Volume LX, No. 6

SMOKE SIGNAL THE

By the numbers integration of ai into msj

By

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in the last decade, AI has expanded into various fields. In particular, AI has transformed the educational sector for both students and instructors. To gain insight into the extent of AI’s influence at MSJ and explore its benefits and drawbacks, the Smoke Signal conducted a school-wide survey with 175 student responses over February 1-7 and interviewed faculty regarding this topic.

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of AI has surged over the past decade, fueled by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent shift to virtual learning environments during distance learning. Since then, AI has been used to personalize student instruction, automate and streamline administrative tasks, manage online classrooms, grade homework, and analyze student learning data.

More recently, the advance of generative AI with platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini has exposed such technological tools to a broader audience of students and teachers, opening new avenues for the use of AI in education. Brainstorming ideas, completing homework assignments, writing essays, creating assignments — all can be completed instantly with a simple command. A 2024 survey by Internet Matters proved that 44% of K-12 students use generative AI tools, with the majority of them applying it to homework. Another 2024 report by the Center for Democracy & Technology found that 59% of teachers believed at least one of their students used generative AI for school. However, not just students rely on AI — generative AI tools that assist teachers with lessons pervade the industry. From AI-enhanced question writing and correction on platforms like Quizziz to building presentations using AI on Slidesgo, this tool can be extremely helpful indeed for teachers.

The schoolwide survey found that students use AI for a number of reasons, including homework assistance, studying for tests multiple times a week, summarizing texts, and write and edit essays. All in all, the pervasive nature of AI is proven by both the statistics and the clear global social movement currently happening, even on the most local level, namely within MSJ.

TYPES OF AI USED

As students and teachers have become more accustomed to using AI in their everyday learning and teaching, many new applications of AI for education are constantly being developed. The most significant innovation in the field is AI-powered chatbots utilizing generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) models like ChatGPT and Gemini, which assist students with everything from learning to doing student work. The transformer architecture, pre-trained on the internet, generates human-like text for various applications at a user’s request. Furthermore, paraphrasing AIs such as QuillBot and Apple Intelligence focus on making textual and stylistic modifications and can be used to bypass AI or plagiarism detectors. This concept of bypassing AI detectors is taken further with AI humanizers, designed to bypass AI detectors by making the writing sound more human. However, there is also AI designed to help students learn without doing the work for them. Quizlet, Khan Academy, and Knowt assist with exam preparation using flashcards and chatbots.

STUDENT & TEACHER USE OF AI AT MSJ

Each of the 175 MSJ students surveyed were asked which AI tools they use, how frequently they use AI, the e ect AI has on their study habits, and their opinions on the ethics of using AI. Of the students surveyed, 47.1% admitted to using AI at least a few times a week, 60% of which use the tool for homework assistance. The survey reveals how widespread AI has become, with the majority of surveyed students having compromised their academic integrity in this manner. “I think AI has decreased my ability to critically think but now that I have no critical thinking skills, I have to keep using AI for critical thinking assignments,” one student said. However, justifications can be made that many MSJ students seem to agree with. “A core issue at MSJ is teachers assigning busy work that does not help with learning whatsoever. For these kinds of assignments, AI is incredibly helpful to complete [these assignments] quickly and make time for more important pursuits,” another survey respondent said.

However, AI hasn’t just infiltrated students’ academic landscape, but also teachers’. In a 2024 Center for Democracy & Technology report, about 83% of public K-12 teachers admitted to using AI in 2024, a 32% point increase from last school year. This can be explained by the adaptive nature of AI programs that help teachers align students with their respective learning styles rather than putting all students within one classroom and one style. Even some MSJ educators have embraced the emergence of AI. “It [AI] has been really useful to write wrong answers when I’m making up tests. I know what the question should be; I know what the right answer should be, but trying to come up with feasible wrong answers? That’s hard,” AP Psychology Teacher and Yearbook Adviser Rachel Tevlin said.

Teachers within MSJ have even begun implementing AI in classrooms, but with due caution. “I think that it is a reflection of the reality that students are going to walk into, that AI does exist in the world, and that when they are doing a job, they can use it as a way to help support whatever their end product,” Social Studies Teacher Keith Kottenbach said. This semester, Kottenbach has decided to make an extreme change in his grading procedure, using ChatGPT to grade his AP World History students’ written tests. He emphasized using only state-of-the-art models and spending hours crafting prompts for accurate grading. He said AI has allowed him to give better feedback, reduce return times, and make grading fair.

Yet, the contentious nature of corrupting the powers of AI are still evident at MSJ, with some teachers feeling the adverse e ects of AI on student work. English teachers have shown a noticeable movement towards handwritten, in-class essays. “That really cuts out the process of editing … It’s the editing process that puts those words in a more understandable, enlightening manner, which develops critical thinking. So if you’re cognitively o oading that aspect of the assignment [to AI], you’re really o oading your entire thinking process,” English Teacher Brian Rath said.

“[AI] is an advertisement, which is getting to a market that usually isn’t accessible, which is education and teachers. If you can get teachers to adopt AI, you can create consumers of AI that have become reliant on it at a young age, using it as a crutch.”

— AP English Literature and Composition Teacher Brian Rath

“I think it [AI] is a dichotomy. I think that it both improves learning and limits it ... One of the things I’ve seen is a lot of students when they don’t know something, they’ll ask ChatGPT ... On the other hand, sometimes teachers do not explain things well — AP Psychology and Yearbook Teacher Rachel Tevlin

ETHICS OF AI USAGE

AI is a valuable tool, but many questions arise regarding its ethics, especially in educational settings. There is still ambiguity about where AI platforms source their information. Generative AI companies have admitted to using databases filled with copyrighted work, often without the creator’s permission, to train the AI algorithm. Another problem AI faces is that it usually generates plausible yet false information, such as fake quotes and statistics, known as hallucinations. Furthermore, there are environmental concerns due to the energy consumption of data centers that power AI systems. AI has been reported to cause significantly higher carbon emissions, water usage, and generation of electronic waste. These platforms also require tens of thousands of state-of-the-art graphical processing units that require rare-earth elements to build hardware, which have negative impacts such as soil erosion and pollution. As for academia, many teachers have raised apprehensions about how using AI decreases students’ abilities to learn and think for themselves. In a 2017 paper, Google Brain published “Attention is All You Need.” This paper introduced a new way for large language models (LLMs) to process language by focusing on how every word in a prompt relates to each other rather than just looking at words in isolation. Known as the transformer model, this became a significant stepping point in AI. It made it practical enough for students to consider it a quick and easy solution to ease the burden of laborious schoolwork.

Some types of AI, like AI Humanizer, are designed to help students cheat the system and bypass AI detectors. The companies that make these products often produce social media ads targeted to high school and university students. However, other AI platforms, like Khan Academy, are designed to aid students by providing tools such as studying bots, which can e ectively summarize and teach concepts to students. While some types of AI help students learn better, they don’t o set the other issues. Reading comprehension levels, especially in the U.S., have steadily declined, with some researchers attributing this to LLMs. EDUCAUSE Review states that AI could affect students’ social development, diminishing human interaction and causing a loss of social skills. Furthermore, due to hallucination problems, it is critical to fact-check AI using reliable sources. While AI has the potential to assist students in reaching their full potential, it still has implications that could very easily cross an ethical line if not closely monitored.

CONCLUSION

While AI is already ubiquitous within the education industry, its influence is projected to increase rapidly in the coming years. According to AIPRM, the market value for AI in education was $2.5 billion in 2022, and in the past three years, it has increased to $6 billion, with models predicting it will reach $88.2 billion by 2032. The rapidly growing market for AI means it will only become more relevant as time passes, making it more important to understand the benefits and drawbacks to students and teachers using AI. As the Internet becomes increasingly saturated with misinformation, students should remember that online sources always have possible biases, so it is essential to confirm sources when researching AI. Ultimately, students should be suspicious of the creeping influence of AI, keeping in mind both its benefits and the negative e ects that using these programs could have.

Roshan Annamalai, Kanupriya Goyal, Scarlett Huang & Rishab Shah Staf Writers

Fremont hosts its frst Community Lunar New Year Festival

Fremont welcomes a vibrant new year with its frst annual Lunar New Year Festival

By Michelle Qu & Fiona Yang Sta Writers

Fremont celebrates the time-honored holiday of Lunar New Year as the frst annual Fremont Community Lunar New Year Festival is held at San Francisco Bay University. At 2-5 p.m. on February 1, the organization Bay Area HongKonger Community Center featured performances from diverse Asian backgrounds such as Shaolin Kung Fu, Hong Kong singing, Vietnamese music, and traditional South Korean fan dance. Held three days after Lunar New Year, the festival gave attendees a taste of the bustling atmosphere of traditional Asian celebrations.

Upon arrival, attendees were greeted by the aroma of milk tea wafting from a nearby stand selling Asian delicacies. The Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation, a nonproft booth gathering support for the Los Angeles wildfres, collected donations near the entrance of the building. All around the room, people were

dressed in Chinese qipao, Korean hanbok, and Vietnamese áo dài, creating a vibrant picture of reds and golds. A long string of stalls lined the wall near the entrance, including booths for Fremont Bank and Alondra Home Care. Many booths sold artistic items like keychain charms and handmade paintings. Several booths also sold attire for Lunar New Year, such as the Northern California Hanfu Association selling jewelry and Chinese hairpins. “One of the [goals] of our association is to spread Chinese culture,” Northern California Hanfu Association member Emily Li said.

In his opening speech, event organizer Alex Woo introduced the extensive array of the afternoon’s activities. Following Woo’s speech, former Fremont mayor Lily Mei, Fremont mayor Raj Salwan, and Fremont Planning Commission representative Benjamin Yee applauded the city’s distinct Asian cultures and

wished the audience a happy Lunar New Year. “[We hope attendees] will share the joy [of] the different ethnic groups. The diversity of the US, particularly in Fremont, is so wide … We try to have people to not just perform but also have cultural booths so [attendees can] spend time to see … what different ethnic groups are showing,” Woo said.

Featuring a packed three-hour program, the event showcased the arts of many Asian cultures. The frst performers to take the stage were Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu. Dressed in traditional lion costumes, performers stomped and danced energetically on the stage, engaging the lively audience with smiles and cheer. Young children and teenagers demonstrated their martial arts skills to the powerful beats of Chinese music. In one segment, each performer had a solo with unique Kung Fu weapons, as faux sabers and whips

cracked through the air. To close off their act, seven students each held up support sticks for a long, fowing dragon, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience. “We just want to show all the kids and people around us what Kung Fu is and how it can be integrated into our community,” Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu member and performer Kanik Kaur said.

Other performances included two main singing acts such as a ffteen-minute solo of Cantopop by Alan from the band Midnight Vanette and Vietnamese traditional singing from the VietAm Co-op Committee. On the stage, women donning hanbok — a traditional South Korean clothing worn for celebratory events and made of fne, colorful silk — gracefully danced with paper fans. The event introduced many people to the traditions and fne arts of traditions and fne arts of Asian cultures around the world. “I heard about [this event] from the celebration last year at Fremont Center … I think [this festival] is terrifc … I love the music and the presentations, especially the booths,” attendee Sandra Moore said. ▪

Compiled by Angelina Chen, Alex Duan, Janet Guan & Emily Zhang Sta Writers

QUIRKY

Reeger/AP

Groundhog Day says goodbye to the possibility of earlier spring

On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil, the global groundhog star of Groundhog Day, saw his shadow in front of a crowd of over 40,000 eager spectators. According to the traditions of Groundhog Day, if Phil sees his shadow, then winter will last for another six weeks; otherwise, spring will arrive soon. From Phil’s prediction, it seems that the warm season will have to wait for now. While historical comparisons have found Groundhog Day predictions to be accurate only 40% of the time, the annual tradition has nevertheless persisted and motivated some to prepare for upcoming changes in weather. Only the next few weeks will tell if Phil’s forecast truly holds. (see page 8 for the Smoke Signal’s take on Phil’s day)

One of the deadliest crashes in US aviation history

A tragic midair collision between an American Airlines fight and a military Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River claimed 67 lives, leaving grieving families and a community in shock. The crash triggered an intense rescue and recovery effort, with divers battling near-zero visibility, sharp debris, and icy waters to retrieve victims. Crews are now using heavy salvage equipment to access the submerged wreckage, with operations expected to continue for days. As frst responders push through exhaustion and emotional toll, mental health support has been mobilized. The National Transportation Safety Board will begin its investigation once recovery efforts conclude, vowing to uncover the cause of the disaster.

LOCAL

AOC’s former chief of sta les to run against Nancy Pelosi

On February 5, Saikat Chakrabarti, former chief of staff for congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), announced that he would be running in a primary election against former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the current representative in the House of Representatives for San Francisco and its surrounding districts. Chakrabarti criticizes Pelosi’s lack of adaptation to changing political dynamics and highlights how, if reelected, Pelosi would be serving her 21st term in Congress at the age of 84. Chakrabarti is providing further announcements through his X account and is asking for fundraising and support.

