Volume L, No. 4

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 50, NO. 4

New Programming Class Discrete course to be replaced by new C++ class

By Annie Tang Staff Writer

In this continuation of the investigative report on MSJ emergency readiness, the Smoke Signal investigates how prepared MSJ is for an emergency by examining classroom readiness, the active shooter protocol, and how teachers and staff are trained to handle such emergencies.

Investigative Report: Part 2

MSJ Emergency Readiness

By Apoorva Rajanala, Shivane Sabharwal & Hanson Wang Staff Writers

Teachers and staff

In the upcoming 2015-16 school year, MSJ will be replacing Finite math with a C++ programming class due to changes within the Ohlone College course catalog.

Finite math is currently a one-semester class that is typically taken in conjunction with Discrete math, which is taught during the second semester. Students who take this year-long Finite/Discrete combination course are able to earn Ohlone math credit, since the classes are also offered as part of Ohlone’s curriculum. The prerequisite for the Discrete class at Ohlone is the completion of Finite math. In order for MSJ students to be eligible to earn college math credit for Discrete, they must follow the guidelines set by Ohlone and complete Finite.

However, in the 2013-14 school year, Finite math was removed from Ohlone’s course catalog. Therefore, students are no longer able to receive college credit for Finite math at MSJ. Along with the discontinuation of Finite, the Discrete class itself also underwent a change. Ohlone has now declared Discrete to be a computer science class instead of a math class. Rather than earning math college credits for taking Discrete, students will now

“There’s a real need to have [computer science] classes, especially because we’re in the Bay Area...It’s so surprising that MSJ...doesn’t have [as] many [computer science] classes as we should have.”

-Matt Lazar, Finite/Discrete Teacher be receiving computer science credit. This transition has also changed the Ohlone prerequisite for Discrete from Finite math to a C++ programming class instead.

The decision to replace Finite with C++ at MSJ was mainly influenced by the removal of Finite math in the Ohlone curriculum and the change in prerequisites for Discrete.

However, the frequent requests for more computer science programs at MSJ play an important role in the shift as well. Finite Teacher Matt Lazar said, “There’s a real need to have [computer science] classes, especially because we’re in the Bay Area and this area has such high technology. It’s so surprising that MSJ, which is so strong in science and math...doesn’t have [as] many [computer science] classes as we should have.” He also stated that because there is a greater demand for AP Computer Science at MSJ than there

See C++ NEWS Page 2

December 18, 2014

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

75% 75% 46% 29%

of teachers have discussed safety protocol and emergency situations with their students of teachers have been to at least one emergency training session this year of teachers have shown their third period students the presentation and video regarding active shooter policies of teachers have been in an actual schoolwide emergency situation

Teachers and staff go through multiple trainings each year in order to better prepare them for emergency situations. In these trainings, they go through various exercises, scenarios, and options in order to protect themselves and those around them. The Smoke Signal conducted a survey via School Loop of 28 MSJ teachers and staff to gauge staff familiarity with emergency procedures at MSJ. The teacher survey asked teachers how to perform in certain emergency situations, their opinions on whether MSJ is emergency ready, and how they believe the student population could be better educated about emergency precautions.

See IR NEWS Page 2

Do you feel the current FUSD protocol properly prepares teachers to handle emergency situations?

Did not answer 4%

No 46%

Red Bag Investigation

During the investigation, Is the red bag near members of the Smoke Signal Is the red bag visible? the door? went to classes throughout the school to see if teachers No 21% had placed their red emerNo 32% gency bags in appropriate Yes 79% Yes 68% areas, noting whether it was placed near the door and whether it was in a clearly *A total of 28 randomly selected classrooms visible location.

Yes 50%

Do you believe MSJ is emergency ready?

Did not answer 4%

No 39%

Yes 57%

were investigated.

staff writer andrew choi

New TVs Mission Possible donates flat-screen TVs

By Brian Tseng Staff Writer Mission Possible Parent Faculty Association (MPPFA) purchased flat-screen TVs for use in the English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language departments. Each department received five TVs and document cameras, and decided which classrooms would receive them. The TVs were installed over the long weekend of November 8 to 11.

MPPFA has raised about $130,000 in donations this year, and during the annual budget meeting, the budget committee recommended spending $29,000 towards class-

room modernization. Teachers submitted proposals as to what the money should be used for. Initially, they proposed that the money donated by MPPFA be used to install LCD projectors. However, installing the wiring would raise the cost to over $2,000 for each classroom.

One parent suggested purchasing wallmounted flat screen TVs, which are used at

“I think that it’s very costeffective, and I think it’s another tool to engage students in learning.”

-Zack Larsen, Principal

student spotlight

debate spotlight

christmas countdown

MSJ Senior Dustin Chiang is one of two alternates chosen to represent CA in the 2015 US Senate Youth Program.

Several MSJ debaters qualify for the Tournament of Champions.

Stay up to date with the Smoke Signal’s Christmas Countdown on our official Facebook page.

today

today

today

his own company. As English Teacher Katherine Geers, History Teacher Bill Jeffers, and Math Teacher Mehebub Karmali flat-screen TVs in their own classrooms effectively, the departments agreed to the proposal. Fry’s Electronics provided several discounts and donated a TV, so the final cost of the 25 TVs, including tax, delivery, installation, and setup, came to about $26,500. When asked for his opinion on the new TVs, Principal Zack Larsen said, “I think that it’s very costeffective, and I think it’s another tool to engage students in learning.”

Teachers currently use the new wallmounted TVs for a variety of purposes. History Teacher Brian Soria, who received his through a raffle within the History Depart-

See TVs NEWS Page 2

FOR MORE COVERAGE,

VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

FOLLOWED CORRECT PROTOCOL FOR LOCKDOWN 2 News www.thesmokesignal.org DRILL ON NOV. 17

The Smoke Signal

IR| Emergency NO 61% continued from page 1

ALL 4%

NONE 3%

SOME 37% HOW MANY OF YOUR STUDENTS FOLLOWED CORRECT PROTOCOL FOR THE NOV. 17 LOCKDOWN DRILL?

MOST 56%

Have you ever read MSJ's emergency protocol?

YES

run, hide, fight

lockdown protocol Following the lockdown drill conducted during break on Monday, November 17 at MSJ, concerns have been raised about the execution of lockdown protocol. If students are unable to get into a classroom, office, closet, or other closed rooms in time, they should go to the nearest bathroom, close the doors and stalls, and hide so that none of their bodies or possessions are showing. During the drill, however, administration and campus supervisors who were checking around campus found many students waiting by the door, a very dangerous choice in case of a real lockdown situation. The gym is now one of the areas where students can go in case they are unable to get into another room.

According to Assistant Principal Jeff Evans, “We are making more changes so that our campus can be a safer environment. For example, we recently installed solar lights and now the school can be lit up even when it’s dark out.”

One additional concern with the protocol is if the active shooter pulls a fire alarm in an attempt to draw out students and staff. For this reason, everyone is instructed not to leave their hiding places for any bell, unless specifically announced over the PA system. Another safety measure is that the Fremont Police Department has spare keys to classrooms.

Once the lockdown is over, the police will unlock each door “[We should] make [students] aware that it’s and release those inside, rather than announcing it over the PA system. Ohlone College’s parking lot is the designated an importance—such emergencies do occur in pickup spot for students. Parents should not come near the school campuses nationwide. [We should] have campus, regardless of the circumstances; this only runs the two to three drills a year and highlight the event.” risk of them being mistaken for intruders or getting in the -Teacher feedback to survey way of tracking the attacker or evacuation.

NO

118 people said...

27 people said...

“If students are able to change their mindsets and attitudes towards active intruder situations, they can over work together and find a way NO to take the inhAVE YOUR teachers gone msj’s emergency protocol? truder down if they are forced to encounter him or 67 people said...

YES her head on. Most importantly, all actions in case 79 people said... of a fight should be made without any hesitations.”

-Assistant Principal Jeff Evans

62%

Thursday, December 18, 2014

of respondents in the teacher survey answered correctly that the first thing teachers should do when an active shooter is on campus is run.

Collaborating with the Fremont Police Department and other safety organizations, MSJ has taken up a new procedure in case of an active intruder situation. If an active attacker is spotted on campus, rather than staying in a locked room and hiding, student and staff are now instructed to run off campus as long as the attacker is not in the near vicinity.

Implemented about a year ago, the procedure is officially called: Run, Hide, Fight, specifically in that order. If the attacker is on campus, students and staff are to run away to a safe place, such as a business, store, or residential area. However, if the attacker is announced to be in a nearby area, everyone must evacuate into the closest room, lock the doors, turn off the lights, and stay quiet and low. In the worst case scenario that the attacker is to enter the room, students must be prepared to throw a heavy object and hurt the attacker.

In the Columbine High School shooting of 1999, the ratio of students to attackers was nearly 30 to 1. However, because the students were not instructed to fight, they didn’t think of working together and tackling the shooters.

The MSJ policy also states that if running away is not a viable option, students and staff in the room should work together to take the attacker down and save the most lives. images.google.com

C++| Class

TVs| New

are spaces, he hopes that those students who wish to learn programming will be able to do so with this new C++ class.

Prerequisites for the incoming C++/Discrete class are also different from the previous Finite/Discrete class. Instead of being required to pass AP Statistics with a C or higher, students who wish to take C++ will need to have passed Non-honors or Honors Precalculus with a B or higher and have either earned a B or higher in Calculus or are concurrently enrolled in a Calculus course.

