MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. XLVIII, NO. 7
March 28, 2013
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
Investigative Report: HVAC Revisted By Grace Wu & Anna Zeng Staff Writers
0%
45%
of classrooms investigated reach the set temperature
of rooms investigated read more than two degrees below the set temperature
*9 randomly selected classrooms were investigated before and after school from 3/4-3/8
22%
of rooms investigated inconsistently measured above and below the set temperature
In 2009, the Smoke Signal conducted an award-winning investigative report on the condition of MSJ’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). In a survey we conducted for the 2009 investigation, more than 63 percent of responding MSJ teachers said they had problems with their AC units. The article stated that the district had just switched from a classroom-controlled system to a district-controlled system in response to malfunctions and complaints. Now, the Smoke Signal follows up by examining how the conditions have changed over the past four years; we discovered that conditions have improved but occasional severe malfunctions are still common at MSJ. The most serious problem discovered was that many components of the HVAC systems were breaking because they are so outdated; most of them are at least 15 years old. In February, severe malfunctions with parts in the C-120 boiler forced the district to shut it down for repairs. Normally, the boiler mixes hot steam with the outside air to reach the optimum temperature. The C-120 boiler failure left many classrooms in the BWing without heating, since only outside air, not the hot steam, was being brought to the classroom. By state law, certain public buildings are required to have constant circulation, so the fans blowing air inside the classroom contributed to the chilliness. Many students felt the effects of the boiler failure and some say the chilly temperatures affected their ability to learn. Junior Brijen Thananjeyan, who has classes in B-35 and B-33, says, “It was extremely difficult to learn when we were stuck in the freezing cold for a week, especially because it was in the winter.” On March 13, half of US History Teacher Tony Bellotti’s room B-35 was drenched with water due to the room’s leaking HVAC system. When he arrived to school in the morning, he found the side of the room under the HVAC system completely covered in water; electrical power outlets and desks were drenched. Bellotti was forced to move his first period class to a different classroom
March 29April 5 Spring Break
22% 11%
of rooms investigated read more than two degrees above the set temperature
of rooms investigated reported inconclusive data due to nonoperational hvac systems
and continued moving to different classrooms that were available due to teacher prep periods. FUSD maintenance department workers promptly cleaned up the water and brought in two fans to dry the classroom. Students were allowed back in the classroom by fourth period. Junior Joshua Lu, who is in Bellotti’s second period class, says, “I was very disillusioned with the quality of our air conditioning system after being forced to relocate at a moment’s notice to a completely different classroom when it broke down.” The department workers are ordering new parts and have shut down Bellotti’s system until the broken part can be replaced. Bellotti’s classroom was not the only one impacted: Social Studies Teacher Tori Ha found that the water from B-35 had seeped to the far side of B-34. “When I got here, the maintenance guys had cleaned most of it... There were puddles,” says Ha, but adds that the maintenance staff also left her with fans to dry out the water. Ha, too, held class in different classrooms for a few periods before returning to her own classroom. On the evening of March 14, Math Teacher Kevin Mallon discovered that B-2 had flooded. During a routine HVAC inspection that night, maintenance workers discovered that the ventilation system had been filled with water when they opened the metal encasing. They inadvertently immersed the floor of B-2 with several inches of water, but dried up the water with heaters and fans by morning, with minimal water damage. “I was kind of pleased – we ran first period, there’s no problem,” says Mallon. The HVAC unit itself was left open to dry for the day. Sophomore Annette Cheng says, “It smelled terrible in that room on Friday and we all wanted to barf.” Other students can’t wait for the maintenance workers to return. Sophomore Katherine Tsay says, “I really think they should fix the broken heating system. We won’t be able
See IR, NEWS Page 3 April 12 End of Third Quarter
April 27 Junior Prom 7 PM- 12AM
Charging for school supplies
School supplies and activities hampered by new law By Vivian Jair Staff Writer Funding for school supplies, field trips, and other activities all across California may become more difficult as a result of a new law that reinforces free public education. The California Assembly Bill 1575 (AB 1575), which has been effective as of Jan. 1, 2013, now bans public schools from charging students for any school supplies or activities. Its rules will directly impact MSJ and all other schools surrounding our area. AB 1575 originated from an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawsuit, Doe v. California, in September 2010. The ACLU intended to protect low-income students and their constitutional right to free public education by opposing fees for academic activities. In March 2011, a survey by UCLA showed that 19 percent of California high schools require students to pay for their instructional materials. Last year, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the predeces-
sor of AB 1575, but decided to amend the bill to address the problem. In August 2012, AB 1575 was passed to completely eliminate school-related involuntary fees. AB 1575 bans a wide spectrum of edu-
“I think it’s fair that kids shouldn’t be denied access to something if they can’t afford it. We don’t often think that this is a problem here at MSJ, but sometimes kids are just embarrassed to admit it.” -Jeff Evans, US History Teacher cational fees in all public schools, including charter and alternative schools. Schools cannot charge students for any class or extracurricular activities, security deposits for textbooks or other properties, and school supplies. Teachers are also prohibited from
See SUPPLIES, NEWS Page 3
Changes to the curriculum
Common Core replaces California State Standards By Lindy Zeng Staff Writer Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is an education initiative that unites all Common Core states under a single set of standards. CA adopted the Common Core curriculum in 2010 and joined the group of 45 states and several territories in the education reform. Common Core standards were determined by a range of researchers, experts, and teachers from across the nation, including the College Board and ACT, Inc. The standards outline what students are expected to learn in order to succeed and thrive in the future. In CA, Common Core will replace the traditional CA State Standards and STAR testing by the 2014-15 school year. English Language Arts/Literacy In ELA/Literacy, Common Core will place an emphasis on nonfiction, higher reading levels and thinking skills, and argument writing. However, the English curriculum at MSJ will not shift drastically, because “by and large many of the things that the California Standard’s have asked teachers and students to do are the same,” according to FUSD Secondary Literacy Coach Corey Brown, who supports the teachers in the transition to Common Core. Schools will be piloting the new English tests in May 2015 with a new test designed by Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia. Many assessment items in the test will be administered with a computer and will contain Short and Extended Constructed Responses,
questions that require typing explanations, in addition to multiple choice questions. A new writing assessment, the Performance Task, will also be included. A selection of articles, videos, and other sources will be presented to students all involving a common theme and students will develop and support their opinion on the subject, drawing upon the information presented as sources. Mathematics Common Core Mathematics standards will involve more critical thinking. “There will be more in-depth questioning, explaining the reasons, the why, the how, and ‘justify your answer’,” says Math Department Head Scott Sugden. This instructional shift is being handled by FUSD’s Secondary Math Coach Amy Kwon, who, like Brown, helps teachers understand the new standards through Common Core Study Groups. The Common Core test in Mathematics will also be implemented during the 201415 school year by Smarter Balanced. Instead of four-option multiple choice questions with only one correct answer, the new test questions may contain two or three correct responses. The Smarter Balanced tests will also have Short and Extended Constructed Response problems as well as a Performance Task which involves analyzing data and graphs. The tests are designed to be taken entirely on the computer with computer adaptive testing (CAT), where the difficul-
bowl for fcc The FCC Dollars for Scholars program held its annual Bowl-a-Thon to raise money for scholarships. News
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
News in Brief Stricter anti-rape laws in India The Indian Parliament passed a stricter anti-rape law on March 19, in response to the heavily publicized, fatal rape of a New Delhi student last December. Extending the sentence for gang rape from a maximum of 10 years to a minimum of 10 years, the amendments crack down on sex offenders, as well as police who ignore filed rape complaints. The law also introduces a broader definition for sexual harassment that includes stalking and voyeurism. However, women’s rights activists in India criticize lawmakers for refusing to criminalize marital rape.
By Tingting Bi, Leah Feuerman & Kerrie Wu Staff Writers
ndtv.com
India has extended the sentence for gang rape from a maximum of 10 years to a minimum of 10 years.
Maryland school district cans hugs Wishing to increase safety within schools, a southern Maryland school district has produced a list of banned actions, including giving hugs and distributing birthday invitations at school. Parents are prohibited from hugging or touching children that are not their own and siblings are forbidden from visiting during school hours under all circumstances. A committee of parents and administrators drafted these new rules after the Sandy Hook shooting in December in hopes of preventing similar events from occurring.
usatoday.com
The new rules to increase safety in Maryland affects 8000 students in 17 elementary schools.
FUSD teachers to resume contract negotiations Next week, FUSD teachers will resume contract negotiations with a state mediator after two weeks of stalled talks. At a protest on March 13, teachers cited the deadlock as a result of the district not complying with their requests for smaller class sizes and increases in salaries and health benefits. The president of the Fremont Unified District Teachers Association, which represents FUSD teachers, says teachers deserve more than five years of pay cuts and benefits along with extra workloads. The district remains hopeful about mediator’s assistance in settling the conflict.
TADD advances to finals at Innovation Summit By Tiffany Huang Staff Writer The Warriors of Change team consisting of Sophomores Ruchit Majmudar and Vivek Calambur, with their cybertech invention Technology Against Drunk Driving (TADD), has advanced to the final round of competition in the Spirit of Innovation
Challenge sponsored by the Conrad Foundation. In this international competition, students create commercially viable products or services that address the issue of global sustainability and benefit humanity. Majmudar and Calambur were first introduced to the Spirit of Innovation Challenge by Chemistry Teacher Katy Kuei as part of a se-
for the march 1, 2013 issue
mercurynews.com
FUSD teachers fight for more pay and benefits while adjusting to large class sizes and budget cuts. COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS GENEVIEVE HUANG, ANGELA WANG & CATHERINE WANG
News page 1: There are less than 2500 students at Mission, not more than 2500 as the Investigative Report on MSJ Bathrooms stated. Centerspread pages 10-12: Hairol Ma, Shirby Wang, and Lindy Zeng took photos. A&E page 14: Piano store owner and videographer of The PianoGuys Paul Anderson’s name is misspelled. Photo page 19: Gelsey Plaza is a sophomore. Photo page 20: Denise Chan, 10, is misidentified.
mester project, and chose the Spirit of Innovation challenge for its combination of business planning and groundbreaking science. Participants in the Conrad competition were required to submit both a business plan and a technical report on their invention. The invention must benefit an aspect of humanity, joining innovation and entrepreneurship with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Majmudar and Calambur decided to focus on the issue of drunk driving, a serious problem that has yet to be resolved despite numerous attempts. “Throughout the years, we’ve always heard a lot about the issue of drunk driving, but I haven’t seen anyone do much about it,” says Calambur. “This is a good issue to tackle since there isn’t a real solution right now.”
