Epic Issue 1, 2019 by the Epic

Hiring of former judge Persky stirs controversy BY SUNNY LI AND ANUSHA KOTHARI

ichael Aaron Persky, former judge on the Superior Court of California for Santa Clara County, was hired as the JV girls tennis coach for the 201920 school year on Sept. 2. However, due to Persky’s controversial history as a judge, this decision caused many community members to voice their opinions in support of and against his hiring. Shortly after, on Sept. 11, FUHSD released a statement indicating that Persky’s employment as the JV tennis coach had ended. Persky’s hiring was controversial due to his decision on the People v. Turner case in 2015. Brock Turner, a Stanford student, was convicted of three counts of felony sexual assault and Persky sentenced him to six month’s con�inement in the county jail, of which Turner served only three months, followed by three years of probation and registration as a lifelong sex offender. Immediately following his decision, the public widely criticized Persky and in 2018, more than 80,000 signatures were collected to put the vote for Persky’s recall on the state elections ballot and Santa Clara County voters supported his recall with a margin of 61.51 percent to 38.49 percent. Eventually, the outrage led the California State Legislature to pass two laws that broadened the de�inition of rape and created a mandatory minimum sentence for sexual assault of an intoxicated or unconsious person. Lynbrook administration stated that Persky’s historied past did not initially catch their attention during the hiring

process as Persky applied under a different name than the one he used previously. As a judge, he was referred to as ‘Aaron Persky,’ Aaron being his middle name, whereas Perksy was known as Michael Aaron Persky to staff and students. In a statement released on Sept. 10, FUHSD explained that Persky had applied to be the coach over the summer and met all necessary requirements including a �ingerprint background check, which checks for the criminal record. They further defended his position as coach by mentioning that he held a high rating from the United States Tennis Association and had attended several coaching clinics, making him a highly quali�ied candidate. After learning about his background, the school held a meeting for staff on the morning of Sept. 9 to inform them about the situation as word had begun spreading through the community. The meeting consisted of all Lynbrook staff and administration. Around the same time that administration and staff became aware of Persky’s role as the well-known judge in People v. Turner, parents and students in the Lynbrook community heard the news and began voicing their opinion. As a result, a closed meeting between the Principal Maria Jackson, Superintendent Polly Bove, athletic director Jennifer Grif�in, additional members of administration, the JV girls’ tennis team and their parents was held on Sept. 9 to clarify and discuss the situation. The administration received considerable backlash from the Lynbrook community and the general public; in fact, two petitions were started by Lynbrook alumni urging

the school to �ire Persky. They believed that Persky’s controversial decision in People v. Turner re�lected poorly on his character and revealed race, gender and class biases. There were concerns about his position as a coach to serve as a role model to teenage girls and the message that his employment may send to high school students, especially survivors of sexual assault. “[My] biggest concern is that when you have a job that’s speci�ically related to what you’re very controversial for, it’s going to be given that your moral decisions have weight on what happens in the future,” said senior and girls’ varsity tennis co-captain Maya Abiram. “Even though you can change, there are consequences that you have to deal with.” Others, however, did not believe the administration should �ire Persky as coach, believing that he deserves a second chance. Those in favor of Persky as coach cited that the People v. Turner case took place three years ago in 2016, and an individual could signi�icantly grow or change during that time. They also believed that his past would not necessarily affect his coaching abilities. Moreover, numerous athletes on the JV Girls’ tennis team who trained directly with Persky had a positive experience with him as coach. “[Persky] is a genuinely nice person who was trying to make it work,” said JV girls tennis player Amy Zhou. “Every time we gave him some advice on how to be a better coach, he took it into account and started working on it immediately. Since I know him as a person, it is just so heartbreaking to see everyone treat him like they did.” Without Persky, the JV girls’ tennis team were worried that they would be left without

Lynbrook implements new Homeroom curriculum BY ANUSHA KOTHARI

After receiving an overwhelming amount of feedback about homeroom from a survey sent out to students and staff last school year, Lynbrook administration sat down with a pair of Lynbrook students from the Youth Public Policy Institution (YPPI) to reconsider the direction of homeroom and plan effective activities for this year. In August 2018, seniors Madhavan Anbuchelvan, Patrick Phelan and Nisha Ramanathan, members of YPPI, began developing a curriculum to help relieve stress at Lynbrook. On June 4, they presented their plans to the FUHSD board as a way to improve homeroom. After their proposals were approved, Anbuchelvan and Phelan began working with Principal Maria Jackson to implement their ideas at Lynbrook. Through the survey sent out last year, Anbuchelvan and Phelan realized that only six percent of students claimed familiarity with the mental health resources available at Lynbrook; consequently, they made it a priority to help students recognize the importance of mental wellness and increase awareness about how to maintain it. According to Phelan, the purpose of

homeroom is to equip students with the skills necessary for managing stress as well as teach them how to be mindful of their decisions and how to take care of themselves. “It’s hard to really measure how effective homeroom was last year because it was so unstructured,” Phelan said. “This year we’re trying to add a little more structure while giving more freedom to the students.” Although most homeroom classes will remain study periods, certain topics will be continually discussed throughout the year through planned lessons. The �irst topic that will be covered is about mindfulness and mindset change; it will focus on providing students with strategies to overcome anxiety and stress. Another topic that will be addressed during the year is “battery maintenance,” which involves individuals being more aware of themselves, their limits and how they feel during the day. Through this lesson, students will learn not only how to �ill their emotional “battery,” but also how to grow it. “I think this new program will be successful because we have never had one like it,” Anbuchelvan said. “There will be changes made along the way but it is an

improvement from what the school has been doing for homeroom.” To help promote their new program, Anbuchelvan and Phelan hope to partner with student clubs and organizations on campus through fundraisers, posters and ASB videos. In particular, they plan to work with Aletheia, whose mental health topic will be shaped around the new homeroom curriculum. The new plan also consists of several guest speaker events throughout the year, the �irst of which took place on Sept. 17 and featured Barbara Sai, co-founder of Up Level. Up Level is a mental health gym located in downtown San Jose that teaches strategies for mental wellness. Sai’s �irst presentation went handin-hand with the topic of mindfulness and mindset change. Although a majority of the curriculum is yet to be implemented, there is a lot of hope that it will accomplish its primary goal to help Lynbrook students manage their stress. YPPI aspires for their ideas to eventually be implemented throughout the district, not just Lynbrook. They believe it will succeed as long as students wholeheartedly participate in lessons with an open mind.

a quali�ied adult to serve as coach. For the rest of the season, history teacher Nhat Nguyen is coaching the team and has been with the team for 3 weeks. Although Nguyen has never coached tennis before, he has extensive experience playing and coaching badminton. The situation and controversy surrounding Persky caused a signi�icant amount of media attention for Lynbrook. Both national and local publications continually contacted players and administration to comment and news vans could be seen in front of Lynbrook’s campus. The increased media attention caused frustration among the JV Girls’ tennis team and eventually led to Persky’s termination as coach at Lynbrook High School. A followup statement from FUHSD explained that this decision was made in the “best interests” of their students and school community in an effort to “[ensure] that the girls on the JV tennis team are able to have a successful season.” Strong feelings fueled both sides of the issue, with some opposing Persky’s position as a coach and others defending his employment status. Those who disapproved of his hiring argued that Persky was not suited for the position due to his decision in People v. Turner while those who supported keeping him as a coach believed in trusting his coaching abilities. As of now, Nguyen will coach the team for the rest of this season. To learn more about the Epic’s stance on this situation, read the staff editorial on page 6.

FOOTBALL// pg. 14 New laws for injury prevention

OCTOBER 02, 2019

NEWS

OCTOBER 02, 2019 News in Brief

Spikeball is a lifestyle, Vikings say BY MICHELLE ZHU

ith the new school year, spikeball has emerged as a popular sport among Lynbrook students. During brunch, lunch and after school, teachers and students alike have rapidly increased their participation in this new sport. Spikeball is a sport similar to volleyball, with a low circular net placed parallel to the ground surrounded by two teams of two players each. Players pass the ball to their teammates and bounce it off the net to the other team. A team scores a point when the opposing team allows the ball to drop to the ground. Spikeball requires communication and coordination between teammates. Seniors Neil Warke and Stephen Zhong saw spikeball as more than just a fun sport to play with friends; they saw it as an opportunity to connect students through a fun activity for all grades to enjoy. The two organized a tournament with two brackets: one for beginners and another for more advanced players. The tournament was held from Sept. 6 to Sept. 20, with games taking place at brunch, lunch or tutorial in the quad. “My friends and I, we always play among each other in the same group of individuals,” Zhong said. “But through this tournament, we were able to create an environment where people

interact with people they might have never talked to.” During the tournament, the pair provided nets for participating players and marked off boundaries for each court. They also invited their friends to come watch the tournament and provide an audience for players. To spread the word, they created an Instagram account dedicated to the spikeball community at Lynbrook, @ spikevikes on Instagram, which now has more than 140 followers. The account will serve as a platform to promote updates on future tournaments and events. Zhong recruited friend and student photographer junior Austin Tong to take professional pictures and to create a promotional video for the tournament. Tong’s photos were published on @ spikevikes, and the of�icial account of the Spikeball sporting goods company commented on the post. “[The tournament] was super organized,” Tong said. “I came and shot a few scenes, went home and edited it. I was super excited when the of�icial spikeball account acknowledged my work. It’s cool to see this little community being recognized.” The tournament was not just a success for bracket winners, but for all competitors. Despite not winning his bracket, senior Luka Mandic says that gained something more lasting than the �inal prize. “I got to meet a bunch of new people,” Mandic said. “[the spikeball tournament] brings a lot of people together — freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors — they were

all involved in the tournament.” Sophomore Tammi Trujillo has also met new people and made new friends through spikeball. “[Spikeball] brings more people together,” Trujillo said. “It breaks up more cliques and different groups, bringing them to all play in one game.” For other students, spikeball helps relieve stress and serves an enjoyable way to pass time during breaks. Spikeball is rising in popularity not only with students, but with teachers at well. Often at lunch, biology teacher Isaac Pallone plays spikeball with students out in the middle of the quad or out on Stober Field. “I’m glad it’s �inally taking off,” Pallone said. “I’ve been playing almost since it came out. I think people are just starting to realize how fun of a game it is.” Warke and Zhong have plans to expand this one-time tournament. The two organized a tournament with Homestead High School that was held afterschool on Sept. 27. They also plan to have a coed tournament at Lynbrook to attract more girls to participate. The bracket for the tournament will open on Oct. 11. On the surface, spikeball may seem like a regular sport, but for many, it is a break from homework and studying, a chance to bond with the community and a way to bring people closer together.

FUHSD Orchestra Exchange Concert Orchestras from all �ive FUHSD schools will perform at Cupertino High School from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 2. Come out to support Lynbrook and listen to spectacular music.

Coffee with the Counselors on Oct. 7 Students and their families can come to the auditorium from 7:45 AM to 8:30 AM on Oct. 7 to chat with the counselors. Throughout the year, there will be Q and A sessions every �irst Monday of the month.

No Classes Oct. 14 There will be no school on Monday, Oct. 14. Be sure to get plenty of rest and help your class prepare for Homecoming! Freshman Guidance Night The Lynbrook guidance team will be presenting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Lynbrook auditorium on Oct. 16. Topics covered include graduation requirements, college eligibility, course selection and how to utilize school resources. Fall Music Concert This year’s fall music concert will be held on Oct. 17 in the Lynbrook auditorium. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. and end at 9:30 p.m. Be sure to attend for a night of music and fun.