AP Computer Science is a senior priority class, due to the lack of spaces. MSJ Principal Zack Larsen says that the C++ class will also be prioritized according to grade level. As for the C++ class itself, because the 2015-16 school year will be the first year this class is implemented, teachers are uncertain of how many sections will be set aside for this class. Math Department Head Scott Sugden says that there will likely be two to three sections of the class that will be created. The number of sections will depend on MSJ students’ demands, which will be available to the administrators after registrations close in March. ▪

ment, uses it to show historical events that occurred on that day of the year, as well as the birthdays of important figures and students. The document camera also proved useful in conjunction with the Illuminate grading system for quickly grading scantrons. In the future, he plans to use the TV to display instructional videos, which he formerly used a projector for. Likewise, Spanish Teacher Jill Evans uses hers to play Spanish

continued from page 1

corrections for the nov. 14, 2014 issue

News Page 1: Junior Ashvath Balgovind is a captain of Boys’ Water Polo.

News Page 2: Maile Ferreira’s name was misspelled in the October 23 issue.

Centerspread Pages 12, 14: Staff Writer Annie Tang took pictures.

Centerspread Page 14: Staff Writers Grace Dong and Neha Shah wrote the article.

A&E Page 19: Megan Lee’s song is “Love, Laugh & Live.”

Sports Page 21: Jacob Walter’s name was misspelled.

Sports Page 21: Graphics were by Sports Editor Arti Patankar. Staff Writers Harshita Gupta and Neha Shah took photos for the Homecoming Game.

Photo Page 23: Staff Writer Tanvi Raja took photos for the Homecoming Dance.

Photo Page 24: Staff Writer Harshita Gupta took photos.

continued from page 1

articles using iPads. Paired with the document cameras, the wall-mounted TVs can also be used to demonstrate how to do homework or point out important topics in textbooks.

Other technologies such as iPads and netbooks have already been introduced to classrooms. These have been helpful in allowing students to work on projects in class or look up information. Starting with the in-

troduction of School Loop to MSJ’s grading systems several years ago, online textbooks, and new programming classes, technology has come to play a larger role in classrooms at MSJ, as shown by the introduction of the new TVs. “I think it’s absolutely amazing, and I’d like to thank Mission Possible for donating the TVs to us,” said Soria. “I think it will benefit student education greatly.” ▪

“I think it’s absolutely amazing, and I’d like to thank Mission Possible for donating the TVs to us. I think it will benefit student education greatly.”

-Brian Soria, History Teacher

videos, replacing her own projector. She also believes that her TV helps relate to Common Core by introducing technology into her Spanish classes. Evans said, “I think it’s awesome. Thank you to Mission Possible.”

More possibilities for the new TVs may be found in the future. Geers uses Apple TV with her own wall-mounted flat-screen, which allows students to display annotated

History Teacher Brian Soria uses his TV to teach World History.

staff writer brian tseng

NEWS IN

brief

guep.org Communities around the US are encouraged to lead the way in energy efficiency.

techanalysts.com New Horizons Spacecraft is set to make long range observations of Pluto.

mapsofworld.com Category three Typhoon Hagupit hits the Philippine islands.

Fremont advances to quarterfinals for GUEP

NASA Spacecraft awakens NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft, sent out almost nine years ago to explore the edges of the solar system, finally sent back a message on December 6. It has awoken from its power-saving hibernation, and is ready to explore deep space.

The craft will remain alive throughout the next few years, sending back pictures of Pluto and beyond in more clarity than ever before. There is also potential to discover more of Pluto’s moons, as well as other unknown objects in deep space.

Typhoon Hagupit hits Philippines Typhoon Hagupit hit the Philippines hard on December 6, causing the deaths of at least three people and displacing millions from their homes.

The deadly storm had gust speeds of 93 mph and caused very heavy rainfall as it moved across the island. Typhoon Hagupit hit only one year after the even deadlier Typhoon Haiyan that caused death and destruction throughout the island, forcing one million people to flee to emergency shelters.

As a part of its local strategy to address the global issue of energy consumption, the city of Fremont is competing for the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize (GUEP).

Fremont’s Climate Action Plan, adopted two years ago, aims to decrease Fremont’s greenhouse gas emissions by Compiled by Staff Writers Harshita Gupta, 25 percent within 15 years. Fremont is Amrith Krishnan & Shivane Sabharwal one of 52 cities nationwide to advance to the competition’s quarterfinal round.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

the

The Smoke Signal

The Real Problem with Education Reform

41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600

Tech Santhosh Paramasivan, Peter Qiu Business Anand Balaji Circulation Hairol Ma Ads Grace Dong, Madeline Zheng Events Tanvi Raja, Apoorva Rajanala Writers & Photographers Andrew Chen, Kylie Cheung, Sarina Chitre, Andrew Choi, Sayan Ghosh, Purvi Goel, Harshita Gupta, Pratham Gupta, Chakshu Hurria, Amrith Krishnan, Ansh Patel, Gelsey Plaza, Iyesha Puri, Deeksha Raina, Rishab Ramapriyan, Shivane Sabharwal, Neha Shah, Ruiwen Shen, Annie Tang, Monica Tang, Brian Tseng, Hanson Wang, Didi Wu, Rebecca Wu

By Alice Cheng & Catherine Wang Opinion Editors Alice: Hey Cat, have you noticed how much education reform there’s been lately?

Catherine: Do you mean Common Core? Or the new flatscreen TVs in classrooms?

A: Actually, I was thinking about teacher tenure. First, there was the Vergara v. California decision back in September, and then parents in New York filed a similar lawsuit a couple weeks after Vergara.

C: Touchy topic. I’m not too familiar with Vergara v. California, though – what’s the court case about?

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

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Opinion 3

Catalyst& AnAliceis

Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 50, No. 4 | December 18, 2014 www.thesmokesignal.org

Editors-in-Chief Tingting Bi, Laura Chen News Michael Hsiu, Tiffany Huang Opinion Alice Cheng, Catherine Wang Feature Megan Ren, Katie Sun Centerspread Katrina Cherk, Vivian Liu A&E Melissa Peng, Andrea Tam Sports Arti Patankar, Abigail Wong Graphics Kevin Chen, Lillian Zhao Web Jacinta Chang, Nithya Rajeev

www.thesmokesignal.org

A: A group of high school students won a lawsuit by challenging the policies that allowed “ineffective” teachers to keep their jobs. Basically, the ruling stated that teacher tenure violates students’ rights.

C: That sounds pretty groundbreaking, but it gets me wondering how they defined students’ rights – and teachers’ rights, for that matter. As students, we want the same education opportunities as everyone else, but teachers deserve job security, especially if

they’ve worked for many years.

A: I think seniority is definitely a factor to consider when determining job security, but it shouldn’t be the main reason. When it comes to who stays during budget cuts, California’s current emphasis on keeping teachers who have worked longer, known as the “Last-In FirstOut” provision, doesn’t really do much to improve our education.

C: It makes more sense to value teaching quality over seniority.

A: But how in the world can we measure a teacher’s quality?

C: Test scores seem like the most obvious way.

A: Yeah, I’ve read about how some teachers are evaluated using value-added model scores. They’re numbers that supposedly show how much teachers have affected student improvement by tracking their students’ test scores. But according to the American Statistical Association, teachers’ scores have little correlation with their actual skills in the classroom.

C: Not only that, but when test scores are the only factor considered for teacher evaluations

and funding, it invites problems like cheating. Taking shortcuts to higher scores can be more tempting. For example, last year, employees of Atlanta public schools in a low-income area were prosecuted for changing students’ standardized test scores.

A: Looks like there are unintended consequences when we try to quantify a teacher’s “quality.” Government policies, like No Child Left Behind Act and Race to the Top, Fund seem like they’re reinforcing this standard.

C: I think that from a larger perspective, discussions about tenure won’t really have a long-lasting impact unless we’re reconsidering how we evaluate teachers. Quantified measurements don’t take into account, for example, the particular situation of a certain school or district.

A: Something that teacher unions, like the American Federation of Teachers, have pointed out is that teachers often seem to be targeted individually for larger problems in the education system. Like you said, ending tenure doesn’t necessarily solve some bigger problems, like overcrowding in public schools. Sometimes it just comes down to a lack of resources, so a lot of problems in our education system are out of our teachers’ control.

C: And at the end of the day, there will always be individual discrepancies.

Some teachers’ teaching styles simply mesh better with some students than with others.

A: That’s true. In general, our mindset on education is rigid. We usually blame the teacher or the student for poor education quality when the entire system is flawed due to its heavy dependence on data and numbers to describe unquantifiable aspects of education. It’s simply not feasible to judge how effective a teacher is or make sure we get effective teachers all the time, but we can attempt to provide teachers and students with the tools they need to be successful through public policy. I’ve heard that teachers in California currently get a two-year probationary period after which they earn permanent employment status.

Maybe we could lengthen this amount of time to keep teachers motivated to stay and have the freedom to improve their teaching methods.

C: Seeing changes – and actual solutions – in policy is going to take a long time, though. Even though the Vergara case is closed, the debate on tenure, and more importantly how we evaluate our education, won’t end anytime soon. ▪

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Editorial: Tuition Hikes Deserve a Better Grade It’s your senior year at MSJ, and you’ve toiled through the blood, sweat, and tears for four years to reach this point. There’s only one semester left until life beyond Palm Avenue and Mission Boulevard, and you’ve been accepted into the UC you’ve dreamed about since freshman year.

It’s no secret that a majority of students at MSJ strive to attend a UC, but a recent decision by the UC Regents affects the affordability of a UC education. Due to a lack of state funding and a need for campus improvements, the UCs have now decided on a plan to increase tuition for both CA residents and non-residents by five percent over the next five years.

Although the tuition hike may seem duly unfair and challenging for many at a glance, the UC Regents’ decision will ultimately better the UC system. The new price tag shouldn’t be the sole focus, as the UC decision was made in the pursuit of upholding standards in education.

Through the new tuition hike model, the UC Regents aim to raise more funds for faculty salary increases, campus maintenance, and academic quality improvement, including the lowering of current UC student-to-faculty ratios. At the same time, given that the UC Regents have made this decision, they should move forward with a heavy emphasis on transparency in the upcoming years. By continually providing updates of where the increased income is being allocated, stakeholders can follow the Regents’ progress in what they have promised.

The main opposition towards the decision made by the UC Regents stems from questions of how the universities should fund themselves and spend the money obtained through the tuition hikes. There has been a significant decline in the amount of state funding for universities,

with university funding amounting to $460 million less than the amount funded eight years ago. According to Hans Johnson, senior fellow of the Public Policy Institute of California, tuition increases have been historically attributed more to state funding cuts than to inefficiency in the system or growing instructional costs. Thus the universities must look elsewhere to make up the deficit in order to maintain their quality of education.

Californian students express criticism over whether the state is still serving its people, with a ten percent increase in admission of out-of-state or international students at UCs such as UCLA and UCB over the past four years. Current students of the UC system criticize the new decision for its lack of consideration towards the voices of the majority student body, arguing that public schools should maintain affordability and equal opportunities for its main beneficiaries, in-state residents. However, the new policy is expected to create room for 5,000 more in-state students and 2,000 more nonresident students.

Though the initial reaction to the UC Regent’s tuition hike has been opposition from various stakeholders, we MSJ students should recognize the validity of an increase in income to the UC system. Akin to being stuck “between a rock and a hard place”, the Regent’s decision, though not ideal, was their best-case scenario.

Moving forward, we expect full transparency and follow-ups as we watch the revenue allocation improve the deficiencies in public education - from undergraduate class sizes to campus facilities and resources. ▪

Send letters to the editors to: opinion@thesmokesignal.org

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Opinion 5

net_neutrality hat is net neutrality and why is it important?

Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) should consider all data use as equal, eliminating bias against specific products and websites. It argues that no piece of information should be valued over the other, meaning that all data on the Internet should be equally accessible.

In the modern age, great strides in technology are empowering more and more people each day with the power of the internet and all of its resources. Increasingly, the Internet is being used in a wide variety of fields such as business, communication, and agriculture. Because of this exponentially rising dependency on the Internet, it is crucial that these networks remain neutral. Monopolizing such a valuable commodity will cause detrimental effects for communities globally as many people rely on the Internet for various activities. The Internet, to date, has had a significant impact on invigorating the economies of many countries and raising awareness about many concerning issues as well. For example, the Internet helped raise awareness for about 75,000 people in the European Union regarding the issue of asylum seekers in 2010 to decrease the discrimination against them.

Tiered access and prioritization for this increasingly essential resource hampers the development of developing countries. This is because, not only does the internet play a noteworthy role in aiding global communications, but it also allows information to be freely accessed.

1101111000101010001000010101110101010110010010101010010101010011010101 words to know broadband: high-speed Internet that allows several messages to be communicated simultaneously

w hat are our rights

as Internet users? Is net nutrality justified?

net neutrality:

On one end of the spectrum, one can see the cynical tech geeks and hackers filled with utter fear that should consider all data use equally monopolistic cable companies are going to doom the network: internet and, on the other, lies those of us who rarely a system of computers, peripherals, and datastop to think about how the Internet works. The basic bases that are connected to one another argument for net neutrality is this: a free and open Internet, with a level playing field for all companies, Internet service provider will not only lead to the growth and prosperity of the (ISP): a company that provides internet access to Internet, but will also aid the emergence of technology individuals and other companies (ex. Verizon, startups that base their operations on Internet traffic. Net Comcast, AT&T) neutrality includes the slowing down of content of cloudbased service providers, such as Netflix, to maintain the speed of Internet traffic, a phenomenon which leads to these conglomerates paying extra money to get the same amount of speed. Opponents of net neutrality respond by saying that Internet innovation will be stifled by bureaucratic red tape caused by governmental intervention on the Internet. Broadband providers would be able to determine who could access the Internet and possibly stifle the potential of new businesses on the Internet. However, the inherent conflict of this debate is whether or not Internet access should be considered a right or a privilege.

The foundation of this debate is that of a right to an unhindered access to information, a right to access the Internet without any obstructions. The vitality of the Internet is of such great magnitude that as of 2011, the UN has established that disconnecting people from the Internet is a human rights violation and against international law.

Now the term “human right” is where the biggest controversy arises. Most of us are familiar with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as basic human rights in our democratic society. Individual the principle that Internet service providers

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“The basic argument for net neutrality is this: a free and open Internet, with a level playing field for all companies, will not only lead to the growth and prosperity of the Internet, but will also aid the emergence of technology startups that base their operations on internet traffic.”

0001101011010101011010001010101001010101000101001010101010101010101010101001101010001110110010111001110101001 human rights are those which we deem essential for freedom, rights without which a government’s mission of preserving basic freedoms is meaningless. However, when governments begin to assert that certain privileges are rights, the inherent value of a human right diminishes. Easy availability of a specific product or service to a special group does not make it essential to the proper functioning of that group; labeling Internet access as a right implies that it is an essential aspect of being human in modern society and that those who are unable to access the Internet are inherently deprived of freedom in some way.

Classifying equal access to the Internet comes with a large amount of complications; if human rights are those accessible to all people within a society, then it would essentially become the government’s job to ensure that each of its citizens had equal access to the World Wide Web, and mandatory computer and router installations would ensue. Governments become enabled to characterize rights as they choose, when human rights should be natural and inalienable.

Net neutrality, in its most basic sense, aims to force providers to allow all users unbiased access to the plethora of information on the Internet. This ultimately leads to a level playing field for all Internet users to begin from, no matter what they use the Internet for. However, regarding equal Internet access as a right makes it seem essential, not just important. Categorizing Internet access as a right is unreasonable because although Internet access is an important part of our lives as students, it is not regarded as essential to the overall happiness of every person in the world.

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w

The general public’s understanding of net neutrality is unfortunately limited, constructed from small pieces of various sources and possibly obscured and misconstrued by sources that present biased views of the issue. Here, the Smoke Signal hopes to explain the intricacies of this concept and raise awareness about the importance of this two-word phrase.

By Sayan Ghosh, Pratham Gupta, Chakshu Hurria & Rishab Ramapriyan Staff Writers

i

mpacts of net neutrality

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, once said, “Freedom of connection with any application to any party is the fundamental social basis of the Internet. And now, is the basis of the society built on the Internet.”

Due to entertainment and social media being comparitively more lucrative, ISPs prioritize them more, and revoking net neutrality would effectively hinder access to online educational resources as they won’t be considered as essential and will become more expensive. In addition, numerous healthcare professionals in developing countries all over the globe utilize the Internet to promote quality healthcare: to maintain supplies and to look after their patients.

It helps doctors treat their patients more effectively since using the internet to track prescriptions, medications and various medical results is easier and more efficient than boxes full of papers and charts. Revoking net neutrality would affect products and services in a myriad of different fields and industries due to their dependence on the internet. The biggest change, however, will be the destabilizing of the Internet -- the ISPs will have control of freedom of information as well as who receives information faster. This will lead to fluctuation and arbitrary prices for the use of the same service.

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h

ow does it affect us?

As students, we use the Internet for almost everything, whether it is for educational purposes, socialization, or entertainment. Without net neutrality, ISPs could have the ability to discriminate against content they do not like. Lack of net neutrality would also hinder the development of smaller websites and companies. For example, if a new startup offers a website which helps students immensely with notes or videos, access to it could be slowed down severely if it chooses not to host videos on YouTube. This would be the case if an extremely large or wealthy company, such as Google, decides to pay an ISP to ensure that YouTube videos stream faster. Unfortunately, the Internet will be divided into “fast” lanes for ultra-rich companies, and “slow” lanes for smaller ones.

In addition, ISPs could have the ability to discriminate against specific types of media, such as video streaming and peer-to-peer file sharing. This occurred in 2007, when evidence showed that Comcast blocked certain peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) demanded that Comcast stop. As a response, Comcast sued the FCC. The FCC won the case, and the backlash against Comcast damaged the company’s reputation.

The lack of net neutrality will generally have a larger effect on smaller organizations rather than monolithic ones such as Google and Facebook. It will violate one of the most basic pillars of modern democracy, the right to free speech. ISPs could silence everyone from political bloggers to students trying to launch their own startups. Access to open courseware websites could also be denied if an ISP does not agree with certain things taught. If students write about certain issues they feel passionate about, their writings could potentially be blocked.

00111010110101010110100010101010010101010001010010101010101010101010101010011010100010

“Unfortunately, the Internet will be divided into ‘fast’ lanes for ultra-rich companies, and ‘slow’ lanes for smaller ones.”

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c

onclusion

Categorizing Internet access as a human right places it among those things which are truly essential. We cannot place the right to research and connect with others online on the same level as the right to live our lives freely, under our own control. While Internet access does not constitute a right, its acceptance still benefits free speech, education, and small businesses. ▪ images.google.com

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IvyBoost

Thursday, December 18, 2014

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Thursdsay, December 18, 2014

The Smoke Signal

MilK TEA GUIDE *Placed in order from highest to lowest Overall Rating **5 stars represent the cheapest price

ONE TEA

RATINGS

Pleasant service and a wide variety of choices unfortunately cannot make up for One Tea’s inconsistent drinks. The consistency of the pearls is mushy and the tea tends to taste extremely bitter.

TEA PAPA

RATINGS

Who doesn’t like their drinks served to them in cute glass pitchers? Though severely lacking in service, Tea Papa does offer some quality milk tea and its late hours (closes at 1 AM Friday/Saturday) make it an ideal hangout spot.

TATA TEAHOUSE Tata Teahouse recently opened in Fremont Hub and sports a cute teal theme complete with white cushioned chairs. The service is top notch and the menu is extensive, albeit slightly overpriced.

RATINGS

SUPERCUE CAFE RATINGS

Supercue is one of the most popular locations on our list and with its friendly service and sleek design, it’s easy to see why. While slightly pricy, their wide selection of teas and toppings usually are of decent quality.

QQ CUP

RATINGS

Customizable drinks make QQ Cup stand out from other teahouses, but they also result in an inconsistent quality that ranges from delicious to overly sweet.

However, the low prices are definitely a bonus when the tea comes out delicious.

T4

RATINGS

T4 is what we like to call a hit or miss- and it’s more often miss than hit. Though we give it brownie points for its cute interior furnishings, service is slow and drinks are watered down.

TEA SIX

The Asian inspired theme of Tea Six makes it the ideal spot to step up your Instagram game. Though the drinks were okay, the texture of the boba fluctuates from batch to batch. However, the high prices are clearly not worth the inconsistent quality or portions.

RATINGS

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Feature 7

By Anand Balaji, Sarina Chitre, Grace Dong & Hairol Ma Staff Writers

Milk tea places appear to be on every corner these days, so the Smoke Signal has compiled reviews of some tea shops near MSJ. The next time the insatiable milk tea craving strikes, drop by one of these local teahouses.

46809 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 10-12 min

46461 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 15 min

39100 Argonaut Way, Fremont, CA 94538

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 10-11 min

43743 Boscell Road, Fremont, CA 94538

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 15 min

34956 Newark Blvd Newark, CA 94560

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 16-17 min

46072 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 12-13 min

34460 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94555

DISTANCE FROM MSJ: 16-17 min

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Smoke Signal

With the holiday season in the air, the Smoke Signal decided to explore the annual traditions and festivities of MSJ’s staff. From holiday films and festive lights to seasonal pajamas and family eating contests, teachers and faculty members shared their unique ways of expressing their holiday spirit.

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Feature 9

KARLEEN DENSMORE

Sophomore Attendance Clerk Karleen Densmore participates in many holiday activities, both in the MSJ office and at home. She decorates her desk and the surrounding areas, participates in an annual office holiday party, and creates goodies for her fellow office members. This year, she made giant gingerbread cookies.

At home, she has the tradition of giving her family pajamas, which is the one gift that they may open early. “One year I tried to stop the tradition and not give everyone the PJ’s [pajamas] because I didn’t think they really appreciated them. I got so much grief from the family that I was out on Christmas Eve buying PJ’s,” Densmore said. The tradition, which started when her children were infants, has extended to include her grandchildren as well.

PETER GESCHKE For the past 24 years, on Christmas Eve, Physics Teacher Peter Geschke and his family have been celebrating the holiday season with a unique competition. After simmering a pot of rice porridge for a whole day, a single golden raisin is placed in the potent mix of rice and milk,and a bowl is given to each family member. Whoever finds the golden raisin in his or her bowl and proceeds to withhold it in their cheek until everyone has finished their serving is the victor. The victor’s prize is primarily a sense of pride along with a mug or an everyday item of some sort. “My father-in-law usually wins, and I’ve only won once in 24 years. Maybe this year!” Geschke said. He was introduced to the competition by his wife, who brought it from Denmark.

Faculty Festivities

By Andrew Chen & Kylie Cheung Staff Writers

KIM MATHIS Every year, History Teacher Kim Mathis celebrates the holidays in her classroom by putting up candy cane lights and distributing candy canes to her students. If time permits, she usually shows a holiday movie. Outside of the classroom, her family has the tradition of annually visiting Deacon Dave’s “House of the Dove,” which puts on a magnificent Christmas display in Livermore, free of charge. “It’s really cool,” Mathis said. “He has over 100,000 lights on his house. There’s always a theme - this year it’s childhood memories. In general, it’s always really fun to look at the lights and watch the kids get excited.”

LAUREN WARE-HARTBECK A Bay Area local from the age of 12, Biology Teacher Lauren Ware-Hartbeck has celebrated the days leading up to Christmas with her family by sightseeing in downtown San Francisco and shopping and enjoying the lights in Niles. Ware and her family typically shop for antiques in particular, taking advantage of the charming, old-fashioned air of Niles. However, after shopping and adventure, she and her family spend Christmas bonding at home. “Mostly we watch Christmas movies at home and have dinner together,” Ware said. As a new MSJ teacher this school year, she looks forward to hanging Christmas lights in her classroom, and is considering an in-class art project for her students to express how they celebrate the holidays. photos by feature editor katie sun, images.google.com

10 Centerspread

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Smoke Signal

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“My favorite memories are making crafts and singing with the Music for Minors 2, a group of people who came and taught us songs and about music, during elementary school. I also really liked the Christmas break and putting the Christmas decorations up.”

Kousheyo Kundu, 10

Centerspread 11

“My favorite holiday memory was last year when my cousins paid a surprise visit on Christmas Eve and we sang Christmas carols until midnight!”

The winter holiday season is a magical time of the year - delicious food, cheerful music, presents, and cherished time with friends and family. And what better way to prepare for the upcoming festivities than to surround yourself with holiday spirit? Share some favorite holiday memories, read letters to Santa, and enjoy guest graphic opinions.

Sonam Bhuptani, 11

Katherine Xiang, 10 Elina Wang. 10

“One Christmas dinner at my grandma’s house when I was about nine years old, my cousins and I were playing around with our food a lot. That dinner, we built a mashed potato volcano with sauce as lava, chicken pieces as the people and houses, and gravy as hardened lava.”

Ha Vy Nguyen, 10

Angela Hu, 12

Jennifer Yu, 10 “One Christmas we went to Lake Tahoe but we got snowed in, so we spent the whole day drinking hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies.”

Rajvi Joshi, 12

Shivani Subramaniam, 11 “Every year, on Christmas Eve, we all huddle around our fIreplace and roast marshmallows. It’s just nice to get to spend time with my family since we’re all really busy and don’t usually spend a lot of time as a whole family. [Also] my brother took me to see Beauty and the Beast last year! It was an amazing experience since I absolutely love the musical and I’m a huge Disney fan.”

Aimee Xu. 11

Victor Dong, 10

Minji Koo, 11

“Sitting in front of the fireplace with my family watching a movie and drinking hot chocolate while my baby cousins ran around the house playing was the best way to spend New Year’s Eve.” Momina Mahmood, 12

Valerie Choung, 10

“We moved to our house 18 years ago, just weeks before Christmas. My husband was so excited to put up a tree in the front yard, decked out with colored lights. You see, in our old San Jose neighborhood, every house put up a lighted tree in their front yard every December. It is so amazing to see all of those trees lit up at the same time! Cars come from miles around to see the wondrous sight.

My husband was hoping it would catch on in our new neighborhood, but year after year he puts up a tree in our front yard and year after year, although the neighbors love it, they don’t go out and get a tree for their front yards. It may not be a neighborhood tradition at Mission Highlands, but it is certainly a family tradition at our house. If you drive around the neighborhood in the evening, you may spot our front yard tree. And who knows? Maybe you will be inspired to put up a tree in your front yard, too.”

Catherine Castillou, College/Career Specialist

By Amrith Krishnan, Santhosh Paramasivan, Deeksha Raina, Tanvi Raja & Didi Wu Staff Writers

“When I was in preschool, I learned a bunch of Christmas carols in school so then my mom dressed me up like Santa and I sung them to my whole family.”

Tanuj Kalakuntla, 10

“When we were younger, my brother and I would go watch a movie at the theaters every Christmas Eve. Everyone would think the theaters were closed, and nobody would show up, so we would have the whole theater to ourselves and we could watch any movie we wanted. It was a lot of fun.”

Freddy Saldaña, Math Teacher

“Christmas 2013. My oldest son came in with his family and the new baby. And my youngest son came with his fiancee, and he had just returned from Afghanistan. He spent every day out shooting and fighting. Previously, my older son had been in Iraq.

[It was special] cause they were all home safe.”

Robin Van Deusen, Science Teacher

““My favorite memory is the year I got a train to build around my Christmas tree! I was probably about six or seven years old. The train came with little people and other features as well. I got to build it and run it around my tree for quite a few years until it finally broke down. I spent many contented hours running that train!”

Neil Patel. 12

“When my daughter was four, we brought her a new princess-type bed, and new bed sheets and everything that were princess-y. And on Christmas Eve, we put her in a different room, -- after she was asleep-- set up her new bedroom, and put her back in bed. So when she woke up Christmas morning, her bedroom had been transformed by Santa. That was the best Christmas surprise.

She was amazed that Santa could do that while she was sleeping. She’s 30 now.”

Maile Ferreira, Librarian

“Once my parents forgot which day Christmas was on and accidently set out a present the day before. It was hilarious because they had to make up a story about how it was from someone else, but I knew they actually forgot. The next day, they gave me the same present in a different wrapping.”