Argentina exits World Health Organization over sovereignty concerns Argentina is pulling out of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations agency responsible for coordinating international responses to pandemics, diseases, and health crises and generally maintaining global public health, due to sovereignty concerns and criticism of its coronavirus response, echoing US President Donald Trump’s move of pulling out the WHO last month. Presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, stated during a press conference on February 5 that the decision aims to prevent international interference in national health policies. Adorni assured the exit won’t affect health funding but will actually grant greater fexibility in policymaking regarding public health in Argentina.

Booths lining the entrance sold traditional, handmade items such as bracelets and hairpins.

Performers from the Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu dressed in traditional clothes perform the dragon dance.

PHOTOS

Barry

Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow and sees his shadow.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Saikat Chakrabarti announced his candidacy for US Congress, challenging Nancy Pelosi.

Petty Of cer 1st Class Brandon Giles/US Coast Guard/Getty national American Airlines ight and a military Black Hawk helicopter collide over the Potomac River.

Alex Brandon/AP

Argentina President Javier Milei withdraws the country from WHO, mirroring Trump’s move.

Members of the VietAm Co-op Committee perform traditional Vietnamese dance and songs.

MSJ Model United Nations continues win streak at second-largest conference in West Coast

By Vikram Mahajan & Alice Zhao Sta Writer & Web Editor

Close to a thousand high school delegates from around the globe gathered at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose on January 31-February 1. The diverse group of participants included ten delegates from MSJ Model United Nations (MUN), competing at the 54th iteration of the Santa Clara Valley Model United Nations (SCVMUN) conference, the second-oldest and second-largest MUN conference on the West Coast. Delegates served on six different committees, representing multiple countries and organizations as they sought to address real-life global issues ranging from homelessness in the Bay Area to the environmental consequences of genetic modification.

At its core, MUN is a form of political roleplay that provides a glimpse into the functions and purpose of the real-life United Nations. Delegates — individually or with a partner — address pressing global issues as they take on

the roles of influential stakeholders. The issues addressed may be contemporary, historical, or even fictional, allowing delegates to explore a range of topics and interests.

Due to the prestige and long-standing history of SCVMUN, participants prepared with particular diligence. Delegates were required to submit a two to seven-page position paper detailing the history of their committee’s chosen topic, their country’s stance on the issue, and their proposed solution to the problem. While most participants prepared simply by writing and researching for their position papers, MSJ delegates also discussed proposed solutions with peers and sought insight and advice from the officers.

“I’ve always been interested in things like global issues and international advocacy ... So far, it’s been a great and enlightening experience, and I’ve gotten to meet so many other students like myself.”

— Freshman Sophia Doan

The conference facilitated two days of debate and collaboration with delegations as close to home as Fremont and as far as Italy. During speeches in moderated caucuses, delegates spoke one at a time within established time parameters. On the other hand, during unmoderated caucuses, delegates engaged in free-flowing discourse and drafted resolutions. Delegates also appreciated the opportunity to donate to charity, raising money for personnel fighting the Los Angeles fires. “My favorite part of SCVMUN was ... raising $120+ for the

[Los Angeles] Fire Department,” Freshman Sophia Doan said.

At the end of the committee sessions, MSJ delegates won one of each of the major awards: Sophomores Keisha Rajanish and Sihan (Oscar) Zhang received an Honorable Mention, Freshman Ryan Zhou received Outstanding Delegate, and President Junior Alice Zhao and Activities Coordinator Sophomore Cham Yu won Best Delegate and Best Research. Looking back on their performance at SCVMUN, attendees took pride in their results, having familiarized themselves with MUN procedures and structure. Their experience was made all the more meaningful by the conference’s stature. “SCVMUN is very well put together ... on account of its age and prestige,” Zhang said. However, delegates recognized that they could be more proactive in leading and drafting,

which would help in increasing their standing at future conferences.

With the conclusion of SCVMUN, MSJ MUN looks forward to furthering their outreach and continuing to train and prepare delegates. This preparation includes support from club officers with writing position papers and holding consistent meetings to practice speeches and resolution drafting. The team is also scheduled to attend the Bay Area Model United Nations Conference in Redwood City on March 22. “I just hoped [the delegates] would have fun, and it seemed like they did. And the awards were a very nice touch,” Vice President and Publicity Officer Senior Fiona Hsu said, “Our club is very clearly thriving and very active, as compared to previous years. There’s a lot more of a community.” ▪

BikeMobile hosts a free bike repair event

The Wellness Center collaborates with BikeMobile to provide students and teachers with a bike adjustment service

By Michael Qu Sta Writers

More than 40 students and teachers benefited from a free bike repair event at MSJ, hosted by the Wellness Center in collaboration with the program BikeMobile. On January 29 at 3:20-5:30 p.m., this first-come, first-serve event provided a range of services, including fixing flat tires, adjusting brakes and gears, and replacing broken parts such as chains, seats, and tires.

Launched on April 24, 2012, by Alameda County Transportation Commission, BikeMobile is dedicated to promoting safe bike riding and proper bike care. Partnering with Spare the Air Youth, a program that educates youth on how to reduce air pollution, and Safe Routes to School, a program aimed to improve traffic safety around school zones, BikeMobile delivers free hands-on bike repair and safety training to the public, hosting events at schools and other institutions across the Bay Area.

Students and teachers alike participated in the event, eager to have their bikes fixed.

Beyond just repairs, the event became an opportunity for students and teachers to learn hands-on maintenance skills. Many participants eagerly watched the mechanics work, asking questions about the repair process and better understanding how to properly care for their bikes. As mechanics worked on the bikes, they educated participants on how bikes function and how to maintain their condition, as well as specialized advice for each type of bike.

“There’s a lot of videos on YouTube about every repair, but it’s tough because usually that video is not depicting what’s being done on your personal bike. With our repair clinics, you’re learning how to work on your own personal bike,” Alameda County BikeMobile Community Outreach Coordinator Tanner Brown.

The event also provided a valuable financial benefit, as even the most basic bike repairs cost anywhere from $80 to $100. By offering

these services for free, BikeMobile made bike maintenance more accessible for the MSJ community, making sure that students and teachers can continue cycling without worrying about the repair cost. “You could go to a bike shop and pay over 100 bucks, but here it was free, and you had several mechanics come and look at it,” Wellness Center Coordinator Jennifer Yen said.

“You could go to a bike shop and pay over 100 bucks, but here it was free, and you had several mechanics come and look at it.”

— Wellness Center Coordinator Jennifer Yen

The event not only eased the financial burden of bike maintenance but also reinforced the importance of sustainable transportation. For many students, it was their first time learning about bike repairs, with the knowledge

they gained enabling them to become more self-sufficient in the future. “I really want to encourage all of our community to bike more because I feel it would help our congestion of too many cars on the road and also [promote] a healthier lifestyle,” Yen said.

The event lasted two hours longer than anticipated due to the substantial turnout, with mechanics working past the scheduled time and well into the evening to accommodate as many repairs as possible. While some participants waited over an hour for their turn, the mood was overall positive. As students and teachers in line chatted together and compared bikes, the event fostered a sense of community, bringing together individuals through a shared interest of cycling. “Bike repair can be intimidating, so whether it’s pumping the tires or oiling the chain, we can teach at least one thing to someone that they can use later in life,” Brown said. ▪

MSJ MUN members go out to eat before awards and closing ceremony.

MSJ Model United Nations attends Santa Clara Valley Model United Nations Conference LIV

MSJ MUN members pose for a photo with their awards after a successful conference.

BikeMobile helps x bikes for the MSJ community while also educating them about bikes and how to maintain them.

Students and teachers wait in line for their bikes to get inspected and xed by BikeMobile mechanics.

THE SMOKE SIGN AL

Mission San Jose High School

Est. 1964

Vol. 60, No. 6

February 21, 2025

www.thesmokesignal.org

41717 Palm Ave.

Fremont, CA 94539

510-657-3600, ext. 37088

MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums.

SCHOOL POPULATION 1796 students

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kaylee Liu, Callie Yuan

NEWS Shuhan Jin, Catherine Qin

OPINION Padma Balaji, Keerti Koya

FEATURE Tanvi Deshmukh, Trisha Parikh

CENTERSPREAD Naisha Koppurapu, Ashley Pang

A&E Goonja Basu, Brittany Lu

SPORTS Howard Lu, Ethan Yan

GRAPHICS Hannah Bi, Ivy Lu

WEB Sarah Hu, Alice Zhao

PUBLICITY/TECH Fiona Yang

BUSINESS Rajorshi Chatterjee

CIRCULATION Novak Chen, Tushara Devapatla

ADVERTISING Angelina Chen

EVENTS Navya Chitlur

WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Gaurasundara Amarnani, Roshan Annamalai, Dhaeshna Booma, Rajorshi Chatterjee, Angelina Chen, Eleanor Chen, Novak Chen, Navya Chitlur, Tushara Devapatla, Alex Duan, Ariel Duong, Kanupriya Goyal, Janet Guan, Felicity He, Scarlett Huang, Abigaile Lei, Jennifer Li, Varun Madhavan, Vikram Mahajan, Kaiwei Parks, Michael Qu, Michelle Qu, Ekasha Sikka, Rishab Shah, Kaylin Teo, Aarav Vashisht, Luna Venturo, Prisha Virmani, Fiona Yang, Ariana Yi, Cham Yu, Aaqib Zishan, Emily Zhang, Lucas Zhang, Matthew Zhang

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Muyang Li, Megha Vashisht

ADVISER YC Low

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Keerti's Key Padma's Perspective

Redefning February 14th

By Keerti Koya Opinion Editor

When I was in middle school, I remember a friend bursting into tears on Valentine’s Day. She had been hoping for a secret admirer, a confession, or even just a Valentine’s gram from someone special. But when lunchtime came around and she was left empty-handed, she felt like she was missing out on something crucial, like she was behind in some imaginary race toward love. Looking back, I wish I had known what to tell her. She wasn’t missing out on anything; Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance, and love exists in so many forms beyond the uttery, cinematic kind we so often see in movies.

Every February 14, there’s a frenzy among teens to nd a so-called “soulmate.” Social media is ooded with posts about elaborate date ideas, the zodiac signs with the most harmonic pairings, and the lively couples who seem to have it all gured out. ey create this pressure to be part of a love story as if being single means failing some unspoken test. But that mindset is unfair, and it completely ignores the beauty of the relationships we already have in our lives.

Love is not a race, and Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be a deadline for nding “the one.” Instead, we should view it as an opportunity to appreciate the love that already surrounds us. Family is love, whether it’s a parent who leaves you little notes of encouragement or a sibling who shares the last slice of cake (yes, even if it’s the smaller half). Friendship is love. e friends who send

you memes at midnight, who listen to your endless rants about life, who show up when you need them the most — those relationships also deserve to be celebrated. Self-love is also just as important. We often spend so much time looking for someone else to validate us that we forget how powerful it is to appreciate ourselves.

Instead of feeling bad about what we don’t have, let’s focus on what we do. Write a heartfelt letter to your best friend, plan a movie night with your family, or treat yourself to that dessert you’ve been craving. Small gestures matter, and we should remind ourselves that love isn’t just con ned to romantic relationships — it’s everywhere, and a part of the everyday moments we often take for granted. So thank you to my sister, Sarah, Kaylee, Anson, and every other profound relationship in my life for rede ning what love means to me. ey’ve taught me what it means to love and to be loved and have expanded my perspective beyond traditional notions of how we appreciate those who matter most. If you nd yourself feeling lonely on Valentine’s Day, try shifting your perspective. ink about the family you wake up to see, the friends you come to school and hang out with, and the person you are today. Love is more than a single day, bigger than a soulmate, and stronger than a eeting romance. It’s all around us, in the people who make our lives brighter every day. And that’s something truly worth celebrating on February 14. ▪

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Disillusionment and the power of media consumption

A er a long day at school, endlessly scrolling on social media is the perfect way to unwind — until a video of the most recent natural disaster, political nightmare, or global devastation becomes a distressing reminder of reality. ough staying politically and socially informed, whether through traditional methods or social media, remains important, mindful media consumption is the solution to an endless cycle of information overload. With a devastating amount of adversity in the world all at once, ampli ed by social media’s manipulation of the stories, it is di cult to feel substantial power or control over global issues, especially those you feel truly passionate about. As many people nd themselves caught up in the exhaustion of facing constant negativity and an overwhelming amount of news, the wave of disillusionment might feel hopeless, but channeling your e orts toward where it matters can make a di erence.

In today’s world, constant struggle and helplessness are increasingly high as we proceed deeper into the 2020s. As high schoolers begin to traipse into the responsibilities of adulthood, they are immediately knocked down by the overwhelming duties of the real world: the lack of a ordable housing, the increasingly di cult job hunt, and the hesitancy of raising a family in a world of unease and political turmoil. With constant global tragedy, people become overwhelmed and lose their sensitivity to drastic issues in the media, trapped in a perpetual state of hopelessness and disillusion-

ment. In a 2018 British study by the University College London’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies, excessive social media use was directly linked to depression, draining people of their emotional understanding in the face of such hardcore news. e combination of politics and how social media exacerbates current issues brings stress to those who feel powerless against it.

News fatigue is a psychological exhaustion and overwhelming feeling people experience from any form of news and social media. Social media increases this media oversaturation, as it circulates and ampli es negative news and misinformation. However, entirely avoiding the news only reinforces the sense of helplessness and distrust that disengages people in the rst place.