NEWS

Lehigh Cement to expand Cupertino quarry BY BENNIE CHANG

p in the hills of Cupertino, cement quarry Lehigh Permanente has been polluting the environment by releasing dangerous greenhouse gases and dumping toxic pollutants into nature. In May 2019, Lehigh announced their plan to expand the mine, triggering backlash from environmental activists. “Our Boy Scout troop regularly hikes at San Antonio Ranch, so we pass by the quarry,” said sophomore Raymond Shao. “It is pretty large, a hole about the size of Lynbrook’s library.” In the future, the quarry will grow even more noticeable to hikers as the development expands into the mountains of San Antonio Ranch. Lehigh is the largest polluter in Santa Clara County, and the amount of pollution is only expected to increase after expansion. However, Lehigh is also crucial to the county because the quarry is the only supplier of the cement needed for construction. Environmental activists such as senior Isabella Chen argue that our local leaders need to do more to prevent the increase in pollution. Chen joined Young American P o l i c y Advocates (YAPA), a youth a c t i v i s m organization, because

she wanted to make a difference in the community. Over the summer, mentors knowledgeable and passionate about the issue led students in research and advocacy. “Lehigh’s current quarry is not only the third-highest polluter of California but also the source of elevated dust levels in our area,” Chen said. “YAPA students spoke at city council and the board of supervisors meetings and discussed the issue with the current Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian.” Chen collaborated with students from FUHSD and other school districts to prevent Lehigh from expanding and causing further environmental damages. Though the quarry has been around for decades, of�icials have taken little action to reduce the pollution. Critics complain that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is condoning Lehigh’s actions by not regulating the quarry even though they have found environmental violations; however, BAAQMD argues that they need to consider many other factors as

Homecoming Week Homecoming week will be Oct. 21 to Oct. 25 this year. Come out to the homecoming football game on Friday against Gunn High School to cheer on our team! by Diana Kohr MICHELLE ZHU—EPIC

Seventeen-year-olds may soon be able to vote BY LILLIAN FU

Letter from the Editors Dear readers, On Sept. 15, Miller Middle School lost beloved art and photography teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Gross. She impacted the lives of so many students, including many of our staff. She instilled con�idence in all of her students, pushing them to be their very best. Her outgoing, positive attitude never failed to lift students’ spirits. Middle school is a sensitive time, where creating an individual voice is crucial. Yet, a lack of faith in one’s abilities and fear of standing out can impede this growth. Further, art techniques are often initially daunting, and the pressure to immediately create stunning artwork can always be found. Yet Mrs. Gross encouraged us regardless of our ability. She reached out to every student, and was always willing to listen to us. Mrs. Gross nurtured our loves for art and photography. Even when we were discouraged, she believed in our ability to succeed and provided us with constructive criticism and compliments. Even when we didn’t love ourselves, we always knew that Mrs. Gross loved us. We will always remember Mrs. Gross for her humor, her love and her kindness. Her legacy survives in all of us through the neverending lessons she taught us. With much love, Nicole Ong and Aileen Xue

The voting age in California may soon be lowered from 18 to 17 under two proposed amendments to the state constitution. If passed, Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 4 would allow all 17-year-olds who turn 18 before the next general election to vote in primary and special elections. ACA 8 would allow all 17-year-olds to participate in any election. On Jan. 18, Assemblymember Kevin Mullin proposed ACA 4. Assemblymembers Evan Low, Randy Voepel and Lorena Gonzalez proposed ACA 8 one month later, on Feb. 11. Though the two amendments have slightly different conditions, both serve the same purpose: to promote civic involvement in teenagers and prepare them for adult life. “My everyday life is just doing schoolwork and listening to my parents

GRAPHIC IlLUSTRATION BY TERESA ARISAWA

and teachers’ lectures,” said senior Grace Huang. “This isn’t how the world is actually like out there, and it shouldn’t be how we spend the �irst 18 years of our lives and then get thrown into an election.” Changes to the voting age have been made before on the federal level. After the Vietnam War, the 26th Amendment lowered the federal voting age from 21 to 18 to match the draft age. Now, supporters of this bill reason that if 16-year-olds can drive cars, pay taxes and participate in politics through local governments, they have enough responsibility to vote as well. “If you have 17-year-olds who are able to participate in government and be youth commissioner for the whole city of San Jose, then why shouldn’t other 17-year-olds be able to have the right to vote?” said junior Ria Chaudhary. By lowering the voting age, the Assemblymembers hope to create a new generation of life-long voters and politically

active citizens. “I certainly believe in the trickle down effect in high school,” said senior Sanjana Narayanan. “So if we have seniors that are educated and politically active, that means they can in�luence people who are freshmen. It just keeps going.” If either of these policies were implemented, the time at which students have the right to vote would align with the time at which they take Government or AP Government during senior year. Classes would be full of voters. “People are interested in what affects them,” said AP Government teacher Jeffrey Bale. “And if they have the power to vote, they’re going to naturally be more inclined to know what’s going on in those things.” Both amendments have passed and are now scheduled for a vote at the state Assembly �loor at March’s primary election. If passed, ACA 8 would take effect before the 2022 general election. In 17 states and the District of Columbia, 17-year-olds are already allowed to vote in primary and special elections if they turn 18 before the general election. In Takoma Park, Maryland, 16-year-olds are allowed to vote in city elections. In 2013, the year of the change, teenagers under age 18 voted twice as much as eligible voters did previously. “It’s similar to how the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice. The arc bends toward including more and more people in our democracy,” said Cassie Mancini, legislative aide to Assemblymember Evan Low. If ACA 8 passes, California will become the �irst state to let 17-year-olds vote in general elections, setting a precedent for other states to expand their laws and for America’s youth to become more politically engaged.

well, including economic impact. “We compare the cost to the estimated annual pro�it for the facilities that are going to be impacted,” said Greg Nudd, the Deputy Air Pollution Of�icer at BAAQMD. “Through that socioeconomic analysis, we can estimate the job losses.” BAAQMD argues that Lehigh Permanente provides work for 180 employees and creates economic opportunities for many people in the county. Instead of reducing mining efforts, BAAQMD wants to minimize pollution by changing the way Lehigh processes cement by making it more “green.” “One of the things that we funded with our climate grant program this year was an effort by Marin County to incorporate green cement into the building code,” Nudd said. To make green cement, the plant decreases the amount of clinker used and substitutes it with greener materials like ash. Clinker is produced by burning coal, so a reduction will decrease the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. However, many who learned about the Permanente Quarry’s negative impacts still disagree with BAAQMD’s gradual approach and remain adamant immediate action is needed to stop pollution.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY YOUQI HUANG

Music Genesis pushes the boundaries of music education BY KAVYA IYER

ow after row of glossy computer screens, all black, perfectly positioned and aligned. The silver hardware glints under the light streaming in through the windows. In a corner, rows of piano keyboards are stacked up on a rack. This is not what most picture when they imagine a music classroom. However, this unorthodox setting is just one of the many unique features of the music department’s newest class: Music Genesis. Music Genesis is offered at all schools in the FUHSD district, and Lynbrook is the latest school to make this addition. The class focuses on music literacy, and its goal is to give students a holistic view of how all genres of music work. The music department has advocated for this class in previous years, but there was no classroom that could accommodate its structure until the recent development of the new Mac Lab. Technology is vital to the Music Genesis curriculum, which was developed by John Burn and Jeff Morton from Homestead

High School. In addition to lectures in class regarding the seven elements of music — tempo, timbre, melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics and form — students do a lot of independent work using the computers. In the classroom, each student has a speci�ic station with a Mac, headphones and a piano keyboard. Students use applications such as GarageBand to create soundtracks. Each soundtrack the students create has a different focus depending on which element of music they are learning about in class at the time. “This is all new to me, so I’ve had a big learning curve myself to �igure this out,” said Music Genesis teacher Crystal Isola. “The GarageBand program really is very intuitive though, which is great. It has so much to offer this class.” As students get more familiar with the program, the dif�iculty of the projects increase. For example, later this year, the students will create their own soundtrack to go along with a Superman cartoon. Students also learn how to play the piano using online video tutorials and a keyboard,

which is connected to their computer. They learn piano because it was found to be the easiest instrument to use to grasp an understanding of the elements of music. Unlike other instruments, students are able to play a chordal accompaniment and melody at the same time, which gives them a better idea of the structure of a musical composition. “A really unique aspect of this course is the amount of diversity within the curriculum,” Isola said. “Students are exposed to many different styles of music, like jazz and pop and folk, so even if they have classical training, the class still gives them something new.” The class is primarily intended for students that have no musical background, but the �lexibility in the course also challenges the abilities of students that are more musically advanced. “I took this class because I wanted to get a broader understanding of music in general so that I could develop and apply the skills to when I play the piano,” said freshman Kavya Pandrangi. The students also get hands on

experience by applying their knowledge to real life situations. They get to see how all the different musical aspects they talk about in class come together in a performance. “One thing I’m really excited for is that we get to go review the choir, orchestra and band concerts each semester and see how the concepts we learn about work in real life,” said sophomore Clark Wang. Activities such as critiquing concerts provide students with the unique opportunity to test their knowledge and understanding of the elements of music. This goes hand in hand with the goal of the course: for students to have general knowledge and appreciation for music and the way it works. “I really believe that this class can make you a happier adult, because you will get exposure and understanding of whole worlds that you might not have had otherwise,” Isola said. wIf students �ind the course rewarding and interest does not decline, Music Genesis will remain as a course offering for students new to the world of music but passionate about its possibilities.

KAVYA IYER —EPIC

MUSIC GENESIS LAB | Music Genesis students in Room 76, the Mac Lab working to build original soundtracks in class.

STUDENTS USING GARAGE BAND | Music Genesis students using a variety of apps, the prominent being GarageBand.

STUDENT CLOSEUP | Music Genesis student hard at work on garageband for Music Gensisi’s ﬁrst major project.

opinion

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

District justiﬁed in controversial Persky ﬁring

ice News, Sept. 12: How the Hell Did the Brock Turner Judge Get a Job as a Girls Tennis Coach? Certainly, no one expected it. But it happened: former Santa Clara Superior Court judge Michael Aaron Persky was hired to coach Lynbrook’s JV girls tennis team. Persky made national headlines in 2016 for his notoriously lenient sentence in People v. Turner, one of the most controversial and highly publicized sexual assault cases in recent history. In particular, many were enraged by Persky’s justi�ication for the sentence, one-fourth the statutory minimum, in which he cited Turner’s intoxication and the “severe impact” that incarceration would have on Turner’s future. Two years later, Persky became the �irst judge in 86 years to be recalled by California voters. The controversy reached Lynbrook in early September, when both the administration and the public learned who Michael Persky was. It is unclear how Persky was hired and how his past factored into the district’s decisions. When asked for an interview regarding the issue, Bove declined to comment. On Sept. 11, Persky was �ired. Reactions were mixed. Notably, the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times penned a scathing indictment of the district’s decision, calling those who �ired Persky “spineless school bureaucrats” and their decision “ridiculously gratuitous, cowardly and off-base.” But despite the numerous concerns voiced by the authors of this article and others within the community, the district ultimately made the best decision in the interests of the students and the school environment as a whole. Instating Persky in a leadership position on campus can be seen as an indirect endorsement of his decisions, and by association, the “rape culture” they represent. It conveys the message that while the district might or might not support his sentence in People v. Turner, it does not fully condemn it. This stance, whether real or perceived, affects the school environment. For instance, consider the message this inadvertent endorsement sends to survivors of rape on campus. Knowing that a member MEDHA UPADHYAY--EPIC of staff genuinely believes — and has stood by his decision — that sexual assault can be punished by only six months in county jail could cause many to believe that they cannot count on school staff to appreciate the gravity of their experience. “I de�initely think it’s going to play with people’s perception of safety,” said Amy Oestreicher, a sexual assault expert at the National Sexual Violence Research Center. “A big component of [recovering from sexual assault] is having to deal with �lashbacks, hypervigilance and anxiety because of triggers that bring up certain

