MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 57, NO. 8
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539 41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
2022
April 29, 2022
Multicultural
Assembly On April 8, Leadership 2 (L2) Homecoming Multicultural Committee (HCMC), along with 16 unique performances wrapped up Multicultural Week with a striking assembly, showcasing dances, music, and martial arts from diverse cultures. View the Smoke Signal’s full coverage and photo gallery at
www.Thesmokesignal.org PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER CHARLIZE CHIU
Headstart program introduces Hopkins students to DECA MSJ DECA’s Headstart Program aims to give middle schoolers a look at business, economics, and high school competitions.
Organizers and mentors for the MSJ DECA Headstart Program pose for a picture.
By Shaily Desai & Steffi Zhou Staff Writers
Launched on March 13, MSJ DECA Headstart is a 6-week program designed for William Hopkins Junior High School students looking to explore the world of business and entrepreneurship. An estimated 50 participants consistently attend hour-long Zoom meetings every Sunday, during which MSJ DECA officers dive into topics such as business ideation, target marketing, and graphic design. In preparation for the mini conference, also known as the Minicon, at the end of the program, students work to create a business report to present to officers and mentors, who will serve as judges. The overarching goal of this program is to not only allow students to gain exposure to business and high school DECA, but also
to improve students’ public speaking and leadership skills. “The MSJ DECA Headstart program is giving Hopkins students a taste of what the DECA club will be like at MSJ, since I don’t think there’s a business club at Hopkins,” MSJ DECA Adviser Bel-
“The MSJ DECA Headstart program is giving Hopkins students a taste of what the DECA club will be like at MSJ.” —MSJ DECA Adviser Bellamy Liu
lamy Liu said. “There are definitely some students who, even from a younger age, have a passion for business and want to be involved. And I think this is a great way to allow them to have that access.” A key component of the MSJ DECA Headstart program is the role of mentors,
who are current members of MSJ DECA. Mentors are assigned to student groups of 3-4, assisting the students with their business reports and homework assignments. “When the new freshmen come in, they already have an upperclassman that they know who can help them feel more involved in our club,” Vice President of Competitions Senior Tiffany Li said. Since meetings are conducted through Zoom, officers had difficulties kickstarting the program and gauging interest from Hopkins students. “Hopkins has a student bulletin every morning, so we got our program into that. We also contacted the leadership teacher to promote on social media,” Director of Education Junior Ryan Liu said. Engagement has also been an obstacle during virtual meetings, as students can choose to keep their cameras off and micro-
phones muted. To combat this issue, officers require mentors to communicate with their small groups, collecting feedback and suggestions to implement for subsequent meetings. Additionally, students can participate in ice breakers every week to help them feel more comfortable on Zoom. MSJ DECA officers are happy with the program’s achievements thus far and hope to expand the program to more students and mentors, while making the program longer to break up the curriculum and include additional activities for students. “I think a lot of us weren’t really expecting this program to have as much success as it had,” Ryan Liu said. “We hope to grow the program in the upcoming years and keep it going so we can get more students introduced to DECA and hopefully encourage them to join when they PHOTO BY STAFF WRITER STEFFI ZHOU
ONLINE
THIS MONTH
www.thesmokesignal.org
HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON LAUCH
FROM SCRATCH TOUR REVIEW
MSJ Youth4Climate launched their first highaltitude weather balloon in Salinas, CA, which flew more than 1000 feet high. Read the Smoke Signal’s coverage on this event!
John Mulaney starts From Scratch in his new tour, his first since splitting up with his wife, leaving drug rehabilitation, and having his first child. Read the full review online!
FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG