Epic Issue 5, 2020

Brain and Brawn showcases students’ varied strengths

BY ETHAN LEE

team was awarded with anything of their choice within a twenty dollar budget.

Junior Naman Singhal paired up with his friends, juniors Ammar Khan and Elina

day of the tournament. Singhal’s team won every event and move on to the next day. Although they fell short of winning, Singhal still had a fun time with his teammates participating in this tournament.

“My favorite part of the tournament was the tug-of-war because it was the most intense event,” Singhal said. “All three of us had to work together to win.”

The winners of the overall tournament were juniors Hayden Cho, Alexa Kwan and Benjamin Leung. In their championship game, they played juniors Fabio Peralta-Costa, Ishan Saharoy and Dasha Kir. They were able to win the Connect Four and tugof-war event to win the overall Clockwise from top left: tournament.

The tug-of-war Juniors Ammar Khan pulls the rope from juniors match was especially close, with Elina Kulakkotial and Anushka Kelkar.

Peralta-Costa’s team winning by a Junior Amy Sun looks on as Kulakkotial places a slim margin. ring into the Connect Four board.

Athletics Unlimited concluded Juniors Naman Singhal and Justin Dong are that the tournament did not locked in an arm wrestling match. turn out according to their Sun and Kulakkotial play Connect Four as Khan expectations, as they had hoped and Kelkar watch from the side. for more involvement and enthusiasm from the competitors and audience.

“We hoped for a little more excitement from people for the tournament, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out,” Atmadja said. “It was a unique experience hosting a new tournament, but as of right now, we do not plan on having this tournament again.”

The club has decided to stick to their roots in the future and mainly host tournaments that have MEI CORRICELLO — EPIC already proven to be successful, such as dodgeball, Spikefest, and March Madness. Following the end Kulakkotial, to compete in the tournament. They played against their of the Brain and Brawn tournament, the �irst opponents, a team with juniors Justin March Madness basketball tournament is Dong, Amy Sun and Alex Cheng, on the �irst slated to begin next month.

in competitions. While most students who only take one CTE course opt for Principles of Business, students who take multiple years of CTE can gain more advanced skills through courses such as Accounting and Economics & Virtual Enterprise. Many also anticipate a decline in membership, though, as the prerequisites for competition could discourage many students from joining or cause current members to drop out. These students may opt to join FBLA instead, which requires only one year of CTE. “Considering the volume of people the CTE courses can handle, we’re expecting about a 200-member drop,” said DECA president Rachana Muvvala. “So we will probably have about 170 [competing] members next year.”

The new policy will have a strong impact on students’ course scheduling, particularly for students who had expected to participate in DECA throughout high school but not planned to take CTE classes all four years.

For this reason, current members have mixed feelings about the new policy.

“I really enjoy doing DECA, and it’s something that I want to do all four years,” said freshman member Jeffrey Su. “But knowing that I might not be able to do it next year is worrisome, since the chance of me getting another business course as a sophomore is pretty low.”

Others, including sophomore Marissa Dai, do not plan to request a business class in the upcoming school year.

“I was really disappointed when I found out,” Dai said. “A lot of people were frustrated because they had a plan for their four years that’s now been thrown out the window. I would not have joined DECA if I had known [about the requirement]; I was already surprised at the one year [requirement], because I think as an after school club it should not be interfering with school.”

Because the number of class periods, or sections, the Business Department supports will likely remain the same, the number of students who can enroll in these classes will not change signi�icantly. Still, some, including Business Department head Andrea Badger, predict that the department may offer fewer sections of Principles of Business in favor of more advanced classes. Should demand increase dramatically, Lynbrook could consider adapting to higher demand by expanding the Business Department.

“We have talked about opportunities for dual enrollment with community colleges and grants that could help secure more sections,” Badger said. “I hope that this situation challenges us as a school or a district to �ind a way to make more opportunities accessible to students.”

B

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rain and Brawn was a strenuous competition that tested both participants’ physical and mental skills. Hosted

by Lynbrook’s Athletics Unlimited Club, the tournament took place during lunches in the quad from Feb. 11 to 14. The competition involved three events: Connect Four, arm wrestling and tug-of-war.

Juniors Fred Lee and Eric Zhang came up with the idea for Brain and Brawn, hoping to host a competition that would allow both athletes and non-athletes to participate. It took the pair of them around a month and a half to plan the event, as they had to come up with events and their rules from scratch, and faced many challenges along the way.

“In order to host a Connect Four game, we needed the game board, and we couldn’t �ind one,” said Athletics Unlimited of�icer Jessica Atmadja. “Luckily, the LHS staff had one lying around and were so generous to let us borrow it.”

Six teams participated in the tournament. In order to compete, each team was required to have three members, one of whom had to be a girl. Two members of each team participated in the Connect Four and arm wrestling events. The two members played cooperatively for the Connect Four game and took turns for the arm wrestling event.

All three members participated in the tug-of-war, which was the only event that the third member took part in. The tournament was designed to be bracket style: the winners of each day moved on to play each other throughout the week until the overall winner was determined. The winning

DECA to require concurrent CTE enrollment

BY ELENA WILLIAMS

T

he business of joining Lynbrook’s largest business club has just gotten harder. Starting next school year, DECA will require that all competing members be concurrently enrolled in a Career Technical Education (CTE) class in the Business Department.

Though previous of�icer teams have chosen to only enforce the requirement for one year of CTE that could be completed concurrently or previously in high school, the national DECA organization has always required concurrent enrollment. In the past few years, the Department of Education has begun pushing California DECA to hold its chapters to that standard. Noticing the trend toward more stringent enforcement, DECA adviser Brad Fulk and the of�icer team chose to adopt the policy in its entirety in the 202021 academic year.

“It was my decision to push to be proactive and get ahead of [the regulation],” Fulk said.

“I felt like the longer we waited, the bigger the chapter got, the more people it would impact.”

Of�icers hope that increased exposure to business education will help members develop relevant skills, enriching their experiences and improving performance

SKIING // pg. 13

Freshman skii instructor

02

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

NEWS

Science Bowl Team bonds over challenging competitions

L

ynbrook’s Science Bowl Team competed at a regional competition on Feb. 8; the team made it past the �irst round, but did not pass the double-elimination rounds, failing to qualify for the National Science Bowl competition.

“I don’t think we reached our full potential during this competition, as Lynbrook usually �inishes around �irst or second, and this year we �inished around �ifth or sixth,” said Team A member William Huang. “I think we could have done better, but we choked on some parts.”

Science Bowl is a Jeopardy-style competition in which participants press a buzzer to answer questions that each have a designated number of points.

The regional competition is hosted annually by the Department of Energy’s Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) National Accelerator Laboratory and covers a wide range of subjects within science, including physics, chemistry and biology.

As such, each member of the team specializes in a topic along with general knowledge of all the subjects.

During competitions, any team member can buzz in, but usually each member knows who is more likely to answer the question and leaves it to that person.

“For me, Science Bowl is a way to show how much I love science,” said Team B

member Flora Huang. “I also like how the competitions are actually just games.”

Team A member Jonathan Huang echoes the sentiment on how Science Bowl is different than most other science competitions.

“I think that unlike other science competitions which are large written tests, Science Bowl feels more entertaining since it’s a live competition against another team; you can feel the joy of winning but also the pain of losing,” Jonathan Huang said. “The structure of Science Bowl is also very much like a sport.”

In 2016, Lynbrook placed second at the National Science Bowl competition hosted in Washington, D.C. More recently, in 2019, Lynbrook won regionals after two years of staying in second, breaking The Harker School’s winning streak.

In order to join one of Lynbrook’s two teams, participants

must pass three levels of testing — a general test, speci�ic testing for the subject in which they hope to specialize and a buzzer round simulating a real competition.

Once the teams are chosen, the team members study by themselves using textbooks and online resources and meet once a week after school at captain Milan Ganai’s house or science teacher Lester Leung’s room to run practice rounds written by schools or sample questions from the Department of Energy.

On Dec. 7, 2019, Lynbrook hosted the �irst Lynbrook Science Invitational, coordinating with SLAC. Since Lynbrook hosted this event, its Team A did not compete. This event encouraged schools from Santa Clara County that usually do not participate to come and promoted Science Bowl, bringing out around 20 schools. Through Science Bowl, the members have learned about more than

just science.

“Science Bowl opened up my perspective since I realized that there are so many people out there that excel at so many things,” William Huang said. “I realized I should not be complacent about my own achievements.”

As next year’s Team A Captain, Jonathan Huang will be implementing some new reforms that include more rigorous practice schedules and a modi�ied tryout system in an attempt to improve the teams' performance next year.

“Regardless of their results, I hope that my teammates will continue the momentum that we have built and enjoy learning more science.”

Ganai said.

CLAIRE CHIU — EPIC

BY SHARLENE CHEN

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SLOKA SURESH

In-state election policy changes

BY DHRITI IYER

Letter from the Editors Dear readers, We hope you all had a great February break! To get back into the mood for school, read about the schoolwide tournament, Brain and Brawn, hosted by the Athletics Unlimited Club as well as a story featuring a staff member that deserves recognition for her hard work on this campus, Miko Otoshi.

This issue, �ind out about DECA’s requirement for members to be currently enrolled in a Career and Technical Education (pg. 1). Also, read about Sports Analytics and Creative Game Design clubs, which were passed again after being disbanded.

Head over to the opinion section to read about the spike of anti-East Asian sentiments accompanying the onset of the coronavirus epidemic (pg. 4).

With the release of Justin Bieber’s new album, read about one of our staff member’s review on it (pg. 8). Don’t forget to take a look at a feature of Lynbrook student Katya Tsikina’s photography work, which has been featured on VSCO (pg. 7).

Go in-depth on a journey on how different people cope with grief (pg. 10). As the California primary elections approach, discover each candidate’s stance on key issues (pg. 11).

Explore how Lynbrook coaches are hired and the reasons for the shortage of coaches at Lynbrook (pg. 14), and dive deep into the controversy surrounding the popular Nike shoe, Alpha�ly (pg. 15).

Lastly, make sure to visit our website lhsepic.com and follow our Instagram @lhs. epic for more stories.

Your Editors-in-Chief, Nicole Ong & Aileen Xue

W

ith the primary elections quickly approaching, California has made several efforts to increase voter participation by modernizing the election process. In accordance with the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) that was passed in 2016, Santa Clara County (SCC) is making efforts to ease the voting process, and diversify their voter demographics and increase participation.

Now, each registered voter will receive a ballot in the mail that can be cast in any voting center in the country. They can also have the ballot printed at the center on demand, mail in the ballot or drop the ballot in a secure county ballot drop box.

The process has already been set in motion in several other counties and has yielded positive results in improving voter participation. After passing the act in the Madera, Napa, Sacramento and San Mateo counties, California enjoyed a 12 average percent increase in average voter turnout. San Mateo County in particular boasted a 17 percent increase.

Although the act increased the amount of time needed to total the votes, county of�icials decided to prioritize the growth in voter turnout and increase in Vote-by-Mail ballots; subsequently, the state decided to enact the new policies in 10 other counties across California, including SCC. Since voter turnout is often in�luenced by a variety of various other factors, other elementsaspects were taken into account when deciding whether or not the state would proceed with this new system.