TADD is a device mounted on freeway signs that analyzes the motion of each car to detect drunk driving,
staff writer tingting bi
Visit www.conradawards.org/group/307 to vote for Calambur and Majmudar.
which then relays the information to the nearest highway patrol officer after detecting abnormal behavior. Majmudar and Calambur have applied for a provisional patent for TADD,
See TADD, NEWS Page 3
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Smoke Signal
IR | Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning at MSJ examined continued from page 1
to have air ventilation for a long time because of the incident.” However, problems with the HVAC system take a while to fix. FUSD maintenance manager Gene Wheatley says, “Many of the parts we order may take up to six weeks to get, depending upon what they are and the availability. We sometimes have to wait for the factories to manufacture the items before we can get them.” With several operational difficulties in HVAC units every year, temperature regulation in classrooms has become a frequent issue. Heating and ventilation of the B, C, M, and N-Wings utilize the older boiler heating system, prone to act up due to old age. Several rooms, including B-17, B-32, and B-35, have had problems with heating for some time; Social Studies Teacher Nancy Benton even stationed portable heaters at B-32 to fight the persistent chills. English Teacher Patricia Allen’s HVAC unit in B-17 broke on December 19 of last year; a week after notifying the district, a district worker, Allen says, “opened it up and has left it open ever since.” She, too, has a personal heater in her room. “This was one of the coldest winters we’ve had for a while,” Allen says, “I’m fed up.” From March 4 to March 8, the Smoke Signal gathered room and outdoor temperatures to gauge the effectiveness of temperature regulation in the B and C-Wings. Throughout the course of the day, the outside temperature would consistently increase about 10 to 15 degrees, from the lower 50s to the lower 60s. Temperatures right before first period varied from 60 to 75 degrees, but most were adjusted to the lower seventies by 3 PM. Afternoons had no problems, but some classrooms, like B-18 and B-35, were consistently cold in the mornings. These inconsistencies may be attributable to the way the district’s digital energy management system is scheduled. Regular daytime operation runs from 6:30 AM to
“The goal [to regulate heating and air conditioning] is a good one, and if the heating system really did save energy, I’d be all for it. But it may not be effective, and we teachers wish we could control our own heating.” -James Nation, History Teacher
3 PM, after which the HVAC systems in the school switch to a more energyefficient night mode, allowing room temperatures to drop to 55 degrees before the heater turns on. Though the system returns to its regular settings at 6:30 AM, it takes time for the heating system to adequately bring room temperatures up from 55 to the optimal 70 degrees. The boilers and circulation pumps are left running overnight and during weekends, since shutting them off and turning them back on would be too wasteful. One classroom, B-8, does not follow the general temperature patterns exhibited by the rest of the B-Wing; this is most likely due to the classroom’s recently replaced, independent heating system. In September 2011, the HVAC unit in B-8 short-circuited, and district personnel immediately disabled the system remotely. “There was smoke in the room,” says Math Teacher Matt Lazar. “I could not use the room for at least a month.” After moving all his desks to the A-Wing cafeteria, Lazar held classes there until the independent HVAC system was installed. “It was hard; I used a portable whiteboard to teach class,” says Lazar. “One of my students’
SUPPLIES| Changes for equality continued from page 1
offering extra credit, grades, or privileges based on donations. Additionally, schools cannot create fee-waivers for low-income students, while allowing students with higher incomes to be charged. To aid school administration in successfully fundraising without impinging on the free education guarantee, the State Department of Education will develop new, currently undisclosed guidance materials every three years starting in 2014. AB 1575 has also established a simple method of filing complaints. A complainant first addresses the school, which makes a decision. If unsatisfied, the complainant may then appeal to the State Department and receive a ruling within 60 days. AB 1575 does not eliminate all schoolrelated fees and fundraising. Voluntary donations are still allowed, as long as they are entirely free-willed. Schools may still charge for food and for optional activities such as dances. The costs of replacing damaged school property, such as textbooks, are still enforceable as well. Nevertheless, the scope of AB 1575 will
affect MSJ and the numerous elementary schools in the FUSD. For instance, English teachers cannot require mandatory payment for vocabulary books, and science teachers may have to pay for their own equipment if they do not receive enough voluntary donations. Offering extra credit for bringing in materials, such as tissues, will also be banned. Elementary schools also cannot require large lists of supplies for their students to use. Additionally, major field trips like Senior trips to Ashland and Waterworld may only require voluntary payments. The school will be required to pay on the behalf of students who don’t pay yet wish to go. If the school is unable to, the entire field trip must then be cancelled. Nevertheless, these measures are enacted by AB 1575 to provide equal opportunities to those who cannot afford to attend. “I think it’s fair that kids shouldn’t be denied access to something if they can’t afford it,” said US History Teacher Jeff Evans. “We don’t often think that this is a problem here at MSJ, but sometimes kids are just embarrassed to admit it.” ▪
CORE| California State Standards replaced continued from page 1
ty of the next question is raised or lowered depending on the student’s response to the previous questions. Common Core removes the Algebra I graduation requirement from junior high schools, allowing freshmen at MSJ to take Algebra I and Geometry in sophomore year. Because Common Core introduces fewer standards than the CA State Standards, “the Math Department is skeptical,” says Sugden. “Math is very traditional here at MSJ, and we’re worried about fewer standards.”
Common Core in the 2013-14 School Year While Common Core has fewer standards, “the idea behind the new CCSS’s is that fewer, clearer shared national standards will help students and teachers work at depth of subject matter,” stated Brown. Common Core is a description of what the students need to learn, not a strict guideline of how to teach. FUSD is preparing instructional guides for the 2013-14 school year to implement an instructional strategy that hones critical thinking skills. ▪
“My English class has had a heating problem for almost three months and the heater is still hanging open. Apparently they are waiting for a ‘replacement part’ but it never seems to come...and fluids were supposedly dripping from it once. Luckily I don’t have first period English so I don’t freeze to death, but it definitely gets cold in there sometimes.” --Katrina Cherk, 9 parents brought in an extra whiteboard.” After Lazar moved back into the classroom, the new system’s performance calmed worries of future issues. “The newer one is more reliable,” says Lazar, adding that the new system has always been quiet and free of problems. The P-Wing portables all use similar single-classroom HVAC systems, which have operated without any major issues this year. “[MSJ Principal Sandra Prairie] does her best, but she doesn’t have the power to fix this,” says Allen. After repair requests are sent to the district, they are prioritized according to the nature, severity, and location of the problem. Emergencies and urgent requests prompt quick responses, but other issues may take some time to address. Only six workers are responsible for all the district’s HVAC needs so high school issues are third priority, after elementary and junior high schools. To reduce the number of issues this school year, the maintenance workers had replaced parts and checked the classrooms over the summer. Prairie says, “We haven’t had as many system failures as we have had in the past. I used to come in and there used to be five to eight rooms that were without heat.” Things may be looking up, but we have ample room to improve. ▪
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TADD| New innovations continued from page 2
and are in the process of building a prototype of their invention, after which they will apply for an actual patent. Throughout the process, mentors and technical advisors worked closely with Majmudar and Calambur on their project, guiding the team and offering advice for improvement. “We want to say thank you to the Conrad Foundation, Mr. Brucker, our mentors Sally Taylor and Joseph McCoy, Ms. Kuei, our amazing coach, and last but not least, our friends and family that have given us so much support,” says Majmudar. A portion of the teams’ final score is determined by public voting. The team with the greatest number of votes at the end of the voting period will receive the People’s Choice Award. “Please go to www.conradawards.org/group/307 and vote for our TADD team from MSJ. Voting ends on March 29 and we are currently number one,” says Kuei.
“Throughout the years, we’ve always heard a lot about the issue of drunk driving, but I haven’t seen anyone do much about it. This is a good issue to tackle since there isn’t a real solution right now.”