To avoid news fatigue, the rst and foremost step is mindfully choosing the media we consume based on our interests and passions about certain issues. Actively choosing where to focus your e orts is key to avoiding falling into a pit of distress and disillusionment in today’s negative world, instead of scrolling through the news for the sake of remaining updated or curing temporary boredom. Rather than diving head rst into all of society’s problems in a day, focus your efforts on the controllable; fussing over events that the average person is powerless over only ampli es that sense of hopelessness.

e massive scale of the global crisis can make it feel as though individual actions are insigni cant, but focusing on local initiatives allows us to

Leaving the bubble of suburbia

By Padma Balaji Opinion Editor

Fremont has always been an idyllic place. Proudly touting its “Happiest City in America” title, Fremont’s quiet suburban lifestyle, excellent schools, and ourishing immigrant communities has always made it an appealing place to families like mine. Like so many of us, I’ve called the city home my entire life, enjoying a quiet childhood alongside the shores of Lake Elizabeth or at weekend visits to Sweet Tomatoes. Fremont’s quiet neighborhoods were perfect for a chronic homebody like me. For most of my life, I've stayed holed up in my room, and happily so, relishing in the comfortable familiarity of a peaceful city I’d known my entire life.

As I grew older, I began to see Fremont’s mirage of idealism slowly dissipate. I saw the ways being in a sheltered suburb fosters a feeling of safety — but also cuts us o from the world that lies just beyond the city borders. It’s a bubble that allows us to isolate ourselves, absole ourselves from exaimining our own privileges, and remain apathetic to the issues of the Bay Area — issues that Fremont is certainly not exempt from either. Recently, the Fremont City Council voted to ban homeless encampments and e ectively criminalized homelessness in an attempt to tackle a crisis that has been plaguing the Bay Area and Fremont for years. In doing so, Fremont, a pinnacle of the ideal American dream and the success of Silicon Valley, passed the toughest anti-homeless law in the state against its most vulnerable citizens.

create more tangible impacts around the community. We can immerse ourselves in activities and habits to help ght desensitization and disillusionment among students, starting with moderating our social media consumption. Joining advocacy groups for speci c legislation or simply having discussions with others can turn passive observation and consumption into active participation. Above all, it is imperative to stay hopeful in the never-ending loop of negative news and political con ict plaguing the media today, starting by taking action. What is meant to be a quick veminute scroll on Instagram on the latest funny trends can unconsciously turn into a whirlwind of the most recent headlining news. e never-ending cycle of whiplash when memes and the world’s latest tragedy constantly battle for attention tears the unsuspecting limb from limb, depleting their focus and attentiveness towards the real-world issues at hand. It is important not to lose yourself to a neverending cycle of digital noise and fearmongering information and instead focus on the real-world issues at hand. Most importantly, staying hopeful is the leading solution to constant discomfort in today’s bleak world. No matter how di cult it may seem, it's important to prioritizing hopefulness and channel our emotions into action rather than disillusionment. By nding a healthy balance between being informed and staying grounded in hope, we can ght the mass desensitization and overwhelmingness that we all seem to feel today. ▪

I’ve often felt isolated from the world around me, trapped inside this insidious suburban bubble. Last year, I made a promise to myself to leave this bubble, literally, and explore the cities around me. Whereas this time last year I couldn’t even point out Fremont on a map, I’ve now seen more of the Bay Area in a year than I have in my entire life. More signi cantly, I’ve joined Bay Area wide advocacy groups in climate and policy where I not only traveled all across the Bay Area to attend workshops and rallies, but engaged with a culture of advocacy that’s sorely missing in Fremont’s bubble.

In leaving my hometown and engaging with the world outside it, I’ve seen a reality past the self-perpetuating culture of privilege, apathy, and suburban idealism that dominates Fremont. I’ve learned that life consists of far more than Ivy League acceptances, 4.0 GPAs, and tech startups, and that we have a responsibility to engage with issues and causes, both in and outside our city.

As we get wrapped up in our everyday lives of school, work, and college, it’s easy to nd ourselves stuck in the bubble of suburbia, isolated from and apathetic to the world that exists just beyond us. So, the next time you feel like spending your day o curled up in the comfort of your home or the familiarity of your city, take the opportunity to explore, instead: visit places you’ve never been, try things you’ve never done, and discover a world beyond the sheltered streets of your hometown. ▪

By Luna Venturo & Emily Zhang

LA wildfres are a wake-up call for current climate mitigation eforts

By Roshan Annamalai, Janet Guan, Cham Yu & Matthew Zhang Sta Writers

Introduction

On the morning of January 7, the Palisades Fire ignited in the Pacifc Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles (LA), quickly escalatng to become the third-most destructve fre in CA history. On the same day, the Eaton Fire erupted and rapidly engulfed most of the nearby Altadena area. The wildfres, which consisted of several individual fre clusters, threatened nearby urban communites and ultmately forced the evacuaton of more than 100,000 residents. More than 16,000 buildings were destroyed, and upwards of 23,000 acres were burned, resultng in around $275 billion in damages. LA offcials have recognized the recent wildfres as abnormally severe, with LA Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell framing the disaster as “unprecedented” when asked by Police Executve Research Forum Executve Director Chuck Wexler during an interview regarding the inferno. While the LA wildfres were largely fueled by the rapid intensifcaton of climate change, they were also catalyzed by a lack of efectve disaster mitgaton that refects government negligence and poor insttutonal accountability. Underfunded frefghting services, outdated infrastructure, and inefectve communicaton systems lef many residents vulnerable to disaster, meaning they were disproportonately impacted by the unprecedented scale of the recent wildfres. As climate change contnues to intensify, increasing the likelihood of devastatng natural disasters in the future, governments need to invest in efcient preparaton and mitgaton strategies, as well as prioritze policies that hold fossil fuel companies accountable and minimize the inevitable consequences of climate change.

LA wildfres and climate change

Although wildfres are not uncommon in CA, largely due to the state’s natural climate of long summers and frequent droughts, they have increased in frequency and intensity in recent years because of climate change, which has intensifed drought periods and created longer fre seasons. According to World Weather Atributon, climate change has increased the probability of wildfres disasters in the LA area by around 35%. Much like the LA fres, the July 2024 Park Fire — one of the largest wildfres in CA history — devastated Northern California by destroying more than 400,000 acres of land. Likewise, the fre was exacerbated by dry conditons caused by climate change. The efects of climate change on the LA wildfres are most apparent in the intense winds that allowed the fres to spread quickly through the LA area. In early January, severe winds with speeds up to 80 mph rocked the region, causing the Natonal Weather Service to issue high wind warnings as wildfres began to ignite. A 2019 study published in the scientfc journal Nature has shown that the rise in temperatures creates strong winds, like the winds in LA, and may even cause hurricanes. The warmer climates create fast jet streams and change the density of air extremely quickly, causing fast winds. Climate change has created unstable weather paterns that exacerbated the wildfres. CA experienced a surge of rainfall in 2023 that accumulated massive amounts of vegetaton throughout the region afer years of droughts. The probability of large wildfres was increased as returning drought conditons led to an abundance of ignitable dried vegetaton. Record droughts in 2024 also made controlled burning unfeasible, preventng the implementaton of an effectve wildfre mitgaton strategy. This lef authorites and local communites sorely unprepared for potental wildfres in January.

Systemic preparedness with climate change

While the recent wildfres have been recog nized as unusually disastrous, the city was poorly equipped to combat fres of any sig nifcant size to begin with. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) currently has fewer than one frefghter for every 1,000 of its residents, leaving LAFD sorely understafed compared to the two frefghters for the same number of residents in cites like Chi cago and Houston, both of which are ex pected to be more wildfre-prone as the ef fects of climate change begin to intensify.

Despite the need for increased fund ing, LA Mayor Karen Bass imple mented around $17.6 million in budget cuts for the LAFD last year. In a December 2024 memo to the Board of Fire Commis sioners, LAFD Fire Chief Kris tn Crowley said that the cuts had “severely limited the Depart ment’s capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.” Furthermore, decades of under-investment in frefghtng rendered infrastructure outdat ed and unsuitable for simultaneous use dur ing emergencies. Poor maintenance of water pipes allowed rust to accumulate and slow wa ter fow, resultng in dry hydrants that forced frefghters to resort to inefcient fre suppres sion methods, such as dropping water from aircrafs. LA also had no specialized wildland unit to respond to small bushfres that fed larger fres, compounding the efects of un derstafng in the LAFD. Combined with the inefciency of underground water transport and lack of personnel, these factors severely hindered the city’s fre mitgaton response. Although fre safety experts have been warning cites of the risks of inadequate preparaton for years, authorites have per sistently ignored the available solutons, re fectng both negligence and a dire lack of foresight for the efects of climate change yet to come. LA’s lack of preparaton for the recent wildfres refects a natonwide issue of neglected infrastructure and underfund ing in disaster response services, despite the current severity of climate change. Ac cording to a 2020 report by Carnegie Mel lon University, a lite more than half of ma jor cites across the US had specifc climate adaptaton plans. Furthermore, a survey by the Zurich Insurance Group and Economist Impact found that 80% of residents in global cites believed they were unprepared for wildfres, with 41% citng inadequate wa ter infrastructure. In order to prepare the naton for the inevitable consequences of climate change, governments across the country must seek new climate mitga ton strategies, while allocatng sufcient funding to existng disaster services and repairing outdated infrastructure.

Combating the root of the problem

Beyond improving systematc preparaton, governments must also adopt policies that combat climate change itself. While the issue cannot be attributed to any singular factor, as the largest contributors to greenhouse

gas emissions and some of the wealthiest enttes in the country, fossil fuel companies are accountable for a signifcant porton of the damage that has been done to the environment. Fossil fuel companies contnue to use economically infuental representatves to persuade the government to adjust climate change policies, choosing to invest millions in fossil fuel lobbying instead of polluton-reducing technology. In 2024, American Fuel and Petroleum Manufacturers, Shell, and Exxon Mobil spent $19 million, $6.6 million, and $5.2 million respectvely on lobbying, with the entre oil and gas industry spending over $150 million just that year. These immense amounts of lobbying funds have had a signifcant efect on CA policies.

In May 2024, Chevron spent $3 million lobbying against CA bill AB 3155, which holds fossil fuel companies liable for the negatve health efects their oil drilling has on residental communites, including respiratory issues, birth defects, and cancer. AB 3155 has stll yet to be signed into law. In recent years, climate actvists have fled lawsuits to ensure corporate accountability for climate change’s intensifying efects on the environment. In a bid to increase corporate accountability for climate change, CA Senate Bill 222 was introduced on January 27, allowing victms of climate disasters to sue fossil fuel companies for damages. While new legislaton grantng legal acton against fossil fuel companies for climate change expands the public’s opportunites for holding them accountable, the government needs to pass more legislaton that directly targets the behavior of fossil fuel companies. Without addressing the root causes of climate change by holding these companies accountable, efectve systematc preparedness for wildfres is impossible. For years, the country has taken acton to challenge the fossil fuel industry’s control over climate; the LA wildfres should not have been the wake-up call for the urgent need for change.

The LA wildfres call atenton to the necessity of efectve government acton and systemic preparedness in the face of increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters due to climate change. High school students can take acton by advocatng for beter disaster preparedness and climate policies in the community. One way to do this is by contactng local representatves through platorms like www. to express concerns about wildfre preventon and response eforts. Students can also join environmental clubs and local youth advocacy groups such as MSJ Youth4Climate, MSJ Green Club, Fremont Silicon Valley Youth Climate Acton, and Bay Area Youth Climate Summit to partcipate in climate change awareness campaigns and advocate for local policy. For individual disaster preparedness, the Fremont Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team program also ofers a way for students to learn hands-on skills. As former US president Barack Obama stated, “We are the frst generaton to feel the efect of climate change and the last generaton who can do something about it.” While wildfres contnue to afect communites across the naton, including MSJ students, prioritzing disaster preparedness and proactve solutons for the future is a crucial step to ensure that we can face the challenges of climate change.

and

The TikTok ban and the consequences of being chronically online

By Hara Devapatla, Ariel Duong & Jennifer Li Sta Writers

“Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.”

These five words flashed across millions of screens on January 19, halting the daily routines of more than 170 million Americans as the US government enacted a nationwide ban on the app. Almost instantly after the ban was enforced, countless users flooded other platforms to express their dismay and frustration to an unprec edented degree, highlighting concerns regarding social media dependency and its, severe consequences includ ing obsessive emotional attach ment and mental health issues.

dependence of Gen Z on social media, raising concerns about whether the attachment to these platforms has reached an unhealthy level.

