MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 52, NO. 3
November 18, 2016
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
Siemens Competition names finalists Three seniors were named semifinalists and finalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology By Julia Park & Vicki Xu Staff Writers The Siemens Foundation recognized Senior Catherine Zeng as a regional finalist and Seniors Mark Choi and Meredith Mao as regional semifinalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology on October 18. Established by the Siemens Foundation in 1999, the Siemens Competition is a prestigious annual science research competition open to all US high school students. Students submit a research report, with up to eighteen pages, along with an executive summary that describes their projects’ basics in non-specialist terms. Projects are first judged at the regional tier; winners of their respective regional sections then progress onto the national tier. Scholarships for winning projects range from $1,000 to $100,000. Zeng’s project, titled “Investigation of H/D Exchange in Aromatic Compounds with a Heterogeneous-Based Electro-Activated Palladium Catalyst,” developed methods for exchanging hydrogens in an organic molecule with a heavier hydrogen isotope, deuterium. Such a process is commercially useful in pharmaceuticals, since the hydrogen-deuterium exchange can improve the metabolic properties of drugs. Zeng said of being named a finalist, “It was actually a very unexpected title … I think I’m just proud of how much I learned and having that research experience.”
Zeng will give a 15-minute online presentation on her project to judges from the California Institute of Technology on November 12. Depending on the quality of her presentation, she may advance to the national level of the competition. Choi’s research concerned stem cells, a key interest in regenerative medicine that is currently facing ethical issues for using fetuses as a stem cell source. In his project “Effects of Polymer Substrate Composition and Morphology on Dental Pulp Stem Cell Differentiation and Properties,” he investigated developmental pathways for stem cells extracted from dental pulp. These cells, if
“I’m incredibly proud of and amazed by [the finalists]. What I find so unique is that, while they’re able to describe processes and procedures in such complex terms, they’re also very human, down-toearth kids.”
Seniors Meredith Mao, Catherine Zeng, and Mark Choi pose for a picture. These three seniors were named semifinalists and finalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology on October 18.
used for medicine in the future, would bypass the ethical problem, since they come from discarded teeth instead of fetuses. According to Choi, researching the stem cell field was challenging but rewarding. “The hardest part was striking that balance between forging a new path in the field and also relying on past research to guide our project,” Choi said.
Mao explored cancer detection methods in her project “A Fast And Highly Sensitive Method For Detecting Glycoproteins In SDS-PAGE Gels Using an Aminooxy Bodipy FL Dye.” In her project, Mao improved on a dye that detects proteins on cell membranes to increase the efficiency of scanning for and monitoring cancer. Although the research process was strenuous, Mao said that “Working those 8,000-plus hours … was all worth
— Principal Zack Larsen
staff writer vicki xu
it.” She hopes to continue conducting research and possibly approach biomedical issues from an electrical engineering standpoint in the future. Reflecting on the three students’ accomplishments, Principal Zack Larsen said, “I’m incredibly proud of and amazed by [the finalists]. What I find so unique is that, while they’re able to describe processes and procedures in such complex terms, they’re also very human, down-to-earth kids.” ▪
Speech and Debate teams excel Students competed at the Jon Schamber Invitational at the University of the Pacific By Katherine Guo & Maggie Zhao Staff Writers Members of Speech and Debate attended the Jon Schamber Invitational at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, from October 28 to October 30. Students competed in multiple speech events, including dramatic interpretation, oratorical interpretation, and extemporaneous speaking.
Also included were both Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas debaters. As a whole, both teams performed exceptionally, advancing to elimination rounds and defending past titles. At last year’s tournament, both Speech and Debate had an impressive showing, for they advanced the majority of competitors, won both Public Forum divisions in debate, placed in multiple speech events, and won third in school
sweepstakes. Speech sent 26 competitors in nine events to the tournament, and 14 advanced to either semifinals or finals. Many competitors did remarkably well, with Freshmen Ayush Agarwal and Swetha Naidu placing second in open duo interpretation and Sophomore Samir Banerjee winning first in open humorous interpretation. As a whole, Speech won four third place awards, two second place awards, and three first place awards. This year, Debate sent nine Varsity Public Forum teams to the University of the Pacific, advancing three into eliminations. Sophomores Arunav Gupta and Ishan Maunder made it to Octofinals and Sophomores Emily Lee and Maggie Zhao advanced to quarterfinals. Juniors Robert Chen and Devesh Kodnani won the Varsity Public Forum
“I think Speech and Debate did really well ... They did an incredible job and I am so proud of them.” — Head Speech Coach Brandon Stewart
staff writer maggie zhao
Members of Speech and Debate pose for a photo with their trophies after competing at the Jon Schamber Invitational at the University of the Pacific.
BOLDLY ME PRESENTS DURING ADVISORY Boldly Me, an organization dedicated to raising mental health awareness, delivered a presentation during advisory on November 3 in C-120. Check out this article to find out more about the event.
division, defending MSJ’s title from last year and gaining a gold bid to the Tournament of Champions in the process. One Novice Public Forum team, consisting of Freshmen Anton Lin and Kartik Narang, also attended the tournament and broke to quarterfinals. In Lincoln Douglas, MSJ
OPINION: BLACK FRIDAY How has consumerism transformed American holidays, and what are the benefits and drawbacks of this?
sent four Novice teams to the tournament and Sophomore Neharika Makam advanced to quarterfinals. Head Debate Coach Victor Rivas Umana said, “I think we had good results … [and] that we did really well as the majority of competitors in both
“[We are] hoping at future tournaments to see more participants as it is exciting to see new debaters try it out and do well.” — Head Debate Coach Victor Rivas Umana Lincoln Douglas and Public Forum had winning records.” He also said that he was “ … hoping at future tournaments to see more participants as it is exciting to see new debaters try it out and do well. We are also hoping to have more teams qualified to the TOCs.” Head Speech Coach Brandon Stewart said, “I think Speech and Debate did really well … They did an incredible job and I am so proud of them.” Regarding the rest of the year, he said, “I have no doubt that we have people going to state. We have five TOC bids from this tournament too.” Both teams aim to continue this success into the future. Debate President Senior Max Wu said, “I think we can capitalize [on] this success with the next coming tournaments … It shows a lot of promise.” ▪
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Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
By the Numbers: Club Involvement By Gloria Chang, Ian Hsu, Jessica Jen & Bethany Woo Staff Writers MSJ students participate in a wide variety of clubs that focus on everything from visual arts to STEM subjects. As new students join each year, the number of clubs continues to climb. In order to gain insight on students’ involvement in clubs, the Smoke Signal gathered statistics through cluster sampling and an online survey of club officers publicized through Facebook. A total of 220 responses were gathered from students in two social studies classes per grade on October 29. Officers of 50 clubs also responded to an online survey about club management.
Clubs Over the Years
What is the main reason you attend club meetings?
Present: 2016
Number of Clubs
There are 92 clubs at MSJ as of November 8.
Participation in Clubs by Category STEM Humanities
1968-69: 10 clubs
1998-99:
Sports
40 clubs
Identity/Culture
I have an interest in the purpose of the club. To provide achievements to write on college applications. My friends are attending. To serve the community. I am an officer. I have a personal connection to the things the club deals with. The club is offering food. Other
Competition Art/Music/Media Recreation
Gender Distributions
Percent of club participants that are male Percent of club participants that are female
53%
47%
*The clubs listed are examples from each category.
Sports Clubs (MSJ Cycling, Mission Ultimate, COR Dance Club, etc.)
46%
Number of Responses
54%
67%
(Odyssey of the Mind, Junior State of America, Academic Challenge, etc.)
Service Clubs
33%
(American Cancer Society, MSJ UNICEF, Make-A-Wish, etc.)
Identity and Culture Clubs
37% 63%
(Chinese Culture Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, MSJ Girl Up, etc.)
How do you find out about club meetings?
79 percent of students are in 0 to 2 clubs. 15 percent of students are in 3 to 5 clubs. 2 percent are in 5+ clubs. (MSJ Political Science Club, Writer’s Block, MSJ History Club, etc.)
Recreation Clubs
67%
STEM Clubs
38%
Art, Music, and Media Clubs
62%
(National Art Honors Society, MSJ A La Mode, Phoenix Art and Literary Magazine, etc.)
Club Spending 30
Supplies and Materials
20
Food
Apparel
10
0
Less than 10%
10 to 30%
30 to 50%
Percentage of Expenses
50 to 70%
3-5
Commitment to Club Signups
5-10
10+
Number of Responses 0
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
More than 70%
How many clubs did you sign up for on MAZE Day? How many clubs are you currently an active participant in?
0-2
raise money through fundraisers. 26 percent are funded by donations. 12 percent do not run on monetary funds.
41%
59%
40
Number of Clubs
1 in 2 clubs
Humanities Clubs
(Food for Thought, Mission Anime, MSJ iKnit, etc.)
(MSJ Neuroscience, MSJ Computer Science Club, MSJ Biotechnology, etc.)
How many lunchtimes do you spend on clubs per week?
44%
56%
33%
Flyers/profile pictures SchoolLoop Facebook posts Readmeets or mornWord of mouth ing announcements WarriorHub
38 percent of clubs spend less than $100 per year. 30 percent spend $100 to 300. 11 percent spend $300 to 500. 21 percent spend $500+.
*Data collected by the Smoke Signal in a report published on Feb. 27, 2015, as well as ASB reports.
Competition Clubs
Number of Responses
Service
200
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NEWS IN
brief
Compiled by Shivani Avasarala, Gloria Chang & Hannah Chou Staff Writers
theatlantic.com
sfbay.ca Researchers have recently found high levels of toxic algae in San Francisco Bay mussels.
Demonstrators in Cannonball, ND protest the Dakota Access pipeline.