-vivek calambur, 10
The final round of the challenge will take place at Innovation Summit in Houston, Texas on April 10-13, 2013. Majmudar and Calambur will be presenting their product concepts, along with 19 other high school teams, to a panel of judges and an audience consisting of the industry’s professionals, experts in the field, and many other distinguished figures for the opportunity to win seed grants, patent support, and commercial opportunities to further develop their innovation. “The end goal in mind right now is taking this project all the way and possibly creating a company,” says Calambur, “At this point, TADD is a completely conceptual invention, but is definitely a viable solution to drunk driving.” ▪
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Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 48, No. 7 | March 28, 2013 www.thesmokesignal.org
41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Frank Chen, Allan Ko News Nihar Parikh, Aishwarya Thakur Opinion Kyle Qian, Sonali Toppur Feature Jin Peng, Jade Shi Centerspread Rachel Choi, Anusha
Rijhsinghani A&E Tanya Raja, Alekya Rajanala Sports Kenny Jacoby, Vishak Menon Graphics Angie Wang, Sherry Xiao
Web Jaynelle Gao, Jonathon Teng Tech Sai Chilakapati, Anna Zeng Business Vivian Jair Circulation Supriya Yelimeli Ads Grace Wu, Lindy Zeng Events Anjali Kanthilal, Kerrie Wu Writers & Photographers Anita Alem, Arushi Atluri, Tingting Bi, Jason Chen, Laura Chen, Leah Feuerman, Ishan Goyal, Catherine Ho, Genevieve Huang, Tiffany Huang, Nina Krishnan, Irisa Lee, Marisa Lenci, Hairol Ma, Peter Qiu, Aamir Rasheed, Hannah Shih, Sanjay Sreekumar, Tammy Tseng, Peter Xu, Angela Wang, Catherine Wang, Shirby Wang
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Riots, Not Diets
By Sonali Toppur Opinion Editor
My fellow women and I firmly believe that there is nothing a man can do that a woman can’t. Until that belief transitions into a universally acknowledged truth for both genders, the women of the world shall not rest in their efforts to level the uneven playing field of gender perceptions. My days are different from those of other women less dedicated to the cause. I begin the morning with intense workouts and conditioning exercises that tone my already immensely prominent muscles, because every woman needs to be able to defend herself and take care of her own problems, just like men. At Walmart I pass by the skirts and tops, and head straight towards the neatly creased pantsuits. I stride confidently past the razor aisle; real women don’t shave. I rush to my first few meetings of the day, and scoff at the chauvinistic male pig that holds a door open for me. Reaching my table, I make it a point to pull out my own chair. As president and lead proponent of the “Girls in Boy Scouts” movement, I am proud to see a large turnout for our first rally of the year. The moving testimonials of women who have been discriminated against by this organization resonate within my heart and remind me of why I continue to fight. At the march for our women now in combat, the cries of “we want the draft” ring loudly in my ears. I march on with my sisters towards
one of the largest symbols of female opression since it’s establishment in 1977. The pink posters incite rage to flow though my veins, and caught up in the moment, I proudly chain myself to the door of Victoria’s Secret amidst an uproar of approval and excitement. We demand the store to burn the bra’s, reminicent of the purported 1968 movement. This time, we will make the myth a reality. This is just the beginning. Soon we’ll have co-ed NFL teams, women in all-male schools like Bellarmine, and urinals in women’s bathrooms, to say the very least. …Alright, so my days don’t look like this at all. However, I do consider myself a feminist. I don’t believe that feminism is about women wanting to break masculine stereotypes and push boundaries just for the sake of pushing them. It’s about wanting the right to be the person you are and to express yourself in the way you like without being judged by a society with blinders on. It means equal pay for the same work. Whether you want to dress nicely, get good grades, or have neat handwriting; doing those things doesn’t make a person an antifeminist. Being a feminist means that as a woman, you want to be judged by your individual thoughts and actions, and create a world with equal opportunity. ▪ Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org
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Opinion 5
right on Q This One’s for the Seniors By Kyle Qian Opinion Editor
For many students in the Class of 2013, March has been a month of disappointments. Colleges all over the nation report lower and lower admissions rates each passing year. According to the University of California Office of the President, the UCs experienced an 8.6 percent increase in the total number of applicants, which, if recent trends continue, foretells lower admissions rates across the board. Even those fortunate enough to emerge relatively unscathed may just be in for a rude awakening in due time, as March draws to a close. But as we experience all the letdowns and jubilation, the tears of frustration and tears joy, there’s one thing I hope every senior keeps in mind: whether you’ll be attending Harvard or a junior college this fall, college is only the beginning. To those who’ve struck out on the giant lottery game of admissions: college is only the beginning. Even though a better college may pave a smoother path to your goals, I stand firm by the fact that what you spend your time doing in college is as important, if not more so, than where you happen to go. On one hand, if you perhaps slacked off a bit too much in high school, you can use college as an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. But on the other hand, I know many of you experienced disappointment despite working just as hard as everyone else, and I have the utmost
respect for that. If you believe that the admissions officers have utterly failed to comprehend your potential, then do the world a favor and prove them wrong.Take that extra class, work the extra hour, and put down that game controller. Ultimately, the purpose of college is to prepare the untrained mind for the rigors of the real world, and in the end, the experience you accrue and the opportunities you seek will matter more than the words on your diploma. In other words, anyone in the world, be it an employer, an agency, or some guy at the bus stop, would be more impressed by a success story from an unknown school than a couch potato from the Ivy League. As for those seniors for whom the stars have aligned: first, congratulations, and second, college is only the beginning. Don’t for one second believe that anything is promised, and that you can suddenly relax and let success come find you. If there’s anything more tragic than a capable student whose potential goes unrecognized, it’s a capable student who willingly allows their recognized potential to go to waste. Whether you’re going to the school of your dreams or not, you should take complete advantage of every opportunity granted to you, so that one day you can look around and genuinely say to yourself, “Now that I’m here, it’s up to me.” ▪ Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org
EDITORIAL: Be a Good Sport The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board Take a walk through MSJ’s gym quad. Adorning its walls are the names of hardworking men and women who fought to defend the pride of MSJ athletics every time they competed. In the 70’s and 80’s MSJ was considered an athletic powerhouse particularly in contact sports like football. But in recent years some of our sports teams have suffered loss after loss with little attention to how these specific programs can be improved. Many students, parents, and faculty alike believe that these teams have no hope of ever reaching a level of athletic dominance again and have settled with the notion that MSJ is content with resting on its laurels of academic success. There exists a stigma on campus that the reason that certain teams are failing to succeed is because we as a student body are not athletic. The editorial board of the Smoke Signal is opposed to this notion, and believes that, on the contrary, MSJ is full of talented young athletes. However, we think that a multitude of other factors are impeding certain MSJ teams from reaching their full potential. In many of these teams, funding is deficient to provide essential equipment for participants of all levels. By now we are all aware that California’s budget is definitely lacking in its support of public schools, but a small portion of the money that MSJ does receive should be put towards improving the quality and condition of our athletic resources. The creation of MSJ Warband this year has helped to foster a good amount of pride in athletics which has been absent in years past. By advertising through posters and banners on a variety of social media platforms,
Warband has given students an outlet to get out and support their friends and classmates from all of MSJ’s sports teams. Warband is also currently selling t-shirts for the small price of $10 each with the hope of making a dent in the funding that MSJ teams sorely need. Warband has contributed financially, but the major purpose of the squad is to promote student involvement with the school teams. If the student body cared more about the performance of our teams and fellow student athletes, then the reason for pumping more money into athletics would be much more compelling. Many MSJ students fail to step outside the academic realm, and therefore don’t pay attention to athletics. But with more student support, more money has a chance of going into the program, in order to improve the teams.. This being said, MSJ still has several teams which have managed to excel despite these setbacks. Girls’ Golf, Girls’ Basketball, Boys’ and Girls’ Water Polo, Boys’ and Girls’ Badminton, Swimming, and Wrestling have consistently appeared in the postseason and shown that MSJ has earned its place as a competitor in the North Coast Section. If a few key changes are implemented, soon enough our teams which are struggling will see improvement. And someday, with the support and participation of the entire student body, all of MSJ’s teams will be able to showcase their passion and talent in their respective sport. ▪
graphics editor sherry xiao
Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org staff writer supriya yelimeli
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
“Reality” TV
By Nina Krishnan & Supriya Yelimeli Staff Writers
As young adults begin the search for a perfect career path, what better inspiration to guide them than the small screen? Chiseled actors, actresses with impossible proportions, and a completely unrealistic depiction of careers. Through its most basic purpose, television presents a more attractive version of reality. For children and teenagers lookinag towards television to determine their futures, disillusionment may be in store. Grey’s Anatomy, one of the most popular medical dramas of our generation, is based on the premise of a fast paced hospital with hard hitting cases. The show describes the stressful environment doctors face everyday, but that is where the similarities end. The situations are medically inaccurate, misleading, and highly sexualized. Doctors engage in sexual activities with other doctors and even patients, which in the real world are grounds for dismissal and sexual harassment suits. In one episode, Meredith Grey, a young and attractive surgical resident, kisses an injured biker brought into the hospital after an accident left him with spokes impaled in his abdomen. In real life situations, doctor-patient fraternization can result in the loss of a medical license. Many serious medical processes are simplified; heart transplants and brain surgeries take place in a matter of minutes, and distracted doctors chatter about personal issues while rewiring neurological paths. Viewers are disillusioned, and make assumptions that these procedures are conducted in a similar manner in real life, which may lead to a loss of confidence in their own doctors. “On House, the residents run the CT scanner and they draw blood and they give the meds and perform surgery, which is totally bogus,” notes fourth-year medical student Graham Walker to Stanford Medicine Magazine. “So if people just watched House, they would
think their actual doctors are slacking off because they aren’t doing all of that.” Medical professionals have a love-hate relationship with these overly dramatized shows, claiming “I enjoy these shows because they are so unrealistic that I don’t feel like I am at work,” says Suzanne Miller, MD, a Stanford emergency medicine resident. Bones, another widely viewed show, follows the career of forensic scientists. In each episode, Dr. Brennan is able to determine age, sex, and race from simply glancing at skeletal remains, but procedural investigations like DNA tests can take days to determine such data. Anthropologists also do not participate in FBI field work and are never involved in interrogations. Inconsistencies such as these create a largely unrealistic image of these careers. Even programs like The West Wing that pride themselves on realism are prone to the small screen effect. Domestic and international problems are solved through eloquence, and diplomacy is a product of fast-talking rhetorical finesse. Despite an attempt to ensure realism and reduce drama-induced fallacies, television shows that are made to be interesting and draw viewers are not the medium for realism. TV shows focus on a small range of careers; hot topics are lawyers, doctors, forensic detectives, and police officers. Teenagers are struck by the sheer excitement portrayed in the shows and aspire to enter these careers when there are other better options out there. In a technological era, the young generation relies on the media more than ever. Because television is one of the most popular forms of media, it’s unfair that this generation is being lied to. Although it may seem easy to suggest separating fact from fiction, how will children learn what is real and what is not if their main influence is television? Television is still an escape from reality, but as the influence of these shows continues to grow, the line has to be drawn between fictional entertainment and blatant misguidance. ▪
