Volume XLIX, No. 2

VOL. 49, NO. 2

PAGE 1: SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT EXPANDS TWO MSJ TEACHERS INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS COMMON CORE’S EFFECTS ON MSJ PAGE 2: MSJ’S TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS PAGE 3: FUSD’S BAN ON PEANUT FOODS NEW CREDITED FARSI CLASS

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

October 25, 2013

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

Homecoming 2013

WHOLE FOODS TOUR: CHECK OUT THE SMOKE SIGNAL’S REVIEW AND PHOTO SLIDESHOW OF THE NEW WHOLE FOODS IN TOWN THE IMPORTANCE OF MOVIES: WHY ITS IMPORTANT TO WATCH MOVIES DESPITE A BUSY SCHEDULE SCIENCE TEACHER SAI KUMAR RECOGNIZED BY STANFORD UNIVERSITY: FIND OUT WHY AN MSJ TEACHER WAS HONORED AS AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR.

FOR MORE COVERAGE GO TO

THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

Special ed department expands

staff writer katrina cherk

From left to right: nominees Alton Lin, Jin Peng, Ryan Walleman (not pictured), Nathan Lee (not pictured), Homecoming King Brian Wu, Homecoming Queen Tammy Tseng, nominees Tiffany Chou, Tara Ruff, Kelsey Lam, and Monica Gamez (not pictured).

Teachers integrate technology

Common Core brings changes

By Madeline Zheng Staff Writer

By Tanvi Raja Staff Writer

With additional funds from the school district, MSJ’s Special Education Department has implemented two new programs: the moderate to severe special day class and the intensive instruction class for students with moderate to severe autism. The two programs, although somewhat similar, are taught completely separately and accommodate different types of students.

Previously, the department did not have such specialized classes—all students were in the same general program. The two new programs were not available in the past for a variety of reasons including lack of student population. Now, however, both programs are very much occupied and the moderate to severe special day class has in fact been filled to maximum capacity.

Special Education teacher Sujata Singh heads the special day class, where she teaches students with low cognizant awareness. She explained that these students have a different way of perceiving the world around them: they have more deliberate reaction times and less developed comprehension skills.

The class places an emphasis on academics through functional life, incorporating lessons into activities such as cooking and gardening. For instance, students grow potted plants, placing one plant near a window and another away from sunlight. Naturally, the plant near the window thrives, and students learn to appreciate the necessities for plant life and expand their knowledge of biology. Singh also places emphasis on teaching with repetition, giving students multiple chances to digest fresh infor-

know how to work with this technology. It may be new in a classroom, but it is not new in the business world. For students to become familiar with this technology, to feel comfortable with it, and know how to use it in an effective manner, it is going to serve them well in their college and career paths,” said Geers.

In the upcoming years, they plan to use the devices almost on a daily basis to make lessons more engaging, and to provide students with increased opportunities for projects and ideas involving multimedia. This year, they are starting a new humanities collaboration project between juniors and seniors known as the “History of Us.” The year-long project strives to create a unique opportunity for students to choose a topic of interest, tell a story from their history, and develop a project that has value to them.

This project will utilize the TVs by allowing students to use multimedia in their presentations.

“We wanted to try to come up with a program that was broad enough and vague enough which would allow individuals or a group of individuals to focus on a topic of their choosing and present information in a way that was meaning-

Common Core standards will replace the old California State Standards for EnglishLanguage Arts (ELA) and math in the 2013-14 school year. The goal of Common Core is to align students across the nation with the same standards to graduate high school. The standards will align with college and career expectations and let students show knowledge through high-order skills. In 2009, education professionals from 48 states met and committed to developing these standards. Last year, FUSD approved the plan to transition into Common Core. This year, they are being implemented through field tests in all FUSD schools.

Common Core standards will be bringing many changes to normal class time procedures. Smarter Balanced Assessments Consortium (SBAC) will replace the current California Standards Test (CST) STAR Assessments.

The STAR Test is suspended for the 2013-14 school year, except the Science category for grades 5, 8, and 10, while SBAC field tests take its place. SBAC will be delivered via computer and are also computer adaptive, where questions will change per individual depending on how they are doing throughout the assessment.

While CST tests were administered for grades 2-11, SBAC assessments will be administered to grades 3-8 and 11.

Currently in ELA classes, the ratio of literature to informational text taught is about 1-to-1. The new Common Core standards aim to shift that ratio to 3-to-7 by the 12th grade.

The standards will prompt students to read increasingly complex texts in order to be ready

See TECH NEWS Page 3

See CORE NEWS Page 3

See PROGRAMS NEWS Page 3

staff writer katrina cherk

English teacher Katherine Geers uses a new LG Smart TV, funded by a grant from the Fremont Education Foundation.

By Katrina Cherk Staff Writer English teacher Katherine Geers and U.S. History/Human Geography teacher Bill Jeffers recently received two LG 60-inch flat-screen Smart TVs after being awarded the Fremont Education Foundation grant. Getting the grant was a year-long process; they began writing grant proposals in January 2013 and continued to write them until June, finally receiving the TVs in late September. They have already installed the TVs in their classrooms, and they plan to use them to integrate more technology into their curriculum to make class more interactive for students. Though they encountered many obstacles along the way and still have a long way to go, both teachers have taken important first steps towards the application of technology in the learning environment.

Both teachers strongly agree that incorporating technology into the curriculum is vital.

They hope that the devices will prepare students for the real world, provide greater accessibility to online resources, allow students to showcase their work and receive feedback, and increase student engagement and accountability for their education. “In order for students to be college and career-ready, they need to

2 News

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

MSJ Traffic

Drop-Offs

By Iyesha Puri, Apoorva RaNo Drop Off Zone janala, and Lillian Zhao Staff Writers In order to avoid future incidents, the MSJ administration Lately students, parents, and administration have raised is taking multiple preventative steps. On most of the weekconcerns regarding student safety in daily MSJ traffic. The days, either Officer Pip or Mr. Evans is present on Mission Smoke Signal investigated the problems behind MSJ traffic Boulevard to help regulate traffic and prohibit parents from from various angles and found possible solutions as well as sug- stopping to drop their kids off on Mission Boulevard. The adgestions. Assistant Principal Jeff Evans noted the concern for ministration and crossing guards on Palm Avenue have begun safety around the school. He said, “Just about every year there to write down license plate numbers of students or parents that seems to be a kid who gets hit on a bike, I don’t know why it do not follow traffic rules and have called these students in to happens, every case is different, but there are ways to prevent chat with Mr. Evans. Because of the campus’s layout, reducthis from happening.” Evans believes that many incidents could ing traffic congestion dramatically isn’t realistic. However, there be avoided if everyone slows down in the mornings and doesn’t are several steps that can alleviate the situation. On regular make rash decisions. “Everyone will end up getting to school ei- mornings and lunches, the horseshoe is always closed off to ther way; however, slowing down will create a safer and happier prevent parents from driving in and blocking the entrances. “Recently, we had an emergency situation during school hours and environment” says Evans.

The responsibility of safety is shared; it is the duty of the emergency vehicles needed to come into the horseshoe. If cars pedestrians, the bikers, and the drivers. A key point for students had been in the horseshoe at the time, the situation could have to keep in mind is that no matter who is in the wrong, pedestrians worsened dramatically,” reported Wren. Kingsley suggests that and bikers are more vulnerable than drivers in a crash. The most in order to reduce traffic in the mornings, parents dropping off common student pedestrian violation is jaywalking. Jaywalkers their kids and students driving to school should plan to leave five can be fined for behavior that endangers many parties on the to ten minutes earlier. Just this short amount of time can spread road. This year, less students have been driving to school. But the traffic out and create a less stressful situation. Evans and students that do come into the parking lot have a tendency to Kingsley both said to carpool or walk to school as much as posignore the speed limit. “The limit in the parking lot is five miles sible. “I am hopeful that this significant backlog of traffic will ease per hour. The bus driver has reported that many drivers speed up as the school year progresses and drivers adjust their depardangerously fast near the new P-wing building,” said Jane Wren, ture time, driving routes and drop off locations,” says Kingsley. one of MSJ’s campus supervisors. Most students tend to dis- Many students are dropped off a block away from school to avoid tance themselves from the idea of an accident until it personally congestion and decrease the traveling time. Officer Pip suggests affects them, but the desire to be punctual may lead to time- drop-offs in low-traffic areas such as Highlands or Hopkins.

However, there are still valid concerns raised by students that saving shortcuts that compromise their safety.

The MSJ community is lucky to have the support of parent call for change. Students have pointed out that at the Highlands volunteer crossing guards who help control the traffic every area there is a path on campus for students to enter campus, but morning. The crossing guard committee consists of 21 members no permanent crosswalk at Via San Dimas. In addition, student that volunteer their time to ensure the safety of MSJ students. bicyclists have pointed out that the side of Palm opposite of Mis“These parents who are at the crossing guards are here every sion has no sidewalk for a segment of the road. Junior Jimmy Qian single day, in the rain, in the cold, no matter what the conditions said, “Biking to school on Palm involves a lot of dangers because may be. They want the kids to be safe. They get cursed at, yelled there’s no bike lane and the road is very narrow so I have to ride at, but they’re just trying to help the situation. They don’t have against traffic due to the lack of sidewalk or space on the road. A lot to be out there but they do it; they’re not getting paid for this”, of cars look left, but not right before they turn right onto Palm too. said Evans. Roshini Kingsley, co-chair for the crossing guard Having wider lanes with bike lanes would make biking a lot safer.” committee, has also noticed numerous traffic rules being violat- The administration is doing its best to pay close attention to traffic ed. Some violations include drivers stopping in the no-stopping situations, however; it is vital for the students and parents to match zone and blocking the cross-walk, making U-turns, disregard- their efforts and assist the staff in obtaining a safer environment at ing the crossing guard’s directions, and making inappropriate the school. ▪ comments. Respect for these volunteers is crucial to helping the traffic situation.

Speeding: Student Drivers Problem: Students that do come into the parking lot have a tendency to ignore the speed limit. The limit in the parking lot is five miles per hour, but many drive the speed limit of the road. Many students speed on the straight portion entering the parking lot down to the segment near the new building.

Prevention: Leave early enough from home so that speeding is not necessary in order to be punctual. Come to a complete stop before turns and drive at the speed limit of five miles per hour. Watch out for other MSJ students that may not be visible because of other cars.

Better Drop-Off area: Covington Dr.

Safer path for bikers and pedestrians

Friday, October 25, 2013

Problem: Parents drop off students in no stopping zones or specifically, on Mission Boulevard where students must walk through lanes of traffic to reach the side of the road. Others make U-turns on the road. Parents dropping off sometimes block the crosswalk, which means walking students cannot cross safely.

Prevention: Parents should not stop in no stopping zones or make u-turns for convenience. Students should get dropped off at safe and legal locations such as Covington Drive by Mission Creek, Hopkins Junior High which has no traffic at Mission’s start time, and streets in the Highlands community such as Via San Gabriel and Via San Miguel which have less traffic.

Pedestrians Problem: Jaywalking violations often occur near the Highlands parking lot and the horseshoe area, where there are safe crosswalks set up in the morning by volunteers but none in the afternoon. Students walking on the sidewalk past the parking lot entrances in the morning are breaking policy.

Prevention: Student pedestrians should use the creek path instead of the parking lot entrance as per policy because they will avoid dangers that drivers pose to them. In addition, students who walk should obey all traffic laws by crossing at crosswalks.

“There is a lot of traffic in the mornings. It takes almost three minutes for the light to turn, and we have to wait at the crosswalk.”

Suveena Thanawala, 11

Biking Hazards Problem: The side of Palm opposite of Mission has no sidewalk for a segment of the road. Biking on the side of the road is dangerous because there is no bike lane and there is little space for both bicyclists and cars. Bicyclists should try to stay on the sidewalks. In addition, bikers who bike on the right side of the road must weave through traffic to cross the street towards school because there is no official crosswalk. The safest route for bicyclists seems to be up the Mission Creek path where only pedestrians and bicyclists can venture.

Prevention: Bikers under the age of 18 are by law required to wear helmets, which can prevent serious injuries. In addition, bicyclists should not place themselves at heightened risks by cutting or weaving in between car traffic.

“Traffic has a huge impact on bikers like us. Usually, bikers hit Palm Ave. 10 to 15 minutes before the bell rings, which is when the majority of cars are around. Near hits, cursing, and hand gestures are something that bikers have to deal with almost daily. It’s what I deal with daily.”

Michael Hou, 12 telusers.com, vector-magz.com, www.stencilease.com, layout by news editor kerrie wu

News page 2: Web Editor Laura Chen took the photo of the classroom.

News page 2: Feature Editor Anjali Kanthilal took the photo of Zack Larsen.

Centerspread page 10: Kim Mathis is new to the History Department Centerspread page 10: Randazzo coaches track only at MSJ, not track and cross country at WHS. A&E page 13: Lauren Cohan’s name was mispelled.

media.nbcbayarea.com The new measure will mean the installation of nearly twenty new surveillance cameras.­

Compiled by Staff Writers Megan Ren, Jacinta Chang, and Melissa Peng.

Fremont police request more surveillance cameras Fremont police are asking the City Council to install more surveillance cameras, particularly in “low-to moderate-income areas” of the city. This request has been made in response to citizens wanting more surveillance to combat the increase in home burglaries. If approved, this measure will implement twenty new video cameras on Fremont streetlights and public buildings for a total of $450,000.

entrepreneur.com Major tech companies are joining together to encourage youth to code

Companies educate youth programmers Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Google are now beginning to place more emphasis on educating youth coders in grades K-12. Backed by the nonprofit organization Code.org, the major tech companies are now striving to implement more coding, engineering, and computer programming classes in schools. Their plans may lead to future implementation of classes all over the nation.

nbcnews.com A magnitude 7.2 earthquake devasted the central Philippines.