High Toxin Levels Found in San Francisco Bay Mussels Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz found high levels of toxic, freshwater algae linked to liver damage in San Francisco Bay mussels on October 31. Professor of Ocean Sciences Raphael Kudela, said that the concentration of the toxin, microcystin, present in the mussels was 10 to 20 times the regulatory limit. Although this toxin does not pose a direct threat to humans at this concentration, it can adversely affect local marine animals, such as sea otters, birds, seals, or sea lions, which maintain a regular diet mainly consisting of shellfish.
Violence escalates between Dakota Access Pipeline protestors and police force Police arrested 140 Native Americans and demonstrators who protested the proposed $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota on October 27. When the police used pepper spray and armored vehicles to disperse protestors camping on private property, protesters responded by throwing rocks, bottles, and Molotov cocktails at the police. Native Americans originally gathered to protest the pipeline because it would potentially pollute their main source of drinking water. They also claim that the pipeline would run through sacred ancient burial grounds.
cnn.com An earthquake in Italy and its aftershocks cause damage to homes and other buildings in the surrounding area.
Magnitude-6.6 earthquake in Italy leaves 15,000 in temporary shelters An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck the area of Norcia, Italy on October 29, leaving 20 injured and 15,000 in temporary shelters. The earthquake is the strongest tremor to hit Italy in more than 30 years. Hundreds of aftershocks followed this earthquake overnight and the next day, including one with a magnitude of 4.2. Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi told BBC that he was “relieved that no one died” in the earthquake.
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
tanushri’s tangent
The Smoke Signal Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 52, No. 3 | Nov. 18, 2016
Our names are our identities
www.thesmokesignal.org
By Tanushri Sundar Opinion Editor
41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-3600, ext. 37088 MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums. SCHOOL POPULATION 2014 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Rishab Ramapriyan, Monica Tang NEWS Ishika Chawla, Lucille Njoo OPINION Anthony Chen, Tanushri Sundar FEATURE Kevin Li, Brian Tseng CENTERSPREAD Ashley Chang, Mallika Gupta A&E Michelle Dalarossa, Sayan Ghosh SPORTS Mustafa Ahmed, Cindy Yuan GRAPHICS Zen Thumparkkul, Victor Zhou WEB Andrew Choi, Carolyn Ge TECH Andrew Kan, Julia Park BUSINESS Ansh Patel CIRCULATION Deeksha Raina ADVERTISING Ella Chen, Richard Chenyu Zhou EVENTS Heather Gan, Amber Lee WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Shivani Avasarala, Evangeline Chang, Gloria Chang, Amy Chen, Hannah Chou, Joelle Chuang, Stephanie Dutra, Katherine Guo, Ian Hsu, Jessica Jen, Jonathan Ko, Anagha Mandayam, Jenny Miao, Michael Ren, Hana Sheikh, Evie Sun, Helen Wang, Bethany Woo, Vicki Xu, Maggie Zhao ADVISER Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.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.
My name means “beautiful,” but I haven’t always thought it sounded that way. It’s not very easy to say, and as a child, I quickly associated the embarrassment of hearing it mangled by my peers and teachers to the name itself. Eventually, I “Americanized” its pronunciation to make communication easier, but I’ve always felt guilty for thinking that my given name is too much of a burden to bear. As a student in the Bay Area, I know that I’m not the only person who’s grown up thinking that his or her name is a limitation. I’ve seen students laugh as administrators struggle to call out foreign names over the intercom, and I’ve seen teachers shrug their shoulders and give up after failing to correctly pronounce a student’s name a few times. At an awards ceremony for a speech tournament, my friend confessed that she was slightly relieved that she didn’t win anything. It meant that she wouldn’t have to hear her name butchered in front of the large crowd. Our names are supposed to be integral parts of our identity, and it’s unfair that those that are difficult to pronounce become inconveniences instead. We shouldn’t be afraid to stick up for our names — to settle for more than a “close enough” during attendance and patiently explain how we want to be addressed. Our names are not inconveniences. They often have important ties to our cultures and families, and we shouldn’t let anybody treat them (and by extension, us) that way. However, we must keep in mind that languages have different types of
sounds and that accents are difficult to replicate. At the end of the day, we shouldn’t expect everybody to say our names perfectly, but we should expect the individuals we interact with to have enough respect to try to learn. Teachers, especially, have a remarkable amount of influence on a student simply in the way they react to a student’s name. A study by Assistant Professor Rita Kohli from the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Riverside, argues that frustration and confusion in response to a student’s name can leave a “lasting impact on the way that child sees themselves and their culture.” A thoughtful attempt to pronounce an unusual name conveys a sense of belonging, whereas a halfhearted mumble sends the harmful message that the student isn’t worth the teacher’s time or energy. As our communities continue to diversify, we’re starting to recognize the importance of respecting one another’s preferences. For example, the technology “NameCoach,” now implemented by Stanford University, allows students to record the correct pronunciation of their names to a database that other students, staff, and faculty can access. Such outward acceptance allows students to emphasize their names’ proper pronunciations without fear of appearing imposing or rude. It reinforces the idea that our names are our identities and that we cannot earn another person’s respect without taking the time to learn his or her name first. ▪
The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board
Opening the book on student communication
Recently, MSJ held its parent-teacher conferences. While parents can use these conferences to stay updated about how their children are performing academically and behaviorally, this discussion needs to happen much more often in order to truly help students. This is only possible if students themselves take the initiative to promote the conversation. While parent-teacher conferences offer time for parents and teachers to talk, the conferences only occur once per year. This time is divided among all parents, even though each parent needs different amounts of time to talk to teachers based on how his or her child is doing in class. The newly added forum for parents to talk to counselors and administration during the dinner break offered during conference times is a step in the right direction, but we cannot be overly dependent on such additions. Simply providing more time during conferences is not an absolute solution because parents often cannot attend these conferences. In addition, students themselves are often absent from these conferences, even though they are the subject of the discussions. These conferences should serve as an addition to the ongoing conversation among all parties but should in no way be the only form of communication. There are alternative ways to keep parents informed about their children’s academics and overall well-being. For example, students and their parents may request their own meetings with teachers. However, when not all students are taking full advantage of this system, parents, students, and teachers cannot stay connected. Outside of organized conferences, students are responsible for initiating conversations because they come into regular contact with their teachers and parents. The quality of these conversations is crucial. Unless there is trust, openness, and honesty coming from all parties, an excess of unproductive conversa-
tions regarding academics may in reality be harmful and turn accusatory, defensive, or counterproductive. Parents can also help avoid this by fostering an environment in which children feel comfortable discussing their academics. Existing platforms such as School Loop keep parents updated about their children’s performance in school and serve to connect students with their parents, not separate them. When students know that their parents will not overreact to slight dips in their grades, they can discuss how effectively they are learning rather than numerical results updated on a website. This form of conversation focuses on solving problems rather than looking for excuses: instead of saying, “It was out of my control,” students should identify what the problem is and nip it in the bud. Contacting teachers is equally vital because it offers a more direct and frequent form of discussion and helps teachers further understand how they can help their students. Teachers often encourage open communication between themselves and their students, offering their time before school, after school, during advisory, or during lunch to talk to students. Instead of waiting for parents to bring up the discussion of academics or for school to hold organized conferences, students must initiate these conversations themselves and take advantage of their resources. Parents, teachers, and students can stay on the same page, but only when the students open the book first. ▪
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anthony’s answer
Opinion 3
Bursting the real “Mission Bubble” By Anthony Chen Opinion Editor
The “Mission Bubble” — it has become a household name prevalent in our classroom discussions and breaktime conversations. However, it is important to reflect on our widespread usage of the phrase and how it may work detrimentally towards improving our community. Amidst our discussions about student life and academics, the “Mission Bubble” has become a scapegoat for our problems. High stress? “Mission Bubble.” Taking six AP classes? “Mission Bubble.” This extends beyond academics as well. Obsession with social media? “Mission Bubble.” Racial insensitivity? “Mission Bubble.” The examples go on and on. By attributing the cause of our problems to the “Mission Bubble,” we simplify our concerns instead of actively seeking out solutions. The “Mission Bubble” simply describes the privileged environment that many of us live in, which allows us to focus on academics and college applications. It acknowledges that we are privileged and that our view of the world is limited. However, it is understandable that high school students have a limited view of the world. It would be unreasonable to expect any teen to have a firm grasp of the entire globe. The idea that we live in a “Mission Bubble” sounds as though we can easily burst it by leaving the Mission area or simply mentioning its name. However, simply “checking our privilege” does not remove us from our privileged position or solve the problems we attribute to the “Mission Bubble.”
