye Omari West is one of the most critically acclaimed, controversial, and publicly scrutinized artists of the 21st century. From his soulful debut to 2013’s brash, abrasive Yeezus, his music shows a self-awareness that reflects that despite his seemingly braggadocios exterior, West is a conflicted and reflective artist. His latest album The Life of Pablo begins with “Ultralight Beams,” a soulful track heavily influenced by gospel music. The song has a guest verse delivered by fellow Chicago native Chance the Rapper. “Father Stretch my Hands Pt. 1” and “Pt. 2” feature Atlanta-based producer Metro Boomin, whose trap-influenced beats are not often featured in West’s songs. The songs are held back by some very awkward and unnecessary lyrics, but the strong backing beats make up for them. “Famous” utilizes samples from a variety of sources from Nina Simone to Italian hard rock band Enzo Vita, highlighting Kanye’s skill in picking samples to work with. Once again, despite the excellent production, the song is held back by some awkward lines and weak rhyming phrases. “Feedback,” “Highlights,” and “Freestyle Pt. 4” are some of the weakest tracks on the album, especially due to the unimpressive verses, although “Highlights” is made more interesting by the feature of Young Thug, one of hip-hop’s most unique artists. The album’s second half shines in comparison to the first. “Waves,” the production of which reportedly caused a delay in the release of the album, features a beat that truly does come in “waves,” with which Chris Brown’s guest vocals almost blend in with. “FML” has a beat reminiscent of one that would be used by Houston-based artist Travis $cott, one of Kanye’s protégés. The Weeknd’s short feature is extremely well-utilized, leading the way into a spectacular beat change. “Real Friends” is one of the album’s best tracks, featuring very personal lyrics from West that deal with many of his personal relationships and an excellent feature from Ty Dolla $ign. “No More Parties in L.A,” featuring a classic beat produced by Madlib, starts off strong, especially with Kendrick Lamar’s guest verse. However, the song drags since the beat gets repetitive with little variation, and Kanye’s verses get weaker and weaker. “Fade,” the album’s closer, features one of Kanye’s best verses as well as an excellent feature by Post Malone, but ends rather abruptly and sharply. Overall, the album contains some of Kanye’s strongest instrumentals, combining elements from all of Kanye’s previous works, from the more traditional, soulful samples of The College Dropout to the synth-heavy Graduation to the more aggressive beats of Yeezus. They demonstrate Kanye’s skill in combining samples from an eclectic range of sources. The main drawback of the album is its relatively weak lyricism. Despite that, The Life of Pablo is an excellent album features Kanye dealing with the mistakes he has made in the past as well as the emotional struggles he is dealing with in the present, with heavy religious undertones. The album is seemingly disjointed and unstructured, but this may actually be a reflection of Kanye’s psyche itself. Who is Pablo? Picasso or Escobar? The Life of Pablo sometimes exemplifies both. ▪ Rating: A-

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Friday, February 26, 2016

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Arts & Entertainment 17

By Ishika Chawla, Tanushri Sundar & Zen Thumparkkul

Staff Writers

As many prodigious musicians within our student body often go unheard of, the Smoke Signal took this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of student musicians and share their original work with the MSJ community. Student artists responded to an online survey form on Facebook or were nominated by their peers.* Compositions range from individual to collaborative and from classical to electronically-synthesized. Visit www.thesmokesignal.org to listen to their music and find links to their social media platforms!

Seniors Link Lee and Zachary Wang are as great a pair of friends as they are music collaborators. The two share a passion for composing music, which for them, mostly leans toward electronic and hip-hop style. While Lee specializes in acapella, beatbox, and sax solos, Wang contributes his extensive experience with percussion instruments. Both also started playing classical piano at a young age. Wang discovered the world of music composition through SoundCloud, where rising talents, many his age, shared their original music online. Lee, on the other hand, was motivated by his fellow peers and experimentation with beatboxing to start his music career. Once in awhile, the two get together to co-produce original music and mash-ups or remixes of popular songs. “We always hype each other up, inspire each other, and there’s something about us being both in the zone that always does the magic; we can just come up with stuff out of nowhere while both having an awesome time.” -Link Lee, 12

Sophomore Anthea Cheng began playing guitar when she was nine years old but began songwriting and creating original music in seventh grade. She enjoys acoustic music and writing lyrics about how she feels at a certain moment in order to express her emotion and her reasoning behind why she feels a certain way. She is inspired by the idea of creating and performing original content and often creates videos and songs with her band, 4shadow. She is currently in the process of copywriting a few songs that she has recently written and arranged. “Something that’s really appealing about music is that it’s very universal. Someone from the other side of the world could be listening to the same song as you and even in a different language the sound of music can relax anyone.”

Senior Alexander Lee composes both orchestral and contemporary classical musical music, a type of classical music with modern elements. He discovered his knack for composing three years ago when a friend introduced him to a simple software program called Noteflight, and he now uses a program called MuseScore, which has over 500 different instruments with which to create music. Lee says that his proudest musical accomplishment is his most popular song, “MILK TEA.” “Composing isn’t hard; it does not require formal musical training. In fact, you’d be surprised to learn that many successful composers can’t read music. If you’ve ever hummed your own tune in the shower, you can compose.”

Sophomore Emily Jean realized her passion for music after singing at church, participating in talent shows, and being recognized for her vocal abilities by her peers. She realized that music was something that she wanted to pursue as a career and has since transitioned transitioned from simple acoustic covers with her guitar and piano to original songwriting and even producing. Her proudest achievements include performing at the Area 2 Benefit Show and her original song, “Ticking” on her YouTube channel, which has garnered over 800 views, with some of her most popular covers receiving over 4000 views. Through her music, Jean hopes to inspire others through her feelings and experiences. “The inspiration behind my music is just kind of like my feelings and like my experiences. I write to inspire and I write to like change nights and change those bad days.”