Staff Editorial

The Voice of the Epic memories or associations. And [Persky’s] values. To them, his sentence re�lected poorly presence here is going to be a trigger for on his character. “I think his decisions re�lect a complete some people. It’s hard enough to come forward in a public school setting and talk and total lack of understanding and sympathy about these things, [and] I think this is just of other people, and especially those of the opposite sex,” said Lynbrook Spanish teacher adding another layer.” Persky’s presence could also affect Kim Revilla. “If it were my daughter on the perceptions of the district. The district has a tennis team and I knew that the person who zero tolerance policy toward sexual assault was going to coach them was someone who and rape, but Persky’s ruling drew fame had that little regard for women, I’d be very for being excessively tolerant toward the upset. I wouldn’t want him anywhere near perpetrator. While the district never gave my children.” Between the voices of protestors and any indication of changing their stance on sexual assault and Persky himself has never lingering resentments from the Brock Turner outright condoned sexual assault, many trial, media coverage of Persky’s employment have made the case that placing Persky in escalated quickly. This, brought players a position of authority and leadership is in into the spotlight, and the district faced increasing pressure to alleviate the strain on con�lict with the school’s claims. “It’s sending very mixed messages to the students. In Persky’s statement to the press students,” Oestreicher said. “This looks like after his �iring, he wrote that Bove’s decision hypocrisy, like they’re not committing to the “was motivated by a desire to protect the values that they are trying to instill in their players from the potentially intrusive media attention related to my hiring.” students.” Had the district continued to defend its Such a perception could have disastrous effects on student behavior and ethics. The hiring decision, the coverage likely would not have stopped, putting opinions of school pressure on players staff do not necessarily and their families. re�lect those of the “It’s sending very mixed While �iring Persky administration or the district. Persky’s merit messages to the students. This for this reason was perhaps not entirely as a coach can and should be considered looks like hypocrisy, like they’re fair to him, it was a independently from not committing to the values decision made in the best interests of the his personal views. But unless coaches’ that they are trying to instill in students and families. This is the district’s only role on campus responsibility — to is to preside over their students.” the students practices, coordinate Amy Oestreicher defend and community �irst. with tournaments and Sexual assault expert Still, giving in to tweak athletes’ form, media pressure has their personal values its consequences. have a role in their effect on the school. Coaches, like all staff, are As the aforementioned Los Angeles Times editorial noted, the �iring could be seen not role models — for better or worse. “The teachers and mentors at Lynbrook as a victory for accountability, but rather for shaped the way I perceive others, my society mob rule. It could set a precedent for staff and myself,” said Neha Palvai, a Lynbrook employment to become disproportionately alumna and creator of a change.org petition affected by their personal views. While the calling for Persky’s removal. “I was lucky to district undoubtedly has a responsibility to have amazing teachers who taught me to respond to the voice of the school community, prioritize having good values, but Persky’s some believe that this case eroded its ability [presence] normalizes rape culture — it to separate popularity and politics from personal merit in its staff. devalues it and desensitizes it.” Nor should the effect on Persky himself Palvai was at the center of one of many petitions through change.org which be overlooked. His ruling was controversial, challenged the hiring. The most successful but he committed no crime — in fact, an petitions, including Palvai’s, reached investigation by the California Commission signature counts into the thousands within on Judicial Performance cleared Persky days. The school initially responded to of ethical wrongdoing in 2016. His this onslaught of criticism by defending its sentence, furthermore, only followed the legality and citing Persky’s quali�ications, recommendation set forth by the probation writing, “He was a highly quali�ied applicant department. Does that mean that he should not for the position, having attended several tennis coaching clinics for youth and holding take responsibility for his ruling and its a high rating from the United States Tennis implications? Certainly not, particularly given that he has since stood by his decision. Association.” But not all members of the community But the context does color the way his past were satis�ied with this justi�ication; should be viewed. Many feel that, in the ethicality and legality, they frenzy of outrage over the trial, the asserted, were not one public made Persky an and the same, and unwilling �igurehead the district had for the much larger a responsibility and deeper problem to promote of rape culture in leaders with America. g o o d

For that, he lost his job as a judge. But now, while seemingly doing his best to earn an honest living in an entirely distinct �ield, public opinion brought his past back to life. This sets a second and equally concerning precedent: that Persky may now be considered unemployable due to one controversial case. “I feel like he was a good coach, and I don’t believe he deserved to get �ired,” said Aditi Chockalingam, a player on the JV girls tennis team. “Because from my perspective, he didn’t do anything wrong, per se. What he did before — it really isn’t our business. It shouldn’t affect the way he lives his life.” Chockalingam was one of many tennis players to come to Persky’s defense. While students, staff, community members and alumni rallied against his hiring, several players were actually in favor of him staying. This view was not unanimous, though. “First of all, [the news] should have been contained within the JV team,” said varsity player Maya Abiram. “And [the school] should have also known that, because he’s such a controversial �igure, news would spread quickly. And it got everyone caught up in something that they shouldn’t have been involved in. It just should not have happened in the �irst place.” Most critically, the JV tennis players needed Persky because, at the time of his hiring, there were no other quali�ied candidates for the position. Had Persky not been hired, the team might not have had a season. But in the end, the district was right to prioritize the long-term effect that Persky’s presence would have on the larger school community rather than the short-term effect on the tennis team. By Sept. 11, there was no perfect avenue forward. Like voters in the recall campaign against Persky in 2018, the district was torn between succumbing to mob rule and alleviating the mounting pressure from the public and the media. Whether Persky’s dismissal was a win for justice or for the media �irestorm, it was above all a victory for the interests of the student body. By recognizing that Persky’s in�luence on campus extended beyond JV girls tennis, the district was able to maintain its ethics and preserve a healthy school community. By the day of Persky’s �iring, Lynbrook needed closure more than anything. Had Persky remained, media coverage would have only built, and outrage would have only grown. And it was Persky himself who gave the school what it needed to move forward. “Although I am disappointed with the District’s decision, it was a privilege to coach the team, if only for a short time,” he wrote in a statement the day of his �iring. “I wish all of the players the best in their future academic and athletic endeavors.” The Epic staff voted 28-3 in favor of this stance, with 6 staff members abstaining.

OCTOBER 02, 2019

OPINION

Politics: How young is too young? BY DHRITI IYER AND DIANA KOHR

T F

he students of Meyerholz Elementary School received �lyers encouraging them to participate in a protest against the Homeless Navigation Center (HNC). As citizens go through life, they acquire certain political privileges. However, as school-age children cannot vote and cannot be elected, there are differing opinions on how early they should be exposed to real-world politics.

ollowing the tragedy at Stoneman Douglas High School, thousands of students joined together to protest gun violence. Protests like these are a key feature of our democracy, granting a political voice to all citizens. Although some believe that elementary school students are too young to be exposed to controversial political issues, it is necessary for all members of the community to understand the political process and be comfortable taking part in it. In the future, the younger generation will run government and vote, impacting the preceding generation and generations to come. “Children can be introduced to political issues in a way that makes sense to them,” said Betty Chan, a math teacher at Miller Middle School and a mother. “[They] can be politically active if it’s related to something they care about.” Additionally, due to the rise of social media, political propaganda is now accessible anywhere. This generation is unique in the amount of political information that it receives through social media. This makes it absolutely necessary for younger students to understand the political climate and be able to make their own informed decisions. A 2016 study of 187 elementary school students regarding the presidential election shows that children do have an interest in politics. More than 90 percent of children could provide information about the candidates, and nearly 99 percent expressed a preference for one candidate and knew the election outcome. “I would talk about [politics] as it comes up in real life or in the news or in school,” said Chan. “I would also give my kids space to share their thoughts and what they are hearing from friends, media, etc. Then as a parent, I would share my own view, explain it to them and let them know it would mean a lot to me if they adopt my view… if it’s something important to me.” While Congressmen have the authority to make legislative decisions, citizens retain the right to make their voice heard through peaceful protest, a right s schools continue to incorporate current events into their curriculum in guaranteed by the First Amendment. an attempt to keep students informed about events in their community, it Any citizen, regardless of race, gender is important to take a step back and consider the type of information that or age, is guaranteed this crucial right, young, impressionable students are being shown. Children as young as �ive years including children. In this day and age, old are being sent home with �lyers encouraging them to participate in protests it is especially important for children and take political stances before they are old enough to fully comprehend their to become politically active, in order for implications. Sending politically-charged �lyers home with elementary school them to �ind their voice and express it. students is where the line between education and in�luence needs to be drawn. Members of the Meyerholz community sent home �lyers with students about a protest focused on publicizing the faults of the HNC. Protestors alleged that the HNC has a low success rate and a high cost compared to other similar programs, as well as poor management and a negative impact on neighborhood safety. But the �lyers only tell one side of the story. Elementary school students are too young to understand the bias present in the information in these �lyers and the consequences of forming views after hearing only one perspective. The �lyers highlighted the negative aspects of HNC and everything that the government was hiding about it, but it never discussed the purpose of the program, the people it has helped or what being a part of the program is actually like. Giving students small pieces of information in hopes of swaying them to stand in support of a certain cause is merely taking advantage of their naiveté. “Asking children to take a stance against an issue that they haven’t been welleducated on can be misleading and detrimental to the children,” said senior Anna Chiang. “They don’t have enough information to take a stance of their own.” Instead, efforts should be directed toward providing students with an unbiased perspective of events going on in the community so that they are given the opportunity to formulate their own opinions on the situation, and politicallycharged �lyers should be aimed at parents rather than their children. “I think you need to start from things that are more applicable to their lives, so that you can train them to form their own opinions,” Chiang said. It is important to keep young children free of political in�luence, instead of overloading them with information they are not equipped to understand. Community members sending home these �lyers with children goes beyond wanting to educate them and becomes a situation of people taking advantage of the innocence of younger children and how they are too young to fully comprehend the situation and its implications.

GRAPHIC ILLUSRATION BY OPINION SECTION

ART ILLUSTRATION BY ALARA DASDAN

RENEE GE//IN MY OPINION

My own farewell

hen my grandfather was in and out of the hospital for a tumor in his abdomen, my dad dropped everything to spend time with him. I would often come home from school to �ind out that he had bought another last-minute ticket to China. Then, we discovered that the tumor was cancerous. As soon as school ended, I was on a plane, hearing my mom order me not to tell my grandfather about his diagnosis. He couldn’t know. It had just rained, making the air in the hospital so humid I thought I would choke on it. The bright lights stung my eyes. The �loor was sticky. People crowded into the elevator behind my mother and me and packed us in the back. This was the China I knew: jostling crowds, rapid-�ire conversations and a hint of cigarette smoke in the air. Dazed and heavily jetlagged, I clung to the familiarity the best I could. Speaking with my grandfather was painful. His cheeks were hollow and pallid, and the surgeries he had undergone had made him so thin that the blanket covering him laid almost �lat across the bed. I hadn’t seen him in two years, and he seemed like a complete stranger. He believed his tumor was benign. I listened to him promise to live into his late nineties, as his own mother had. He said he could push through this. He wished me good luck in my studies, and told me not to worry about him. Deep down, I felt like what I was doing to my grandfather was fundamentally wrong — although I never said the words, “your tumor is benign,” saying nothing felt the same as lying. What if he has things on his bucket list he will never get to do? He could want to travel somewhere he has never been before, have a last dinner with his family and say goodbye, but I was taking those decisions out of his hands. But the presence of the family — my mother, grandmother, aunt and uncle — placed a heavy weight on my shoulders and left the truth stuck in my throat. I was the young American outsider who spoke in accented Chinese, and could not interfere in things I did not understand. So I kept silent. I could never fully articulate why I felt so con�licted until I watched the movie “The Farewell” with my mother later in the summer. “The Farewell” follows a ChineseAmerican woman, Billi, who discovers that her grandmother has stage four lung cancer and is told by her family to lie to her grandmother about it. I found myself connecting deeply with Billi; her love for her grandmother, her regret of not spending enough time with her and her hesitance to go against her family were all emotions I felt in my grandfather’s hospital room. I cried when Billi cried and laughed when Billi laughed, but most importantly, the movie made me understand my family’s perspective. In the movie, Billi’s uncle explains to her that in Billi’s Americanized philosophy, a person’s life belongs to themselves. “But that’s the difference between the East and the West. In the East, a person’s life is part of a whole. Family.” Like Billi’s family, my family didn’t want my grandfather to suffer with the knowledge of his diagnosis, so they decided to carry that burden themselves. Eventually, I agreed with my family. My grandfather has lived a long, happy life. He may not know his diagnosis, but this way, he will not look at his future with fear and nervously count how many days he has left before he goes to sleep. Instead, he will continue as he always has, and get up each morning to go for a walk. He will see the jostling crowds, hear rapid conversations and smell the cigarette smoke in the air. This is the China he knows. I know when I visit him again, he will greet me with a smile.