Being a largely Asian American community means that we’ll naturally be more knowledgeable about certain cultures, skilled at certain sports, and oriented towards academics — we know that’s more than just a stereotype. Instead of using this as an excuse for any challenges or concerns that we may face, we can be proud of who we are and acknowledge our weaknesses so that we can better address them. In addition, the “Mission Bubble” implies that everyone’s problems can be addressed as an overall epidemic in need of an overall solution. Not everyone has the same ethnic backgrounds, motivations, or experiences. The stresses we face, both academically and socially, often affect us on a personal level and require individual solutions. When it comes to writing college application essays, we don’t seem to shy away from writing about our pride for our cultural identity or our pride for academic passion. Then, we shouldn’t be turning around and using these attributes as an excuse for the problems that we encounter. While our identity as MSJ students can have its shortcomings, the “Mission Bubble” implies that we are a certain way — we already know that. Our acceptance that this is how we are may be the real “bubble” that we need to burst. The real question we must address is how we can find a way to take advantage of our environment in a healthy, balanced way, instead of just resorting to just calling it a “Mission Bubble.” ▪
By Heather Gan & Julia Park Staff Writers
staff writer heather gan
staff writer julia park
4 Opinion
www.thesmokesignal.org
The Smoke Signal
Friday, November 18, 2016
Nobel Prize winners lack diversity By Hana Sheikh Staff Writer
The Nobel Prize is the epitome of achievement, and the revelation of this year’s winners generated uproar over the lack of diversity of the laureates. Every year, Nobel Prizes are awarded to those chosen by a selection committee that evaluates nominated candidates, and yet again women and people of color were underrepresented. The winners this year were comprised of nine men from western countries, one man from Japan, and one man from Colombia. Many people spoke out against this lack of diversity on Twitter by evaluating the winners’ gender ratios, ethnicities, and
The winners this year were comprised of nine men from western countries, one man from Japan, and one man from Colombia. countries of origin. Some even tagged the Nobel Prize’s Twitter account or used the hashtag #NobelPrize to show their displeasure over the results and to call attention to their opinions. The Nobel Prize website explains the nomination process for candidates, saying that academies, professors, scientists, previous laureates, parliamentary assembly members, and other qualified people are asked to submit candidates for the Nobel Prize. They claim that this process is done to ensure that many countries and universities are represented. With this nomination system, it seems possible that candidates from anywhere in the world can be recognized, and by that standard, Nobel Prize winners should be a diverse group. However, since the first prize was awarded in 1901, the winners have not been di-
verse. This year’s results followed the historical trend in which a much smaller proportion of winners comes from nonWestern countries. Most winners in every category come from Europe or the US. Additionally, only 48 women have ever won, and most female winners have received prizes in only two categories: 14 women have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and 16 have won the Nobel Peace Prize. In contrast, only two women have won the Nobel Prize in Physics and one woman has won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Not only are women chosen as winners at a drastically lower rate, but most female Noble Prize laureates have won prizes in less technical fields. The disproportion in the prizes won by women is reflected in the workforce today. Women make up almost half of the workforce yet are only a minority in engineering and science-related occupations. Women and people of color work in every field, but they are still not being recognized or represented. This is a concern because diverse individuals striving to create change are not being respected or acknowledged. Unfortunately, nominees for all prizes aren’t revealed until 50 years after the awards are given, so the demographics of the nominee pool are unknown. However, the candidate pool may lack diversity
and funding, and nominators are likely to choose people that are better known. On the other hand, the selection committee may not be choosing diverse winners, despite having a diverse candidate pool. Either way, we must consider changing the process of nominating and choosing Noble Prize winners to fix this issue. We can adjust the nominating process to better include lesser-known and lesserfunded people. Doing so will diversify the candidate pool and allow anybody’s work to be eligible for the prize, even without advantages such as money or prestige. When selecting winners, gender and ethnicity should not be accessible to the committee to allow
the nominees’ works to speak for themselves. With these alterations, more people will be provided with a chance to receive recognition. The guidelines for nominating candidates and selecting laureates were established in 1901, and it clearly is time for the organization to evolve to accommodate society’s changes. Those receiving the prizes are not the only ones affected. The winners become role models to their fellow colleagues and those aspiring to work in their fields. But currently, the main impression the winners are leaving behind is that in order to win, we must be of a certain gender and ethnicity. ▪
Not only are women chosen as winners at drastically lower frequencies, but most female Nobel Prize laureates have won prizes in less technical fields. because women and people of color are not nominated. Candidates from western countries may be more likely to win because their works receive greater publicity
staff writer jessica jen
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
www.thesmokesignal.org
Opinion 5
Student activism requires community support By Amy Chen & Vicki Xu Staff Writers
From Harvard University’s Great Butter Rebellion in 1766 to today, schools in the US have seen their fair share of activism. Recent student protests have been increasingly driving discussion both at MSJ and beyond, and we must take into account the effectiveness of student campaigns. Since successful movements come from the combined efforts of dedicated activists and sympathetic audiences, student activists must consider how to garner community support in carrying out their protests. According to the 2015 University of California, Los Angeles annual freshman survey, 8.5 percent of students said they were “very likely” to participate in student protests while in college, 2.9 percent higher than the previous year. Students are evidently becoming more and more active, and their support has expanded various movements to local communities. In November 2015, Georgetown University students organized demonstrations and sit-ins to change the names of Mulledy Hall and McSherry Hall, both named for past school presidents involved in the slave trade. Georgetown University President John DeGioia agreed to carry out the students’ wishes. With so much interest and support for activism, why do some protests still fail? In the fall of 2014, Emma Sulkowicz, at the time a senior at Columbia University, made headlines with her senior thesis that protested the school’s ruling of her sexual abuse claims. She carried a 50-pound mattress around campus in hopes that her alleged attacker would leave the university. However, the university never acted on her request. When her protest entered the national spotlight, people questioned her claims instead of the school’s treatment of her case. The problem lay not with publicizing her cause, but with garnering the support of the public. The effectiveness of a protest lies in connecting
with the audience. Successful student activists were able to convey the same sense of urgency that they felt to a large portion of their target population, enabling them to draw from a growing pool of support for their cause. Advocates achieved their desired outcomes through powerful, empathyinciting actions. For Georgetown University students, protesting the names of these colleges was denouncing the racism that African-Americans experience daily. For student activists, the key to success is getting their voices understood. Notably, racial and policyrelated tensions at the University of Missouri set off a series of boycotts and strikes, cumulating in the university’s then-President Timothy Wolfe’s resignation in November 2015. The university’s football players threatened to boycott their season, an action significant to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I school. The student activists’ ability to impact a large audience played strongly into their success. While most local student protests are on a much smaller scale and intensity, the path to success is similar., demonstrated by the history of protests at MSJ. The Class of 2009 worked with school and district officials to remove class rank from transcripts and push the school start time from 7:40 a.m. to 8 a.m. In the last two years, students
Just a few weeks ago, the #MoreThanADistraction campaign on campus revived the age-old debate surrounding the dress code. at MSJ brought up concerns about the swimming pool, prompting the FUSD Board of Education to add the issue to Measure E project priorities. Just a few weeks ago, the #MoreThanADistraction campaign on MSJ’s campus revived the age-old debate surrounding the dress code. These protesters worked directly with Board members and the community to address issues pertinent to MSJ, allowing activists to connect with intended audiences
parts of their culture for just their people, but where does it stop? Like should I not eat Thai food if I’m not from Thailand? Or should I not dye my hair blonde because I’m not European? ... I don’t really believe in cultural appropriation. Like imitation is the highest form of flattery, and to limit people based on their ethnicity or heritage is just building barriers when our world least needs it.”
when provocative student protests — such as the rally MSJ students organized at the Bell Tower in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s victory on November 9 — sweep the nation, it is necessary that we understand the characteristics of a powerful protest. ▪
For full interviews and photos,
visit www.thesmokesignal.org.
Li,
“Not really, because there’s a blending of a lot of cultures here, so when you take another person’s culture and you try to join part of it, I think that’s actually pretty respectful because you show that you want to try to learn what they are doing.”
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“There are a lot of [ethnic] holidays that have to do with Chinese culture, or Indian culture, and people who aren’t of that race might dress up to support that, and I don’t find that cultural appropriation in any way ... I think it has to do with the mindset that people have when they’re portraying a different culture that’s not the same as their own, so it’s a really thin line.”
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“I wouldn’t make some value judgment out of it; I think it’s a result of globalization. I would view it as a way to study culture strategy that people use in the face of an increasingly globalized world where culture is extremely more accessible, versus a good or bad thing.”
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— Principal Zack Larsen
“[Cultural appropriation] is a concern to a certain extent. Such as for Homecoming, if we do Tahitian or Tinikling, we should get someone who is a part of a certain culture to teach the routine because it comes from a really long history so it’s better to get someone who actually knows what they’re doing rather than someone that's random.”
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“Activism has the potential to ‘cross the line’ when [other people’s] religions, cultures, and beliefs, are trampled on in the process or as an outcome.”
12
e Anis tti, 11 “I do think that people have a right to claim certain
“Yes, it is a concern because it trivializes the culture that you are taking from. For example, Blake Lively made a post on Instagram that was captioned ‘LA face with an Oakland booty’ and that just shows how often the things we take from other cultures are sexual or superfluous things that trivialize the culture and take away from their true customs.”
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sider the practicality of their cause. Protesting the existence of tests in schools by avoiding school on every test day, for example, is both unreasonable and highly unnecessary. Student activism executed effectively, with the right intentions, has the potential to rectify dated policies and improve the community. At a time
does cultural appropriation exist at msj?
is cultural appropriation a valid concern?
e ch
and effect change. However, such results were only achieved through extensive effort. Even at MSJ, reform requires a thorough consideration regarding the method of communication. Receiving backing from students and faculty of other FUSD schools is helpful, since greater support leads to greater attention. That being said, it is also important to understand who to speak to in order to bring about desired change, rather than blindly going to the highest source possible. Under certain circumstances, school board members may further the cause. FUSD Board of Education Member Michele Berke said, “Board members are always available to come and listen to students and students are always welcome to come and talk with the Board during open communications.” However, the responsibility lies with activists to reach out in ways such that the public understands and sides with the cause. Of course, this is not to say that all student protests are warranted. Principal Zack Larsen said, “Activism has the potential to ‘cross the line’ when [others people’s] religions, cultures, and beliefs are trampled on in the process or as an outcome.” Likewise, students must also con-
Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements of one culture, such as dance, dress, language, music, cuisine, and symbols, by another culture. The Smoke Signal asked students and teachers about their views on cultural appropriation.
