the Epic, Volume 58, Issue 4, February 6, 2023

Lynbrook

PA T RIOT I S M

Toeing

America’s

Climate change causes extreme natural disasters in California

BY NICOLE GE AND RIKI MURASE

From dried reservoirs to flooded households, California’s volatile climate has significantly impacted communities throughout the state. Due to its unique geographical setting, California is highly susceptible to extreme shifts in climate, frequently resulting in natural disasters intensified by climate change. The consequences of these extreme patterns are reflected in communities struggling with the loss of shelter and food.

Since the 20th century, climate change has become more apparent as a significant factor in countless environmental hazards across the globe. It is among the most prominent issues in today’s sociopolitical environment due to its tremendous potential for worldchanging development.

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Is

Controversial chat about ChatGPT

STAFF EDITORIAL: THE VOICE OF THE EPIC

As the popularity of artificial intelligence chatbots has risen, so too have concerns surrounding the ethics and risks of AI’s presence in educational environments. Created by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research nonprofit, ChatGPT is an AI chatbot capable of generating humanlike text, working computer code and more in a wide range of styles and lengths. The possibilities are seemingly endless — as are the ethical concerns that have plagued the platform since its launch in November 2022. For classrooms in particular, ChatGPT’s implications require both students and teachers to learn to utilize it as an educational tool, working with and not against the technology.

story continues on pg.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CATHERINE ZHOU

Upcoming Viking Events

Lunar New Year Event, Feb. 6-10

A belated series of Lunar New Year celebrations will be hosted by ASB, National Chinese Honor Society and Japanese National Honor Society.

Valentine’s Bittergrams, Feb. 6-10 Buy “Bittergram” cards with sassy messages made by Vertigo members.

Grad Night Boosters “Got Sneakers” Fundraiser, Feb. 6-Mar. 31

Gently-used sneakers will be collected to keep them out of landfills and protect the environment.

Match-o-matics — Feb. 17

Students who meet their new friend matched by ASB can enjoy treats together.

President’s week break, Feb. 20-24

ArtReach Prom Corsage and Boutonniere sales, begins Feb. 9 $10-15 boutonnieres and corsages will be sold on lhsartreach.github.io.

End of Grading Period, March 3

Club Food Day, March 10

Purchase a fresh food and snacks in the quad to support club fundraising.

By Deeksha Raj

Letter from the Editors

Clubs celebrate the Year of the Rabbit

Red couplets, golden lanterns and firecrackers mark the beginning of Lunar New Year. Lynbrook clubs National Chinese Honor Society, ArtReach and California Scholarship Federation hosted various events to celebrate the popular holiday. By crafting traditional decorations and toys, they united students through Chinese culture.

NCHS creates traditional lunar new year decorations

BY ALYSSA WANG

“We wanted to try something else, and we thought that making decorations is much more of a learning opportunity and more hands on,” junior and NCHS officer Vivian Chen said. “It was nice that more people could actually participate rather than just come for food.”

Students wrote a variety of wishes, including 福 (fú), meaning good fortune; 壽 (shòu), meaning longevity; and 健康 (jiànkāng), meaning health.

Dear Vikings,

Welcome to our first centerspread of the year surrounding patriotism! From sports diplomacy to the evolution in cultural cuisines, we’ve got it all covered. On pages 8 and 9, delve into the American education system and the American Dream from immigrants’ perspective.

Don’t forget about our usual coverage, either! Explore Lunar New Year traditions in News; uncover the implications of ChatGPT in Opinion; meet budding filmmakers and artists in Features; examine California’s climate crises In-Depth and learn about Lynbrook’s girls wrestling team in Sports. At lhsepic.com, watch a video on teacher dynamic duos.

As always, we encourage you to submit Letters to the Editors, opinions on any published stories this year, and Guest Columns, articles focusing on your individual perspective, at lhsepic.com/submissions. Selected submissions will be published on our paper and/or website.

We hope this issue incites meaningful conversations about American identity.

Saluting, Elizabeth Cheng & Amy Liu

Editors-in-Chief

NCHS for years. As a club focused on Chinese culture, celebrating the new year and its traditions is integral. Last year, the club hosted a Chinese New Year potluck where members shared traditional dishes and treats. This year, officers instead taught members how to make traditional decorations and crafts in club meetings leading up to the special day.

On Jan. 13, members practiced brush calligraphy and made 春聯 ), a traditional decoration of rectangular or diamond-shaped red paper with lucky Chinese idioms written in brush calligraphy. They are typically hung on doors or around door frames as a way to scare away the dangerous mythical dragon, 年獸

NCHS members fold and cut red paper as a symbol of good luck. GRAPHIC

“Being able to make the 春 聯 (chūnlián) was fun and a new experience for me,” sophomore and NCHS member Alexis Luo said. “It was very interesting and informative, and I was able to keep mine and hang it up at home for the New Year.”

In a continuation of the festivities on Jan. 20, members cut red paper in intricate designs and assembled them into ornaments that represent vitality. This craft is called 剪紙 (jiǎnzhǐ), which directly translates to “cutting paper” and is popularly used to decorate homes. Club members traced 春 (chūn), a character meaning spring, as the design for their ornaments to symbolize the beginning of spring and the new opportunities that come with it.

“All the members had fun, and it was a great chance for NCHS members to do some traditional Chinese activities,” sophomore and NCHS

CSF and Artreach host booths at John Muir Elementary

BY EILEEN ZHU

On Jan. 27, John Muir Elementary School held its first Lunar New Year Celebration fundraiser for the Chinese Language Immersion Program. Complete with a traditional lion dance, drum performances, craft and game booths and food trucks, it was a successful event that hundreds of students and parents attended.

“We were very happy that a lot of families came out to celebrate. It’s a time of togetherness, family, friends and celebrating,” said Loretta Lu, director of John Muir’s Lunar New Year Celebration. “I hope the students can learn about the cultures and history of the fun games and activities to bring American and Chinese cultures together.”

CSF members ran the concession stand, where they sold traditional Chinese snacks like pineapple cake as well as general party staples such as chips and glow sticks.

“I really liked volunteering at John Muir because I remember attending similar events when I was younger at my elementary school, so it was nice to be a part of making the event happen for other kids,” junior Ava Tse said.

Artreach volunteers hosted two booths to teach John Muir students how to make traditional Chinese toys: Chinese rattle drums, used to make noise in rituals and music; and shuttlecocks or 毽子 (jiànzi), meant to be played by kicking it up with the player’s feet. The Chinese Rattle

Drum is a traditional percussion instrument that originated in the Song Dynasty and is now often recreated in a miniature and simple form. Although often used by street vendors to make noise and attract the attention of customers, they are more commonly known as children’s toys.

At one booth, Artreach members led children in crafting their own rattle drums with mailing tubes, skewers, beads, string and cardstock paper. They glued cardstock and part of a mailing tube to form the drum body and used a skewer as the handle. The children then attached beads with string to either side of the drum body so that the beads hit alternating sides of the drum when the handle is spun, making the drumming noise.

At the second booth, members of Artreach taught students how to make their own shuttlecocks toys, or 毽子 (jiànzi). 毽子 (jiànzi) is a popular Chinese game from in the Han dynasty, meant to be played like hacky sack. The longer children are able to keep the weighted shuttlecock in the air by juggling it with their feet, the better they are at the game.

“I really enjoyed helping the kids make the toys,” sophomore Qia Zhang said. “I hope they had a lot of fun and that they are able to take away good

memories from this event.”

Artreach also sold premade 毽子 (jiànzi) for students who

Photo by Deeksha Raj

PHOTOS BY ALYSSA WANG GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY ASHLEY HUANG

ArtReach volunteers teach kids to make traditional Chinese toys.

CSF runs a concession stand at John Muir’s Lunar New Year Celebration.

Santa Clara County’s investment in mental health

BY AUDREY SUN

Due to rising rates of suicide and drug overdoses, Santa Clara County declared a mental health crisis as of January 2022. In response, the county passed a bill on Jan. 10 to invest millions of dollars into mental health programs, working to strengthen the overall community mental health support system.

$9.5 MILLION to continue residential treatment services and other mental health programs.

“I think the competitive culture in the Bay Area contributes to the mental health crisis,” junior Kaawon Kim said. “Students in the Bay Area are very result oriented and think mainly about the big picture, which can be overwhelming.”

In the seven months following the declaration of the crisis, 106 residents were reported to have died by suicide and 188 from drug overdose. As such, the crisis was finally addressed this year after a recent Board of Supervisors meeting. $9.5 million was decided for the use of funding mental health programs including residential treatment services, recovery centers and mental health service providers. Another $1.6 million went toward preventing people with mental health illnesses from falling into homelessness.

“These investments will position us to support more people getting connected to the resources and services they need when they need them most,” District Four Supervisor Susan Ellenberg told San José Spotlight. “Santa Clara County is serious about addressing this public health crisis and will continue to seek to maximize state funding to add treatment beds at all levels.”

Previously, the Santa Clara County board did not prioritize alleviating the mental health issues arising among residents and reduced the number of hospital systems catering toward mental illnesses. Psychiatric and medical care facilities in the county were closed, causing a significant increase in homelessness. As a growing community that is often overlooked by the county’s government, Santa Clara’s homeless population has long been struggling with mental health. More than 40% of Santa Clara’s homeless population is in need of mental health support.

“The county allocates funds for projects committed to putting people into housing,” Santa Clara Vice Mayor Kevin Park said. “An example of this is Project Homekey, the program provides the homeless population with transitional housing.”

Along with the newly funded programs, the county made an effort to expand the 988 mental health crisis hotline by investing $1.3 million in their crisis centers. There are currently 13 certified centers in Calif. for the 988 hotline, and $20 million was given by the California Department of Health Care Services to support all centers. In previous years, individuals requiring mental health support would be referred to the 911 hotline instead. However, with the recently developed hotline, anyone in need can connect with mental health experts and counselors to receive individual mental health guidance and resources.

$14 MILLION for 38 new full-time job positions within mental health programs for families, seniors, the LGBTQ+ community and more.

“In 2021, additional funding was given to the hotline for them to open a texting line so that people could have another option to get help,” Park said. The county plans to continue monitoring the 988 hotline and will add additional funding to newly developed support programs.