On January 17, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the Protect ing Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations or face a nationwide ban over national security concerns, leading to shutdown of the app starting January 18 just before 8 p.m. PST. Less than 14 hours after the shutdown, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump issued an executive order delaying the ban for 75 days, allowing TikTok to remain accessible until further notice. During the brief period TikTok was inaccessible, digital hysteria erupted. Frantic users scrambled to other social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter with live-streamed breakdowns and desperate posts. Some even turned to RedNote, a Chinese social networking platform, despite its similarities to TikTok’s allegedly concerning data practices. The abrupt shift exposed not just TikTok’s dominance but also the extreme

As the dust of the TikTok ban panic settles, a more daunting image comes into view: the normalized state of being chronically online, which leaves today’s youth emotionally fragile and disconnected from reality. A survey on Americans aged 13-25 conducted by Morning Consult in 2022 found that more than half of Gen Z spend four or more hours on social media daily, a notable indication of their deep attachment to these platforms. Moreover, a 2020 Cigna study reports that 73% of workers aged 18-22 feel lonely, with more frequent social media use linked to greater feelings of isolation. These platforms, designed to foster engagement, have instead become emotional crutches, shaping selfworth and social identity in detrimental ways. Many young users turn to curated feeds and fleeting online interactions for validation, blurring the lines between connection and dependency. As a result, the very tools meant to bring people together often leave them feeling more alone than ever and empty without.

As the first digitally native generation, Gen Z is becoming increasingly reliant on social media as a lifeline for social interaction and struggling to fulfill these needs offline. Social media is assuming a new role as an unhealthy necessity rather than a tool or entertainment, with teens heavily relying on social media to communicate, furthering a deficiency in public and verbal communication skills and anxiety during face-to-face communication. Moreover, the compulsive habit of scrolling weakens cognitive functions, replacing logical problem-solving and memorization with immediate digital validation. This dependence not only impacts

“I think a lot of the corporate world is, like, pretty culturally neutered. […] [ e] kind of masculine energy, I think, is good,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on the podcast e Joe Rogan Experience. is directly preceded a change to Meta’s guidelines, stating, among other changes, that Meta is ending its fact checking tools, allowing “allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation,” and removing rules that forbid insulting someone’s physical appearance on the basis of “race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious a liation, caste, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity and serious disease.”

What implications do you think these guideline changes will have on marginalized groups and hate speech? Do you think this action upholds free speech? Do you the roll-back of fact-checking regulations is legal? Do you think it's moral? What kind of implications do you think this has for the future of technology, hate speech, and online?

" e changes are highly negative for marginalized groups. I think a lot of these rules that were previously in place had protected these minority groups, and now they're going to be exposed to the full force of a lot of like conservative trolls and some people who truly believe that these minorities shouldn't exist. I've heard of a saying: intolerance should not be tolerated in a tolerant society. e tolerance of intolerance will eventually cause an tolerant society to become intolerant. e change is technically free speech, but it is still a negative thing for Meta to do. It is very much a blind following of what President Trump is saying, which is very ill advised and demonstrates the corruption of these companies. I mean, the company is able to do however as it pleases. But I think this is a net negative for society, because the spreading of disinformation causes radicalization and is very bad for society in general. I think it is not morally right. I think people have a moral obligation to maintain the truth and nothing but the truth."

individual users but also fosters the spread of misinformation and outrage in digital spaces, as seen when TikTok users flocked to RedNote and other platforms to voice their frustration, fueling panic and online mob mentality. The over-dependence on social media not only isolates Gen Z from real-life interactions but also exacerbates mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and even suicidal tendencies. A study published in the JAMA Psychiatry Journal found that teens ages 1215 who used social media for more than three hours a day faced twice the risks of negative mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety. Social media's isolated interface replaces real-life social interaction with social validation through likes and comments, depriving teens of genuine connection and instead fueling insecurities and the need for validation. In addition to intensifying isolation, social media promotes unattainable beauty and lifestyle standards, exposing younger users to curated content that fuels insecurities. Accord ing to a 2022 Nature Com munications study surveying 11-15 year olds, by continu ously fostering a cycle of vali dation by displaying unrealistic representations of what they should be, users are often inescapably swept into a rabbit hole of missing community and affirmation. This cycle traps users in a constant search to fit in an unattainable digital image for validation, causing a downward spiral in mental health driven by the toxic mindset and pressure pushed by social media platforms. Extending beyond individual limitations, reliance on these digital spaces as an outlet for political information and medical diagnoses renders users incapable of making properly in-

formed decisions. A 2024 Pew Research Center study asserts that 54% of the adults "at least sometimes rely" on social media for social, political, and medical information, changing the culture of Americans’ news diets. Without sufficient guidelines regulating misinformation, especially among the mass amount of shortform content, social media platforms allow unverified, baseless content labeled as news to run rampant, leading to distorted, manipulated, or misconstrued information. The habitual proclivity to use social media as an accurate form of information not only leads to widespread misinformation, but also perpetuates the habit of not fact-checking with credible sources and relying on a single platform for information.

As Gen Z becomes increasingly reliant on digital spaces, it’s imperative to occasionally step away and decenter life from social media. On an individual level, this can involve watching longer form content to regain one's attention span, reading books, or finding more hobbies outside of social media. Students can also join clubs such as MSJ BAStA to advocate for resources to help students stay away from internet addiction, using awareness as the first step to shifting it away from a life centered around social media usage. Social media was originally intended to connect people, share ideas, and provide entertainment. However, Gen Z’s chronic dependence on these platforms has distorted its role, shifting from casual engagement into a vital necessity. The mass hysteria over a small issue such as the TikTok ban showcases how even a brief disruption in entertainment significantly disrupted users’ mental well-being. To step away from their chronic onlineness, social media users should strive to educate themselves about the consequences of digital overconsumption, and find hobbies that foster community. ▪

"Well, for one, there's more ‘free speech’ [as a result], I guess. ere’s no regulation on what people are saying, so more targeted attacks are de nitely going to take place. But I think this is de nitely not a good thing because there should be some sort of regulation as to what people choose to say ... [ e new changes] do [uphold freedom of speech] because they allow everyone to say anything they want, but I feel like sometimes free speech can give people … too much liberty to say anything they want, and sometimes there should be limitation to that. e amount of hate speech will de nitely increase … I think there will need to be regulations reinforced in the near future, because if these regulations are taken away, then [things] can de nitely spiral out of control."

" e cutback of these policies by Meta signals a shi in how online platforms handle misinformation, hate speech, and harassment, especially ones that will disproportionately a ect marginalized communities, and I think that it'll lead to increased harassment and discrimination online. Vulnerable communities, such as those based on gender, sexual orientation and race, could face more targeted attacks. is might be framed as … upholding the value of free speech, but it essentially could enable harmful language to bloom without any checks or restrictions. And then to nish, I think legally, it may be permissible, but … in ethic terms and morally, it risks normalizing hate speech and undermining the safety of many online spaces where people choose to express themselves."

"I think constitutionally, there's no problem. Private corporations can do whatever they want with their products, but I feel like morally and socially, this is going to have a huge impact on the way human interactions are carried out in real time. Because the way people behave on social media can be a re ection of how they behave in real life. And similarly, people being able to talk about all of their deepest, darkest, most racist thoughts [is] going to have a huge impact on how they express it in real life, and this is only going to create more polarization in the community, both online and in person. I think for the well being of the United States, it was not a good idea for Zuckerberg to make any of these changes.”

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL

By Ekasha Sikka Sta Writer

Every year on Groundhog Day, viewers gather in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, waiting for one legendary groundhog to predict the fate of the seasons. e star of the festivities, Punxsutawney Phil, emerges from his burrow to check for his shadow. If he sees it, then winter will linger for six more weeks, but if not, viewers can celebrate an early spring. But beyond the cheers and cameras, Phil’s life as a local celebrity isn’t as simple as it seems. is Dear Diary follows Phil’s Groundhog Day adventures as he navigates the anxieties and pressures of a weather-predicting rodent.

I opened my eyes this morning after a good two months of hibernation and, “Ack!”, was immediately blinded by a shiny white coating covering the entire town square — snow. Even worse, I felt su ocated by the sight of people everywhere ey were scurrying all around, admiring the twinkly lights and holiday garlands as if they were in a feel-good Hallmark movie. e aggressively cheerful winter scene sent me into a brief panic when I realized that Christmas has passed and the spotlight is o cially

Graduating in the Class of 2024, MSJ Alumnus Brandon Bao left his mark on campus, serving as the 202324 ASB Secretary and top 10 all-time scorer for Varsity Boys Basketball. Upon his arrival at UC Los Angeles last fall, Bao began posting short-form content on Instagram. From teach ing productive study habits to exploring local Los Angeles cafes, Bao has grown his page to more than 36,000 followers. With videos averaging around 20 thousand views and a high of 16 million, Bao has been nding success both as a college student and a content creator since graduation.

on me. I checked my calendar — ve weeks are left before my peace is disrupted and the world’s eyes are on me. I just want to burrow back into my cozy bed, but the stress of the impending annual chaos is keeping me wide awake.

Today, I set a New Year’s Resolution — to pick up the slack and get into shape. e town square has been jam-packed this week, with everyone speed-walking to get their steps in before they give up on their annual goals. Watching them has led me to realize that I have been sleeping — literally — on my own potential. It’s time to lock in and initiate my winter arc. In a few weeks, I will be a changed groundhog, unrecognizable and glamorous. My training regimen — push-ups, weightlifting, eating one less acorn a day — is far from easy, but I am fueled by my vision of Groundhog Day 2025. Imagine the cheers when I pop out of my stump as per usual, but this time, I’m absolutely ripped. You know, I’m a little embarrassed about previous years. I can’t believe they let me on national television looking like that

Well, my winter arc has o cially atlined. I was in the middle of a sit-up when a little girl pressed her face up to my enclosure’s viewing window and cooed, “Aww, look at his little belly.” First of all, that was quite insensitive. But more importantly, she led me to realize that this is my brand. e chubby cheeks and round physique? e people love it. I mean, don’t x what ain’t broken. Meanwhile, preparations for Groundhog Day have begun. Rainmaker, my handler, dropped by to visit today, all smiles and gentle

pats, but I can tell he’s counting on me. I just hope I make the right call this year.

I’m losing my mind. e squirrels outside my burrow will not leave me alone. I feel like I’m constantly being watched, but jeez, weather predictions take time and privacy. In a meager attempt to stir away the squirrels by looking busy, I opened up the weather channel and watched the radar for a good 20 minutes. Clouds, pressure systems, whatever — it was all futile gibberish to me. I shouldn’t be doubting myself anyway; I’ve been doing this for 139 years! But something I overheard the other day just won’t leave my head. Apparently I only have a 39% accuracy rate? My predictions are no better than a coin ip at this point. I feel like a glori ed puppet — am I just for the memes? e existential crisis is hitting hard.

e special day is nally here. I can hear them chanting my name outside my stump, exclaiming, “Phil! Phil! Phil!” e Gobbler’s since dawn, anticipation of the crowd is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. However, I can’t seem to sum mon my weath er-predicting ca pabilities. My mind is just a blur of everything that could possibly go wrong! Should I not have given up on my glow-up? Some

pretty groundhog gals could be in the audience, watching me! What if I sneeze when they pull me out of the stump? What am I going to eat after this? So many questions, so few answers. Uh-oh, I hear Rainmaker talking to the audience. It’s showtime.

It’s over. e cameras have ashed, the crowds have roared, and I’ve made my call. I took one look and saw my shadow — and apparently weather reports agree with my prediction. Even the TikTokers con rm it — although their evidence is that I always see my shadow because I am too big — rude. I’m beyond proud of myself, but there’s still something o about this moment. e world held its breath for me to make my prediction, and now they’ve got six more weeks of winter, but what does any of this mean for me? I’m starting to feel a little more like a performer than a weather reporter, but regardless, the world loves me. Now that war is over, my burrow looks cozier

Alumni Spotlight: Brandon Bao

By Kaiwei Parks & Aaqib Zishan Sta Writers

Bao’s journey into the world of content creation began early in high school as he pursued his interests in videography and vlogging. On his YouTube channel during his second semester of senior year, Bao posted vlogs about his daily life as a varsity basketball player, videos regarding his college admissions process, and more. Taking courses such

as Digital Photography in his last year of high school, Bao opened his eyes to photo-taking and editing techniques, and camera components like starter spaces and apertures. is information would prove to be useful for Bao, as he would later apply this knowledge when learning lm using video cameras and edit. Additionally, Bao served as co-anchor of MSJ TV, giving him the chance to create content that would be viewed by the MSJ community. However, as he transitioned to college, Bao realized he had an even better opportunity to start creating a community on social media. Los Angeles — a city lled with a strong creator community — allowed Bao to experience new things with new people, which he could turn into videos and content. With an Instagram page that grew quickly over three months, Bao cred its much of his success to life les sons learned during his time as an MSJ student. “I think what MSJ is really good at making you do, is understanding how to learn something really quick,” Bao said. During his time at MSJ, Bao emphasizes that he was able to develop quick adaptability and problem-solv ing skills that translated to his college life. By taking di cult classes at MSJ that prepared him for UC Los Angeles,

Bao believed he could spend more time creating content rather than studying and reviewing his classwork. While studying at UC Los Angeles, Bao admits time management is his biggest challenge when balancing school, social life, and content. e time-consuming process of brainstorming, lming, and editing videos forces Bao to allocate his time e ciently, which he had practice doing at MSJ. “I prioritize blocking a speci c time, especially on the weekend, to edit a majority or a portion of my videos,” Bao said. With the use of social media platforms, Bao envisions a future of creating a reputable personal brand and impactful public image through his viewer base. “I hope to build an audience around me that sees me for who I am and follows me essentially for the missions and goals that I pursue,” Bao said. With ambitious goals, from creating startups and clothing brands to education technology businesses, Bao has opened countless doors for a successful future through his growing community. rough his journey, Bao learned that people follow values and passion rather than speci c niche elds, highlighting the fact that content creation is about pursuing one’s interests. He further emphasized that being a content

creator is only sustainable if you have a true love for the content you are producing. “You have to be validated internally and just be happy with yourself and the content that you post,” Bao said. ▪

“You have to be validated internally and just be happy with yourself and the content that you post.”