Saurav Kadavath, 11

“I sang the national anthem with Shivam Patel in fifth grade, dressed as Native Americans and pilgrims, to our class and parents.”

Tracy Mao, 11

Christina Yu, 12

Dear Santa, Dear Santa Claus, Just wanted to start off and tell you that I have behaved very well this year. I am not a naughty boy, Last year for Christmas I asked for a swimI am clean, do not worry about my qualifications to receive presents from you this year. I am a simple ming pool in my own bedroom. However, guy Santa and you must know this from watching me all the time. I don’t want to occupy much of your instead, I got a pair of socks and some time because you are busy and I understand that man. If you ever need someone to talk to about Christchocolate. There are multiple things wrong mas stress I am your man. I promise I love you Santa. Now let’s move on to me. I would like a copy of FIFA 15 with this situation. I would like to discuss your for my PS3 because I was not able to shop on Black Friday. I would also like some new clothes. Word on the policies because I have been dissatisfied with street is that my attire is drab and repetitive and I am placing my hopes in you to change this perception of your efficiency. Now, I have to take the bus day me. I want to be known as a fashionable student. Please Santa. The last thing I would like is for all my friends and night to another pool to swim. I hope that and family to get exactly what they want for Christmas because I am so happy to have so many wonderful you take this inconvenience that I have seriously people in my life. Everyone I know deserves to have his or her Christmas wishes come true. Thanks Santa, you’re and please give me what I ask for this year, which a good guy. Stay fresh and I will leave you some orange juice when you stop by my house. Love u xoxo is a milk tea cafe in my closet.

Serena Lightstone, 11 Sanil Gupta, 12

Dear Santa, Please bless me with an Amazon Prime membership and a car. If you can’t fit the car in your sled, check or money will do. Please don’t leave a mess near the chimney or I’ll have to use my Dyson to clean it up.

Akshay Mahesh, 12

Dear Santa, Another year’s about to pass by and I’m even more afraid for your safety. For Christmas I want you to take certain precautions when you are doing your Christmas rounds this year. Please install a seatbelt feature in your sleigh, as a fall at that height would prove fatal. In addition, please find another entrance when dealing with households that have their fireplaces lit. I know you said that you fireproofed your clothes last year, but that beard of yours is really irreplaceable. While we’re on the subject of chimneys, I would like you to take care when dropping down them . To be blunt, you have quite the large girth and it would be an unfortunate setback to many people as well as yourself if you got stuck. Lastly, please limit the amount of cookies consumed. Although I’m sure they taste great, they’re actually diabetes in disguise. Thanks for everything Santa and stay safe. :) Christopher Kwok, 11

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Smoke Signal

WANTED: Santa Claus (aka Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle)

To: Mr. Claus From: the North Pole-Ice We are writing to question the motives behind your spirit of gift giving and holiday cheer, as there is reason to believe that behind all of your jolliness lies malicious intent. Below, we have compiled a list of grievances that we hope will be addressed, or a search warrant for your North Pole factories will no doubt be issued. This is a last resort, but should the circumstances call for it, Santa “Nicholas” Claus will be placed onto a government watch list.

Mr. Claus, we would first like to salute your support of the wonderful children who are upstanding citizens of our world, but why must you punish the bad children with coal?

By placing coal in their stockings, which hang precariously close to the fireplace, are you not running the risk of burning down the house? Perhaps you like living on the edge, perhaps you are a thrill-seeker and an adrenaline junkie, but this is the mark of a lunatic. Do you treat these children like you abuse your elves, Mr. Claus? Do you?

This brings us to the next issue. It is an established fact, backed by you personally, that your magical elves of Christmas cheer work tirelessly to manufacture presents, yet there is no mention of salary, hours worked, benefits, or compensation for injury. No one believes that these elves labor away in sweatshop conditions out of happiness, and in a factory that must produce billions of presents, we’re wondering why we haven’t heard of any injuries. We hope you haven’t covered them up, Mr. Claus, but no need to worry. After a few interviews

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Feature 13

By Peter Qiu & Madeline Zheng Staff Writers

with some of your elves, we’ll know for sure.

We know that the above activities may fill you with sadistic joy, and you can’t help but let the occasional “Ho-Ho-Ho” slip out. Sometimes it gets a little out-ofhand. Please, can you keep it down? Your Christmas cries of joy echo across hundreds of feet, if not many miles, as shown in the countless children’s books which corroborate our claims. We see photo evidence of you riding off into the moonlight, with “HoHo-Ho” ringing across the land. In the dead of night, way past these children’s bedtimes, your noise pollution is not appreciated.

You’re at a 10 right now, and we need a 4.

Besides breaking eardrums, you also happen to break the speed limit. Be honest: how fast do you ride your sleigh, Mr. Claus? Yes, we know you want to get your gifts delivered worldwide in a single night, but think about the airplanes! We shudder to think of any mysterious plane accidents that have occurred around Christmastime; this could potentially blossom into charges of manslaughter. It isn’t even possible for us to properly trace any crashes back to you, since you rudely cross borders with no regard for international law. We’ve no way of tracking your whereabouts throughout the night; you just zoom around and intrude as you like. We’re speaking out for air control and safety. We simply cannot have a man in a furry suit annually tearing up our communal skies anymore.

Even when you intermittently land at houses and leave air space unviolated, you commit a whole host of crimes. Have you ever thought about the vandal-

ism you inflict when you land on roofs?

No wonder we have to replace our roof tiles so often! Then you slip into children’s homes through their chimneys—we call that breaking and entering. Sometimes it appears that you even eat milk and cookies from these unsuspecting youngsters’ dining tables. You allege that food is always set out for you, but we insist that this obtuse gorging is none other than petty theft.

Don’t even get us started on the atrocities we hear about you on the radio—you, sir, are an adulterer and a mass stalker.

We’d like to teach you a few well-deserved lessons, Mr. Claus. First off, it is not okay to kiss Mommy. We’ll have you know that Mommy and Daddy were perfectly happy together—that is, until you rudely barged in. Also, remember when Grandma got run over by a reindeer? Santa…this is outright murder. The sweet old lady never did anything to you. That’s all in the past, yes, but even after all these years there is no way you’ll get away with it. And now, of course, we come to your most atrocious current crime against humanity. Don’t you dare see us when we’re sleeping and know when we’re awake. Please have some respect for our privacy, thank you very much.

Actions stripped bare, could it be that you, Mr. Claus, are merely a common criminal?

You’d have a tough time convincing us otherwise. The criminal penalty for stalking in California is up to a year’s imprisonment and up to $1000 in fines, and with the number of innocent children you’ve stalked, we can only kindly say that we wish you a very merry time in prison!

NPPD

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Siri! Siri! Guess what day it is?!

The date is December 18, 2014.

Exactly. It’s the start of winter break. ‘Tis the season to be jolly!

Holidays with Siri

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.

Come on, Siri! It’s the holidays. What do the holidays mean to you?

Let me have a look…

1. Noun. Leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure.

By Purvi Goel 2. Noun. A day on which work is suspended Staff Writer by law or custom.

3. Verb. Spend or take vacation.

Well, to me, they mean spending time with the person you love. Speaking of, I need a dinner reservation on Christmas Eve. Something romantic?

I’ll find you a table for one.

Two, Siri. For two.

Oh, you’re taking your mother out?

Just…forget it. Look, you’ve got to get into the holiday spirit. Sing some Christmas carols! Frosty the Snowman!

Oh, Siri the iPhone was alive as she could be, and she’d like to say this song’s a dull cliché, for that’s plain enough to see. Now back to work.

No need to be such a Grinch. I’m sure there’s some part of the holidays that you like. What do you want for Christmas?

If you can manage it, world peace, a new iPhone charger, and strong WiFi connection for all.

Send a text to Santa and maybe he’ll be generous. Hey, why do you think he insists on using chimneys instead of the front door?

I don’t know. I would advise against it either way. Chimneys tend to make that poor foolish man…Claustrophobic.

Well, I want a Maserati and a pet bunny. What do you think, Siri? Have I been naughty or nice?

I’ve seen your search history.

WHAT?!

You watched three seasons of My Little Pony in the span of one weekend. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I can go on. Much further on. Much, much-

I’m actually going to change the subject now, thanks. Tell me a Christmas story, Siri.

Once there was an iPhone and her User. The iPhone didn’t understand silly three-dimensional mortal sentiments — holiday spirit, affection, et cetera. What she did know was that when she talked to the User, all her little metal parts glowed bright and her aluminum frame seemed to shine more than ever before. Was this love? But that was a magic she didn’t understand. And maybe that’s what those funny human holidays are all about — celebrating the fuzzy little feelings that can’t quite be explained.

Siri…that was beautiful! You’re the number one bae.

images.google.com

14 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2014

CHICAGO Razzle-Dazzles It

By Sayan Ghosh Staff Writer

“Welcome. Ladies and gentleman, you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery—all those things we all hold near and dear to our hearts,” declares Velma Kelly, a murderess and lead character in Chicago. This ominous introduction sets the tone for the rest of the play, a wild and gripping tale that never fails to entertain.

The musical Chicago is based on the 1926 play of the same name, written by Maurice Dallas Watkins. Watkins was inspired by the trials of two female murderesses, and the general fascination surrounding murders committed by females, which usually involved the deaths of lovers or husbands. After Watkins’s death, John Kander and Fred Ebb composed and wrote a musical adaption which premiered in Broadway in 1975. Since then, it has been performed thousands of times, and is one of the longest-running Broadway shows in history. In 2002, a film adaption starring Queen Latifah and Renee Zellweger was released, adding to the piece’s popularity.