Cultural Appropriation
ha
staff writer ian hsu
Students gather around the Bell Tower to watch a rally in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
hyay, 10 “Personally, I’ve seen [cultural appropriation] on our campus as well. There have surprisingly been many times where non-Indian guys have drawn dots in the middle of their foreheads or said religious Hindu sayings as a joke. But, they do this without even knowing what these things mean to the Indians around them, including me.” photos by staff writer vicki xu
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, November 18, 2016
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
A Look Back By Evangeline Chang Staff Writer
Every year, artists from all over the world participate in the Inktober drawing challenge by creating one ink drawing for each day of October. In honor of this past month’s work, we’ve chosen some student Inktober artwork to feature in this issue of the Smoke Signal.
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Feature 7
Inktober at
“I think the premise is quite simple: I’m at a coffee shop, and I remove the coffee shop’s sign. You don’t quite know the location. At the same time, what I see has been transferred as a puzzle — and the missing piece... The coffee shop’s sign. A connection I drew (excuse the pun): I am lost, and things can be lost. I decided to incorporate both.” — Victor Dong, 12
“It is to represent the fast growing industry of technology, especially the world of virtual reality.” — Brian Liao, 11
“This was a redraw/ redesign of a character I had drawn in the seventh grade, so it showed how much I had improved over the years. seventh grade was also a major milestone on starting to draw seriously, and [this] Inktober drawing was a sort of nostalgic piece, for me. It holds a lot of sentimental value to me!” — Lucia Li, 9
“Space travel has always been fascinating to me. I think when man was able to walk on the moon, it really changed the meaning of ‘Transportation.’ Space holds endless possibilities.” — Zainub Vellani, 12
“Through typography, the piece illustrates the quote ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not within our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings’ in the Shakespeare’s play ‘Julius Caesar.’ Since Inktober was in October, the month that I had to piece together my college applications, I wanted this quote to serve as a reminder that I determine my own fate, so that I could be more understanding of future outcomes.” — YC Xing, 12
“My picture is really just a bunch of puzzle pieces. I filled in a single space every day with a drawing inspired by the prompts posted on the website of the artist who organized Inktober. Some of the drawings have darker emotions, but others are whimsical and lighthearted—sort of like how some days are better than others for me. As a whole, the concept of the puzzle pieces making up the entirety of my Inktober work represents how a person can create something big and beautiful by working on each small part at a constant rate.” — Amber Lee, 12 photos courtesy victor dong, amber lee, brian liao, lucia li, zainub vellani, yc xing
8 Feature
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THE
The Smoke Signal
DIEHARD TRYHARDS take on
JONATHAN To be perfectly honest, I have always loved song lyrics and music in general. I conservatively estimate that 30 percent of my brain’s memory capacity is devoted to song lyrics. Even though I’ve grown up a pianist, drummer, singer, and lyrical geek, songwriting has always evaded me. Regardless, I’m sure that this competition is mine for the winning — all those hours spent on www.genius.com have to be worth something, right? “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes My school’s a stereo It sings for us, so listen close Hear the spirit in the wi-i-ings Warriors are the kings Always bummed when that bell rings Advisory was meant for you To chill with friends or do anything Like buy some Pop Tarts off a Student Store shelf Or hit the BTQ Friday with everybody else If I ask you to help with class, could you manage that Like hey I’m an upperclassman I can handle that Furthermore I apologize for any skipping class It’s just that MSJ Band distracted me with some brass I used to used to go to Hopkins now I’m over that But green and white are never ever ancient artifacts I only pray I never leave it behind Because good teachers can be so hard to find Loved this Homecoming keep it all in my mind Thought school was bad but this is changing my mind
1STGS
Song Parodies
While I’ve always enjoyed humming along to music at inopportune moments, as well as lip-syncing to Disney songs alone in my bedroom, I have never tried composing my own lyrics. My rhyming capabilities are rather subpar, but hopefully, my creativity and I will pull through on this challenge. I look forward to seeing how I match up against these tenacious competitors.
By Stephanie Dutra, Jonathan Ko, Deeksha Raina & Maggie Zhao Staff Writers
In an epic showdown of wordplay and songwriting abilities, the Diehard Tryhards each composed an original song parody from the excerpts of popular songs, which were judged on rhyme, rhythm, and connection to MSJ. The contestants showcased their lyrical wizardry, creativity, and (very) raw genius and competed to earn the prestigious title of the Smoke Signal Wordsmith.
STEPHANIE
MAGGIE
Friday, November 18, 2016
Dreamy vocals, experience with songwriting, and confidence when performing are all desirable qualities, none of which I possess. However, I give private concerts every once in a while, and I must say that my showerhead is quite impressed. Some tell me that I can’t sing, but I like to think that the world can’t handle this much talent. My vocal prowess will help me edge out the c competition.
DEEKSHA Let’s get straight to the point: I don’t have a single musical bone in my body. Music and lyric writing have never really been my forte. I’ve always preferred the quieter arts and subjects. But fear not! Armed with three years of experience at MSJ, two years of experience in the Smoke Signal, and the ever-helpful www.rhymezone.com, I’m sure I’ll measure up to expectations.
THE SONGS “Part of Your World” by Jodi Benson (From The Little Mermaid) Look at these apps Aren’t they neat? SchoolLoop and WarriorHub; what else could we need? Wouldn’t you think MSJ’s The school that has ev’rything? Look at the Bell Tower Treasures untold How many wonders can the Student Store hold? Lookin’ around here you’d think (Wow) they’ve got everything We’ve got Homecoming spirit aplenty We’ve got Friday activities galore You want Smoke Signal issues? We’ve got so many Didn’t know before? No big deal, There’s even more. Up where all day, We sleep away, Up where we wake up late on Wednesdays, We all agree That we love to be Part of this world
3RD
“Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE
“Cheap Thrills” by Sia
Oh, no See you walking ‘round like it’s a Wednesday Late start but somehow I’m still late to school Why are all my friends at council, council, ah
Come on, come on, bring the read meets on It’s another day with L2’s skits Gotta go to a game, cheer my school team on It’s Tuesday night and I just can’t wait
This school is a masterpiece, a green and white masterpiece You should be studying with me, let’s meet in the library, ah Ice cream at the student store, this life is a fantasy But you’re studying so diligently; let’s start living dangerously Walk with me, baby I’m headed to this Friday’s activity, whoa-oh Let’s lose our minds at the BTQ Ah ya ya ya ya I keep on hoping I’ll have fun at Mission Follow me, baby It’s time to take on this homecoming, whoa-oh Cheer on our class and show unity, unity Ah ya ya ya ya I keep on hoping I’ll have fun at Mission
THE OUTFITS
4THGS
‘Til Wednesday late start, Thursday advisory I got all I need No I ain’t got textbooks I ain’t got Wi-Fi But I got Friday activities Baby I just need Smokie love to have fun in life (I love Smoke Signal) Baby I just need to cheer for HC week (I love school spirit) I just need my assemblies As long as I’m a Warrior I just need my friends by me As long as I’m a Warrior
2NDGS
photos by staff writer richard chenyu zhou
THE SMOKE SIGNAL’ S
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
GUIDE TO pasta
By Sayan Ghosh & Ansh Patel A&E Editor and Staff Writer
Master Chef Sayan Ghosh has been a pasta fanatic ever since he first scarfed down a dish of fettuccine alfredo. Despite never actually travelling to Italy, he has read countless books and watched hours of film about his favorite type of food. Although he doesn’t have as much experience with pasvta as Sayan, Sous-chef Ansh Patel is an avid Food Network viewer and hopes to develop his culinary interests by studying recipe books and applying what he’s learned in the kitchen. Together, Ghosh and Patel have compiled a guide to some of their favorite pastas.
Fettuccine
Spaghetti
Fettuccine pasta, literally translated from Italian as “little ribbons” is a flat, thick noodle made from egg and flour. It is popularly used in Tuscan and Roman cuisine and is similar to Tagliatelle pasta, but is generally wider and longer. Most chefs prefer to make the pasta fresh from scratch, but dried fettuccine can be bought commercially.
Spaghetti, arguably the most well-known form of pasta around the world, is long and cylindrical, similar to bucatini and linguine. It is usually made of wheat, in particular, semolina. Spaghetti can be served with pretty much any type of sauce (usually tomato-based), and is usually served with hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano.
Seasoned taster
Entry Level
Pasta Lover
Master Chef
Characterized by its tube shape, rigatoni pasta is wider in diameter than penne and ziti and is often slightly curved. Most prominently used in central and southern Italy, the pasta’s name comes from the Italian word “rigato,” which means “ridged.” The textured surface makes it easy for sauces or cheese to adhere to the pasta, making it a staple for many chefs.