Senior Melissa De Guzman tries not to stick to specific genres when composing her songs; rather, she takes inspiration from the many songs she enjoys listening to, mostly hiphop and indie, and gives it an original spin of her own. For the most part, De Guzman writes her own original songs and lyrics, complete with accompaniment on her guitar. In her leisure time, she also enjoys uploading new covers and mixtapes on her SoundCloud and YouTube channel. Some of her favorite original pieces include “dreamboy” and “c ya space cowboy”. De Guzman also just recently released a Valentine’s Day mixtape. “I just wanted to put my voice out there for fun. It wasn’t like I wanted to start a giant music career, you know, it’s just something I want to do to express myself.”

IVivo is a string quartet comprised of Juniors Hanlin Wang, violin, Michelle Zhang, violin, April Huang, viola, and Benjamin Wang, cello. The quartet formed in summer of 2014, when Zhang’s father suggested she form a string quartet to raise money for local music programs. Zhang then contacted her fellow California Youth Symphony orchestra members and created IVivo. “Vivo” is a musical term for “lively,” and the roman numeral “IV” alludes to the four-member group. IVivo rehearses classical music and creates its own arrangements of pop songs, which it posts on YouTube. The group’s proudest musical accomplishment is playing an original arrangement of Coldplay’s Viva la Vida in the 2014 FUSD’s Got Talent Show, winning first place and $800 for MSJ. “Running a string quartet in junior year doesn’t even sound remotely possible. And it’s true, we’ve been hit hard by by school and academics. But for this very reason, we believe it is more important than ever to have an outlet where we can make music, relax, and have fun.” -Michelle Zhang, 11 *As there were many responses, the Smoke Signal could not cover all nominees; those featured were considered for originality, diversity, and social media popularity. photos by staff writers ishika chawla,tanushri sundar & zen thumparkkul, courtesy anthea cheng, emily jean, ivivo quartet & zachary wang

18 Arts & Entertainment

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MOD gives off a warm and comfortable atmosphere the second upon entering. With colorful picture collages lining the walls combined with undertones of catchy tunes, it is a great place for friends, family, and colleagues to have lunch or dinner. Despite a lack of customers due to its recent opening, MOD’s relaxed environment shows a lot of potential.

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Friday, February 26, 2016

Similar to other pizzerias in Fremont, MOD hosts a self-serving pay, choose, and pick-up system. Although there are no servers waiting on every table, the workers are friendly and welcoming. The boisterous inter-staff conversations also added to the overall comfortable feel of MOD.

By Tanvi Raja & Shivane Sabharwal Staff Writers Yet another eatery has opened in Fremont Hub. MOD Pizza is a trendy pizzeria that offers make-your-own pizzas, along with salads and creative drinks. Staff writers from the Smoke Signal braved the restaurant in order to find out if it was worth the time of MSJ students.

The prices were relatively unsurprising and paralleled those of Pieology and Blaze Pizza. MOD differentiates itself by offering every 11-inch pizza for the same price no matter the cheese, topping, or meat. The high prices of the “MODshakes” and floats did raise a few eyebrows, however.

MOD’s system of pizza is familiar, with a slight twist. Customers can pick from a dozen pre-created combinations or create their own pizza. After ordering three standard favorites, we were pleased to taste a wellthought out mix of ingredients in all of the pizzas. The “Calexico” had grilled chicken that balanced out a hot buffalo sauce, while the “Caspian” managed to make barbecue sauce the star of the show without overdoing it. The most appealing part of the pizza was the crust, which was crispy, but not burnt. The open float bar was also a pleasant surprise, but the vanilla “MODshake” cannot be called anything more than simple ice cream. photos by staff writers tanvi raja & shivane sabharwal, kuik.com

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Smoke Signal

By Ishika Chawla, Tanushri Sundar & Zen Thumparkkul Staff Writers

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20 Arts & Entertainment

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a day at

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Friday, February 26, 2016

CASMEC 2016

By Kevin Chen Graphics Editor

Senior Kevin Chen, along with 14 other MSJ Band and Orchestra students, performed in the CA Band Directors Association’s All-State Honor Groups at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts on February 13 and 14 as part of the annual CA All-State Music Education Conference, a culmination of music education and talent from all across the state. Students interested in participating submitted recorded auditions at the end of November, and results were announced online at the beginning of January. Take an inside look at Chen’s experiences and thoughts on his first day at the conference, February 11. 12:22 PM: Ring-g-g-g! As fourth period ends I dash to my dad’s car, eager to be on my way. My mind is still whirling from the English test I had just taken, but I’m excited that after a month-long wait I’ll finally be heading to the conference, which all of us colloquially refer to as “All-State”. This is my sixth and final year attending All-State, and for the previous five years the conference had been held in Fresno. But this year the conference was moved to San Jose, and I’m looking forward to four days of incredible music performances and rehearsals.

courtesy hsi-sheng chen

The high school symphonic band prepares for its performance.

2:00 PM: As we pull up to the curb of the Fairmont, we’re greeted by a sea of taxis and other cars dropping students off. I walk through the front doors and into the main lobby and immediately smile. Large signs with “High School Wind Symphony” or “Junior High School Concert Band” helpfully point out the right direction to walk in, and before long I’ve checked-in and received my nametag. But my room is still being prepared, so I’m forced to leave my luggage in the storage room before I go off for seating auditions. 3:15 PM: With my clarinet and music in

hand, I board the bus that will take us to San Jose State University, where auditions are being held. In a warm up room, about 40 other students are desperately running through their music one more time before it’s their time to face the judges. 4:15 PM: The door to the audition room opens, and I walk in with my clarinet clenched tightly in one hand and my music folder in the other. I can hear the judges moving their papers around behind the curtain that’s been set up to prevent us from seeing each other. Although I’ve done this several times already, I can’t help but feel nervous. I quickly play through my music, flinching at a note that doesn’t come out quite right. But I try to not beat myself up too much about it as I head back to the warm up room and pack up my things, content with the fact that I’ve been lucky enough to even be here for my senior year. 5:45 PM: After returning to the Fairmont, I drop my things off in the room that I’m sharing with three of my friends before heading back down to the second floor for dinner. As odd as it sounds, this is one of the things I’m looking forward to most. Although I found it slightly suspicious that, exactly like at Fresno, we were having tacos for our first dinner, I was amazed by how much higher the food quality was. Granted, I was at a music conference, not a food conference. But having something enjoyable to eat also plays a big role in my experience! 7:30 PM: After settling into our rooms and attending a brief Student Orientation, we walk over to the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts for that night’s concert. Along the way, seating audition results are sent out to all students by text. I manage to make it into the Symphonic Band, the “middle” group below Wind Symphony and above Concert Band.