New year updates to minimum wages and taxes

BY ASHLEY HUANG

In January, minimum wages increased across the Bay Area and the Fair Tax Act, which has yet to be passed, was introduced. With these developments, household incomes may dramatically change in the new year, with a notable difference being that unemployed students and parents will be taxed.

After the enactment of Senate Bill Three on Jan. 1, local minimum wages increased. Furthermore, on Jan. 9, Rep. Earl L. Carter introduced the Fair Tax Act for Congress to vote on at a later date. The act would replace federal income tax with a 30% national consumption tax and abolish the Internal Revenue Service tax administrator and collector.

The regional Consumer Price Index measures the monthly changes in consumer prices each year and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics determines the new minimum wage. Based on the CPI, Cupertino’s minimum wage increased by 4.87%, from $16.40 in 2022 to $17.20 this year. Similarly, San Jose’s minimum wage increased by 4.94%, from $16.20 to $17.00. Increases in wages that are higher than minimum wage are up to employers to decide.

“For students earning more than minimum wage, there should be a caseby-case basis for who gets a raise,” said junior Saketh Penumudy, who works at Brighter Future Learning Center. “For example, students who work to help support family income should get a boost in wages even if they are

earning more than minimum wage.”

National income tax, which would be implemented if the Fair Tax Act passes, would apply higher taxes to goods and services and eliminate taxes for household income. This idea was first introduced in July 1999 and has been re-proposed to Congress every two years since.

The bill introduced this year also provides households with a monthly check equal to 23% of the poverty threshold for their household size.

“An earlier version of the bill would increase the federal budget deficit by $10.6 trillion over ten years,” Rep. Anna Eshoo said. “In order to make up the lost revenue from abolishing existing federal taxes, the proposed sales tax would need to be 64% — more than twice the rate proposed in the Fair Tax Act.”

The potential update in income tax wages may impact student workers negatively and positively.

“As I’m earning barely over minimum wage, income tax has taken away a lot of money,” Penumudy said.

“It may not seem like a lot each time, but the amount they take away adds up by the end of the year.”

Opposers of the bill state that the rich may be subject to less taxes and the tax burden would be increased among households who aren’t earning as much money.

Moreover, everyone is subject to the national consumption tax, including people who do not earn income.

“Retired seniors would be particularly impacted because they have paid taxes on their incomes for their entire working lives and will have to pay significantly higher prices,” Eshoo said.

On the other hand, supporters of the bill argue that the amount of consumption is correlated with the amount of household income

earned, and therefore, the tax burden would not change significantly for anyone. The bill’s intention is to allow workers to keep more of the money that they make and push forward the ideology of consuming less and saving more. However, since people without income would also need to pay national consumption tax if the bill is passed, opponents counter that it would increase the tax burden of 90% of taxpayers and benefit only the top 10% of households.

“When you work, you pay more attention to how income tax and wages can have huge impacts on the amount of money you actually bring home,” said sophomore Avani Khanvilkar, an employee at Saratoga Star Aquatics. With the change in minimum wage in the Bay Area and the possibility of income tax being replaced with national consumption tax, student workers and households face looming and drastic changes in their paychecks.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MAPLE LEUNG

BY INAAYA YOUSUF

"What happens next?” is often the question lingering in viewers’ minds at the end of a movie. While best answered by viewers’ imagination, studios take it upon themselves to do so, corrupting the impact of the original film through sequels. Meant to be a chance to go back in time and dive back into a loved fictional world, sequels are instead usually a cash grab. Polluted by a lack of creativity in writing and underwhelming quality, they leave viewers dissatisfied, a phenomenon that affects even rough remakes and liveaction films.

People find comfort in familiarity, so when given a choice, viewers tend to choose to revisit old stories over new ones. Studios greenlight projects for their potential to turn a profit rather than their artistic merit, taking attention from original screenwriting. Remakes and adaptations also make up much of this money-making scheme. The “Uncharted” movie with Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, was criticized for its inability to capture the essence of the original games Critics complained about the deviation from source materials and its failed attempt to bring the stakes in the original games to the film. These factors combined led to Rotten Tomatoes critics rating the movie a low 41%. The film failed to create a fulfilling

experience for viewers and demonstrates studios’ attempts to turn nostalgia into money.

“The idea is that [movie studios] have to make money, so the quality of the work ends up going down.” Drama teacher Larry Wenner said. “Few spin-offs are better than the original film or TV series.”

Another motivator for remakes is the reduced resource costs. World-building and character development are done for the sequel to build on, usually with a smaller budget. The problem with this, however, is it often leads to a disappointing product. An example of this is Disney. In 2022, they made many remakes, such as the live-action Pinocchio, while creating new films, like Turning Red. Pinocchio disappointed, with 28% on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences and critics agreeing on its less-thanmediocre score. Pinnochio’s inability to delve into the original’s themes took away from the story and filled the pockets of Disney’s executives while capitalizing on the viewer's nostalgia. Turning Red, on the other hand, took viewers on a mystical adventure with relatable characters that spoke to audiences worldwide. The movie scored 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and has been nominated for multiple Oscars. Of Disney's 2022 releases, the live-action Pinocchio and Turning Red highlight the studio's duality; both relying on nostalgia and taking creative risks.

A sequel should bring a new aspect while staying true to the original story or exploring characters and themes. For instance, the release of “Top Gun Maverick,” considering the original film came out in 1986 and had no lto justify a sequel, was a shock to many. It pleasantly surprised viewers and is considered better than the original by many. From high critical acclaim to the $1.4 billion earned at the box office, Top Gun Maverick is proof that a sequel or any adaptation can come out well — if it can stand by itself and is well executed by studios.

“If a filmmaker has reason beyond just money to make a sequel or to revisit some story, then I don't see that as a problem.” senior Jonas Rindegard said.

The creation of sequels and remakes in Hollywood is a symptom of a larger problem: the lack of investment in original projects. Although new ideas are a financial risk to studios, as they cannot gauge whether viewers will enjoy the story as much as a sequel or remake, it is a risk worth taking. In the future, viewers can speak against Hollywood’s lazy filmmaking or its focus on watching independent films with creative storytelling.

A controversial chat on ChatGPT

Write a Staff Editorial for the Epic on ChatGPT...

As the popularity of artificial intelligence chatbots has risen, so too have concerns surrounding the ethics and risks of AI’s presence in educational environments. Created by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research nonprofit, ChatGPT is an AI chatbot capable of generating humanlike text, working computer code and more in a wide range of styles and lengths. The possibilities are seemingly endless — as are the ethical concerns that have plagued the platform since its launch in November 2022. For classrooms in particular, ChatGPT’s implications require both students and teachers to learn to utilize it as an educational tool, working with and not against the technology.

The main concern has been the potential for academic dishonesty as programs like ChatGPT become increasingly popular. With a simple interface and responses capable of slipping past plagiarism checkers, ChatGPT is not the first AI tool to help students seek shortcuts, but is currently one of the most sophisticated and accessible.

“As we find that plagiarism tools get better at detection, we will be able to integrate ChatGPT in classrooms,” FUHSD Coordinator of Educational Technology Menko Johnson said. “But currently, we just can't overlook the elephant in the room.”

With student dishonesty in the face of academic pressure being an ever-present issue, some educators have reevaluated their teaching methods. For instance, in lieu of at-home essays, teachers are considering more in-class timed writings or varying prompts. Similarly, teachers have adjusted the weight of assignments and tests in gradebooks to reflect the risks of asynchronous work, hoping to dissuade students from taking shortcuts with ChatGPT.

“There is such a thing as being a bad test taker, and those students are really going to suffer as some teachers may elect to raise the weight of their test category over time,” history teacher Luca Signore said. “Even the people who aren’t using ChatGPT to cheat

Staf Editorial

The Voice of the Epic

will have to deal with that consequence.”

Programs designed specifically for detecting the usage of AI chatbots have advanced alongside their counterparts as well, worked on not only by Silicon Valley giants such as Microsoft and Google, but also by independent developers. One such example is GPTZero, a software created by Princeton University senior Edward Tian. While not flawless, it is currently one of the most popular and effective means of detecting ChatGPT. Turnitin has also been working on integrating an AI detection system into its platform. In this cycle of advancement, the landscape of AI has fallen into an arms race where neither chatbots nor detectors hold the advantage for long.

Across the nation, talks of outright bans of ChatGPT in schools have arisen but have seen little success. Banning use of AI chatbots entirely is not the answer — not if larger issues are to be tackled.

“I think blocking these sites altogether would miss the point,” English teacher Erin Levin said. “Why would I use my mental energy on trying to catch that on the backend? I would rather have that conversation on the frontend with students.”

With the emergence of resources like ChatGPT, it is up to students to consider their own integrity and priorities regarding schoolwork. Educators can adjust their own methods, but students are responsible for policing themselves. However, while it is important to warn students of the risks of setting themselves up for failure by using ChatGPT as a crutch, its potential uses as a constructive educational tool should also be considered.

“As we continue to learn how to navigate this new technology, we’ll find ways to make sure it’s helping and not hurting students in their learning process,” English teacher Anna Kirsh said. “But at the end of the day, it’s just a tool, and you need to teach how to use any tool correctly.”

ChatGPT can be versatile and valuable in the classroom. Many believe it will become the new goto search engine, with personalized responses and explanations to specific prompts and summaries of complex topics. It may even have applications for some teachers, assisting with creating questions or discussion points. True to its name, ChatGPT can serve as a conversant for students improving their literacy in foreign languages or as a sparring partner for practicing debaters.

“There is a kind of an obsession with originality amongst some English teachers, which is unrealistic, both practically and philosophically,” English teacher David Clarke said. “What I'm more interested in is how students put together the information they have and higher order synthetic thinking.”

Even considering all its positive applications, ChatGPT is far from flawless. The software lacks the sophistication necessary to detect biases or misinformation in the data it pulls from the web, sometimes resulting in misleading or factually inaccurate responses — a downfall shared by any other online resource. Its replies to certain prompts also tend to become repetitive or generic.

“The further you get into school, the more intricate and detailed the work is, so the less ChatGPT can help out,” Vazirani said. “There are so many limitations.”