Bucatini is a long, cylindrical form of pasta similar to spaghetti, with a notable difference being the hole that runs through bucatini. It is very popular in the Lazio region of Italy, particularly in Rome. Like spaghetti, it is also very versatile, allowing it to be served with both creamy and tomato-based sauces.
pasta dish surveys 8%
Chefs Ghosh and Patel conducted a survey of the Smoke Signal staff to find out what kinds of pastas and sauces they enjoy, with the results pictured below.
other -
ine - 31% ttucc fe
38
%
spaghetti -
c bu
ini
Student Spotlight:
james chong By Ella Chen Staff Writer
Rigatoni
Bucatini
at
Feature 9
www.thesmokesignal.org
marinara - 5%
meat sauce - 28%
8% 1 - 5% rigatoni -
the chefs
staff writer ella chen
Senior James Chong is a budding hair stylist who started his business, Chong Cuts, toward the end of his sophomore year. After a futile attempt to successfully cut a friend’s hair that year, Chong went home and studied up on the art of hair-cutting and men’s hairstyles. Dozens upon dozens of YouTube videos later, Chong felt ready to take on his friend’s hair again. By the time summer rolled around, Chong had cut his friend’s hair twice and was ready to experiment with his other friends’. In order to stay informed on trendy hairstyles, Chong is well-versed on the essentials of hair care and treatment. “When I look at people’s hair, there are four qualities that I particularly look for: hair density, thickness, pattern of hair growth, and head shape. Sometimes, people come to me with specific hairstyles, and one of those factors prevents that. I have to account for all those qualities when I cut hair,” Chong said. According to him, the best haircuts also compliment the person’s facial structure. Moreover, Chong recommends to his customers different products to suit the look they want. Products like wax, clay, paste, pomade, and mousse should be chosen based on the degree of shine, how strong they stay in the hair, and how they affect the firmness of hair. According to Chong, as a student entrepreneur, his skills are sought after because of his credibility and consistent promotion. He has given haircuts to MSJ soccer players as well as students from the Class of 2016 and Class of 2017. Chong credits his business’s success to his willingness to discover more about different hairstyles and the uniqueness of different people’s hair. In the future, Chong hopes to take Chong Cuts to the college level. Although it is just a hobby, he looks to expand into girls’ haircuts because of increasing demand for his skills. While he does not plan to commit to haircutting as a profession, he enjoys doing it for friends and family, and even says he might go back into it after he retires from his future career. ▪
alfredo - 44%
carbonara - 18% olive oil - 5% photos by feature editor kevin li. graphics by editor-in-chief monica tang, dreamstime.com, thesmithshyre.com, 123rf.com, goodeats.com
graphics editor zen thumparkkul
Senior William Kim’s haircut from Chong Cuts
10 Centerspread
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Friday, November 18, 2016
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
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Centerspread 11
By Andrew Kan, Amber Lee, Anagha Mandayam, Michael Ren & Evie Sun Staff Writers
The office administration is an essential part of any school and plays an instrumental role for all the students. This month, to acknowledge the work that the office puts into making education possible at MSJ, the Smoke Signal went behind the scenes to find out how each office staff member contributes to the school.
Counselors Overview
The schedules of the four counselors, DeAnne Andrews, Joanna Jensen, Ivy Lee, and Lindsay Rotter, change according to the number of scheduled parent or student meetings and interventions that day. During these meetings, the counselors provide emotional and academic aid to students, and only break confidentiality if they feel the student may harm themselves, harm others, or has been harmed by others. Aside from student support, they also work on the college admissions process for the four college systems: community, private, out-ofstate public, and state, such as University of California and California State University. The counselors are in charge of counselor recommendation letters, school profiles, and college workshops, a process that starts in spring of junior year and ends after senior graduation.
All administrators and staff members are faced with different tasks and schedules when they walk into the office every day, but they all collaborate towards their mutual goal of creating a safe and supportive learning environment for students. The princi pal and assistant princi pals coordinate the central aspects of the school, such as funding, course schedules, and testing, while other staff members work together in specialized roles. The account clerk and supply clerk cooperate to place work orders for teachers and faculty, the counselors and records clerk contact the attendance clerks for information about student attendance, and the registrar and school secretary cover for each other during busy days. Overall, the office is a cohesive unit consisting of individuals who all contribute their own pieces to the puzzle, ensuring that the school runs smoothly.
Principal Princi pal Zack Larsen ensures that the campus is safe and ready to accommodate the students and teachers daily. He manages school funds and gives the final approval on expenditure requests. As the highest-level administrator at MSJ, Larsen supervises school leadershi p groups such as the School Site Council, which oversees the allocation of expenditures for the school’’’s academic instructional plan. In addition, he advises the Mission Possible Parent Faculty Association and represents MSJ in meetings with other school princi pals. To modify school policies, Larsen works with FUSD staff and the Instructional Leadershi p Team, which includes all the department chairs. However, he also takes time to talk with students and parents individually as well as visit classrooms to gain a better perspective on what is happening around school.
School Secretary, Records Clerk, Account Clerk, Supply Clerk, Registrar
Assistant Principals Assistant Princi pals Jeff Evans, Carli Kim, and Jeana Nightengale each oversee certain departments, programs, support personnel, and committees to ensure that campus life runs smoothly. This year, Kim oversees the Class of 2017, Evans oversees the Class of 2018 and Class of 2020 A-L, and Nightengale oversees the Class of 2019 and Class of 2020 M-Z. Each assistant princi pal is in charge of specific programs and projects that fall during different times of the year. To name a few, Kim manages master scheduling at the beginning of the year, Evans manages Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium testing, and Nightengale manages the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarshi p Qualifying Test and the National Merit Scholarshi p Program. The assistant princi pals also work hand in hand with Princi pal Zack Larsen on many projects and committees such as the School Site Council and the Instructional Leadershi p Team. The assistant princi pals have made sustainable changes at MSJ regarding student stress and are constantly searching to integrate new solutions that will benefit students most.
Besides the school administrators, additional individuals help to maintain a productive environment for the students and faculty. School Secretary Cathy Claiborne tracks the attendance of all school employees other than teachers. She also manages the daily use and rental of school facilities by outside groups. Records Clerk Jean Faust sends out transcri pts for students, processes the final grades that teachers enter, and handles the independent study program for students taking an extended absence. Account Clerk Michele Forsythe takes care of the deposits from ASB clubs and classes. She creates checks for club expenditures and reimbursements and processes purchase orders for teachers and other staff through the district office. Supply Clerk Patrick McNamara places warehouse and work orders. He communicates with vendors and contractors so that the packages that arrive at the office are delivered to their respective teachers. McNamara also works with the custodial and maintenance staff. Registrar Mimi Cañas registers students into MSJ and helps substitute teachers throughout the day. Since Cañas’’’ desk is at the front of the office, she is also the one who receives students and visitors.
Grade Level Attendance Clerks The grade level attendance clerks, Jennifer Schneider for freshmen, Donna Hanna for sophomores, Leti Vargas for juniors, and Karleen Densmore for seniors, each work with an assistant princi pal and several teacher assistants. During the day, they record attendance, keep track of tardies and Saturday schools, write student passes, and answer phone calls from parents. The attendance clerks not only keep track of students’’’ ’ attendance and whereabouts, but also perform their own individual responsibilities. Schneider works the copy center and orders office supplies, Hanna writes teacher verification reports, Vargas files the attendance paperwork, and Densmore assigns teacher assistants to teachers and rings the bell during special schedules.
photos by staff writers andrew kan, amber lee, anagha mandayam, michael ren & evie sun
12 Arts & Entertainment
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, November 18, 2016
Intro to Foreign TV Korean Romance Dramas
Latin American Soap Operas Latin American soap operas, also known as telenovelas, are one of the largest entertainment industries worldwide. In the US alone, more than 5.6 million people are tuning in to these dramatic, riveting stories. Since their beginning in the 1930s, they have become a cultural staple for Spanish speakers across the globe. Some of the most noteable telenovelas include, but are not limited to Yo Soy Betty, La Fea, of which the American adaptation Ugly Betty was based upon, the 1985 Brazilian telenovela, Roque Santeiro, and the 2011 modern criminal drama La Reina del Sur. Yo Soy Betty, La Fea can be found on Viki, and La Reina del Sur on Netflix, for those with access to a subscription. Alternatively, YouTube offers many episodes of Roque Santeiro and a number of other telenovelas with English subtitles.
Korean dramas are famous for their heart-fluttering romances and emotional appeal. The variety of subgenres, addictive (though not always realistic) plot lines, and gorgeous actors and actresses have made Korean dramas popular all across Asia. They are regularly streamed in Asia and South America, as well as online for other international viewers. Some of the more well-known shows include youth drama Reply 1988, the classic high school romance Boys over Flowers, action-romance drama City Hunter, and romantic-comedy The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince. Korean dramas can be streamed online with English subtitles on Viki and DramaFever and can be viewed on Netflix as well.
By Shivani Avasarala, Amy Chen, Deeksha Raina & Helen Wang Staff Writers
Indian Mythological and Historical TV
Foreign TV has taken this generation by storm with its plots, characters, and styles that differ from country to country and has given audiences around the world a glimpse of unique cultures. The Smoke Signal has compiled a list of popular genres of international TV for your viewing list this season.
Indian historical and mythological TV shows are typically family-oriented shows about kingdoms, gods and goddesses, and clashes between families. Often spanning over 50 episodes, they are known for their elaborate sets and costumes, focus on culture and tradition, and use of older dialects. These TV shows are popular among people of all ages and often discuss politics, government, and economics, along with plenty of action and romance. Well-known shows include the 1988 mythological epic Mahabharat, the 1991 historical drama adaptation Chanakya, and the 2011 mythological TV show Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev. Mahabharat and Chanakya are available on YouTube and all three are available on DVD.
British Science Fiction and Mystery Shows
Known for their intricate plots and jaw-dropping hooks, British sci-fi, crime, and mystery TV shows have become a TV favorite, leaving fans from all around the world anticipating the next revelation. Generally presented in action-packed hourlong episodes, these programs feature scenes of suspense and emotion, and the occasional, shocking plot twists only add to their growing popularity. Some current shows include the classic sci-fi-fantasy program Doctor Who, which first aired in 1963 and was relaunched in 2005, critically acclaimed crime dramas Sherlock and Luther, and mystery-spy drama Spooks, also known as MI-5. These programs can be streamed through Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other online platforms.
graphics by bbc.co.uk, clipartsign.com, flags-to-print.com, flagpedia.net, imdb.com
Friday, November 18, 2016 The Smoke Signal
Arts and Entertainment 13
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The Bay Area is home to a variety of artwork and exhibits that reflect its diversity. This month, the Smoke Signal spotlights six noteworthy museums to visit during the upcoming breaks.