7.2 Earthquake hits the Philippines A 7.2 earthquake devastated the central Philippines, leaving at least 144 dead and 291 injured. It struck at 8:12 AM on Oct. 15th near Carmen, a town on the island of Bohol. The Bohol province remained the site of most of the casualties, although the earthquake also left the nearby islands of Cebu and Siquijor with their own death tolls of nine and one, respectively.

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Smoke Signal

Ever since 13-year-old Natalie Giorgi’s death at a summer family camp in July, school districts in the Bay Area have been reexamining allergy policy and moving to ban certain foods that frequently cause allergic reactions, namely peanuts. FUSD has stopped serving all peanut related products this year, and the San Jose as well as the San Mateo Unified School Districts have voiced similar concerns.

Giorgi’s tragic death was caused by a quick bite of a snack with traces of peanuts inside.

She immediately spit the mouthful out, but her reaction had already started. Though her mother administered Benadryl, and her father, a physician, gave her three EpiPen doses, the reaction was far too severe and she died from severe throat swelling.

Current allergy policy at MSJ places responsibility on the student and their parents to mention allergies and recommend substitutes.

Allergy forms must be filled out with the signature of a physician and oftentimes with nurse collaboration; these forms cover everything from a description of the allergy to administration of medicine. However, the tragic death of Giorgi has prompted the district to move towards broader allergy policies rather than more

MSJ and other FUSD schools no longer sell peanut products.

CORE| Changes continued from page 1

for the demands of college and careers. Common Core standards also involve more writing from sources and evidence, focusing more on argumentative writing rather than persuasive writing. In addition, there will be a heavier emphasis on academic vocabulary. SBAC will be assessing ELA through reading, writing, speaking and listening, and research and inquiry. The Common Core administrators will observe how well students are able to analyze complex literary and information texts and produce effective writing. Another focus is how efficiently students can apply effective speaking and listening skills and how well they can research and investigate and display information. Essays will be assessed by administrators for the time being, but computer systems will eventually be grading all essays.

Mathematics classes will also be transitioning to adapt the new standards that will target focus, coherence and rigor in math classes. The goals of the new math standards are to limit and narrow the way class time is spent, and to emphasize important learning skills only. Another priority is for students to focus more on conceptual understanding. The standards will also put emphasis on comprehension of various math topics with equal intensity. SBAC will assess concepts and procedures, problem solv-

individualized plans. FUSD recommends that students refrain from bringing any foods with nuts to school; in addition, each school site is required to provide a nut free table where students with nut allergies can eat without fear of a reaction.

Most allergies are nothing more than mild rashes, runny noses, and red eyes, but the chance of a surprisingly severe reaction is always there. Even if students are well aware of their allergies, they may not be aware of the extent to which they’re allergic.

Bay Area school districts have decided not to take any risks moving forward by phasing out possible allergens, beginning with peanuts.

Sodexo, the food service giant which contracts with many Bay Area school districts, already avoids including peanuts in school menus.

FUSD’s changes have reached MSJ this year, and the school no longer serves products with any traces of peanut. However, food made with machines that also process peanuts are not banned. Nevertheless, peanuts are now pretty much gone from Bay Area school menus, but it is by no means the only allergen present in school menus. Other foods, most notably dairy products, cause a large percentage of allergic reactions. Only time will tell whether more foods will be removed or replaced in school menus. ▪

staff writer peter qiu

ing, communicative reasoning, and modeling and data analysis. Common Core administrators aim that through these standards, students will learn to reason, make sense of problems, construct feasible arguments, advance in precision, and use modeling in math. “The Common Core system seems like it could be useful for kids in the future, but at the moment, I feel like everyone is worried about how much more time it will take them to study. In the long run, however, students will probably be much more prepared for the real world,” said Sophomore Aditi Harish.

MSJ will not be receiving new textbooks for all subjects that incorporate the Common Core standards until the state of California creates an official list of which books are accredited.

FUSD Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Deborah Sims said the books would probably not be authorized in the next two years.

Because all SBAC tests will be given through computers, FUSD is currently finalizing a deal with Dell for a technology rollout. They are planning on having all new computers and other devices on campus by the end of the current school year.

Throughout the school year, MSJ classes will go through many modifications and adjustments to implement the Common Core standards, in order for students to be more prepared for college and careers after graduation. ▪

staff writer tanvi raja

FUSD Math Coach Amy Kwon, Assistant Superintendant of Instructional Services Dr. Deborah Sims, and Secondary Literacy/ English Language Arts Coach Corey Brown spoke about Common Core-related changes in C120 on October 2.

News 3

PROGRAMS| Expand

TECH| Grant

FUSD bans peanuts

By Peter Qiu Staff Writer

www.thesmokesignal.org

continued from page 1

continued from page 1

staff writer katrina cherk

English teacher Katherine Geers and History teacher Bill Jeffers hope the new TVs will make class more engaging and allow more opportunities for multimedia assignments.

ful to them,” said Jeffers. They also collaborated with the students as they discussed how to avoid creating an assignment students viewed as “busy work” and instead create something enriching, interesting, and worthwhile.

The Smart TVs allow students to instantly share their work with the class through a multitude of devices, including computers, DVD players, flashdrives, and the Apple Airplay system, which allows students with Apple devices to wirelessly display content. Geers and Jeffers’ goal is to have a class set of iPads so that each student has access to the devices at all times. As the school set is generally in use, it is difficult for teachers to allow students to use them. Geers and Jeffers are continuing to write grants for the iPads.

mation.

Meanwhile, Special Education teacher Jeanne DiPaola currently leads the other new class, intensive instruction for autism students.

According to Program Aide Andrew Gee, the teachers focus on each of their nine students’ individual academic abilities.

“These students are visual learners,” said Gee. Teachers create graphic schedules and lessons for students, helping them along in knowledge and awareness of their lives. Also, like the special day class, the intensive instruction class utilizes cooking to teach math. Lessons center on the basics of daily living, and academics are subtly integrated into those lessons.

Both of these new programs aim to advance students’ progress in learning, cater to each student’s specific needs, and foster greater interest in education. The primary purpose of these programs is to effectively motivate students to learn, particularly encouraging curiosity and independence.

According to Singh, “You need a lot of patience, and you have to love these students unconditionally.” The two new programs will ensure that special education students at MSJ receive all the love and care that they need, maximizing their success both in school and out in the real world. ▪ Many students eagerly await future use of the technology in the classroom. “I like that we’re moving into the future, since technology will become more and more a part of our lives. There are definitely benefits to integrating tech into the curriculum, and I’m excited to see where it can take us,” said Sophomore Trisha Shang, a current student in Geers’s English class.

As Geers explained the future of technology in the classroom, she said, “The goal is to enhance the learning process, to make it multifaceted, so it’s not so one or two dimensional.

And I think that’s where we see it going.”▪

FUSD approves Farsi credit

staff writer melissa peng

FUSD will now accept IKIC’s Farsi classes for world language credit.

By Melissa Peng Staff Writer FUSD approved the Ibrahim Khalilullah Islamic Center (IKIC)’s Farsi classes for world language credit at a September 11 Board of Education meeting. The IKIC requested approval for academic credit after the State department and the State Seal of Biliteracy recognized Farsi as a “critical language.”

Director of Secondary Education James Maxwell said on obtaining district approval, “First of all there has to be an existing school teaching the language. It must be an active language with substantial written literature. The school must get recommendations from outside universities which have reviewed the curriculum. The school submits their ‘Course of Study’ and recommendations to the office of Secondary Education. The Director of Secondary Education reviews the application and determines if it merits a recommendation to the Board of Education. It this case, after a review it was sent to the Board for approval.” So far, other language schools FUSD has approved include: several Chinese schools, a Japanese school, a Tamil school, and a Hindu school.

These credits are accepted by University of Cal-

ifornia and California State University systems.

The IKIC has had Farsi classes for 14 years, and credited classes are already in session. The rigorous curriculum is taken from courses at California State East Bay. As of now, there are two years’ worth of material planned, and a third year may emerge in a few years.

The language doesn’t look like it’s coming to MSJ anytime soon, according to World Language Department co-chair Jill Evans. If MSJ were to implement its own Farsi class, the class would most likely be a singleton class, i.e. it would only be offered for one period. The school’s master schedule does not have space for another singleton class like AP French or AP Spanish. Additionally, the class would require hiring another part-time teacher, and MSJ does not have room for more part-time teachers.

There is clearly demand in the community for Farsi classes, as without a fair number of students the IKIC school could not be active.

Fremont boasts the highest concentration of Afghan Americans in the United States. The IKIC was established in 1996 to serve Fremont’s Afghan community.

Superintendent Jim Morris said regarding the IKIC, “They do an incredible job of doing outreach and helping to preserve language and culture for students in the community, and they have gone through a rigorous process using the resources of college professors and district and community leadership to prepare a curriculum that staff believes meets those rigorous standards.”

During a part of the meeting designated for public input, IKIC President Mohammad Seddique Zarabi said, “On behalf of myself, on behalf of the Board of Directors and behalf of all members of IKIC, I would like to thank you very much for accepting us as a member of this community, the Fremont Unified district, and allow us to develop this so we are very happy and thank you very much from the deepest part of my heart.”▪

4 Opinion the

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The Smoke Signal

Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 49, No. 2 | October 25, 2013 www.thesmokesignal.org

41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Jin Peng, Grace Wu News Nina Krishnan, Kerrie Wu Opinion Sanjay Sreekumar, Catherine Wang

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The Cat’s Meow

Sanjay Says

Conquering College Apps

Le Strong Silent Type

By Catherine Wang Opinion Editor

One day during recess in eighth-grade Chinese school, I pulled out a book and started reading. My other classmates were chatting loudly, so my teacher caught me at it right away. She sidled over and whispered kindly, “Catherine, do you have any friends?”

Reality check: I have binders full of friends. Yet it was unsettling that my teacher found my quietness abnormal, as if something must be wrong if I’m not socializing. Our society values extroversion much more than it values introversion, but this preference isn’t always a good thing.

The definition of introversion has blurry edges. When Carl Jung, a twentieth-century pioneer in personality theory, first wrote about introverts and extroverts, he stated that the difference between the two attitudes is in how people gain energy. According to Psychology Today, introverts are “drained by social encounters and energized by solitary, often creative pursuits.” Extroverts find energy in social interaction. But introversion is often associated with shyness (timidity around others), which makes introversion seem negative. To make things blurrier, none of us are only extroverted or introverted; most of us identify with both to some degree. Jung put it this way: “There is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum.”

Extroversion is admirable, but we can’t neglect the introverts. The problem lies in society’s increasing emphasis on extroversion. From the start, Americans favored extroverts – outstanding orators

like Patrick Henry and gregarious game changers like Benjamin Franklin. In the fastpaced modern world, the loudest speakers are often the most convincing, even if what they say isn’t necessarily correct. The more softspoken thinkers are left out in the making of important decisions.

The general distaste for introversion is especially apparent among teenagers. Who among us is unaware of stereotypes like the outgoing cheerleader or the megaphonebearing class president? Media and peer pressure influence teenagers to talk more than think when it’s advisable to go the other way around. Parents and educators might contribute to nurturing these “extrovert ideals” by favoring more assertive youth.

Some non-introverts assume that all quiet people search for ways to transform themselves into more socially acceptable profiles. A recent Lexus advertisement on Twitter displays a sleek, powerful car model and the caption, “Introverted? That can be changed.” Essentially, our society makes introversion look like a disease requiring treatment.

At the same time, introverts like me shouldn’t shun social interaction in favor of silent inner worlds. Innovation comes from interaction with different cultures, personalities, and leaders. Yes, introverts can be leaders too (Warren Buffet, Rosa Parks, and Mohandas Gandhi, to name a few).

Society needs different kinds of people to function effectively. That effectiveness can start with the acknowledgement and appreciation of introverts. And so, without further ado, I’m heading back to my book. ▪

EDITORIAL: Increase Student Involvement in MSJ Traffic Safety The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board Anyone who has been around MSJ at 8:00 am or 3.00 pm has witnessed firsthand the hazards of rush hour traffic. Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists are breaking numerous safety rules daily. For example, bicyclists don’t walk their bikes across the exits to the parking lot, pedestrians often jaywalk across Palm Avenue and other busy intersections, and drivers don’t slow down near school zones. With thousands of students involved, it’s a miracle that a fatal accident has not happened yet.

The shining beacon of MSJ traffic is the crossing guard program, which through the work of dedicated parent volunteers has helped alleviate congestion along Palm Avenue. Sadly, the program has not had the chance to expand due to a budget that has tightened over the years.

If we are to make MSJ a safe environment, students need to play a direct role. Currently, there are only two positions for students interested in helping reduce traffic: watching the horseshoe and making sure students use the creek path instead of walking across the parking lot entrance. One way of solving this problem is by allowing students to volunteer as crossing guards both before and after school. High school volunteers have flexible hours, and thus can work after school, something parent volunteers are often unable to do. Having more volunteers could potentially expand the breadth of the crossing guard program to cover all high traffic areas around MSJ, such as drop-off and crossing points along Palm Avenue near the horseshoe.

Allowing student volunteers will also increase awareness about the traffic perils at

MSJ. This would be a win-win solution; students would have an opportunity to receive service hours while actively solving a plaguing problem. We would also have a heightened sense of school responsibility, because a significant portion of our school would be involved in making MSJ safer.