While helpful as a simple tool, ChatGPT’s replies are a bland collage of ideas, an algorithm's imitation of eloquence devoid of the passion and detail that characterizes human-produced work. At the end of the day, that is what ChatGPT should be: a tool, not a substitute for human creativity.

“As a teacher, I care very much about the emotional authenticity and the integrity of something you’re writing,” Levin said. “I'm excited about the opportunity that ChatGPT presents to revolutionize how teachers think about teaching, but more importantly, how students have to buy into what they’re doing.”

the Epic voted 40-0 in favor of this stance.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ANUSHKA ANAND

At the end of the day ChatGPT is just a tool, and you need to teach how to use any tool correctly.

Anna Kirsh, English teacher

BY AMISHI CHANDRA

The popular saying that money can’t buy everything isn’t always true. Wealthy individuals have found a loophole in the rule, gaining advantages such as nepotism in employment and legacies in college admissions. Unknowingly, the world has built a system giving those with more wealth an unfair advantage. The wealthy should acknowledge their advantages instead of acting like they are self-made.

According to the National Broadcasting Company, the Bay Area is the eighth most expensive city to live in the U.S., surrounded by houses overvalued and inflated by millions of dollars. For much of the population, money is not scarce. In the last decade, the overall trend of wealth has increased, leading to the title of a “New Gilded Age” with wealth accumulation in the top 1%, surpassing the levels from the 1890s for the first time.In the Bay Area, with an increasing number of tech companies and innovations blooming, the average person’s income has increased, leading to an increase in the percentage of privileged people.

“Wealth and money has definitely increased from the 1920s to now, and as far as I can predict, it’s going to keep increasing,” De Anza Microeconomics Professor Judith West said. “This happens for a number of reasons including inflation and more opportunities for high income jobs.”

The relationship between wealth and privilege allows people with more money to obtain unfair advantages in education and employment. Many students living in the Bay Area benefit from educational privilege because of the economic landscape. At Lynbrook, students are offered a diverse range of clubs which participate in costly competitions, and have opportunities which often are not offered in schools with less funding.

Legacy admissions are also a common advantage of those with financial privilege. Students become a legacy with better chances of admission when someone in their family goes to a top college, which often requires high tuition. According to an NPR article, compared to non-legacy students, students with legacy have five times higher chance of acquiring admission at their prestigious university of choice. Many people criticize affirmative action for supposedly unfairly lifting students from lower socioeconomic classes and giving them the better opportunity to go to college.

Yet, the same people that criticize Affirmative Action, do not have a problem with legacy admissions which can be

described as affirmative action for the rich.

“I don’t think legacy admissions are fair, especially since it helps people who have more money and the predominantly white population,” senior Akul Murthy said. “The new waves of immigrants and first generation Americans are at a disadvantage.”

Nepotism in employment is another advantage of being wealthy. With wealthy parents, people do not need to work as hard to get where they need to be. In Hollywood, many actors and models are considered “nepo-babies,” with parents who earned their spot and pulled their children up alongside them. Since the children are privileged, they get the first pick of roles or jobs even if they are not very skilled. Hailey Bieber and Lily-Rose Depp are some of the most notable examples making headlines today. Today, even the justice system has tipped its scales in favor of the wealthy. The courts are more lenient, making them pay less in comparison to those who are not as advantaged.

“We can’t deny the fact that some lower income communities don’t have access to more expensive lawyers and don’t get seen fairly in front of a jury,” Murthy said.

Jordan Belfort, the wolf of wall street, spent a mere 22 months in jail after scamming more than 1,500 individual investors out of $200 million. He was initially sentenced to four years, but his sentence was reduced after making a plea deal with the FBI. The penalty for first-time drug possession offenses can range between 2-20 years and a hefty fine, depending on the state. The most ironic part is that Belfort was a notorious drug user himself. He is one of many examples of the rich getting lesser jail time because they can bargain financial deals.

Often, the government is funded with donations from the wealthy classes; in return, the courts can be more lenient toward these families. The government has also bestowed many gifts on wealthy individuals and corporations. For years, businesses have tried to get Congress and state legislatures to enact sharp limits on class-action lawsuits. In a series of rulings, including a high-profile one against WalMart in 2011, it has become more difficult for workers and consumers to band together in class action lawsuits, which are often the only way for working-class people to get justice.

“In terms of the justice system, the judges in the Supreme Court have many times favored people who are advantaged,” West said. “But, in the future I believe that people who are wealthy will get less privilege because of culture now and people being called out for their actions.”

Although people who enjoy wealth and privilege are leading the world, they need to be more appreciative of the advantages that come with being in the top one percent by recognizing the fact that they are privileged.

BY CATHERINE ZHOU// IN MY OPINION

Ipause at the hallway intersection, hands tightly gripping the wheelchair handlebars, eyes darting between two corridors. I rack my brain, trying to recall the routes I had spent weeks memorizing. Is cardiology in the left wing? Should I turn left? Right?

When I first started working as a patient transport volunteer in a veterans hospital, intersections were my worst enemy. I still remember my disastrous first solo transport assignment, where I accidentally ended up at the intensive care unit instead of the outpatient rooms and had to rely on my patient to guide me to the correct location.

Traumatized by this experience, I spent several shifts shadowing the other transport employees. I watched them confidently make all the correct turns, swiftly maneuver wheelchairs into elevators and navigate around obstacles. Most of all, I was in awe of their ability to connect with the patients and help them feel comfortable. Each time I tried to talk to my patients, I could barely seem to get out a nervous, “How are you doing today?”

With each shift, I took on more assignments and eventually got to know the hospital like the back of my hand. Along the way, I realized that my lack of trust in myself was holding me back. I second-guessed my instincts, leading to more mistakes and a vicious cycle of self-doubt and fear. In order for my patients to trust me, I needed to show them I trusted myself. As I began to chat with my patients to ease my nerves, initially only feigning confidence, I realized that the patients were more than willing to open up to me.

One day, I was transporting a patient named Charles, a World War II veteran wearing a cap covered in colorful pins and patches. As he shared memories of his time as a sniper and playing basketball during the war, I honored his bravery and sacrifice and laughed at his stories, delighted that he loved basketball just as much as I did. While I led him and his wife through the twists and turns inside the hospital, we eased into a conversation about our favorite teams, which led to Charles reminiscing about his hometown and his sons.

After I helped Charles into his car, his wife thanked me outside of the car and said she’d never heard Charles talk so much about his sons. “It has been so difficult,” she said, eyes full of tears. “Raising them all by myself, without him.”

As I comforted her, I realized the true value of my role as a patient transporter — to provide compassion and alleviate pain for patients and their families as we navigate through the hospital together. Yet, I was so focused on my own struggles I’d forgotten the very reason I was here. I not only have the responsibility to do my job, but also, more importantly, to take care of my patients. By simply talking with them, I can help them feel at least slightly happier, to distract them from the bleakness of the hospital, to illuminate our shared humanity. Perhaps outside the walls of the hospital, I’d also been so focused on successfully achieving my lofty goals that I’d forgotten to cherish the people around me, who supported me as unconditionally as Charles’ wife supported him.

Navigating the winding paths of the hospital corridors, I began to slow down and spend time listening to my patients’ stories, concerns and corny jokes as we headed toward their destinations. My time at the hospital taught me to trust myself and enjoy the journey. However, most importantly, I’m reminded that I’m never alone, and I hope I can help my patients feel the same way.

American infuence through sports

BY ELIZABETH CHENG AND MEERA NAMBIAR

With a little over a minute left in the game and an Olympic gold medal on the line, five blue jerseys storm down the court. One player tosses the ball to a teammate, who finishes the play with a resounding slam dunk. The crowd roars, and the final score is 99-68.

Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley had added yet another play to a neverending highlight reel as the United States triumphed over Croatia in the 1992 Olympic men’s basketball championship game.

Nicknamed the Dream Team and often deemed the most dominant sports team ever assembled, this U.S. team helped skyrocket global interest in basketball.

The promotion of American sports on the international stage was once largely motivated by goodwill and disseminating American values. However, during the Cold War, sports were transformed into a vessel for diplomacy, a way for countries to legitimize themselves globally, improve their image in other countries and engage in ideological wars.

The U.S. often uses sports to increase and leverage soft power — the ability to persuade other countries sans violence. American athletes are some of the most prominent in the world, and leagues use international games each season to increase the market for American sports abroad.

The Cold War was one of the largest stages for sports diplomacy. In addition to proxy wars and the Space Race, a rivalry in international sports also dominated the political landscape. Both countries used sports to showcase their power, creating state-sponsored programs to foster athletes and promoting their national culture and pastimes through sports.

“Sports are a microcosm in which countries compete and it’s a show of their economic development,” history teacher

Luca Signore said. “During the Cold War, the U.S. and Soviet Union were competing in everything, whether it was going to the moon first or winning in hockey.”

Olympic boycotts were used by both sides to condemn the other. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the U.S. led one of the largest boycotts, encouraging more than 60 countries to not participate in the 1980 Moscow games. In response, the USSR and their allies refused to come to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

On the field, clashes between the two countries gained lots of attention, with the Soviets beating the previously undefeated U.S. basketball team in 1972. The “Miracle on Ice” also shocked millions when a young U.S. ice hockey team beat the heavily favored Soviet Union. Despite the conflicts of the Olympics, it can also spark global unity.

“When you see the diversity of people running in an Olympic race, that’s about as humanizing as you will get and an even playing field,” said Government teacher and varsity boys basketball coach Jeff Bale. “We see people coming together. Unfortunately, these things will always be marred with politics.”

Later, dominant American sports teams like the Dream Team would cement the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Ever since, the State Department has collaborated with the NBA to promote American values and aid with foreign relations. The Clinton administration initiated the Sports Visitor Program, which brought non-elite athletes and coaches to the U.S., as well as the Sports Envoy Program that sent American coaches and athletes abroad to teach sports and values. Such initiatives helped expose the world to American culture.

“My cousins in India wake up in the middle of the night to watch Warriors games,” senior and varsity girls basketball captain Navya Anand said. “There’s definitely

a lot of hype generated around American professional sports.”

In an effort to ease Cuban-American relations, the NBA and FIBA jointly organized a camp in 2015 to bridge cultures through what the NBA described as the “common language of sports.” Since then, the U.S. has expanded similar programs to countries around the world such as Venezuela and Serbia. But no country reflects American basketball diplomacy like China’s past and present relationship with the sport.