By Evangeline Chang, Ella Chen, Hana Sheikh & Richard Chenyu Zhou Staff Writers
ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Legion of Honor Located in Lincoln Park of San Francisco is the Legion of Honor, the Bay Area’s most well-known Beaux-Arts museum. Showcasing 4,000 years of ancient European artwork, the Legion of Honor was a gift to the city of San Francisco by Alma de Bretteville Spreckels in 1915; the namesake of the museum is the famous Palais de la Légion d’Honneur. The museum was built to commemorate all the Californian soldiers who died serving in World War I, which was ongoing when the museum was built. Today, Rodin’s famous sculpture, The Thinker, greets guests in the pavilion at the entrance of the museum. Inside, visitors can see paintings by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro. There are always special exhibits, which are updated consistently and described on the museum’s website. The Legion of Honor is open on Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., and on select Mondays during the year.
Located in San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum bridges the US to Asia with its vast collections of Asian culture and art and aims to empower and inspire visitors. It has one of the world’s most extensive Asian art collections, with works from before recorded history to modern pieces created today. The galleries focus on Asia’s major cultures: Japan, China, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Persia and West Asia, and the Himalayas and Tibet. The museum also currently features special exhibitions on the Rama epic, Japanese ceramics, female power in Hindu practices, suspended Chinese characters, and Tibetan paintings of Buddha. Visitors can fully immerse themselves in the art displayed on all three floors and take guided tours of the gallery or exhibitions. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Website: asianart.org Address: 200 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Website: legionofhonor.famsf.org Address: 100 34th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94121
MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN
Computer History Museum The Computer History Museum, located in Mountain View at the center of Silicon
The Museum of Craft and Design
Valley, preserves the stories and relics of
(MCD) is located in San Francisco,
the history of technology. Its main exhibit
and has been open since 2004. The
is a comprehensive guide through time that
museum
shows the evolution of computing, from the
expressed in their variety of galleries
encourages
creativity,
as
abacus to artificial intelligence. Other ex-
and exhibitions. The galleries the mu-
hibits display modern advancements such
seum exhibits change every few months. The MCD has three exhibitions on display until late January: Mari-
as the autonomous car, and spotlight the mathematician Ada Lovelace. The museum offers interactive experiences
anne Lettieri: Reflections, Beyond the Pour II: The Creative Process, and Anja Ulfeldt: Of Sound|Mind and Objects.
and more than 1,100 artifacts in its collections, on every aspect of technology. It is currently expanding into two main
This museum also offers programs for children and adults, giving them opportunities to create their own art
centers on entrepreneurship and software. Visitors can go on guided tours, watch demonstrations on computers from
and participate in workshops, through events such as MCD MakeArt and MCD Design Lab. It is open Tuesdays
the late 1950s, or explore on their own. The museum is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from
through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with special hours during the month of December.
Website: computerhistory.org
Website: sfmcd.org
Address: 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA 94043
Address: 2569 3rd St., San Francisco, CA 94107
photos by computerhistory.org, placesforkids.com, savvycalifornia.com, sftravel.org
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14 Arts & Entertainment
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C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R M u si C: n x wo r r i e s, L a n y | F ilm : D o c to r st ran g e, tr ol l s
Under the radar
lany
By Stephanie Dutra Staff Writer Look no further for the perfect summer soundtrack to friendships, falling in love, heartbreak, and everything in between. The alternative-pop band LANY crafts romantic hits with dreamy instrumentals, mellow R&B vocals, and honest lyrics. What started as a group of friends collaborating to see what music they could produce together quickly grew into flourishing careers for the three members. The group was discovered on their SoundCloud account on which they posted the tracks “Hot Lights” and “Walk Away” to zero followers in April 2014 to gauge the reaction their new music would receive. Within a week, they received emails from record labels asking what other music they had. The group got together again and released their debut EP Acronyms which included their biggest hit “ILYSB.” In December 2015, they signed with Polydor Records. Their synth-pop sound combined with 80s grooves produces unique melodies and singles. They have the same euphoric feelings as The 1975 and other minimalistic pop bands, but they are unique in many aspects of their music. Instead of using metaphors, LANY’s music tells tales of the ups and downs of love and friendship through honest and relatable lyrics. LANY is touring the world with only three EPs under their belt. The group has not yet released a full length album, but they have a fairly large and dedicated fan base. After recently releasing their EP kinda, the band is in the process of writing their debut album while on the road. ▪
Book Bites
doctor strange
Music review nxworries
imdb.com
By Andrew Choi & Carolyn Ge Web Editors Doctor Strange, the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, features the incredibly talented Benedict Cumberbatch in his superhero debut. Although the complex plot, mind-bending visual effects, and superb acting engage the audience, poor character development and a weak villain make the movie staler than past Marvel superhero films. Acclaimed neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) loses the use of both hands after a sudden car accident. In a desperate search for treatment, he abandons his old life along with his lover, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). His journey takes him to Nepal, where he is drawn to the world of mystic arts. After deciding to train under the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), Strange soon discovers parallel dimensions and ominous dark forces with the potential to destroy the world. Before long, he is thrown into a chaotic war against Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson), the stereotypical antagonist and a former student of
the Ancient One. Although the intricate plot captivates the audience, the weak character development detracts from the appeal of the film. Many of the characters, including Strange and Palmer, are simply presented to the audience without significant growth or progress. For example, Strange’s training in Nepal seems incredibly rushed; he goes from being unable to perform even the most basic tasks to manipulating time itself, almost instantly. In addition, Palmer’s entire character seems unnecessary. The inclusion of her as Strange’s love interest feels like yet another dispensable cliché that Marvel could have done without. It is hard to believe that it is already Marvel’s 14th installment in the superhero series that began with Iron Man eight years ago. However, from Bucky Barnes to Hawkeye to Kaecilius, we have seen the same type of villain over and over again. These villains lack the depth and presence necessary to be successful, and it is especially the case with Doctor Strange. With Kaecilius, it feels like the film’s writers are limiting the potential of Mikkelsen’s acting skills
by making his character shallow and flimsy. Despite all of this, the acting by the talented cast is tremendous. Cumberbatch shines in his first superhero role the perfect amount of arrogance , and Swinton does a fine job portraying the Ancient One, especially through the memorable speech she gives towards the end of the film. Perhaps the most impressive part about the movie is the visual effects; the alternate dimensions seem surreal and wondrous. The magical bending of cities and the inventive optical illusions adds a profundity to the film that we have not seen before in past Marvel movies. The visual effects in this film clearly prove that technology can create almost anything imaginable. Doctor Strange is a fine superhero movie, but its formulaic and clichéd elements make it a disappointment compared to past Marvel films. Perhaps the series’ past success has set the bar too high, but one thing is certain — Doctor Strange does not take enough risks. ▪ Rating: B-
Trolls is “b”old and “b”rash
By Ansh Patel Staff Writer
Student Recommendations
Title: Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future Authors: Peter Thiel, Blake Masters Rating: Moderate Genre: Nonfiction
Peter Thiel, venture capitalist and co-founder of Paypal, shares his vision of the modern tech industry, what it takes to start a business, and how to create value in the world. “The upcoming advances in technology will provide the biggest impact to humans perhaps in history. Understanding how this change happens and how to create it is key to improving humanity. Zero to One explores how technology can improve the state of the world and how to build the future.” — Sarbo Roy, 12
Title: Julius Caesar Author: William Shakespeare Rating: Difficult Genre: Tragedy
Based on true events from Roman history, Julius Caesar tells the tragic story of emperor Julius Caesar’s assassination. “One of my favorite stories, it masterfully tells a tale about hate, conspiracy, and betrayal.” — Ishan Maunder, 10
Staff Recommendation
Title: The Golem and the Jinni Author: Helene Wecker Rating: Difficult Genre: Fantasy, Historical Drama
The Golem and the Jinni follows the story of two mythological creatures who arrive in New York City in the late 1800s. As they discover the city, they each must find their places in their new world. “The Golem and the Jinni incorporates fascinating mythology and legends. It flows smoothly, and the plot keeps me engaged. Everyone I’ve recommended
this novel to has loved it.” — Library Media Technician Shelley Hulseman
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By Amber Lee Staff Writer The latest movie from DreamWorks, Trolls sweeps viewers on a crazy and whimsical joyride right from the start. With its wild colors and upbeat music, the film draws the audience into a fantastical world populated by the lively, exuberant Trolls. These tiny creatures live in a secret village hidden from the monstrous, grumpy Bergens, who eat Trolls to gain momentary happiness. Troll Village is discovered when Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick) throws a huge party with lights visible from miles away, attracting a Bergen. After the Bergen captures some of the Trolls, Poppy teams up with pessimistic and cranky Branch (Justin Timberlake) to travel to Bergen Town and rescue their friends. Through Trolls, Director Mike Mitchell and Co-Director Walt Dohrn deliver the message that true happiness arises from friendship and love rather than eating Trolls. However, the movie aims for humor and laughs at the expense of its plot, which borders on cheesy and cliché. There is a nonstop barrage of comic relief from
random events and side characters, such as a glitter-farting Troll, that don’t contribute anything to the formulaic storyline other than a tinge of absurdity. As a result, the film is too chaotic and over-the-top to elaborate on its message beyond simplistic terms. Despite the lapses in plot development, there is a redeeming factor—the movie doesn’t portray the Trolls and Bergens as clear-cut groups that are all good or bad. The grouchy and sarcastic Branch does not fit into the typical description of a fun-loving Troll, nor does Bridget (Zooey Deschanel), a scullery maid working for the Bergen king, conform to the stereotype of a nasty monster, as she befriends Poppy and Branch. Another strong aspect of Trolls is the beautiful animation, although the glitter and glam is taken to an extreme at times. The fantasy realm of the Trolls is depicted with breathtaking detail and texture, but the lavishly bright graphics are overwhelming after a few too many party scenes and dance numbers. Nonetheless, the extravagant visuals do contribute to a well-designed