The administration may be concerned about the safety and liability of student crossing guards; however, student crossing guard programs have succeeded at other schools in the FUSD. For example, elementary schools such as Gomes and Mission San Jose have successfully implemented and run student volunteer crossing guard programs for several years. As high school students, we are older, more responsible, and more than capable of serving as crossing guards.

Another way to ensure the safety of volunteers is to have them work alongside adult crossing guards and to make sure they receive adequate training from an accredited organization such as Fremont Police before the school year starts.

The plan of student crossing guards is not a new concept; in 2011, parent volunteers tried to submit a plan to FUSD to include high school students but it was not approved. It’s two years later, and not much has changed; traffic is still chaotic and the need for more help in reducing congestion is all the more glaring.

Student safety should be everyone’s top concern. It’s time our administration, FUSD, and most importantly we students, take a step in ensuring a more secure school environment. ▪ Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

Friday, October 25, 2013

By Sanjay Sreekumar Opinion Editor College application season is in full swing and the general mood of the Class of 2014 couldn’t be any more chaotic.

Seniors are frantically finishing their personal statements under the constant pressure of ongoing tests, extracurricular activities, and most unfortunately, parents.

Even after we submit those forms, the long agonizing wait till we hear back from those prestigious colleges is enough to drive ourselves crazy. But why are we stressing so much?

The past four years we’ve been indoctrinated with the belief that college is the be all end all, that the moment we get accepted our lives are magically going to set itself on the correct path. There’s a reason why seniors slack off second semester, despite the real threat of our letter of acceptance being rescinded.

If only life were that easy. Attending college itself isn’t really that amazing: the vast majority of Americans have a college degree. Comedian Conan O’Brien put it best in his 2011 commencement address towards graduates of Dartmouth College: “With your college diploma you now have a crushing advantage over 8 percent of the workforce.”

The separation between an elite university and a seemingly mediocre one doesn’t guarantee anything either. Plenty of Harvard graduates end up making the same money as their CSU counterparts.

U.S. News and World Report, (the same institution that publishes the famous

college rankings that most of us have memorized), even stated in a recent article that “many employers won’t care where you went to school, and even what you earned your degree in”. Instead, in the real world, your skills matter the most, and while attending a prestigious university might help you maximize these assets, in the end networking, leadership, and straight up persistence are the qualities that are going to get you that high paying job.

Perhaps the main reason why we shouldn’t be fretting too much is the college application process itself. Let’s be perfectly honest, it’s a complete crapshoot. Colleges themselves have a hard time choosing between thousands of successful candidates who all could contribute to the university in a tremendous fashion. Finally, chances are if you apply to the right amount of “safety”, “target”, and “reach” schools, you will get accepted into at least one great university.

While that college may not be your first choice, remember that the doors to your life have just opened not closed.

Recently the story of former Amazon executive Joy Covey came to light tragically after she was killed in a bicycling accident at Skyline Boulevard. Covey was an anomaly in terms of her education; she dropped out of high school at the age of 15, worked as a grocery clerk for a couple of years, attended Cal State Fresno, went to Harvard Law School, and finally, joined Amazon in 1996 where she helped turn a struggling company into an internet giant and made millions. Her narrative proves the tried and true point that it’s not how you start in life but its how you finish. ▪

Letter to the Editors: Response: A Needed “Stretch”for MSJ PE

Dear Smoke Signal Editors,

I read with great interest a recent article, “A Needed ‘Strech’ for MSJ PE”.

I am always excited to discuss options for improving the physical fitness and lifelong health of MSJ students.

A core purpose of public schools is to provide skills, knowledge, and habits to live a high quality of life.

With sedentary lifestyles pushing obesity rates to epidemic levels, PE carries greater importance today than at any time previous.

Therefore, any discussion surrounding the health of our youth should begin with the premise of increasing, not decreasing, the general physical activity of our students.

With all due respect to the academic drive of students at MSJ, I believe that freeing time for more academic courses should not be the priority if it robs from opportunities for physical activity. I noticed some inconsistencies between examples provided by the editorial staff and conclusions drawn.

The article cites two PE alternatives: Athletic PE and Zero Period. I have no problem with either of these options as long as certified PE instructors teach them, and they meet core standards outlined by the State.

While these examples are reasonable, they differ from one conclusion the editorial board draws: replace PE with other athletic activities.

School sports are wonderful opportunities for students to exercise and learn leadership and teamwork. I respect the talent and commitment of year-round athletes. But as valuable as the programs are, they don’t carry all

of the same standards of a PE course.

In just one example, a sport encourages excellence in one specialized skill. In contrast, a welldesigned PE course will introduce students to multiple methods for lifelong fitness – both individual and team-oriented. If a student were only exposed to sports requiring large teams or extensive equipment, they may not be well equipped to implement a daily exercise routine in the future.

There are several other concerns about the proposal to replace PE with school sports, including the seasonal nature of school sports, and the fact that most coaches are not certified PE instructors.

Another example shared was that students who participate in four years of marching band are not required to take PE. Since PE was not involved in creating this policy, I prefer to leave any extensive discussion of its merits to the School Board. However, marching band requires yearlong participation, while sports seasons are only three months.

Second, marching band includes letter grades. And finally, marching band is taught by certified teachers.

Thank you Smoke Signal for bringing a discussion of health and fitness. I rely on constructive feedback to improve my class and better deliver on the goals of life-long fitness. But in the context of the national crisis caused by sedentary lifestyles, I encourage feedback to focus on improving PE programs at MSJ rather than diminishing them.

Respectfully,

Julia Madsen, PE Teacher

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Opinion 5

Techie High Schools Aren’t “Smart” America is often depicted to be the land of opportunity. Is this still true in terms of education? According to the Weider History Group, the US was ranked number one in high school and college education worldwide 20 years ago. Today, it ranks at a low number 19. Why has this happened? Despite popular belief that this slip in the rankings is a result of the lack of student access to technology, this is certainly not the case. Almost 100 percent of US public schools have Internet access, while 87 percent of US schools use technology to provide online instruction and to distribute assessment results, according to the US Public Schools and Classrooms Study which took place from 1994-2005. Something else accounts for this change, and in fact, it is caused directly by technology—just not by how we access it, but by how we use it based on our needs.

The issues with education technology use begin with the toll they take on our wallets. According to the magazine Campus Technology, the US spends more than any other country in the world on education technology (about $56 billion annually). This money is spent mainly on computers, tablets, and online courses. Here lies the core of the US education technology problem: though states are able to constantly provide schools with technology, the students themselves are often unable to effectively and appropriately utilize this technology for school purposes.

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) officials recently distributed iPads to over 650,000 students in the Los Angeles area. However, rather than being used for school-mandated assignments, the devices were quickly hacked and used for activities such as playing games and accessing social networks. Though the LAUSD attempted to fulfill the academic needs of its students through technology, it was this thinking that led the plan to fail.

After incidents such as these, should schools even consider upgrading their technology at all? Computers have, over the years, earned their value as classroom utilities. However, devices such as tablets and LCD projectors are looking to join that list. In some cases, technology has replaced the traditional brick-and mortar school altogether. According to the website Apple Insider, the first

By Michael Hsiu Staff Writer

“Steve Jobs Schools” opened in the Netherlands in July; at these schools, students are taught the entire school curriculum on a single iPad and spend a great deal of school-time working online. Students go through these schools without ever visiting a library, using only the iPad’s specialized apps to get the information that they need.

Education doesn’t need these apps when perfectly good libraries exist.

Though schools provide their students with technology, the true necessity of this action is not always clear. According to the Center of American Progress, there have been no official return-on-investment, or ROI, studies done on the benefits that increased technology spending has had on American schools. Even more concerning is that there is no standard as to what technology an elementary school is entitled to in comparison with a high school or college’s right to technology possession. These discoveries are not comforting, and neither are their connotations. It is now even harder to determine if the government will ever standardize its distribution of technology in American schools or do away with further technological upgrades altogether. Any future changes to education in technology will inevitably be based on the need for students to have that technology, and as of now, student behavior has shown that technology may not be as important in the classroom as it was originally believed to be.

With technology constantly changing and with schools always revising their policies, it is hard to strike a balance between the presence of technology and its role in the classroom. Technology should not serve to be a hindrance in the classroom, and it is in the best interest of the students of America to prevent any more unneeded technology upgrades from being implemented in the future.

That’s not to say that technology should be removed; rather, further training and consideration should be given to teachers and students alike to determine the best ways to utilize technology in the classroom. With the ability to successfully use technology, US students can finally begin moving back up to their former ranking of number one in worldwide education. ▪

metrogamerepair.com, sweetclipart.com, the-edu.com, layout by staff writer michael hsiu

MSJ is in dire need of repair, renovation, and transformation. By simply taking a walk around the campus, it is plain to see that the school’s facilities are some of the oldest and most run-down in the district. Most of the classrooms are old and small, lacking basic resources from working air conditioning and heating systems to computers with strong wifi connection.

According to US News and World Report, our school is ranked tenth in CA and is one of the top-performing schools in the nation.

Doesn’t MSJ deserve quality facilities that can meet the needs of its faculty and students?

When the state of school facilities is as terrible as it is at MSJ, the problem goes beyond simply an issue of unpleasant conditions; it becomes an impediment to our ability to attain the best education possible. Schools exist to nurture students and prepare the next generation of Americans to work and lead the country. How can they fulfill their duty without adequate facilities that equip them to do so? Aren’t these valuable sources of growth, support, and education important enough to receive more attention and funding?

In light of the overcrowding and countless insufficiencies in school facilities throughout the district, as well as CA’s adoption of Common Core, the district has taken a tremendous step towards making changes that will impact its schools for the coming years.

In January, the district will approve the Long Range Facility Plan (LRFP) aimed at “major repair and modernization to prepare students for a 21st century education”, according to the FUSD website.

District Manager of Facilities Therese Gain said, “We know that the need for technology will expand rapidly in the coming years and we need to be ready to support the kinds of technology teachers and students need.” The plan will also make schools safer through a series of changes, including reducing earthquake collapse hazards, building eating areas for students that are sheltered from the rain, and making dropoff areas safer. FUSD has hired engineering

MSJ Facilities: Towards Improvement

By Andrea Tam Staff Writer

Conceptual campus map based on proposed facility improvements for MSJ.

company LPA Integrated Design to help construct plans for each school in the district. To gather community input, parents and staff members from the district were invited to voice their opinions about proposed changes at Town Hall meetings.

Potential developments for MSJ include building a new gym large enough to seat the entire student body, expanding the office, building a new performing arts center, and placing English and social studies classrooms and science and math classrooms closer together to encourage interdepartmental collaboration. The finalized plan will be established in January 2014.

As the plan continues to take shape, various issues must be addressed, such as

funding. Gain said, “Implementation of the plan would most likely be phased over time and be funded from a combination of sources, including a local bond measure, developer fees and applicable state funding.”

Limited budgets have made it difficult for large-scale changes to be made. Now that a plan for such major and much-needed improvement has finally been put forth, we should seize this opportunity to make crucial renovations to our school campuses.

The benefits this plan brings are worth the money and outweigh any misgivings about timing, class disruption, and financing there may be. Isn’t providing students with more computers and access to digitalized textbooks, for example, a cause worthy of the

community’s support? It may seem as though it mostly includes additions to the school campus, which could lead one to question if MSJ is in need of new buildings so much as it needs renovation for its dingy old classrooms and archaic tech systems. However, the fact that plan encompasses a variety of modifications should allay any fears that it is gearing changes to only new buildings and not fully addressing the school’s problems. According to online copies of LRFP drafts, the greatest number of changes will be modernizations, although certain buildings will undergo reconstruction or reconfiguration as well.

We should trust that a thorough assessment of schools’ needs, months of planning, and collection of the community’s opinion has produced a plan that fulfills each school’s needs as effectively as possible. At this point, any change is better than no change. Because this plan finally addresses the urgent but often-overlooked issue of equipping our schools with the proper facilities to administer quality education, the community should meet the LRFP with support and an open mind. As Gain said, “There would appear to be more drawbacks in not implementing a long range plan while facilities continue to deteriorate and overcrowding persists.”

The upcoming implementation of the LRFP is heartening news for schools in the district. Restorations long overdue will finally take MSJ past its state of disrepair and hopefully into a promising future in which its students can enjoy facilities that will provide them with an enriching education. It is about time our school’s facilities have been brought to our community’s attention. ▪

photo by feature editor vivian jair, fremont.k12.ca.us, realhistories.org.uk, mycoloringpages.net, layout by opinion editor catherine wang

6 Opinion

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Friday, October 25, 2013

staff writer purvi goel

staff writer alice cheng

staff writer megan ren

staff writer grace dong

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Opinion 7

MSJ Students: Guard Your Privacy

By Peter Chew and Hanson Wang Staff Writers

The Experiment Many Facebook users, especially high school students, seem to be oblivious to whether they actually know the people they add as their “friends.” In order to document this, The Smoke Signal created a fake Facebook account under the name Taylor Leung, with the only description being that she is a student at MSJ, which any stranger can choose to do in the process of creating an account. The Smoke Signal sent friend requests to 50 students from each grade, spread out over the span of a week. Additionally, 111 students were male and 90 were female. Out of the 200 MSJ students we sent friend requests to, 64 of them accepted. 17 were seniors, 13 were juniors, 16 were sophomores, and 18 were freshmen. 52 people accepted our request the same day friend requests were sent.

200

The number of people to whom Taylor sent a friend request.

37%

The percentage of people who accepted Taylor’s request.

2

The number of people who messaged Taylor and inquired about her identity.

“Recent Activity” on the fake Facebook account’s profile page

Imagine how many people would accept a request from a

random profile with an appealing profile picture. These “honey pot” accounts exist simply to gather personal information.