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Academic Etiquette By Hairol Ma Staff Writer
There’s a feeling of unbridled joy and exhilaration when you receive a pristine, barely-marked paper, with only a red “100” at the top, accompanied by a smiley face or “Bravo!” Nothing rivals the bliss of logging onto Schoolloop and seeing that your grade has risen by over one percent, tipping you over into the land of As and prosperity. What is it like? It’s like eating a decadent chocolate mousse after 10 days of fasting. It’s like winning over the guy you like, or finding a 20 dollar bill under a rock. Add it together, pump it up on steroids, and you match the contentment of getting a good grade at MSJ. So, the next step is to notify as many people as possible, right? The answer is a resounding no. Facebook, though useful for homework help and stalking people from afar, is not a medium through which to brag about your test scores. Screenshots of grades and “I SET THE CURVE!!!” too often populate our news feed. Too often this precipitates negative effects, sending people who scored lower grades into an inferiority complex. Loss of self worth or not, anger is another emotion that rules the senses after seeing a snarky status about an A+, and we may wish ill will to the curvesetters afterwards. Keep in mind that social networking sites like Facebook and Tumblr are open to public, not just your few closest friends. Once a status is posted, it is possible that it will pop up on all of your friends’ news feeds. Considering the average Facebooker, that’s around 600+ news feeds that will be seeing a screenshot of Schoolloop. People that don’t know you as well might admire your apparent genius, but will also keep note of your arrogance. This is
not a good first impression to leave on potential friends. So why do these statuses and photos continue to set off trails of tears down our news feeds? There’s another sense of ecstasy when shouting your grade off the highest mountaintops (or in this case, your router) to announce it to the whole world. A good grade resembles a well-groomed pet dog or a cute outfit that screams “Look-at-me-look-at-me!” to all passers-by. However, people should limit this to their closest friends, people who love and accept them without judging. With college decisions rolling in, one must also consider with caution the statuses they post about the UC or Ivy League blessings that flew in through the mail. One status is enough, or else “She gets Ivy Leagues I get CCs, she took ten APs and I only took three” might run through the heads of anyone who sees these posts. Use your exclamation points wisely, for this is one of the only times you may use over six exclamation points to express your unbounded elation. While outstanding grades are worthy of praise, they do not need to be showcased to everyone within your Facebook community. So to all future Einsteins and Edisons, limit your outstanding academic achievements to trustees-in-chief, or risk committing a lethal faux pas. ▪
Model Role Models By Catherine Wang Staff Writer
Fangirling about One Direction or raving about the latest cute thing Jennifer Lawrence said is pretty common. Though there are no serious consequences of appreciating a celebrity’s talents, we rarely consider the impact of treating famous figures as role models. Since celebrities are influential social figures, their actions, premeditated or not, impact society. Thus, famous people should feel obligated to behave appropriately, even if politeness and morality are not part of their onstage personas. Mickey Mantle, a baseball legend who played for the New York Yankees in the 50’s and 60’s, wowed the American public and became known as the greatest switch-hitter of all time. Outside of baseball, however, he had numerous extramarital affairs and struggled with alcoholism. Idolizing celebrities often prompts society to trust flawed individuals. People tend to mistake extraordinary talent for morality, believing that those who are talented must also be smart enough to make good decisions. Mantle may have “swung from his soul,” but he was no saint. He admirably owned up to many of his flaws, yet he never felt obligated to behave as a role model. “Don’t be like me,” he famously
said. Even when his alcoholism was made public, fans continued to idolize his imperfections. While the public draws inspiration from and empathizes with successful athletes and artists, little is known about their personal lives. Celebrities cannot control how their fans perceive them, but they can manage their own actions, keeping in mind the impact on their audiences. A celebrity’s downfall reflects on his or her fans as well. After Oscar Pistorius was charged with murdering his girlfriend in February, the magnitude of the trailblazing athlete’s fame was obvious. Pistorius’s home country previously regarded the double-amputee as a national icon for his groundbreaking success in the Olympics. The scandal, therefore, struck South Africa hard. There are plenty of disillusioned fans; but worse, the Pistorius incident has encouraged the media to dissect South Africa’s supposed “culture of violence,” negatively associating an entire nation with the athlete’s downfall. Whether Pistorius anticipated it or not, his decisions have reflected on an entire nation. Nonetheless, we ourselves are responsible for forming educated opinions about what the media feeds us. Admiring someone’s actions is not wrong, but it is risky to place flawed strangers on pedestals. It’s crucial to take all information with a grain of salt, even if you strongly favor a particular figure. ▪
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Smoke Signal
“I’m worried about school! Will I get into a UC? My health, my well-being, and did I mention school?” -Kimberly Nguyen, 10
“English class -- the play that we’re doing, The Taming of the Shrew.” - Gowri Swamy, 10
“Just like every other junior at Mission, I’m worried about AP Testing and college apps.” -Basava Jonnala 11
Math assignments because my math teacher has been assigning assignments like crazy. -Jamin Chen, 9
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Opinion 7
I’m looking forward to the summer, but I’m less than ecstatic about what comes after that *cough* junior year *cough*. I’m also worried about the SATs, because I’m not good at standardized test-taking. -Maya Rajan, 10
“I’m worried about “I’m thinking about my calculus midterm the difference between “I am excited to be a second semester and about my assaspost-modernism and senior though I am a second semester sin killing me again.” “Love and the modernism literature.” junior.” -Cyrus Lin, 12 galaxy.” – Kushal Chatterjee, 11 -Sid Ambulkar, 11 “I’m worried about my Stats -Karen Trinh, 9 test and this AP Biology I am worried about grades “English project, because “My biggest concern is project that no one underand my GPA because recently I have to decide when to difficult tests without stands.” there’s been many consecutive stop procrastinating.” curves.” “I’m currently worried -Priya Khoot, 11 tests. -Victoria Ng, 11 -Brian Wu , 11 “Heath Ledger is on my about grades. I’m also -Lydia Li, 10 mind 25/7.” worried North Korea “My Lau grade” “Definitely worried about -Sohini Ghosh, 11 is planning to drop a -Cynthia Jiang, 11 “I’m worried about finishing my calculus midterm.” nuclear bomb on us.” “Geography test!” junior year and the upcoming -James Chen, 12 -Vineetha Tanniru, 9 - Hansen Chen, 9 AP exams.” “I’m worried about getting a -Zongning Zhang, 11 girl and finding a steady job in “Junior year ”I’m thinking about the future.” sucks.” how difficult classes “I am worried about are right now.” “I am deeply concerned about the -Khiem Lu, 11 - Ryan Chen, 11 my bio grade at the situation with North Korea. If they – Neal Goyal, 9 moment.” don’t attack another country, I will “I’m thinking a lot about dance and “I hate Schoolloop.” -Brent Lee, 11 “I’m worried about tests.” relationships. I’m also thinking not have the opportunity to see -Sierra Lou, 10 -James Kao, 9 about what my next hair color should them get rolled by the US.” be.” -ZerKeen Chia, 11 - Chaz Nagata, 9
Love, Love, Love
Academic Woes
(North Korea)
Gone Clubbin’
College Anxiety
“I’m looking forward to the robotics tournament this weekend! ” - Dominic Melville, 9
“I’m thinking about NHD, National History Day. It’s a project that involves studying a history topic given a yearly theme.” - Joshua Chan, 9 “I need to go to a Charity Fashion Show meeting right now.” -Vivian Chang, 9 “I just went to Link Crew and I was just thinking about the meeting.” -Salonee Thanawala, 11 “I am walking to debate right now, and I’m excited because we’re preparing for the Nat Quals tournament.” - Alice Cheng, 9
ACTIVE PEOPLE
By Tiffany Huang & Peter Qiu Staff Writers
The Smoke Signal loves to hear what’s on everybody’s minds! We have amassed a collection of quotes from MSJ students, detailing the concerns and interests of our MSJ community. With March Madness coming to an end and AP tests right around the corner, MSJ students express a wide range of concerns. These quotes show that many of us share the same concerns, and that ultimately, we’re all in the same boat. ▪
Worldly Thinkers
“College. College “I’m worried about college is on my mind.” admissions right now. And -Steven Chi, 12 the finance of it.” - Rachel Chang, 12 “I’m worried about not getting into a prestigious college that’s “College, college, going to ensure a successful college! Do Mission future.” students worry about - Roy Lo, 10 anything else?” - Sana Saeed, 11 “Everything about next year.” -Calvin Leung, 12 “I am worried about how badly the UC system is “Getting rescinded from going to screw us over next college because of my year.” grades.” - Cynthia Jiang, 11 - Danny Lee, 12 “My biggest worry right now is college, but it’s also the biggest excitement; I’m so pumped for the new experiences and the new friends.” - Divya Mohan, 11
Tired and Hungry “My biggest concern is finishing everything on my to-do list and sleeping before 2 am.” –Dora Li, 11 “Food, I want Chipotle.” -Dana Gurion, 11
“Fremont skate park opening in a couple weeks, I’m gonna hang out there all the time.” - Milad Moghimi, 12 “I’m worried about the “Sleeping...I stayed up till 2 am “I’m concerned with the way that development of human our classes interact, from seniors beings.” doing homework.” to freshmen, and even within -Alicia Chang, 11 - Albert Wang, 11 “I’m thinking of the Miami Heat’s classes. It seems like recently historical win streak.” class and school unity have been “I really want to go for a long – Jerry Chang, 11 falling apart.” “I’m worried that what some of us perceive as run and take a long nap.” - Mason Qian, 11 long-term success - admission to prestigious -Praveena Fernes, 11 “I’m looking forward to going universities, social status, high-paying jobs “Sleep. Food. Spring Break.” snowboarding!” can cause us to sideline the things that make - Kelly Lee, 10 - Julia Shih, 11 us truly happy: our friends, families, and “What concerns me most is our lack of experiences that make us better people.” “I’m worried knowledge or responsiveness to the needs -Hannah Lee, 11 of others across the world.” about my sleeping “Swim meets –Emily Hou, 12 time...” “It sounds self-centered, but I’m not too concerned about the outside because they are -Joseph Shih, 11 world at the moment. I’m mostly focused on schoolwork and college pressured.” “I want to make the most out of my remainstuff. I have some anxiety about my career, because I’m not sure what I -Janis Lee, 11 ing time in high school and spend more time “FOOD!” want to be yet. I ignore this looming decision thinking that I’ll choose with my friends and teachers because I will - Tiffany miss them in college.” later and that for the moment I just have to keep going.” Chang, 10 -Sonia Li, 12 - Anish Kannan, 11 “In my own life I’m worried about how I’m going to keep a good balance to look good for colleges throughout my four years of high school, at MSJ I’m worried about not being able to take advantage of all the opportunities the school offers.” - Aditi Harish, 9
“I’m worried about the state of the economy and how it might not recover for a long time, which ties into my own life and not having a good future.” -Nicholas Cai, 10 graphic by staff writers tiffany huang & peter qiu, famsf.org, imdoc.com, theatre.ucsd.edu
8 Feature
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By Ishan Goyal & Peter Xu Staff Writers
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Feature 9
By Nina Krishnan, Marisa Lenci & Hannah Shih Staff Writers
online stores safeway
floral design studio
fremont flower pavilion
Thursday, March 28, 2013
graphics by staff writer anna zeng, kootation.com, fremontflowerpavilion.com, safewayflowers.com, floraldesignstudio.com, trudysprom.com, bloomingdales.com, camillelavie.com, bchicfashions.com
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Have you ever wondered about that creepy house behind the E-Wing? Are you that freshman who can’t find P7? The Smoke Signal now reveals several intriguing and previously mysterious facts about our mistakenly-believed “plain” school—from the historic Mission Bell to something out of this world.