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18 Reasons. 18 Years. OUTSTANDING MEANINGFUL INSIGHTFUL CREATIVE

8:00 PM: The concert opens with the Hijiyama Girls Junior & Senior High School Wind Orchestra from Hiroshima, Japan. In a single word, their performance is extraordinary. Even I can’t help joining the numerous standing ovations that occur after their pieces. But after the Orchestra finishes their performance, an even bigger surprise comes out on stage: Simply Three, a trio of string musicians that performs arrangements for violin, cello, and bass of “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran, “Shake it Off ” by Taylor Swift, “Wake Me Up” by Avicii, and several other popular tunes. 10:30 PM: After the end of an amazing concert, I head back to the Fairmont with my roommates. Although we’re already exhausted, we’re looking forward to the next few days. ▪

INNOVATIVE FUN SMALL GROUPS RESULTS DRIVEN

Serving all of your educational needs since 1998, Mill Creek Academy offers quality academic enrichment, test preparation, and college admissions consulting. We are committed to delivering the highest quality of expertise to support your child’s academic achievement. www.millcreekacademy.com

Email: directors@millcreekacademy.com Phone: 510.353.0400

1544 Washington Boulevard, Fremont, CA 94539

Dr. Jeffrey Wong

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Friday, February 26, 2016

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Sports 21

Wrestling tournament hosted at MSJ By Mallika Gupta & Victor Zhou Staff Writers MSJ hosted more than 500 wrestlers from CA and Nevada as part of the 41st MSJ Invitational Wrestling Tournament on Feb. 5 to 6. The two-day tournament, initiated by former MSJ Wrestling Coach Mike Ruiz, featured more than 65 teams. Having only 18 to 20 participating teams at its debut, the tournament is now ranked in the top six most difficult tournaments in CA. At the weigh-ins, which took place early each morning, wrestlers were placed into one of 14 weight classes in which they competed. The top six wrestlers in each weight class earned a medal, and the finalists received a finalist singlet, a specially designed colored uniform for the finals. The champions are awarded a medal, a plaque, and a MSJ Invitational T-shirt. The teams with the highest cumulative scores receive trophies. The especially prodigious Champion of Champions award goes to the best wrestler in the tournament, which is voted upon by the wrestlers themselves. MSJ made it to 14th place overall, with Las Lomas High School taking first place. Out of the eight wrestlers MSJ sent to the tournament, seven advanced to the quarterfinals on the second day of competition, and Senior Captains Jonathan Lin and Eric Yang made it to sixth and third place in their weight class, respectively. “It was a good tournament. Most of our people made Day Two, which was good. I wish we had more placers, but it is how it is,” said Lin. The tournament is hosted and organized by Athletics Director Thomas Thomsen. With a 32-man bracket and a double elimination format, the entire tournament takes place over two contiguous days, and coaches and wrestlers from other parts of the state are responsible for finding their own accommodations. The tournament usually takes place during the first week of

Senior Captain Eric Yang pins his opponent to the mat.

February, and is the last major tournament before postseason and the CA Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships. Many teams take this chance to prepare their wrestlers for the high caliber of competition, and teams that place at the MSJ Invitational also usually place similarly at the Championships. The MSJ Invitational is important for MSJ Wrestling and Athletics. Each team

pays a registration fee to enter, and snacks, apparel, and other items are sold on-site to generate funding. The money is used to pay for tournament officials, an estimated cost of $6,000, and the rest of the funds are used to sponsor MSJ Athletics. “It’s important for both MSJ and MSJ Wrestling… for Mission, it nets thousands of dollars that go back into the sports fund. So that’s how we get the new wrestling gear, the new

equipment, and for other sports as well,” said Yang. Despite not placing in the top 10 teams, MSJ Wrestling is undaunted. “In terms of the wrestling, I think we did really, really well…but definitely, we’ve been working... we’ve been improving...and it’s helping out a lot [sic]. ” said Yang. ▪

Yang wins third place in his weight class.

Senior Captain Jonathan Lin gets ready for a reversal with his opponent.

Senior Ethan Farrington pins his opponent.

Tournament officials wait for their matches. photos by staff writers mallika gupta & victor zhou

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Friday, February 26, 2016

The Smoke Signal

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Girls’ Basketball dominates in massive win On Friday, January 12, MSJ Girls’ Basketball went head to head with Kennedy High School in a home game. The Warriors dominated the court, scoring basket after basket with their strong offense, and eventually won the game 52-16. MSJ started the game by winning the tip off; however, the ball went out of bounds, giving Kennedy possession. The Warriors started off shaky, with an early foul leading to Kennedy scoring the first free-throw. A few minutes into the first quarter, however, the team got into rhythm, and scored. MSJ’s experience began to play to their advantage. While the Warriors had five seniors, Kennedy’s team had none, giving them a clear advantage they utilized to their benefit. Kennedy’s team had a low shooting percentage in the first half, missing multiple jump-shots, layups, and three-pointers. On the other hand, MSJ’s offense pushed back. Standout players Senior Erikka Linn and Junior Stephanie Tu were regular scorers throughout the game, with a score-heavy first half illustrating their skill. By halftime, the Warriors had a massive lead. Warriors’ Coach Doug Sakamoto, huddled with the girls at halftime, and during the second half of the game, gave many bench players more active time on the court. The second half was much more relaxed, with the initial lead already secured, allowing almost everyone from the Warrior’s team to score. Kennedy continued a weak offense, allowing the Warriors to steal the ball, scoring shot after shot. While MSJ had initially focused on scoring throughout the first half, the second half focused on defensive plays. Each shot was greeted with massive cheering from the large crowd assembled. “It was awesome hearing everyone cheer and seeing everyone get in the game. The crowd participation was honestly amazing, it felt like a playoff game,” said Senior Parwana Khazi. By the end of the game,

Senior Jonai Na Standfield prepares for a shot from the left.