OPINION

OCTOBER 02, 2019

Device disconnection encourages real connections

BY SLOKA SURESH

Walking through the halls of the Lynbrook campus, it is not unusual to see students with phones in hand. For many, time with cell phones offers a needed break from academics, a chance to unwind and relax. However, as students embrace the digital age, cell phones have become an unwanted distraction, one that detracts from classroom interactions and student learning. As the number of students with cell phones reaches an all time high, Lynbrook is just one of many schools that have fallen victim to the epidemic. A recent study, conducted by the Taylor and Francis Group, found that 95 percent of students bring cellphones to school, with 92 percent admitting to using them during class. Although the spike in cell phone use is a concern for school administrators, many students do not believe that the issue manifests in the same way for everyone.

At the same time, it is important to consider the negative implications that accompany cell phone use. Inside the classroom, alarms, phone calls and text messages can disrupt lessons and hinder concentration in class. Furthermore, cheating has become increasingly prevalent as students use messaging apps to send answers to a test or take photos of con�idential material. “I got tired of trying to �ind cell phones that students were using during class,” said English teacher Connie Willson. “It got to the point where anytime we’d be in a group, three out of the four kids would be on their cell phones”. As more cell phones are used as tools of distraction, many schools have resorted to banning them

altogether. On Aug. 19, San Mateo High School became the largest public school to institute a schoolwide lockdown of cell phones. Using a magnetic locking device called the Yondr pouch, the school stored students’ phones at the beginning of each school day until the �inal bell. The results were immediate. Despite initial resistance, both students and staff saw an increase in social interactions within a week of the program’s implementation. “Everyone else was socializing and eating lunch together, that’s what I wasn’t seeing enough of when phone usage is at its worst,” said Brad Frieman, a drama teacher at San Mateo High School. In Lynbrook classrooms, teachers have also

found cell phone pouches, low-tech versions of the Yondr pouch, to be an effective method to restrict cell phones without completely banning them. Cell phone pouches are cubbies where students place their phones at the beginning of class and retrieve them when the period ends. This strategy prevents the distraction caused by devices and promotes student engagement in class. “I think that [phone pouches] are a good policy, especially when doing a really important assignment, a discussion or a project that we’re working on as a group,” said senior Riddhi Somani. Although a schoolwide ban of cellphones may seem like a drastic approach to deal with the increasing number of cellphones at Lynbrook, it de�initely puts the need for limitations on devices into perspective. Disconnecting from cellphones is the �irst step toward creating a more positive school environment where students are more engaged and involved in their learning.

EMMA CIONCA - EPIC

ASB employs fair review system for clubs BY ELLIU HUANG

ew faces stream into a classroom during lunch, bright in anticipation of the �irst club meeting. After club of�icer introductions, students listen to the of�icers’ presentation and laugh at jokes while munching on snacks. An ASB club reviewer checks off items on a list of criteria to judge the quality of the meeting. Starting last year, ASB reviewed clubs to test the validity of club documents and shut down inactive or sparsely attended clubs. Despite some controversy, ASB’s new policy is transparent and fair. Currently, there are �ive ASB Club Commissioners who manage around 75 clubs on campus. They are tasked with ensuring that each club adheres to the Club Handbook, a document outlining club regulations. Due to the number of clubs, ASB Club Commissioners must enforce strict deadlines for club documents to avoid favoritism. Administrators also enforce consistency throughout the entire process. The review process was instituted because it was dif�icult to pass new clubs when Lynbrook already had so many. Few resources remained for those who wanted to

MEDHA UPADHYAY //IN MY OPINION

Spider-Man: Homeless

hen Spider-Man fans joked that the next movie in the trilogy would be “Spider-Man: Homeless,” they could not have foreseen the custody battle that Disney and Sony would undergo over the iconic character, momentarily leaving him stranded between opposing sides. It was hard for me to see this as anything except an attempt by Disney to conquer yet another production studio. Over the years, I have watched Disney gobble up company after company. From LucasFilm to Pixar to

form new groups. “It is not fair to have such a high barrier to form a new club when there are clubs that have been formed years, sometimes even decades, ago that ‘took up’ a spot and now don’t hold up to the standards that all clubs agree to,” ASB president Stephen Yang said. With only 100 certi�icated staff, it is harder for new clubs to �ind advisers who have the time for new clubs. But all clubs should be given an equal chance at being passed, regardless of when they were proposed. Ideally, passing a club should not depend on �inding an adviser because ASB judges clubs based on the four criteria: purpose, quality of events, differentiation from other clubs and member engagement. It would be unfair for new club proposals to not be passed because of a lack of an adviser. Last year, two clubs disbanded themselves, and ASB shut down 10 clubs, allowing space for new clubs such as Smash Club and Zentangle. Although some of the clubs that were shut down were popular and unique, most of them were shut down because they did not follow ASB regulations. Regulations include having at least 10 non-of�icer members per meeting and notifying ASB when cancelling a meeting.

Failure to do either results in a reprimand. After four reprimands, the club is disbanded for the rest of the school year. These rules are necessary to assess club activity with an objective system. To avoid fabricated numbers, ASB also interviews advisers to verify information. One major concern with the system is that clubs could be unfairly reprimanded and that the system is not as transparent as it could be. However, when ASB issues a reprimand, it contacts the club president and states reason for it. If a club feels it is unfair, they can appeal decisions by writing an email and voicing their rationale. The Assistant Principal of Activities, the Commissioners and the club then meets to discuss the issue. ASB adviser Jason Lee hopes to re�ine the club review process further through student input. Since the number of staff who can serve as advisers limits the number of clubs, ASB’s new policy is necessary to clear space for new growth. At each step in the review process, clubs have the ability to appeal decisions, and the expectations for clubs’ activity and promptness in submitting forms are by no means unfair. ASB has implemented an objective system that provides consistency and transparency.

Fox Studios, all have succumbed to Disney’s unchallenged power at the box of�ice. Now, it’s clear that the market is saturated; every movie looks just like the other, all out to take advantage of an audience’s nostalgia. From the naked cash grab that was “Avengers: Endgame” (nothing screams “taking advantage of nostalgia” more than time travelling to other movies within the franchise), to borderline creepy remakes (who thought that using animatronics for “Lion King” was a good idea?), Disney has lost sight of the love and creative genius that went into their earlier movies. Nowadays, their movie-making strategy is brutally simple: pro�it trumps everything. Wake me up when American production studios start investing in the ideas of tomorrow rather than tired fossils. Yes, making up new stories is hard. And yes, not all of them will reign at the box of�ice. But audiences are frustrated with the greed that handicaps today’s movies. Maybe, just maybe, I’ve had my �ill. Do I really need yet another carbon copy remake of the same superhero formula? I don’t want to watch Peter Parker turned into a cookie-cutter Disney superhero. I was drawn to the 2002 “Spider-Man” because it was something

novel; it made me feel something new. Sony remains one of the companies not under Disney’s thumb, and Disney tried to conquer them in August by bullying them into unfair terms. Disney’s hunger for money forced Sony to take a stand, and Disney punished them by cutting off Spider-Man’s arc with zero regard for the storyline or the loyal fans that have been following the teenage web-slinger. This left Sony is in a tight spot for the next Spider-Man movie, as the �irst two focused heavily on his connection with Tony Stark. To further complicate matters, the clif�hanger ending of “Far From Home” demands a sequel, which meant that Sony could not get away with simply not making another Spider-Man movie. Additionally, the movies linked with Marvel were widely hailed as being much better than the previous iterations; if a Sony Spider-Man movie was found lacking in any way, it seemed inevitable that Sony would become the villain in this deal. It can be easy to forget that Sony has proven their prowess with “Into the Spider-Verse,” which was praised for its inclusivity and even received an Oscar. Meanwhile, the plot of “Far From Home” played on overused Marvel gimmicks, especially with a villain origin story that

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRTATION BY OPINION SECTION

centered around Tony Stark (I’m begging you, please stop with the Tony antis) Perhaps Sony’s divorce from Marvel would have given it the breathing room that it needed in order to bring something new to the table. Alas, my cautious optimism was shortlived. While it is unclear how much pressure came from audiences and how much of it was fear of having a disastrous third movie without the support of Marvel Studios, Sony entered a new deal with Disney on September 27. Disney will be taking 25 percent of the pro�its this time around, a major increase from the 5 percent they had settled on in 2016. Does this mark the downfall of Sony? Will they soon be engulfed in the Disney Kingdom? As always, the decision lies ultimately with the consumer (July 16, 2021 is not that far off!). As someone who loves Peter with all my heart, I am inclined to overlook this hiccup. I choose to hope that Sony will exercise creative control over the 2021 movie and not let Disney’s formulas muddle their work. I can tell myself that Sony will be taken more seriously now that they’ve shown their commitment to the character. Is it wishful thinking? Probably, but it’s all I have left.

in memoriam

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

IN MEMORIAM

OCTOBER 02, 2019

Remembering Jennifer Gross:

features

lhsepic.com

NICOLE ONG//FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Pearl milk tea and all it means to me

oba: the quintessential drink of the Asian Baby Girl, a common topic in the widely popular Facebook group Subtle Asian Traits, and my primary source of calories. Bay Area food culture cannot be characterized without mentioning boba. Yet even with boba’s growing popularity, for me, it always symbolized one thing: connection. Standing hand-in-hand with my dad in front of the Quickly cashier, little me waited impatiently to order a pearl milk tea (PMT). Perhaps not the best thing to serve a child, it was enough to satisfy me. PMT was not just a drink, it was an experience. I distinctly remember swallowing the pearls whole (because, what can I say, I thought it made me cool. It de�initely did not.), and being chastised for it by my dad as it seems I was unfamiliar with the concept of choking. I fondly recall being kept awake by the caffeine content in a cup of PMT, I ran to my dad when I tired of playing Nintendo under the covers. My childhood memories are hazy, but I often think back to those nights of PMT, my dad and me. I never went into a boba store in search of the best boba, but went seeking time with my dad; for me, it was all I needed. When I moved to Singapore for my �irst and second grade years, boba didn’t remain between me and my father — it became a tradition with other family members; my grandma, for one. After piano class, I would slink down the mall’s escalator to the boba stand on the �loor below, ordering a green apple slushy with pearls. I would walk to my grandma’s car, bright green drink in hand, and smile smugly when she asked, “Where’d that come from?” She wasn’t mad; in fact, she even stole some sips. It was time together. It was everything I ever wanted. Throughout middle school and freshman year, Friday afternoon trips to Tea Top or QQQ were routine. Several awkward tweens, celebrating the week-end, huddled around a phone and screamed about the latest memes or up-and-coming celebrities. For a moment, we forgot about homework and tests: it was just us, our drinks and the stories we shared. As high school progressed and we became busier, boba trips were one of the few times where I would see some of my friends. After weeks or months of radio silence, one would text another, “Want to get PMT?” Then, a friendship was rekindled, and we were launched back into middle school. No longer were we separated by SAT scores or college applications, but connected by boba. I miss the love, the shared laughs and all that boba symbolized to me. In attempts to postpone the looming threat of adulthood and bridge the typical adolescent disconnect with family, I �ind myself texting my brother, “Do you want anything?” if I’m in a boba shop, or stuttering out, “Can we get boba?” to my dad every now and then. Now, boba is my imperfect solution to the growing apart caused by growing up. As college application season intensi�ies, I am often found huddled in a boba store, listening to JJ Lin and furiously typing my college applications or scrolling through memes. My boba tastes have expanded to mango green teas and bitter oolongs, but sometimes, I order a PMT out of nostalgia; I stab my straw through the �ilm lid and sip. Some days, it tastes just how it did when I was young. I often joke, “people might give up on you, but boba never leaves.” In some ways, I guess it’s true. I fear growing up and its uncertainty, but I know one thing: a sip of boba always throws me back into my childhood, when it was just PMT, my dad and me.