An invitation for pingpong players paved the way for the first American president to visit China. President Nixon’s visit highlighted the power of sports in

bridging different civilizations and cultures. As the NBA leveraged media to promote basketball in China, the Sino-

American relationship has only grown — recently, the Internet and social have fueled Chinese infatuation with the NBA. Sports are more than entertainment; they ultimately have the political power to shift and influence international relationships.

“Mutual interests and shared goals are the best things that can come out of these international sports,” Bale said.

Philanthropy won’t save us. Here’s why.

BY MYLES KIM AND CALVIN ZHOU

Every year, countless stories praise billionaires’ selflessness for their philanthropic donations. Yet, bad actors use philanthropy more as a public relations device and a way to avoid paying taxes. Philanthropy is a necessary institution that helps supplement a government’s role in protecting its citizens’ welfare. However, the largest donors often are more preoccupied with protecting their business interests than helping others. Charity should be benevolent, but powerful corporations and the wealthy have made it deceitful.

Modern American philanthropy has its roots in the Gilded Age, tied most often with the prominent works of Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist notorious for his anti-labor stance and practices. Although Carnegie is praised as a beacon of good philanthropy, the exploitation of industrial workers through which he garnered his wealth ultimately perpetuated poverty and outweighed his philanthropic acts. He was under the impression that the economic system allowing him to accumulate so much wealth was inherently good and that every American would inevitably get their piece of the pie.

“One can look at Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth and argue that in some ways it was very paternalistic,” said Bruce Sievers, Lecturer at the Stanford University Haas Center for Public Service. “There is some language in there where he says that the wealthy not only deserve to reap the benefits of what they have created, but they know

how best to give it away to society for the greatest benefit.”

Similarly, the robber barons of the 21st century, such as Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, often pledge to donate shares of their companies to charity while simultaneously being accused of mistreating their workers and preventing unionization efforts.

Sometimes these charitable donations aren’t even charity at all. In 2015, Zuckerberg made headlines when he claimed that he would donate the majority of his fortune to charity; in reality, he donated to a limited liability company he owned entirely, with the intention to invest in for-profit businesses.

In many instances involving today’s ultrabillionaires, philanthropy has been used as a vessel for financial gain, whether directly or indirectly.

“Whatever money you take from the rich will not have that much of an impact because they have greater access and means of recuperating their wealth,” English teacher Andrew Seike said. “It takes money to make money.”

Aside from philanthropy, billionaires are known to make large donations to political organizations. In the 2022 midterm election cycle, he gave $40 million to fund Democratic and Republican campaigns. Wealth has not only become a powerful playing card in the American financial system but also has been used to increasingly influence public policy in a corporation or billionaire’s favor.

“As philanthropic gifts become larger, there is a risk that donors may try to influence what happens through organizations,” said Gene Tempel, Professor of Philanthropic

Studies at Indiana University. “It is unethical for a donor to try to remake society in his or her image.”

Carnegie’s views persist in acts of philanthropy today and raise the question of how democratic American philanthropy really is. Before the 2008 recession, about twice as many people made philanthropic gifts or volunteered as the number of people who voted each year. As fewer people donated, philanthropy became undemocratically concentrated among extremely wealthy individuals. The wealthy have a monopoly on goodwill, only willing to give it away to causes they think are the most beneficial for recipients, which often aren’t effective. Philanthropy is defined as goodwill to fellow humans. As such, philanthropy should be about helping others, yet modern philanthropy seems to be more preoccupied with dodging taxes and cleaning up images. Something that would alleviate the power of big donors and their ability to mold society as they see fit, is broader participation in philanthropic acts that make it significantly harder for big donors to make gifts that are contradictory to what society actually wants to achieve through philanthropy.

“People need to recognize that philanthropy is a commitment to making the world a better place,” said Richard Marker, Faculty Co-Director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy. “It is not something only for people with a lot of money, but for everyone.”

87.8% of Lynbrook students surveyed believe that sports are important to American identity.

The 1992 Olympic men’s basketball team, nicknamed the Dream Team, led by more than 30 points with a little over a minute left during the championship game against Croatia.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH CHENG

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY QIANZI LOO

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CALVIN ZHOU

Patriotism in America has contributed toward anti-immigrant, xenophobic, or racist attitudes.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

aving flags with scent of hotdogs a dazzling display a celebration of a nation’s and unity take center stage. is one holiday where Americans patriotism, a cherished sentiment of the U.S.. In recent years, patriotism that binds the become murky as dissenting have claimed this word for communities apart as they interpretations of patriotism.

According to Oxford Languages, is defined as the devotion support for one’s country. Without patriotism, a country can seem its own ideals. Thus, countries patriotic actions among their turmoil, present a unified front new policies. blurred when patriotism have interpreted unwavering country without actions or However, this aligns with extreme belief

DEFINING

Incorporating patriotism in American education

BY SOPHIE AU AND NEHA AYYER

Since its development, the American school system has been continuously reworked to provide all American children a comprehensive education. Some believe that the integration of patriotism is at the core of an education that will prepare citizens to join American industries and become active voters.

Often considered the “father of American education,” Horace Mann standardized and unified school systems, leading the 19th century Common School Movement that ensured basic education for every child. Before this, many children lacked a full education, since schooling centered around the Bible and was largely based on teachers’ preferences. Establishing a secular education standard, Mann developed a varied curriculum that taught children many subjects.

“The general approach to a public education is to provide young people with a broad range of content, knowledge and skills sufficient to launch them into responsible adulthood,” AP Government teacher Mike Williams said.

By 2018, 40 states required students to take U.S. history courses and 28 states required that the course be at least one year long. There are still no national

history or government course-related requirements in the U.S.

While history is seen as an objective subject, multiple perspectives and sources used can alter the way students view historical events. As educational laws in the U.S. do not include a standardized, national curriculum, each state develops its own standards for what students should learn.

“If you’re trying to teach World History, you need to talk about interactions between regions at a macro level,” World History teacher Steven Roy said. “If you’re spending all your time talking about Europe or the U.S., that’s neither a comprehensive nor accurate historical narrative.”

Still, while the same topics are told from multiple perspectives, teachers tread the fine line between differing ideologies and morally wrong actions.

“You can see both sides to every issue,” Williams said. “Then, sometimes, societal or government actions can just be plain wrong or illegal. Calling that out isn’t liberal or conservative. It’s calling

out what’s wrong or illegal irrespective of ideology. That’s been a challenge for teachers. In American society recently, to some extent, people mix up calling wrong with having a political agenda.”

As history continued to be taught in schools, government or civics courses were slowly added. While history courses teach past events, civics courses aim to keep American political traditions alive and allow students to understand the relationships between citizens and the government.

“It’s a degree of socialization that tries to connect us. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” AP Government and Politics teacher Jeff Bale said. “But I certainly believe that, regardless of what students’ personal beliefs are, they should be involved and know the system. The more people whom we have engaged in our democracy, the better and healthier it will be.”

Even though government classes are required in some high schools, there is no way to tell whether students leave

class feeling more patriotic or inclined to participate in civics.

“All I can do is present what I can and try to make it as engaging as possible so that the fire will be lit under them and they will want to be involved,” Bale said.

While the Supreme Court has ruled that schools cannot force students to take part in patriotic acts, the government’s promotion of patriotic values is still incorporated into daily school life. The Pledge of Allegiance is required in 46 states, while California education laws require at least one patriotic “act” at school every day. Symbols like a flag salute or the Pledge of Allegiance have remained a staple in the school routine.

“These symbols are respected more than others because they represent foundational American values,” Bale said. “But the values themselves are what really matters, not the symbols.”

As history and civics classes incorporate more perspectives into teaching essential concepts, teachers continue to strive to inform students from an objective point of view.

“When students don’t have a background in a subject, they are unable to question what they are told,” Iziumska said. “The bias in education still influences students, even if schools try to eliminate it.”

The more people whom we have engaged in our democracy, the better and healthier it will be.

AMERICA

MYSELF PATRIOTIC:

the line between patriotism and nationalism

stars and stripes, the wafts from a grill and display of fireworks greet birth. National pride stage. The Fourth of July Americans join together in sentiment in many parts years, however, the very nation together has dissenting political factions for themselves, tearing they invest in their own patriotism.

Languages, patriotism

devotion to and vigorous

Without some level of seem apathetic toward countries strive to inspire their citizens to avoid front and push forward policies. Lines become when the very idea of is skewed. Some interpreted patriotism as unwavering support for one’s without criticism of its stance on any topic. this definition actually with nationalism, an belief in a country’s

supremacy, and has been misinterpreted by many to be a patriotic value.

While nationalism bears a negative connotation, it is a sentiment that has pervaded recent conservative politics, marked by a yearning for past, unchanged versions of America. This inflexibility creates divisions between the younger progressive generations and older conservative groups. America is often described as “the melting pot” of cultures and ideas, and the change diversity brings, while difficult, is not inherently bad. Patriotism lies in a desire to improve a nation and also to appreciate what is already there.

“I feel like Generation Z has a disconnect with America,” senior Priscilla Leang said. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in the momentum of advocating for change — which is great — but it also causes us to overlook some of the core principles America already offers us.”

As American politics have become increasingly polarized, though, patriotic values from one side of the political spectrum may appear to be the antithesis of what the other side advocates.

“There are people who deep in their heart believe that they are doing the right thing to add value to their country. And on the other side of the issue, people are doing the exact opposite, but have the same core belief,” AP

Government and Politics teacher Jeff Bale said. Political turmoil in the U.S. has shifted the notion of patriotism for many. For instance, the American flag for some went from a mark of national pride to a flag that bore the message of “America first,” most notably under former President Donald Trump’s presidency. In one of his rallies, Trump called himself a nationalist, reinforcing in his constituents that his presidency embraces divergent views of American values.

The idea of “America first” soon became a hotly debated topic between Republicans and Democrats, showing itself in anti-immigration policies, riots, tariffs and more. One significant case is the Capitol Hill insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. While the incident could look like an isolated event, the root of the issue lies in a narrow view of patriotism and distaste for change. In a pattern of extreme conservatives fighting for an older-fashioned America while liberals seek to regain political power, politicians struggle to compromise amid political polarization.