Sports 23

By Bindhu Swaminathan Staff Writer

Senior Captain Erikka Linn shoots from the key.

MSJ’s lead was huge, at 52-16, blowing Kennedy out of the water. With strong offensive plays, an experienced team, and a standout first half, MSJ’s win was a cohesive effort from the entire team. Almost every player brought their game face and a solid performance to clutch the win. The team celebrated their Senior Night in the C-wing, honoring the seniors for their dedication to the sport. Senior parents had planned the night, with a cake with pictures of senior teammates, speeches by old coaches, and slideshows of pictures bringing laughter, smiles, and a few tears from the players present. Junior Stephanie Tu said, “We didn’t start off great, but we picked our game up and didn’t look back.” ▪

By the Numbers:

Standfield executes a free-throw shot.

MSJ Sports Fans

photos by staff writer bindhu swaminathan

By Mustafa Ahmed & Sayan Ghosh Staff Writers

MSJ students are a passionate bunch when it comes to supporting their favorite sports teams. Many come from a great assortment of places around the country and the world, which causes there to be a wide variety of teams supported. The Smoke Signal conducted a survey to find out which teams are supported the most by MSJ students. We asked MSJ students to pick their favorite teams in each of six sports, which were: soccer, baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and college sports. *The results are based on a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal through Facebook. A total of 127 students responded to the survery.

Basketball

78%

Soccer 5.5% 1.6%

Football 40.2% 10.2% 9.4%

Baseball 66.9% 15.7% 3.9%

Given that the Golden State Warriors won an NBA championship just last year and are currently riding a wave of success, it’s not surprising that more than three-fourths of MSJ students surveyed said that the Warriors are their favorite team. The next most-liked team was the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that has made the playoffs numerous times in recent history and whose star athlete Kobe Bryant is adored by fans of the team.

Despite having faced multiple setbacks this past season, two-fifths of MSJ students surveyed said that their favorite football team was the San Francisco 49ers. Surprisingly, the Oakland Raiders, the Bay Area’s counterpart, received only six percent of the total votes. The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, two AFC heavyweights led by elite quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, made up ten and nine percent of the total, respectively. The Seattle Seahawks, locally known as a rival of the 49ers, received a respectable nine percent of the total.

Two-thirds of respondents said that their favorite baseball team was the San Francisco Giants, who have enjoyed an absurd level of success with three World Series titles in the past five years. The Oakland Athletics came second but with only 15 percent of the total tally, perhaps because they have struggled in recent years. Other than the two Bay Area teams, a smaller subset of participants picked the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, two teams that have a huge following nationwide.

29.1% 22.8% 7.9%

Hockey 74%

4.7%

About 30 percent of respondents selected the Spanish team FC Barcelona, which is currently the reigning champion of the UEFA Champions League and arguably one of the best teams in history, as their favorite team. The English team Manchester United, which has been struggling during recent times but is nonetheless one of the most supported teams in the world, was chosen the most after Barcelona. English teams Arsenal and Liverpool F.C. were also relatively popular, as well as the Spanish giant Real Madrid C.F. The other teams chosen included German champions Bayern Munich, Italian giant A.C. Milan, as well as several MLS teams.

An overwhelming majority (about 75 percent) of respondents selected the Bay Area based San Jose Sharks as their favorite hockey team. Other than the Sharks, teams chosen by several MSJ students included the Los Angeles Kings, who top the NHL Pacific Division, and the Chicago Blackhawks, who sit second in the Central Division.

3.1%

College Teams 20.5% 27.6%

The local Bay Area colleges Stanford and Cal were the most popular among MSJ students. Combined, they account for nearly 50 percent of the total. Cal and Stanford’s Pac-12 rivals USC, UCLA, and Oregon were also selected by several MSJ students. Duke was also relatively popular, accounting for about 10 percent of the total, presumably due to the reigning NCAA champion Blue Devils basketball team. The Alabama Crimson Tide was also selected several times, presumably also due to its status as the reigning NCAA football champion.

13.4% graphics from sportslogos.net

24 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, February 26, 2016

Dancers perform in Super Bowl halftime show On Feb. 7, 2016, four MSJ students danced during the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show at Levi’s Stadium. Juniors Sarah Deng and Nitya Vakil and Seniors Rashi Ambashta and Grace Dong appeared on the field alongside Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars to deliver a spectacular performance, filled with bright colors and well-planned choreography. The four dancers shared their experiences with the Smoke Signal in the following interview segments.

show, actually—it’s like, you spend so much time rehearsing, you spend these countless hours and sometimes you’re like, “I just want to go home,” and “What am I here for,” you know, it doesn’t seem so real, and then we’re there in front of the audience of 60,000 people and that was, like, when we walked through the tunnel, I remember seeing all these people that were screaming for you, and it was awesome. That was probably the best part for sure.

By Ella Chen & Amber Lee Staff Writers

SS: What skills or insights did you gain from performing in the show? RA: From this, I learned that these people are really organized, so I learned to be more organized as well. I love the way that they organized this and they were pretty efficient with the way things were structured. I also learned how to work better in a group, because you have to rely on each other when you’re out there. Something that our dance company person says, she says, “Take care of each other when you’re performing,” and I think that really made sense when we were out there. You help each other space out, you breathe, count out loud sometimes to help the person next to you, so you have to rely on each other.