Introducing Falcon: our campus cat BY ALARA DASDAN

A woman who touched the hearts of many n the week of Sept. 16, Joaquin Miller Middle School (MMS) students packed into Room 33 to craft �lower hair clips, which they would wear in the coming days to remember the life of beloved art and photography teacher Jennifer Gross, who passed away on Sept. 15. Gross enjoyed restoring old cars and photography, and her fashion style often incorporated vintage elements to create a style that was uniquely hers. “When I think of Ms. Gross, I immediately think of her beautiful smile and how put together she always was,” said MMS math and science teacher Lise Stull. “Her makeup was perfectly applied, and she got creative with her hair styles too, often adding bright colors and �lowers. She had a great sense of style!” Gross was known and loved for many things, one of which was her kindness. Gross’s class had a warm, welcoming atmosphere, with student artwork plastered on the walls. “You could always feel like you could be herself around her and she would welcome you regardless of who you were,” MMS choir teacher Anthony Arnold said. “I think anyone who had her was lucky to have had her as a teacher.” To students, the classroom was more than its four walls: it was a safe space to explore their creative talents. Gross’s class served as a launching pad for greater talents, a place to encourage exploration and nurture and individual voice in photography and art. “I’ve never met anyone more encouraging of my art journey,” senior Janvi Ramchandra said. “Being an amateur artist in middle school, I made comics everyday and would show them to Mrs. Gross. Because she would sit down and laugh with me about the jokes I attempted to put in my comics back then, I gained the courage to pursue art in high school and beyond. Mrs. Gross encouraged me to develop my art style as well as to step outside my comfort zone, not only in the art �ield, but as a maturing human being.” “She was about �irst, loving yourself; you can’t love yourself without knowing who you are, believing in what you can do and being passionate about what you were created to do,” Arnold said. “It wasn’t so much about the grade as much as it was about exploring your loves and passions, and exploring them to their ultimate degree. You can see that in how she raised her son; she wanted him �irst and foremost to know that he was loved.” Gross genuinely cared for each and every one of her students. To her, students’ emotional wellbeing was as important, if not more, than her students’ academic achievement. “She was one of very few teachers who actually gave off the impression that they genuinely cared for us,” sophomore Pranay Mamileti said. “Every day, she could tell if somebody in the class was down about or going through something, and she was always down to help.” While the MMS and Lynbrook community are known for high stress levels and intense academics, Gross’ �irst priority was not giving students’ perfect grades or test scores, but rather to instill a sense of con�idence in them, both in and out of photography and art. The lessons Gross taught extended beyond the arts; she wanted students to take care of themselves and treat themselves with love and kindness. “I remember she was telling us about how she thought skincare was important and how she liked taking care of her skin,” said sophomore Carolyn Li. “At the time, the only thing I did to my face was brie�ly rinsing it with water in the shower. It might seem really trivial, but I think it’s interesting that my photography teacher inspired me to start taking better care of myself and helped me create a part of my daily routine that I enjoy doing everyday.” Her caring nature was enjoyed by her coworkers as well. Her loving nature and dedication to self-care and kindness inspired not just students, but fellow staff as well. “She saw all the beauty in the world and had such great balance in her life,” said MMS cooking and fashion teacher Ana Reed in a caption on her teacher Instagram account. “She taught me that it’s important to take time for yourself each day, keep up with your passions, not sweat the small stuff, enjoy what’s around you, date your husband, not let motherhood consume you and live life to the fullest.” Gross was more than a teacher: she was a quirky friend, a loving mother and a valued colleague. All of Gross’ students, friends and family will remember her passion, love, courage, quirkiness and creativity. Within the MMS community, her spirit is forever captured in the mural she crafted on the wall adjacent to her former classroom; the inspiration and knowledge she endowed upon students as well as the life lessons she taught others. “Mrs. Gross’ smile, passion, enthusiasm, quirkiness, witty sarcasm, and silly faces will no longer be a part of our daily lives,” Reed said. “We will now see and feel her around us in every brightly painted sunset, beautiful �lower blossom, colorful falling autumn leaf and ray of sunshine peeking through branches.” Gross has guided many souls and changed people for the better. For this, she will be dearly missed by all whose lives she touched.

Lynbrook High School | the Epic

n endearing character in the Lynbrook community, Falcon the Lynbrook cat is not the average house pet. From her quiet steps around the art building to the way she blends into the background, a passing visitor may mistake her for a stray. However, the initiated Lynbrook student knows better. “I feel like she’s a mascot for our campus,” junior Ibraheem Qureshi said. “She really represents someone that students can destress with.” Those who may need a chance to take their minds off the demands of everyday life can always turn to Falcon. With the many pressures high school students face, having a friendly animal on campus can be a much-needed break. “Her being on campus is just kind of stress relief,” said junior Autumn Richmond. “She’s probably the most calm

cat I’ve ever met.” Others who have ad the chance to become familiar with Falcon have also noted her gentle demeanor. Her popularity is not limited to students; even teachers appreciate Falcon’s presence on campus. “I think she should be appreciated as more than just a cat,” art teacher Charlotte Kruk said. “She just has this teenage personality, where she wants to hang out on campus and become social. It’s just sort of adorable.” Qureshi takes Falcon to medical checkups and feeds her nutritious cat food. “Whenever she’s not feeling well, I take her to the vet, and I check on her every day,” said Qureshi. Kruk provides a more staff-inclusive point of view. She mentions administration’s past stances on Falcon while talking about her presence at Lynbrook. “I just think it’s really wonderful that admin is putting up with it, because I know at �irst they were like, ‘Get the cat off campus,’” K r u k said.

“But I think they realized more and more that kids really love having her here.” Although Qureshi cares for Falcon at the moment, he has voiced concerns about who will take up the responsibility after he graduates. He is unsure over whether she will be left on her own, but is working with others to �ind a solution. “People in the community can feed her, or make her a little bed,” Qureshi said. “But they can also just give her attention when she wants it and respect her space when she doesn’t.” Others have also pitched in to help. Another notable �igure in her care is Richmond, who has recruited younger students to the cause. “I’ve brought in a couple of freshmen to take care of her after we graduate, because when we do they’ll be sophomores, so hopefully people will continue taking care of her,” Richmond said. Falcon’s popularity with the Lynbrook staff seems to be rather limited to the art corner of the school, with teachers like Kurk make sure she’s well-loved and respected. “I’ve known her now for three years,” Kurk said. “I love seeing her; I go say hi to her every morning.” Although Falcon’s future holds some uncertainty, the Lynbrook community is honored to have her here. The fact that we house such a gentle and �luffy companion can make what would have been an ordinary school day so much more appreciated. PRANAV MISHRA — EPIC

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY PRANAV MISHRA AND LILLIAN FU

Alumni artist Campbell reflects on career BY SUNNY LI

cott Campbell graduated from Lynbrook High School close to 30 years ago, and since then has become a successful artist. He works with watercolor and has created works from comics and games to gallery pieces and art for children’s books. How did you develop your interest in art throughout high school? There was one person who I can attribute to my increased excitement in the possibilities of creativity and art and that was Lee Akamichi, my art teacher at Lynbrook High School back in the early 90’s. He was such an excitable and charismatic guy, he made art class quite popular in those days! It helps when teachers get real excited about they are teaching. That excitement is contagious. He exposed us to all kinds of art materials and techniques and was quite encouraging. It was a fun time to explore. Who were the people who had a great in�luence on you, as a person and on your artwork? Lee Akamichi was a big deal for my growth as an artist. There were a bunch friendships blossomed for me in college that opened my eyes to many different ways of seeing the world as we created books and artwork for various types of events in San Francisco. It was a wonderful time to explore who I was and why I wanted to create and what I wanted to say with my artwork. My friend and �irst boss at Lucas Arts, Tim Schafer, has helped me grow

tremendously as an artist through the years. We started a company called Double Fine Productions together to make strange and fantastic video game worlds. His friendship and talent for storytelling were a huge in�luence on my art and stories. And my mom was a big in�luence on me. How did your friends and family react to your decision to pursue art as a career? My mom always nudged me towards art. She enrolled me into art classes at a young age. She was quite creative herself, so we always knew I would get into art in some way or another. My career path has been a long and winding road from creating comics and video games to painting for gallery shows, cartoons, �ilm, and ultimately children’s picture books. It is a wonderful time to be an illustrator. There is abundant opportunity to work in a wide variety of disciplines. When I was in school, you had to choose your speci�ic artistic career path, book illustration, editorial, storyboarding, �ine art; they were all very separate paths. Now you have people straddling all of these worlds in wonderful ways and I think it pushes entertainment to a magni�icent level. You have comic artists moving into making cartoons like Adventure Time and Steven Universe while also shifting into making video games and �ilm and live action projects, books, and music. It really is a splendid time to be an artist. What challenges have you faced in your career? Have you always wanted to be a professional artist or did you realize that later? I have a l w a y s wa n t e d to be an artist, but there was a time after college when I felt quite lost. The passion to create had

drifted away from me and it was dif�icult for me to see the point of doing it at all. I was not sure why I should be making things and I had no real things to say with my art. I began seeing a therapist to explore this loss of motivation and started to realize that it was that uninhibited feeling of excitement I had as a child that was missing from my life. I began working with homeless children in San Francisco, painting and drawing with them on a regular basis, enjoying their stream of consciousness excitement for creating. I enjoyed listening to the wild scenarios they would create. That was very inspiring to me and helped me �ind my love for art again. What were some things that you have learned from art? I have learned that there are ups and downs in life. When I am having a particularly hard time coming up with a concept for a new piece, the rest of my life becomes a bit of a struggle. It is a strange thing to be in those valleys and it can feel impossible to get out of, but I always get out of them eventually and that is a comforting thing. The conceptual process is my favorite part of creating. Those eureka moments are what I live for. What were some breakthrough moments for you? When I was struggling with my art and passion for art, I also found myself struggling with the mediums I was using to create. I was not enjoying using gouache or acrylic or pencils; nothing excited me. The colors would get away from me and everything would just feel like a mess. It was not until I attended an art show by a fellow named Marcel Dzama that I �irst became intrigued by the soft pleasantness of watercolor. It has become my medium of choice for many years. I love it. What would you say to an aspiring artist in high school? I would just say have fun! Do not worry so much about choosing the right path because any path you take is moving in the right direction, even if you fork off onto a many different paths as you go! And keep creating! Try different things! If you hit a wall, take a step back and approach it from a whole new direction! And don’t worry about solidifying your signature style, that will come naturally as you grow as an artist.

FEATURES

OCTOBER 02, 2019

Tiktokers show their moves S BY TERESA ARISAWA

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY FEATURES SECTION TERESA ARISAWA AND ELENA WILLIAMS — THE EPIC

ince its launch in late 2018, the video sharing app TikTok has taken over the internet. It has recently become especially popular with high school students due to its relatable comedic content and fun dances. Many Lynbrook students have TikTok accounts, and watch TikToks during their free time or make them with their friends when they are bored. TikTok has fueled the spread of many viral memes, songs and dances. Some notable recent trends that have taken off due to TikTok are different variations of a dance move called the “woah” and the stereotype of “VSCO girls.” The platform, to no surprise has found its way to Lynbrook, launching three students to internet fame.