Class of 2024 Alumnus Brandon Bao posing for a picture.

Thumbnail of Bao's short-form video content.

UclaBruins

CYA!

Bao,

DIEHARD TRYHARDS:

By Dhaeshna Booma, Michelle Qu, Prisha Virmani & Matthew Zhang Sta Writers

Korean Bento Cakes, also known as lunchbox cakes, are miniature confections packaged inside takeout boxes. For this delectable edition of DieHard TryHards, writers are trading their pens for piping bags, competing to bake and decorate the most delicious, creative, and visually appealing lunchbox cake.

I’ve been accumulating experience in baking for ve years. While this wealth of knowledge lets me speed through complex recipes like chi on cakes and cream pu s with ease, any sort of dessert decoration beyond a basic glaze has me breaking out in a cold sweat. is competition is going to be a step up from what I’ve tackled in the past, so for my cake, I’m planning to go bold. None of my old tried and true tactics — I’ll be pairing avors never seen together before by self-respecting cake connoisseurs. If my bravery pays o , I’ll be taking home a rst-place title. And if it doesn’t? At least I’ll be able to say I had a vision.

Winging it has never failed me as a strategy, ever. Almost every decision I made with my cake was an improvisation, from the avors to the lling to the frosting decorations that nearly melted o the top. ough adding both soy sauce and aromatic vinegar to my cake batter was a risky decision, the subtle savory avors paired with my black sesame base must have been enough to win the judges over. I guess treating my cake batter like a stir-fry was the best decision I’ve ever made! If this trend keeps up, I’ll be adding oyster sauce and garlic powder into my next baking project. What’s life without a little risk, right?

Just to set the record straight, I’m de nitely no baker, and my family can con rm this with the mushy cookies I made a few weeks ago. When it comes to baking cakes, or anything smaller than my big head, my experience is limited to absolutely nothing. I don’t feel extremely con dent in my ability to take home the win, but hey, hands-on experiences require trial and error, right? As of now, my idea is to make the cake out of butter and the icing out of butter and pray because it “butter” be good with all that butter! As I hustle and tussle to bake my tiny cake, I guess I’ll be putting my skills, or rather, lack thereof, to the test. I know it won’t be a good cake by any means “bundt” I’m praying it won’t turn out burnt!

Not bad! I was expecting the cake to be a total disaster, but it turned out a lot better than I was expecting! Going in with no real plan, I loaded up some tutorials while searching for ingredients around the house, and trust me when I say that the collective six hours of sleep I had for the past two days did me no good. Piping the cake was easily the most stressful part as I had no extra butter. All my e orts would go to waste if I messed up. My shaking hands and pounding heart were omnipresent. I don’t know if this was due to my sleep deprivation, the sheer amount of buttercream I consumed, or just plain old nervousness. Maybe, just maybe, it was a combination of all three. Beware, because next time, I’m aiming for rst!

I’ve mastered almost every baked good, from delicious banana brownies to delicate macarons — but a lunchbox cake? at’s entirely new and despite its miniature size, pretty frightening. After hours of doom scrolling through awless cake designs on Pinterest, I’ve crafted the perfect game plan: aromatic layers, lled with a berry explosion, seamlessly coated with velvety buttercream and topped with elegant piping. Just like with the macarons in my last DieHard TryHards challenge, precision is key. But let’s be real — if my attempt goes south, I’ll just call it abstract art. is competition could get frosty, but I’m ready to whisk away the win.

1 2 3 4

I’ve spent years perfecting my sweet treats — cookies, mu ns, and brownies — but somehow, I’ve never baked a cake. Yet, my lack of experience in the cake category hasn’t stopped me from curating the ultimate Pinterest board lled with pastel colors, intricate piping, and vintage-inspired designs I’m determined to recreate. It’s uncharted territory, but I’ve never met a recipe I couldn’t handle, so why start doubting now? Either way, the Great Smokie Bake O better be ready, because for this dessert connoisseur, this competition is bound to be a piece of cake.

I entered this DieHard TryHards hoping to redeem myself after my third-place nish in the macaron challenge, but I guess life had other plans. Determined to climb the ranks, I decided on a bold new recipe and aimed to create the perfect spongy cake topped with delicious frosting and an elegant design. Instead I ended up with stumpy layers, messy frosting and a mediocre design. While my cake wasn’t perfect and my piping skills have room to grow, I guess my unique Earl Grey and raspberry blend topped with the shimmery pearl petals were enough to keep me in the game. Maybe I couldn’t snag rst place, but at least I didn’t get demoted, right?

A piece of cake? More like a piece of disaster. Turns out, leaving decorating to the midnight before judging wasn’t my brightest idea — especially since sleep deprivation and piping bags don’t mix. As if my shaky frosting skills weren’t bad enough, my poor bento cake took a few tumbles on the way to school, which certainly didn’t help its presentation. Let’s just say that my Pinterest-perfect vision didn’t make it to the nish line. In the end, my red velvet and raspberry- avored confection looked less like a cake and more like a crime scene topped with buttercream. At least I can say I made a lunchbox cake — though calling it sugary chaos might be a more tting description.

Sesame & Soy Sauce

Red Velvet & Raspberry

CLUBS

MSJ Surfriders

Global sea levels are estimated to have risen by more than 10 centimeters in the last decade due to melting glaciers and polar ice caps. Rising sea levels threaten a diverse range of animals, including the Florida Key deer, loggerhead sea turtle, and Hawaiian monk seal, all of which are at risk for critical habitat loss. Stressing coastal ecosystems, like commercially valuable sheries, the rise of sea levels poses an imminent threat to local jobs, regional industries, and cultural practices. With the climate change crisis pushing forward, oceanic researchers at Climate.gov estimate that by 2100, the US sea level will be 2 feet higher on average compared to 2000, potentially impacting an estimated 800 million people in 570 coastal cities. This alarming crisis could submerge local neighborhoods and cause widespread devastation.

Burning fossil fuels has been the leading cause of ocean warming and rising water temperatures since 1970. Oceans absorb 90% of excess heat and 25% of excess carbon dioxide from the environment. As a result, ocean oxygen levels have decreased, causing the formation of dead zones in the ocean, suffocating marine animals and shrinking their natural habitats. The uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere contributes to ocean acidi cation, reducing the ocean's pH level and creating an unsustainable environment for coral reefs, binding up carbonate ions and making them less abundant. Scientists project that 70-90% of coral reefs will disappear in the next 24 years due to climate change.

CURRENT CLIMATE EVENTS

Wildfires Hurricanes

Human-induced climate change has vigorously increased wild re rates regionally, creating ideal conditions for res to ignite and spread rapidly in forests. In response to the stronger winds and hotter days brought forth

As the rst environmentally-focused club established on campus, MSJ Green Club prioritizes taking action rather than solely focusing on learning about the environment and the impacts of unsustainable practices. The club of cers guide students through various hands-on projects to encourage students to join local and worldwide climate initiatives. From making bird feeders to upcycling old t-shirts into tote bags, MSJ Green Club offers students creative and impactful ways to incorporate sustainability into their lives. “Very recently this year, we made DIY bird feeders out of plastic bottles, which is great because plastic bottles are often used just one time, but giving them a new use for bird feeders gave them a new way of being reused without immediately being thrown away,” MSJ Green Club Activities Coordinator Junior Scarlett Xu said.

MSJ Green Club MSJ Youth4Climate

Senior Rajorshi Chatterjee said.

CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Although there are a lot of different contributors to climate change, burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating, and manufacturing are some of the core causes. According to the World Economic Forum, buildings consume more than 40% of global energy and 33% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Factories, mining, and food production are major sources of these emissions due to their burning of fossil fuels for energy and raising of methane-producing cattle. The large share that these companies have on greenhouse gas outputs can be attributed to their demands for large shares of natural resources, increasing their carbon footprint. In addition to contributions from buildings and companies, modes of transportation — including cars, planes, and ships — typically run entirely on fossil fuels, increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Increased consumption of these fuels leads to additional carbon dioxide emissions from corporations supplying them, with the oil re ning sector’s greenhouse gas emissions having increased by 24% between 2010 and 2018, according to the National Library of Medicine, providing evidence of an increasing demand for fossil fuels around the world. With an increase in heat-trapping substances in the atmosphere, deforestation has caused the loss of trees that can absorb these cases, amplifying these problems. Some of the causes of this global crisis include even the most mundane choices, such as what people eat, purchase, or throw away, which impact worldwide biodiversity and pollution levels, shaping our carbon footprints.

By

CLIMATE WATCH

Aarav Vashisht, Prisha Virmani, Ariana Yi & Lucas Zhang Staff Writers

MSJ Universal Performers presents heartwarming performance of Little Women

By Janet Guan & Cham Yu Staf Writers

With a riveting performance in C-120, Universal Performers brought Louisa May Alcott’s popular novel Little Women to life on the MSJ stage on February 7. e production, directed by Universal Performers Co-Vice President Senior Goonja Basu, starred Sophomore Anvi Mishra as Jo March, Sophomore Alisha Arora as Amy March, Senior Geena Yang as Meg March, Student Assistant Director Sophomore Dhivya Venkat as Beth March, and Junior Tommy Bar

ia as Laurie. Alcott’s original novel, set in the 1860s in Massa chusetts, is a heartfelt narrative of the four March sisters — Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth — and the development of their idiosyncratic personalities from girlhood until their young adult lives.

e comingof-age novel was the subject of several lm and stage adapta tions, most recently in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 drama lm Little Women. Inspired by Gerwig’s adaptation, Basu ultimately chose Little Women as their production. “Greta Gerwig is one of my favorite directors, and Little Women is my favorite movie from her … When I was looking through the plays, I wanted to do something familiar and comforting for my rst time directing alone, and to me, that was Little Women,” Basu said. While the cast did use Gerwig’s lm and older adaptations to develop their character portrayals, they also added their own unique interpretations to their performances.

ing on her prized novel. As Amy (Arora) entered the scene, Jo wasted no time in bickering with her. From Jo’sery temper to Amy’s petulance, the cast provided a deft performance that illustrated the tumultuous relationship between the two sisters.

e tension quickly escalated after Jo refused to bring Amy to see a movie with the charming boy next door, Laurie (Baria). In a t of anger, Amy tossed Jo’s book into the family hearth. When Jo arrived home from the movie and frantically searched for her work, Amy could be seen slyly sipping tea with her legs crossed on a nearby chair –– details that added the nishing touches to her sassy character. “I tried to make Amy really dgety and constantly doing things, [someone] who really doesn’t have social cues down,” Arora said.

“I watched the movie adaptation, both the 1980s and the Greta Gerwig one … I did like Emma Watson’s portrayal of [Meg], but … I think I made her a bit more joyful than she is … in both adaptations,” Yang said.

Jo (Mishra) opened the performance crouched in the family living room, set with a small inated hearth center-stage, work-

Jo’s con ict with Amy frequently tested her temper, a aw she wished desperately to keep in check. When Amy admitted to burning her book, Jo shook her in anger while Amy screamed in fear. Meg (Yang) and Beth (Venkat) rushed to pull the pair away from each other, leaving the audience hanging on the edge of their seats. Jo’s inter- nal struggle was revisited in a conversation she lat- er had with her mother (Ju - nior Luna Venturo), during which Jo confessed her fear that her lack of pa - tience would end up hurting her loved ones.

In a heartbreaking change of events, Beth became severely bedridden with scarlet fever. e stage lighting darkened as Beth was sent into a coughing t. “I really wanted to show the progression of

the illness by coughing … [Beth] grew so weak that [she] didn’t even have the energy to cough,” Venkat said. Mishra’s visceral acting in Beth’s nal breaths left the audience immersed in Jo’s sorrow over losing her gentlest sister. Little Women’s characteristic tenderness and character dynamics were ultimately well-preserved, even when the production’s playwright omitted certain scenes from the original novel as the play was restricted to being a one-act in preparation for competitions.

With Universal Performers still limited in cast, Basu also selected Little Women for the play’s emphasis on female characters, due to a signi cant number of actresses interested in performing for the play. Along with assistance from Venkat, cast members were chosen after delivering their prepared monologues, which allowed them to be paired with characters with similar personalities. e role selection process also permits female characters to be portrayed by male actors. “It is part of the art that you can put on a gender and per form it to a passable degree throughout the history of theater,”

Drama

Teacher

Keith Kottenbach said. With the cast set in place, the cast members fo cused on understanding and building character relationships to create a cohesive performance that re ected the personality of each cast member. “I felt that the chemistry really show[ed] itself, especially among the main cast,” audience member Senior Michael Hui said.