In the 1990s, as the population of white Americans dropped below 50% in California, many struggled to embrace shifts in U.S. population. A string of anti-immigration policies followed, but gradually, communities realized and accepted changes in society. Today, California remains one of the most progressive, wealthy and economically successful states in the country and has the highest

Immigrant dream, American reality

BY APURVA KRISHNAMURTHY AND EMILY PEDROZA

Inscribed on the Statue of Liberty are the U.S.’s claims to provide refuge for “masses yearning to breathe free.” Many immigrants reap the country’s benefits by achieving their greatest desires. But, when the adjustment process presents obstacles for optimistic immigrants, does the American Dream become a mere pipe dream?

While motivations for immigrating to the U.S. differ, one common drive is starting anew. Some relocate to flee from calamities while others to provide their children with better education.

“My family came here to give my sister and I greater opportunities,” senior Leo Xu said. “My American Dream is about family but also myself. I want to be someone I can be proud of.”

The term “American Dream” originates from “Epic of America”, a book by James Truslow Adams, who defined it as an “opportunity for each according to ability.” It is a deeply integrated concept throughout Hollywood that settles in the subconscious of many as unrealistic expectations in American media have become popular abroad.

“My dad said America is the land of dreams,” junior Gauri Jain said. “When I came here, it was like my dreams were coming true.”

The American Dream defines success resulting from hard work without recognizing the influence of merit. The American meritocratic system is plagued with hurdles for underprivileged groups, preventing individuals from experiencing their ideal dream.

On U.S. soil, many immigrants face housing segregation stemming from discriminatory practices and lack of financial power. Many prejudiced landowners implement exclusionary zoning to keep their neighborhoods “safe”. As immigrants also don’t have credit history with American lenders, their low credit scores lead to struggles when obtaining a mortgage. If approved for a mortgage, it is commonly at a higher interest or annual percentage rate, adding to financial burdens.

Higher education, a major driving factor for immigration, is viewed as a vehicle for social mobility. But, a number of minority students struggle to complete

school and pay their tuition. Undocumented students, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, don’t qualify for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Many minority students are forced to decline prestigious but unaffordable college acceptances while qualified individuals are stuck repeating years of education to obtain a recognized degree in the American workforce. Coupled with learning a new language, those seeking employment face a prolonged cycle of job disparity in the workplace.

“The melting pot is a problematic analogy that has since been questioned,” said West Valley English and Social Justice Studies professor Leigh Burril. “It suggests that we’re all going to go in and melt and come out having the same equitable experiences on the other side.”

Immigrant aid programs, like the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, provides cash assistance to the aged, blind or disabled, who are ineligible to receive State Supplementary Payment due to their immigration status. The government has done little to keep the community afloat as there is a lack of community building resources for new immigrants.

“The American Dream is a nice concept. It’s still a goal. It’s not a reality for a lot of Americans.” Burrill said.

The immigrant experience with the American Dream often drifts from initial expectations, fostering less than ideal conditions for asylum seekers in modern society. Yet, the abundance of resources and opportunity, ranging from the workplace to livelihood, has been a driving force of immigration over the centuries.

“The land of dreams means a place where we are happy and together as a family, “ said Jain. “Where it feels like home.”

percentage of foreign-born citizens.

Setting aside recent disputes, patriotism regularly serves as the nation’s unifier. In extreme cases of tragedy, such as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, true patriotic values and protection of one’s homestead brought the nation together.

“Sometimes, when you have these calamities, it actually brings out the best of what I would call ‘patriotism,’ where it’s shared sacrifice, and belief in a larger good of the country,” Bale said. “That’s true patriotism, and there really is a positive value for that.”

Whether it be from an economic or political standpoint, it’s important to clarify the notions of patriotism and nationalism so that Americans can understand both ideas and feel comfortable being “patriotic”. Patriotism can unite individuals under a shared spirit of love for one’s country, but when it begins to bear nationalistic undertones, it becomes detrimental. Moving away from nationalism through embracing change and educating the general public on these concepts may lead to more accepting generations, which will further the strength and unity of the U.S.

68.5% of Lynbrook students surveyed believe that the American Dream is not attainable for all Americans

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SARMA

CATHERINE ZHOU

Is America’s power far-reaching or overreaching?

BY SURYA SARAF AND LARRY WANG

“We will defend our freedom, we will bring freedom to others and we will prevail,” President George W. Bush said on March 19, 2003, just before the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Three years later, over 300,000 Iraqi civilians had been killed by U.S.-led forces. Throughout the Revolutionary War and the Cold War, America has emerged as a global superpower — one with political, economic and technological supremacy. However, this status is entangled with imperialism, military action and foreign control.

A nation with one of the highest standards of living, America’s influence encompasses a rough majority of the globe. For starters, the U.S. military is currently the most funded and equipped in the world. In terms of gross domestic product, the U.S. is an economic fortress, boasting the highest GDP of $26.13 trillion as of 2022. American culture is also widely embraced among foreign countries, with English being the most widely-spoken language in the world, popularized by the U.S.

But this wasn’t always the case. In 1898, America obtained Puerto Rico, Cuba,

Guam and the Philippines after winning the Spanish-American war, establishing them as an imperial power with colonial land claims. The U.S. further subjugated Filipino and Latin American governments in the early 1900s, often using unethical techniques. Over the years, the development of nuclear

similar to the U.S, such as holding elections or enacting stringent laws on drug use, to receive aid,” said Kenneth Faulve-Montojo, Senior Lecturer of Political Economy and International Relations at Santa Clara University. “ A lot depends on the circumstances under which the aid is tied.”

nation closes its doors to underprivileged societies. These discrepancies were exacerbated by the Trump administration that created restrictions on the U.S.-Mexico border and enacted a Muslim travel ban. The Biden administration is attempting to repeal Trump’s “Remain in Mexico”

Immigration’s legacy: the Americanization of food

BY AMY LIU

Burgers, hot dogs, you name it. To many, food is an integral component of the American identity. Much of the American palette today is rooted in decades of immigration and globalization. As people around the world bring their flavors to the U.S., foreign dishes have become Americanized, infusing American preferences with multi-cultural appreciation. In America’s sea of diverse cultural foods, true American cuisine does exist through dishes that were born in the U.S. Invented in the South, dishes like Shrimp and Grits, Hoppin’ John and Gumbo were highly influenced by African culture often brought by descendents of African slaves. New England’s early abundance of fishing industries led to the rise of iconic seafood dishes such as Clam Chowder, Lobster Roll and Fried Clams. Early colonists learned recipes like Succotash and Johnnycakes from Native Americans. Still, a majority of food in the U.S. is transferred or inspired from other countries due to immigration. As immigrant restaurateurs adapted to the American culture and economy, they have altered traditional dishes to conform to local tastes in order to make a living. Here is the history of Americanized food from America’s top three most popular ethnic cuisines.

Americanized Chinese Food

Chinese immigrants first began modifying recipes because authentic ingredients, especially vegetables, were not available in the U.S. A dish that had an ingredient substitution was beef and broccoli; 19th and 20th century Chinese immigrants in San Francisco swapped broccoli for gailan, a Chinese variant of broccoli, because they couldn’t find it in America.

To accommodate the Western palette, immigrants swapped unfamiliar ingredients in their dishes, especially exotic animals and their parts, with more familiar meats. For example, meats like chicken or beef replaced animal intestines in chop suey in order for restaurateurs to avoid controversy and adapt to local eating preferences.

While many Chinese-American foods are adaptations of recipes from China, Chinese-American cuisine has invented iconic dishes of its own. Orange chicken, invented by the fast-casual chain Panda Express in America, was inspired by China’s iconic sweet and sour flavors and is a variation of General Tso’s chicken, another Americanized dish. A popular dessert in Chinese-American restaurants, fortune cookies were created in California with unclear cultural origins. Even though foods like orange chicken and fortune cookies will not be found in China, the meals have established themselves as an integral part of the Chinese-American palette.

Americanized Italian Food

From pizza to pasta, Italian cuisine has cemented itself into the American palette. During the late 19th century, Italian immigrants settled in America to escape famine and unemployment; however, it wasn’t until the late 20th century that Italian food became socially accepted and popularized due to foreign tastes and class divisions.

Many Italian-American dishes contrast from their Italian counterparts because of how meat was more abundant and affordable in the U.S. An Italian-American staple, spaghetti and meatballs are served separately as individual dishes in Italy instead of together. For the same reason, chicken parmigiana was invented as an iteration of eggplant parmigiana. Sauces have also been developed by Italian Americans — The sauce of American fettuccine alfredo is much heavier than its Italian version, and Italian dressing received its name and flavor from its Italian herbs and seasonings like oregano, basil and garlic.

Standing as one of the most essential foods in American society, pizza has been profusely Americanized. Pepperoni is an entirely American meat, and pineapple as a topping is practically unheard of in Italy. Italian pizza has one or no toppings, compared to America’s loaded pizzas. While American pizza has a range of thin and thick crusts, Italian pizza only has a very thin crust. Finally, American pizza has expanded to dozens of variations, from Chicago and New York-style pizza to pizza bagels and rolls.

26.2% Slightly Disagree

36.4% Slightly Agree

23.3% Strongly Agree

12% Strongly Disagree from a survey of 229 current Lynbrook students

Americanized Mexican Food

Mexican-American food largely refers to Tex-Mex cuisine, which was developed by Tejanos, the first Spanish settlers in Texas from the 16th century. Having a Mexican style, Tex-Mex cuisine elicits American flavors with its hefty use of cheese and more diverse spices. Some classic Tex-Mex recipes include chili con carne and chimichangas. Burritos are a quintessential Mexican-American food. In Mexico, burritos are packed with meat, beans, cheese and salsa. Its American counterpart is much more loaded, containing fillings such as rice, lettuce and sour cream. American burritos will rarely be found in Mexico, only appearing in tourist regions. Tacos, on the other hand, are much more common in Mexico.

Mexican restaurants make up a large portion of America’s food industry, particularly in the form of food chains. Chains like TacoBell and Chipotle are big names in the fast-food sphere, and have helped to popularize Mexican-American food domestically and internationally.