Anya Sikri

Natalie Taylor

ophomore Anya Sikri, like most users, originally downloaded TikTok for her own enjoyment, without thinking about the possibility of being anything more than a viewer. “It de�initely started out as a joke,” Sikri said. “Eventually, as I was going through the TikToks, I came up with my own ideas, and then I just started making them. I didn’t think it would really go anywhere — I usually just kept them private or shared them with my friends. But when I posted them [publicly] it started to become more fun.” This past summer, Sikri made several TikToks, ranging from painting videos to short sketches. “For me, it doesn’t take that long to make a video,” said Sikri. “Probably takes a few minutes, it just depends on how far-fetched the idea is. Most of mine are just comedy videos, so I just have to �ilm from different angles, pause the video, then �ilm again.” One of Sikri’s videos, jokingly depicting the rise of Asians in the Bay Area, got on the For You page, and was later featured on the popular local Instagram page, @siliconvalleyprobs. As the repost gained traction, it attracted more attention and followers to Sikri’s TikTok account. While it was exciting to have others see her videos, Sikri’s sudden growth posed concerns with her father, who was worried about her privacy. “After my TikTok was posted on @siliconvalleyprobs, a lot more people came to my page and started looking at my TikToks, which is pretty cool,” Sikri said. “But I totally understand his issue of privacy, so I’m just making less TikToks now.” However, the attention is not always positive. Like many other small creators on TikTok, Sikri has had to deal with bigger accounts stealing her content. One of Sikri’s videos was copied verbatim shortly after she posted it. The copied video ended up getting more than triple the amount of views that the original did. What followed was an in�lux of comments from uneducated users accusing Sikri of stealing content. “So, it [the publicity] can be a good and bad thing,” Sikri said. “Most of TikTok is people doing different variations of an audio, and they have different takes on it. But they’re really easy for people to copy, because they can make the same video, but just change one part of it. So you can’t really claim it’s copied.” Because many creators reuse audio from other TikToks, the line between inspiration and imitation is not always clear. “I think there’s de�initely a lot of bigger creators copying little creators, because they have more followers, so it’s easier for them to get more likes and views,” Sikri said. “But this is always going to happen, and it is TikTok, so I don’t care too much about it.” Nowadays, with the rapid pace and unpredictability of internet trends, Sikri thinks that TikTok will probably meet its end sooner than people might expect. Just like its predecessor, Musical.ly, Sikri thinks that TikTok will follow in suit and die down soon. Through her time on the app, Sikri has seen the positives and negatives of an open platform and has learned a lot about what it is like to have her content seen by the masses. She is enjoying her time on the app, as ephemeral as it may be.

Amanda Zhu

@nattaylorrrr 67.8K followers

@itsreallyanya 601 followers

unior Natalie Taylor, like most, made her TikTok account out of summer boredom. However, unlike many, Taylor’s growth after starting to post videos was almost immediate. “I hit 1,000 followers in about one week, after that, I got a video that got 36,000 views and then it just escalated from there,” said Taylor. “When I had a few videos that got a good amount of likes, and I went from 800 followers to about 2,600 in about a month.” With such rapid growth, it became clear how big of an impact TikTok could have on Taylor. “I didn’t really notice that my videos were getting a lot of likes at �irst, because I wasn’t on the app that much,” said Taylor. “And once I did, I don’t know if you would call it an addiction, but I was always on it.” Currently, Taylor’s content mostly consists of her doing dances and TikTok trends by herself, or with her friends and family. Taylor has also been making a new “scary” series which has been growing more popular, where she �ilms videos from a simulated point of view of someone while their home is suspiciously getting broken into. Depending on the type of subject of her video, the production can vary. “I have the scary series right now, and those take me about 15 minutes to make, but other videos only take me about �ive minutes, to redo and get it right,” said Taylor. Some of Taylor’s other recently posted videos include her helping her younger brother through his recovery after dental surgery and of her and her mom dancing together. “Yeah, they do enjoy being in videos,” Taylor said. “My parents are pretty supportive of it, they don’t think I’m famous or anything, but they do enjoy watching.” For some popular creators, such as Kevin Perry (@kevboyperry) and Anthony Reeves (@luvanthony), TikTok is becoming a job, opening up business opportunities such as tours and brand deals for those with large followings to make money. “I have gotten messages on instagram, of companies that want to sponsor me, small brand deals, and things like that,” Taylor said. “One time during the summer, I was doing a livestream, and someone sent me a gift. When someone sends you ‘gifts’, TikTok actually gives you real money. So I made some money that way.” Another bene�it that TikTok can give people is exposure. Songs such as “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and “Mia Khalifa” by iLOVEFRiDAY are just some examples of how TikTok can turn a song from unknown to popular overnight. “I’ve had smaller songwriters direct message me and say, ‘Hey, I have a new song coming out, will you make a video with it?’, and then I’ll make a video with it, and they’ll post it on their page too,” Taylor said. Though the internet is not always the brightest place, Taylor’s experience thus far has been quite positive. “I mean, I’m bene�iting from TikTok, but some people might not be, because there are a lot of people in the comments that say mean stuff if they don’t like what you’re posting,” Taylor said. “But if they do [like your content], then it’s all positive comments.” Taylor is planning on continuing making videos for the foreseeable future. With rapid growth and exciting opportunities, the future is looking bright for Taylor.

@schmoond 18.6K followers

enior Amanda Zhu created her TikTok account during the summer after seeing TikToks reposted on other platforms. “I saw a bunch of TikToks, and I thought they were really funny, so I decided to make my own and see where it went,” said Zhu. At the time, painting the back pockets of jeans was popular, so as an artist, Zhu was inspired to follow the trend and make a video. “I posted it, and I got like two views,” said Zhu. However, after posting a few more videos, a TikTok of her and her friend Kayleigh painting together at the park began to get popular. “I �ind it really funny,” said Zhu. “The fact that it had like 55,000 likes— I was like, okay, cool!” Now, Zhu’s TikTok content ranges from doing daily drawing prompts, to painting clothes, to joining duet chains, to making skits. The process of making TikToks can vary for every different video. “It really depends on what I’m making,” Zhu said. “If it’s just drawing, then I can do it on the app. But if it’s with my own audio, I use iMovie, and it takes a little bit more time, like 30-ish minutes.” For Zhu, TikTok has had many positive effects on her life. One of her most popular videos, with over a million views, was a duet chain consisting of her and another boy acting as bystanders to a girl who is dancing in the middle of a crowded hallway. The video received a lot of attention, even catching the eye of the dancing girl, AJ (@ahnysia), who posted the original video. The huge popularity of her simple video makes it seem that anything can get on the ‘For You Page’, and asks the question, what does it take to make a “viral” TikTok? “It really depends, I know that a lot of people make really funny videos, are really talented, or just extremely pretty,” said Zhu. “I feel like those are the top three ways that you can make a viral video. Or, it’s just simple and stupid, like my TikTok.” Recently, Zhu had one of her TikToks reposted on an instagram meme page, the very thing that inspired her to make TikToks in the �irst place. “Some people did follow me on social media, because a meme page reposted one of my TikToks,” Zhu said. “I have made a lot of new internet friends off of it, and I do talk to them on the regular, so it’s really cool just meeting people that are outside of the school area.” Along with being a way to make new friends, Zhu thinks that TikTok can be a fun way to spend the time. “And if you’re super stressed, it’s kind of like that stress reliever,” said Zhu. “Of course, we’re in college aps season, so it’s kind of that things that detracts from all the stress that’s happening.” As for the future of her own TikToks and the app itself, she isn’t too sure. “I don’t know if it’s a fad; and if it is, cool! Why not? I’m just making videos for the heck of it. It’s not about the fame, or anything. I just really like making TikToks, and it’s fun.” Zhu has experienced many bene�its from having a presence on the internet, and the relationships and experiences gained through TikTok will always remain with her.

in-depth

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

Rising teen use, dangers of JUULs cause concerns BY SHARLENE CHEN AND PRIYANKA ANAND

in a claim saying that they’re less dangerous than cigarettes, they have to put in an application [to the Food and Drug ccording to the Center for Disease Control and Administration] that goes through a review process. Secondly, Prevention, in the early 2000s, adolescent smoking if they want to put in a cessation claim, if they want to say that reached new lows due to realization of the health JUULs will help you quit smoking… that is a therapeutic claim hazards of nicotine and tobacco within communities. that has to go through a review process, too. No e-cigarette However, with the rise of new technology such as e-cigarettes, company has submitted an application or got approved.” teen smoking has began to skyrocket again, with the number In addition to the health and legal concerns, JUUL is of teen smokers increasing from 2.1 million in 2017 to 3.6 having an increased direct impact on adolescents and in million in 2018. JUUL, a multi-million dollar company that schools. Atypical classroom behavior among students who sells �lavored e-cigarettes, has become so popular that the use e-cigarettes is increasing day-by-day. company’s name has widely been used as a verb to describe “I do think students leave class to vape,” said Assistant the act of using an e-cigarette: juuling. Principal Kathleen Sullivan. “I think there are students who The JUUL e-cigarette, a sleek, USB drive-shaped device, do that and we’ve caught students doing it.” converts liquid nicotine stored in a “pod” into a vapor that The administration is not the only ones who have noticed the user inhales. According to the of�icial JUUL website, the trends; students, too, have seen a rise in juuling in their the device began as a means of “improving the lives of the peers. world’s one billion adult smokers by eliminating cigarettes.” “The bathrooms here smell like cotton candy, and that’s The company’s website also emphasizes that it provides the because people juul [in them],” Wang* said. tools, referring to e-cigarette usage, necessary to reduce Many schools around the U.S. have begun to �ight back or eliminate their consumption of nicotine if they choose against this growing problem. At Arrowhead Union High to. One of the key features in JUULs is their high nicotine School in Hartland, Wisconsin, devices were installed in the content, with twice the nicotine of comparable devices, bathrooms to detect vaping and would automatically send making it easier for cigarette smokers to transition from alerts to the associate principal. Schools in the Channing regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes. However, this high nicotine district, Texas, required students to roll up their sleeves when content also contributes to high addiction rates; smoking entering school to prevent them from hiding e-cigarettes. One one pod equates to one pack of twenty cigarettes, or two school in Alabama has even removed bathroom stall doors. hundred puffs. In addition, Juul pods come in a variety of “We do have a drug program we can send them to,” Sullivan �lavors, from mint to creme brulee; there are also different said. “So that’s probably what we would do, depending on the types of e-cigarettes, including those that track usage of the nature of the situation.” device by connecting to apps via bluetooth. Despite JUUL’s explosive growth in use and sales, with JUULs function by heating the liquid inside the JUUL the number of young adults from ages 18 to 21 who tried pods and creating an aerosol that carries the nicotine in the JUUL increasing more than 400 percent since being founded liquid to the consumer. Unlike traditional cigarettes that are in 2017, the company has recently been received with set on �ire, JUULs have a small wick inside the JUUL pod that reprimand across the nation. In a lawsuit �iled by state heats the liquid. This difference between setting on �ire and prosecutors in Lake County, Illinois, in August 2019, JUUL was heating has contributed to the belief that e-cigarettes are accused of violating the Racketeer In�luenced and Corrupt generally healthier than traditional cigarettes. However, Organizations Act. Speci�ically, JUUL was accused of using new research is refuting this belief and instead claim that targeted advertising with catchy, teen-oriented themes, social e-cigarettes have almost as many, if not as many, health media campaigns and candy �lavoring. Their strategy, the risks when compared to traditional cigarettes. lawsuit claims, was to get as many teens addicted to nicotine “In terms of heart disease risk, they are about as as possible through their ad campaigns, and then exploit that dangerous as a cigarette: they mess up your blood platelets addiction in the long-term, as the teens would continue to which affect blood clotting, they mess up the ability of your buy their product. Recently, JUUL CEO Kevin Burns stepped arteries to dilate to get bigger when they need to, and they down and a former executive from Altria replaced him, and have nicotine which over a the company con�irmed it was long period of time increases going to reduce its staff. heart disease risk,” said Although most lawsuits and Stanton Glantz, professor newspaper stories have been “If [JUUL] want to put in a claim pointing �ingers at JUUL, some of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology and director saying that they’re less dangerous say that the company itself of the Center for Tobacco may not be truly the root of the than cigarettes, they have to put in problem. Even if JUUL goes out Control Research and Education at the University business, it is highly likely an application [to the Food and Drug of of California, San Francisco. some other company might “So, they are actually looking Administration] that goes through a develop an even more advanced worse than cigarettes.” e-cigarette. review process... if they want to say In addition, according “[The vaping business] to the Consumer News and is simple, but it’s big money, that JUULs will help you quit smoking... Business Channel (CNBC), right?” Sullivan said. “I think lung disease related to that is a therapeutic claim that has that another company will just vaping has sickened at least pick it up.” to go through a review process, too.” 805 people across the U.S. JUUL and companies like and there have been at least it have created a demand for 13 vaping related deaths as of e-cigarettes, and as long as there Sep. 30, 2019. The study also Stanton Glentz, Professor of is demand and opportunity for reports a 30 percent chance Medicine, UCSF pro�it, a company is likely to rise that teen e-cigarette users to match it. will smoke regular cigarettes “There are a bunch of thirdin the future, compared to party manufacturers that the eight percent chance of people get their e-cigarettes teenage non-users. from,” Wang* said. “And the third-party manufacturers are But despite the research showing the many health risks never mentioned in the media.” and ineffectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking prevention, In the past few years, there has been an increased JUUL has accomplished their goal of stopping adult users awareness around the detrimental effects of e-cigarettes. from smoking traditional cigarettes, to an extent. The results JUUL, as a company, has also realized the critical nature of the of a United Kingdom study, published in the New England rising addiction rates among teenagers, and has been actively Journal of Medicine, show that e-cigarettes and counseling working toward preventing the use of its products among were more helpful than nicotine replacement therapies such teens. Some of the company’s actions toward this cause as patches and gum. These users had a median age of 41, include the strict enforcement of age veri�ication in order though, so the results of using e-cigarettes at this age may be to buy the company’s products —people have to be at least different than those in users of other ages, such as teenagers. 21 to buy the product, as part of the Tobacco 21 initiative “Everyone wants to ban JUUL,” said Julius Wang*. “But, I — and the deletion of almost all U.S.-based social media don’t think banning JUUL as a corporation is effective at all posts relating to the company and its e-cigarettes. With such because JUUL as a corporation is actually providing bene�its measures, it hopes to reorient its marketing toward older to society, in a way, because JUUL is working to reduce the users and rebrand itself as a product for adults only. amount of people that smoke cigarettes.” When the verdict on the lawsuit comes out, the community JUUL claims that its product is less dangerous than perception of e-cigarettes is bound to change, either in favor traditional cigarettes, sparking controversy over their or against the use of e-cigarettes, like the opinions regarding marketing strategies and false advertising. Many assert that cigarettes in the 2000s. Though the e-cigarettes were initially JUUL unfairly promotes sales of their product by making created with the intention as a healthier alternative to false claims about its effect, diminishing its negative impact conventional cigarettes, this surge in popularity, especially on health and overstating JUUL’s ability to help cigarette among the teenagers, can have detrimental effects on the users quit. health of the future population. “Those claims are illegal,” Glantz said. “If they want to put *Names kept anonymous for privacy reasons