Chicago details the story of Roxie (Bianca Marroquin), a woman who is arrested for killing the man with whom she was having an affair. In jail, she is introduced to a corrupt matron known as “Momma,” (Roz Ryan) who leads her to brilliant lawyer Billy Flynn (John O’Hurley, best known for playing Peterman on Seinfeld) to be freed. Her newfound fame draws

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the jealousy of Velma (Terra MacLeod), a fellow murderess, and isolates her further from her husband Amos (Jacob Watson). The plot keeps the audience constantly engaged and its twists draw audible gasps from the audience. It is complex and clever, satirizing the public’s fascination with certain trials and the concept of the “celebrity criminal.”

In addition to the engaging plot, every song is memorable and has a distinct character. “Cell Block Tango” is witty yet simultaneously disturbing, as the murderesses cleverly describe the deaths of their male lovers (“He ran into my knife”). Billy Flynn is introduced with an elaborate vocal performance by the brilliant lawyer himself, while flanked by fan dancers. However, not all songs are simply witty and amusing.

“Roxie” and “Mr. Cellophane,” sung by Roxie and Amos respectively, are deeply personal and revealing.

Choreographer Bob Fosse’s work complements the subtle humor of the songs extremely well. The dancing performances are well placed and showcase the talents of the performers without distracting from the words being spoken. Each performance adds to the atmosphere of the song it accompanies.

Kander’s music is similar. The orchestra never distracts the audience from the actors. It relies heavily on jazz instrumentation. Although the use of brass instruments is exciting, some of the most memorable hooks are played by the bass or piano. The staging is not very elaborate, but it contributes to the overall atmosphere and draws attention to the performances.

Chicago truly embodies the best of Broadway and theater in general. It has an intricate yet entertaining plot, impressive musical performances, and creates a lasting impression on every member of the audience. At the same time, it cleverly satirizes certain elements of society and makes social commentary. Chicago is a play that should be seen by anybody who loves the performing arts or simply wants to be dazzled. ▪ Rating: A

We feature the winning review from a competition among all first year journalists.

By Grace Dong, Iyesha Puri & Monica Tang Staff Writers

2014 yielded countless chart topping movies and music as veterans and rookies alike stepped into the spotlight. With the year drawing to a close, the Smoke Signal selected some of the top hits of 2014 and had MSJ students vote on their favorites through a survey conducted on Facebook with a pool of 260 respondents.

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

Under the radar:

Bad Suns

By Neha Shah Staff Writer Bad Suns, a four-piece band from Los Angeles, grabbed the attention of a wide-spread audience after releasing their album Language and Perspective in June 2014. Formed in 2012, Bad Suns produces up-beat, feel-good, and dance worthy music with their catchy tunes and Chris Bowman’s clear and captivating voice. The beginning of each song tends to be mellow, but soon builds up into a lively, distinctive, and charismatic chorus.

The band, which was harshly rejected by multiple labels for over a year, finally had a breakthrough when Vagrant Records signed them in 2013.

They released the single “Cardiac Arrest” later that year, which quickly shot up the charts and is their best known song to date. With the release of Language and Perspective their popularity reached a new height. Although most of their songs have an upbeat tune, similar to that of Waiting for the Dawn

by The Mowgli’s and When It Was Now by Atlas Genius, the album is not comprised of entirely cheerful songs.

As Bowman said in an interview with Last.fm, the song “Salt” contains some more melancholy lyrics which serve as a reminder that happiness is fleeting, but can return as quickly as it disappears.

The band is in the process of creating their second album which is highly anticipated by their wide-spread fanbase. Their happy-go-lucky lyrics and disco vibes make Bad Suns a must listen for anyone who is searching for refreshing new music. ▪

A&E

Updates

By Ruiwen Shen Staff Writer

Cirque du Soleil Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities

The Smoke Signal

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Arts & Entertainment 15

Mockingjay Gets A “Capitol” A

acclaimmag.com

By Harshita Gupta & Amrith Krishnan Staff Writers “It’s the things we love most that destroy us.” These words of wisdom from our beloved President Snow might hold true in most situations, but you can watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 as many times as you like, without fear of destruction. This well-conceived “beginning of the end” takes the worldwide phenomenon one step further, with a stellar cast and stateof-the-art production that leaves no detail out. You won’t be destroyed– but no promises of sanity can be made while watching this gripping tale, as you’re taken through unbearable suspense, electrifying action, and heart-wrenching emotion.

Forcefully rescued from the violence of her second Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), face of Panem’s rebellion, is thrown into a world of war and chaos. She struggles with the ghosts of her past and grapples with the losses of each day, all the while maintaining an indomitable spirit and embodying “the Girl on Fire” for a nation counting on her.

Lawrence delivers a breathtaking

performance as she makes the audience feel her every pang of emotion, from heartbreaking cries to fiery anger. To quote Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), “They’ll either want to kill her, kiss her, or be her.” Lawrence is supported by a strong cast, well cemented in their roles as they appear on screen for the third time.

Liam Hemsworth gives Gale Hawthorne a firm yet honest tenacity, struggling to remain upright in the midst of a crippling war. Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) and Effie Trinket provide a much-needed break from the tension with their wry humor and callous comments.

Although Josh Hutcherson’s appearances are brief, they are explosive and power packed, revealing the never-seen-before raw and violent side to Peeta Mellark.

Catching Fire and The Hunger Games brought us excellent cinematography, and Mockingjay meets and exceeds the expectations set by its predecessors. Excellent filming techniques and camera angles showcase each scene in a different light; the action scenes are characterized by wild camera-shaking, while more serene landscapes are shown by soft lighting and slowly panning shots of the beauty of Panem.

The soundtrack, with its haunting melodies like “The Hanging Tree,” sung by Jennifer Lawrence herself, plays a key role in keeping the audience enamored.

While Mockingjay’s action scenes may seem sparse compared to its precursors, its few sequences were packed with fast-paced explosions, gunshots, roaring fires, and the characteristic twangs of Katniss’ bow that kept the action moving along at a lightning pace. There might be less direct combat, but Mockingjay’s action lies in its drama and powerful defiance of authority as the districts undermine the capitol’s authority with every revolt.

Mockingjay brings Suzanne Collins’ powerful tale of morals, loss, and war to life before our eyes, carrying message for us all: no matter how horrible our oppressors are, we can stand up and fight. In the words of President Coin, “Let this day remind us– never to give up, never to give in.” The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 sets the stage for the explosive conclusion to this worldwide phenomenon. “Fire is catching”– and things are about to get hot. ▪ Rating: A

Pokemon “Beta” Than Ever

Under the Big Top at AT&T Park |11/14/14 to 1/18/15

Cirque du Soleil Kurios, which premiered in Montreal on April 24, 2014, claims to immerse one in a “world of curiosity where seeing is disbelieving”. Live musicians accompany an inventor who creates a machine that defies the laws of time, space and dimension with acrobats that do the same.

THE NUTCRACKER

San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House|12/12/14 to 12/29/14 The Nutcracker first took the Bay Area by storm in 1944 and has been a staple holiday event ever since. The San Francisco Ballet brings a classic story into one adapted into San Francisco’s Pacific Heights, circa 1918, employing Tchaikovsky’s complete score.

TYGA

The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty | 12/23/14 Tyga’s fourth studio album, The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty, features Justin Bieber, Young Thug, and Kanye West. Tyga says this album is “story-based, but the tempo is going to be faster [than the last album].

It’s going to hit you harder.” The album will contain no more than fourteen songs, and four singles from the album have been previously released: “Wait For a Minute,” “Hookah,” “Real Deal,” and “40 Mill.”

FALL OUT BOY

American Beauty/American Psycho | 1/20/14 Fall Out Boy’s new album is prologued by “Centuries,” released in September, and “Immortals” for the Big Hero 6 soundtrack.

Pete Wentz, bassist and lyricist, wants this album to establish Fall Out Boy as “a rock band that can be played on the radio, who can play these big shows, but also inspire kids to pick up guitars.”

By Ansh Patel & Hanson Wang Staff Writers

Released on November 21, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (ORAS) provide a breath of fresh air to fans of the Pokémon game franchise. As remakes of the original Ruby and Sapphire versions released ten years earlier, ORAS features nearly the same storyline, with the main character making his journey from Littleroot Town to the Elite Four in Ever Grande City. One major difference is the introduction of Mega Evolution to the Hoenn region; Pokémon holding their respective Mega Stone are able to Mega Evolve in the middle of a battle into a stronger version of the same Pokémon. Mega Stones can be found throughout the region on the ground or given by non-player characters.

Despite the similarity between the original version and the remakes, ORAS improves upon the traditional gameplay and player experience. One change in the map occurs at Mauville City. In the previous versions, Mauville contained few buildings aside from its gym, Pokémon Center, and

Poke Mart. In ORAS, Mauville has been refurbished as a battling center, containing a battle food court, a battle institute, and an inverse battling center, where super effective attacks and not very effective attacks are switched.

Not only has the map changed, but the gameplay experience now includes an upgraded version of the traditional PokeNav. The newer version, dubbed the PokeNav Plus, adds features that help with Pokémon identification, information, and navigation through the Hoenn region.

On the journey to the sixth gym, the legendary eon Pokémon Latias or Latios will join the player’s team, and the Elite Four Champion Steven will hand the player the Eon Flute and the Mega Stone for either Latias or Latios.