Universal Performers had rst selected their play in late August of 2024. After completing a series of logistical processes, such as expenditure paperwork and playbook shipping, practices nally began in November 2024. “[Rehearsals were] a slow process at rst because, obviously, this is high school theater. It’s not like we’re aggressively experienced. at’s not to say my actors are bad at acting. It’s just that nobody’s going to be perfect here,” Basu said.

On weekends prior to the performance, cast members visited thrift shops and tted costumes for one another. “Since this is a period piece, [thrifting is] kind of harder … Goodwill thrifting was tedious, but very fun,” Basu said. e cast also originally wanted to start a small re — an idea Kottenbach eventually rejected — to reinforce the play’s cozy mood. A small in atable re, a much safer alternative, was ultimately chosen instead.

In addition to their performance at MSJ, Universal Performers performed Little Women at the Lenaea One-Act Competition on February 8. With Kottenbach’s guidance, the club aims to continue producing high-quality plays that expose the MSJ community to traditional theater in an era dominated by digital entertainment e continuous development of modern technology still cannot replace intrinsic in-person human interactions, which can be conveyed through theater and other impromptu performances. “We can keep a part of humanity alive by having art as a part of it, and I think that would be really bene cial,” Kottenbach said. ▪

Mac Miller’s legacy lives on through Balloonerism

By Jennifer Li Staf Writer

An artist is de ned not only by their work, but by the legacy they leave. Hip-hop artist Malcolm James McCormick, professionally known as Mac Miller, continues to have a meaningful impact on the music scene despite his unfortunate passing in 2018. On January 17, Miller’s estate released Balloonerism, Miller’s second posthumous album following Circles in 2020. As his seventh studio album, the 14 tracks were recorded in 2014 and feature artists like SZA and Delusional omas.

rough Miller’s melancholic storytelling, contemplative lyricism, and exploration of complex themes, Balloonerism cements his legacy as an incredible artist.

roughout his career, Miller explored genres from psychedelic hip-hop to neo-soul jazz, earning praise for his storytelling and eclectic production. He gained popularity in 2011 with the release of his debut studio album Blue Slide Park, which propelled him into the spotlight. Miller’s later work shifted toward a more mature and introspective sound, with his most profound work coming in 2018 with Swimming which emulated a period of self-reection and struggle. Tragically, Miller passed away on Sep. 7, 2018 due to an accidental drug overdose at just 26 years old.Balloonerism was a scrapped project of Miller’s, yet it holds particular signi cance by o ering an un ltered glimpse into his mind through ab- stract narratives and themes. e album grapples with nuanced struggles, as depicted in “Stoned,” which

GAMEBYTES

By Michael Qu Staf Writer

MiSide, the latest indie game from the Russian indie team AIHASTO, blends psychological horror with an exploration-based 3D adventure. Released on Dec. 11, 2024, the game begins as a cheerful experience but soon unravels into a dark and unsettling narrative.

e game follows a student living alone who downloads an app to care for Mita, a virtual girl in a 2D world. After a time skip to Day 37, Mita expresses the desire to meet the player in person and transports them into a 3D version of her world. In the new environment, dialogue no longer appears in captions but instead oats around the speaker, re ecting current emotions, like shaking when nervous or darkening to convey an ominous tone. ese subtle details, as well as the attention to detail in game-like interactions with various objects, enhance the feeling of being trapped within a game.

e gameplay mainly involves puzzles and navigating eerie spaces. e player meets multiple versions of Mita, including the cheerful Cool Mita and the evil Crazy Mita, responsible for pulling them into her world. e storyline branches into either the Normal Route, where the player tries to escape, or the Peaceful Route, where they choose to stay with Crazy Mita.

portrays a troubled girl turning to substances to escape isolation and mental health struggles, mirroring Miller’s own battles with addiction and depression. Another standout track is “Excelsior,” in which Miller reminisces on the blissful innocence of childhood, unpolluted by the hardship and judgement imposed by society. Miller wonders, “Me, I used to want to be a wizard / When did life get so serious? / Whatever happened to apple juice and cartwheels?”

Compared to Miller’s previous work, Balloonerism is a more ethereal and abstract exploration of his experiences, heavily incorporating psychedelic and jazz in uences. Tracks like “Manakins” and “Funny Papers” explore internal con ict and desperation, set against a dreamlike soundscape with tambourine, piano, and chord organ. In “Manakins,” for instance, Miller says “Nobody can hurt me if I go inside and close the door / Not scared of growin’ old and dyin’ / Feel this where the answer lives,” expressing a search for peace and understanding amid uncertain-

ty. e album focuses on themes of drug use and mortality through surreal imagery while showcasing his signature storytelling. However, it has a more introspective and sometimes un nished feel compared to his polished releases. It o ers a glimpse into Miller’s more experimental side, particularly close in style to his Faces album released in 2014, but with an mixtape hazier atmosphere.

roughout the tracklist, Balloonerism carries a lingering ambiguity, echoing Miller’s un nished musings on life, addiction, and identity. rough this nal posthumous release, Miller’s artistry continues to evolve, demonstrating his ability to craft music that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. While he may be gone, Mac Miller’s legacy carries on through his music that continues to comfort and inspire listeners long after his passing.

Rating: A-

February 2025 Student Faves

By Gaura Amarnani Staf Writer

CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS, Central Cee’s debut studio album, was released to all major streaming platforms on January 24. Featuring collaborations with Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Dave, and Young Miko, CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS carries heavy expectations re ecting Central Cee’s rise to stardom in United Kingdom rap. is album is his rst full-length project since his mixtapes 23 released in 2022 and Wild West in 2021. Consisting of 17 tracks, Central Cee’s straightforward vocals, upbeat melodies, and personal lyrics shine in this homage to his hard work and success. Central Cee’s lyrical depth and melodic approach shine throughout the album, blending ambition-driven ows with raw storytelling. e opening track, “No Introduction,” introduces re ective lyrics that highlight his relentless e ort and rise to success. Lines like “God ain’t give me the gift to write, won’t lie, I been on a consistent grind” ruminating on his journey and dedication, setting the tone for the album. Meanwhile, one of the album’s top hits, “GBP (feat. 21 Savage),” continues this theme of deep emotion through layered lyrics like “We got somethin’ in common with scuba divers, why? ‘Cause the guys in deep.” Central Cee’s style of conversational, lifestyle rap o ers relatability and resonates with listeners. e album also consistently o ers high energy thrillers like “BAND4BAND (feat. Lil Baby).” Released ahead of the full album in May 2024, the track possesses catchy, pulsating beats and a driving soundtrack. On the other hand, the album takes a softer turn with “Gen Z Luv,” where Central Cee explores digital-age romance while rapping “I met your mum on the FYP / We’re young and our love’s Gen Z.” e song’s relatable content and compelling beat

elevate it beyond a typical love song, showing Central Cee’s introspective nature. However, Central Cee falls short at times due to his repetition and reluctance to dive deeper lyrically. While the album is designed to garner streams, it sacri ces creative depth in the process. Many songs often blend together with similar beats and pacing. Even top hits like “BAND4BAND (feat. Lil Baby),” lack emotional depth and broader connectability. Slower beats, stronger emotional displays, and more experimental production could have elevated the album into something more memorable. While Central Cee’s talent is evident in songs like “GBP (feat. 21 Savage)” and “No In- troduction,” other tracks lack a certain risk-taking approach that o ers innovation and variety.

Despite these reasons, CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS solidi es Central Cee at the top of UK rap, but more importantly, it helps propel the genre to a global scale. His ability to appeal to all types of listeners bridges the gap between UK rap and interna- tional audiences. Moreover, CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS cements his in uence and showcases his growth into a well-rounded artist through seamless execution and a re ned sense of melody and ow.

Rating: B

e many versions of Mita o er refreshing interactions, while the game’s engaging story and immersive world-building keep players on their toes. Ultimately, MiSide stays true to its genre, delivering an authentic yandere horror experience.

Grade: A-

Ke Huy Quan’s long-awaited return to leading-man status should have been something extraordinary. As a star reborn after his Oscar-winning triumph of Best Supporting Actor in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Quan nally steps into the spotlight again in Love Hurts, a lm that, on paper, seems tailor-made for his acting. With action maestro David Leitch as one of the producers and the lm helmed by rsttime director Jonathan Eusebio, this punchy, neon-drenched action-comedy promised to blend high-octane action with absurdist charm. And yet, Love Hurts is less a love letter to the genre than an imitation — a rom-com with more style than soul.

At the center of this genre-blurring spectacle is Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan), a relentlessly cheerful real estate agent who bakes cookies,

closes sales, and delivers pep talks with the energy of a walking Hallmark card. Quan aptly delivers his role as a realtor and a reformed hitman; he has the perfect combination of high energy and believable mannerisms. e lm leans hard into this central joke, but Marvin is slipping between home tours and gun ghts, staging a bidding war one moment and dodging bullets the next. But for all the lm’s self-awareness, it never fully commits to its absurdity, often settling for living in picture-perfect suburbia while trying to leave his bloodstained past behind.

Quan, a magnetic presence, does his best to ground the character, but Marvin is more of a caricature than a fully realized protagonist. His old life unravels when his estranged brother and former employer, the playfully menacing Knuckles (Daniel Wu) reemerges with a sinister plan. e plot spirals into a whirl-

wind of betrayals, shootouts, and conveniently timed misunderstandings, all of it tied together by Marvin’s unresolved feelings for Rose (Ariana DeBose), a sultry lounge singer and old ame. Unfortunately, the romance is more concept than chemistry, an obligatory throughline rather than an emotional anchor. DeBose, who is a powerhouse performer, plays Rose like a walking cliche — her expressions conveying a slinky, smoldering, and detached persona — without ever fully selling the love story.

For all its narrative stumbles, Love Hurts delivers on its action.

A standout brawl behind frosted glass walls sees Marvin ducking and weaving between perfectly timed blows, ashing his trademark smile between punches. Another sequence — an all-out brawl in a video store lair lined with cult movie posters — channels the lm’s Tarantino in uence, pairing balletic violence with

a Motown soundtrack. e biggest issue with Love Hurts is its unwillingness to push past its standard action-comedy formula; with all its quick- re quips and stylized mayhem, the lm lacks the emotional stakes that made John Wick’s vengeance compelling or Nobody’s suburban rage cathartic. It wants to be a genre send-up, but it never fully commits to either side of its personality. In the end, Love Hurts is a curious contradiction: it’s an action-comedy that never quite lands its punches and a love story that never fully ignites. Ke Huy Quan remains as charming as ever, but even his infectious energy can’t mask the lm’s lack of substance. It’s a lm that borrows from the best — but forgets to forge its own identity, leaving a stylish, watchable, but ultimately hollow genre mashup.

Rating: C+

by Lady Gaga

ETHAN: “Ordinary” by Alex Warren | GOONJA: “Ankles” by Lucy Dacus | HANNAH: “Open Hearts” by e Weeknd | HOWARD: “Take Me Back To LA” by e Weeknd | IVY: “Fallen Angel” by Milord | KAYLEE: “ e Night Before” by e Black Keys | KEERTI: “Inside Out” by keshi | NAISHA: “Drive” by SZA | PADMA: “NUEVAYoL” by Bad Bunny | SARAH: “hunter” by Paris Paloma | SHUHAN: “30 For 30 (with Kendrick Lamar)” by SZA | TANVI: “Kitchen” by SZA | TRISHA: “Chill Baby” by SZA | TR.LOW: “One More Dance” by d4vd

WHO WE ARE

2025

www.asdrp.org

The Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private research institution in Fremont, California.

Application Details

ASDRP is the Bay Area's premier precollegiate research & development institution, run by a consortium of highly skilled scientists, engineers, and researchers with years of academic and industry experience who collectively seek to push forward the current frontiers in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, psychology, medicine, engineering, and more.

We mentor high school students - budding scientists in 9th through 12th grade - who come from every corner of the greater Bay Area, California, and across the United States. We seek student researchers who are passionate, who are unafraid of a steep learning curve, and who want to be involved in real science that has real impact on society.

WHAT WE DO

Quite simply, we do research. Our investigators and student researchers strive to make impact in fields ranging from cancer biology, drug discovery, environmental science, and computer-guided drug design to radioastronomy, machine learning, and urban sustainability.

As in any other R&D establishment, we publish papers, present work at conferences, and generate intellectual property. Check out some of our latest preprints, publications, and conference proceedings online.

MISSION & VISION

ASDRP is not a class, not a tutoring center, and not a summer camp. We are scientists and engineers who aim to push the frontiers of scientific discovery through and cutting edge basic & applied research sciences, physical sciences, and engineering, while bringing out the best in the aspiring scientists we mentor.

External queries: admissions@asdrp.org

Administrative services: asdrp.admin@asdrp.org

Spring 2025

Early Application Deadline: November 15, 2024

Final Applications Due: December 30, 2024 @ 11:59 PM PST

Summer 2025

Early Application Deadline: February 1, 2025

Final Applications Due: April 15, 2025 @ 11:59 PM PST

Applications are competitive, and each term, ASDRP receives far more applicants than there are open research positions. Apply online at www.asdrp.org/apply.