The evolution of food in America has come a long way from the colonial era to today. Especially in a country of such diverse cultures, food is always adapting to society’s social, economic and political changes. Food is a unifier and a form of cultural expression; understanding and appreciating the traditions in which foods originated from is key to acknowledging America’s history of immigration and abundance of cultures.

57.5% of Lynbrook students surveyed believe that the U.S.’s political dominance is not dwindling.

“I believe that there are distinct foods that are entirely ‘American.’ “

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMY LIU

“Avatar: The Way of Water” makes a splash in cinematic history

BY KATIE CHIN

Thirteen years after Pandora captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences, “Avatar: The Way of Water” revitalizes the imaginative world of the Na’vi and heroes Jake Sully and Neytiri in fantastic glory. The highly anticipated sequel of the 2009 box office phenomenon brings viewers back to the ethereal moon and introduces Sully and Neytiri’s brood of daring and adventurous children alongside the oceanic Metkayina clan. While raw and emotionally powerful scenes pierce the hearts of viewers, they may very well be lost within an arguably thin plotline and a haphazard medley of cliched young adult fiction tropes.

In 2009, James Cameron’s original “Avatar” shattered the box office with fanfare, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time. Above the alluring storyline, the film, nominated for nine

replicating real ocean conditions and capturing the actors’ performances underwater — a feat never before accomplished in the history of cinema. With Performance Capture, which transforms the actors’ real time movements into their CG characters, set up both underwater and on the surface, Cameron brought a graceful, jawdropping reality to underwater scenes on the big screen.

Yet beyond the sensational cinematography, the meandering, thin storyline progresses with little surprise, leaving the audience yawning through the 3 hour 12 minute film. In comparison to the striking, yet straight-forward “good-guy” hero 2009 film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” stutters in finding its definition, and the story’s several underwhelming and loosely related plotlines lethargically drag on the film.

Opening with a snapshot of the Sully family, the story quickly hops from one scene to the next as the forest-dwelling Sullys

Adopted daughter

Kiri, born from the first film’s Grace Augustine’s avatar, wields a graceful, powerful connection to Pandora similar to that of her mother’s. Along with the adorable youngest daughter Tuk, Pandora-born human Spider completes the young cast, grappling with his differences from his Na’vi friends. Character development is few and far between, with each teen reduced to a singular attribute and remaining solely determined and wellintentioned throughout the film.

The film is interspersed with beautifully raw, tearjerking scenes and dialogue — the delicacy of which aligns with its arresting cinematography and magnificent nature of Pandora. Zoe Saldana, as Neytiri, delivers heart-wrenching lines sure to capture the attention of any viewer. Woven between long threads of plot, emotionally compelling scenes accompanied with a riveting soundtrack return audiences to the heart of “Avatar”.

The blatant anti-imperialist stance of the film perfectly mirrors that of the 2009 film and retains its lack of nuance, leaning on crude analogs of indigenous peoples in the Na’vi and a depthless depiction of strongarmed humans coldly destroying Pandora and its natives. Built off a brew of worn tropes, “Avatar: The Way of Water” places strong emphasis on family values with Sully’s line, “A father protects. It’s what gives him meaning,” echoing through the closing scenes of the movie. Though the film’s familial theme sparks a familiar flame within viewers and the anti-colonialism commentary stands, the story struggles to delve any deeper than a one-dimensional strand.

With tremendous shoes to fill following

the first “Avatar” installation, it isn’t all too surprising that “Avatar: The Way of Water” has stumbled its way across the big screen. Yet, it is a film worthy of applause for its once again breathtaking illustration of Pandora and collection of heart-wrenching scenes. While frustrating, the opening of a myriad of Pandora’s boxes of plotlines set the table for the addition of three sequels to the franchise over the next six years, which may just be what “Avatar” needs to secure its place within the great film franchises of cinematic history.

Alumni and students document cross-generational bonds in “Her Image”

BY JASON SHAN

“When I look at you, I see so much of myself. But so much of you is not in the image of me.”

This line from the closing scenes of “Her Image,” a short film with a crew including nine Lynbrook alumni and students, captures the heart of the narrative: Asian American mother Jenny Ma realizes that, although her daughter’s values may differ from her own, she still accepts and loves her for who she is.

The creation of “Her Image” began in the summer of 2022 when alumni Suanna Zhong and Austin Tong decided to collaborate on a passion project. Zhong drew from her personal experiences when brainstorming the plot, reflecting on her relationship with her mother. Following the idea’s conception, Zhong and Tong reached out to students in Lynbrook’s ASB Tech Commission and other alumni to help out.

“During production, I learned to give back by bringing people on the set and giving them this professional experience,” Tong said. “I hope the film inspires others to create their own stories through mediums

The title, “Her Image,” is captured through a prominent symbol in the film: a vintage camera. The title represents the multiple

on this duality to underscore the crossgenerational understanding that the two protagonists come to at the end.

Miller teacher Betty Chan was cast as the mother, Jenny, and actress Alyssa So played the role of the daughter, Isabella. So applied through the online platform Backstage after reading the casting notice and was intrigued by how the themes paralleled her own experience in an immigrant family.

“A lot of students at Lynbrook have parents from different cultures, which is reflected in the film,” senior and director of photography Katie Chung said. “The conflicts you go through with parents are natural, but remember to always love each other.”

Small details in the set design help bring the film’s message alive. The outfits of every character was an extension of their inner personality: Isabella and her sister wear complementary colors to show their tightknit relationship while Jenny dresses in neutral-toned colors. The ending where Isabella and Jenny bake a pie together

where Jenny cooks alone.

“Another theme in the film is looking up to your elders,” gaffer and grip Gio Cabaltica said. “During the film’s production, as the youngest member on set, I was looking up to Austin and Suanna who taught me so much.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FEATURES SECTION

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY FEATURES SECTION

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY FEATURES SECTION. PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION FROM SUANNA ZHONG.

Sohil Rathi inspires new generation of math enthusiasts

BY ANIRUDH SESHADRI

On a typical school morning, Sohil Rathi can be found in the library, studying for an upcoming math competition. From competing in the American Mathematics Competitions and Mathcounts to writing books to help other students succeed in competitive math, Rathi’s commitment to the subject has earned him accolades and recognition from students throughout the state. Yet, it is not just solving math problems that excites Rathi. Partnering with his sister, he runs a popular YouTube channel devoted to competition math and has fostered a community of students who aspire to reach new heights in mathematics.

Since the age of six, Rathi has won countless awards. Qualifying for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination every year since his fifth grade and USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad beginning in seventh grade, Rathi has exceeded his class’s achievements.

“It’s really just doing lots of practice problems, learning concepts and applying them,” Rathi said. “Learn from the problems you do and try to relate them to techniques.

When you see similar problems, you can use those same techniques to solve them.”

One of Rathi’s savored memories is competing in the national level of Mathcounts, where competitors have one minute to solve each problem. Although Rathi made a few mistakes, it taught him to work efficiently under pressure.

Although Rathi’s dedication to math is evident in his impressive achievements, it’s his passion for sharing his knowledge and

helping others that truly sets him apart.

Since the sixth grade, Rathi has taught students through the non-profit organization he founded, OmegaLearn. However, realizing the limited scope of his class and wanting to impact students globally, he started teaching through YouTube Live. Since then, he has expanded to regular videos, with his most popular video accumulating 39,000 views.

BOOKS PUBLISHED:

creatively than other competition math channels, which provide longer and more complex videos. He skillfully edits his videos and provides decorative thumbnails that instantly draw viewers in.

In addition, Rathi wrote three books, “Mastering AMC 8,” “Mastering AMC 10/12” and “The Book of Mathematical Formulas and Strategies” to help other students prepare for the AMC 10/12, Mathcounts and Math Olympiad. These books have received positive reviews from readers around the world, further cementing Rathi’s status as a math prodigy. His easy-to-understand solutions to his book’s practice problems allow learners to develop a pattern to understand when to use each technique.

“In all my written examples, I explain the thought process behind every problem so that students can learn and say ‘Oh, that’s what I can try and do for future problems,’” Rathi said.

A shining example of what can be achieved with perseverance and genuine passion, Rathi’s widespread contributions to the academic community have impacted many young lives.

Ankita Chatterjee sculpts her representation of society

BY TANIKA ANBU

Equipped with Photoshop and her trusty camera, senior Ankita Chatterjee spends months bringing the artistic vision that brews in her sketchbook margins to life, communicating critical messages that represent herself and resonate with her audience. From doodling to designing sculptures, Chatterjee has branched beyond elementary art forms and has welcomed more complex and 3D art such as multimedia sculptures and photography.

Ever since Chatterjee could grip a crayon, she has been fueled with a desire to create art. Her passion for art coupled with avid curiosity helps her create pieces that reflect her understanding of society. Even in classroom discussions or friendly conversation, Chatterjee constantly challenges the norm, asking probing questions to develop her own perspective and understand that of others. This skill guides her through her artistic journey.

something without having to raise your voice,” Chatterjee said. “It is the perfect medium to express your thoughts because you are in control.”

During the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, Chatterjee was reading “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a book discussing race and prejudice. As she learned about the controversy behind this book, she wondered how racism became a taboo topic in society. Her belief in powerful literature inspired her to create a sculpture that comments on her appreciation for books with strong messages.

“Literature has the potential to save humanity so we don’t repeat history,” Chatterjee said. “This piece served the purpose of encouraging my audience to think about the books they read and internalize those messages.”

She developed an idea that revolved around a pair of life-size wings made up of pages from “To Kill a Mockingbird” and chicken wire. Making the wings using paper mache techniques, Chatterjee took photos of the wings hanging from the ceiling and of herself wearing them while reading “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Another piece from Chatterjee’s collection comments on women’s rights. Most of Chatterjee’s work originates from accessible materials, such as Pixie Stix candy and a Pepto Bismol bottle. In this case, she used a showerhead and sculpted clay to create a face on it, adding a personal effect.

The showerhead was vital in executing her message concerning society’s perpetual critique of women and their bodies. Conveying that one is at their most vulnerable in the shower, she used the showerhead to

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY AUDREY SUN

underscore the futility of trying to find a safe space and escape misogynistic chatter.