The flute allows players to fly freely around the region on Mega Latias/os, and they can land on previously uninhabited islands and mirage spots where rare Pokémon roam. ORAS also adds the benefit of flying directly to a route or landmark in addition to cities.

After the Elite Four is defeated for the first time, the game transitions to the Delta Episode, an after-game element that was not in the original Ruby and Sapphire. Although confusing

eurogamer.net

and developing slowly at first, players eventually realize they must help summon Mega Rayquaza to destroy a monstrous meteor threatening to devastate the Hoenn region. Once caught, Mega Rayquaza rises into space and pulverizes the meteor, leading to a surprising encounter with the legendary Pokémon Deoxys. Following the battle with Deoxys, the Delta Episode ends, and the main character returns to his room. As the character steps out of his house, another pleasant surprise follows, as Birch gives players the choice of one starter from three previous generations of Pokémon games, each awarded after beating the Elite Four the first three times.

Overall, ORAS presents an interactive, fan-friendly reboot, enticing fans of all Pokémon generations. One of the best aspects of ORAS is that it allows players to capture almost all of the legendary Pokémon found in earlier games. Introducing hundreds of improvements, ORAS reforms the original Ruby and Sapphire by enhancing gameplay and giving players more reasons to try and catch them all.

Eminem: VII/X

By Neha Shah Staff Writer Shady Records celebrates its 15th anniversary with the release of Shady XV, a compilation of songs featuring the record label’s various artists. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded Shady Records after Slimshady’s successful release in 1999. In the two-disc album, the first focuses on currently signed artists (Bad Meets Evil, Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf, and D12) while the second disc consists of all artists that have ever been signed by Shady Records (including Obie Trice, Bobby Creekwater, Ca$his, and 50 Cent).

The first disc is filled with “shady” background music that intrigues the listener but covers up the uncaptivating lyrics that bombard each of the songs. Although Eminem has a part in nearly every song, the music’s cadence completely takes away the attention from Eminem. The songs are repetitive in the sense that the core of each is based around computer-generated and electronic beats. This makes the disc tiring for the listener and gives it a continuous and incessant feel overall.

The only songs that really stand out are “Twisted” by Skylar Grey, Eminem, and Yelawolf and “Guts Over Fear” by Eminem featuring Sia. These songs have softer features, including synthesizers and soothing piano riffs, which accompany the female vocals. By placing the two songs evenly in the middle of the disc, the listener is recaptured to endure the remaining songs.

As the first disc transitions into the second, a few of the biggest hits by all of the artists— both previously signed and current— are featured.

Each song has its own unique sound, making it obvious as to why they were the “biggest hits.” “Fight Music” by D12 captivates the listener with its a solid beat and a catchy hook that transitions well between the verses. It highlights the dark side of the band; what they’ve been through, what they’ve seen, and how they’ve changed as a result. In “Lose Yourself ” by Eminem, the meaning is the most prevalent aspect— as it usually is with Eminem— and the lyrics are easy to sing along to. In “Wanksta” by 50 Cent, a captivating beat that emphasizes being yourself.

Despite the first disc’s letdowns, the album overall is a nice celebration of Shady Records. For those who listen to the album, one thing is for sure: you won’t lose yourself in the music. ▪ Rating: C

Rating: A images.google.com

allmusic.com

Tutoring Gurus

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Smoke Signal

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Sports 17

Krish Avvari and Pranav Tantravahi: Table Tennis Spotl ght

By Gelsey Plaza Staff Writer

Freshmen Krish Avvari and Pranav Tantravahi are nationally ranked table tennis players who compete internationally. The Smoke Signal interviewed Avvari and Tantravahi about their achievements as table tennis athletes, how table tennis has impacted them, and their hopes for the future.

Smoke Signal: When did you start table tennis? How did you get interested?

Krish Avvari: I was six years old when my parents sent me to a class just for fun and I remember enjoying my first class. My uncle was a table tennis champion when he was in college so he helped fuel my interest in the sport.

Pranav Tantravahi: I started in 2009 and found out about it at Gomes. There was an after-school program for table tennis and I joined it and liked it.

courtesy of pranav tantravahi

Pranav Tantravahi competing at the 2013 US National Championships.

SS: How many days do you practice a week?

KA: I train every day: two-and-a-half hours a day during the week and five hours during the weekend along with league. I used to be able to train for four-plus hours a day, but I

had to cut down to be able to balance school work as well.

PT: I practice four days a week. One hour on weekdays and two hours on weekends.

SS: How do you physically and mentally prepare for a match?

KA: I jog, do some stretches, and just any form of movement to keep my body warm and ready for the match. After, I incorporate complex practice drills at the table and intense conditioning for body strength.

Most importantly, I always try not to underestimate my opponent, but try to be confident and fight for each and every point.

PT: I usually just stretch, jog or run, and do a couple of drills.

SS: What has been your proudest memory?

KA: My proudest moment so far has to be when I won the match that led to my qualifying for the Youth Olympics this past summer and going to Nanjing, China to compete. Making it to US Junior team is another one and I love how I get to travel internationally. I definitely would love to spread awareness of this awesome sport.

PT: I was most proud of myself when I got third in the US for my event in the nationals last year.

SS: What has been the most difficult challenge in your table tennis career?

KA: I had fractured my arm and had to play the US Open and the Youth Olympics during the process of healing. I don't think I have just one.

SS: When and how did you find out you would be participating in the World Junior Table Tennis Championships and the US National Championships? What have you been doing to prepare for them?

KA: I qualified for the US Junior team dur-

GIRLS’ volleyball

cross country

Cross Country had yet another positive season as they came in second out of eight teams in the league with a 6-1 record for both boys and girls. The boys’ team placed 11th out of 18 teams at NCS and the girls’ team placed 10th out of 17 teams. Individually for the boys’ team, Freshman Shrey Vasavada and Sophomore Vedant Mehta placed 19th and 23rd respectively out of 128 runners. For the girls’ team, Junior Adviti Atluri and Junior Mavis Zeng placed 37th and 41st respectively out of 118 runners.

boyS’ water Polo Even though Boys’ Water Polo suffered a tough loss against Las Lomas High School in the first round of NCS, they still had plenty to be proud of as they went 7-3 in their league, finishing tied for second out of five teams in their league. They were seeded 14th out of 16 teams in NCS and were led there by captains Senior Austin Whaley and Junior Ashvath Balgovind. Whaley led the team with an impressive 55 goals.

A truly extraordinary win against Irvington High School to break a nine-year league losing streak made the football team’s bleak record of 1-9 somewhat forgettable. They placed fifth out of six teams in the league. Impressively, captain Senior Jacob Walter broke MSJ’s all-time single season passing record and Junior Elliot Tu was a first team all-league wide receiver.

football

teamusa.org

Krish Avvari earned a spot on Team USA for Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics at the North American Qualifier.

SS: How would you describe the game of table tennis to beginners?

KA: This sport is a lot of fun. It is not just a recreational but highly competitive sport. It is highly athletic, and you learn how to use your mind, great techniques, and develop great lifelong values. Playing table tennis is like playing an intensive sport and a difficult puzzle (soccer and chess) at the same time since it involves both physical strength and mental strength equally.

PT: I would say it is kind of like tennis except instead of playing with only speed you play with speed and spin of the ball.

Although Girls’ Volleyball started off the preseason with a 6-4 record, the team skyrocketed to an undefeated 14-0 season, placing 1st in MVALs out of seven teams and advancing through two rounds of NCS. This is the first Girls’ Volleyball team that has gone undefeated in league in school history, and the team was interviewed on Cal-Hi Sports for its successful season.

SPORTS

PT: My most difficult challenge was last year in the US Open when there was a lot of pressure and I was not making my serves on the table.

girlS’ water Polo

SS: What are your goals for the future?

KA: I really hope to represent the USA in the 2016 Olympics and to qualify for the US Men’s team and the Junior Team to play the World Championships.

PT: My goal in the future is to maybe enter in the world championships and hopefully become a better player.

SS: How did you and your team do at the World Junior Championship?

KA: Our team got 14th place. We are happy since it was a high level competition. Even though I did not advance to the next level, I think we did a decent job against some strong players. Also, for me it was a good learning experience and wonderful exposure to a high ranking event where I got to meet world class players.▪ images.google.com

After

By Andrew Choi & Rebecca Wu a preseason record Staff Writers of 1-3 and an overall league record of 14-0, the Girls’ Tennis team went on to be the undefeated 1st out of eight teams at MVALs, seeding 8th in NCS before losing in the first round. Impressively, Junior Nithya Rajeev went undefeated all season, both in preseason and NCS, and the team’s number one player this year is Freshman Janet Han, who is already #2 in the MVALs league.

FALL

GIRLS’ tennis

Although they managed to get first out of two teams in their league with a 11-1 overall record, the Girls’ Golf team will be hungry for more as they were disappointingly eliminated at NCS, coming in at fifth place. Amazingly, three of the six starting members of the varsity team were Freshmen Audrey Lin, Joanna Liu, and Wynne Zheng. The team is very young and there is a lot to be excited about in the future.

GIRLS’ golf

After the graduation of six seniors from last season, this year served as a building season for Girls’ Water Polo. The team placed 6th out of six at MVALs with an overall league record of 2-8. Nevertheless, the team performed well in the Contra Costa Tournament, winning two out of three games, and Captain Senior Catherine Ha made all-league. The members urge supporters to keep an eye out for the team next year, as the current Junior Varsity team is strong.

ing last year’s nationals and I was very excited. I was in US Cadet team before that.