I Am Not Jessica Chen: A study in overcompensation

By Kanupriya Goyal Sta Writer

Academic burnout and competitive pressures are inescapable realities for many students today. I Am Not Jessica Chen, bestselling author Ann Liang’s latest release, explores such dynamics with a razor-sharp focus. While this book clearly made a valiant e ort at tackling the intersection of systemic inequalities such as classism and the exploitation of minorities, it ultimately fell at.

I Am Not Jessica Chen follows Jenna Chen, an aspiring art student, as she lingers in the shadow of her perfect cousin, Jessica. After a particularly humiliating rejection, a bitter Jenna makes a fateful wish to become her over-

achieving cousin. When it comes true and she wakes up in Jessica’s body the next morning, Jenna is pleasantly shocked. However, the longer she lives Jessica’s life, she realizes not all that glitters is gold. From ominous notes threatening to expose her nefarious secrets and the weight of academic pressure to an existential crisis, Jenna starts to wish for her old life back. However, her e orts prove fruitless, and Jenna Chen risks fading into oblivion if she doesn’t transform back soon.

Many readers may be drawn in by the ethereal cover and promise of meaningful critique on academia, only to be left disgruntled by a misleading portrayal. I Am Not Jessica Chen has been marketed as dark academia since it was announced, yet nothing in the book it-

self indicates even the slightest hint of dark academic themes. According to the Collins Dictionary, dark academia is de ned as a “subculture concerned with higher education, writing and poetry, the arts, and classic Greek and Gothic architecture. e subculture is associated with ancient art and classic literature.” Despite dark academia being an environment of higher education, everything present in the novel seemed to be a critique of its very culture.

Ann Liang’s writing has true merit to it; the main issue was that it was too surface-level. She tried to do too much in this book and it showed. If she took her time to properly delve into the disparities of education, instead of trying to cover all the kinds of injustice to ever exist, this novel would have a lot more nuance to it. Instead, the reader was being pulled in too many di erent directions, from a budding romance with brooding medical student Aaron Cai, to longing for familial loyalty, to discovering one’s sense of self. Books shouldn’t be stu ed to the brim with as many plot lines as possible, simply for the sake of checking them o of a list or the ability to tell others that it confronts a certain injustice. Each storyline deserves time and space to develop, standing on its own while contributing to the novel’s overarching message. Instead, as one narrative was introduced into the web of plots, another was left behind, languishing in its silhouette. Although overcompensation might have

been this novel’s fatal aw, it was clear that Ann Liang knew what she was doing. From simple prose that instantaneously drew the reader in, to a depiction of pressure and struggling with one’s own insecurities that anyone could resonate with — the emotional impact was there. e reader is automatically able to feel a great deal of empathy for Jenna when she’s dealing with imposter syndrome and feeling as though she isn’t good enough, especially in Jessica’s body. In addition, there is a profound connection between the reader and the novel from the very onset: it’s able to tug at one’s inner heartstrings. Later, this connection is only deepened when it’s revealed that Jenna actually painted the cover herself as a representation of her true identity. at sort of intimate vulnerability simply can never be replicated. It will forever be unique to I Am Not Jessica Chen However, even though the writing and cover were masterfully lyrical, they weren’t enough to save this book from a pacing, plotting, and overcompensation disaster. ▪

Grade: B-

XO, Kitty Season 2: Messy in all aspects

By Felicity He Sta Writer

Drama and romantic entanglements await Katherine “Kitty” Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) as she returns to the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS) for an exciting spring semester on the second season of XO, Kitty. With all 8 episodes released on January 16, the Net ix show’s second season follows Kitty as she navigates life after breaking up with her long-time boyfriend, Dae (Choi Min-yeong), being confessed to by Dae’s best friend, Min-ho (Sang Heon Lee), and dealing with her crush on Dae’s fake ex-girlfriend, Yu-ri (Gia Kim). After almost being expelled, Kitty returns to KISS, determined to focus on her studies and avoid romance. However, a twist of fate leaves her rooming with Yu-ri, Yu-ri’s girlfriend Juliana (Regan Aliyah), and new girl Stella (Audrey Huynh). Lingering feelings complicate her friendships with Dae and Min-ho. Despite its popularity, the show’s quality leaves much to be desired. e dialogue is

unnatural and sti , leaving actors with little material to work with — no amount of skill can make “chaos queen” sound like a realistic nickname. In addition, the soundtrack is haphazard and feels mismatched to the tone of each scene.

Given the two year break between XO, Kitty Season 1 and Season 2, the writing should be much better than it is.

e storyline is unrealistic and relies on tired tropes, like love triangles, giving the story a Wattpad feel. ere are many unneeded side plots, especially for only 8 episodes, and the characters make nonsensical decisions, including cheating. The majority of the plot is told rather than shown.

Important information, such as the whereabouts of Kitty’s cousin, is casually dropped in conversation, making it di cult to keep up with the plot’s through line.

e show’s most egregious aspect is its characters — the majority of whom are terrible people, poorly written, or both. Not only is Kitty a horrible friend and person, she’s also insu erable, constantly meddling in others’ lives without consequence. ough she acknowledges her nosy, impulsive behavior, she makes no e ort to change. Any consequences she faces are ephemeral and unmeaningful, so she never actually learns her lesson, leaving viewers frustrated. Other characters, such as Dae and Yu-ri, change throughout the season, but below-average performances from their actors make it di cult to care about their characters.

e highlights of the season are undoubtedly Min-ho and, to a smaller extent, Kitty’s best friend, Q (Anthony Keyvan). Min-ho is the fan favorite and for a good reason. He’s

funny, is a good friend, and generally stays out of drama. He undergoes a de nitive character arc this season of repairing his relationship with his father and matures by learning to be less sel sh for the sake of his friends. Although Lee struggles with emotional scenes, his comedic timing and sassiness make Min-ho hilarious to watch. On the other hand, Q remains a stagnant character throughout both seasons, but his mature disposition and role as the voice of reason makes him very likable. Despite all its faults, XO, Kitty does one thing remarkably well: being entertaining. e show might be brain-rotting, cringe-worthy, secondhand embarrassment-inducing, and sanity-stealing, but it is never boring. It’s the perfect show to binge without thinking because every minute of the half-hour-long episodes is stu ed to the brim with romance and drama. Although XO, Kitty Season 2 certainly isn’t good at all, it still has its place as a silly, guilty pleasure teen show. ▪

Grade: D+

By Ariel Duong & Fiona Yang Staf Writers

Sophomore Varsity Badminton Co-Captain Grace Zeng has demonstrated immense athletic prowess and leadership throughout her high school career. Zeng’s resolute passion for the sport recreationally and competitively has led to an array of national and international rankings and a desire to help her local badminton community forge unforgettable experiences.

Zeng’s interest in the sport blossomed through her family’s encouragement at the age of 6 at Elite Badminton Academy, formerly known as Z Badminton Training Center (ZBTC). “Watching my brother play [badminton] in high school … inspired me to play because … that was the frst time I interacted with the sport and I really enjoyed it,” Zeng said. Continuing her passion, Zeng began competing in local tournaments such as the ZBTC Junior Tournament and the United Badminton Club Junior Open, progressively increasing in rank and skill to qualify for the Junior National Badminton Championships, and soon, representing the US in the

Athlete Spotlight: Grace Zeng

“I used to always have at least a few medals and all of a sudden I just had nothing. That changed my mindset into just having fun with badminton.”

— GRACE ZENG, 10

2021 Pan America Junior Badminton Championships, placing gold for U13 Girls Doubles. However, her athletic journey did not come without physical and mental hurdles. In 2022, Zeng endured a strenuous anterior pelvic tilt, resulting in a year-long rehabilitation that rendered her unable to perform any type of athletic activity. The injury hindered her mobility, edifying her about her perspective on her mindset towards the sport during remission. “I used to always have at least a few medals and all of a sudden I just had nothing. That changed my mindset into just having fun with badminton,” Zeng said.

Drawing on past experiences of her individual training, Zeng aims to foster a school badminton community based on sportsmanship and passion, valuing a positive atmosphere free from toxic competitiveness. From her efforts to cultivate a safe environment for the JV and Varsity Badminton teams, implementing changes including regular mental health checkins and regulating the team’s public forum on Discord, Zeng is determined to craft irreplaceable memories for her team members. “The old

captains thought I was a good ft to be the very frst sophomore captain because I help with the team mindset a lot,” Zeng said. Working alongside Co-Captains Seniors Arav Mestry and Alice Wang, the team is determined to sustain their nearly two-decade NCS streak.

Looking ahead, Zeng aims to qualify and place gold in the Badminton World Federation World Junior Championships and the International University Sports Federation World University Games through the implementation of practicing better discipline and a healthier mentality. As Zeng begins her career as a captain while balancing her competitive badminton aspirations, she continues to pursue her limits, always motivating herself and others around her

to improve both their physical and mental capacities to unlock their full potential. To combat the mental stress of her athletic and academic duties, she remembers to take her journey one step at a time and have fun with badminton. “I used to take [badminton] very seriously, but then as I grew up, I realized how taking it seriously just puts on more stress. Now I just take things easier, and I just have fun with it,” Zeng said. ▪

Boys Basketball fercely battles against Moreau

By Navya Chitlur & Varun Madhavan Staf Writers

On January 31, MSJ Varsity Boys Basketball played one of their last home games this season, a long and resilient game against the Moreau Catholic High School Mariners. ough they were not able to secure a win, from beginning to end, the team played with passion, strength, and dedication. eir season currently continues now with an MVAL 8-6 win-loss record. Despite the Mariners’ intimidating League Championship title, MSJ began the game determined to play their hardest. e Warriors put up a stronger ght to decrease the score gap from their rst game against the Mariners, which they lost 40-82. “Compared to our rst [game against Moreau], we made more threes and we played harder, so that’s a win,” Varsity Boys Basketball Co-Captain Senior Darsh Jayaram said.

By the end of the rst quarter, MSJ was down 3-15, and star player Jayaram took a hit to the face, forcing him to sit out for roughly a quarter. Although he was able to continue playing and rejoined the game in the third and fourth quarters, MSJ had to alter their lineups for a brief time, rotating the bench into the play. roughout the game, Moreau took repeated fouls from MSJ players and had a higher accuracy of scoring their free throws, while MSJ often missed their free throws and drew fewer fouls. However, MSJ persisted through a tough second quarter, pulling the score up to 19-33 at halftime, after scoring nearly as many baskets

as Moreau. e team’s perseverance shined throughout the game through the athletes’ composure. “Body language and having that mental toughness. Doesn’t matter the score, we’ll still play tough,” Boys Basketball Assistant Coach Spencer Singh said. MSJ remained committed to the game throughout the second half, especially motivated by Jayaram’s return. However, they began to lose stamina while maneuvering around Moreau’s defense, and Moreau was able to intercept several easy passes between MSJ’s players, continuously turning the play back to their side. Additionally, MSJ’s shots slowed, and players

repeatedly missed their attempts to layup or shoot three-pointers. Beginning to lose focus in the game, they missed several shots closer to the basket, allowing Moreau to take possession and conduct their attacks.

During the last quarter of the game, MSJ once again determinedly put up a ght, despite standing on losing ground, making a slight comeback with their higher accuracy shots. ey began to take fouls, and Junior Nikhil Cidambi scored both of his free throw attempts in the last quarter, concluding the game with an emotional loss of 42-76.

For the remainder of the season, the team will remain resilient, and is determined to work hard to win the rest of their games, including their next match against American High School on February 5. “We have a few more games, and we need to play harder if we want to make it to NCS,” Varsity Boys Basketball Co-Captain Senior Andrew Yao said.

Zeng prepares for a serve during her match.

Zeng playing doubles with Adam Tay.

Zeng returning a powerful serve from the opponent.

Senior Harpratap Mangat engages in a stand off.

Junior Joseph Stand eld goes for a free throw.

Junior Brandon White goes for a two-pointer.

Winter Sports Recap

By Michael Qu, Ariana Yi & Aaqib Zishan Staff Writers

Boys Basketball Girls Basketball

Ending the season with a 8-6 record and tying for third place in MVAL, Boys Basketball is on track to compete in NCS for the first time in more than a decade. “At the beginning of the season, we were skeptical about the team and new coaching, but throughout the season we all got to know each other and trust in [our coaches’] principles,” Boys Basketball Co-Captain Senior Darsh Jayaram said. The team went back and forth with wins and losses, facing tough competition and building their team chemistry with every game. After losing two early-season games, Boys Basketball retained their composure, keeping sight of their goals and staying true to what they do best. “Everyone has bad days, but it’s how we move forward that matters; after a rough day before the American [High School] game, we addressed the issues, and the team responded by playing well and winning,” Boys Basketball Assistant Coach Spencer Singh said.

After a tough 4-9 record last season, Girls Basketball took a step back and regained focus for the new season, achieving an improved 7-7 record. “You can see our im provement through our game scores and how close our games tend to be … we have that growing mentality of wanting to win games by helping each other on the court,” Girls Basketball Co-Captain Junior Stephanie Yu said. The team struggled at the beginning of the season due to en durance — playing well at first but lacking the same mo mentum and intensity in the second half. Despite this chal lenge, the team never lost hope and continued to pursue their goals, staying aligned with the team’s mission for success. “During practices, [our team] would emphasize how much we wanted to win and with the motivation and encouragement from our coaches, we didn’t back down in the third and fourth quarters,” Yu said.