By Vivian Jair & Shirby Wang Staff Writers History of the Bell Tower The Bell Tower was not always the iconic structure that we know today. In January 1965, a year after MSJ’s founding, the original 200-pound brass Mission Bell was presented to the school by the Santa Fe Railway. The bell had previously travelled nationwide atop a train. The Mission Bell soon became a vital part of MSJ culture, rung only to celebrate victories and rally spirits. It even had a special bell-ringing committee to care for it! However, the Mission Bell originally sat atop a wooden-base Bell Tower. Unfortunately, about twenty years later, the tower’s legs were infested with termites, and the whole structure was removed. Alumni campaigned and fundraised to replace the base, resulting in the metal Bell Tower with a nonfunctioning bell that we have today. The original Mission Bell now hangs outside Principal Sandra Prairie’s office as a reminder of the traditions of our school. Sometimes, the Mission Bell is rung over morning announcements to commemorate special achievements.
The Vandal Watch House & The Nurse Station With boarded windows and an overgrown lawn, the vandal watch house behind the E-Wing seems secretive. In the 1980s, a vandalism-prevention program allowed people to freely reside in a house by the school for watching over the campus. All six high schools and several junior high schools had homes installed, including MSJ and Hopkins Junior High. The program lasted for many years, but eventually all the houses were vacated, with MSJ’s unoccupied for over a decade. At other schools, the houses are already demolished, but the one at MSJ remains due to expenses. However, there is a plan replace the house with a garden. Next to the vandal watch house is an old nurse’s station. It was used by itinerant workers such as nurses as the headquarters while traveling. Since the nurses moved to the special services department in the district, the station is no longer used. It remains as an empty portable and relic of the past, empty but for a few pieces of furniture.
MSJ edition
Asteroids
Few legacies can surpass having a magnificent space asteroid named after you. In the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory Ceres Connection program, asteroids are titled after student finalists of notable science competitions and their mentors. At MSJ, Math Teachers David Lau and Charlie Brucker have both been presented with this honor. 25517 Davidlau was dedicated to Lau for mentoring Class of 2009 Alumna Marianna Mao, an Intel Science Talent Search (STS) Finalist in 2009 who wrote a paper about the theory of relativity. Meanwhile, Brucker was honored with 28653 Charliebrucker for mentoring Senior Kevin Chen, a 2013 Intel STS Finalist who worked on a low-cost ferroelectric analyzer. Additionally, both Mao and Chen have asteroids named after them, called 25457 Mariannamao and 28556 Kevinchen.
E-Wing Originally built in the late 1970s, the E-Wing hosted industrial arts classes, such as metal shop, autoshop, and woodshop. Believing that these were “masculine” classes, the administration only built a boy’s bathroom there. Additionally, E-1A, E-1B, E-2A, and E-2B result from the splitting of two ex-computer lab classrooms, E-1 and E-2. P-7 is also a popular puzzle. Originally a custodian office, P-7 was intended to be the last portable after P-6. However, the administration later built P-8, P-9, and P-10 in succession. This caused the odd ordering of the P-portables, as the only space left for P-11 was in front of P-10, due to the parking lot. Meanwhile, P-7 has not been renamed due to complications and expenses regarding the set security and blueprint records, which would have to be altered for the police and fire departments with the district’s approval.
C120 Secrets It is generally unknown that our lecture hall, C-120, has a hidden room in its center, originally used for projectors. The room had held an 8-millimeter projector, which required a staff member to constantly switch reels to run it, and an opaque projector, which projected enlarged images onto a wall. However, technology has since left the use of such projectors behind, and the room is now used for storage. The structure for C-120 has also changed slightly. Because MSJ used to hold lectures in C-120 during the days of block scheduling, the chairs had desks attached for students to write notes on, they have since been removed.
By Genevieve Huang Staff Writer over the world; it's so much fun to cosplay a character so many people know.
MSJ Cosplay and Lolita For anime aficionados, video game addicts, and Japanese fashion followers, the terms “cosplay” and “Lolita” may sound familiar; both are forms of fashion that originated in Japan. Because MSJ celebrates a broad variety of fashion and style, the Smoke Signal interviewed Seniors Meri Hambalek, a cosplayer, and Austine Lee, a wearer of Lolita clothing. Smoke Signal: How would you define your style of fashion and how did you get interested in it? Meri Hambalek: Cosplay is short for costume play. It's an activity that originated in Japan, where someone dresses up as a fictional character. I was interested in [cosplay] ever since I was little growing up in Japan, but I didn’t start until I went to my second anime convention in 2010 when I formed my own cosplay group, CtrlZ Productions. Austine Lee: There are many different sub-styles of Lolita fashion, such as gothic, sweet, classic, and punk. However, I dress more in the sweet style which has many dessert, toy, and animal motifs, along with pastel background colors. I got interested during my freshman year. I watch a lot of Japanese TV and through that I came across Lolita Fashion and decided to learn more about it. SS: What are some hallmarks of Lolita? AL: About 90 percent of all Lolita outfits have a puffy, cupcake-like shaped dress or skirt. Also, many Lolitas like to wear an Alice Bow that is matching in print to their dress in their hair. SS: Who are some of your favorite characters to play? MH: I love to cosplay Vocaloid characters, especially Hatsune Miku. She’s becoming an increasingly popular character not only in Asia but all
SS: What would you consider your favorite Lolita-style outfit so far? AL: My favorite outfit was a recent outfit that I wore to a Lolita shop's tea party in San Francisco. The main piece was a yellow dress with a strawberry, parfait, and cherry print. I also wore a matching Alice bow, pink shoes and accessories to match the pink that was in the print. SS: Do you purchase your own outfits or costumes or make them with other materials? MH: Sometimes I purchase [the costumes] online, especially if the cosplay is too complicated for me to make. Other times I make it myself, either from scratch or from clothes I buy at thrift stores that I later alternate. It really depends on what kind of cosplay I'm making and how motivated I am, but making a cosplay from scratch would take me about five days if I work nonstop, and even less if I'm altering clothes I got from thrift stores. AL: I purchase all of my outfits either in stores –there are three lolita shops in San Francisco—or online. SS: What are some memorable events you attended or are looking forward to? MH: I've attended Fanimecon in San Jose for four years in a row now, and they have all been memorable, because each year I meet all kinds of amazing people. I'm looking forward to my 5th time at Fanimecon 2013. My group CtrlZPro has many cosplays planned and we are looking forward to doing photoshoots with our photographer friends. ▪
waiting on picture from meri
Seniors Meri Hambelek cosplaying as Hatsune Miku and Austine Lee in Lolita dress.
courtesy meri hambalek and austine lee
photos by staff writers vivian jair and shirby wang
Dustin Chiang By Jason Chen Staff Writer Sophomore Dustin Chiang thrived at last month’s DECA State Career and Development Conference (SCDC) by getting elected as state president, becoming the first MSJ student ever to serve as a state officer. Besides this crowning achievement, Chiang won first place in multiple events at the state level and will compete for the second straight year at the International Career and Development Conference (ICDC) in April. Chiang has always had an interest in business. When he first arrived at MSJ, former DECA officer Senior Mahima Narayan persuaded him to go a DECA meeting. Chiang says that he became instantly hooked after the first meeting and never looked back. As a first-year competitor last year, Chiang dominated at States, placing first overall in multiple events and thus qualifying for ICDC. When asked about his success, Chiang remarked that he prepared really hard and “pieces just fell in the right places.” Through DECA, Chiang became close friends with former MSJ DECA Vice President of Civic Consciousness and MSJ alumnus David Chiang. Chiang recalls: “David was the first person who truly inspired me to run for state president. I wouldn’t be where I am right now without his help.” Chiang describes the campaign process as “extremely long and hectic.” During the campaign, Chiang had to create a 30-second commercial, set up a booth, create an achievements portfolio, and meet with voting delegates. In addition, he had to attend multiple interviews with the DECA panel, which consisted of alumni, the DECA board of directors, and business professionals. Chiang spent over 100 hours on his campaign, but he
photo by staff writer tammy tseng
describes the campaign as “extremely worth it because the process was a great experience and it definitely paid off.” As the newly elected state president, Chiang will serve as a representative and the primary face of California DECA. Chiang and the other state officers plan conferences, connect with local chapters, and coordinate nationally with DECA, and meet with state legislature to raise awareness of the organization. Despite being only a few weeks into the job, Chiang has already mapped out his vision for the future of California DECA. For the upcoming year, Chiang strives to create a better experience for each member by creating an individualized approach for each chapter to enhance growth. In addition, Chiang will try to create a personal connection with as many members as possible. In addition to being DECA state president, Chiang is also very excited to serve MSJ as the new ASB Vice President for the 2013-14 school year. Chiang also enjoys umpiring at Mission San Jose Little League baseball games and working with Mission SOS. Chiang remarks: “DECA has taught me and provided me with more positive experiences than I could have ever imagined. Through DECA, I’ve learned to create business plans, cultivate new business skills, and meet new people.” In the future, Chiang will continue to apply his lessons learned from DECA to further benefit DECA and MSJ. ▪
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Smoke Signal
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Ad 11
12 Centerspread
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Centerspread 13
Take a break and test your MSJ knowledge with 4 puzzles designed to bend your mind and provide a few minutes of entertainment. The first five people to submit correct answers online will be named the masters of Wang, Peter Xu & Anna Zeng MSJ trivia and win a free Multicultural lunch courtesy of the Smoke Signal ! By Anjali Kathilal, Shirby Staff Writers
1 “Shhh Everybody wonders But no one knows”
Connect the Dots
Murals:Find the Difference
Spot the 10 differences between these two murals you walk by every day and test how observant you really are!
Embrace your artistic side and connect the dots to reveal a vital MSJ landmark!
2 “10 seconds to prove yourself Platform, Acrobats It all comes down to this”
3 “Beauty & Ratings Do ladies or gentlemen have it harder?”
4 “Comment, Like, Subscribe Which is your favorite?”
5 “Work it all day Work it all night”
Take a trip through this issue to figure out which article each egg belongs to!
Try an MSJ twist on Four Pictures, One Word and figure out the word(s) that connects all four parts of MSJ culture!
Photos by staff writer kerrie wu, Graphics by Staff Writers shirby wang and Anna Zeng, commons.wikimedia.org, mowryjournal.com, thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu, sandi.net
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Arts & Entertainment 15
With the popularity of YouTube artists on the rise, the Smoke Signal has compiled a collection of YouTube channels from a variety of musical genres. These channels offer the best in music and entertainment, and are definitely worth checking out! Lindsey Stirling shows her viewers what it’s like to rock out to the jazz violin! She blends violin, dubstep, dance and adds beats to create original masterpieces. She recently released her first album, Lindsey Stirling. Stirling names each of her songs based on her mood during that specific piece and the type of music she is playing. Her most famous is “Crystallize.” Here next most popular song is “Elements.” Her youtube channel, lindseystomp, has over one million subscribers.