Anyone, including stalkers and other cybercriminals, could have instant access to a MSJ student’s wall posts, biographical information, and anything else not made explicitly private on Facebook. This includes information that Facebook asks users to complete in their profile such as information on their hometown, high school, college, job, and social interests. From this, it is not hard to build a surprisingly detailed sketch of the person behind the profile; the implications are frightening if such information was to be misused. All of this results from a careless acceptance of a friend request from a complete stranger.

Taylor’s news feed exploded with wall posts and activity from MSJ students ranging from offhand remarks on current events to personal photos that clearly showed where students had been. Also, with each additional Facebook friend, Taylor began to see comments on wall posts by friends of friends.

This provided an ever-growing list of potential Facebook friends for Taylor.

Over the course of the experiment, only two people asked us if Taylor knew them in real life. In addition, more people are likely to accept a friend request if they see that a person shares many mutual friends with them, so there probably would have been an exponential increase in the number of Taylor’s friends had Taylor continued sending friend requests.

The person MSJ students considered to be a “friend”.

91 % *

The percentage of MSJ students who have a Facebook account.

24 % *

The percentage of MSJ students who have a Twitter account.

75 % *

The percentage of MSJ students who claimed they don’t accept friend request from strangers.

Disclaimer: The account of “Taylor Leung” has been cancelled. No personal information was stored or shared during the experiment and

only our writers, our Opinion Editors, our Editors-in-Chiefs, and our Advisor were aware of this experiment. We made no Facebook posts and

responded to messages very selectively, providing no more information than what was on the original public profile.

* Based on a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal journalists.

Why We Should Care “Do you know this person outside of Facebook?” This is the message users receive whenever they accept a friend request.

While these new measures may help users track who gets access to their profile to ensure privacy and online safety, the measures can only work to protect users to an extent. In the end, the decision to heed those warnings is up to the user alone.

Over one billion users browse through their news feeds on Facebook. Everything posted there is essentially permanent; there will always be an electronic link between the user and his or her post. That means all the embarrassing statuses from sixth grade, and all the events “buried” in the past can be brought to light almost instantly. Colleges and future employers can dig through potential students or employees’ Facebook profiles.

Another hugely popular social media website is Twitter. The scary thing about Twitter is that anyone can follow your profile, which means they can see your private information, your tweets, and all your pictures. Your location can also be inadvertently shared within tweets as well.

Unfortunately, the damage that irresponsibility on the Internet can cause may be life-changing in magnitude. US News & World Report provides answers from directors of admissions, a College Board executive, and various college admission consultants. They all seem to agree that online portrayals of potential students have a good chance of affecting admissions decisions, especially if the content is threatening and hurtful. Although admissions officers are busy with thousands of applications, there is nothing barring them from accessing informal sources of information such as Facebook and other social media sites. “A personal quality that colleges like to see in all applicants is good common sense. Use it in all your interactions with public websites,” says College Board executive James Montoya to US News & World Report.

Cyberstalking can also have fatal consequences. In 1999, while twenty year-old Amy Boyer was leaving her job at a dentist’s office one day, she had no idea that her stalker, Liam Youens, was waiting for her to enter her car. Then, he drove up next to her car, shot her, and then took his own life. Once the police entered Youens’ bedroom, they discovered two websites, both about Boyer, that existed for two and a half years. He even documented exactly how he would execute her murder. What’s even more disturbing is the fact that Youens bought her Social Security number, the name of her employer, and her work address off the internet. If our private information falls into the wrong hands, we are at the mercy of such cybercriminals. MSJ students should take special care to ensure website security when making online purchases or filling out important applications.

Why should we care? According to the website Statistic Brain, 83 million Facebook pages are fake and designed to spam or represent a fictional personality. These accounts can be used to gather information about us, such as where we live, our habits, and every other detail of our lives.

The only absolute protection is to mind what you post on any form of social media. It is definitely not wise to publicize your daily routine, your phone number, or your home address where the world can potentially see. Let’s face it, no one really needs to know every detail of your life.

Ways to Protect Yourself Online There are various ways to increase privacy on the Internet. On Facebook, privacy settings can be adjusted by clicking on the settings icon in the top right-hand corner. Make sure to change the settings so that only friends can view your profile.

In addition, don’t add people who you do not know in real life. If you do happen to have some strangers in your friend list, don’t post sensitive private information online. If an unknown person friends you, click “Not Now” and when Facebook asks if you know that person, say no. Therefore, the stranger will be unable to send any more friend requests.

For general safety online, you can download browser add-ons that block trackers. One of the most popular privacy add-ons is Ghostery, which blocks companies from tracking your actions online. The blocked trackers are conveniently located in the top right-hand corner of your browser, giving you easy access to see them. Ghostery also offers the option of allowing certain trackers but not others, pausing blocking temporarily, and unblocking certain websites. According to Ghostery, they block over 1700 companies and 100 million trackers daily for over 20 million users. Best of all, Ghostery operates for free on Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Internet Explorer.

Another helpful add-on is Adblock Plus, which is available for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Android, and Internet Explorer.

Adblock Plus automatically removes any ads, malware, and spyware from any website you visit. Adblock is also completely free to download online or from the Chrome web store. Currently, there have been over ten million downloads.

In order to increase privacy on Twitter, go to the privacy settings page by clicking on the icon in the top right-hand corner. Then, click the box saying “protect my tweets,” and make sure the tweet location box is unchecked. By protecting your tweets, only your followers can see your future tweets, and you would have to approve every follow request. Don’t include location in your tweets because stalkers can track your movements and uncover your patterns. ▪

Ghostery is a free add-on that blocks “trackers” from viewing your personal information online.

Adblock Plus automatically removes any ads, malware, and spyware from any website you visit.

1. To edit your Privacy Settings on Facebook, click the Settings icon in the upper right corner.

2. Change your settings so only Friends can see your posts. adblockplus.org, facebook.com, ghostery.com, layout by opinion editor sanjay sreekumar

8 Feature

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Friday, October 25, 2013

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Feature 9

graphics by graphic editor shirby wang, staff writers jacinta chang, grace dong, tiffany huang & irisa lee, arsgrafik.com, clker.com, depositphotos.com farm3.static.flickr.com, freevector.com, spirithalloween.com, layout by feature editor vivian jair

10 Feature

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 25, 2013

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

A Campus Supervisor

The Smoke Signal followed Campus Supervisors Brandi and Jan around for a day. These events are from Brandi’s point-of-view, and all are based on true events.

7:00am I start my day by preparing the traffic patrol team for incoming students; Jan and I unlock their equipment and haul some signs that ask parents not to drop off their students on Mission Boulevard’s curb (that’s a prohibited area).

7:20am Some of my kids and Teaching Assistants (TAs) check in at the office. For a few community service hours each day, they act as crossing guards. A handful help direct traffic and some others make sure that incoming students avoid the creek path.

7:45am I make a few rounds of the campus in my golf cart to do a visual check of the school and make sure there’s no vandalism. If there is, it is cleaned up before school starts.

8:30am I process a few parking permits, check district email, and do some clerical work at my desk. Being a campus supervisor is all about multitasking. Jan radios me about a lost phone while she’s doing her campus rounds. Nothing’s come in today, but we sometimes get smartphones. We just returned an iPhone 5 the other day! Ever since we started giving out police stickers and $2 gift certificates, we’ve seen a significant increase in returned items. It’s my

favorite thing to do!

9:30am I see a few kids walking around the parking lot. I have to give them referrals as it is offlimits during school hours without special permission. I hate to do it, but my job is to be clear, concise, and consistent. If I didn’t have a sense of humor, this job would be miserable.

10:25am I drop by Mr. Hui’s classroom to pick up a few items. The classroom is a stifling, sweltering desert. “Is it like this every day?” I ask a PE student who is there to spend read period.

He nods. That’s ridiculous! On my way out I see a couple of maintenance guys and drag them in.

Mr. Hui’s going to think I’m a goddess. “You owe me one!” I tell him as the kids file out so the maintenance guys can get to work.

10:33am Next, I have to drop off a check for $77 that was left at my desk. It’s another spontaneous part of my day, and I look up the listed address and return it. On my way out I tell a Smoke Signal journalist that Mr. Evans currently isn’t in his office.

10:45am I bump into Jan and Wanda. They (or more accurately Jan because Wanda can’t keep a straight face) tell me about how they were called to Mrs. Ware’s classroom because a blackish liquid smelling of rotten eggs was oozing out of the eyewash drain and the maintenance guy wasn’t there to fix it. Technically it’s not our job, but as campus supervisors we’ll deal with anything that we come to know about.

11:00am I leave for lunch with Wanda while Jan makes another round of the campus before heading over to the new P-wing. She helps students move some wood for their additions to the garden by the vandal watch house. I stop by the parking lot to make sure that the lights on all the cars are off.

Kristie Chiang

Fall is bringing in many new fashion trends, and one seen throughout MSJ is the oversized bow. Freshman Kristie Chiang runs her own online store, Itsadorabows, and makes unique, handmade bows in different designs and fabrics for affordable prices. At the end of each month, she donates a percentage of her profits to a charity that she lets her customers vote on.

Smoke Signal: When did you start making bows and what inspired you to?

Kristie Chiang: I started making bows when I was in eighth grade, so just a couple months ago. It was around February or March and I was inspired when I was looking at the latest and greatest fashion trends. I saw so many bows: under buns, over ponytails, attached to braids, and guys wore them with their dress shirts too.

SS: How much did you donate to charities?

KC: Ever since I started making bows, I’ve donated a total of $825 to charity. I began giving back when I participated in Relay For Life in eighth grade. I saw it as a great opportunity to put my hobby to a great cause. In total, I raised over $1000, and made $770 over a course of three months. Now, I have my own online store, and every month, I choose a new charity to donate to, such as JDRF or St. Jude’s.

SS: How did you learn to make bows?

KC: When I first started making bows, I was completely lost. I had no idea the amount of fabric or what materials to use, so I went to YouTube and typed in “DIY Hair Bows.” I learned many different ways to make them, and from there, I developed my own recipe for bow making. I also bought some bows from other stores to dissect them and figured out how to make

By Hairol Ma Staff Writer

mine better. Through trial and error (mostly error), I gradually improved my product.

SS: What inspires your designs?

KC: My designs are inspired by my surroundings, and trends that are rising in popularity.

Every time I go to the fabric store, it’s so overwhelming because of all of the different choices in colors, patterns, and materials. I seriously spend way too much time there. I’ve already made friends with some of the workers!

SS: How much time do you spend making bows?

KC: Every week, I spend 2-3 hours making the bows. Shipping them is a completely different story. My parents help me ship out each individual package, and they always take me fabric shopping.

SS: Do you ever plan to expand your business?

KC: I hope to expand my business. Part of the reason I joined MSJ’s DECA club was to learn ways to market my product and take my business to the next level. I hope to one day see my products in big department stores or in accessory stores such as Claire’s or Icing. As of now, I want to pursue my original purpose, which is to use my hobby to support great causes.

SS: Any advice for someone who wants to transform their hobby into a business?

KC: Even though bow making may not be your hobby, there are so many more things that you can do. I strongly encourage everyone to find one thing that they love doing, and stick it through until the end of the road and see where you end up then. ■

Chiang’s website is http://itsadorabows.storenvy. com/. The business’s Instagram account is itsadorabows.

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER HAIROL MA, COURTESY KRISTIE CHIANG

By Genevieve Huang Staff Writer

12:22pm Lunch starts. Jan and I drive around campus to enforce dress code. Along with monitoring school dances, enforcing dress code is the job we dislike the most because it’s such a controversial and sensitive issue. We walk around and just observe: most of our job consists of observing and making sure everything’s safe and running smoothly.

3:20pm I drive into the gym quad, dodge a few kids from the cross-country team, and meet one of my TAs. Having him is awesome; he consistently stays after school to help me lock up the boys’ locker room. Ever since he’s been working here we’ve had zero reports of robbery, which is wonderful. One of the shirtless cross-country kids makes me chuckle on my way out.

12:40pm I walk around the parking lot, making sure that all the cars have permits and are parked safely. We are strict about permits and contracts not because we want the $20, but because we want to guard against stranger danger.

Every single car on campus must be identifiable.

3:23pm I wave to some of the construction crew members by the new P-Wing building. It’s looking good!

12:45pm I meet with Leadership II to discuss the Spirit Week dress code. I know that Homecoming means a lot to the students at this school, but you can’t just wear a Speedo for your superhero costume. I don’t want to punish someone any more than they want to get caught.

1:15pm I’m back at my desk, multitasking: processing a parking contract while referring a kid to the right service, and directing another to our bank of found items.

3:00pm Jan is out by the horseshoe directing traffic and I finish processing a few more parking permits before I make my last round of the day. Students are leaving as I speed past the AWing and the C-Wing. I take note of the locked classrooms (and emptied trash cans), ensuring that everything’s locked up and staff members are ready to leave. I deal with an embarrassing situation that I will refrain from providing more details of, but it’s alright, I was young too.

Still, it’s also a lovely day to go outside and hold hands.

3:25pm A couple of kids are waiting for me back at the office. One of them left his books inside of a classroom, another is here for parking contracts, and as usual, the last is here to check the lost and found. He doesn’t find what he’s looking for but I remind him to come and check tomorrow. We have an enormous pile of unclaimed clothes, cell phones, cash, eyeglasses…you name it, items that remain unclaimed because students don’t remember losing them at school. These things pile up; we now donate clothes monthly.

Cell phones are turned into the police station at the end of the year.