Chatterjee’s art has won awards in several local competitions. Her piece “Grandmother’s Afternoon Tea,” a sculpture commemorating her grandmother’s daily tea, and “Defending the Womb,” a piece commenting on reproduction, have won Gold Key awards from Scholastic competitions.

As Chatterjee continues to explore multimedia sculptures, she hopes to work

on pieces that bring her closer to herself. With her desire to create and learn, she is excited to construct more creations that challenge world views.

“After competing in several competitions, the best advice I got was to share my personal experiences, even if it’s not for anyone to see,” Chatterjee said. “The best pieces are those that are personal to yourself.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FEATURES SECTION

“Art is so valuable because it’s a way for you to speak volumes about

“Mastering AMC 8”

“Mastering AMC 10/12”

“The Book of Mathematical Formulas and Strategies”

Surrounded by her 3D creations, Chatterjee wears wings made from book pages, another one of her art pieces.

CHATTERJEE

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM SOHIL RATHI

BY LILLY WU AND ANUSHKA ANAND then

vs. now

Socially and politically, Medieval society looked down upon marriage for the sake of romance.

Feudal alliances were important for maintaining political stability, and these alliances were cemented by marriages. The personal feelings of those being married were often not consulted.

Medieval Times

Hookup culture

he new economic realities of the 19th century cross-pollinated with the ideas that emerged from the Enlightenment about individual rights and the pursuit of happiness, and the result was an Age of Romanticism. The new ideal was not only to marry for love but that love was to live on forever.

1700s

& 1800s

dynamics and roles are changing,” licensed marriage we are navigating how to balance romantic and family relationships with these new responsibilities.”

Since the 2000s and the rise of many ways to contact another person through the Internet, hook-up culture has replaced the dating culture. The number of hookups is almost

During the 2000s, people had fewer expectations to marry their current partner. Dating was perceived as a casual way to spend time and have fun. Dating outside of one’s ethnicity or race became more common as more people immigrated and is now much more normalized.

1900s

& 2000s

“Because medieval marriages were arranged, they were often unhappy.”

Dr. Sheila Fisher Professor of English

Popular media and technology

Love is a common topic in books and movies, which often depict ideal relationships while normalizing signs of toxicity. Viewers don’t always recognize the harmful tropes and hope to experience similar situations in real life. In “The Notebook,” a popular novel and movie known for its “dreamy” love story, the male lead is overly obsessed with the female lead and emotionally abuses her after their breakup. However, it’s perceived as a romantic gesture to be praised rather than avoided. Social media and reliance on technology have also impacted our perceptions relationships, which creates unrealistic expectations for what romance should look like. scenes that you don’t see,” Tai said. “People portray the best of themselves online.” Technology has created some positive effects in the dating world. Facetime and texting facilitate long-distance relationships and allow couples to contact each other more often. With the increase in the popularity of dating apps, people looking for partners can easily meet new people in their area.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ALYSSA WANG, NEHA AYYER AND VIDUSHI UPADHYAY

California’s climate change causes destruction

BY NICOLE GE AND RIKI MURASE

Story continued from front page.

It is among the most prominent issues in today’s sociopolitical environment due to its tremendous potential for world-changing development. As the world continues to warm as more greenhouse gasses accumulate in the atmosphere, catastrophic events are projected to increase rapidly in both rate and intensity.

“I think rising sea levels is a pressing concern,” Conservation Action Association club president Cindy Chou said. “People predict that Venice might be unlivable in 20 years. I think it’s possible that parts of California could be completely underwater due to melting glaciers.”

California is infamous for its dry seasons and long droughts. Prior to the historical levels of rainfall in the first weeks of January 2023, roughly 35% of California was declared as a state of extreme drought. California experiences droughts in oscillating periods, with periods lasting from a few months to multiple years. 2022 was an exceptionally dry year, resulting in thousands of dried wells important to certain communities for drinking water and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of acres

of farmland.

California is also a flood-prone state due to its susceptibility to heavy winter storms and atmospheric rivers — streams of water vapor in the sky. These floods provide nearly half of the annual precipitation in the state, and atmospheric rivers transport 90% of the globe’s water vapor in 10% of the area. The flood that stormed over California in the beginning of 2023 alleviated some of the state’s drought in several areas that have developed over the past three years.

“Drought impacts vary by location as California is a large state, and drought recovery will need to be evaluated on a regional scale and depend on local water supply conditions,” state climatologist Michael Anderson said. “As a result of the recent storms, the landscape is wet which allows rivers to flow and plants to grow. Reservoirs collect runoff from the storms to restore storage. Water on the landscape enabled percolation to groundwater which helped in aquifer recovery — a slow process and often requires multiple wet years to fully recover depleted storage.”

storms is estimated to cost the government over a billion dollars in reconstruction and resource allocation. Heavy rains also lead to landslides, where an abundance of water seeps into the ground after a long drought, creating an imbalance on hillsides and causing them to move or slide. It can take several months to even out, delaying repairs and hindering recovery.

“I’ve counted at least twenty trees that have fallen on our property,” math teacher and affected resident Jeremy Dybdahl said. “Power lines were down and I didn’t get to come to work because the road was closed. We also lost a lot of our property due to the wind storms.”

opportunities for windy conditions,” Anderson said. “This can lead to rapid fire development leading to larger fires which can burn more intensely given the drier vegetation.”

In response to recent flooding, local and federal governments have taken action to support those displaced by storms with resources. California governor Gavin Newson and President Joe Biden have visited storm-affected areas to assess damages and encourage the bolstering of emergency responses across the state. American Red Cross workers stationed in the state have also been called to action and worked to support damaged communities.

“In the Paris agreement, they set the goal of keeping Earth’s warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Chou said. “But I think if we want to remain under 1.5 degrees, a lot has to be done with government policy, like working with coal mining factories or fossil fuel companies.”

$27

These series of storms also have negative impacts, as they have displaced families across the state, demanding extensions of relief resources up to the federal level, including statewide grants. Damage from

On the opposite side of the weather spectrum, wildfires are a regular occurrence in California. These events, sparked by lightning, heat from the sun and human negligence like leftover campfires or gender reveal parties, consumed over one million acres of land. However, only 5% of California wildfires are caused by lightning while 95% are instead by human causes. Wildfires have burned 4% of the land’s total area over the past five years, and the increasing wildfires hav been linked to climate change. California’s drought has caused higher average temperatures throughout the state, leading to higher chances of wildfires spreading.

“A warmer atmosphere dries out the landscape faster and can create more

As the dust settles from the passing storms, California’s climate is projected to return to a consistent temperature range for the rest of the year. Despite the alleviation of some of the drought-related issues that the state has endured over the last few dry years, California will likely continue to remain in a drought.

About 4.3 million acres of California’s land burned in 2020 due to wildfres.

Infation exacerbates the Bay Area’s hunger crisis

BY DEEKSHA RAJ AND DAEUN CHUNG

As California experiences the highest inflation in nearly four decades, soaring prices in the Bay Area have made food less affordable, increasing pressure on food banks. Rising food prices has led to a decrease in food banks’ donations and volunteers, rendering food banks unable to meet the demand for food.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a disruption in the global supply chain and a rapid economic collapse. Although the economy grew back after the Federal Reserve conducted an easy monetary policy to increase its interest rate from 0% to 0.25%, customers’ demand for products expanded and prices rose. Over the last year, food became 10.6% more expensive, grocery prices rose 12% and restaurant menu prices

increased by 8.5%. This sharp increase in food prices has made food inaccessible to many people struggling with poverty. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1.3 billion people could not access sufficient amounts of nutritious food in 2022.

“Food insecurity and global hunger is a crisis stretching back more than 50 years,” said Graham Riches, emeritus social work professor at the University of British Columbia. “The demand for wasted food has stayed unremitting.”

People rely on food banks or pantries to meet their minimum nutritional requirements as they face higher costs. Silicon Valley Food Bank, one of the largest food banks in the Bay Area, reported a 1.7 million pound decrease in donated food compared to 2021. The number of people they distributed food to increased from 400,000 people in a year to 450,000 people each month.

According to the California Association of Food Banks, California produces half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables; yet, one in five Californians currently struggle with food insecurity. Hunger in the U.S. is mainly caused by poverty, the lack of a job or having a job that pays too little. The national

economy is directly related to hunger as COVID-19 had a severe impact on employment and income, leading to many people not being able to afford food.

This crisis has also been largely driven by climate change. Extreme weather drives hunger as global temperatures and sea levels rise, and heat waves, droughts, wildfires and other natural disasters become more apparent. The increasing frequency of weather abnormalities make it harder for farmers to produce food at sufficient levels.

Due to societal inequalities, greater levels of hunger are experienced by Black, Latin and multiracial Californians. Conversely, California’s white and Asian populations experience lower rates of food insecurity.

With efforts to solve the U.S.’s current hunger crisis, the Biden administration’s plan includes implementing benefits like free school meals and food stamps, hoping to end the crisis by 2030. There are also many programs and nonprofits that raise money and collect food to help starving people. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the largest food and nutrition program in the U.S., helping low-income Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture buys food from farmers, delivering it to food banks to distribute among their community.

However, without effective income

support, increasing food prices have burdened both local food banks and people in need. Recognizing their difficulties, communities have contributed to food banks in various ways, especially as unpaid volunteers.

“I found volunteering at food banks a way to help my community,” CSF activity coordinator Aarya Aluri said. “It helps people much more than expected.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY EILEEN ZHU

In January 2023, storms destroyed Santa Cruz County, incurring almost

million in damages.

In the frst weeks of January 2023, 35% of California was declared to be in a state of extreme drought.

BY SARAH ZHANG

Priscilla Leang commits to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for fencing

Senior Priscilla Leang began fencing in her first grade. Since then, the sport has followed her changes of residence from New Jersey to China to California. In the fall of 2023, Leang will take up the epee for Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Leang cites her strategizing skills as the reason she can excel at fencing. In fact, many fencers refer to the sport as games of physical chess, demonstrating the

importance of tactics: knowing how and when to fake or trick the opponent.

“I am not as fast as my peers,” Priscilla said, “so my strategy is more based on distance and timing.”

Priscilla is leaning toward pursuing engineering in college, though she ultimately plans to keep her choices open and explore all MIT has to offer. She is particularly interested in joining MIT’s poker club.