Smoke Signal : How did you come across such a unique opportunity? Sarah Deng: The Super Bowl Halftime cast manager contacted our company director and asked our dancers to participate. Our director was skeptical of accepting [the offer] at first because the Super Bowl rehearsal schedule would interfere with our company one, but we all wanted to do it so we rearranged everything. SS: What happened during rehearsals? SD: We spent the first week rehearsing in an expo hall at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. The first day consisted of a short audition and then our first time practicing with the props. We had “flower” props, which were double sided, inverted umbrellas. We learned all the choreography and staging in the first week. The second week, we started practicing at Levi’s. This is when the show began to come together and we began adding other parts of the show, including the stage setup and the featured artists. We had a lot of time during transitions, so all the Super Bowl girls bonded and got a lot closer. SS: How has this experience changed you as a person? Grace Dong: In terms of insight, I suppose this experience gave me a taste of the “glamorous” life of the entertainment industry, because this is easily the biggest professional opportunity I’ve ever had. For two weeks, I was living a double life in terms of keeping this a secret from everyone I

getty images

Four MSJ students danced during the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show at Levi’s Stadium on the field, alongside Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars.

knew because of a confidentiality agreement, and just going to rehearsals every day, and then coming home and having to go back to my normal life and do homework, so it was really interesting to see how different these two parts of my life were, and now that it’s over, I’m still stuck wondering, “How am I going to go back to my ordinary life?”, because now that I’ve seen the behind-the-scenes of this major, major entertainment event, it’s kind of like insider knowledge. Now I see all these performances in a whole new light. SS: Are there any skills that you’ve learned in your past dance experiences that helped you with performing this show? GD: Honestly, the actual choreography of the

show was very simple. I suppose anyone who’s in decent shape could’ve done it, but I think the reason why they asked for dancers was that we had two weeks to put together a 12-minute performance and make it perfect, because we only had one shot on national television. So, rehearsals were always a lot of fast-paced learning in which they give you the counts, and then two minutes later, you have to know it. So, I would say my past experience with learning dances, and competing in dances every year definitely helped with keeping up choreography and with getting through these really long rehearsals. SS: What was your favorite part of the show? Rashi Ambashta: My favorite part is—of every

Team Spotlight: Cheer

SS: What do you remember the most out of everything that happened? Nitya Vakil: The experience itself was amazing. The fact that we performed in a stadium in front of thousands of people, that we rehearsed in the stadium itself, and that we were a part of something so amazing was truly a memorable experience. Oh, and Beyoncé was a foot away from me and she winked at me! I saw Jay Z and screamed, “Hello!” to him and waved. He laughed and waved back to me. SS: What is the most rewarding part of the experience altogether? NV: The most rewarding part of this was the experience of being a part of something so big and being able to share the stage with Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars, even if it was for a few minutes. ▪ By Andrew Choi & Carolyn Ge Staff Writers

Cheer performed at various assemblies, including the Homecoming Kickoff rally and the Green and White Assembly, and many athletic events, including the Homecoming Football game.

MSJ Cheer had fulfilling and successful fall and winter seasons with numerous performances at schoolwide assemblies and sports games. The team grew from seven girls last year to a total of 12 members this year and continued its tradition of performing at Homecoming, girls’ and boys’ home basketball games, home football games, and assemblies. Although half of the members were new to cheer when the team started, the girls quickly grew closer and bonded at UC Da-

vis cheer camp over the summer. A major highlight of the season was winning first place for the game-day cheer category during the camp. One of the four captains, Junior Jiti Sarkar, said, “The [team] grew and learned a lot at cheer camp, and we were really able to apply what we learned to our performances this season.” The team experienced some troubles in the beginning of the season when multiple girls dropped out. Sarkar said, “At one point we had 17 members on our squad,

but due to injuries and a lack of commitment from some of the girls, only around 12 continued throughout most of the year.” However, they were still able to successfully perform at games and assemblies throughout the season. Team Member Sophomore Daisy Chiu said, “The squad accomplished a lot this year because there were more girls, and we could do cooler stunts. We were able to do a split stunt which was featured in the Homecoming game halftime show.” The members are excited to perform at

the remaining games this season, as well as at the Winter Sports Assembly on February 25. They hope to continue improving and expanding next season, with their main goal being simply to get more people to join the squad. An informational meeting regarding cheer tryouts for the 2016-17 fall and winter sports seasons will be held on March 22, and all interested students of both genders are encouraged to attend. ▪

photos from smoke signal archives

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Special 25

MENTAL HEALTH COVERAGE By Victor Zhou

Parent Night Teen Esteem, a nonproﬁt organization that aims to educate teenagers on making informed and safe choices, held two assemblies, one for parents and one for students, on February 9 and 10, respectively. At the Parent Night conference, which took place in C-120, speakers talked about the causes and signs of pressure in teenagers, and techniques for parents to connect and communicate more effectively with their children to help them deal with stress and other problems. A particular focus was put on the issues that students face in modern society, such as social media, prescription drug abuse, and the pressure from parents and peers to take AP classes or other academics for college. “It’s the world our kids are living in, where the stress, the pressure, the anxiety, has never been greater,” said Community Chaplain and Teen Esteem Director Nick Vleisides.

STAFF WRITER VICTOR ZHOU

“In an age where cell phones and texting have become prevalent, it has never been more important to be checking up on and offering support to your children, especially when they feel like they have failed,” said Vleisides. Amador Valley High School Senior Nicole Tsuno, who shared that she attempted suicide during high school, said, “Mental health issues are alive and well, and it’s your job to be there for them and to support them.” After sharing her personal experiences, she said that being a stiff perfectionist, along with her extreme fear of failure, led to her attempt. “This generation is unable to cope with failure, to tolerate with failure,” said Teen Esteem Speaker Tim Barley. “Failure is part of the human experience. It is going to happen at some point.” The Parent Night ended with the motivational success story of MSJ Alumnus Idris Gettani. Choosing to attend community college after being rejected from every college he applied for, Gettani now studies business at UC Berkeley, and has worked for NASA and the vice-mayor of San Jose. “I worked hard and competed with nobody but myself . . . focus on growth; be better today than you were yesterday,” he said.