3:35pm I’m back at the parking lot, ready to leave early. It’s a Friday, and I’m up for a ten-hour work day tomorrow: four hours helping out at Saturday School and six hours of security work at TAK. It’s the end of another day at MSJ. ■

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER GENEVIEVE HUANG , SVTECHTALK.COM

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Feature 11

The MSJ Community Garden, located in the abandoned vandal watch site behind the E-Wing, is home to a wide variety of student-grown flowers and herbs.

It serves as the perfect location for students to cultivate their green thumbs and enjoy a natural environment while helping MSJ lower carbon emissions. This eco-friendly garden was created using recycled and reclaimed materials from the community, such as old fence posts and displaced soil. The garden is open every morning and locked at the end of every school day.

Fall-Winter 2012 The plan for a community garden at MSJ was first conceived by Assistant Principal Jeff Evans and the Service Learning Waste Reduction Program (SLWRP), which works on environmental projects at MSJ. A change of property form was then submitted to the district to officially create the garden in the old vandal watch site.

Spring 2013 During spring break, Evans and a few volunteers first broke ground at the garden, clearing the debris to make way for planter boxes and flowers. A 55-gallon drum doubles as a rainwater collection basin and an old filing cabinet holds mint. Leadership 2’s (L2)green committee donated mulch, which was spread on the ground to help even the land.

Fall 2013 The special education classes, led by Special Education Teacher Jeanne DiPaola, recently began contributing to the garden as well. New plants, such as lettuce, cabbage, and a wide variety of flowers, were also planted.

club Events Box MSJHS American Cancer Society Candy for Cancer October 22 - End of November Bell Tower Quad at Lunch ACS will be selling Twix and Kit Kats (and others if requested). All proceeds will go to cancer research. It is our club’s goal to donate $1000 to American Cancer Society this Christmas. Students receive hours for volunteering to sell. Contact any club officer for volunteering details.

Make-A-Wish (MAW) Club MAW Special Guest Speaker!

November 1 - 12:30pm Room M-1 Please attend this special presentation featuring Veronica Johnson, Ambassador and Advisory Board Member for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Bay Area Chapter. Johnson is also an MSJHS alumna!

MSJ Speech First Novice IE Tournament November 3 Location to be announced First chance for new members to compete and see what Speech is all about.

Preparation required, support welcome.

This Upcoming Events Box will be a recurring series in the Feature section for future issues as well. If your club has events taking place between November 15 and December 20 that you would like to be featured, email it to feature@thesmokesignal.org by no later than Nov 5.

MSJ Universal Performers The Society Improv Group November 1 - 7:30pm MSJ’s Little Theatre If you like Who’s Line is it Anyway?, or just want to have a good time, this is the show for you! Professional Actors and Musicians from LA will put on a family friendly show just for $15. Tickets can be purchased from Mrs. Roundy. For information on the Fall Play, see A&E Page 23.

Writer’s Block Editor Recruitment Anytime up to November 10 Meets in P7, Tuesday/Thursday lunches Writer’s Block is looking for writers interested in helping other students with their essays as Peer Editors. You do get service hours! Email msjwritersblock@ gmail.com for an application.

Mission Japan & Mission Anime Undoukai November 15 Amphitheater Field day where Japanese language students and club members compete in various games (donut eating, relay race, cheers, etc.). People learn about Japanese culture through activities by the clubs and the Japanese department.

PHOTO BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRACE WU

Summer 2013 MSJ Green Club became involved in the garden and took over organizing projects to help further develop the garden. Volunteers, led by Senior Irisa Lee and Alumnus George Zhang, helped build a table using an old gate and created a chalkboard and bulletin board for updates. A larger variety of plants were introduced to the garden, including watermelon plants, lavender, and sunflowers. Volunteers came in every day over the summer to water plants.

Future Plans Volunteers are planning to install a long term pipeline for a water system to the garden to make irrigation more convenient, as students currently use a watering can. In addition, Evans and Green Club hope to have the entire perimeter of the vandal house planted and to get the entire school involved in the garden. “I’d like the garden to become a sort of hangout for students, where they can study and smell things and relax,” said Evans.

Caption Contest

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER TIFFANY HUANG, LAYOUT BY FEATURE EDITOR ANJALI KANTHILAL

The Smoke Signal invites MSJ to caption this drawing.

The best caption will be posted on our website and your name will be put into a raffle at the end of the year for a grand prize! Send all captions to feature@ thesmokesignal. org with the subject Caption Contest.

Deadline: November 1 GRAPHIC BY STAFF WRITER HAIROL MA

12 Photo

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Friday, October 25, 2013

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS JACINTA CHANG, VIVIAN LIU, HANNAH SHIH, KATIE SUN & MADELINE ZHENG, LAYOUT BY GRAPHICS EDITORS SHIRBY WANG AND ANNA ZENG

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“The performance was FRESH. It BLUE UP my mind.”

- Vayum Arora, 11

AWARDS

Friday, October 25, 2013

Centerspread 13

DECO: 4th AIRBANDS: 4th SKIT: 4th OVERALL: 4th

"The Boll ywood a ir band was ener getic and t gave it t heir all o hey u t

there."

- Aditi H arish, 10

By Nithya Rajeev & Hannah Shih Staff Writers

On Monday October 14, the Class of 2017 began their much-awaited journey to Paradise Falls with an array of blue streamers, rows of balloons, and roaring class spirit. The previously empty amphitheater was decorated with posters and featured a detailed and colorful backdrop. With the signature house and rainbow balloons from the movie Up, the freshmen conveyed their theme in a striking and creative way, despite an overall lack of decorations. While some areas surrounding the amphitheater exploded with blue, other areas like the staircases and railings leading to the stage were not as heavily covered.

The skit began with a quick introduction of the characters, which triggered a deafening response from all the other classes. However, with a cluster of varied airbands immediately following a brief opening scene, the skit kicked off with a slow start but soon recovered with brilliant and humorous acting from the main characters, especially Russell. The skit showed respect to all the other classes while maintaining a competitive homecoming spirit. Even though the plot did not closely follow the movie’s general story line, its relevance to MSJ themes was strong with the integration of the Mission Bell and homecoming game rivalry. The sparse though innovative props like the silver blimp helped convey the settings in all the scenes and clarifed the overall storyline. With an amusing but slightly confusing skit, the end especially displayed the central theme of homecoming— unity among the whole school. Included in the freshmen’s dynamic debut performance were

original airbands such as the combined singing and dancing performance as well as the hip-hop influenced Bollywood dances. However, the audience experienced deja vu as many of the same dancers and dance moves appeared time and time again. The airbands also seemed randomly placed within the skit, breaking up the general continuity of the freshmen performance.

Despite the awkward breaks in the plotline and long transitions between scenes of the skit and airbands, there was an abundance of highlights throughout the entire freshmen show as a whole, including the lyrical and boy’s “What’s Up” mashup that included the hit song “Single Ladies” by Beyonce. The skillful dancing and clever song choices got the crowd engaged in both performances. In addition, the unique second Bollywood airband pumped up the crowd after the technical problems with the singing performance which preceded it. The freshmen finished strong and returned to the stage for a final triumphant bow with all the participants.

Overall, the freshmen started off homecoming week in a spirited and entertaining way and set high expectations for the “Wreck-It” Sophomores the next day. Hats off to the Class of 2017 for a lively performance. They are sure to be a class to watch out for in the coming years.

my passed r u s y ll rea vious eshmen me pre o s e k of “The fr li variety ions! Un a t a d t c a e h p ex e they everyon mings, ll e t ld u homeco put and I co and effor t to s d n a b e air rlot of tim wesome per fo a t n e p a s 12 n r such a - Connie Kim, togethe ” mance!

photos taken by staff writers jacinta chang, alice cheng, grace dong, & hairol ma, blogspot.com, wallsave.com, layout by centerspread editor lindy zeng.

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AWARDS

14 Centerspread

DECO: 3rd AIRBANDS: 2nd SKIT: 3rd OVERALL: 3rd

“The sop homores were re airband ally cute s were s pectacu , and th wrecked lar! The eir it!” y definit

ely -Roselin Yao, 12

an rm r & ue ito Fe Ed a h r ts Le Spo By

ores phom al o s e en t th ough a phenom how d “I th e ll did show overa d clearly uly pays r n job a practice t h c u m , 11 a Hu n off!” n A

Friday, October 25, 2013

an Sta d Iy ff W es rite ha Pur i r

With giant game controllers decorating the N-Wing and a race track built through the walkway, the gaming theme for the WreckIt Sophomores was immediately apparent the morning of Sophomore Day. The bright yellow pixelated backdrop hung at the back of the amphitheater, illuminating a simple but effective background, and a large array of highlighted yellow balloons hung at the front of the school. Although plentiful, the decorations were still basic, and more creativity could have been applied to the video game aspect of WreckIt Ralph. However, there could be no doubt that the effort was there to make an impact on arriving students.

Throughout the day, the whole Class of 2016 showed admirable spirit in their costumes and enthusiasm. From the huge pool of yellow that formed in the middle of the amphitheater for lunch, it was clear that the sophomore class came ready to “wreck it.” For the most part, they were the loudest, rising at several intervals to support their peers on stage.

Even during long pauses, the class rose and cheered to fill in the gaps with vuvuzelas and chants such as, “One-six, don’t mess with this.”

The sophomores kicked off their performances with an acapella and beat-boxing number. Although it was an original and creative idea, technical difficulties plagued the performance and threw the harmonization off. However, the skit picked up steam with the introduction of Ralph, a loveable osophomore in giant overalls. ch e th “I really liked While the story began with e th l r al reography fo a clear main character, ce an d ys bo airbands. The the other classes were e er w es and fight scen hard- pressed to it was find a repreamazing, and w everyone sentareally cute ho r the

tive to root for until much later.

Despite some long awkward pauses between scenes, the skit itself had even pacing, allowing time for each class to cheer when their respective character came out on stage. All of the actors were well-synchronized with the voiceovers and extremely energetic, most notably Vanellope and King Kennedy. While there were some jabs at the other classes, the overall skit conveyed a final sense of unity that brought all of the classes together.

The airbands were undoubtedly the strongest point of the act. Every dance had its unique style and costume. With an unexpected entrance from the boys, the Bollywood airband was among the most synchronized and enthusiastic. The hip-hop group also demonstrated a wide range of talent that had the crowd on its feet. Plenty of variety was to be found in these performances, as MSJ continued on to battle the “SATs” in a martial arts performance. This was an interesting and entertaining sequence that was well-incorporated into the skit, although it did run a little long. The sophomores also featured live music, with a drummer and guitarist playing on stage and in the background. The dance that featured all the performers was a great end to the performance, and it too was coordinated and in sync, bringing in a sense of unity. With a wide variety of singing, dancing, and martial arts, the sophomore airbands gave an impressive showing. As a whole, the class did a commendable job and just like they chanted “we will, we will wreck you,” they sure did wreck the crowd.

age fo got back on st ending!” i, 9 -Stephanie B

photos taken by staff writers anand balaji, jacinta chang & hannah shih, openclipart.org, layout by centerspread editor lindy zeng.

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Awards

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Centerspread 15

deco: 2nd Airband: 3rd Skit: 2nd OVE RAL L: 2nd “IT act WA ing S A

M ,a irb AZ an ING d -A s, an !! I lo ilee v d n H the ed d su, ene eco, rgy 9 .”

the voices, “The storylines, ons were the and the decorati far.” best I’ve seen so -Jamin Chen, 10

al anthil njali K itor and A Ed Cherk r & Feature trina rite

By Ka Staff W

“The boy’s dance was incredible. I think it was the best boy’s dance I’ve ever seen. Seriously.”

-Emily Chan, 12

The juniors kicked off their day with a rally in the morning that generated much excitement among students. Their spirited chants of “One-five pride!” could be heard throughout the school even before classes began.

Class spirit continued throughout the day, especially during their much-anticipated performance. After every act, the class supported all the performers by standing up as a crowd and cheering loudly. Almost the entire class was decked out in their class shirts and other black apparel.

The stunning decorations covering the amphitheater area were impressive. From balloons to decorated trash cans to the intricate Batman comic strips lining the N-wing railway, the junior class showcased all the hard work put into this year’s homecoming. The Gotham City pathway incorporated their theme and enhanced the overall appearance of the area. Especially notable were the cutouts of the various characters from the movie, which emphasized their attention to detail. However, the backdrop was rather disappointing, as it did not cover the provided stage area and was lacking in detail and design.

The skit plotline was simple but effective and easy for the audience to understand and follow. The voice actors were unique and stayed true to the characters they were representing. Furthermore, the transitions between the skit and the airbands were fluent and cohesive. Though parts of the skit were lengthy and the ending predictable, the juniors gave a spectacular show with a multitude of talented airbands.

The juniors opened their performance with their band and singing act. The airband had a very dynamic appeal that rallied the crowd and proved to be a great start. Singer Lara Khamisy energized the crowd through her enthusiastic performance.

The following hip-hop airband kept the audience’s attention with its upbeat dancing and music. The jazz airband was well choreographed and engaged the audience with their coordination and confidence. A definite favorite of the crowd was the all-boys dance. Their daring performance was both unique and humorous and featured several well-executed acrobatic stunts.

The ballroom airband wowed the crowd as they performed complicated lifts. The juniors concluded their Homecoming performance with their phenomenal all-girls hip hop airband. All the juniors stood up to show their class spirit and support of the airband. Though the juniors exhibited a wide variety of airbands, many of their performances could have been more prepared and polished.

But wherever the juniors were lacking, they made up by showing their incredible spirit. Overall, the juniors gave an excellent and memorable performance that undoubtedly showcased the capability of their class. We look forward to seeing where their talent will take them next year for their senior performance!

photos taken by staff writers iyesha puri, lillian zhao, & madeline zheng, www.smscs.com, timpsonwiki.wikispaces.com, layout by centerspread editor tingting bi.