Avery
Eighteen-year-old Avery recently signed a contract with Universal Records. From Phoenix, Arizona, Avery is most wellkown for her Iphone covers. Whilst she sings, a group behind her plays all the music through iphone apps. Her most famous song is “Stereo Hearts.” Her Youtube username is annamarieee22.
Lindsey Stirling
David So
Chantelle is a 19-year-old singer that comes from Southern California who makes acoustic covers of popular trance songs. While she is an “under the radar” artist, she has gained recognition from original artists of the songs that she covers including Dash Berlin, Zedd, and Swedish House Mafia. Her covers are great for those who enjoy the singing portions of such songs rather than the long intervals of beats. Her Youtube channel is coalesc.
Better known for his comedy channel, DavidSoComedy, David So is a Korean American who not only makes humorous vlogs/rants, but also covers a variety of R&B songs. While many people are unaware of this, he is an exceptional singer with several hundred thousand views on each video. David has also written his own songs, with “Always” being his most popular. He incorporates rapping as he sings about an ending relationship. His Youtube channel is DavidSoMusic.
John Dreamer is a German composer who experiments in creating epic music for video games. His compositions become background music for videos and trailers of games, such as Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, and Crysis 2. Listen to his piece titled “Rise,” which accompanies Assassin’s Creed 3. With or without the heroic scenes from the games, John Dreamer’s music continually proves to be moving and uplifting. His Youtube channel is MonsieurDreamer.
Boyce Avenue A Florida based, three brother band, has grown into the most viewed independent band in the world. With more than 2,500,000 subscribers and more than eight hundred million video views, the band grows larger and larger everyday. Each of the three brothers, Alejandro, Fabian and Daniel Manzano, plays an instrument and sings. Alejandro is the lead vocalist who plays the guitar and piano. Fabian plays the guitar and Daniel plays the bass as well as the percussion. Their most famous song to date, is “With or Without You.” Their youtube channel is boyceavenue.
Lennon and Maisy
With Maisy at age 8 and Lennon at age 12, most people who hear them sing are absolutely amazed at the level they are at. The two sisters harmonize together with Lennon playing the guitar as they make covers of both oldies and popular songs now. Their most popular video is their cover of “Call Your Girlfriend” by Robyn. They covered Erato’s version where they used only cups to accompany their singing. Their Youtube channel is lennonandmaisy.
Chantelle Truong
Kyle Landry
John Dreamer
Kyle Landry is a cover artist, composer, and arranger for piano instrumentals of many songs. His works range from video game and anime melodies to movie and radio soundtracks. Kyle Landry also has classical and his original work posted on Youtube. Whether it’s Pirates of the Caribbean, Final Fantasy or Pachelbel’s Canon, Kyle Landry is sure to satisfy all. His Youtube channel is kylelandry. youtube.com, lindseystirlingmusic.com, davidsocomedy.net, tumblr.com
16 Arts & Entertainment
Phoenix: April 2
The Smoke Signal
Rihanna: April 6
Rihanna’s Diamond World Tour will be coming to the HP Pavilion on Phoenix, an alternative rock band April 6. The concert, which begins from Versailles, will be performing at 8 pm, opens with A$AP Rocky. Tickets for the concert range at 8 pm in the Freeborn Hall at from $66 to $650 for UC Davis on Tuesday, April 2. VIP packages. Ticket prices range from $199 to $230.
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
Country Megaticket:
Green Day: April 16
April 26-Oct 12 This is an 8 tour performance held at Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheater. Popular country artists like Lady Antebellum, and Tim McGraw will perform.
On Tuesday, April 16, Green Day will be performing at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.Prices for the concert, which begins at 6:30 pm, range from $110 to $386.
By Tingting Bi Staff Writer
The Killers: April 27 The Killers will be coming to San Francisco on Saturday, April 27. The performance will be held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium at 8 pm. Prices range from $95 to $200.
Paramore: May 4
Justin Bieber: June 26
All Time Low: May 12
Paramore will be performing live All Time Low, along with Pierce the Don’t miss Justin Bieber’s perforat The Warfield in San Francisco Veil, is coming to SF on May 12. The mance at the HP Pavilion on June on Saturday, May 4. The rock concert, starring guest bands such 26! Tickets for the concert, which begins at 7 pm, range from $93 band concert will begin at as You Me at Six and Mayday to $3000 for meet-and7 pm, and prices range Parade, will begin at 5:30 pm greet opportunities. from $77 to $298. at the Warfield. Prices start at $65. beliebers.com, rihannafans.com, phoenixband.com, alltimelowmusic.com, blogspot.com
By Anna Zeng Staff Writer
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This summer, MSJ students and alumni are set to serve up a slice of MSJ culture with a crowd-funded, feature-length, MSJ: The Musical (MSJTM). This brainchild of Class of 2011 Alumnus Doug Wilson follows two MSJ juniors, Jeffrey and Rachel, as they combat the Syndicate, an “underground nerd mafia” that strangles MSJ academics in its grasp. In the great melting pot of MSJ diversity, Jeffrey and Rachel turn out to be normal denizens of two antithetic worlds. Jeffrey’s Canadian sarcasm and brash judgment articulates a world outside of the Mission bubble, one that the coffee-chugging MSJ native, Rachel, can understand but cannot fathom. Their wicked, almost immediate distaste for each other morphs into a close alliance against Ashley, sinister leader of the Syndicate who preys on a rampant fear of inadequate grades to secure her control. Jeffrey and Rachel’s journey through the mysteries of the Syndicate lead them to “The Dealer, the leader of the Undercampus, where the shadier side of Mission comes out to play,” says director Wilson. “We
also see a graphing calculator battle and a rave on campus.” And then? “That is something I’ll let you find out for yourself,” says Wilson. The themes of competition, integrity, and hard work resonate with the unique culture at MSJ. “A lot of our stereotypes tie into the idea that the average Mission student is Asian, has helicopter parents, and takes five APs,” says Wilson. “The Musical explores how much of that is true, but more importantly, if it matters at all.” Class of 2011 Alumnus Producer Conner Whaley and screenwriter Class of 2012 Alumna Leila Garcia collaborated with Wilson to develop and further refine Wilson’s vision. The musical portions of the musical, however, are crafted by Songwriter Seniors Allan Ko, Lucy Shen, Leena Yin, and Composer Junior Daniel Do, along with Choreographer Freshman Chaz Nagata. Musical pieces like “A Graphical Duel” and “Mission 101” draw inspiration from a number of musical styles, including 8-bit, rock, jazz, and Asian traditional music. The music will be released as a soundtrack as an addition to the musical. MSJTM, the first musical written about the school, is crowd-funded through Kickstarter, a funding platform that taps into the power of the public. The $1,500 from Kickstarter contributes to promotional material, Kickstarter rewards and benefits for funders, special effects rigs, and props to bump up the quality of the musical. The finished musical and accompanying soundtrack will be given to a student organization on campus, and it will be uploaded to Youtube and Vimeo for the world to see. MSJTM is scheduled to complete filming at the end of June, and is to be released in September. If you would like to get involved with MSJTM, please email msjthemusical@gmail.com. ▪
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Bon Jovi: What About ‘No’
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By Tammy Tseng Staff Writer
Highly-acclaimed American rock band Bon Jovi has been producing quality music for over twenty years, but the release of their twelfth studio album, What About Now, has few redeeming qualities and leaves listeners asking for more. The album opens with “Because We Can,” a power anthem that introduces the recurring blue-collar struggle strewn throughout all of Bon Jovi’s lyrics. Moving further into the album, the tracks begin to all sound the same –the same heavy beats, loud riffs, and mediocre lyrics pervade every song. The pounding drums and guitars fail to electrify listeners and instead muddle and overwhelm the album. “Amen,”a gentler, slightly countrified ballad, strays from their relentlessly up-tempo model, but fails to deliver the tenderness expected of a softer track. Neither does “Thick as Thieves;” despite the sweet orchestral accompaniment, Bon Jovi’s vocals fall short of melodic intimacy and leave the track sounding flat and devoid of emotional maturity. The album’s retreat to its standard up-beat hard rock does not impress either; “Army of One”fails to back up its strong “never give up” message with enough powerhouse vocals. “What’s Left of Me” incorporates a strange country twang that sounds out of place juxtaposed with the strong rock line. “The Fighter” is the one exception to a string of disappointments on What About Now. Unlike the previous soft ballads, “The Fighter” actually conveys the emotionally rich message in its lyrics. The quiet simplicity of the background acoustics effectively complement the new tenderness and sincerity of Bon Jovi’s vocals, making this track one of the only ones worth checking out on the album. While the album has a few standout moments, for the most part, Bon Jovi fails to capture the soulfulness and expressivity of both the gentle ballads and the powerful rock anthems of What About Now. The album that should’ve been another milestone in the rock band’s legacy instead falls short. ▪ Rating: C+
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Arts & Entertainment 17
ifc.com
By Sai Chilakapati Staff Writer
Admission is a lovely romantic comedy about college admissions starring Tina Fey (Portia Nathan) and Paul Rudd ( John Pressman). Portia Nathan is a Princeton University admissions officer who is assigned the whole Northeast coast section to discover and admit the brightest students into Princeton. Aside from the immense load of
pressure from the thousands of applications she must read, her romantic life is breaking apart, as her boyfriend, Micheal Sheen, who is a decadent academic, treats her like a pet. Into her pressurized life comes John, who adds more difficulties when he invites her over to come and speak to his New Hampshire alternative high school. During the visit, John introduces her to his star student Jeremiah (Nat Wolff ), a quirky and unorthodox kid who, according to John, may be
Portia’s son from a long time ago. It is then revealed that Portia had a child as a college student and gave him up for adoption. Now she must take on the role of a mom amidst a complicated situation where she is entangled in a struggle to help her son get accepted into Princeton with mediocre grades. However, the movie really symbolizes the path to happiness, as amidst her journey she discovers true love and an exhilarating life. Director Paul Weitz did a great job in creating the romantic couple of Portia, an uptight woman, and her foil John, who has a charming personality, in the movie. Further, Weitz supplemented the individual characteristics of the two main characters with supporting characters such as Portia’s mom Susannah (Lily Tomlin) to add to the comedy of the movie. All in all, the release of this movie during college admission season couldn’t be more perfect. For all the seniors who are nervously awaiting their decisions and maybe a decision letter from Princeton, this is a laughter-filled movie about the life of the other side of the college admission process, the admission officer. ▪ Rating: A-
Oz, Not So Great and Powerful
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By Hairol Ma Staff Writer
Disney’s attempt to take a fresh look at Frank L. Baum’s classic Wizard of Oz with Oz, the Great and Powerful unfortunately falls flat. Oscar “Oz” Diggs ( James Franco), a small time magician, is swept up by the usual tornado in Kansas and dumped right in the middle of Oz, where the Wicked Witch wreaks turmoil over its lands. Prophecy claimed that a wizard bearing the same name as the Land of Oz would fall from the sky and usurp the Wicked Witch. A gold digger, Oz quickly accepts his new title as a wizard when he sees the vast treasures that Emerald City has to offer-but soon regrets his rash decision when he realizes that in order to own the gold, he must first slay the Wicked Witch. Despite the introduction of new