Leang decided to be a student athlete because she values being part of a strong

community, especially in college. And after fencing for 12 years, Leang can’t imagine herself without her epee.

“Even though I have a love-hate relationship with fencing, it has been part of my life for so long,” Leang said. “My relationship with fencing is the same as how most parents love their children despite being annoyed from time to time.”

For fencers and aspiring student athletes, Leang emphasizes the importance of never

Andrew Peng commits to Colorado College for cross country and track and feld

enior Andrew Peng has committed to Colorado College for cross country and track and field after four years of consistent training. He plans to major in applied mathematics while continuing his exemplary running career, which has

included his personal record of 2 minutes and 5 seconds in the 800-meter race.

“I’m able to meet other like-minded runners and make new friends through this shared sport,” Peng said. “Running is an outlet to get my mind off academic pressures.”

In ninth grade, Peng signed up for Lynbrook’s cross country team with his friends, initially treating it as a form of endurance training for long-distance races in track and field. Since, Peng has begun to run on a near-daily basis. Peng stays motivated

by reminding himself about what he runs for: faster times and the sunshine and scenery outside.

Peng’s teammates look up to him as a strong leader. Despite not holding the formal position, he is regarded as the team captain. Before races, Peng brings the team together to warm-up and get ready. He is also often the first person runners will go to with questions.

“He just refuses to give up,” junior Adit Kantak said. “He’s really approachable and

encouraging. With Andrew, I always feel that we’re in it together, and we’re in it to win it.”

Cross country has become more than just exercise to Peng, and he looks forward to running for as long as his body allows him to.

“Know that difficulties and obstacles will come to pass,” Peng said. “If you can work through them, you will be able to return to chasing your goals.”

San Francisco 49ers stay Faithful through their season

BY JASMINE RIHAL

Despite a rough start to the 2022-23 NFL season, the San Francisco 49ers were able to gain momentum since Week 8, building their 13-4 game winning streak, which they lost in the National Football Conference Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles. Multiple factors have led to their impact this season, such as the trade with running back Christian McCaffrey and the success of backup quarterback Brock Purdy.

On Oct. 20, 2022, the Carolina Panthers traded McCaffrey to the 49ers; his performance with the 49ers has been exemplary — he is now the third in NFL history and first since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to have made a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.

“That was a great trade,” senior Edwin Young said. “He’s made a really big impact on our team and we now have a lot of offensive weapons that other teams’ defenses can’t stop.”

Unfortunately, the team still had a slight hiccup. On Dec. 4, 2022, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot, calling in Purdy to take on the starting position.

Though seemingly a setback for many fans, Purdy’s starting fostered a greater success. He has thrown at least one touchdown in each succeeding game since his substitution and has been the only rookie in NFL history to do so, beating Tom

Brady’s starting-season statistics.

Despite Purdy’s numbers being last in the draft and given the name “Mr. Irrelevant,” he has now risen to be one of the most relevant quarterbacks in NFL history. So far, having thrown two touchdowns per game, as of Week 14, he is No. 1 in passing rates, touchdowns, yards and wins.

“I don’t think anyone expected Purdy to be able to play this well,” math teacher Chris Baugh said. “I can’t name any other player who got drafted as the last pick to make the impact that he made.”

Many other players have also exhibited noteworthy performances on the field, such as defensive end Nick Bosa. Having the highest sack rate and pressures makes him a top contender for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

“Our defensive coordinator DeMaco Ryans has been coaching these defenders really well,” junior Jeffrey Gao said. “We have so many star players on our defensive end and Ryans has been doing a really good job taking advantage of that.”

On offense, there have been notable plays from wide receivers Deebo Sameul and Brandon Aiyuk, tight end George Kittle and running back Elijah Mitchell. On the

defensive end, safeties Jimmy Ward and Talanoa Hufanga and linebackers Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner have also been showcasing exceptional plays.

Despite their loss to the Eagles, which caused their season to fall short, the 49ers played the best they could. With all quarterbacks getting injured and McCaffery, a running back, having to step in as quarterback, the team couldn’t keep up in the

NFC Championship game against the Eagles.

Throughout the season, many fans were met with uncertain moments regarding injuries, substitutions and new players, but the 49ers pulled through. With exceptional players and coaching staff, they continued breaking records and bringing themselves to where they stand today. Hopefully, that drive will carry them into another successful season.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY QIANZI LOO AND SARAH ZHANG

PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION FROM PRISCILLA LEANG AND ANDREW PENG

Ashton Wu fips to new heights in wushu

BY VIDUSHI UPADHYAY

Almost every day after school, sophomore Ashton Wu finds himself back at the Elite Kung Fu studio, spending hours repeating the same routines, hoping to achieve perfection with every movement. He never hesitates to allot time to the sport that has brought him through some of the biggest challenges of his life.

Introduced to the sport in third grade by a close friend’s parents, Wu found that the skills that wushu required came to him naturally, and his fascination with the art motivated him to stay dedicated to the sport. He progressed quickly, switching from a traditional school — where they focus on the art of wushu rather than competition — to Elite Kung Fu, a modern competition team, in seventh grade. Since then, wushu has become integral to Wu’s daily life.

“I had never considered learning wushu, but it was one of the greatest decisions of my life,” Wu said. “Wushu impacts all aspects of my life: my diet, schedule, and mood in the best way possible, and it’s had a large impact on who I’ve grown into.”

Despite his rapid improvement, Wu still faced physical challenges and mental blocks, like losing flexibility with age and maintaining extreme discipline. While working on difficult jumps or experiencing

rough patches, Wu focuses on improving by at least 1% each practice, understanding that consistency of small improvements over time amounts to noticeable growth. With perseverance, Wu pushed himself to work harder every day, eventually bringing himself to competitions across the world, winning a bronze medal at the Pan-American Wushu Championship in 2022 and ranking fifth on the Junior World Wushu Team.

with pride and satisfaction,” Wu said. “But when I see my opponents and teammates continuing to give their all, I realize that I haven’t reached my full potential.”

Wu emphasizes the impact his teammates have had on his performance, and how their friendly competition drives him to perform better.

teammates who communicate well and put in the work helps my own development,” Wu said. “When you see how hard they’re working, it makes you think twice about slacking off.”

Wu will continue to compete for as long as he can and hopes to rise to number one

Wrestling against gender stereotypes

BY CHELSEA LEE

ou look really scary for a girl,’” junior and varsity wrestler Claire Lucas said, recalling what someone told her at a past tournament. “Those words stuck with me for a long time.”

While Lynbrook has always strived to foster a welcoming environment for female athletes, wrestling has always been a maledominated sport and often comes with gender-based stereotypes against female wrestlers. The most common stereotype that Lynbrook wrestlers have reported hearing or experiencing is women are not fit for this sport because they are physically not strong enough. However, people within the wrestling community tend to agree with each other that women are just as capable as men of succeeding in wrestling.

At the beginning of senior and varsity wrestler Faith Wang’s wrestling journey, she often felt distant from her male teammates and received more lenient treatment than others. Realizing the inherently unequal treatment, the varsity team, including both girls and boys, hosted a meeting with their coaches discussing a new priority for equal treatment toward all genders.

“Our team is like a family,” Lynbrook coach Steve Weng said. “The wrestlers treat each other equally and respect and help each other tremendously.”

A large part of why girls may feel discouraged from wrestling stems from

does not solely reflect their performance. Although boys indeed have a biological strength advantage, a wrestler’s success is also achieved through other factors, including consistent training in technique and mentality — none of which differ between genders.

“I remember there was a coach in our league, who didn’t think girls could wrestle, and I walked into their gym once with eight girls on our team of 18,” said Sergio Gonzales, Miller Middle School wrestling coach. “The other team was giggling, but they weren’t giggling when we won.”

Having female role models on the team is also a large motivator for interested female athletes to join wrestling. Lucas’s journey began with Miller’s team in her sixth grade, and while there were not many girls on the team, there were two older female wrestlers, who were well-respected by their coaches and teammates. Their presence alone helped Lucas feel like she belonged.

“Even though I didn’t know those two girls when I joined, they made me feel that being able to wrestle was a goal that I could attain,” Lucas said. “I wanted to do the same for other girls so they could join and also have someone to look up to.”

After visiting Miller a few years later as a high schooler, Lucas saw about 30 girls in the wrestling room. Reflecting on when there were only five girls on her Miller team, Lucas realized how her influence has rippled an

established in 1972, requires schools to provide all genders equitable opportunities in programs receiving federal financial assistance. Public schools that wanted to invest in boys’ wrestling programs were also expected to build up their resources for girls. This has helped bring more tournaments, scholarships and proper equipment to female wrestlers.

To cultivate an equitable environment for both genders, Lynbrook wrestlers stressed the importance of allowing teammates to practice wrestling with each other no matter their gender. The team has found that having all genders practice with each other is a valuable experience for improvement, elimination of stereotypes and team unity.

“As long as you have a partner who is pushing you hard enough, it doesn’t matter if they’re a boy or girl,” senior and varsity wrestler Mohong Li said. “I’ve had plenty of female wrestling partners, and they all have the same abilities and train as hard as everyone else.”

By not allowing stigmas prevent them from enjoying the sport, female wrestlers show their resilience and prove that they too deserve to compete in the playing field.

“The world is sexist, and women get less recognition for the same things that men do,” Gonzales said. “If they’re going to wait around for the world to respect them, it’s probably not going to happen in their lifetime. As a non-male, they’re going to have to demand respect from the people around them, and maybe that’s through wrestling. They’ve got to go out there, earn it, take it and be willing

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small print: the Epic is the official newspaper of Lynbrook High School and is a student-run open forum not subject to prior review, as protected under the California Education Code. Views expressed in the Epic do not necessarily reflect or represent those of the administration or faculty of this school or district. Letters to the Editor, guest columns and other materials to be considered for publication are welcome. Visit lhvsepic.com/submissions for the guidelines and submission form.

valued contributors: Yunhee Hong and Sanghoon Kim.

PHOTO BY CHELSEA LEE

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH ZHANG AND QIANZI LOO

PHOTO BY VIDUSHI UPADHYAY

By not allowing stigmas prevent them from enjoying the sport, female wrestlers show their resilience and prove that they too deserve to compete in the playing feld.