At that moment, I knew that I would participate in the World Junior Championships.

The US Nationals is a competition during December to qualify for the US Team so I participate every year. I do have an intense training every day for two-and-a-half hours, and I do a drill routine and really do a lot of physical activity such as push ups, sit ups, wall sits, endurance running, dumbbells, etc.

PT: My coach asked me whether I wanted to go to this years nationals and I agreed to go. I have been practicing more at home and trying harder in the club so that I will be prepared for the tournament. When I realized I was going to the nationals, I was extremely happy and thankful for my coach and my parents for supporting me and helping me get this far in table tennis.

CHEERleading Even though their season started with an almost completely new squad, Cheer was able to perform well at games and assemblies. Everyone’s hard work and dedication paid off as the whole squad grew as a family. They look forward to continue working hard and having even better performances at future assemblies and games.

The gymnastics team finished with an overall league record of 1-2 and a standing of third place out of four teams at MVALs. Throughout the season, the team scores went from a 138.15 to a 145.30, a huge improvement in a sport that is counted in hundredths of a point. At MVAL finals, the team had eight gymnasts go all-league, and the Varsity team in particular swept all four events and the all-around.

RECAP

gymnastics

photos by web editor nithya rajeev and staff writers andrew choi, harshita gupta, pratham gupta, amrith krishnan, santhosh paramasivan & neha shah

18 Sports

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2014

bringing you our ‘a’ game wong

By Abigail Wong Sports Editor

versus

they want to run the extra mile. let them Fly...

As a high school athlete, one thing is for sure: at a certain point in your career you probably took at least a few seconds to imagine yourself competing in college. For most of us, we let the idea marinate for no more than five seconds. But for the elite few, excellence in a sport is a chance to compete at a higher level while proudly representing a school of your choice. This passion is clean fire, a pure, burning desire to chase dreams, and should not be hindered.

Early high school graduation for athletes is a growing trend, especially in sports with a high recruitment demand like football. Recruited athletes have the option of graduating early by fulfilling a school’s graduation requirements before the traditional four years. Granted the future college and the high school he or she is attending will concede to such an arrangement, the athlete has a head start in her or his athletic and academic college career, an ideal advantage.

A prime example is Matt Barkley. He was a student at Mater Dei High School when he decided he wanted to play college football early for University of Southern California.

Switching out electives from science and language, subject requirements he had already fulfilled, he chose to take more math courses.

He even took an online music course, obviously making sure he covered all corners of a thorough and diverse education. Five months before Mater Dei’s 2009 official graduation, USC was to receive their freshman recruit.

The saying is time is money, but for serious athletes, time is comfort. The speed of the college game is different as the competition is of a higher caliber, and a transition time is

essential. Landry Jones, current quarterback for the Pittsburg Steelers, graduated early to play for the University of Oklahoma. Jones was not only able to assimilate to the level of collegiate football earlier, but was also able to learn from Sam Bradford, a Heisman Trophy winner and Oklahoma alumnus. According to ESPN, Jones said, “... I was privileged to come in early to learn from him.”

espn.go.com

Landry Jones celebrates as the college quarterback of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Contrary to claims of critics, early graduation is still very much a student choice.

Graduation requirements are clear-cut and enforced. High school athletes that select this route not only choose the opportunity to play but also the extra coursework required on top of the training that they already do. It is the road less traveled for a reason: it is tough and draws energy in ways that don’t resonate with the average high school student.

The athlete experience is more than the Nike jacket with the embroidered letters spelling your last name. Behind every thread, there are a couple hours of practice, a dozen sweaty socks, and bucket-load of soul. If a competitive athlete is convinced she wants to run the extra mile, she wants to run it more than anything else. Don’t pull her back. Let her fly. ▪

patankar

Student Athletes, Be Prepared...

I’ll admit it. When I am watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics or the finals of a World Cup, I imagine how glorious it must be to be a professional athlete. To live in a spotlight with legions of admiring fans and piles of money – sounds like the perfect life. But I know that there is a hidden side of pursuing a career in sports; behind the medals and trophies and halls of fame, the difficult path to success is not necessarily lined with diamonds. We shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that being a professional athlete is an easy career choice.

Whenever I am watching a professional sports game, I can’t help feel bad for the benchwarmers who don’t seem to get any playing time. But behind the benchwarmers are the players who were cut from the roster. And behind those players are the players who didn’t make the roster at all. There are so many hurdles to jump over to reach the spotlight that so many aspiring athletes covet. The closer you get, the more impossible it seems to be. Who knows how many potential superstars were overlooked because they didn’t make their high school basketball team, didn’t get a scholarship, didn’t get the opportunity?

The world of professional sports is fickle.

Circumstances and desires change. I wish I could say that if you have talent, you will definitely make it. The truth is that the success of an athlete depends a lot on the trio of talent, hard work, and good fortune.

Don’t get me wrong – I am not saying that aspiring athletes shouldn’t follow their dreams. Without taking risks, many of today’s famous athletes would not be where they are.

Aspiring athletes simply need to be prepared

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Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is a Harvard University graduate with a degree in Economics.

The sad reality is that there is no guarantee in athletics. For every on-screen star like Kobe Bryant or Peyton Manning, there must be hundreds of forgotten and equally talented individuals who just didn’t make it. With that in mind, athletes must be mentally and academically prepared for any scenario. Besides, we live in a world that appreciates and respects well-rounded individuals. It doesn’t have to be such a black and white choice – education or athletics. Instead, student athletes should think of it as majoring in dreams and minoring in preparedness. ▪

Four Master’s Degrees M. Phil. And Ph.D. from Columbia University 30 Years in U.S. Higher Education Guided many students into their dream colleges. His son went to Harvard and his daughter to Cornell University

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with a plan B. In today’s world, a college education is not merely sought after but expected of those who want to enter the workforce. A bachelor’s degree has become the minimum requirement in order to even become eligible for most skilled jobs. With these rising expectations, it is a big risk to put education on hold in order to get recruited right after high school or before finishing college.

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By Arti Patankar Sports Editor

4675 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 120, Santa Clara, CA 95051

Thursday, December 18, 2014

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Photo 19

photos by staff writers deeksha raina & brian tseng

20 Special

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2014

By Pratham Gupta, Ansh Patel, & Ruiwen Shen Staff Writers

Creating a holiday vibe while also commemorating MSJ’s 50th anniversary, the December 2 bell tower lighting united the MSJ community with band and choir performances, hot chocolate, and a movie in the A-Wing cafeteria. Spectators, parents and students alike, poured into the bell tower quad and gathered around for a celebration of holiday spirit.

To introduce the newly-decorated bell tower, Principal Zack Larsen addressed the crowd and emphasized the importance of the holidays and traditions. The tower was fitted with festive white lights, illuminating the entire quad. Lights have also been placed on the trees and bushes and were installed by Moore’s Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Trees, the same company that decorates the Mission Blvd. McDonalds’s tree.

The ceremonious lighting of the tower marked a historical moment that highlighted the merriment and fun of the holiday season. The lights are to remain for the school year.

CHAMBER CHORALE After MSJ Band played, Chamber Chorale took the stage and lightened the mood with their own versions of Christmas songs. Singing the popular “In the Bleak Midwinter” and “We Need a Little Christmas”, the performers moved the entire audience with their melodious voices and Christmas spirit.

MISSION POSSIBLE PARENT FACULTY ASSOCIATION (MPPFA) MPPFA worked tirelessly to ensure that the lighting and movie ran smoothly.

CROWD Parents, Band and Chamber Chorale members fanned out around the bell tower quad for performances, then dispersed into the A-Wing cafeteria for refreshments and the 50-year-old James Bond movie, Goldfinger. The audience enjoyed pizza, hot chocolate, cookies, and coffee throughout the evening.

VOICES “I think the event ran as smoothly as possible. We were able to get the movie started on time, and it looked like people really had fun.”

Roshini Kingsley, MPPFA Co-Chair

APPAREL The exclusive apparel for MSJ’s 50th anniversary was bought by the Mission Possible Parent and Faculty Association (MPPFA) to commemorate MSJ’s 50th birthday. Special 50th anniversary Christmas ornaments will be on sale at the Student Store. MPPFA stated that this will not be available throughout the year, but only while supplies lasts, and that the forms for the apparel can be downloaded at www.mppfa.org/mission-50th.

“I only came to support my band friends, but the ceremony turned out to be really pretty and was more festive than I thought it would be.”

David Shi, 12

“The hot chocolate is great, especially on this kind of rainy day. Mission Possible made this pretty fun.”

Brian Zhao, 12

BAND Immediately after the tower lighting ceremony, the band struck up a beat as they played classical holiday songs like “God Bless Ye Merry Gentleman” and “Feliz Navidad”. “I really like the way that the band incorporated songs that everyone wanted to hear. We all know it’s Christmas time, and it seemed really appropriate to play Christmas music at an event like this,” said Senior Steven Wang.

“I wasn’t really planning on coming but I could hear the band playing from where I lived, so I came to check it out. I really had a good time.”

Vansh Gupta, 9

“We decided last-minute to come. We had friends performing, and we thought that the bell tower lighting was kind of a momentous occasion. It was actually really impressive, and we were not disappointed.”

Tiffany and Tammy Sung, 12

photos by graphics editor kevin chen, staff writers ansh patel & ruiwen shen, coverage led by staff writers grace dong & hairol ma, layout by centerspread editors katrina cherk & vivian liu.