“Voter turnout rate is not an accurate measure of success as the contest on the ballot and the election type itself heavily in�luences the turnout rate,” said Election Specialist

and VCA and Outreach Coordinator at SCC Registrar of Voters Rachel Jung. “However, the number of provisional ballots in all 5 previously implemented counties have signi�icantly dropped and the usage of Voteby-Mail ballots also heavily increased.”

The previous voting system paired every voter with a polling place and required them to use a provisional ballot if they did not go to their designated place; their eligibility had to be resolved before the vote is counted. However, despite ensuring the right of every registered voter to cast a ballot, provisional ballots generally complicate the counting process since the only way to verify the voter’s eligibility is to compare their signature on the provisional ballot envelope to their signature on their voter registration. In contrast, the VCA provides more opportunities for voters to cast ballots while reducing the work voters have to do in order to get their ballots in.

In compliance with the VCA, SCC is also attempting to increase diversity of voters.

They are enhancingincreasing outreach toward underrepresented populations by releasing multilingual advertisements and including interpreters at voting centers in order to cater, catering to SCC’s varied population. All counties implementing this new voting system are additionallyalso now required to hold education workshops to help

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NEWS SECTION

different minority groups learn about the voting system and how to vote. The education workshops are being held through community groups or organizations that aim to help these groups of voters.

“Minority and youth groups have the lowest registration and turnout rates of all voters,” said Jung. “They also have less interaction and access to voter education and information. It is critical that we build a healthier, more involved youth and minority community in terms of civic participation.”

However, despite the state’s efforts to spur voter participation, some argue that California’s new policy is only addressing surface-level problems instead of dealing with the primary cause of low voter turnout.

“I think the act will be moderately successful in regards to fringe voting circumstances, but I don’t think it properly addressed one of the main reasons of low turnout rates in principalities: voter apathy,” said Junior State of America President Kanav Tirumala. “The goal of the act is to increase voter accessibility, not inform voters and stress the importance of their civic duty, which is what is really lacking.”

Regardless of the con�licting feedback from county citizens, the changes are being set in place as the California primary election approaches.

“Although only 15 out of the 58 counties in the state are implementing the program, this year, 50 percent of registered voters in California will now be voting under this new model,” said Jung.

With the goal of expandingvoting demographics and raising voter participation in mind, California is continuing to take steps toward catering to the needs of an increasingly diverse population as the election season swings into session.

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

LHS Stem Expo Lynbrook students present their science projects at the library on March 6 in preparation for the Synopsys Science Fair.

Spring Choir Concert Join the choir on March 10 as they perform new pieces in the auditorium from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

PTSA Job Shadow Day Students will have the opportunity to learn about different careers for half a day with professionals in the �ield on March 16 and some dates later in the week.

String Instrumental Music Concert The orchestra will be playing in their spring concert in the auditorium on March 19. The concert will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Disbanded clubs reinstated after changes

BY RENEE GE

O

n Jan. 14, the Legislative Council passed Sports Analytics and Creative Game Design after the clubs were disbanded last year under ASB's new policy.

The clubs re�lected on the feedback they received from ASB and worked to address their shortcomings. They needed to prove that there was a need for the club, show clear direction and have a strong promotional plan.

They drafted a written plan to submit to ASB, and once it was approved, they presented to the Legislative Council.

“I think doing events outside school was something that we could have worked on a bit more,” said Sports Analytics president Vivek Iyer. “At the start of the year we wanted to go out to all these Lynbrook sporting events, and not many of them actually went through.”

Sports Analytics plans to broaden the scope of presentation topics, exploring previously uncovered sports such as table tennis and lacrosse. Additionally, the club plans to have members attend Lynbrook basketball, football and homecoming games and analyze game statistics in real time together. The of�icers intend for the club to participate in local sports science competitions, host speaker events and expand its community outreach through partnerships with Sports Analytics clubs at

Thespians Club Improv Night Admission is free to attend the Thespians Club Improv Night on March 20, when members will show off fun improvised performances on stage in room 74.

Junior Prom JProm will be held in The Glasshouse in Downtown San Jose on March 21. There will be a photo booth, refreshments and a night of fun!

by Claire Chiu, Youqi Huang and Diana Kohr

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SLOKA SURESH

Mission San Jose, Monta Vista and Saratoga High Schools.

“I know that the analytics portion may throw a couple people off, but honestly, if anyone loves sports, they’re the ideal audience,” Iyer said. “We don’t create stats for a lot of things because all the stats are already out there. It’s how we interpret those stats — that’s what we do.”

Similar to the way Sports Analytics has restructured itself, Creative Game Design has also implemented numerous changes to the way the club is run to improve on the �laws from last year.

“There wasn’t a curriculum [last year], we just ate our lunch while they talked; it wasn’t very engaging,” said vice president Ishan Goyal. “There weren’t many members because of that.”

Now, Creative Game Design aims to implement a strong, interactive curriculum that builds on each club meeting using Unity, a game development software. Goyal hopes that the new curriculum will encourage club members to think critically to understand complex topics such as game theory. Goyal believes that a diverse of�icer team spanning all grades is necessary for Creative Game Design to function well; last year, the of�icers were all seniors, which he thinks that meant there was less pressure to perform well.

Since creative game design is a rapidly expanding �ield, the club intends to be an avenue for those interested in applications of technology to discover the �ield.

“A couple of years ago, Creative Game Design was a �lourishing club at Lynbrook,” Goyal said. “It was led by some strong people with a very good background in game design and game development. At the peak we had around 40 members, which proves that people actually want to learn more about [Creative Game Design], if it’s run effectively.”

Although ASB enacted a policy that regulates clubs more strictly last year, disbandment does not necessarily mean a club will be gone forever. When evaluating Sports Analytics’s and Creative Game

Design’s club presentations, the Legislative Council considered how the clubs improved in areas that ASB suggested they work on.

“There’s that misconception that if your club is disbanded you can’t come back as a club again,” said ASB Vice President Andy Li. “Hopefully the fact that Creative Game Design and Sports Analytics were both able to be reinstated as clubs disproves that misconception. As long as you work on what we said that you need to work on, you can still become a club again. We just want to make sure that you do show value as a club and that you are not just being a club for the sake of college applications.”

Before conferences, Lynbrook MUN’s of�icer team takes many steps to prepare their members for competition, including using their weekly meetings to introduce members to useful ideas and skills. After covering logistics and updates about upcoming events, the of�icer team organizes fun activities related to foreign policy and public speaking, usually through the form of Kahoots or impromptu speeches.

Another way Lynbrook MUN helps prepare members is through research nights, which are workshops that cover conferencerelated topics and reinforce students’ pro�iciency in vital public speaking skills.

“Research nights are usually focused on a speci�ic skill set or topic,” said senior Maya Abiram, Lynbrook MUN’s president.

“Sometimes it could be about public speaking.

Other times it’s about giving impromptu speeches, or about how to research the best solutions to the problems.”

Lynbrook MUN also hosts annual mock conferences, which aim to provide newer members with a glimpse of what an actual conference looks like. They are also great ways to build connections with members within the Lynbrook MUN community and students from other schools.

“At mock conferences, we usually offer beginners a chance to compete with their friends from both Lynbrook and other schools,” Chen said. “This way, they are able to gain valuable competition experience while being able to create connections and have fun at the same time.”

After SCVMUN, the team began preparing their members for future conferences, including the South Bay MUN and University of California, Davis MUN conferences. From Feb. 13 to 16, the club also participated in the North American Invitational MUN conference, the largest MUN conference in

the country; the competition was hosted in Washington, D.C., and Lynbrook came home from the conference with one Outstanding Delegate award and one Verbal Commendation.

Aside from the club’s upcoming conferences, they are also looking forward to upcoming fundraisers and guest speaker events. Additionally, one of Lynbrook MUN’s biggest goals is to continue to develop their relationship with Miller Middle School.

In recent years, several Lynbrook MUN members have volunteered to train students at Miller and have created a Miller MUN team.

“We wanted to bring Model U.N. to middle school,” said senior Larry Peng, Lynbrook MUN’s secretary and public relations of�icer.

“We are trying to prepare the students for high school level Model UN and introduce them to basic topics about political advocacy and global events.”

In the next few years, Lynbrook MUN is looking forward to growth in terms of member count and member engagement.

They also hope to continue to achieve success in future conferences and events.

“I hope people can recognize how the skills developed through MUN can be applied to many different �ields,” Abiram said. “I also hope to see more events that engage members like mock conferences or socials.”

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SCREENAGERS Next Chapter On March 4, PTSA hosting an informational documentary on limiting screen usage for teenagers and how they affect anxiety.

Come out to hear ways to manage stress in the digital age.

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LHS Model UN models success at SCVMUN conference

BY JASMINE HOU

O

n Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, Lynbrook Model United Nations (MUN) competed at the Santa Clara Valley MUN (SCVMUN) Conference at Santa Teresa High School, earning success at one of the club’s most popular conferences of the year.

Several local high schools as well as an international team from Romania attended SCVMUN. This conference is an optimal opportunity for novice members to compete and gain competition experience, yet it still welcomes a wide range of participants.

Lynbrook MUN sent 30 delegates to this conference, prioritizing newer members who may not have had opportunities earlier in the year to compete. Additionally, 14 students from Miller Middle School attended the conference and competed alongside the other high school students.

MUN conferences typically begin with an opening ceremony with guest speakers, who are typically individuals who either work with the United Nations (U.N.) or in policy.

They speak about what their job entails and

how it is relevant to high schoolers.

Then, members split up by their committee, discussing problems that were given to them prior to the conference to settle on the best solution that would yield the most favorable results for their assigned country.

“Competitions are essentially a simulated U.N.,” said sophomore Ian Chen, Lynbrook MUN’s Director of Logistics and Treasurer.

“In MUN, you can practice your diplomacy skills by both giving speeches and forging connections with people on a one-to-one level.”

The conference ends with the awards ceremony, in which members are judged in multiple categories, including their public speaking, negotiation and leadership skills, as well as the quality of their solutions.

More than half of Lynbrook’s attendees came home with awards. In total, Lynbrook competitors received one Best Delegate award, three Outstanding Delegate awards, one Honorable Mention award, two Verbal Commendation awards and four Best Research awards.

USED WITH PERMISSON OF LYNBROOK MUN

GRAHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SLOKA SURESH

News in Brief

NEWS

04

opinion

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

Moving the Oscars into the 21st century

BY MEDHA UPADHYAY

O

ver the years, the Oscars have emerged as one of the most prestigious award shows in the �ilm industry. Receiving an Oscar can direct the spotlight onto an underrated director or talented actor to help them get more exposure.

Most importantly, though, the Oscars promote movies that are made with passion and talent.

For movies that do not chart big numbers at the box of�ice, collecting awards is an important way to assert their relevance. However, the Oscars have once again come under �ire for omitting several noteworthy women and people of color from consideration. Many, therefore, have declared that the Oscars are a relic of the past and uphold unacceptable racist and sexist standards. This begs the question: if true artistry can earn rave reviews on the internet, who needs the Academy’s opinion?

“In 1976, we had a limited, shared culture,” English teacher Stacey McCown said. “Today, there are many cultures we can follow, not just the one that the Academy nominates and chooses. In addition, technology and streaming have given us ways to connect with others and publicly share our opinions about the �ilms we see. We don't have to rely upon a select few in the �ilm business to dictate our tastes.”

Many feel that the internet has levelled the playing �ield for all artists; simply put, this isn’t true.