Teen Esteem Assembly

The Teen Esteem Assembly for students continued on with many of the topics and ideas shared the night before, but included many connections that were specifically oriented towards the younger audience. A primary point of discussion was the stress students are put under by the pressure of academic, athletic, and social success that seemed to be the standard at school. “Your parents are much more concerned about your well-being than your GPA . . . Students in high school are turning more and more towards dangerous coping methods, such as self-harm or taking prescription medication, like Adderall and Xanax,” said Barley. The speakers also addressed the academic culture that pervades schools like MSJ. “We’re trying to help . . . students to manage their own care,” said Vleisides. Teen Esteem also offered resources and advice to those who may feel depressed or suicidal. “When you take your life, you take the life of your loved ones,” said Vleisides. Using a tape measure, students were shown how much of their lives still lay ahead of them, and that as teenagers, they had lived but a fraction of their total experiences. MSJ’s counselors spoke about their roles and recommended that students with any problems, whether big or small, could come talk to them for help and support. The assembly concluded with an analogy about respect and self-worth. Barley picked up three different cups: a disposable plastic cup, an ordinary coffee mug, and a fine porcelain teacup, and compared them to people in life. “There is no such thing as replaceable people. Each one of you has infinite worth . . . it is impossible to calculate your worth. Every single one of you has a masterpiece to be written, and we can’t wait to hear it,” he said.

STAFF WRITER VICTOR ZHOU

The assemblies were set up and organized largely through the efforts of the counselors, Leadership Adviser Ben Breazeale, and the Leadership 2 class, who contacted Teen Esteem. L2 also worked with Peer Resource to publicize the Parent Night talk by passing out flyers to parents along Palm Avenue. The MSJ Administration has done extensive research on Teen Esteem in preparation for the presentations. Teen Esteem helps students around the Bay Area stay on the road to success in the face of the many challenges that adolescents are met with by talking personally with students at school, promoting healthy decision-making, improving relations between teens and their parents, providing resources to those in need, and assisting students in dealing with academic and social pressures. This assembly is part of Teen Esteem’s 20/20 Campaign, which is especially oriented to students in the Greater Bay Area, a region known for both its strong academics and high suicide rates. The goal of this campaign is to spread Teen Esteem’s message to over 250,000 students by 2020. Any student looking for support can talk with MSJ’s counselors, available anytime in the office, or find additional resources at www.teenesteem.org. STAFF WRITER VICTOR ZHOU

"I really, really appreciated that the school actually took the time to actually bring them to school, because I think its important that we're focusing so much on mental health in the school in general. But I also thought that, being in Peer Resource, I thought that it was, in a lot of ways, an oversimplification of the mental health issues....And also something that I personally believe is that you should separate academics from mental health. Because right now they talked about academics and mental health, where it seems like if you're reaching out for help for mental health, that’s in some way compromising your academics, because they talked about it so similarly together. Like ‘Don't stress....You don't need to achieve all of this at school. Take care of your mental health.’ It just kind of made it seem like if you're paying attention to your mental health, you're not going to be able to achieve what you want. Instead if they changed the message to ‘You can still achieve what you want but the way to achieve what you want is to take care of your mental health’ . . . I think that would be a better message to send to students.”

"I think they did cover most of the stuff about teen health and mental health pretty well. As far as academics—wise and how academics is going to affect our future—they also covered that, but personally I felt that combining the two was not the best idea because I feel like people would get this false idea that academics stress leads to mental health or that they're very correlated and I think that's the wrong idea. So, I feel like they should separate that in their message and that would make it more effective. I also feel like some parts of it were super serious, like the chaplain's story, which was very powerful, whereas the parts about the statistics tended to be pretty funny and laid-back. It kind of took away from that mood and meaningful message, so I feel like, again, combining the two didn't quite work out. So, making it more story-related could definitely have a better impact on students.” - Sruthi Durai, 12

"My biggest takeaway from this assembly is that stress is inevitable, but what makes people’s lives different positively or negatively are the ways they choose to deal with the stress.”

"I think that the assembly definitely could have been more effective in relating to the personal issues, as opposed to academic issues . . . My friend, who currently has severe depression, told me that the assembly only touched the tip of the iceberg; it played an important role in raising self-esteem and warning us about sexting, drinking, and suicide, but it failed to truly understand the personal issues plaguing teenagers today.”

- Adrienne Tong, 10

- Akshita Gandra, 11

- Pooja Nair, 12

"I think the Teen Esteem Assembly made an honest effort to help stressed out teens but I thought it was a little disorganized. Although the speaker was engaging and tried [to] interact with his audience, he was too casual and nonchalant, which contrasts with the serious topic of stress and teen suicide and the way the chaplain spoke about his experiences. Some improvements that can be made is to organize the topics better instead of throwing things out like the cup thing and Sparta and just having a more serious tone as a whole. Another thing that I disliked was having the MSJ alumni speak because he is currently in UC Berkeley's business school and the assembly speakers kept stressing it didn't matter what school you go to so I found that a little ironic.” - Heather Gan, 10

26 Special

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, February 26, 2016

Student Support Resources: Peer Resource Peer Resource is an on-campus, student-run organization that provides peer mentoring services in a variety of forms. The Smoke Signal conducted an interview with Peer Resource President Harshita Gupta about the benefits the organization provides for students at MSJ. >> HOW CAN I SIGN UP? Email peerresourcemsj@gmail.com, talk to a counselor, pick up a form from Ms. Jensen in the main office, or print one out from msjhs.org for the Buddy Program or Peer Mediation. Open Arms is walk-in, held in the B-Wing and/or C-Wing Cafeterias on Mondays and Wednesdays at lunch.