setting. In addition, a star-studded cast of celebrity singers adds both skilled voice acting and amazing vocals to the movie’s soundtrack. The music interspersed throughout the film ranges from the energetic original song “They Don’t Know,” sung by Ariana Grande, to a romantic cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors,” sung by Timberlake and Kendrick. Woven into different scenes, the songs engage the audience and help express the characters’ emotions. As a whole, Trolls is a charming animation that packs multiple punches of humor along with lovable characters and memorable music. However, for viewers looking beyond aesthetic appeal, the movie falls short in trying to deliver an insightful message on how to find happiness. Regardless of these shortcomings, Trolls still offers an enjoyable escape from reality, complete with a heartwarming, albeit predictable, storyline. ▪ Rating: B
By Jonathan Ko Staff Writer The genius combination of versatile vocalist Anderson .Paak and renowned beatsmith and producer Knxwledge, known together as NxWorries, released its first studio album, Yes Lawd!, on October 21. .Paak first gained mainstream recognition when Dr. Dre offered to feature .Paak on his 2015 album Compton. Since then, .Paak has earned widespread fame for his vocal versatility. Not easily categorizable as a rapper, singer, or something in between, .Paak seems to be something else entirely on Yes Lawd!, showing off his ability to use his voice in several different ways by quickly shifting from heartbroken crooner to earnest singer to soulful wailer to hardened rapper and back again. Knxwledge, a well-respected producer, has carved out a niche with his clean production and musical dexterity comparable to .Paak’s; he is known for effortlessly fusing various genres together for a unique effect. The album starts out with several very mellow, laid-back songs. These first tracks have slow, deliberate tempos with soft drums in the background and delicate bass lines, which combine with .Paak’s vocal dexterity to amazing effect. They also introduce some of the themes that carry through the album: sex and unfaithfulness. In each song, .Paak shifts gears between singing, rapping, crooning, and wailing seamlessly, which produces an emotional, mesmerizing effect when paired with his lyrics about late-night revels and women. Halfway through the album, the track “Get Bigger/Do U Luv” breaks this trend of discussing sex and love. In the song, .Paak tells the story of how he rose up from a teenager working minimum wage to stay alive to the successful musician he is today. He describes the reason for his meteoric rise as being a constant desire to “get bigger” and raise the bar. As the album progresses, so does the mood of the songs. Entering the second half of the album, tracks like “Suede” and “Scared Money” feel much more upbeat and alive than previous songs, showcasing glitzy, groovy elements of NxWorries’ repertoire. Knxwledge really shines on tracks like these, producing them with unerring precision to create an upbeat atmosphere. There is, however, one glaring weakness in the album — .Paak’s lyrical depth, or lack thereof. His lyrics boast little of the wordplay that makes traditional rap so enjoyable. Moreover, his shallowness at points becomes downright offensive, such as in “Suede,” where .Paak justifies his calling his girlfriend several derogatory slurs by shrugging them off as affectionate terms. In addition, the insertion of several seemingly random skits and quotes at the ends of several songs produces a confusing, disorienting effect. However, .Paak’s unique vocal mastery, coupled with Knxwledge’s clean beats, rises above these lyrical shortcomings, providing an album that is difficult to find fault in. Organized perfectly to showcase the treasure trove of talent held between this duo, Yes Lawd! is sonically stunning from the first track to the last outro. ▪ Rating: A
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Friday, November 18, 2016
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Sports 15
Girls’ Tennis defeats Logan 5-2 By Michael Ren Staff Writer Girls’ Tennis competed against James Logan High School in their final regular season game on Friday, October 28. In a thrilling series of matches, the Varsity team won five of seven games played, and maintained their undefeated record for the entirety of the regular season. The meet was also the team’s Senior Night. Each court was decorated with rows of green and white balloons, with many posters also hung up for Captain Senior Jayashri Viswanathan. “The whole day was in honor of Jayashri Viswanathan, she was our only senior,” said Girls’ Tennis Coach Linda Campana. “She was our woman of the hour, and I think she did really well, and she will be missed tremendously.” The meet began with the teams introducing their players and cheering them on. After a few minutes of warmups, matches began. Players on both sides started out playing with a slow and measured tempo, trying to get a feel of each other. However, the level of intensity substantially rose as the matches progressed. MSJ won two of the three singles matches. The team’s singles players dominated in their two wins, with each of them sweeping their match 2-0 and winning the sets either 6-1 or 6-2. Logan managed to take the third match in an intense battle, with energetic back and forth sets that could have gone either way and both players performing extremely well. In doubles matches, MSJ again won two out of three matches played. “I worked with the doubles, and they were all sticking to the game plan, working in there down the line. They were serving down the tee, and talking to their partner, sending it deep and letting their partner put it away. So they were right on the game plan,” said Campana. She also specifically praised the doubles duo of Sophomore Brittany Tran and Junior Courtney Tran, who won their sets 6-1 and 6-2. The closest match of the day was the doubles match played by Sophomore Kaitlin Hsu
Senior Jayashri Viswanathan hits a ball across the court.
and Junior Arabhi Thananjeyan. The MSJ and Logan teams were evenly matched, and it showed in the close scores. Although Logan managed to pull through in the third set, Campana praised the duo for their willingness to stick to the strategy. “Overall, we did really well, it was just this match that we faltered a
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little bit. They were all sticking to the game plan so it was really nice,” said Campana. With their final dual meet behind them, the team, which now boasts an undefeated regular season record of 14-0, is looking to have many successful seasons ahead of them. The team will remain relatively unchanged
in the future as only one player will graduate this year, so they will be able to stick together and continue to improve as a whole. Campana said, “Yes, that’s the plan,” looking forward to many more seasons yielding similarly impressive, if not better, results. ▪
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, November 18, 2016
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Smoke Signal
Sports 17
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Varsity sports should count for P.E. credits
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By Evie Sun & Helen Wang Staff Writers Until 2014, FUSD students were granted physical education (P.E.) credits if they participated in any sport and met a designated quota of hours. The policy allowed student athletes to be exempt from a P.E. course or to take an athletic P.E. class at the end of the day. However, the District repealed the policy to stay aligned with the state education standards, as they had faced concerns about the fairness and integrity of the policy. “I believe the impetus behind the changing of the program was centered around equity, fairness, and an adherence to state standards [for] somebody who was receiving credit,” said Principal Zack Larsen. Currently, marching band and colorguard are the only classes that can be taken for P.E. credits. As any student-athlete can confirm, joining a school sports team is a uniquely positive experience and it offers benefits that are not present in a standard P.E. class. For example, participating on a school sports team builds camaraderie among teammates, encourages athletes to work together towards a mutual goal, and provides students with a great sense of accomplishment. “From my experience, a lot of the time, the athletic effort put into being on a sports team is much greater than [that in] a P.E. class,” said Cross Country Captain Senior Tom Scrutton. Being on a school sports team allows students to represent their schools through athletic achievement and establish healthier lifestyles for themselves. In order to succeed as athletes, these students must be responsible, respectful,
disciplined, and mature. Students-athletes often feel overwhelmed from long practice schedules and weekly meets and games. According to a report from the Smoke Signal, 44 percent of student athletes play sports for more than 10 hours per week, and 40 percent spend more than four hours per day on academics. To alleviate the stress that comes with managing a heavy workload and a busy sports agenda, students could replace physical education with a study hall period that would allow them to finish their
Student-athletes often feel overwhelmed from long practice schedules and weekly meets and games ... A study hall period could help students lead healthier lifestyles as they find a balance between school work and athletics. homework and study for tests before practices or games. A study hall period can help students lead healthier lifestyles as they find a balance between school work and athletics. Athletes who would be exempt from P.E. should only be allowed to take a study hall, so that athletes would not have an advantage over other students in terms of academics and juggle the added stress from the class. Some argue that if this policy is put in place, many students will drop out of the P.E. program. However, not everyone can be easily exempt from the P.E. curriculum. When the policy was in place two years ago, it was meant for Varsity players who had to meet a certain quota of hours per week. “They [the District] got a little tight-
staff writer evangeline chang
er on exempting individuals from P.E. for outside activities because there were individuals who were getting credit for outside activities that probably weren’t legitimate,” said Athletic Director Thomas Thomsen. Not only does this strict quota have to be approved by a coach for legitimacy, it also has to be verified on an annual basis. In this way, it is extremely difficult for anyone to be exempt from P.E., and only a few athletes would be eligible. Others argue that this policy would cause a decrease in P.E. classes, threatening the jobs of P.E. teachers. However, P.E. teachers could teach a special conditioning or agility class for athletes who want
to hone and further improve their physical strength and stamina. With the influx of students attending MSJ, P.E. classes are overcrowded, and giving credit would reduce the number of students taking P.E. Student-athletes already dedicate a significant portion of their day to sports. Instead of spending even more time on P.E. during the day, these students could be spending their time more efficiently, whether it be a study hall class to lessen their workload or in specialized training. Ultimately, a change in the P.E. credit policies could lead to decreased levels of stress and a healthier lifestyle for all student athletes. ▪ coverage led by editor-in-chief rishab ramapriyan
Spotlight: MSJ swimmers compete at FINA World Cup By Heather Gan & Bethany Woo Staff Writers Two MSJ swimmers recently competed in a prestigious competition alongside veteran and Olympic swimmers. Seniors Jessica He and Lyon Zhang swam in the International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Cup held in Singapore from October 21 to 22. The Smoke Signal interviewed them about their swimming experiences and journeys to compete on an international level. The Smoke Signal: When did you first start swimming? Lyon Zhang: I started swimming when I was 4 years old. I took swim lessons. SS: Who is your swimming role model and how has he or she inspired you? LZ: There’s a swimmer from [University of California], Josh Prenot; [he’s] an Olympic silver medalist in breaststroke. I look up to him because he’s short, compared to other swimmers—like me most of the time. I met him and he was not intimidating at all. Most of the time when I stand next to people, like at the North Coast Section Championships, [my] height [tends to be shorter]. SS: How do you balance school and training? LZ: I guess [by] using time as efficiently as you can possibly can. If you have the slightest amount of time, 10 minutes or something, sitting around in between whatever you’re doing, just pull out your homework and get as much done as possible. Do you want to hear my practice schedule? I have five afternoon [practices with Mission], three morning practices on weekdays that start at 4:30 a.m., and a Saturday morning [practice] that starts at 8:30 a.m. Obviously, sleep is hard to get, most of the time, but it’s still important. So [I] cut time out of places you wouldn’t expect, like eating meals faster, or showering faster. Making time in places you didn’t expect.