Established directors,

actors and producers — usually white men — get more funding from production studios, allowing them to put together larger teams, receive more press coverage and play their movies in more theaters.

A powerful �ilmmaker with ample resources can produce amazing results.

But since a disproportionate amount of resources are allocated to straight white men, a disproportionate number of movies are made about them.

Talented straight white men have made some wonderful �ilms and they deserve to be recognized; the problem, however, arises when women and people of color are shunned from these opportunities.

They make do with the scraps left over, and still occasionally manage to put together some beautiful �ilms. These movies have lesser-known actors, less prominent release dates, less press coverage and play on fewer screens. Is it such a stretch to imagine that fewer people will see them?

The Academy can help even the odds.

When the Oscar for best picture goes to a �ilm like “Moonlight” or “Parasite,” the masses are suddenly discussing and watching a movie about an abused gay African American man or a Korean social satire. People weren’t watching these movies before simply because they hadn’t heard of them. The “Oscar buzz” around these movies helped get the word out to people that would never have discovered them otherwise.

Even though these movies did not have large budgets or world famous actors, the Academy provided a credible boost.

“Although the actual award show is kind of boring to watch, the awards still matter,” said junior Sanyam Ratan.

“I know that I would be more likely to watch a movie that wins an Oscar, so it de�initely affects what’s on my radar.”

Additionally, those involved in Oscarwinning movies start getting offers with bigger budgets; they can move up the ladder and make a place for themselves at the table that, for years, has been dominated by straight white men.

The Oscars are supposed to be an impartial competition, in which snazzy marketing and big names do not matter. The Oscars serve as a means of professional mobility, making it heartwrenchingly cruel for the Academy to lock women and people of color out of the conversation.

“The nominations were a little suspicious,” Ratan said. “But the �ilm industry as a whole is racist and sexist, so I’m honestly not surprised.”

Yes, there are fewer movies made about women and people of color, and there is an even greater lack of representation behind the camera.

But when these women and people of color do produce good work, they are systematically denied the recognition they deserve. Jennifer Lopez did not receive an Oscar nomination for best actress for her role in “Hustlers,” and neither did Lupita Nyong’o for “Us.” Both were hailed as critics’ top choices.

Awkwa�ina was not nominated for her role in “The Farewell” and neither was Director Lulu Wang, even though the movie was consistently included in

for fear that he had coronavirus, instead leaving him to die from a heart attack.

Racist sentiments have even been echoed by celebrities; rapper 50 Cent, for example, suggested in a now-deleted Instagram post that President Donald Trump should “send these motherf**ers back to China” due to the epidemic.

I understand the origin of these beliefs: as humans, we seek reason, and we want a de�inite plan to protect ourselves. In this instance, we blame the ones at the epicenter, and subsequently pro�ile anyone who resembles them — Chinese people.

However, aside from the malevolence of racist rhetoric, these justi�ications are just irrational. Yes, coronavirus is terrifying.

But as Americans, we’re virtually isolated from the threat, assuming no travel from mainland China or close contact with someone with laboratory-con�irmed coronavirus. Even in the unlikely event you walk by someone with coronavirus or are brie�ly in the same room as them, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that these actions pose “no identi�iable risk” for transmission.

Please rest assured: you don’t know better than the CDC; if someone has or may have contracted COVID-2019, the CDC would be the �irst to know.

Further, while there have only been 14 con�irmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S.

as of Feb. 23, there were 14,657 con�irmed cases of In�luenza in the week of Feb. 9 to 15 alone; California’s �lu activity has even been considered “widespread” by the CDC. Thus, as American residents, we’re actually more likely to contract the common �lu than Coronavirus. An article from Harvard Health and Publishing and statements from the Yale-New Haven Health System even echo this sentiment.

With more than 3.8 million Chinese Americans in the U.S., it is highly unlikely that every Chinese individual will test positive for coronavirus. If you’re scared that a nearby Chinese person is going to get you sick simply because they are Chinese — quite frankly, get over yourself.

Even those who aren’t running away from the nearest Chinese person are often acting out of prejudice. The CDC stated that COVID-19 supposedly spread through animal-to-human transmission at a seafood and live animal market. When rumors spread that the virus supposedly originated from bats, many swiftly mocked potential Chinese consumption of bats, even using it to justify Chinese suffering due to COVID-19. Online comments even go so far as to say that “if you eat like an idiot, you get what you f***ing deserve,” with some calling Chinese people “savages.” But the only thing differentiating bat meat, which is deemed unacceptable, and pig meat, deemed acceptable by most

top-10 lists for 2019.

“Awkwa�ina's snub is particularly distressing,” McCown said. “I found the �ilm so authentic and moving that I thought about it occasionally for months afterward.”

Similarly, Greta Gerwig was snubbed for her role as director of “Little Women,” even though her insight into the characters and decision to tell the story non-linearly was praised by critics and movie-going audiences alike.

“Though there have been rumors about racism and sexism surrounding the Oscars, I believe that the best �ilm should win,” Ravi said. “Race or gender should not be a deciding factor.”

While the Academy should not award artists solely for the purpose of representation, they would do well to acknowledge the prowess of these artists. As Amy from “Little Women” puts it, perhaps their stories don’t seem as important because no one is telling them. As long as marginalized artists continue to be held at arm’s length, representation of their communities will remain skewed.

Only when these talented �ilmmakers are given the same resources as their straight white male peers will we see an increase of representation in Hollywood. The Oscars could be a fast track for emerging artists in Hollywood — if only the Academy were more conscious about who they handed their golden tickets to. As audiences demand change in Hollywood, the Academy risks being left behind.

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NICOLE ONG//IN MY OPINION

Coronavirus does not excuse racism

“M

y dad said to stay away from you since you might give me Coronavirus,” my classmate laughed, and so did I, failing to realize the implications of the comment. I shrugged, a vague discomfort settling in my gut before I realized her dad’s reasoning: I’m Chinese.

These occurrences are far from uncommon; a simple Google search will unearth a plethora of other Chinese people’s experiences with being avoided, isolated and attacked, all for fear that they may have the novel coronavirus, formally known as COVID-19. In New York City, an East Asian woman was assaulted for wearing a face mask and called a “diseased b**ch”; in Australia, bystanders refused to give a Chinese man CPR

Americans, is social conditioning. After all, when the 2009 H1N1 pandemic originated from pigs in the U.S., did citizens from other countries suddenly view America as unclean and uncivilized, demonizing us for our dietary choices? I think not.

Don’t attack us, saying “we deserved” this for eating bat meat. Don’t make jokes about us being “uncivilized.” Don’t act as if every Chinese person is a criminal or a monster simply because we committed the supposed crime of being born Chinese. Perhaps, for just a second, consider the lives being lost in China right now: each one is a parent, a sibling, a loved one, a human life. Consider the thousands of healthcare workers worldwide working around the clock to combat this epidemic. Consider the suffering in China, and honestly tell me: you’re really going to joke about that?

As I write this, I know the novel coronavirus epidemic is far from over. If you're scared, I don’t blame you. But don’t use your fear as justi�ication for bigotry. It will take communities acting rationally, rather than fueled by xenophobia, to �ight it. Recognize your privilege as a resident of the United States — a place with a decently-functioning medical system, relatively far from the outbreak, where you’re unlikely to contract coronavirus — and think before you act.

We all fear coronavirus, but perhaps there’s a greater infection you should worry about: your own racism.

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

OPINION

San Jose strives to stay green

BY CLAIRE CHIU

W

hile San Jose is best known as the home of technological advancements, it is also one of the leading cities in the effort to combat climate change within the U.S. Despite the stance the Trump administration has taken against the cause, San Jose has translated its desire for an eco-friendly community into action, implementing a comprehensive citywide plan in 2018 called Climate Smart San Jose. More cities should follow in San Jose’s footsteps in combating climate change.

Climate Smart San Jose aims to expand on a Green Vision plan introduced in 2006 and aligns the city’s policies with guidelines set by the Paris Climate Agreement. Its ultimate goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve water while also fostering economic growth.

The creation of a new plan targeting climate change re�lects how San Jose is deeply invested in the preservation of the environment. To prompt its residents to participate in the cause, the San Jose city government has set up challenges to better the eco-friendliness of communities and buildings. For each eco-friendly choice participants make, they are rewarded with points that translate into special recognition and prizes. Other than that, the challenge provides insight into how much money they save. As of February, 259 homes have participated. Owners and managers of commercial, municipal and educational buildings who participate must complete at least two of the three Climate Smart actions offered. These actions include participating in at least one energy or water reduction behavior, performing retro-commissioning or capital improvements in accordance with building requirements and signing up for San

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY OPINION SECTION

Jose Clean Energy’s 100 percent carbon-free population wise and geographically so energy plan. Climate Smart San Jose has also getting that kind of penetration into the community takes a lot of resources and implemented efforts to engage citizens.

“We have a web platform that provides time. Everything concerning climate is residents with a selection of over 60 really urgent. Faster is better, but it is not different actions they can take; these can all always achievable without large funding.”

Nonetheless, Climate Smart San Jose is be sorted from easy to hard and affordable to expensive,” said Ken Davies, director of slowly reducing the amount of pollution Climate Smart San Jose. “There are different the city is creating. According to the ways that people can �ind something that will progress charts provided by the Climate Smart San Jose project, the number of work for their lifestyle.”

Although it is encouraging to see that the citizens that carpool is growing, and San Jose government is aiming for high goals greenhouse gas emissions as well as within a short period of time, the current residential water use are both decreasing, progress makes the plan seem unreasonable. suggesting that the project is bene�icial.

Furthermore, the For example, the Climate Smart San Jose challenge offered has the support of San to residents has concerning Jose Clean Energy, San only succeeded "Everything in reaching 8 climate is really urgent. Jose’s new electricity operated by percent of its goal Faster is better, but it is not supplier San Jose’s Community of reducing 250 Department. tons of carbon always achievable without Energy Additionally, to increase dioxide by June large funding." the accessibility of 2020. Despite its Ken Davies renewable energy, efforts to spread Climate Smart San Jose San Jose Clean Energy awareness created energy plans about how to such as GreenSource contribute to the and TotalGreen, which e nv i ro n m e n t a l cause, many residents are unaware of what generate electricity exclusively from San Jose is doing to combat climate change. renewable sources. Furthermore, San Further, San Jose also faces �inancial and Jose Clean Energy claims that their rates demographic challenges to implementing are cheaper than PG&E, an attractive appeal that they say adds up to $3 million the plan.

“The city has to balance its budget and so in community-wide savings.

Because of the Climate Smart San Jose we have a pretty robust team. Implementing widespread adoption of our plan among project, the San Jose government has communities and our residents is dif�icult,” received a grant and recognition from the said Davies. “San Jose is a huge city, both Bloomberg Foundation; Climate Smart San Jose can use this funding to achieve its goals. Given the bene�its and dif�iculty to integrate eco-friendly lifestyle choices into society, it is truly incredible to see that San Jose is creating actual resultgenerating solutions to climate change.

05

MEI CORRICELLO//IN MY OPINION

Cooking into my culture

I

t was Chinese New Year, and steaming plates of spring rolls, dumplings, braised �ish and oranges were spread across the table. Each dish represented something special for the upcoming year, from fortune to wealth. I smiled across the table at my grandma, proud of the feast we’d prepared.

In the past, I had never truly felt connected to my Chinese heritage, since in our household, we never emphasized many cultural traditions. This year, however, was different. Cooking together with my grandmother, we established a new relationship which grew my cultural knowledge and awareness.