Smoke Signal: What are the services that Peer Resource offers? Harshita Gupta: To start off, all Peer Resource’s services are grounded in providing confidential, nonjudgmental, peer-to-peer support. There’s no such 34 Peer Mentors are trained thing as ‘what I’m to be empathetic, helpful and dealing with isn’t serious active listeners, and they sign a enough for me to talk confidentiality agreement at the to a Peer Buddy.’ start of the year. The primary service we offer is the Peer Mentoring service or the Buddy Program. Any student who wants to talk about anything can benefit from the service: whether it’s family, personal, social, or academic experiences. It can be something that they’re struggling with or something simpler that they just want to talk about. Once referred, they’re paired up with a student in Peer Resource and can meet with them as often as they want, from multiple times a week to once a month. Given the confidentiality agreement, anything said between you and a Peer Mentor will stay between the two of you, unless you give them permission, or yours or someone else’s life could be in danger. The other two programs we offer are Open Arms and Peer Mediation, both of which are one-time services. Open Arms is more of an immediate, one-on-one version of the Buddy Program. If you don’t want or need the followup conversations that the Buddy Program offers, you can attend Open Arms to get something off your chest. We set up tables in either the B-Wing or the C-Wing cafeteria Mondays Peer Mentors are more and Wednesdays at lunch, relatable and honest than and anyone can come join most adults can be—it feels more us. You can hang out or

like casual interaction rather than an intervention process. Peer Mentors are also in the midst of whatever issues are happening within the school at large. They can identify students in their classes and activities who might need support. They can reach out to them on a much more intimate and immediate level.

to meet individually with someone if you’d like to talk. Peer Mediation is something you can sign up for if you’re in conflict with someone and you’d like a neutral third party to help you resolve it in a constructive manner. We’re not going to take sides—we’re just going to be a neutral mediator. Again, all three of the Peer Resource services are confidential, unless, as stated, you give them permission, or yours or someone else’s life could be in danger. Along with those three services we have smaller events throughout the year to raise supportiveness levels on campus and to let the students know that we’re out there and we’re looking out for them. It’s small stuff like passing around bubble wrap during finals week so that people can de-stress, or giving out free breakfast food in the mornings. We know that it can’t overcome everything students are dealing with at the moment, but sometimes the small things matter and can add up to make a larger difference. Our events try to encourage that mindset.

By Carolyn Ge, Mallika Gupta & Chloe Velasquez Staff Writers

SS: What are some ways students can promote a healthier campus We’re working environment? to dismantle the HG: If you see someone who is down, ask them how it’s going stigma around mental and if they’d like someone to talk health, create more to. I think a lot of kids realize that supportive discussion if they’re not in a great place and spaces, encourage people that they should talk to people to seek support and help, about it, but they don’t. They and reach out to shouldn’t feel like they have to suck it up and deal with it because those around them. being unhappy is something that, although there’s nothing wrong with experiencing it, you shouldn’t have to deal with on your own. Being open about the fact that you might be struggling with something encourages and emboldens other people to speak up as well about what they’re going through. I don’t know if you’ve heard about the Duck Syndrome, but it’s the analogy that everyone is paddling like a duck. If you look at a duck, it seems like it’s gliding through the water, no difficulty or trouble, but if you look underneath, its feet are paddling frantically. Stick around for So sharing that, talking if your friends, don’t you’re struggling, reaching normalize things like out—it creates a better sleep deprivation and support system. Keep your being overwhelmed. parents, counselors, and teachers in the loop because if they know what’s up, they’re infinitely more capable of helping you through it.

SS: What self-care routines do you recommend for high school students to prevent the negative impacts of overwhelming stress? HG: Figuring out self-care routines is a very personal process and what works for some people may not work for others. For you, it

At a school like Mission, we often feel like everyone’s life is perfect and that they’re just sailing through—”I’m obviously the only one who is having a really hard time and paddling really hard,” but a lot of the time it’s all of us—we’re just not talking about it. could be exercising or taking brisk walks. Art can be your outlet; music; nature walks; maybe talking to a friend or family memer; playing a videogame that makes you comfortable; coloring—so it can honestly be anything and everything. I personally fold origami paper cranes when I’m stressed; I find it calming and soothing. It’s important to practice self-care strategies even when you might not feel like you need them; this way, if you’re upset or in a time of crisis and do need them, they’re more accessible to you.

Additional Resources •National Suicide Prevention Lifeline/Crisis Call Center: 800-273-8255 •Crisis Text Line: “GO” TO 741-741 •San Francisco Peer Run Warm Line: 855-845-7415 •National Hopeline Network: 800-784-2433 or 800-442-4673 •National Institute of Mental Health Information Center: 866-615-6464 •Crisis Support Services of Alameda County: 800-309-2131 •Teen Line: 310-855-4673, 800-852-8336 or text TEEN to 839863 •Safe Place: text SAFE + location to 69866 for Safe Place •The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 •The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 866-331-9474

graphics by graphics editor monica tang and staff writers kevin li, lucille njoo, tanushri sundar, & richard chenyu zhou. layout and coverage led by opinion editors grace dong & harshita gupta

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Special 27

Student Support Resources: Counselors MSJ has four on-campus counselors assigned to students who assist in overcoming personal and academic challenges. The Smoke Signal reached out to them to understand the role of the counselors and how they work to benefit the MSJ community.

Counselors: We often tell students that, even though they don’t want to disappoint their parents, they should share their thoughts and feelings because a parent’s job is to be there for their children, unconditionally. Students don’t want to bother their parents, or feel like they will ‘add’ to their parent’s stress level, but we remind students that parents are more equipped to handle issues than students give them credit for.