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY INDEPTH SECTION

IN-DEPTH

OCTOBER 02, 2019

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY INDEPTH SECTION GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY KATIE CHEN

The Jay Koo Academy

EXPERT TEST PREP AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CONSULTING

Fall Comprehensive SAT Course

This is not the �irst time 8chan has been the subject of controversy; in the past, there have been several instances in which the site was linked to alt-right ideals, racism, antiSemitism, hate crimes, child pornography and multiple other mass shootings. Despite all of its controversial connections, however, 8chan has stuck to creator Fredrick Brennan’s vision of a “free-speech-friendly” imageboard, and preserved its users’ rights to express their opinions. Brennan himself resigned in July 2016, citing disillusionment with what 8chan had become. A few days after the El Paso incident, the site’s provider, Cloudfare drew back their support to the website due to the controversy surrounding the incident. Since it was especially hard to �ind a provider after the shooting, the new president, Jim Watkins, moved 8chan to the dark web. This means that the site would no longer be able accessible through normal search engines such as Google. The site, due to the extreme values of user base, has continued to grow, ranking within the top �ive thousand most used websites in the world. There is controversy surrounding what is acceptable to say online and in-person. “When we’re online, we adopt a different persona from the one we have in person,” junior Shirley Li said. “As for 8chan, if a user says something that implies that he or she is actually going to break the law, there should be an investigation into that because someone saying that he or she will do something might imply that he or she has the intent to do it.” As seen in the controversy surrounding 8chan and the First Amendment, there is much debate over where online boundaries should lie as the world becomes increasingly technologized. Entering these unfamiliar waters, it is vital for citizens to hold each other — and most importantly, the law — accountable for their online rights.

• October 8 ~ December 3 Tuesday Evenings and Saturday Afternoons

hroughout history, the U.S. has held steadfastly to the Constitution and Bill of Rights; the First Amendment, in particular, has driven the direction of our nation’s moral compass. Many have debated where to draw the line when it comes to free speech in the First Amendment. This discussion has extended to its application in the Internet, with disagreements over where the boundaries of mediums such as social media and free expression websites lie. The First Amendment prevents Congress from making laws that abridge the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. Exceptions to this are obscenity — speech that is openly offensive or sexual — speech integral to illegal conduct, true threats and speech that incites imminent lawless action, among others. “There are consequences to [free] speech, and although I understand that, by limiting speech, we risk limiting it too much and then, inevitably, taking away those rights,” senior and Intersections President Sarah Sotoudeh said. But these constitutional premises apply only to the U.S. government, not to corporations; thus, corporations are not required to uphold free speech. The imageboard website 8chan, also known as In�initechan or In�initychan, has recently been embroiled in controversy over the absolute manifestation of free speech. “The Supreme Court told us in Reno v. ACLU, which was the seminal First Amendment case from the mid-90s, that there is no reason to put additional restrictions on online speech,” said Daphne Keller, director of intermediary liability at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society. “At some level, having the internet permit information to �low in a way that no government gets to constrain is in our long term interest.”

On Aug. 3, 2019, Patrick Wood Crusius opened �ire inside a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in an act classi�ied by police as domestic terrorism. The shooting resulted in 22 deaths and 24 injuries. Shortly after the attack, police discovered a four-page manifesto, posted by Crusius on 8chan, titled “The Inconvenient Truth,” which justi�ied the mass shooting; in it were racist, anti-immigrant sentiments aimed at Mexican immigrants in Texas. 8chan users were allowed to post on the forum anonymously and without censorship, forcing Americans to reevaluate whether and where free speech ends.

•

BY KATIE CHEN AND STELLA HUANG

PSAT Workshop

The boundaries of free and hate speech online

• Sunday, October 13 Practice Test, Review, and Strategy Discussion

take to resolve workplace con�licts. If there is an opportunity of open communication in the workplace, teen workers can also try discussing, bringing up respectful criticism to their employers and trying to change the situation together. As of now, a new state law, AB5, has been passed, constituting that independent contractors and part timers will now be considered as employees. “That means all the labor laws apply and protect them,” said Diane Bush, an employee at Young Workers Organization. “For a lot of workers, it’s super important, because right now, even though they’re basically acting, they are employees and all for all intents and purposes, they have none of the protections that the rest of us have as employees.” AB5 provides two choices for businesses, either change the operations of the business or restructure working relationships. The Supreme Court’s ruling signi�ies an increasingly aware population of the importance of worker rights. There is no single solution to the issue at hand, but what matters is the steps taken to resolve this problem. Some businesses have taken an initiative to ensure their workers’ rights while others have relied on legislation for the progression of worker rights. In addition, programs like Young Workers have traveled across the state to educate students about underage working. Hopefully, in the near future, teen workers can gain a stronger foothold in the �ight for workers’ rights.

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ancestry, age, race, gender identity and other factors are illegal. For all employees, adults and teens, the national Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) serves to protect their basic rights in the public and private sectors. FSLA establishes minimum wage, working hours, overtime procedures and other standards for working conditions. It has several provisions for child labor as well that prevent the endangerment of minors to certain areas of work. Legal protections can generally reassure teen workers that they will receive proper treatment. The United States Department of Labor offers a wealth of information, ranging from what rights can be expected to be followed and how to deal with sexual harassment. One of the departments within it, the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), partners with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to form Young Workers program. “It’s our goal to try as much as we can to get the word out to all workers so they know what their rights are, and teen workers are part of that group,” said Paola Laverde, the public information of�icer of the DIR. “If you know what your rights are, you know how to exercise those rights.” In response to mistreatment, teen workers have the right, enforced by the EEOC, to �ile complaints against their employers without fear of retaliation. Although it can’t be guaranteed that they can keep their job, it is nonetheless a chance employees can

408-712-5274

“I

can’t discriminate against you because you’re not a black or white person.” These words are branded into Michyla Lin’s mind. Over the summer, after her �irst year of university, Lin, a Class of 2018 Lynbrook High School alumnus, applied to work at Tea Top. Lin was hired to make drinks, but she did not feel that she received much of the crucial training to feel con�ident about doing her job. When she tried to ask for help, she was often brushed off. Besides this neglect, Lin was also constantly berated by her managers, who scolded her in front of customers, wrongfully blamed her for accidents, as well as bad-mouthed her. Finally, one incident left Lin more shaken than ever before. After scolding her yet again, the manager began to yell furiously at her to come into the back room. Right away the manager start criticizing Lin’s “incompetence” and dismissed her discrimintation against Michyla when she �inally brought it up, prompting Michyla to quit for good. Afterwards, Michyla attempted to take legal action against the store but nothing major came out of it. At that point, Lin took to social media to share her experience with other teen workers, trying to warn and educate others about their rights to a safe and comfortable work environment. To her surprise, many

other workers not only sympathized with her, but also revealed that they too had had similar experiences. “I [thought] this is a pattern,” Lin said. “All of these students are in a better place now. But it caused them so much stress in high school. That’s not right.” For most students, getting a job is a way to gain work experience, new skills and get a taste of adult life. Yet some, like Lin, have not found a comfortable and safe environment. Lin’s situation is not uncommon as workplace mistreatment is proli�ic across the United States. In 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received approximately 90,000 charges of discrimination and harassment in the workplace; with the addition of un�iled cases, the number is likely higher. Workplace hazards encompass threats to workers’ physical and emotional wellbeing. Hazards that threaten physical health are usually more recognizable to workers, while more subtle hazards, such as discrimination and verbal abuse, can be harder to identify as something worth reporting or speaking up about. “For high school students, especially if it’s their �irst time working, it might not be as evident,” Lin said. “And it might really have negative effects on their mental health, their sense of self con�idence, a lot of things.” According to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), all discrimination by businesses based on

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The rights protecting teens in their workplace