I grew up in a mixed race household, part of which was Chinese. My parents emphasized learning the Chinese language, so I attended immersion programs and summer camps all my life. My interest in China, however, was limited exclusively to the classroom.

I enjoyed Chinese food too; I ate it every time our family met up at my maternal grandparents’ house for Christmas. I remember �lying in late at night and sitting down to fresh meat pies. Inside, there were ten layers of juicy meat, dripping with vinegar.

My grandma never ate with us; instead, she stood at the end of the table, making sure everyone’s plates were constantly �illed.

This past summer, my grandparents moved across the country from Wilmington, Del. to Walnut Creek, Calif. Recently, I had signed up to bring Chinese food to class for a school project, so my mom suggested we call my grandma to come over and help me prepare the food.

She arrived bursting with energy, and she brought with her ingredients from the Chinese supermarket. She taught me how to make the dumplings she’d fed me my whole life, instructing me to wrap juicy beef and carrot �illing with small circles of dough, and then pinch the two sides together with rippled seals. Her �ingers moved gracefully yet �irmly, as the most important part was to close the dumpling well so it would not burst open in the boiling water. She recounted old stories of me as a two-year-old stuf�ing my chubby face with more than seven dumplings while the rest of my aunts and uncles watched in shock. Everyone was amused by my large appetite, and they credited my grandma for feeding me food I loved.

We rolled green onion pancakes before �lattening them and pan-frying them to a golden brown, making sure the pockets of oil did not burst—“that’s what makes it delicious,” she said.

As we waited for dough to rise and water to boil, my grandma asked me about school, sports and friends. We laughed as she helped me make funny sentences with the Chinese phrases on my homework sheet. She told me about the art class she took at the retirement community, how watercolor was new to her because she is used to oil painting.

“You’re a natural at cooking,” she said to me. “No one else understands what I show them, but you always get it on the �irst try.” It felt special to be her favorite, the grandchild that would carry on her culinary heritage.

I think back to where that heritage originated, in a country on the other side of the world where my ancestors lived. By cooking dishes from the Chinese cuisine, I experienced the essence of the country in my kitchen. Chinese culture transcends the language; it is about family and bringing people together. I’m grateful that through Chinese cooking and food, my grandma gave me an opportunity to pass my culture on to later generations.

06

OPINION

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

Public benefits: Are they really for the public?

BY MICHELLE ZHU

O

ART ILLUSTRATION BY ALARA DASDAN

n Sept. 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a stricter criteria on green card applications. In a 5-4 vote, it ruled that the Trump administration is allowed to judge applications for green cards more harshly based on an one's dependence on public assistance, or their potential for becoming a ‘public charge’. However, this ruling is unfair, as it is discriminatory to judge immigrants on their dependence on public benefits, when public benefits exist only to provide for a nation's people.

Based on Department of Homeland Security v. New York, the Court’s ruling will allow the U.S. Immigration Office to deny immigrants green cards based on their dependence on public assistance programs.

Effectively, the new policy judges immigrants based upon a “wealth-test." Although a similar “wealth-test” had already been in place when considering an immigrant’s legal status, only those who needed substantial or sustained monetary aid were taken into further consideration during the green card process. Now, even relying on public benefits in the slightest way appears on an immigrant’s record and can be detrimental to one when filling out an application for a green card.

There are seven main factors that immigrants are now judged on to be considered a public charge. These factors include, but are not limited to, dependence on government cash assistance, supplemental security income, temporary assistance for needy families, general assistance, food stamps, housing assistance, rental assistance and federally-funded Medicaid.

In response, Santa Clara County (SCC) has begun a lawsuit against the U.S. Supreme Court. SCC officials have asserted that this ruling “discourages legal immigrants," and is unfair to many of the immigrants living in the SCC. Furthermore, the county argues that discouraging immigrants from utilizing public health benefits such as Medicaid will worsen the spread of infectious diseases throughout communities.

It is discriminatory to judge an individual based on their reliance on public benefits. The U.S. government is unjustified in supposedly providing public health benefits, only to turn back around and judge an individual’s legal status based on their dependence on these free services. Considering immigrants based on their wealth and how dependent they are on public services discourages them from seeking help, often leaving those who need assistance the most without any help.

“A lot of people who aren’t subject to these restrictions are going to become more fearful when accessing public benefits now,” senior Hali Wu said. “If the status of being an immigrant potentially entails a greater risk of being deported, why would they want to put themselves at risk?”

Pew Research Center reported that half of the 2018 U.S. immigrant population came seeking refuge, fleeing from their home countries. When their chance at a green card application is threatened based on use of public benefits, it discourages immigrants from seeking help. As a result, it becomes harder for immigrants to find their individual footing in the U.S. Additionally, Pew Research Center also reported that the growing immigrant demographic is expected to drive the U.S.

workforce as the baby boomer generation retires. The U.S.’s reluctance to help their new workforce can be detrimental to its own economy.

The new ruling by the Supreme Court helps no one — neither the economy nor the people. Although many may claim providing public benefits may damage the economy, it is unrealistic to think that immigrants with few resources would be able to earn a solid living without any initial help. Public benefits exist to help those who cannot entirely provide for themselves until they can. If we help immigrants get on their feet and survive in a new environment, in return, these immigrants will be able to repay the help they received through their own taxes once they find a stable job.

America has always been recognized as a nation built by immigrants. Our founding fathers came from Britain to seek a better chance at life, liberty and happiness, and as a nation, we should play an active role in helping to provide these founding principles to new immigrants.

America has no official language, and no specific ethnicity that Americans identify themselves with. Discriminating against certain immigrants because of their financial backgrounds goes against America's founding principles.

Immigrants are not a burden and should not be treated differently based on their dependence on public benefits. The nation should be playing an active role in helping immigrants find their footing in a new country instead of unfairly judging their legal status by their dependence on the government.

Bring attention and respect back to public education

I

n President Donald Trump's Feb. 4 State of the Union address, he introduced a policy toward education that seems positive at �irst glance, but will in truth have dire effects on public schools across the country.

Trump spoke of his new nationwide opportunity scholarship programs as great strides toward better education for millions of students. Yet in his interspersed mentions of education, his two references to "failing government schools" stood out.

In his �irst mention, he praised the ability of opportunity scholarship programs to save students “trapped in failing government schools.” He used the phrase again as he promoted a congressional bill, the Education Freedom Scholarship and Opportunity Act, which his administration is trying to pass, because, as he claims, “no parent should be forced to send their child to a failing government school.”

Trump represents the national government, so his depiction of government schools as failures re�lects poorly on him and the government, and is especially out of place in a speech celebrating his administration’s main achievements. His statements imply that the government has possibly started to give up on public education, refocusing its attention on removing students from a bad school system rather than reforming it. It also seems that the government is investing money that could go toward improving public education as a whole into providing a better education for a small group of students. Though Trump’s statements on education may have intended to inspire con�idence for education in the nation and school communities, they raise doubts about the administration’s priorities and whether its policies truly advance the quality of American education.

While public education is a shared responsibility between federal, state and local governments, the federal government has great sway on the attitude of the general public. From the start of his presidency, some of Trump’s tweets have shown that he views the American public education system

Staff Editorial The Voice of the Epic largely as a failure and supports “school choice,” the idea that students should have the ability to choose where they go to school.

Trump’s careless comments in this address and in the past, as well as his previous educational policies, will negatively affect people’s perception of public education. His son Donald Trump, Jr. has also expressed dismissive attitudes toward the public system while representing his father; at a recent Trump campaign rally, he denounced the country’s “loser teachers,” whom he claimed to be “indoctrinating” students with socialist values. These attacks on the integrity of public school educators tear down the very system that the president has a responsibility to strengthen and protect.

Many believe that the Trump administration’s poor choices in regards to public education began when he appointed Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education in 2016. DeVos had no professional experience in education, and all of her children had attended private schools. As a result, many people argued she was not �it for her new

KAVYA IYER — EPIC

role. Arguably, this began the trend away from support for public education.

Proposed budget cuts have also demonstrated disinvestment in the public system. Trump has consistently tried to trim the Education Department’s budget. He sought a 13.5 percent cut for the �iscal year 2018 and a 5 percent cut for the �iscal year 2019. Each time, DeVos supported Trump’s request but Congress rejected the proposals.

In pursuit of “school choice,” Trump has been recently pushing for the Education Freedom and Scholarship Act, which would create a program that provides underprivileged students with better education and �inancial aid. The program would allocate $5 billion for tax credits for voluntary donors who contribute money to eligible scholarship-granting organizations.

Though it does give some public school students better opportunities, the Education Freedom and Scholarship Act disregards the public education system itself. The money that goes toward tax credits for donors could be used to improve public education in

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY STELLA HUANG AND MEI CORRICELLO

poorer schools. This proposed system would draw only a small group of students out of a bad system, avoiding the larger problem of systemic poor public education.

“He's promoting the private option, but actually he's also devaluing public education by implicitly calling it a cause that is not worth the federal government's time because the bill provides $5 billion, and the entire budget of the Department of Education only $68 billion,” said Junior State of America of�icer Kanav Tirumala. “That's 7 percent of the Department of Education’s budget of going to private schools when instead they should be going to bolster the public education options that we have now, or reducing the socioeconomic barriers that those same low income students would need to succeed at the government schools.”

In recent years, the nation has seen further implementation of “school choice” legislation similar to the proposed Education Freedom and Scholarship Act. The created state programs also use “tax-credit” scholarships to send eligible students to private school.

"I think the act could really hobble [public education reform] quite a bit, because it would say for the government that this is the route we chose to take, and this is how we're going to do it in the future," said Library Media Teacher Amy Ashworth.

Though reforms still need to be made in many underprivileged schools, public education still holds great importance.

Conditions in public schools have been an important indicator of both the government’s performance and its investment in equal opportunity for its youth.

The direction any administration takes in regards to education must be examined carefully. Young voters, especially public high school students and recent graduates, have an obligation to carefully consider recent policies toward public education and to cast their ballots in accordance with the progress they wish to see. *The Epic staff voted 33-0 in favor of this stance, with 5 staff members abstaining.

features

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

07

Katya Tsikina catches the eye of VSCO

BY KATIE CHEN

S

USED WITH PERMISSION OF KATYA TSIKINA

AILEEN XUE//FOOD FOR THOUGHT

An ode to Trader Joe’s

I

’m going to be blunt here: I love Trader Joe’s. From strolling along the aisles searching for coconut aminos or receiving amused chuckles from workers as my friends and I conducted part two of our prom photoshoot in the skincare and cereal aisles, there’s no other grocery store I’d rather call my second home.

Until I was 7, my parents were religious 99 Ranch Market shoppers. Too young to stay

enior Katya Tsikina has taken the term “VSCO girl” to another level. After sharing her photography skills online for several years, Tsikina’s work has recently been recognized by VSCO, which has featured her as a creator on their website.

Tsikina has been passionate about photography since a young age. Her initial foray into the world of photography came when her grandfather gifted her her �irst camera, which she still considers a prized possession.

She also recalls �ighting with her sister over a Canon camera her sister received for Christmas.

With these tools, she began to capture images of the world around her and never looked back.

She now uses VSCO, Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop to edit the photos she takes with her Canon EFS 15-85 mm camera.

Tsikina’s relationship with photography is one of growth and re�lection.