characters such as Theodora and China Girl ( Joey King), the story itself is predictable and dry. Evanora can immediately be distinguished as the Wicked Witch with her evillooking garments, toning down the surprise factor when the moment of betrayal finally arrives. The costumes are also another issue. The three witch sisters are all wearing low-cut costumes that are, frankly, not suitable for a child audience. Oz is also seen as a petty player who moves on from Theodora to Evanora to Glinda in the blink of an eye. Though the plot falls flat, the visual appeal is not disappointing. The Land of Oz flings Oz into a world of dazzling, bright colors presented with special effects, such as closeups of its scenery for some extra flair. Oz is greeted with unusual creatures, such as the river fairies and flowers that bloom spontaneously. High quality images truly
transport one into the Land of Oz. Franco’s and Kunis’s acting is also a major disappointment. Try as he might, Franco simply cannot pull off the character of Oz with the required sarcasm and wit, which makes his performance subpar. Kunis also portrays Theodora as a hyper, hot-tempered airhead who falls head over heels for Oz in the course of a day. Though the original character of Theodora is already an awful one, Kunis maximizes the damage by giving Theodora an even more desperate air, while failing to portray the emotions of a young, excited girl who just fell in love. Suffering from a bad case of horrible plot, Oz, the Great and Powerful barely pulls off mediocre, and that’s only because of its incredible visual effects. So save your money by skipping this movie, because Oz, the Great and Powerful is not so great. ▪ Rating: C-
The ‘16/20’ Experience By Aamir Rasheed Staff Writer
The 20/20 Experience marks the long-awaited return of actor, entrepeneur and musician Justin Timberlake to the music industry. He has achieved worldwide acclaim, including several grammy nominations and certified multi-platinum status in many countries. While his previous album was more focused on modern pop, The 20/20 Experience takes us back to the 1970s-1980s R&B movement with mellow, laid back tunes and strong vocals. However, the album is too homogenous and drawn-out, leaving the listener with a sense of déjà vu and boredom by the end of each song. The album starts off strong with “Pusher Lover Girl,” a true R&B song that may take older listeners back to earlier eras. But just as the song seems to end at around the five minute mark, an overly extended outro takes the song all the way to 8:02 before finally ending. This trend of extended outros has worked in the past, but fell flat in The 20/20 Experience, leaving the listener with a sense of impatience by the end of each song. “Suit and Tie,” brings up the spirits of the listener with the catchy tune and expert vocals that made it a #1 hit in the UK. After a forgettable succession of six more songs that sound painfully similar to “Pusher Lover Girl,” we are presented with “Mirrors,” which, like “Suit and Tie,” was performed and released before the album came out. These two were the only songs that stood out; the rest of the songs were too similar in style and rhythm to discern considerable differences between them. There is no doubt, however, that Timberlake’s vocals have remained as vibrant and versatile as they were in his former music years. In fact, it was often the only thing that saved some of the weaker songs on the album, such as “Blue Ocean Floor” and “That Girl. ” Unfortunately, Timberlake often resorts to sexual innuendo and metaphors to get his point across, an overused trend in modern pop music. An R&B aficionado who also enjoys Timberlake’s vocals may find that buying the album is worth it. However, repetitiveness, unnecessarily extended song length and weak lyrics detract from what could have been a stronger return for Justin Timberlake. ▪ Rating: B-
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Smoke Signal
By Kenny Jacoby & Vishak Menon Sports Editors
CONTRACT CONFLICT The month of April marks an important crossroads in sports. Not only does the MLB season begin, but it’s also the beginning of the end for the NBA season, as playoffs commence. But while fans rejoice, the baseball and basketball teams’ general managers (GMs) find themselves in perpetual frustration, as they pore over the beginnings and ends of the year’s financial investments in players. And in terms of GMs for all professional sports, those in the NBA and MLB get the most headaches. Nearly all professional athletes are notorious for being predictably unpredictable—not just in the NBA and MLB. After rejuvenating his NFL career in 2010, (with some of the gaudiest fantasy football performances I have ever seen) Michael Vick had it made in the shade. His 30-touchdown (nine rushing) season earned himself a six-year $100 million contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles that included $35.5 million guaranteed. In 2012, Vick played just nine games and had only 12 touchdowns (one rushing) compared to nine interceptions. Before the end of the season, Vick found himself pulling splinters out of his you know what, after being benched in favor of rookie quarterback Nick Foles... Nick Foles! Prior to the 2012 season, Nick Foles signed a four-year $2.679 million contract that included $543,520 guaranteed. During the 2012-13 season, Foles’ salary was $500,000; simultaneously, Vick had a fully guaranteed base salary of $12.5 million. The backup making 25 times what the starter makes? Not bad for Mike Vick. Despite having a 2012 blowup of epic pro-
portions, Vick remains an Eagle. Only now, Vick has taken a significant pay cut just to compete for a starting job. He was slated to make $16 million plus a $3 million roster bonus in 2013. His new restructured contract is for just one year and is worth all of $3.5 million guaranteed, and up to $7.5 million more ($500,000 per game) in roster bonuses, meaning he would essentially have to win and maintain the starting job throughout the season. After 2013, Vick will become a free agent. So why would he give up another four years and more than $40 million more on his contract in exchange for this, this joke of a deal? Well, that’s because if he didn’t, the Eagles would
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Eric Byrnes made $11 million from the Diamonbacks in 2011 while playing for the Dutch Goose softball team.
have cut Vick on the first day of the offseason, with minimal repercussions. They would have taken a cap hit of just $4.2 million—less than ten percent of what they’d have to pay him over the next three seasons otherwise. Then Vick would find himself without a team and likely without anyone who would want him. And how are the Eagles allowed to just shred up a contract that Vick signed himself ? Well, that’s because NFL contracts are binding agreements which consist of both guaranteed and performance money. The only guaranteed money comes from signing bonuses which may be spread across several seasons, while the majority of the money typically comes from the
Megan Au: Competitive diver By Sanjay Sreekumar Staff Writer
Megan Au may be only a sophomore at MSJ, but outside of school she is a competitive athlete in diving. Diving is an internationally recognized sport where competitors jump and dive into a pool from a high platform or springboard (usually completing difficult aerobatics in the process). The Smoke Signal had the opportunity to interview Au to find out more about her involvement in diving and her plans for the future. Smoke Signal: When and how did you get involved in the sport of diving? Megan Au: I’ve been diving for about two years now, but I had been a competitive gymnast for 11 years before that, until a back injury forced me to stop. One of my teammates was a diver in her spare time at the Stanford Diving Club and eventually convinced me to try it out. I instantly loved it! Since diving and gymnastics both use similar skills and techniques (flipping and twisting), it was pretty easy for me to convert. The only hard part was learning to land head first instead of feet first. SS: What competitions have you competed in and how have you done? MA: I compete 1m and 3m springboard and in some smaller local competitions I’ve placed mostly first or second. Now I compete in the
base salary for playing that season, and roster bonuses for being on the active roster at a certain date. This policy is in place exactly for cases like Vick’s—so that if a big-money player’s performance is no longer equal to the money he was promised, he isn’t simply entitled to that money. And that is where the NFL differs from the NBA and MLB. In the NBA and MLB, all contract money is guaranteed. Regardless of whether or not a player is successful, the team must pay him 100 percent of the money he was offered. Let’s look at Barry Zito, for example. Zito was a star when he played for the Oakland A’s. In 2006, the last year before he was dealt to the Giants, he had a 16-10 record with a 3.83 ERA. Eager to add a former Cy Young Award winner and three-time all-star to their roster, San Francisco offered Zito a seven-year, $126 million contract. Since then, Zito has yet to reach 16 wins in a season, nor has his ERA been below four. He had a losing record every year until 2012—the year before his contract season— when he finally produced a 15-8 record. Zito will be a free agent after this year, and at age 35, his need to perform at a high level will be higher than ever if he wants to remain a professional baseball player. In the NFL, every year is a contract year. Calvin Johnson recently signed an eight-year, $132 million deal with $60 million guaranteed with the Detroit Lions. If Megatron decides to become the new Albert Haynesworth, at least the Lions can cut him and save a whole $72 million, which is enough to pay the average NFL player for more than 50 seasons. To put that in perspective, Albert Haynesworth signed a $100 million deal with $41 million guaranteed with the Redskins in 2009, got a $21 million option bonus in 2010, recorded only 16 tackles and 2.5 sacks the entire 2010 season, then failed three physical conditioning tests prior to the 2011 season and didn’t make
Sports 19
the team’s roster. In contrast, in the MLB and NBA, you can be the bum of the league and still get paid. In 2010, the final year of his three-year $30 million contract extension with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Eric Byrnes was released by the Diamondbacks, the Seattle Mariners, and his winter-ball team in the Dominican Republic, all in just over four months, after miserable performances at the plate. That year the Diamondbacks owed Byrnes $11 million, and what team did he end up on? Byrnes joined a beer-league slow-pitch softball team in Menlo Park sponsored by a local pub called the Dutch Goose. The main argument for guaranteed NFL contracts is that if a player suffers a career-ending injury, the team must pay him the remainder on his contract so he will have some money to live on without having a job. While tragic, these injuries are rare in the NFL. Although I do believe the NFL should take better care of their retired players in terms of their longterm health, most players whose contracts are severed are those who just never quite made it to that next level. The average NFL player’s career is slightly over three full seasons. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, three seasons of minimum wage is equal to $1.35 million, which is huge in comparison to the average citizen. So the real problem with most of the players you hear about going broke after their pro football careers isn’t because the league screwed them over, it’s because they lack financial responsibility. Most people are still capable of getting a job after their NFL careers, even if that job isn’t in the highly sought-after field of football analysis. They just have to go back to earning their living like average citizens. But the answer certainly does not lie in paying these now average citizens millions upon millions of dollars for doing absolutely nothing— the way Byrnes makes his money these days. ▪
Swimmers drown the competition
JO (Junior Olympics) and have placed in the top 3 in almost every meet. I am currently training and working towards to placing well in Summer Regionals in Oregon. SS: What do you find most rewarding about diving? MA: Getting a new dive. Knowing that I am improving and learning new skills is always rewarding and fun. It helps keep me motivated and wanting to learn new dives.