Awards

16 Centerspread

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 25, 2013

Deco: 1st Airband: 1st Skit: 1st overall: 1st

e ing in th h t t s e b the “It was ld!” ide wor er, 9 whole w athan Kretchm -Jon

“I was completely awestruck. It seemed so effortless but at the same time the amount of time and dedication everyone put into the performance was crazy!”

-Chelsy Simran, 10

“The s very enior per wellform ance p and creat lanned, inten was ive!”

se, -Yoo n Le e, 11

By Alice Cheng & Hairol Ma Staff Writers

As students arrived at MSJ on October 17, colorful piñatas could be seen dangling across the amphitheater. Spirited red and white balloons lined the perimeters of the N-Wing overhang. Detailed cardboard cutouts featuring past themes adorned the grass area outside of the library. An intricate, vivid backdrop spanned the stage, and huge red posters hung from each side of the amphitheater. Dazzling red streamers covered the entrance to a tunnel leading to the left side of the amphitheater. From the elaborate decorations, it was evident that the seniors had outdone themselves this year.

The seniors opened with an engaging singalong airband that involved the whole school.

Classes swayed to the tune of “Viva La Vida.” The performance then smoothly transitioned into an introduction of Schmidt and Jenko, who soon found themselves embarking on a quest to retrieve the spirit candy from American’s football team. With the help from the other classes, they were able to infiltrate American High School masquerading as students and football players. The Class of 2014 watched as the skit revisited past themes with mentions of Lewis Carrol and West Side Story. Interesting sound effects accompanied the character Zack’s attempt to recreate a shrinking potion. Although the juniors had little to cheer about, seniors were able to unify the crowd when the characters finally recovered the spirit candy. Unexpected plot twists amazed the audience, such as the detachable limousine and the undercover MSJ alumna, whose

appearance gave visiting alumni something to cheer about.

The audience enjoyed a wide variety of airbands, ranging from Taekwondo to rhythmic baton twirling. The Tahitian airband was able to convey unity with their multicolored cloths and impressed the crowd with their own vibrant costumes. The unique twist on traditional ballroom dance incorporated daring gymnastic stunts that were executed impeccably. The all-boys dance started off comically with its reenactment of The Lion King. By the time the last airband took the stage, seniors were jumping to their feet, as if they had all tried the spirit candy themselves.

The dancers pulled off difficult breakdancing tricks with ease. All airbands were enthusiastic and successful in providing exciting performances.

The senior class showed their pride with their loud cheers and standing ovations. A sea of red dominated the amphitheater as they applauded at every opportunity. During dances and throughout the skit, even the performers cheered from the sidelines. As the banners rolled down, the seniors erupted into a burst of spirit that almost seemed coordinated, waving their pom-poms and blowing into their vuvuzelas. Overall, the senior class pulled off an extravagant performance to end their last Homecoming and leave behind a legacy that will never be forgotten.

photos taken by staff writers jacinta chang, kevin chen, & abby wong, natflixandbooks.blogspot.com, www.ebay.co.uk, layout by centerspread editor tingting bi.

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Photo 17

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS JACINTA CHANG, KATRINA CHERK & MEGAN REN, LAYOUT BY GRAPHICS EDITOR SHIRBY WANG & ANNA ZENG

18 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 25, 2013

e v i t a T n h r eaters e t lA

By Ana nd

When thinking about local movie theaters the names Century 25 and AMC immediately come to mind. But the Bay Area also provides a host of alternat ive theater destination s that offer specific genre s of film and theater at unique, off-the-b eaten-path locations.

Balaji & M Staff Wr elissa Peng iters

By alaji n Ana d B eng sa P & Melis iters Staff Wr

Broadway West Theater Company 4000-B Bay St http://www.broadwaywest.org/ For a fun night or afternoon of entertainment and local art, look no further than the red brick walls and drama mask-adorned windows of Broadway West Theater Company, an active hub of local actors situated directly above Bay Street Coffee. Broadway West has won at least one award per season since 2006.

The theater company’s performances are decidedly unique, in part because of the passion and dedication of the actors, but also because of its cozy venue. Next on Broadway West’s calendar, just in time to amp up some holiday spirit, is the cheery Christmas production, “Sorry! Wrong Chimney.”

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum 37417 Niles Blvd http://www.nilesfilmmuseum.org The Niles Silent Film Theater and Museum allows visitors to travel back to the era of black and white and silent films. Located in the Niles Historic District, the museum fits right in with its vintage design and feel. But what makes this museum unique is the large movie theater they have in the back. With a state of the art projection system and over 70 seats, the theater allows for families to come every Saturday evening and watch two hours worth of content (both shorts and full movies) for just five dollars. Their “Creature Feature Show” on October 27 will get the community in the Halloween spirit with a series of classic horror films.

BIG Cinema 39160 Paseo Padre Pkwy http://phoenixtheatres.com/loc_Fremont7.asp Established less than five years ago, BIG Cinema has already become a major destination for Fremont residents who are interested in watching some of Bollywood’s biggest hits. The theater has eight fully functional screens and has a snack bar that serves up authentic Indian treats like samosas and pakora. But don’t think that BIG only screens Indian films; they also show movies from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and sometimes even China. You can often find BIG packed on a Friday or Saturday night where filmgoers come down to see the very best of international film entertainment.

Made Up Theatre 3392 Seldon Ct http://www.madeuptheatre.com/ Once a traveling troupe touring the Bay Area, the cast of Made Up Theatre has since settled down in Fremont. Every Saturday night at 8 PM, professional improv actors put on a unique live performance fueled entirely by the audience’s participation and the cast’s spontaneity. Made Up Theatre offers two different types of shows: Laugh Track City, a collection of short games and scenes, and Five Play, a completey impromptu, full-length play or movie. The venue is small and intimate, with enough seats for around 40 people, thus concentrating each show’s hilarity to even higher levels. For those especially inspired by the cast’s craft, Made Up Theatre also offers improv classes.

WestWind Capitol 6 Drive-In 3630 Hillcap Ave, San Jose http://westwinddriveins.com/ WestWind is a bit farther away than the rest of the theaters, but what it lacks in proximity it makes up for in uncommonness. Once popular in the 1960s, the drive-in theater’s heyday has long been over and today not very many remain.

For those who want a more private viewing experience or yearn for a reminder of how life was in simpler times, WestWind Capitol 6 Drive-In is the place to be.

The theater provides audio by asking moviegoers to tune into specific stations on their car FM stereos or bring portable boom boxes in order to access audio. Each location comes replete with a snack bar and shows several movies at a time.

Ender’s Game

PG-13 11/1/13 This sci-fi film, based on the novel by Orson Scott Card, stars Asa Butterfield and Harrison Ford, and follows Ender Wiggin’s life at a military academy in space where he prepares for alien invasions.

Selena Gomez - Stars Dance Tour

SAP Center, San Jose 11/10/13 Selena Gomez’s Stars Dance tour promotes her solo debut album of the same name and will be her first solo world tour.

The tour will feature hits such as “Love You Like a Love Song” and “Come & Get It.”

Frozen

AE UPDATES BOX

By Genevieve Huang Staff Writer

PG 11/27/13 In animated adventure-comedy Frozen, Ice Princess Anna teams up with mountain man Kristoff and his reindeer Sven to journey to meet the Snow Queen in hopes of saving the kingdom from eternal winter.

Beyonce - The Mrs. Carter Show

SAP Center, San Jose 12/2/13 Beyonce’s world tour, The Mrs. Carter Show, has a set list of 15 songs, beginning with “Run the World (Girls)” and ending with “Halo”, and will include longtime hits like “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).”

photos taken by staff writers anand balaji and melissa peng, clker.com, gallery.yopriceville.com, freevector.com, glenwj.wordpress.com, sf.funcheap.com, tripadvisor.com, vector-magz.com, yelp.com, layout by tammy tseng and peter xu

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Arts & Entertainment 21

Gravity’s a 9.8

‘C’ for Cyrus

Where’s the Panic?

By Peter Chew Staff Writer

By Aamir Rasheed Staff Writer

Bangerz, Miley Cyrus’s new album, is very consistent with the public image she’s been crafting around herself the past few months, whether it be twerking at the MTV Video Music Awards or straddling a wrecking ball in the nude: It’s all about making a bang and not much else.

The album begins with “Adore You,” a slow, R&B style song that demonstrates Cyrus’s impressive vocal range. Track three, “4x4,” is a rhythmic country collaboration with hip-hop artist Nelly that has you tapping your foot along with the beat.

Of course, hit singles “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball,” both have catchy melodies, though their overplaying on the radio detracts from the experience. After the first six tracks, however, there is nothing notable. From “#GETITRIGHT” to “Hands in the Air,” the music digs itself into a monotonous ditch and stays there for the rest of the album.

The bang factor really comes into play in Cyrus’s lyrics. One can almost empathize with Cyrus’s breakup with Liam Hensworth in her heart-wrenching “Wrecking Ball,” but any semblance of depth or meaning evaporates with the hypocrisy of her next track, “Love Money Party,” where she half sings, half raps about the meaninglessness of the three. In “#GETITRIGHT,” she sings “This is the first time I get to see/Things I’ve never seen in my life/You make flowers grow under my bed,” and the listener is left thinking: “Did she really just say that?” Aside from the bang factor, Cyrus frequently defends or expresses her freedom of action and speech, most notably in “We Can’t Stop,” but never in any clever or thought-provoking fashion.

Those who like listening to music simply for rhythm and feeling won’t dislike the album because musically, it’s pretty consistent with much of the pop music scene. But perhaps it is for this reason that others won’t find Cyrus so endearing. In releasing this album, she has crossed over to that hazy area of the music industry built upon glorifying wealth, partying, and women. Perhaps it is for this reason she has garnered so much negative attention from some of her fans; not simply because she sings and performs provocatively, but because it means she has sacrificed her previous image to become another stereotypical pop figure, behaviorally and musically. ▪ Rating: C+

billboard.com

By Vivian Liu Staff Writer

Even from outer space, director Alfonso Cuaron touches each and every one of his audiences in his mesmerizing space thriller Gravity.

What was meant to be a standard operation for Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Mission Specialist Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) takes a turn for the worse when their shuttle Explorer comes under a shower of satellite debris. A routine spacewalk escalates into a catastrophe when Stone and Kowalsky find all hopes of reentering Earth through the Explorer impossible. Together, they make a risky bid to return home through neighboring space stations.

Gravity is straightforward and executed wonderfully, delivering an intense plot without sacrificing any

hdwallpaper.in, impawards.com

depth or emotion. The film never ceases to stir up anticipation with its plot twists. Whether it’s a space fire or a dizzying, untethered space drift, Gravity has us at the edge of our seats the entire movie.

While the premise alone is captivating, Gravity could not have completely sucked in its audience without Bullock’s moving performance.

We cry with her as she attempts to get back to solid ground and smile with her as she continuously overcomes the problems space throws at her. Clooney’s acting was up to par as well and draws the occasional laugh to lighten up the tense atmosphere of the movie.

Given the fact that Gravity is set in outer space, the bar was definitely set high for special effects. Yet, Gravity managed to not only meet but sur-

pass all expectations. With meticulous digital editing, Cuaron enchants us with panoramas of Earth and stuns us with captures of collision aftermath. Gravity also does not neglect audio effects, excellently choosing when to add music for dramatic effect and when to stay true with mute space. With great costume and set design, Cuaron recreates space for all of his audience to enjoy.

A breath of fresh air amongst a monotony of releases, Gravity is a must-watch for all sci-fi lovers.

Whether you are interested in a movie of self-discovery or are simply looking for a gripping adventure that keeps you on your toes, give Gravity a chance, because—to quote Dr. Stone—“either way it’ll be a hell of a ride.” ▪ Rating: A

Don’t ‘C’ Romeo & Juliet

By Katie Sun Staff Writer

Romeo & Juliet is arguably Shakespeare’s most famous play, having been adapted for the screen half a dozen times. Director Carlo Carlei attempts to recreate the story of the two star-crossed lovers from families that bear an ancient grudge that ultimately results in obstacles being pitted against Romeo and Juliet during the entire course of their love.

The movie stays relatively true to the original plot, but the shortened version leaves a lot to be desired.

There are a few major scenes taken word for word from the original play, but this results in some content loss elsewhere. This Romeo & Juliet’s language is the only one out of the three famous versions (Franco Zeffirelli’s, 1968, Baz Luhrmann’s, 1996 and Carlei’s, 2013) that deviates at all from the play. The modern interpretation dries out Shakespeare’s poetry, mangling and streamlining much of the traditional language. Lines are some-

times short and choppy, littered with telltale phrases that clarify the events for those who don’t understand even the simplified language.

Romeo (Douglas Booth) and Juliet (Hailee Steinfield) display no chemistry whatsoever. The acting is mediocre; the lines sound rushed and recited, with none of the desperate, romantic passion that Shakespeare intended. Steinfield’s performance is lackluster, failing in the delivery of innocence and flushed excitement at first love. It is Friar Lawrence, however, who steals the show with his wry comments that relay almost exactly what the audience is thinking. Paul Giamatti delivers an inspired performance as the humorous but shrewd priest who champions the lovers’ affair.