She sees her photographs not as individual entities, but rather a series of installments in her progression as an artist.

“As I grew and matured, the photographs I took began to change,” Tsikina said. “Photography was no longer about taking photos of things that captured my eye. Instead, it became an important form of self-expression for me.”

Photography has allowed Tsikina to see herself and the world from a different perspective, reminding her of how far she has come since the outset of her journey.

“I am overwhelmed with everything inside me at times, and giving all my thoughts and worries a physical existence helps me free my mind,” Tsikina said. “While looking at my photographs, I can study them and understand myself.

Photography helps me emotionally as I face everything that is weighing me down.”

Tsikina keeps a journal in which she re�lects on her emotions and plans compositions. It serves as a hub for her brainstorms and rough drafts of poses and compositions.

Because her stories are often �illed with depth and meaning, she enjoys thinking about the many ways in which she can give her subjects a voice through their bodies and facial expressions, tapping into their emotions.

“I give my thoughts and emotions a physical existence in my photos through careful consideration of the setting, subjects, lighting and props,” Tsikina said. “I like to think of my photographs as having two sides to them: one side is the composition and how the colors, clothing and setting blend together to create a visually compelling image, while the other side focuses on how the poses and props tell a story and evoke feelings from my audience.”

While taking photos, Tsikina uses an array of positions and angles. This technique allows her to bring diverse perspectives to the same set of poses and compositions. In this way, Tsikina’s style is very different from the works of

home alone, I was always dragged to their weekly grocery shopping outings. Sitting cross-legged in the corner of the cart, I would watch as they �illed bags with bundles of leafy greens and deep red slabs of meat as I wrinkled my nose at the lingering stench of �ish and �ive spice powder. However, as much as I enjoyed inspecting the heaping crates of pomelo and the complimentary jelly fruit cups at checkout, I never felt quite at ease in the crowded aisles or with �ish heads staring back at me in the back corner of the market.

Sorry, 99 Ranch.

One night, out of sheer desperation for some eggs to pair with Mom’s tomato dish, Dad and I headed to the nearest grocery store, which just happened to be Trader Joe’s.

As soon as we entered the store, our original task was forgotten. After sampling a green juice blend and pesto-chicken rolls, we wandered around the store ogling the assortment of fresh produce and healthy treats. Surrounded by colorful displays and the sweet scent of rich baked goods and ripe peaches, I knew that grocery shopping in our household would never be the same.

traditional photographers, as her photos focus not on the subjects featured, but rather on the emotions a viewer feels.

“I’ve found a way to connect to her photos on a more personal, intimate level,” said senior Amudha Sairam.

“Through viewing her photos, I’ve realized that a lot of us have similar thoughts and feel similar emotions, including empathy, isolation, love and connectivity.”

Tsikina has collaborated with fellow Lynbrook photographers Jalene Chok and Rhea Anand, noting that the unique circumstances of their photoshoots allowed her to learn from her peers.

“Collaborating with Jalene was an interesting experience for me, as I was the subject as well as the photographer in the photoshoot,” Tsikina said. “Rhea and I had lots of fun taking retro photos with our �ilm cameras in a laundromat while the people around us were doing their laundry.”

Photography has transformed the way in which Tsikina faces her emotions. She believes that each photoshoot takes her a step further toward grasping her own identity.

“Instinctively, I am used to pushing down and forgetting everything that bothers me, but through photography, I try to give these feelings another meaning,” Tsikina said.

“I try to create something that can express how I feel and hopefully help others who may be feeling the same.”

Tsikina’s experiences as a dancer have in�luenced her photography style. She uses her knowledge of the way in which the human body and its movements can express different feelings to plan her subjects’ poses. She emphasizes the emotional value of her photos, composing them to evoke otherwise dormant emotions in her audience.

“Through photography, I am able to translate motions into poses, capturing them in place,” Tsikina said. “I fell in love with creating poses that re�lect a deeper meaning behind my compositions. From my experience in dance, I am able to compose them in my mind and draw rough drafts in my journal.”

Tsikina’s photography captured the attention of a VSCO editor, who published a journal post about her photography process on Jan. 24.

“Having a whole journal published about my work was such an amazing opportunity and achievement,” Tsikina said.

“This recognition has helped me see that I create pieces that others enjoy. I am excited to continue sharing my photos with my audience.”

Tsikina hopes to turn her photography hobby into a career through a photography minor in college and to reach others through her imaginative compositions. She advises aspiring photographers to search for an emotion to serve as a guide when imagining creations. She also recommends exploring the unique perspectives of different angles and distances.

“As long as the photographs you are taking are meaningful to you, the photoshoots will always be a success,” Tsikina said.

Now — after more than 10 years of weekly Trader Joe’s runs — I’m what some might call a Trader Joe’s connoisseur. I keep up with the store’s new releases through Instagram accounts such as @traderjoeslist and @ traderjolene and watch all the Trader Joe’s haul videos I can. While I do occasionally miss the weekly bulky packages of Prince Noodles and rice crackers that can only be found at 99 Ranch, there’s nothing like the taste of TJ’s seasonal Jingle Jangle ice cream or soft and juicy mandarins to make me appreciate the genius of Joe Coulombe himself.

But, to me, Trader Joe’s is more than just a store of delectable goods and a reliable source of free samples. More importantly, it’s also where family time was rede�ined.

Even with our increasingly busy schedules, Saturday morning Trader Joe’s runs are, and will always be, a constant. After hundreds of trips, we’ve perfected our system. The night before, we create an extensive shopping list with three main categories: the essentials (packages of cut butternut squash and brussel sprouts for healthy dinners); the guilty pleasures (organic popcorn with olive

oil for family movie nights); and the project, a recipe we �ind on the Trader Joe’s website that we try to make during Sunday afternoon.

The next day, we all pile into Dad’s minivan, TJ’s reusable shopping bags in hand, ready to complete our haul. Even after marking off all the groceries on our list, the trip isn’t completed until we’ve exhausted the assortment of samples and my brother and I are getting scolded for tossing in random goods that caught our eye.

As I prepare to head to college, there’s nothing I’ll miss more than my family’s weekly grocery hauls. So, to Trader Joe, who has always been by my side, this one goes out to you: When I �irst met you in grade three, I never imagined you’d become so important to me.

While it may be the end of an era, there’s no one else I’d rather come to to buy marinara.

From someone you will always inspire, I will always look forward to reading the Fearless Flyers.

This column is over and my tears have run dry, so from your biggest fan, I’ll miss you but this isn’t goodbye.

08

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

Otoshi celebrated as Employee of the Year

BY BENNIE CHANG

B

ehind the backdrop of the band department, STTAR tutoring program and Homework Center is Miko Otoshi, one of Lynbrook’s 2019-20 employees of the year. Throughout her years at Lynbrook, she has supported the community by serving on Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), chairing the Job Shadow Program as a parent, working for Lynbrook Instrumental Boosters (LIMB) and joining the Lynbrook staff.

Growing up in Larkspur, Calif., Otoshi attended Redwood High School, where she excelled in typing. During that time, skilled and fast typists were scarce, so she used her skills to work as a receptionist at a real estate company during her sophomore year.

Every day after school, she would ride the bus for forty minutes to work, putting her clerical skills to use and helping her family by earning money.

After graduating high school in 1978, Otoshi attended San Francisco State University. Because she was uncertain about what �ield she would pursue, she spent her six years in college trying her hand at various subjects before deciding on a majoring on Japanese language.

Otoshi worked many clerical jobs after completing her college education. She started off working in San Francisco for Hyatt Hotels, beginning as a secretary before becoming a catering manager. She also travelled to and taught in Japan, where she had her �irst experiences interacting with students.

“I actually went to Japan for one year, and I taught English conversation at an English school in Matsumoto, a city near the Japanese Alps,” Otoshi said. “I loved it.”

After returning to California, getting married and having three children, Otoshi began working as an art instructor at Meyerholz Elementary School, which her children attended. When her children reached Lynbrook years later, she worked as a substitute at the of�ice’s front desk, served as the PTSA’s Vice President and worked in the Job Shadow Program as Co-Chair.

“Job Shadow is so close to my heart,”

BENNIE CHANG AND STELLA HUANG — EPIC

Otoshi said. “It is fabulous that we offer this program to our students, so they can explore career paths before they leave high school.

This way, they know what they might like to do or �ind out what they do not want to do by shadowing a host.”

During her seven years with Job Shadow, Otoshi helped modernize the program by making it more technology-oriented and bringing registration online in the spring.

After her children graduated from Lynbrook, Otoshi left the Job Shadow program because she was no longer a Lynbrook parent; however, she did not let that stop her from continuing to serve the community. In 2015, Otoshi of�icially joined the Lynbrook staff.

Unlike other staff members on campus, Otoshi is unique because she works parttime for LIMB and part-time for the school through the Homework Center and the STTAR tutor program.

Otoshi �irst found out about LIMB when her daughter played in the marching band at Lynbrook. She realized �irsthand that the program was an invaluable part of the school, so she dedicated herself to helping

the organization and has continued to do so to this day. In LIMB, Otoshi assists Michael Pakaluk, the band and orchestra director, in his duties.

“Otoshi is the framework of the music department,” said band student Richard Chiu. “There is Pakaluk, who does all the conducting and is in the spotlight, and then Otoshi: the machinery behind the scenes that makes the spotlight possible.”

In the band program, Otoshi helps Pakaluk copy music, �ill out forms and plan details for trips. Because of her help, students do not need to worry about technical errors in the band program.

On top of her work in the band department, Otoshi also advises the Homework Center after school for three days a week and oversees the STTAR tutor program.

“Otoshi not only manages every Homework Center after school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, she works on advertising the program, pairing tutors and tutees and validating all of the hours,” National Honor Society Of�icer Twisha Sundararajan said. “As a student who has

used the Homework Center to study, receive help and tutor others, I can attest to the fact that Otoshi has truly given Lynbrook students the opportunity to excel. The amount of work she takes on to provide students with the opportunity to get access to academic aid and a safe studying environment is truly invaluable. Without her, the Homework Center would not be possible.”

In recognition of all that Otoshi has done for the school, students and parents came together and honored her as Lynbrook’s classi�ied employee of the year, along with another member of the music department, Pakaluk, as the certi�ied employee of the year. Her work at Lynbrook has made lasting impacts on many students, whether it has been through Homework Center or her countless hours spent helping out in the band department.

“For marching band, Otoshi made brownies for all the section leaders while we were huddling in the cold,” Chiu said. “The brownies were really delicious. Otoshi is a really great baker but most importantly a really kind person.”

Justin Bieber "Changes" his outlook and sound

BY LILLIA N

FU

“Purpose.” Though there are catchy songs, such as “Yummy,” that are meant to be on the radio, much of his album is �illed with slow-burn melodies and repeated beats.

However, this time Bieber seems to be more personally ful�illed through his work.

Much of

STRATIO N

W

ith his last album, “Purpose,” �ive years behind him, singer and worldwide sensation Justin Bieber has found a new purpose in his �ifth studio album, “Changes.” Released on Feb. 14, the album is dedicated to his wife, Hailey Bieber, as the love-�illed lyrics are �itting for its Valentine’s Day release.

Bieber’s album contains 17 songs, three of which were released as singles before the of�icial release date. “Yummy” was released on Jan. 3, “Get Me” featuring Kehlani came out on Jan. 26 and “Intentions” dropped on Feb. 7. The album features various artists, including Quavo, Post Malone, Summer Walker and Travis Scott.