Nationals, and from there it’s your choice whether or not you want to go. At the World Cup there were a lot of world-class swimmers, and I got to swim next to them, which was really intimidating, but I also got to [hear] them talk, and saw [how] they acted, [for example] for warm-ups and post-races at the meet. Turns out, they are pretty normal people, so when you go into races, just focus on yourself, be the best you can, and don’t be afraid. SS: What was your most memorable swim experience? LZ: Last December, I went to a championship meet in [Los Angeles], and our entire team, like all 30 people that were there, were all lined up on the side of the deck and were all yelling and screaming for a student, who was swimming a 1650 [a freestyle event] in the pool. After we were done, there was this girl, and her voice was just dead. She sounded like a frog. We won the meet, and we all went totally crazy, everyone [croaking like frogs] and I was standing there and I was like, “This team is awesome.” So, I guess the moment when the importance of the team hit me was the most memorable. ▪
The Smoke Signal: When did you first start swimming and why? Jessica He: I started swimming because my mom was a huge inspiration to me and she was an Olympic medalist. She was the one who taught me to swim and I grew from all of her advice. From the very beginning, I really liked swimming and it was just something I did in my free time. SS: What advice would you give to a young aspiring swimmer? JH: I would say to push through the pain because in the end, it’s worth it. Even though you have to put in time and effort and you have to dedicate yourself to the sport, it’s really worth it, because in the end you always get more than if you didn’t put in dedication. SS: How do you balance school and training? JH: That is a good question because sometimes, I don’t. I have to sacrifice either sleep or Friday nights when my friends want to hangout but I had to swim. I also limit the time [I spend] on social media and since I’m addicted to my phone, I try to put it away when I’m doing homework and not get distracted.
swimmer? JH: I have to miss a lot of school for swim meets. For example, for FINA, I missed a whole week of school and it was stressful to make up all the work afterwards but it was worth [it] because I experienced so much. I can’t hangout with my friends that much. When they ask to go shopping or go to the beach, I have to say no sometimes. I have to choose easier classes because I know I may not be able to manage if I take a heavy load of classes. SS: What is your role in MSJ’s Swim Team? JH: I'm the captain on the Varsity team this year, and I try to get everyone involved in our activities, dress up days, and hangouts. Even last year, I helped the captains come up with ideas because I think it's important for the whole team to bond. SS: What are your future goals for swimming? JH: My future goal is to keep improving and getting personal best times. I hope to improve on my college team and be an asset to the team and reach more national standards and titles. ▪
SS: What was your most memorable swim experience? JH: My most inspirational swims was when I got my first Far Western time in long course butterfly. I touched the wall and I saw I got my first Far Western time. I looked back and saw [that] my coach was screaming and waving his arms. I felt so happy in that moment and swimming is something I really want to do.
SS: What have you learned from your experiences at FINA and involvement in this sport? LZ: My club team does a yearly trip to a FINA World Cup meet every year. The minimum requirement is to qualify for US Winter Junior Senior Lyon Zhang
staff writer bethany woo
SS: What kind of sacrifices have you made to participate in FINA and in your journey as a
Senior Jessica He
staff writer heather gan
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Sports 19
Fall sports at NCS By Shivani Avasarala, Hannah Chou, Joelle Chuang & Jenny Miao Staff Writers
As the fall sports season draws to a close, four top MSJ teams have advanced to North Coast Section (NCS), the next round of competition beyond our Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL). Girls’ Golf, Girls’ Volleyball, Cross Country, and Girls’ Tennis will each move on to compete at this prestigious level. Read on for a look into their seasons and future goals.
girls’ golf Although Girls' Golf lost some key players, team members were able to exceed their limits and support each other for an overall successful season. The team started off the season with many new faces, and focused much of their time on honing their skills for both the 9-hole and 18-hole tournaments. Captain Senior Sarah Chong acknowledged the highlight of the season as competing at MVALs, where team members pushed each other and came out ahead amongst several other teams. At NCS the team competed at the Chardonnay Golf Club in American Canyon, CA, where they placed seventh out of 22 teams. Regarding the driving factor behind their success, Chong said, “Support. [Team members] really support each other and give each other advice, although we are very small.” Though the season is coming to an end, the team plans on practicing throughout the school year. Sophomore Shivani Upadhyay takes a swing at the golf ball during practice.
cross country
Cross Country has had many successful seasons, but this year they performed exceptionally well, placing first overall in the league for both Varsity teams. Coach Jack Marden said, “We’re better this year than we’ve been for a long time, and we’re in first for both Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity, so we have high hopes for NCS.” Throughout the season, the team faced common Cross Country challenges, including injury and sickness, but worked extremely well together to achieve success. Having an exceptionally talented group was also a key factor. Captain Senior Tom Scrutton said, “Not only do we have really fast athletes, but there’s also a bunch of people who can back them up. Everyone’s really good.” A major highlight was the November 2 meet against rival James Logan High School, in which Boys’ varsity continued their winning streak and Girls’ varsity, with three runners out, lost by only two points. Cross country will look to continue their succesful run when they compete at NCS on November 19 at Hayward High School. Sophomore Nitin Sagi and Junior Shrey Vasavada race against Irvington on October 5.
girls’ volleyball Girls’ Volleyball, ranked second in MVAL, has made it to NCS multiple times in recent years. According to Coach Donald Hui, leadership played an important role in the season’s success. “We had six seniors who understood what I expected of the team ... and I think that having [reinforcement] not just from the coach but from six other players really helps a lot.” The highlight of their season was when the team won the East Valley Invitational Tournament, their first tournament win since 2009. Co-Captain Senior Aileen Hsu said, “MSJ hasn't had a history winning tournaments, and [winning it] really showed our potential for the rest of the season.” The team made it to the second round of NCS before losing to James Logan High School. Junior Michelle Zhang attacks from the back row in a game against Newark Memorial on October 11.
girls’ tennis
With two new assistant coaches and a solid lineup, Girls’ Tennis stayed undefeated for the entire season and finished first in MVAL. According to Captain Senior Jayashri Viswanathan, the biggest challenge was getting players to come back and be dedicated to the team. As the season progressed, the players bonded with each other as a team. The highlight of the season for Viswanathan was the senior night game on October 28 against James Logan High School, in which the Varsity team won 5-2. Viswanathan said, “We are usually stronger than most of the teams, so hopefully at NCS we can do as well as we usually do.” The team made it to the second round of NCS before losing to Monte Vista High School. In the future, Viswanathan hopes to improve the singles lineup and make sure that the singles players develop their skills to have more experience. Sophomore Shreya Ramani concentrates on a backhand return against James Logan on October 28 photos courtesy costanoan yearbook, the smoke signal archives. graphics by clipartkid.com
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Special Olympics By Bethany Woo Staff Writer Special education students and staff traveled to American High School for the Special Olympics on November 10. Teams of students from FUSD’s junior high schools and high schools competed in a soccer tournament. MSJ enthusiastically participated in a total of four games against Washington High School, Bridgepoint High School, and James Logan High School.
random caption A special education student successfully breaks through Bridgepoint High School's defenses and charges toward the goal.
Students from Special Education Teachers Sujata Singh and Tai Chung's classes pose behind a sign held by two American High School cheerleaders.
Paraeducator Krystal Sanchez exchanges high-fives with her students after their game against Bridgepoint High School. PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER BETHANY WOO. GRAPHICS BY CRATED.COM, CLIPARTBEST.COM
FUSD’s Got Talent! FUSD students gathered in C-120 on November 12 to perform in the Fremont Unified Student Store’s annual “FUSD’s Got Talent!” show. Participants showcased a variety of skills, ranging from martial arts expertise to advanced geographical knowledge. The best act in each category won a trophy, as well as a cash prize for the winner’s school.
Twamasi Ghosh, 10
By Amy Chen
Staff Writer Warm Springs Elementary School student Ryan Cheng pirouettes as his classmates, Rishi Krishnan, Shreyas Verma, and Roopaksai Sivakumar (not pictured), perform their instrumental rendition of “Heartache” by Toby “Radiation” Fox.
Anshuman Patnaik, 10
Sophomores Twamasi Ghosh and Anshuman Patnaik, the sole participants representing MSJ, perform their duet rendition of “Unconditionally” by Katy Perry, winning the first place award in the high school category.
Gomes Elementary School students Aarav Khandelwal and Mrigas Iyer synchronize their movements for the lively, Bollywood-style dance for happiness.
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER AMY CHEN. GRAPHICS BY WALLPAPERSAFARI.COM, GCASTD.COM, DEVIANTART.COM, PINTEREST.COM, VINTAGEMOVIEPOSTERS.CO.UK