>> HOW CAN I MEET MY COUNSELOR? You may schedule an appointment in the binder near the attendance SS: What are your main focuses when it comes to helping families in secretaries, or walk into any available counselor’s office. which a child is feeling overwhelmed by some aspect of their life? Smoke Signal: Aside from helping students handle transcripts, schedules, Counselors: It’s always best to get the entire picture: family/school/ extracurriculars. Talking to students about keeping balance is important, and academia in general, what else do you offer students help with? Counselors: Crisis Counseling, personal counseling, and peer conflict. and having students list the one or two things that are bothering them Students are typically good at expressing themselves, and just need to the most is a good way to start. Then, counselors can help students problem-solve and prioritize, so that they don’t feel so overwhelmed. reach out to counselors for support. Keeping a time management chart handy is also a good way to break The analogy we a bigger problem down into something more manageable. Asking SS: How often have you noticed that students who are in need of therapy use is: If you break students to return and follow-up with counselors to monitor their are hesitant to reach out due to the your leg, you go to the progress is also helpful. stigma on our campus? hospital. So if you are Counselor Contact Information: Counselors: We find that students DeAnne Andrews (A-Gh) dandrews@fremont.k12.ca.us ext. 37211 are definitely hesitant when we feeling down or stressed Ivy Lee (Gi-Ln) dlee@fremont.k12.ca.us ext. 37248 refer them to outside agencies for or depressed, you should Joanna Jensen (Lo-Sh) joannajensen@fremont.k12.ca.us ext. 37215 counseling services. However, we do go see your counselor. It’s Lindsay Rotter (Si-Z) lrotter@fremont.k12.ca.us ext. 37218 our best to encourage them to start the process early so that the problem like maintaining your car doesn’t snowball into something and putting gas in it. You more serious. Having a conversation fuel your car so that it can with a student and following up with a phone call to the parent can often run. So you should maintain be successful if we frame it in a way yourself by taking care of that seems less threatening such as: your mental health. “What’s the worst that could happen? Let’s just give your mom a call and talk it over, and go from there.” We also describe counseling as a service that is just as important as a medical service. SS: What would you suggest for students who are in need of help but are having a hard time reaching out to their parents for support? graphics editor kevin chen

Fremont Youth and Family Services Fremont Youth and Family Services (YFS) provides a range of services to strengthen family relationships through stressful situations. The Smoke Signal spoke to Helen Hsu, the Clinical Supervisor at Fremont Youth and Family Services, to learn how MSJ students may benefit from these services. This year, Benedicta Ott of YFS provides therapy services on MSJ’s campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

>> SERVICES OFFERED • Counseling for youth (under 18) and families to improve relationships in times of stress • Crisis intervention with issues of running away, being absent from school, and difficult behavior • School-site on-campus therapists (one at MSJ this year) • Counseling at the Fremont Police Department for youth dealing with crisis or traumatic events • Parenting education and alcohol and drug intervention services

>> HOW CAN I SIGN UP? Call 510-574-2100, email yfs@fremont. gov, or visit YFS for questions and counseling requests.

Smoke Signal: What are some of the counseling services that you and deal with stress in a confidential and supportive setting. There are provide for teens? Helen Hsu: We provide mental health outpatient counseling at school campuses, at our clinic six days a week, and also for youth in the delinquency prevention programs where we partner with police. We also have an early intervention substance abuse treatment program. We do individual, group and family counseling as well as respond to crisis situations.

some basic CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) type self-help workbooks with advice about how to reduce negative ruminative thinking. And if you find your thoughts turning hopeless—remember that depression and anxiety are liars—they distort and narrow your thinking. Reach out for support and guidance to help you regain perspective. There are also confidential hotlines and now even a text hotline.

SS: What are some ways that high school students can deal with stressful SS: What coping strategies would you recommend for high school situations at home that add on to their academic stress? HH: Students need to reach out for help and support from others, students dealing with anxiety caused by stress? HH: Of course, brief group or individual counseling is a great place to vent hopefully trusted adults, if the home situation is not able to be supportive. Also, a YFS (Youth and Family Services) counselor or FRC The top three natural stress relievers: sleep, exercise, (Fremont Resource Center) case manager/family support person could and social support. A common mistake people make, not make referrals to services that might help a family in stress with needs just teens, is to sacrifice those three things to use the like health insurance, housing and financial issues, food insecurity, time for homework or work—but in the long run this is self- unemployment, parent workshops, etc. Bicultural families in particular live with a whole set of adjustment difficulties that other families do not sabotage. If a little time is carved aside permanently for those have to deal with in straddling competing values and goals and often three things you will be more alert and healthy and better able different communication styles within the home. The good news is that these days there are many others grappling with similar struggles where to efficiently take on tasks and be resilient. a person can find understanding and ideas for coping or compromise.

Additional On-Campus Resources • (Academic) Writer’s Block: essay editing service on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch in Ms. Waller’s room (P7) for individual help >>msj.writersblock1984@gmail.com >>msjhswritersblock.weebly.com • (Academic) STEM Success: long-term with single tutor for math and science help >>msjstemsuccess@gmail.com • (Social) Best Foot Forward: mentor for new students to ease the transition to a new environment. >>bff.msjhs@gmail.com

SS: For students with friends that are struggling with their mental health, what are ways we, as their peers, can show support? HH: Anyone at all in the community can get great information at FERC (Family Education and Resource Center) in the Fremont resource center—they have a library of materials anyone can use for free and everyone who works there is or was a caregiver or loved one of someone living with mental health conditions so they are great supports and advocates. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is also a great website for information for caregivers and loved ones who want to try and help but be informed about how to do it properly. Active Minds is a college organization dedicated to supporting mental health, and they have great information on their website as well. It is so important for all of us as a community to demonstrate that we value mental health and encourage all our friends and family to get help early if they need it instead of waiting for their health to worse. graphic by graphics editor monica tang. layout and coverage led by opinion editors grace dong & harshita gupta

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, February 26, 2016

photos by staff writers mallika gupta & zen thumparkkul