“Changes” is full of slower, calm songs that show off Bieber’s vocals. Rather than the catchy hits of his previous albums, these songs are reminiscent of Bieber’s “Journals,” a 2013 digital compilation album of experimental releases with a soft, rhythmic sound. The variations in the R&B jams of the album are uni�ied by the warm acoustic tones and simple looping beats.

“Forever” has metallic beats and a staccato chorus featuring Post Malone and Clever, while “That’s What Love Is” wholeheartedly displays Bieber’s love for Hailey through strong and smooth vocals.

“Intentions” is paired with an inspiring music video supporting the Alexandria House, a charity and shelter for women and their children. The song’s bright, easy melody is interspersed with clips of women talking about their personal

stories. The romantic, feel-good lyrics of “Intentions,” such as “Shout out to your mom and dad for making you / Standing ovation, they did a great job raising you,” re�lect Bieber’s love for his wife.

The song “Changes,” one of the title tracks of the album, has a guitar strumming in the background as Bieber attempts to open up about his vulnerabilities. However, the acoustic ballad falls short due to trite lyrics that repeatedly af�irm “Though I’m goin’ through changes / Don’t mean that I’ll change.”

W h i l e the song “Changes” is a mellow listen, it ultimately does not provide a lot of depth in terms of its meaning.

Overall, the melodies of the album are subtler compared to his last album,

ART ILLU

BY SUNNY LI

Bieber’s album is inspired by his wife, Hailey, and he shows the musical process in his YouTube docuseries, “Justin Bieber: Seasons.” He documents his personal story and musical career, opening up about his struggles with drug abuse and fame at a young age. The theme of the album and accompanying documentary seems to be the huge impact that Hailey has had on him, as he emphasizes how much she has helped provide a sense of stability after so many years in the spotlight.

He provides a happy ending to his rocky years as a young star through this album, but the peaceful portrayal of his newfound purpose in life mostly glosses over the dif�iculties that love can also include, with the exception of “Available,” which discusses his fears that he may be losing his connection with his lover.

While showcasing his love for his wife is a nice sentiment, the songs of the album ultimately lack depth.

Nonetheless, the album has its own value as another stage in Bieber’s life and career. It is worth a listen for providing a satisfying conclusion to Bieber’s struggles throughout his musical career, as the songs reassure listeners that love has the power to transform people.

After a long hiatus, Bieber is back with an unassuming, laidback album that declares he has found peace with himself in his love for Hailey. Though many songs in the album do not follow the expected formula for chart-topping hits, “Changes” has meaning as a new era in Bieber’s life and leaves fans wondering what is to come.

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

FEATURES

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10

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

in-depth

Exploring the unique experiences of grief and loss

BY ELLIU HUANG AND STELLA HUANG

G

rief, the feeling of deep sorrow, is an emotion that is deeply linked with loss. Most people will experience grief at some point in their lives due to forces outside of their control.

The �ive stages — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance — are a framework often associated with how people experience grief. Elisabeth Kubler Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist, introduced the �ive stages of grief in her 1969 book “On Death and Dying,” which focuses on interactions of terminally ill patients or people who lost someone close to them. She explored the emotions expressed by the people in her study and published her �indings.

Denial, the �irst of the �ive stages, focuses on the creation of alternate realities in the human mind, in which a person might delude themselves that the traumatic event wasn’t real or didn’t happen. At �irst, people are shocked by the loss and may believe that the news is inaccurate.

Anger is felt when people are frustrated with their inability to change the past and ask themselves questions such as “what did I do to deserve this?” or “why did this happen to me?” People may redirect their anger and frustration onto others as a coping mechanism. In some cases, people’s faith in their religion may waver because they attribute their loss to external forces.

Bargaining is a result of thinking in “what if” or “if only” statements, causing people to feel guilty over previous actions. Because people often feel helpless or overwhelmed by their loss, they may falsely believe that some sort of negotiation will end the grief and pain.

Depression happens as people start to think about their loss and face the fact that the event has happened.

People may feel that there is nothing they want to do, and suddenly life may seem less meaningful. In an attempt to alleviate their pain, people may isolate themselves, resulting in withdrawal and feelings of hopelessness.

Acceptance, which occurs after a person stops trying to hide from the pain, is what helps people deal with grief and understand their emotions. They accept the reality of their loss and realize that they still have a purpose in life and that there is still more to do.

Because each person experiences grief differently, the �ive stages of grief is more appropriately viewed as a guide in the grieving process. Not everyone will go through all �ive stages of grief and in the order listed above.

For example, when he was in seventh grade, junior Evan Morgan* lost his older brother in an accident. Strong emotions bombarded him when he �irst heard of the news.

“I was devastated and in complete shock,” Morgan said.

“The fact that I could not see my brother anymore really frightened me at the time. I never got to say goodbye. I still remember the night before. I was walking back into my room, and I saw my brother quietly working on some sort of project. I never knew that would be the last time I would ever see him again.”

Over time, Morgan’s grief lessened with support from family and friends along with his middle school’s

Additionally, grief makes it harder for c o u n s e l o r, people to continue with who he visited the familiar routines that every day. Although de�ine their lives. Although, Morgan is coping much in some cases, it may help people better with his grief now, change for the better. he says that he will never fully recover from it.

“After her passing, I started to show “There will be times when I am reminded of this more gratitude for life,” Clark said. “Knowing incident, and I will get slightly sad,” Morgan said. that I could lose all of it made me appreciate what I Morgan didn’t go through the denial, anger or bargaining stages of grief. Instead, his grieving process focused mostly had. I was becoming less moody and more caring at home.”

Some prevalent misconceptions about grief are that it on the depression and acceptance stages.

“I used my brother as motivation to strive and become is only triggered by death, it is analogous to depression, better,” Morgan said. “I always tell myself that I am living my or people can immediately return to their previous state after grieving. life not only for me, but also for him.”

“People’s expectation about grief is that it is a hill you On the other hand, senior Jesse Kim* suffered from a relationship problem and ended up deeply hurting his climb, and then you’re done, as opposed to grief recurring,” partner. In contrast to Morgan’s situation, Kim went through school psychologist Brittney Stevens said. “There’s the belief that people process the loss, the last four stages of grief. snap back to normal and move “I was mostly angry at myself for not forward.” being more patient,” Kim said. “I tried to “One thing that can be lovely Some think that everyone start talking to her again, but it didn’t really work. Both of us felt iced off, and I about grief, if you allow expresses grief the same way.

“Others think that people stopped and fell through depression for yourself to feel it, is that you a few weeks.” can be broken open, and that will look very depressed and that their grief won’t manifest Kim experienced anger, bargaining lets light in.” in other behaviors or feelings,” and depression over the span of a couple Brittney Stevens said Stevens. “It can look like of weeks but recovered after spending time to �ind new hobbies and interests.

School psychologist sleepiness, anger, outrage, short temper or withdrawal. People’s “Eventually, I realized how messed up grief causes them to make extreme my life became, and I set up a schedule decisions that they wouldn’t to force myself to and veer away from necessarily make if they were feeling more balanced.” what I was previously doing with my life,” Kim said.

Although people may never fully overcome a loss, they In 2018, one of freshman Flynn Clark’s* best friends fell unconscious during P.E. class before passing away the same may heal over time.

“My advice for those who want to support someone week. Clark experienced denial before accepting her reality.

“She fainted during school hours, and our whole class who’s grieving is to not stay away,” Stevens said. “[Other’s and school grieved as a whole for three days before receiving grief] makes us feel fearful that another person is so sad. news of the loss,” Clark said. “I was shocked. I couldn’t believe We feel like ‘I don’t want to upset them more. I don’t want it. The event happened on Thursday during lunch, and by to say the wrong thing.’ It’s almost always better to say Sunday, she was gone. Everyone on campus was making something, even if it’s just ‘I’m so sorry you’re sad. I’m paper cranes based on an old Japanese legend that if you have so sorry this happened.’ Being together is a real human 1,000 paper cranes, one wish will come true. We achieved kindness that we can do for each other.”

Additionally, it is integral for one to continue with our goal on Monday during lunch, but [she] never got the everyday routines in order to recover from the loss. chance to see it .”

“We tend to neglect basic self care like getting enough Clark’s teachers started to worry about her more because of her reputation for fainting in class, and she distracted sleep, food, hydration and exercise,” Neudorf said. “The more that somebody can be put on autopilot and take care herself by going to the gym more often.

“I didn’t need to exercise more, but the constant will to do of themselves, the better equipped they are to deal with something kept my mind focused on one thing rather than the ups and downs of the grieving process.”

It is important to remember that grief is an emotion reminiscing on what had happened,” Clark said. “I was able to take my mind off the fact that I had just lost a friend, and I was which many feel throughout their lives, and not a feeling that should be rejected or ignored. able to start to move in the direction of acceptance.”

“One thing that can be lovely about grief, if you allow When people are grieving, the mind and body are heavily impacted by emotions surrounding a loss, making normal yourself to feel it, is that you can be broken open, and that lets light in,” Stevens said. “I �ind that when people don’t tasks like school much more challenging.

“We can be bombarded or surprised by powerful grieve after they’ve experienced a loss, they eventually emotions or thoughts of the loss or person, which can be will in some way.” really inconvenient if you’re trying to take a test,” school *names have been kept anonymous for privacy reasons psychologist Jack Neudorf said.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY YOUQI HUANG AND TERESA ARISAWA

IN-DEPTH

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

11

Novel coronavirus: unmasking the epidemic

S

ince the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)’s appearance in January, misconceptions and myths have run rampant. The virus originated in the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, and has currently infected nearly 80,000 people worldwide.

On Jan. 31, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the situation a public health emergency, meaning the disease poses a potential threat to individuals outside of the country of origin.

COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus previously unidenti�ied in humans, is typically carried by bats. Unlike other strains of coronavirus, which usually lead to mild to moderate respiratory diseases, COVID-19 can result in serious complications, such as pneumonia, fever and dif�iculty breathing.

Rumors have spread regarding the origin of the virus, including the idea that bat soup infecting the �irst people who contracted the disease. However, this is not true, since the market in which the virus originated sold seafood, not bats. This means that there is likely another intermediary animal responsible for the spread of the virus from bats to humans. Scientists have focused their attention on the variety of wildlife bought and sold in the Huanan seafood market.

Among the animals sold, the pangolin is under the greatest scrutiny.

Many have drawn comparisons between COVID-19 and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), both of which are types of coronavirus spread by bats that can result in severe respiratory complications. SARS originated in China in 2002, then spread worldwide. MERS was �irst reported in Saudi Arabia, then spread worldwide, with those infected showing similar symptoms to SARS. Many believe that COVID-19, while related to SARS and MERS, is much more dangerous

than either of the other two strains. However, as of February 2020, the fatality rate for COVID-19 is 10 percent. In contrast, SARS had a fatality rate of 14 percent, while other diseases, such as the �lu, have resulted in an estimated 26 million cases in the U.S. alone, with 14,000 of them leading to death.

Another common myth regarding the disease is that it is dangerous to receive packages sent from areas affected by COVID-19. In reality, strains of coronavirus do not survive long outside their host, eliminating the risk of contracting the disease from packages. Viruses from this family can typically survive up to �ive days on surfaces such as plastic, glass and aluminum.