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SS: What do you feel is the hardest part about being a diver? MA: Diving is both physically and mentally challenging. You have to be able to trust yourself and be confident at all times. I already know how to flip and twist, but if I’m nervous about smacking (like a belly flop) or hitting the board it can be really scary. I sometimes have mental blocks and am afraid to throw a dive, which holds me back, but I just have to go for it and keep on trying. SS: What are your goals for the future? MA: My goals are always to work hard and improve and perfect my dives. I want to compete in a lot more competitions and eventually compete in college diving. One of the most challenging goals of mine right now is to get MSJHS to let me start a diving team here! I would love to represent and compete for our school! ▪
courtesy megan au
By Arushi Atluri Staff Writer Over the years, MSJ Girls’ and Boys’ Swimming has dominated the league and has built up a highly respected reputation; this year, the team has already secured a win against Castro Valley High School, beaten a school record, and placed first and second for JV boys and girls, respectively, at the Dougherty Valley High School JV Invitational. On Thursday, March 22, MSJ Swimming was able to maintain its reputation and, once again, raced its way to victory in every division against traditional rival Irvington High School. As the meet began, swimmers from both teams were in good spirits because of the unexpected clear skies and warm weather. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams excelled in the first event, the 200 medley relay, and were able to keep up their momentum as the meet progressed. Swimmers blasted through the 200 freestyle and both the 100 and 200 individual medleys, and MSJ managed to place first and second in each event with six competitors from MSJ and Irvington per division.
After a quick break to allow swimmers to warm up for the rest of the coming events, the meet continued at its lightning-fast pace. MSJ continued to show Irvington that the lack of a warm-up pool could not get in its way.With each event, both JV and Varsity swimmers stepped up to the plate. Even in the dreaded 500 freestyle, swimmers maintained their fast paces and managed to steamroll through the event posting record times. Overall, MSJ placed first in every event except for the Varsity Boys 100 freestyle; even then, the race came down to a couple of milliseconds and MSJ was simply out-touched. Despite sore muscles and tired lungs, the Warriors concluded the meet with a bang in the 400 freestyle relay. Although the Vikings put up a valiant effort throughout the meet, in the end, MSJ managed to dominate in every event for all divisions, with many swimmers getting personal bests. The team is off to a great start this season; MSJ Swimming hopes to maintain its perfect record in upcoming meets, and is looking forward to its next meet against American High School on April 12. ▪
staff writer arushi atluri
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Coaches’ corner: boys’ Volleyball By Anita Alem Staff Writer
nesses and strategic ways of winning the game of volleyball. Practice with the team this year started off a little rough because it is my first year as head coach of the program, so I had no better choice than adapting to the volleyball program’s tradition. After the first week, practices were running a lot smoother. These boys are very hard working players and they know what they have to work on becoming better as a team and I’m there to be the best I can to help them.
staff writer anita alem
Head Coach Alvin Nguyen hopes to improve on last year’s success in the upcoming season.
MSJ’s Boys’ Volleyball had a great season last year, with Varsity placing second in NCS. New head coach Alvin Nguyen, a Bay Area native, is all set to coach the Varsity Boys’ Volleyball team for the spring season. The Smoke Signal sat down with Nguyen to learn a little bit about his coaching philosphy and his plans for the team in the weeks to come. Smoke Signal: What experience do you have with volleyball personally? Alvin Nguyen: It all started in my freshmen year when a couple of friends pushed me to tryout for the JV team and I made it! I was on JV for two years and varsity for two years at James Logan High. In the fall of my senior year, I decided to try-out for the Endline Club 18-1 team and earned a starting position. I’ve also played in open tournaments around the Bay Area with a couple of alumni from Logan and MSJ. And now, I find myself coaching volleyball because I love the sport! SS: What is a typical practice like with the volleyball team? AN: During practices, we work on our weak-
SS: What are some of the things you’ll try to improve this year? AN: I believe that each player on my team this year has the potential to play high level volleyball. But we can’t win if we don’t start playing better as a team. What I want to improve in every game and practice is that we need to be more disciplined because I believe a winning team has a good mentality. The things I would like to improve this year are that we need to be more focused on the technical skills so we can move on with the tactical skills. As the boys had a great run last year, I’m hoping to go beyond that as it’s the team’s motivation and goal. SS: What are some of the things that you have changed about the team for this year? AN: I didn’t change them, really. I believe we changed together as a team because we’ve become motivated to reach our goal this year. We’ve changed from individual players to team players because we’re starting to push each other, teach each other from wrong to right on and off the court. They’re building faith with each other and I hope they will carry that tradition from here on out. With that said, we’re not the same as we were since day one; we’ve changed to become better. SS: Who do you think will be MSJ’s fiercest competition this year? AN: I would say MSJ’s fiercest competition is De La Salle High School as they’re the back to back NCS champion.▪
The Smoke Signal
Thursday, March 28, 2013
24 hour fitness super sport By Catherine Ho Staff Writer
staff writer catherine ho
The new Super Sport facility is sure to attract new memebers due to its wide range of workout options.
The new Fremont 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport was recently launched on March 1, 2013 in the Auto Mall center retail complex. It is a 45,000-square-foot building with two floors and many new amenities that the other 24 Fitness locations around Fremont do not have. The location also makes it easier for many to get to. 24 Hour Fitness recently closed down their location on Fremont Boulevard to open this new club on Auto Mall. Members of the old location had the opportunity to be transferred over to the Super Sport Fitness center with no additional charges. This was definitely a plus since Super Sport provides members with so many more facilities. Some basic features include cardio equipment, group exercises, indoor lap pool, steam room, sauna, free weights and various strength machines. However the Super Sport provides more than just the basics. They included TRX Suspension Training, a group cycling room, free towel service, a personal training area, and much more. The half-court basketball court also encourages friends to
hit the gym together. This location also offers group classes such as Zumba, Cycle Room, BodyPump, and Turbo Kick. It is perfect for people of all ages to work out. Members with children also have the benefits of placing them in the kids club where they can play and hang out with other children while their parents are working out. This gym definitely has a lot to offer and is a much cheaper option in comparison to the ClubSport, which is charging $100/month. Membership at 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport is now $54.99 or $69.99 monthly with other additional fees to family plans. Although the pricing is greater than a membership at a regular 24 Hour Fitness, the new facilities and services provided definitely are worth the price. So if you are looking for a perfect place to lose weight, tone up, train for a big event, or just meet up to play basketball, definitely give the new 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport a try. Free touring around the fitness center is provided. Super Sport is located at 4500 Auto Mall Parkway, Fremont, CA 94538. ▪
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Smoke Signal
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Sports Quiz!
Sports 21
By Ishan Goyal & Irisa Lee Staff Writers
So you think your sports trivia skills are in shape? The Smoke Signal presents a Sports Quiz to see how much you know about professional and MSJ sports. Answers are available online at www.thesmokesignal.org.
Idris Gettani, 12
Kristin Moyer, 12 Across 2. MVAL stands for ____________ Athletic League. (2 Words) 5. Who is the head of MSJ’s PE Department? (2 Words) 6. Making his reappearance in the golfing world, this athlete was earlier found guilty of having an affair with his wife Elin. (2 Words) 7. After going through four months of _______ , the NHL finally re sumed its season 9. From which team was the Winter Athlete of the Season? (2 Words) 15. What is the name of the NBA team that is rumored to be moving to Seattle? (2 Words) 16. Infamous for elbowing James Harden, Ron Artest changed his name to _____ World Peace. 17. Which team has a speedo run every year? (2 Words) 18. Who was the MVP of Super Bowl 2013 and is now being paid $120 million over a course of six years? (2 Words) 20. MSJ’s homecoming game was against ________.
Nicholas Ha, 12
Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
Down 1. The San Francisco Giants recently _____ or beat the Detroit Tigers in four games this past World Series. 3. What does NCS stand for? (3 Words) 4. The national summer sport of Canada is ________. 8. What is MSJ’s mascot? (2 Words) 10. Lebron James is looking to win his _______ ring with the Heat this year. 11. This athlete was recently accused of doping and confessed publicly on the Oprah Winfrey Show (2 Words) 12. MSJ recently had a 3 vs. 3 _______ tournament. 13. What sport was recently removed from the 2020 Olympics? 14. Which MSJ team took 3rd at State Championships this year? (2 Words) 19. Which country won the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
freefootballwallpapers.com, toledoblade.com. courtesy idris gettani, john hotchkiss, and kylie moltzen. layout by sports editors kenny jacoby and vishak menon.
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
photos by staff writers genevieve huang, hairol ma, hannah shih & shirby wang
Thursday, March 28, 2013
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9am - 12:30pm
SAT CR & Writing - Weekend
7/20 - 8/25 6/24 - 7/11 7/29 - 8/15 7/13 - 7/21 7/27 - 8/4
Saturday & Sunday Monday - Thursday Monday - Thursday Saturday & Sunday Saturday & Sunday
9am - 12:30pm 9:30am - 1:30pm 9:30am - 1:30pm 2pm - 6pm 2pm - 6pm
SAT CR & Writing - Weekday SAT CR & Writing - Weekday SAT I Math - Weekend SAT I Math - Weekend
****For Class Tuition Discounts: please call 408-982-3425 for more details****
4675 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 120, Santa Clara, CA 95051
24 Photo
www.thesmokesignal.org
The Smoke Signal
Thursday, March 28, 2013
photos courtesy of james sakane and by staff writers hairol ma, hannah shih, catherine wang & lindy zeng