Girls Soccer Boys Soccer

With a roster of nine freshmen, eight sophomores, three juniors, and one senior, Girls Soccer faced the challenge of competing with a er lineup. Regardless, the team was able to secure first win of the season in an intense and hardfought game with Irvington High School. Their success in this game was largely attributed to their strong defensive line, the focal point of improvement throughout the season. “Our endurance has improved, our physicality as a team on the field has improved, and our defense has improved a lot. We now know how to organize ourselves [better on the field],” Girls Soccer Co-Captain Junior Ima Nissler said. However, offensive play remained an area of difficulty for the team, which they hope to further develop next year. “Most of the girls will be here for three or two more years, so we’ll have plenty of time to get them [to improve their soccer skills]. I’m looking forward to next season already,” Girls Soccer Coach Terry Dalziel said.

Boys Wrestling

Boys Soccer faced a tough season, securing one win and falling short on qualifying for MVALs and NCS. However, the team showed resilience and growth, building stronger team chemistry, learning one another’s playstyles, and improving their passing. “At the beginning of the season, we were kind of lost. But at the end, we knew each other’s play styles,” Cen tral Defensive Midfielder Sophomore Neil Zhang said. Under the new Boys Soccer Coach Albaraa Hassani, the team adjusted and improved. Their season highlight featured a hard-fought match against American High School, where Boys Soc cer scored early and held their opponent off for a close victory. While technical skills remain an area for further refinement, players saw in dividual growth in positioning and game awareness. Moving forward, the team plans to build on this foundation and turn close matches into more wins next season.

Boys Wrestling had a difficult season, battling injuries and inconsistent attendance. Despite setbacks, the team delivered strong performances at meets, like the Livermore Barnburner tournament where several wrestlers placed in the top brackets, and new wrestlers improved significantly over the season. Boys Wrestling Co-Captain Senior Alexander Inguanzo Quezada played a particularly vital role in keeping spirits high throughout the season, encouraging teammates to attend practices consistently and boosting morale. Boys Wrestling aims to build on its growing experience, with promising players like Sophomore Orion Chau coming back to lead the team next season. “If we get the same people back next year as veterans, it will be a lot better [of a] situation, simply because those people have a vested interest in the team, and I think that’s going to make a difference,” Boys and Girls Wrestling Head Coach Bob Nishiyama said.

Girls Wrestling faced a challenging start to the season, dealing with absences caused by injuries and illness, but they continued to push through with determination. Through hard work and per severance, the team saw steady improvement, with new wrestlers gaining confidence and experience. “The ones who have been con sistently showing up have undeniably shown growth compared to the start of season, and they are wrestling smarter,” Girls Wrestling Captain Junior Sofía Acero said. In addition, returning wrestlers achieved new milestones, with Acero placing first at the Colt Classic tournament. With a strong team chemistry shaped through the season, the team is now focused on fine tuning skills in the postseason to put to use next year, with hopes of continuing their growth and achieving

Softball

Spring Sports Preview

With the start of a fresh season, Softball hopes to slowly develop the skills of their players as a team and e ectively harness them on the field. “Last year… we managed to beat every team at least once, except for Logan [High School]. This showed many of the players that if you put in the time and the work, sometimes good things happen,” Coach Joseph Iwamiya said. Developing and strengthening their existing skills in an early start, Softball is looking forward to another successful year. “It’s a bit more rebuilding than I would have thought… but I’d like to see them advance their skill levels to contribute even more to the success of the team,” Iwamiya said.

Boys Tennis

With a clear goal of winning NCS once again, Boys Tennis is getting ready for another successful season. With 11 seniors from the previous season having graduated, Boys Tennis welcomes a new team and plans to rebuild past skills. “We’re definitely not as strong this year but we have a lot of new freshmen coming up, so it kind of depends on how they grow,” Head Coach Michael Jan said. Having achieved semi-finals in the CIF regional championships three years in a row, the Boys Tennis Team aims to reach this milestone once again. Although the team lost much of their tougher athletes last year, Jan said Boys Tennis’ strength will be an eagerness to play on the court.

By Abigaile Lei & Kaylin Teo Staf Writers

Baseball

This year, Baseball strives to qualify for NCS, taking it one game at a time while prioritizing players’ health. The team applauds their teamwork and commodore, which they hope to carry into this upcoming season by building a supportive, driven team culture. Kicking o the season, Baseball will face an unfamiliar crowd at the Stanley Costales Sr. Tournament in Hilo, Hawaii. With seven seniors this year, Baseball aims to develop their fresh talent for the program’s longevity. “We need guys to buy in, baseball be their number one priority like it was for us. That’s how you get better.” Co-Captain Senior Anmol Prabhakar said.

Badminton

Ending last season with yet another first-place victory at NCS, the Badminton team hopes to maintain their 18-year win streak at the tournament. “There are high expectations again this year to keep that streak… and there will be a little bit of pressure on the team to do well,” Badminton Team Co-Captain Senior Alice Wang said. With more than 90 people expected to try out for the team this year, tryouts for both Junior Varsity and Varsity will be extremely competitive. “We did have a couple [of] really strong players that left last year, so I think the challenge will be finding replacements for them,” Wang said.

Track/Field

Having two MVAL Champions and several key athletes from the previous season graduate, Track & Field plans to build up its core of young athletes through strong student leadership while aiming to qualify as many athletes as possible for NCS. This year, all Track & Field programs will have a full coaching sta , allowing coaches to keep everyone accounted for. The team will kick o the season at the Skyline Invitational. Through the guidance of coaches and captains, the team shoots to redefine their limits, uplift one another, and build a safe space for all athletes.

Swimming

Ending last season with five finalists at NCS, the Swim Team has high hopes to be a strong competitor at the tournament. During a month-long preseason that stretched from early January to the beginning of February, the team has been working on flexibility and strength. “A mix of cardio, strength training, weight training, with a bit of yoga… is really important in swimming. Weight training and strength training also work together to increase strength,” Varsity Swim Coach Felice Tran said. With the development of many promising swimmers in and out of the pool, the Swim Team is looking forward to another successful season.

Boys Volleyball

Coming o a stellar season reaching NCS for the first time since 2019, Boys Volleyball aims to advance further into the tournament this year. The team graduated three core players last season and expects new and returning athletes to put in work to fill the gaps. Led by experienced All-League players, the team looks to continue developing their future. Additionally, known for their fun and close-knit community, Boys Volleyball hopes to continue sharing their joy for the sport through social media. “Our goal has always been to just do the best we can and make the funniest reels,” Co-Captain Sophomore Roman Suleman said.

Boys Golf

Hoping to extend their decade-long streak as MVAL Champions, Boys Golf looks to build o of last year’s nearly undefeated season and foster a close community between players. “My goal as a captain is to create a family with all members of the team rather than just our top players,” Co-Captain Senior Aditya Sujay said. Boys Golf will enter this season with a roster of experienced athletes, including 2024 MVAL Champion Sophomore Caleb Ma, who are ready to continue their competitive streak and inspire newer teammates. “We are looking forward to our larger regional level events where we aim to win them all as we did last year,” Sujay said.

Fleurs de Villes Lunaire Blooms at Westfeld Valley Fair

By Felicity He & Rishab Shah

Sta Writers

Local oral artists showcased their talents at the Fleurs de Villes LUNAIRE exhibition, cloaking mannequins in stunning oral designs to celebrate the Lunar New Year at San Jose’s West eld Valley Fair from January 29 to February 2. Artists decorated more than 19 mannequins in oral art and displayed oral art pieces around the mall and in stores like Creed boutique and Eataly.

Each boutique company selected to decorate was tasked with styling a mannequin with dresses made of owers and decorative items inspired by the Lunar New Year. Designs consisted entirely of owers and botanicals, representing elements of the Lunar New Year, such as mandarin oranges, gold coins, lion dancing, the moon, and the Peking Opera. Signs standing next to each installation explained the cultural signi cance of the speci c Lunar New Year tradition highlighted and the owers used.

Many designs, such as e Traveling Stem’s “New Year Style,” featured snakes made of owers for the Year of the Snake. e mannequins wore elaborate traditional Chinese and Vietnamese clothing; some donned Western-style dresses. Since most designs contained meticulously placed fresh owers like roses, orchids, leucadendrons, and anthuriums, orist teams inspected their creations. ey replaced owers as needed from time to time at the event to maintain the appearance of the plants. e installations attracted engaged crowds of curious visitors asking questions about the exhibition and oral art. “ ey’re talking to people, they’re asking questions, they’re learning about owers, so I’m just excited that it’s a gathering of people to see something so beautiful,” oral artist Lori Zemaitis said.

Bay Area Art Galleries

“The art on the walls are very abstract ... the little goodies that they sell [and] the CD wall, is really unique. I’ve never, like seen that anywhere near like at any cafes in the bay.”

— Avina Wong, 10

By Rajorshi Chatterjee, Kaylin Teo & Emily Zhang Staff Writers

Stepping into an art gallery is a captivating experience for both rst-time visitors and avid art connoisseurs. Art galleries primarily exhibit artwork for a limited period of time before their sale, unlike museums, which center around collecting and preserving art explicitly for public viewership, educational, or scholastic purposes. To nd the best local galleries, the Smoke Signal visited several locations in the Bay Area: Tamper Room Cafe & Gallery, Olive Hyde Art Gallery, Mook Art Gallery, and Studio Seven Arts.

Tamper Room Cafe & Gallery

Nested in the heart of Paci c Commons, Tamper Room Cafe & Gallery invites visitors to immerse themselves in live shows like poetry readings and calligraphy workshops. The cafe sells local artists’ handmade works, which include a range of products from stationery to accessories, and features small art collections, such as a series of CD art created by the cafe’s staff and social media community. The abstract styles of the cafe’s pieces craft a warm and inviting atmosphere, especially with quirky pieces of framed cat prints, vintage lamps, and free-form pottery. “I think the most vital part of our curation system is [that] we really want to give space to smaller artists who don’t have an opportunity to sell their work anywhere else,” Tamper Room Cafe & Gallery Gallery Manager Creo Noveno-Najam said.

“One thing I enjoy the most [about art galleries] is the different types of art and the stories that follow them. Reading the descriptions and stories next to the art, whether it’s paintings, clay molds, or textured art has to be my personal favorite part of art galleries. It serves as a reminder of the importance of creativity and art for myself and in our world.” — Meghana Satish, 10

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

Located along Washington Boulevard, the Olive Hyde Art Gallery features around ve exhibitions every year, each lasting in length from a few weeks to months long, often seasonal and varying in mediums, offering free public access for each. Long-time Fremont resident and patron Olive Hyde donated the land and house, which she built herself, to the City of Fremont after she passed. Today, the gallery celebrates local artists such as Durba Sen, Ingrid V Wells, and Jennifer Banzaca, all based in the Bay Area. Each showcase for an artist includes an in-person artist talk, as well as both virtual and in-person exhibitions. The artwork — ranging from paintings to sculptures — as well as cheaper poster prints of them, are available for sale, each with individual prices. “It’s kind of a different experience than … an open room gallery … everything is shaped very strangely, so you … get a different vibe from any other gallery. This gallery is a lot smaller, it’s a lot more local … it’s kind of like a hidden gem in Fremont,” Olive Hyde Art Gallery Facility Attendant Roman Xavier Fanto said.

Mook Art Gallery

Situated in the Great Mall, Mook Art Gallery showcases a diverse collection of oil paintings, primarily featuring landscapes and replicas of famous artworks like The Last Supper that are donated individually or in collections. From cityscapes to seascapes, the gallery highlights stunning depictions of the great outdoors while also offering an array of portraits, animal drawings, and abstract pieces. Paintings, either ornately framed or unframed, are elegantly displayed on walls and store-center xtures, illuminated by bright lighting to enhance their details and visibility. Despite being modest in size, the gallery’s location in a high-traf c area attracts numerous visitors, making it a perfect spot for a relaxing break amidst a day of busy shopping.

I’ve visited multiple art galleries both here in the US and when visiting Germany. One of the art galleries I visit the most is the one in Stanford, which I have visited since I was little. I love seeing how art evolved throughout the ages, how styles have changed, as well as themes and subjects. I personally like the romantic era, which typically include beautiful, sweeping landscapes, but I also enjoy the human gures drawn and sculpted during the renaissance.” — Ima Nissler, 11

Studio Seven Arts

Studio Seven Arts — in downtown Pleasanton — is a cozy, community-favorite stop for all visitors, showcasing local artists like vintage illustrator Steve Thomas and painter Laura Browning. The gallery specializes in uniquely stylized artwork. These range from vintage travel posters of popular scenic destinations to elegantly simple oil paintings of shimmering water ripples to sculpture work of wood and metal, jewelry, and glass art. What makes this gallery truly special, however, is its distinction as an authorized Disney Fine Art Gallery, emphasized through the multitude of Disney-themed paintings displayed throughout the gallery alongside the original works. With its welcoming atmosphere, diverse collection, and unique Disney artworks, Studio Seven Arts is a must-visit when it comes to Bay Area art galleries.