The typical person who contracts COVID-19 spreads it to 1.4 to 2.5 other people, according to the WHO. Though the virus is most contagious when the infected individual displays symptoms, such as a fever or coughing, those with COVID-19 can infect others even without visible symptoms.

The most common forms of transmission of COVID-19 are coughing and sneezing, which spread respiratory droplets. Those who maintain close contact with infected patients or touch infected surfaces, then touch their eyes, nose or mouth, are also likely to contract the disease.

Another myth is that people from certain age groups, speci�ically older and younger people, are more likely to be infected with COVID-19. In truth, people of all age groups are equally likely to be infected, although older and younger people are likely to develop more severe symptoms since they typically have weaker immune systems.

“The misconception that we hear a lot is that anyone who is Chinese has coronavirus,” said Chrissy Cheung, health planning specialist for the Santa Clara Public Health Department. “That is not true.

The risk factor for getting coronavirus is travel to China. If someone comes back and starts developing symptoms within fourteen days, we would consider coronavirus. There are very speci�ic risk factors that we’re looking for.”

The novel nature of the disease raises many uncertainties for those who have contracted it, even after recovery. Unfortunately, there are not enough recoveries so far to support any hypotheses regarding the nature of life after infection. As developments progress and researchers observe more patients, they can begin to understand the nature of any aftereffects, if there are any.

“I heard that the disease can stay in your system even after you’re recovered,” sophomore Angela Sun said. “This development raises the possibility that people who don’t display symptoms can still be carriers and infect others.”

According to the WHO, the best way to stay healthy is to follow everyday health safety precautions, which include washing hands even when they are not visibly dirty, covering the face with the arm when sneezing and seeking medical care early for respiratory symptoms.

Principal Maria Jackson encourages students to stay home if they feel sick, following the advice of health professionals.

“The Lynbrook administration is carefully following the guidelines we receive from the Santa Clara Public Health Department,” Jackson said.

“It is important for students

who are sick to stay home until they are well.

That is the best measure to stop the spread of communicable disease.”

Students are encouraged to look to government organizations or reputable news publications, such as the CDC, for information. School librarian Amy Ashworth also encourages students to fact check before communicating any news on the virus in order to avoid falling prey to misinformation.

“Unless you know where you’re getting your information is a reliable source, you can’t rely on social media to give you information,” Ashworth said. “The CDC is a government source that is being paid to gather information. They don’t want to cause panic, and they relay good information to the public.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY DIANA KOHR

BY YOUQI HUANG AND DIANA KOHR

GRAPHIC HEADLINE BY BENNIE CHANG

BY LILLIAN FU

T

he California primary elections for U.S. president are now less than a week away, and as March 3 approaches, debates among the eight remaining Democratic candidates are heating up.

Several issues of national importance divide these candidates as well as the voters they hope to represent. Note that, while the categories below broadly de�ine the candidates’ stances on each issue, they each may advocate for a more speci�ic or nuanced policy, and distinctions exist among candidates whose proposals have been grouped together.

Education

Free college for all

Free college for low income

Healthcare

Corporate Monopolies

Medicare for all

Break them up

Public Option

Regulate them

Improve Obamacare

Biden Bloomberg Buttigieg Gabbard

Klobuchar Sanders Steyer Warren

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY IN-DEPTH SECTION

12

IN-DEPTH

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

sports

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

13

Cougar Karson: Squaw Valley ski instructor

BY EMMA CIONCA

F

reshman Cougar Karson does not have an average job. A trained skier, having previously competed on the Far West division of the U16 Squaw Valley ski team, he has now advanced to a higher level. During the winter season, Karson works as an instructor at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California every weekend.

When he was two, Karson began his skiing career. Three years later, he began lessons with coach Carly Carlson at Squaw Valley.

“He coached me when I was �ive years old, and he really turned me into the skier that I am now,” Karson said. “Now I am coaching his son who is now �ive years old. It is really emotional for me.”

From the ages of 5 to 8, he raced on Squaw Valley’s ski team. Karson no longer competitively skis because he lives in the Bay Area and is not able to practice as much as skiers who live in Lake Tahoe. However, skiing still remains a central part of his life.

Hoping to continue cultivating his passion for the sport, Karson decided to work at the resort as an instructor.

“Squaw Valley was where I grew up,” Karson said. “I won medals at Squaw Valley, and Squaw Valley is my favorite resort.”

When Karson began the job, he ran into challenges due to his young age. Although there are instructors as young as he is, they are few and far between. Karson’s boss at the time was unsure whether he would be able to handle the responsibility of working at Squaw Valley.

“I was about to not get the job,” Karson said. “But I called my boss, Ian, so much. I kept on calling him every week. And �inally

he goes, ‘I admire your compassion, so I will give you the job.’ And you know what, it turns out he really loves me.”

Karson’s average weekend begins on Saturday morning at 3:30 a.m., the time at which he wakes up in order to reach Squaw Valley by 7:45 a.m. He has a lunch break at 11:15 a.m., and the seven-hour ski day ends around 2:30 p.m. He then heads to the locker room to get his equipment and belongings and makes the trip to his hotel in Reno, reaching it at around 7 p.m. Karson’s lessons follow the same schedule on Sunday, and he returns to his home in the Bay Area around 1 a.m. on Monday morning. This jam-packed schedule takes its toll on Karson, often not allowing him to have time to spend on homework or with friends.

Karson teaches children ranging from ages 5 to 8 at the “red stars” level, the �ifth level in a series of levels based on skiing ability. Although these skiers are young, the children are experienced, and Karson helps them further improve their skiing technique.

He leads them all over the mountain, including various dif�icult slopes, to hone their skills and challenge them. To work with such young children, Karson must have a lot of patience, as well as the ability to keep the children under control and entertained. His students often attempt to take his phone or ski pass, and to prevent this, he has learned to tell them stories while on the chairlift to keep them occupied.

“I do what I do because I love skiing; it is my favorite sport,” Karson said. “I'm proud of the effect I have on these kids, making them laugh and improving their skiing abilities. It would be great to look back one day, and say ‘wow I really helped those Olympians.’”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LILLIAN FU

New unified basketball team promotes inclusivity “We're still in the very beginning stages, so right now, I would just feel that we'd be successful if we just had ynbrook, Monta Vista and Cupertino High Schools are exhibitions, and then try to build a bigger program from forming teams to participate in the Uni�ied Basketball there,” said Miguel Alderete, special education teacher and League, to give aspiring athletes in P.E. Inclusive classes Uni�ied Basketball Coach. “I love that we're taking the �irst the option to play competitively or recreationally in teams. step, and I want to take the next 20 steps.”

The coaches involved have admitted to facing several Through the league’s partnership with the Special Olympics, the program aims to involve all students, including those challenges while trying to establish the Uni�ied Basketball with developmental challenges, by accommodating their League at Lynbrook. According to Alderete, some of the primary issues included getting parents onboard with the speci�ic needs.

To accommodate every participating member of the idea, �iguring out logistics such as transport for matches league, rules and regulations will be adjusted according to during the school day and getting students outside P.E. Inclusive interested in the events. the individual needs and abilities of The Uni�ied Basketball Program at the students who wish to participate.

Lynbrook also aims to involve general As such, the Uni�ied Basketball League education students as mentors to will hold both high-level and low-level the P.E. Inclusive students. At �irst, games, which incorporate different this mentorship role was open to any levels of assistance so that students student who wanted to volunteer, but who need more guidance can still the P.E. Department has now instituted compete fairly. a screening process due to the high “Some of the players need guidance, volume of prospective mentors. and so the general education students “Uni�ied Basketball is an incredibly will help facilitate the passing and eye-opening experience,” said make sure that everyone gets a chance mentor Alyssa Eseroma. to play,” said P.E. Inclusive teacher Lauren Blazek. “The general education Alyssa Eseroma “The atmosphere is very encouraging and students also help with the hype. It’s Unified Basketball mentor friendly, which is really important for them to try to what I love most get their friends to come, and to get about team sports. everyone excited about the games so I can’t wait for this league to grow in the that people will show up and support the players.”

The program was organized through the Special upcoming years and become something that Olympics, which advocates for universally inclusive sports. everyone wants to be a part of and go watch.”

General education students will be taking on The introduction of the Uni�ied Basketball League to FUHSD schools marks the newest branch of the grassroots many roles while mentoring P.E. Inclusive students organization, which has already brought inclusive games to for Uni�ied Basketball. Some will be directly involved in the games played in order to keep the match moving the Santa Clara Uni�ied School District.

In FUHSD, Monta Vista, Cupertino, Lynbrook and Fremont and provide help when necessary. For every three High Schools were all originally planning to participate P.E. Inclusive students, there will be two general together in the Uni�ied Basketball League during the 2019- education students available to help.

“I’ve worked with special needs students since 20 school year; however, Fremont High School was forced to drop the program due to setbacks with its administration. sophomore year, so this means a lot to me,” said For now, the team at Lynbrook will be competing against mentor Jonathan Leslie. “My goal is to make sure Cupertino, Monta Vista, Wilcox and Santa Clara High Schools, every kid feels like they are part of something big.”

The new Uni�ied Basketball League is expected but many coaches are hopeful for expansion.

L

“I can’t wait for this league to grow in the upcoming years and become something that everyone wants to be a part of and go watch.”

to have a strong impact on the Lynbrook community, promoting diversity and inclusivity among students.

“A lot of the time people who are unfamiliar with different populations just see their disabilities instead of seeing what they can do,” Blazek said. “So I hope this opens the eyes of students that aren't familiar with populations like this and shows that we can come together as a community to give everyone the opportunity to be on the team.”

While the Uni�ied Basketball League is only a recent development on FUHSD campuses, many are looking forward to taking part in its upcoming seasons. Students and staff can anticipate the rise of new basketball teams that promote school spirit, inclusivity and universal athleticism.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ELLIU HUANG

BY ALARA DASDAN AND PRANAV MISHRA

14

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

SPORTS

Vikings qualify for Central Coast Section playoffs

BY PRIYANKA ANAND

G

irls and boys varsity basketball teams, in addition to �ive individuals on the wrestling team, represented Lynbrook at the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, an annual county-wide, high school sports championship, which began on Feb. 21. The girls basketball and wrestling teams carried their momentum from the previous year and quali�ied for CCS again, while the boys basketball quali�ied for the �irst time in two years. Over the past school year, these teams and players maintained outstanding records that led them to qualify and play with the best teams in the county. Although the teams’ journeys at CCS were short-lived, their perseverance and success throughout the season has made Lynbrook proud.

Varsity Wrestling

USED WITH PERMISSION OF PRANAV CHITTHARANJAN

Junior and CCS-qualifier David Heydinger takes down his opponent at the SCVAL finals.

Freshman and CCS-qualifier Yechan Li ties up with his opponent at the SCVAL finals.

T

he 2019-20 season was the �irst time freshman Yechan Li; juniors Pranav Chittaranjan, David Heydinger and Isaac Yoon; and senior Guhner McCleve played in the upper division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s (SCVAL). Nevertheless, these �ive varsity wrestlers quali�ied for CCS, with Li, Yoon and McCleve qualifying for the �irst time.

“I looked forward to competing again and a shot at redemption,” Chittaranjan said. “I was also looking forward to seeing my teammates compete.”

Although wrestling is largely an individual sport, the impact of the �ive wrestlers can be seen in the entire Lynbrook wrestling team.