Unlike Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet, Carlei’s version is more conservative, omitting the nude scenes and instead cramming every available moment with countless kisses. Luhrmann’s film of the play, set in contemporary

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Miami, does differ most in the conditions surrounding the play (scenery, situation, the trading of swords for guns) but stays true to plot and language. Actors Claire Dane and Leonardo DiCaprio are noticeably more fervent and despairing. Although the film attempts to copy the silken opulence of Zeffirelli’s version, the only successes for this entire production were the soundtrack and the set. The movie is filmed in different romantic and stunning locations in Italy, with elaborate costumes and an extravagant production design. The score swirls around the theater with each momentous scene, trumpeting the emotions of the characters.

For those who have never read the play itself and have not seen or become attached to another adaptation, this Romeo & Juliet may prove satisfactory. But for anyone who has read the play or watched a previous version, this film passes for less than mediocre. ▪ Rating: C-

Panic! At The Disco might have been considered an emo rock band at the time of their debut in 2005, but in actuality their constant exploration in style has made their true genre a bit hard to pin down and their albums a breath of fresh air every time. Their newest album Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die is no exception. Here, the band experiments in more electronic sound, departing from their traditional instrument setup in favor of synthesized leads and modulated vocals.

This is immediately apparent in the opening “This Is Gospel”, where the sound starts muted but immediately builds up to the energy that is characteristic of Panic! At The Disco. The album’s featured single “Miss Jackson” immediately follows, straying far from past works with fast paced hip-hop inspired vibes.

However, the attempt blends beautifully with their emo rock roots.

An awkward hiccup occurs at “Girl That You Love”, which slows the beginning buildup to a stagger and is comparatively sparse in lyrics.

Fortunately, the middle of the album picks up and cruises with “Nicotine” and “Girls/Girls/Boys”. What is different here is the gritty synthesizers that drive the choruses instead of guitar chords, but they complement the vocals instead of drowning them out. A few motifs recalling 80’s electro pop as well as indie bands Arcade Fire and The National are delightfully incorporated into the beginning of tracks, but Panic! At the Disco maintains their identity with passionate, shameless delivery of lyrics and a driving beat that rarely falters. Each song establishes itself with a strong identity, which means the action is not likely to get old.

Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die may be a strong contender, but the band’s foray into modern pop ultimately fails to innovate in the same way as their brilliant 2008 album Pretty. Odd., which truly brought something new in every track. Some of the loops also suffer from slight repetitiveness within a song. The album itself is a fun excursion from the band’s previous styles; the tracks offered to listeners are easily accessible to a wide audience because of variety and intelligence. For anyone interested in giving Panic! At the Disco a try, this album is a definitely a good start. ▪ Rating: B

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Smoke Signal

Key: Fantasy Detective Action Comedy

Fall TV

By Hanson Wang & Rebecca Wu Staff Writers

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Arts & Entertainment 23

It’s fall, and that means the start of a brand new TV season! For those of you still recovering from the finales of your favorite shows, there are plenty of options on TV that you can attach yourselves to. From comedies to dramas to superheroes, there’s a show for anyone’s tastes. And to help you guys out, the Smoke Signal has outlined some shows that will make you feel like you haven’t missed a single beat! Some of them are rookies, making their premieres this year, while others are schooled veterans with solid ratings. Keep your eye out for these TV shows.

ARROW (Season 2 premiered October 2 on The CW)

Grimm

Arrow is based on the DC Comics' fictional superhero Green Arrow. The show follows billionaire playboy Oliver Queen who lives in Starling City. After being stranded on an island for five years as a result of a shipwreck that claimed the life of every other passenger, Oliver Queen returns to Starling City and becomes a secret vigilante, hoping to fight the crimes of society and to restore his city to its former glory.

(Season 3 returns October 25 on NBC) Inspired by the classic Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales, Grimm is a police cop drama focused on detective Nick Burkhardt, a descendant of the Grimm family. He discovers that his family's duty is to kill off the evil supernatural creatures of the world and finds himself at odds trying to protect this secret from his detective partner and fiancee while balancing his jobs as a cop and a Grimm. His world view is turned around, even more so when he finds his mother again --also a Grimm--whom he thought had died twenty years ago.

Once Upon a Time In Wonderland (Season 1 premiered October 10 on ABC)

A spin-off of the original Once Upon a Time, the show is set in Victorian London and follows a young woman named Alice who talks about a strange land that exists beyond the rabbit hole. Her doctors are sure that she is insane and plan to give her a treatment that will make her forget everything, but Alice is sure that her world is real and is saved just in time by the Knave of Hearts and the White Rabbit from her fate.

Elementary (Season 2 premiered September 27 on CBS) Like Sherlock, Elementary is another spin-off of the classic tales of Sherlock Holmes. But beware, this show is full of twists. Some include a female Dr. Watson and Irene Adler, Sherlock's past love, as Moriarty, his nemesis. But the main idea stays the same: Sherlock Holmes kicks criminals' butts.

Atlantis

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

(Season 1 premiered September 28 on BBC One) Written by the creators of Misfits and Merlin, Atlantis is a new show sure to capture the hearts of anyone still heartbroken over Merlin and King Arthur from last year. The show is set in modern time, and the main character Jason finds himself in Atlantis after his submarine is sucked in by a violent vortex in the middle of the sea. Atlantis follows Jason as he fights against dragons and other monsters from Greek mythology in the vast palaces of Atlantis.

(Season 1 premiered September 17 on FOX) This new show will be sure to excite fans of The Office, since it follows the storyline and the mismatched, diverse personalities of the workplace. Starring Andy Samberg as Detective Jake Peralta, this comedy follows Peralta and his detective colleagues as they try to adapt to their strict new captain. Peralta also has a rivalry with another detective to see who can rack up the most arrests.

glenwj.wordpress.com, paschalhs.org, clipartguide.com, sweetclipart.com, mamapop.com, freepressseries.co.uk, comicvine.com, horrornews.net, zap2it.com, fox.com, eonline.com

The Smoke Signal has another pair of free tickets to give away! Want to see Hoodie Allen perform at the Warfield in SF on November 2? Like our Facebook page and follow the directions from there!

Fall Play Preview:

Alice in Wonderland

By Purvi Goel Staff Writer

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass is a story that stretches imagination and revels in pure fun, ready to plunge the audience back into the mysteries of childhood. The play will run from November 8 to November 16 in the Mission San Jose Little Theater with tickets for sale now online.

In the play, Alice journeys with the White Rabbit into Wonderland and meets strange, unique characters such as Humpty Dumpty, the Queen of Hearts, and the Cheshire Cat. The production mashes two popular children’s stories together, creating a lively environment with unexpected interactions and a dash of good fun. Heroes from both books must work and connect, creating an Avengers-esque version of tales we relished as children.

Production began several months ago. Drama teacher Tanya Roundy processed applications to put together a talented production crew at the end of the 2012-13 school year.

Over the summer, they met to discuss new ideas, concepts, and surprises they wanted to see in this year’s fall production. The crew adjusted well to the massive scale of the project, holding auditions at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year; ironing out the technical kinks involved in concocting new surprises; and planning the painting, costumes, and posters that set the play apart. “It certainly keeps us busy, but it’s fun too!” Roundy says. As the event draws closer, the cast and crew are settling into a period of rehearsals and advertising, keeping everything running smoothly right up to the finish.

The play is loosely based on Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll, intended to be a sequel to the classic Alice in Wonderland.

It inspired a live-action film and heavily influenced several adaptations of Alice in Wonderland in the past century, including the famous 1951

Disney movie and, more recently, director Tim Burton’s 2010 vision for the movie, starring actors Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, and Mia Wasikowska. Notable stage productions include the 1980’s Alice in Concert, starring actress Meryl Streep in the titular role of Alice.

This MSJ event, however, promises to bring something completely new to the table. Roundy and the production crew have explored the historical concepts that inspired much of the symbolism and ideas within the play, but have ultimately stressed the importance of using imagination and creativity as tools for inspiration. With new modern twists, technological bounds, and an exciting take on the play’s contextual history, this event is sure to break new ground in MSJ theater.

The vision for this production is to keep the audience on their toes, and take viewers to a new, fantastic world that explores the imagination that so characterizes childhood. Roundy encouraged the cast and crew to follow this mentality when planning and rehearsing. “[It’s centered around] the idea of imagination and having fun,” Roundy says. “We grow up so quickly and forget to just have fun and be silly sometimes. Alice sees the world through a child’s eyes and [experiences] the craziness [of] the adult world…The [students] are taking off with just playing and being kids again, using their imaginations to create a most wonderful show.” ▪ Tickets can be purchased at showtix4u.com for $10 for general adult admission and $8 for children/UP members. The show will be playing at 7:00 PM on 11/8, 11/9, 11/15, and 11/16; doors open at 6:30 PM. photos taken by staff writer katrina cherk

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Smoke Signal

By Leah Feuerman & Ishan Goyal Sports Editors

high risk high reward As the game clock winds down, the

coach furiously encourages his players to put their last drops of energy into their legs and give it their all to clinch the team a victory. Pumped up and determined to win, the players step onto the court, already envisioning themselves holding the trophy. Seconds later, number 17 is sprawled on the ground and the teams trainer and several physicians must rush to his side to evaluate the damage.

After seeing its star player get carried out of the arena, the audience later finds out that he has a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will be out for up to a year. Although this injury may not be detrimental to the team’s success because they can always bring up new players, the incident will have a lasting and potentially devastating effect on the player’s career.

Although it is a very elegant game, basketball is prone to some of the most ghastly athlete injuries. This past year, Louisville’s Kevin Ware’s bones snapped when he awkwardly landed on the floor in an NCAA tournament game. Months later, Lakers star player Kobe Bryant was sidelined for up to nine months after tragically tearing his Achilles tendon in an effort to secure his team a playoff spot.

These injuries aren’t specific to college and professional sports, rather they are perva-

sive and occur at the high school level. MSJ athletes always face the risk of overexerting themselves and possibly ruining their season.

They must remain wary of tearing a muscle in the last sprint of a race or getting a concussion while going for a layup. At the end of the day, these athletes are put in an awkward “high risk high reward” situation where they must place themselves in a position of vulner-

edition.cnn.com

Los Angeles star Kobe Bryant suffering a gruesome achilles tendon tear during the final games of the season.

ability to be beneficial to the team and bring home the “W”.

In an attempt to lower the rate of injuries, both the NCAA and the NFL have drafted several new rules for this season. One of the major changes in college football is the additional ejection along with the standard 15yard penalty that comes with a player targeting and contacting defenseless opponents.

The NFL similarly has prohibited both runners and tacklers from initiating contact with the crown of their helmet outside the tackle box in an attempt to limit unnecessary roughness. For added safety, even the seemingly safe kickers and punters will be required to wear

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pads. Even though the league intends to better the game with these modifications, controversy quickly arose. Big 12 college football conference coordinator Walt Anderson said in an interview with Sports Illustrated, “There are going to be contacts to the helmet that are going to be a natural and normal part of football.” Similar to the players, the league is also placed in an awkward predicament, where on one side it needs to protect the athletes while on the other it must maintain the vitality and intensity of the sport.

Research by the University of Rochester Medical Center indicates that about 3.5 million injuries occur to the 30 million youth playing recreational sports. A shocking study in 2009 by the University of Michigan indicated that NFL players over 50 were diagnosed with dementia at a rate five times the national average. The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine reported tendonitis and muscle tears a reoccurring problem for professional basketball players. These astounding figures raise the question of why athletes would even bother playing professionally when they place themselves at this much risk.

The answer is seemingly simple. All monetary incentives aside, the high risk high reward associated with the effort they put into their profession makes their investment worthwhile. The opportunity cost of playing professionally and excessively exerting oneself is justified by the chance of being revered by millions of fans. Players are almost signing an implicit contract saying that they understand the risks associated with listening to

Sports 25

the coach when he tells them to push themselves. The coach cannot be blamed for creating a rigorous game plan; the players cannot be blamed for driving themselves to their limits. The league is not at fault for not having strict regulations nor are the fans, whose expectations must be satiated. Sports injuries are just an inherent part of athletics and despite the precautions that leagues may try to take, they will always occur. The new football regulations will definitely lower unnecessary roughness but at what expense of audience entertainment? Having chosen the high risk side of professional athletics, the players must hope that their efforts allow them to seize the glorified high reward. ▪

MSJ’s International Badminton Players

By Tiffany Huang Staff Writer

Anna Tang Athlete Biography

By Tanvi Raja Staff Writer doubles, one of her most notable achievements to date. Recently, Tang took home first place in the 2013 Junior International Trials, which allowed her to continue to the Pan American Championships in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Athlete Interviews

This year, Seniors Ryan Liu and Kevin From July 21 to July 28, 2013, Junior Chan overcame fierce competition to qualify Anna Tang competed in the Pan American for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Junior Badminton Championship in Puerto World Junior Championships in Bangkok, Vallarta, Mexico as a member of Team USA, playing against some of the top junior badminton players from around the world. Tang finished as a semifinalist in the Under 19 Doubles event and took home a bronze medal in the Team event.

This notable accomplishment was not achieved without a considerable investment of both dedication and perseverance on Tang’s part. Tang’s interest in badminton was sparked at the age of seven when her father, an avid badminton player, introduced her to the sport. She subsequently started training with Coach Xiaomu Liu at San Mateo, then relocated to the United Badminton Club in Fremont where she follows a strict training regimen two hours a day five days a week.

Tang’s determination to become one of sports editor ishan goyal the best quickly allowed her to establish From left to right, Senior Ryan Liu, Junior Anna Tang, and Senior Kevin Chan herself as one of the highest ranking junior badminton players in the nation.