IN-DEPTH

OCTOBER 02, 2019

sports

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

California passes laws to limit high school football injuries BY AUDREY WONG

ootball, often seen as the classic high school sport, is declining in participation due to the apprehension over potential injuries. To ensure studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; safety, California has recently passed laws limiting the possibility of injuries. Set to take effect in 2021, these two laws have already been implemented into Lynbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football team. According to American Broadcasting Company (ABC) News, the ďż˝irst precaution is a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom passed, which limits full contact practices to a maximum of 90 minutes in length twice a week. This bill is intended to prevent Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease commonly diagnosed in football players. Symptoms of CTE often include headaches, loss of concentration, depression or mood swings, short term memory loss, language difďż˝iculties, impulsivity and suicidal thoughts. CTE gets worse over time and commonly leads to progressive dementia. In addition to reducing the amount of full contact practices, a medical professional and an individual able to remove injured athletes are required to be present at every game. According to news channel KCRA-3, the second precaution requires youth football coaches to annually receive a tackling and blocking certiďż˝ication from a nationally recognized program. These measures are intended to minimize the risk of head injuries by avoiding the involvement of a playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head in all the techniques for rushing and tackling. To mitigate the risk of injury, the bill requires each football helmet to be reconditioned and certiďż˝ied biannually. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We think that we should have been having these conversations about playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety a lot earlier,â&#x20AC;? said Lynbrook football coaches Chris Baugh and RJ Davis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The risk of CTE and concussion based injuries were on the rise, and we think we are taking steps to ensure that we can minimize this as much as possible and improve playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; safety.â&#x20AC;? In recent years, the number of participants in football has been decreasing. The latest numbers, released by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) on Aug. 1, revealed that 91,305 of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high school students played football, which decreased from by 3.1 percent. Many players attribute this dramatic decrease in participation to parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fears for their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think kids and parents are just scared of what might happen because I know that a lot of people are scared that they might get injured,â&#x20AC;? said sophomore and JV football player Nolan Cheng. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But those things can happen at any time. I think it is personal preference whether you play or not.â&#x20AC;? As injuries are a reason for the decline in participation, the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practices have also changed. To ensure athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; safety, the coaches have already implemented the rules into their practices. The team has full physical contact practices two times per week and thudd-limited contact practices on

the other days. Twice a week the players wear full gear and pads, and on the other days, they wear shoulder pads and helmets. During these practices, the players go through the same drills, but instead of fully tackling, they stop before completing the motion. This year, the coaches got certiďż˝ied in coaching blocking and tackling from Atavus Rugby and Football. Baugh and Davis are responsible for ensuring that helmets are reconditioned and recertiďż˝ied every year. In fact, the players have state of the art helmets with concussion sensors in them, allowing coaches to know whether or not a player has a concussion by indicating how hard a hit was. If the hit is hard enough, the coaches know to immediately check the player. During practices, the players also wear guardian caps, which are padded with foam. This minimizes the impact on the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head in the same way that a car bumper minimizes the impact of a car crash. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After having to experience several concussions, I feel like the new helmets are very effective and helpful in minimizing the impact of a collision,â&#x20AC;? said senior and varsity football captain Jonathan Leslie. With these laws in place, the coaches have a meeting once a week to plan the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training in advance, so they have effective practices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are still able to run an effective practice, whether it is a full contact day or limited contact day,â&#x20AC;? Baugh and Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only thing is that the players are not able to run the drills fully, but we still have drills that are low impact and are approved for limited contact day.â&#x20AC;? The factors contributing to the decline in participation statewide affect Lynbrook as well. At one point, the coaches were unsure of whether or not there would be a JV team at all because of the lack of players. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The drop in numbers affect the team drastically because people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough breaks [during games], and we need as many people as we can to ďż˝ill in positions in case of injuries,â&#x20AC;? Leslie said. With these factors contributing to the decline in participation, the athletes are trying to recruit more students to join by talking to them in person, holding informational meetings, organizing fundraisers and discussing their goals with the community. The coaches also hope to establish ďż˝lag football teams in middle school so students develop an interest in the sport prior to high school. The coaches are also continuously trying to communicate to the community that they have already implemented these changes to make the sport as safe as possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to see the amount of participation and players grow and have it translate to winning more games,â&#x20AC;? said junior and wide receiver Andrew Yang. Despite the statewide decline in high school football participation, there are still football players who return because their love for the sport is greater than their fear of getting injured.

Number of high school football players in California per year

OCTOBER 02, 2019

SPORTS

Financial aspects behind Lynbrook sports teams BY RACHEL WU AND YOUQI HUANG

Boosters has a board composed of parents who hear requests from teams and coaches during meetings and then vote on unds and donations are vital in ďż˝inancing Lynbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s which purchases to ďż˝inance. Grifďż˝in also sits on the board as sports teams, as they support everything from uniforms a non-voting member to offer suggestions based on what she and equipment to tournament registration fees. But observes during the sports teams' practices and games. with money coming in from three main sources â&#x20AC;&#x201D; direct This year, Boosters are pushing for a parent of a student team donations, ASB and Athletic Boosters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; how do funds athlete on each team to sit on the board in order to have from each source support Lynbrook athletic teams? greater representation of the interests of all sports. Team members support their teams through donations â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boosters was created to support and holding fundraisers. All funds all sports, so having a representative raised go directly from players to from each team would help us create coaches, who then deposit it in more of a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; than individual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boosters was created to their teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ASB checking accounts. sports,â&#x20AC;? said Athletic Boosters Donations are not mandatory, and support all sports, so having a President Diana Trujillo. coaches set a suggested amount and representative from each team Parents can also choose to donate players donating as much as they can. would help us create more of directly to a certain team through The money raised by teams covers a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; than individual Athletic Boosters. If they choose do so, the expenses incurred throughout Athletic Boosters would write a check sports.â&#x20AC;? the season, such as tournament addressed to the speciďż˝ic teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ASB registrations and transportation costs. Diana Trujillo checking account. If a team wants to make a larger, Booster funds pay for updated one-time purchase, such as new Atheletic Boosters President sports equipment and the awards apparel, they can hold fundraisers, given to athletes at the end of the where community members, students season. Additionally, Athletic Boosters and teachers, can come and support provides the salary for Athletic the team by purchasing what the team sells. In the past, teams Trainer Kathryn Thurman, who works to treat sports injuries have held fundraisers where they sold Jamba Juice cards, sustained by student athletes. Boosters also helps teams caramel apples and more. Most recently, the girls varsity out with larger purchases, such as tents or bench shades, volleyball team held a T Pumps fundraiser on Sept. 24. by providing money to supplement the amount teams have â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was actually really fun to do,â&#x20AC;? said team captain Angela already accumulated. Steinmetz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We made a proďż˝it of about $300, and everyone is A new avenue for saving funds comes in the agreement super happy about the way fundraising turned out this year.â&#x20AC;? signed with Adidas this year. In exchange for placing their In addition, Athletic Director Jennifer Grifďż˝in has a small logo on Lynbrook athletic apparel and uniforms, Adidas will budget set aside for necessities such as sports equipment, discount these items. For instance, apparel ordered through safety gear and referees, who ofďż˝iciate meets and games. This money comes from ASB, who receive support from ASB membership sales. Necessities are also provided by money from the district, which is sourced from taxes. Based on what is needed for the athletes, the school can help decide where the money goes to. Athletic Boosters is another organization dedicated to the support of Lynbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student athletes. Its primary source of revenue is through the sale of membership packages to parents and community members. Additionally, the sale of letterman jackets and other Lynbrook branded apparel, personalized bricks cemented outside the football ďż˝ield and stadium seats all go toward Athletic Boostersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; funds. To decide how to allocate the money that they receive,

Adidas will receive a 40 percent discount. The funds saved from the agreement can be repurposed for other needs of the athletic department, therefore decreasing the burden on other sources. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The sports couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist by just charging entrance fees when people come to the games,â&#x20AC;? said Lynbrook ďż˝inancial specialist Judy Boehm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They need the funds from all of these sources [district funds, ASB funds and Athletic Boosters support].â&#x20AC;? Direct team donations, fundraisers, the district, ASB and Athletic Boosters all support sports teams and come from a multitude of members in the community. However, they vary in the amount of money that goes to the teams and which aspect of the sports teams they provide for. Regardless, with so many expenses to cover in supporting athletic sports teams, all funds are crucial in order to sustain sports teams and support athletes in reaching success.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SPORTS SECTION

Athletic department signs agreement with Adidas

BY EMMA CIONCA

n college and professional sports, fans have grown accustomed to the brand logos on their favorite athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; uniforms. Each year, brands pour millions of dollars into merchandise and apparel for athletes in exchange for sponsorship from the teams. Adidas, a brand commonly associated with schools such as the University of Miami, Louisiana Tech University and Rutgers University, has recently signed an agreement with the Lynbrook athletic department. During the 2018-19 school year, athletic director Jennifer Grifďż˝in spoke with representatives from both Under Armour and Adidas. After evaluating each brand and consulting the coaches of Lynbrook sports teams, she ultimately made the decision to go with Adidas as it seemed to provide greater beneďż˝its for Lynbrook. The agreement was signed over the summer. The effects of the agreement can already be observed. Each team has an individual online store which allows athletes to place orders for apparel and sends the ďż˝inal orders to the company. Adidas apparel and uniforms are already available on sportsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; online stores, however, Lynbrook students may still order apparel from other companies through the online website. If a team chooses to purchase an Adidas design, it will receive a 40 percent discount from the original price of the item, due to

the new agreement. Some sports, such as football, have already been taking advantage of this with their online store containing Adidas apparel. Footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s store has already opened and closed, meaning athletes have already made their purchases. For other sports like cross country and water polo, stores opened in the week of Sept. 16 and orders for new apparel are currently being placed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will be really beneďż˝icial because the team wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to collect money [for apparel],â&#x20AC;? said senior and varsity ďż˝ield hockey captain Amy Tse. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will be easier for players.â&#x20AC;? The agreement has a more longterm effect on team uniforms. While apparel tends to change every year with personalized designs created by members of the respective sports team, uniforms stay the same until they are replaced. The discount due to the adidas deal allows teams to purchase new uniforms more frequently. Many high schools, nearby such as Gunn, Palo Alto, Saratoga and Monta Vista, also have such agreements with brands. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By signing this agreement with Adidas,

our Lynbrook student-athletes are now guaranteed to have quality, good looking uniforms when they are in the community representing Lynbrook,â&#x20AC;? Grifďż˝in said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want our student-athletes to be proud of the school they represent.â&#x20AC;? As long as the agreement remains active, Adidas will produce all of Lynbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new uniforms. Adidas has several models of uniforms, and Lynbrook coaches have the option to choose which one they want and the design will be customized to the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements. Purchasing uniforms for all sports from a single brand will allow athletes to receive new uniforms on a ďż˝ive-year cycle, so there will no longer be problems with having outdated and worn out uniforms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;New uniforms every ďż˝ive years will keep the team looking put together and intimidating, allowing players to focus on the game rather than the unfortunate state of their uniform,â&#x20AC;? Tse said. Although all teams will receive new uniforms eventually, not all uniforms will arrive this year. So far, water polo has received new caps, and boys basketball

and boys volleyball will be receiving new uniforms this year. The teams with older uniforms, such as ďż˝ield hockey and football, are being replaced ďż˝irst, and the rest will be replaced every four to ďż˝ive years. There are three types of uniforms a team can have: consumable, consumable by choice and non-consumable. If a uniform is consumable, athletes purchase new ones every year. Non-consumable uniforms are not replaced until the school purchases new ones. Sports with consumable uniforms include water polo and swimming while sports with non-consumable uniforms include basketball and volleyball. Teams that have had consumable uniforms by choice in the past are being given the option to either remain like that or change to nonconsumable uniforms. Regardless of when a uniform is replaced, whether it be replaced every year or when the school decides to purchase new ones, they will be from Adidas. While the discount on Adidas apparel will help teams receive apparel for lower prices, the new uniforms are more signiďż˝icant to to Lynbrook athletes. Many sports have not received new uniforms in years. As the Lynbrook athletics department follows other schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; examples and begins to explore the beneďż˝its of its agreement with Adidas, student athletes are eager to see how it works for them. Adidasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; discounted apparel and new uniforms represent a step forward for Lynbrook athletics

MELISSA CHEN â&#x20AC;&#x201D; EPIC

MEI CORRICELLO â&#x20AC;&#x201D; EPIC

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SPORTS SECTION

ETHAN LEE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; EPIC

STELLA HUANG â&#x20AC;&#x201D; EPIC

photoessay Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

BY MELISSA CHEN

he beginning of a new school year comes with another round of changes, aspects of school remain the same, like early mornings, classes and most of the from the finished construction of the quad to the reopening of a campus. Still, in keeping with the spirit of an exciting new year, here are some refurbished cafeteria to the addition of many new faces. However, many new ways to look at parts of the Lynbrook campus.

LOOKING FROM NEW PERSPECTIVES T