“They are all elite athletes,” said coach Steve Weng. “The culture that they develop in the room is a very loving, caring, nurturing one, and it’s a family atmosphere. It’s heartwarming to watch these kids come together the way they do.”

As the �ive wrestlers competed at CCS, the coaches and the rest of the team are looking forward to the future of wrestling at Lynbrook. Since freshman Faith Wang is the only girl on the wrestling team, �inding more female students to participate is a major goal for the sport, as the coaches desire to create an all-girls wrestling team in the future.

Girls Varsity Basketball

USED WITH PERMISSION OF JESSICA ATMADJA

Junior Lydian Li attempts a layup in a home victory against American High School on Dec. 10

Junior Sarah Ho performs a in a home victory against American High School on Dec. 10

T

he girls varsity basketball team was ranked �irst in both the SCVAL De Anza Division and CCS Division II. Their exemplary records of 11-1 and 21-3 in these leagues, respectively, resulted from many factors that came into play this season.

“Our team has players that can make layups that don’t even seem humanly possible,” said co-captain Jessica Atmadja. “It's honestly ridiculous, and every time they do it, we still can’t wrap our heads around it.”

Their four-month-long season enabled the individuals’ talents to effectively create a wellrounded team that played in CCS’s Open Division, the highest division in the tournament.

Although the team lost their �irst game at CCS, playing in Open Division also quali�ied the team for the California Interscholastic Federation State Basketball Championship Regionals.

In preparation for CCS, the team had to cope with dif�iculties, such as having two injured starters and a shorter average height than other teams in the league.

“All the teams never expected anything from us because obviously we’re not the most intimidating,” said co-captain Lydian Li. “But, when we actually play, and they realize that we’re actually better, it’s really fun.”

Boys Varsity Basketball

ANUSHA KOTHARI — EPIC

Junior Arjun Gupta shoots free throws in a game against Wilcox High School on Feb. 19

Senior Ryan Kawamura attemps a layup in a game against Wilcox High School on Feb. 19

A

t the beginning of the season, the boys varsity basketball team set many goals to improve from the previous season, where they had only won three games. The major goal was to qualify for CCS. With a 11-15 overall record at the end of the season, the team was able to achieve their goal. However, they had to overcome some signi�icant challenges to do so, such as suffering multiple marginal losses during the season.

“It was heartbreaking to work hard and play well for most of the game for it to fall apart in the �inal stretch, much less have it happen on multiple occasions,” said senior Aaron Tai. “However, we always moved on from those losses and grew closer as a team because we treated each one of those losses as learning opportunities.”

The team looked forward to seeking redemption at CCS and strategized in preparation.

Since the team is primarily made of seniors, there was an added layer to their excitement.

“We’ve treated this season as one last chance to prove ourselves and enjoy the competition while we can,” Tai said. “In many ways, we’re passing on the torch for our three underclassmen to bear as they learn and adjust to varsity basketball.”

Insight into the coach hiring process at Lynbrook

BY KAYLIN LI

A

s of Feb. 24, Lynbrook has seven job openings listed on EdJoin, and all of them are as coaches or assistants of sports teams. This lack of coaches has become most visible in recent years.

The shortage has had a great impact on student sports because coaches play an in�luential role in the development and success of a team. Consequently, how coaches are hired also plays an important role in shaping a sports team, as well as the entire Lynbrook Athletic Department.

At Lynbrook, applicants for coach positions must pass three steps: a written application, an interview and clearance.

Applicants must �irst apply through a website called EdJoin, which asks for basic identifying information, the sports they are interested in coaching, employment experience and other relevant information. Candidates are then interviewed, typically by Athletic Director Jennifer Grif�in and Activities Assistant Principal Brooke Chan. Principal Maria Jackson makes the �inal decision of whether to hire or pass. After being hired, the new coach must meet further requirements, which include First Aid and CPR Certi�ication, a recent tuberculosis test and �ingerprint clearance. Only after this lengthy process

1) Application, interview, and authorization from Athletic Director

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY SPORTS SECTION

can they step into their role as a coach.

In recent years, Lynbrook has had trouble �inding sports coaches, with a low number of applicants but a high number of open positions available. Sports such as volleyball, swimming and �ield hockey have been particularly impacted.

“During the time [without a coach], everyone was really worried because tryouts were scheduled very soon, and no one knew how teams would be picked,” said volleyball player Michael Ma. “During that limbo period, everyone was super nervous about how the season would play out.”

There are a few factors that Grif�in believes could be in�luencing the recent trend of fewer job applicants, such as the steadily rising cost of living and the prominence of club sports teams that can give higher coaching salaries.

“We lost two coaches because they just couldn't afford to live here," Grif�in said. "So we have to look at those factors as well [when hiring because] when somebody coaches, they're not coaching for the money. You're coaching because you love the sport, and you love working with student athletes.”

One way the Athletic Department has been recruiting more coaches through is social connections. In times when there aren’t enough coaches, students and parents reach out to people they know who might be interested in coaching at

2) Concussion Training and First Aid and CPR Certification

tournaments or sports clubs.

While both administration and students hope to �ind a solution to the coach shortage, some Lynbrook students are concerned about transparency in the hiring process.

“My main issue with the evaluation process for coaches is transparency,” Ma said. “I understand it is logistically impossible for us to be part of that process and select a coach that �its the team, but a simple action such as proactively reaching out to the players to inform them how �inding a coach is going can go a long way.”

Many students want to be able to voice their opinions, but also understand that it would be dif�icult for them to truly have control over any part of the hiring process.

“While we may want one coach, some decisions are based off of things that we don't know,” said swimmer Lucas Lin said. “So while we can have an effective voice which can in�luence the decision [to some degree], I don't think we need to control parts of the process itself.”

To preserve a healthy, well-functioning Athletic Department, it is imperative that teams have coaches to support the growth of their team. Despite declining numbers in job applicants, the Lynbrook administration hopes to preserve both the quantity and quality of their sports coaches.

3)

Compliance with the Athletic Code of Ethical Conduct

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

15

World Athletics sets new regulations on running shoes

BY TERESA ARISAWA

O

n Oct. 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge ran the fastest marathon in world history — 1:59:40. However, this impressive time did not replace the marathon world record due to the massive amount of tools used to help him, including laser projected pacer lines, physical pacers by his side and Nike’s revolutionary Alpha�lys.

The Alpha�lys are the newest version of a series of running shoes released by Nike, which include the original Nike Vapor�ly 4% and the updated Nike Air Zoom Vapor�ly NEXT% — commonly referred to as Vapor�ly. Because of these shoes’ ability to improve running economy by up to six percent, they have become a controversial subject in the running community.

With technology constantly developing, the line between athletic and technological advancement is becoming less clear, Vapor�lys being a perfect example of this. World Athletics’ decision to create new regulations is a step in the right direction in the continuous argument of how much technology should be able to help athletes.

Starting on April 30, new rules set by World Athletics state that any shoe worn by a competing athlete must be available on open retail market for at least four months before being used in competition to ensure fairness to athletes who 33 mm Midsole are not af�iliated with certain Provides increased grip and acts as a brands. Additionally, midsoles on spring shoes cannot be thicker than 40 millimeters or contain more than World Athletics’ Regulation one rigid embedded plate or blade of any material running through any Midsoles can not be thicker than 40 mm part of the shoe.

Released in 2018, the Nike Vapor�ly 4% marked signi�icant leaps in running technology.

With its lightweight VaporWeave upper and a carbon-�iber plate running through 35.7 millimeters of ZoomX cushioning foam midsole, the Vapor�lys are the largest technological running shoe development in decades. The 4% in its name alludes to Nike’s

proven claim that runners who wear this shoe can improve regulations set by World Athletics that day.

“For events moving forward, I am glad that World Athletics their running economy, or lactate threshold, by an average of has placed restrictions on the manufacturing of competitive four percent.

Following the Vapor�ly 4% was the release of the Vapor�ly shoes to create a more even playing �ield,” said Brad Wick, NEXT%, which Nike claimed would increase a runner’s coach of the San Jose State University cross country team. running economy by an average of �ive to six percent. The “The Alpha�ly, I believe, falls in the new legal guidelines, and I long-awaited Nike Alpha�ly NEXT%, used by Kipchoge in his am sure that will become the new norm with all competitive sub-2 hour marathon, will be released to the public on Feb. shoe companies.”

Of course, Nike along with other running shoe companies 29 at a higher price point than the $250 Alpha�ly due to the have been carefully following these new rules, as shoes nature of the shoe.

“I believe that the Nike Alpha�ly NEXT%s are really similar to the Vapor�ly are the future of long distance running.

The Vapor�ly situation is very similar to the 2008 case revolutionary running shoes,” sophomore Aryan Shah said.

“Nike is doing phenomenal things with their running shoe involving the LZR Racer swimsuit, most famously worn by technology, building off of what they have already established Michael Phelps. Athletes who wore this full-body swimsuit broke 13 world records in that March alone. After their and accomplished.”

Largely publicized for their signi�icance in BREAKING2, impressive run at the Beijing Olympics, the suit was banned Nike’s goal to break the two-hour marathon, the Vapor�ly has in 2009 by the International Swimming Federation, (FINA), been a subject of conversation in the running community for who decided to enforce a ban on body-length swimsuits the past two years. With the recent occurrence of Kipchoge’s along with creating more swimsuit restrictions to prevent record marathon time wearing the new Alpha�lys, running future cases of technological doping. Since then, the LZR shoe regulations are being questioned more than ever before. Racer has been modi�ied to meet the new criteria.

“Just like a few years ago when they banned the special On Jan. 31, the use of Vapor�ly and Alpha�lys during swimsuits, I think that it was a good idea to put of�icial races was banned by regulations on shoes,” Wick said. “Otherwise, where World Athletics, due to being do the limits of technological advancement end?” considered “technological Nike Vapor Fly In this age of technology and constant doping.” However, this development, it can be hard to take a step was only due to their back and consider where to draw the line inability to meet between what should be considered the new technological doping and what should not. While there is no de�inite answer, enforcing regulations and rules are a positive and crucial effort in ensuring the authenticity of running.

Carbon Fiber

Plate prevents the shoe from bending too much

World Athletics’ Regulation Provides increased grip and acts as a spring GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ALARA DASDAN

16

photoessay

Lynbrook High School | the Epic lhsepic.com

Tastes of the foods on campus

BY MELISSA CHEN

P

assing by the 500s wing, students may catch a whiff of something delicious baking or simmering away in the cooking classroom. During lunch, the whole campus munches on meals of different cuisines, colors, textures and tastes. Sample some of the food that floods the campus day after day.

The school cafeteria offers many sweet treats, like this Super Berry sorbet.

Thermoses can contain practically any meal, such as this warm tomato pasta.

Packed lunches often include sandwiches, some with untraditional fillings.

A popular choice of cafeteria lunch is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with salad and fruit.

A Wechat group allows students to order meals like this fried meat and broccoli dish.

Sometimes teachers can warm up a quick lunch like a microwaveable chicken pot pie.

Sometimes lunch can be a simple bag of Cheez-its.

Fried dumplings and blueberries make a good combination.

Curry chicken and rice is traditionally made with turmeric to give it a yellow tinge.

It’s uncommon, but possible to spot someone eating a sweet, home-made baked good.

The culinary classes cook a recipe every week, recently making chocolate lava cakes.

The delicate chocolate molten lava cake is a little difficult to cook correctly.