Thailand from October 27 to November 2, Since her introduction to badminton, she Now, Tang aims to place in the top four representing the USA. The Smoke Signal rehas competed regularly in major badminton girls in the Junior International Trials in De- cently had a chance to speak with them about championships around the world, garnering cember in order to represent Team USA in their badminton journeys and goals. medals in both national and international the team event in the 2014 Pan American competitions. Tang has consistently placed Junior Championship. Tang will also be comin the top five in tournaments such as the peting as part of Team USA in the BadminNorcal Regional Junior Badminton Tourna- ton World Federation (BWF) World Junior ment and the USA Badminton Junior Na- Championships at Bangkok, Thailand from Smoke Signal: How did you start playing tional Championship, an event held annually October 23 to November 3. badminton? to “crown the best badminton players in the “Being able to represent my country in Ryan Liu: I started playing badminton at the United States.” Most recently, she took home major competitions is one of the most re- start of 5th grade, so I have been playing for second place in the Mixed Doubles event in warding parts of playing badminton,” said seven years now. At first I just thought that the 2013 USA Badminton Junior National Tang. “Playing badminton not only helped the sport was interesting, but after actually Championship. me meet many other badminton players that trying it out I realized that I liked badminton Not only has she seen success at the na- I wouldn’t have met otherwise, but it also much more than I had at first perceived. In tional level, but Tang has also proven to be a serves as a source of motivation to do well.” the beginning I had only played with friends, formidable force on the international level as Tang aspires to improve her badminton skills but soon I started taking private lessons as well. In the summer of 2009, Tang competed and become a better player. Her dedication well, through a coach from the United Badin the Pan American Junior Championships and enthusiasm for badminton have led her minton Club (UBC). Since then I have also in San Juan, Puerto Rico, placing first in Un- to become one of the top competitors in the joined the badminton team there and have der 13 Girl’s Singles and Under 13 Mixed United States. ▪ also stuck with UBC all the way up until now.

Ryan Liu

SS: Where and how often do you train?

RL: I used to play badminton five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday, two hours every day, but in recent years I have not had as much time as I had back then. Now I only train three days a week on Friday to Sunday, two hours each day.

SS: What events will you be competing in?

RL: At Thailand I will be playing men’s doubles with Roberto Zeng, a senior at Milpitas High School. We have been playing together for about five years.

SS: What are you looking forward to at the World Junior Championships?

RL: I’m looking forward to the experience, as this is my first tournament ever that I will play against countries from around the world, not just restricted to the Western Hemisphere. Since I have to skip school for this, I won’t really have time to sightsee.

Kevin Chan Smoke Signal: How did you start playing badminton?

Kevin Chan: I started somewhere in the beginning of 2007 in a summer camp and I liked playing so I decided to pursue the sport and eventually got into competitive playing.

SS: Where and how often do you train?

KC: I currently train at a place called California Badminton Academy (CBA). I try to train three times a week for two hours each.

SS: What events will you be competing in?

KC: I’m competing in the team event. It’s singles, doubles, and mixed, but for the individual event, I’m playing mixed doubles.

SS: What are you looking forward to at the World Junior Championships?

KC: I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of new people and visiting Thailand. It’ll be both a vacation and competitive experience. I also look forward to bonding with my teammates and experiencing a whole new level of competition. ▪

26 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Smoke Signal

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Sports 27

The Rise of eSports

By Peter Qiu & Kevin Chen Staff Writers Electronic sports, commonly referred to as eSports, have come a long way since the first recorded video game competition.

Recently, League of Legends was recognized as an official sport by the US government, marking it a milestone in professional gaming acceptance. Amid continuing acclaim and adoration from a global fan base, it’s worth the time to understand the intricacies of eSports and their role at MSJ. According to Marcus “DJWheat” Graham, an eSports commentator, the steadily growing interest in gaming has been due to several factors all lining up at the same time. One of these factors is the rise of live streaming websites. Websites such as www.twitch.tv offer live streaming, where players can directly broadcast footage from their computers to viewers. Similar to what TV broadcasting has done for NBA games, live streaming websites allow fans from all over the world to watch competitions in real time.

Today, gaming competitions have become international entertainment; from Asia’s World Cyber Games (WCG) to North America’s Major League Gaming (MLG), professional leagues have formed to organize numerous events and tournaments. Tournaments showcase the best players in the world for games such as Counter-Strike, Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), League of Legends, Super Smash Bros., Starcraft, and Mortal Kombat. Among the most popular game genres are Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) and Real Time Strategy (RTS), which regularly

draw hundreds it’s no surprise of thousands of that professional viewers. gaming has a With the following here amount of monat MSJ as well. ey being poured George “Zekent” into the gaming Liu, an alumnus industry--$16.6 of MSJ, has even billion in 2011-pursued League talented individof Legends to uals can make a the professional living out of their level. He is curvictories. Profesrently on team sional gamers Curse, one of are true to their North America’s titles; the game premiere teams. is their job. Most When asked of the money about general is concentrated attitude towards in sponsorships and acceptance and tournaments of eSports, he with huge prize said, “I do bepools. At events lieve that eSlike this year’s ports should and League of Legends will be taken ggchronicle.com World Champi- MSJ alumni and League of Legends Professional Gamer George “Zekent” Liu on as seriously as onships, Korea’s his former team 4 Nothing standard sports. winning team, SK Telecom T1, took home It basically comes down to how seriously the $1 million in prize money. In August, Valve community takes itself and how eSports is awarded the Swedish team Alliance $1.4 presented to the general public.” million at a DotA 2 tournament, the largest Aside from League of Legends fans, a large single video game award ever given. While number of other MSJ students enjoy video this is still far from the estimated $3.959 mil- games as well. However, Senior Young Li feels lion salary the Golden State Warriors pay to that the world is not ready for eSports and Stephen Curry, it’s clear that gaming is now echoes some of Zekent’s concerns. “I think the an appreciable portion of today’s industry. problem with eSports right now is that video With a continuously expanding fan base, games aren’t really accepted. Period. You can’t

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really accept eSports until you accept video games as a whole. First of all, it has to be considered an art. Second, it has to be considered a mature medium. And thirdly, it has to be considered a mature competitive activity.”

As gaming increases in popularity at MSJ, a number of issues come to mind. Players must win a considerable amount of matches to increase their rank, and the amount of time spent on the game can add up quickly without notice. While this is not a problem for professional gamers who have dedicated their entire career to the game, students have to learn to manage gaming with their work.

English teacher Christine Gharibian thinks this can be beneficial for students. “I think [gaming] is also a great component because being able to balance schoolwork and things outside of school is important. It is a skill you need to have throughout life. So understanding this balance and working with it is just another great way for students to understand the balance of school and outside of school.”

The impact of eSports on MSJ has yet to be determined as positive or negative. One can argue that a 21st century society requires 21st century entertainment, and another could retort by saying this so called entertainment is just another waste of time. Nevertheless, no one can deny eSports’ meteoric rise in popularity. In an interview with PC Gamer, video game designer Dustin Browder said, “The idea that anything is killing eSports is nuts. eSports is growing out of control. It’s alive and breathing and flying away.” ▪ eswc.com, evo.shoryuken.com, gamespot.com, kotaku.com, na.lolesports.com

MSJ Wins Elmer Brown Award

By Abigail Wong Staff Writer The Elmer Brown Memorial Award of Excellence was presented to MSJ for academic and athletic achievement for the 2012-2013 sports season on October 9th. MSJ Principal Zack Larsen accepted this prestigious award on behalf of the school and its athletics program.

During the award’s presentation, a few of MSJ’s scholastic and athletic achievements were specifically noted. Two MSJ sports teams that were explicitly mentioned were boys’ track and field and badminton. Both teams were named 2012-2013 state academic champions. The badminton team was additionally praised for claiming the North Coast Section title for another consecutive year.

The North Coast Section or the NCS is one of ten sectors of the California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body of high school sports in California, and includes over a hundred and sixty high schools. These are the high schools that MSJ competes with in order to qualify for interstate and national tournaments.

The Elmer Brown Award is an award presented to the school that best encompasses both scholastic excellence and athletic success from the NCS every year. Based on a point system that awards points for each type of accomplishment, the school with the highest number of points wins the award. For the past three school years, MSJ has received this prestigious accolade, maintaining its stellar academic and athletic reputation.

Created in 2008, the award was named after former Santa Rosa High School coach and league commissioner of the NCS, Elmer Brown. Brown passionately believed in the balance of sports and education, reflecting the award’s dual emphasis on scholastic triumph as well as athletic success. Brown also stressed the importance of developing students’ characters and moral standards through challenges faced in both fields, a principle that MSJ strives to uphold.

In order to quantify athletic success, sports teams participating in the fall, winter, and spring seasons are collectively evaluated through a point system. Schools are able to collect points for placing in the top four in their league. For every championship earned, the school is awarded five points; for every second place win, three points, and for third and fourth place, the school is awarded one point each.

MSJ’s past three years in both sports and education have proved to be fruitful: it has been awarded the Elmer Brown Award every year since the 2010–2011 athletics season.

Last year’s victory especially demonstrated MSJ’s overall athletic and academic excellence, beating second place school, San Ramon Valley, by a substantial margin of 23 points.

Principal Zack Larsen envisions a plan to continue MSJ’s success for upcoming year.

“In order to win again, we want to continue to maintain our focus on the playing field and also continue to achieve at high levels in the classroom, while maintaining a balance between sports and academics.”

As MSJ’s fall sport teams battle through the early stages of the 2013-2014 MVAL season, MSJ continues to sustain its lasting legacy of exceptional athletic and scholastic caliber. ▪

staff writer abigail wong

Principal Zack Larsen (left) accepts the Elmer Brown Award on behalf of MSJ.

28 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Friday,October 25, 2013

Homecoming game 2013: MSj vs American

By Ishan Goyal & Sanjay Sreekumar Sports Editor & Opinion Editor

As the sun began to set and the moon illuminated the bright faces of the crowd, fans slowly poured into Tak Fundenna Stadium to cheer on MSJ football. The glistening turf and the pumped up players promised an unforgettable night of action.

On October 19th, MSJ played American High School in its annual homecoming game. The matchup pitted two teams that had started off their seasons in two wildly different fashions. MSJ had a record of 1-6 overall with four losses in league play while American had a record of 5-2 with two wins and a single loss in league play.

The game sadly turned into a route against MSJ, but the Warriors showed heart playing through rough circumstances such as the various injuries that marred the roster.

American got off to a great start, scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter alone. The barrage started with a three and out by MSJ’s offense, which was forced to punt the ball from deep in its own territory.

After getting great field position, American broke off on a 40 yard run against the Warriors’ defense and soon scored. MSJ offense could not help out its defense, which seemed to be struggling against the speed of American’s players. American exclusively ran the ball, and unfortunately, the Warriors had no answer for the power running game.

MSJ did however excel in marking the American receivers and preventing most of the Eagle quarterback’s throw attempts. Punting was a big issue early on, as some of the punts seemed to slip from the punter’s hand.

In one instance, an MSJ punt was almost blocked, mainly due to poor coordination with the kicker and his line of protection.

Despite facing an early deficit, the team kept its spirits up and the crowd refused to quit their enthusiasm. As the offense started to move the chains late in the second quarter, the crowd started to chant slogans, trying to rally a come back attempt. When MSJ running back Senior Ben Torrez broke the Eagle de-

fense for a 15 yard sprint, the stands roared in approval, giving energy to a game that was turning ugly fast. With a 27-0 score favoring the Eagles at halftime, the Warriors poised themselves to make a potential comeback.

After the elegant homecoming court processions, the game resumed and the men returned for another half of football. The American offense quickly pulled the trigger, adding yet another touchdown to their count in a matter of minutes. MSJ did however reply with an impressive 30-yard reception

by Junior Deion Sirwet, but failed to capitalize on this play by soon turning over the ball in a 4th down conversion attempt. The Warriors were not able to spark their of-

fense after this play, often turning the ball over in downs or throwing interceptions.

Countless fumbles, poor drives, and miscommunication in general by the Warrior offense stymied them from scoring at all.

Over the course of the game, it seemed that the Eagle defense had a reply to every move the Warrior offense made. Despite their countless attempts, the running backs

were never able to make significant gains and a red and blue jersey always marked the receivers. Unlike the first half, the Warriors were able to tighten up their defense and only relinquished two touchdowns in the last two quarters. Although the crowd desperately wanted to see their Warriors on the board, the game sadly ended at 41-0 favoring the Eagles.

Even though the Eagles were evidently outplaying the Warriors throughout the game, they maintained a positive attitude. For a team whose roster had recently lost two major seniors, Ryan Walleman and Sachin Zutshi, the Warriors maintained a great sense of spirit and determination. Similar to the players, the crowd never quit cheering and always stood up and chanted along with the cheerleaders. After the disappointing loss, team captain Walleman said, “We had the people in the right positions, but we were just out hustled and out played.” He continued on a more positive note. “Going forward, we will and be anresilient everlasting throughout the have a young teamfeeling that doesn’t years.

▪ quit and that is learning to walk before it can learn to run.” The team captain’s confidence reflected his teammates love for the game and the team’s motto, “trust the process.”

Despite the days performance, Walleman concluded that, “One day, it will be better.”

Warrior coach, Sam Baugh couldn’t agree with his captain more. After the game, Baugh said, “Our team is young with five sophomores and seven first-timers and other teams have a huge experience gap over us. Every game though, we take a step to bridge this gap and taking the small successes we find in the tapes, we slowly improve.” With this positive resolve, Coach Baugh looks to end the season strong and knows that the Warriors will soon be a force to be reckoned with.

As the night came to an end and the scoreboard flared a daunting 41-0 score in favor of the Eagles, the Warriors were hardly demotivated and were rather looking forward to another year of improvement. It is safe to say that the process can be trusted. ▪

layout by sports editors leah feuerman & ishan goyal, photos by staff writers jacinta chang & apoorva rajanala