Five new classes introduced at Lynbrook BY MICHELLE LUM
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s students entered Lynbrook for the new school year, many had schedules that included classes such as photography, AP Studio Art, ceramics, Accounting 2 and AP Computer Science Principles. These newly introduced courses allow students to delve deeper into a variety of �ields, ranging from art to business. “The administration wants to be diverse with our course offerings and look across the district so our students have the same opportunities as other students at schools like Cupertino or Monta Vista,” said Assistant Principal David Erwin, who is responsible for course registration and selection. “We would like to see if we would be able to potentially offer those for our students.” Led by art teacher Matthew Reynolds, photography students learn about the basics of taking photographs with Digital Single Lens Re�lex (DSLR) cameras, which have the capability to take higher quality photographs than regular point-and-shoot cameras. The class covers various aspects of taking a good photograph, including composition, lighting and perspective. Students received cameras for use, and students are instructed on using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop as editing software. AP Studio Art, also taught by Reynolds, guides students through the process of creating a 24-piece art portfolio for submission to the AP exam and colleges. Of those 24 pieces 12 are breadth, meant to demonstrate a student’s range with different styles, m e d i a and subj e c t
matter, while the other 12 are concentration and allow the student to develop a theme and explore it through artwork. Compared to other art classes at Lynbrook, AP Studio Art gives students freedom for independent work and creating their own conceptions, which helps them grow personally. “I thought I would apply for a STEM major, but now, because I am currently working on a portfolio, I decided to do design,” said AP Studio Art student senior Margaret Lu. “However, my STEM background continues to bene�it me when I am working on projects.” In ceramics, art department lead Charlotte Kruk instructs students on working with clay, from hand-building to glazing techniques. Students are given the opportunity to use a potter’s wheel and practice pinch pot methods of creating pottery by hand. One of the projects Kruk hopes to have her ceramics students pursue this year is the creation of more tile murals for classrooms around the school. In the business department, the new Accounting 2 class involves a more advanced study of accounting. Accounting 2 encompasses accounting for more complicated business scenarios, such as those in departmental accounting. Since nine students are currently enrolled in the Accounting 2 class, it is held in the same class period as Accounting 1. Although Lynbrook has been offering the AP Computer Science A course for several years, AP Computer Science Principles was just introduced as a class this year. AP Computer Science Principles, taught by math and computer science teacher Brad Fulk, is designed to be an introductory college com-
puting course for students who might otherwise not take a computer science course. No prior programming experience is necessary, with a central focus of the course being project development, such as creating mobile applications. “AP Computer Science Principles focuses on mobile app development, which is relevant because so much of what we do [today] is through mobile apps,” said Fulk. “We, as teachers, try to �ind how to connect the course material to what students are doing, and that is really apparent in this class.” The new classes not only allow students to explore more aspects of their personal interests, but also provide teachers the opportunity to pass on knowledge about subjects they are passionate about. For instance, Accounting 2 has allowed Badger, a former Certi�ied Public Accountant, to share deeper knowledge about a subject that she loves, and photography has always been an activity that Reynolds greatly enjoys. Similarly, Fulk enjoys keeping up with ever-changing technology while teaching AP Computer Science Principles, and ceramics gives Kruk the chance to dive deeper into the medium of clay. “I have had to quiet my ceramic voice in the past,” said Kruk. “I have always had more ceramics projects in mind than I could possibly �it in one year of 3D Design. A full year of Ceramics will allow the opportunity for students to reach mastery with the material.” As the year progresses, these new classes will no longer be unfamiliar to the campus, slowly becoming part of Lynbrook’s culture. For many years to come, students will �ind themselves challenged and captivated by the unique curricula that these courses offer.
ART ILLUSTRATION BY CLARA FERNANDES
Cupertino Village undergoes a multi-phased renovation BY JOCY HE
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upertino Village, a 136,553 square foot shopping center in the heart of Silicon Valley, is going through renovations this year, which will include a four-phased project that features a new two-level parking structure, more retail buildings and upgraded pedestrian courtyards. Kimco Realty, the real estate agency in charge of the renovation, started the third phase in late June and predicts completion in October 2017. Previously the Town & Country Center in the 1960s, the shopping center was acquired by Kimco Realty in 2006 and renamed Cupertino Village, marking the beginning of a multi-phase project. “Kimco has the reputation of having the best shopping centers,” said Kimco’s Bay Area Vice President of Leasing and Asset Management, John Welter. “We like our shopping centers to be inviting to all customers and for tenants to be proud of the shopping center they’re operating their businesses in. The goal is to update and renovate the landscaping and courtyard features to create a more retail experience.” Project developments began in 2014,
with the construction of a two-level parking structure that holds up to 220 cars. Phase two involved adding 24,000 square feet of additional shopping strips around the main square in the fall of 2016, enabling new businesses, such as Mod Pizza, to open, a process that will be ongoing throughout the upcoming stages of development. The next step will be to modernize the shopping center’s architecture, inspired by four elements of nature: �ire, water, earth and metal. The four outward-facing sides of the main shopping center will each have an arched gateway leading to the center of the square. The shopping center will be decorated with game tables, �ireplaces and a garden. Additionally, the pedestrian walkway and landscape surrounding Cupertino Village facing the new Apple Park corporate campus are also being upgraded, in order to attract both passersby and Apple employees. “Once complete, the project will enhance the lifestyle of the center and create a more inviting atmosphere,” said Welter. “Our existing and new tenants will be rewarded with an improved shopping center that will enrich shopping and dining experiences.” Students at Lynbrook envision that the
modern architectural renovations will greatly improve the 50-year-old buildings, making it more appealing to the public. “I think it would help make the plaza more popular and attract more people, because their restaurants were more hidden before,” said junior Emily Leung. “With the new additions, it will be a good place to eat and shop.” The renovation, however, has caused problems for the existing center. The construction began in 2014, but is still ongoing and interrupting businesses, making it dif�icult for customers to access the storefronts. “There is a restaurant that my parents and I go to every week as a Friday night out,” said senior Joanna Miao. “We park near Fantasia, so typically we would be able to cut across to the restaurant in a three minute walk. But with the gates, we have to go around, and sometimes we have gotten lost. I’ve been going there for so long, and the new developments have been annoying.” Despite the challenges that come with rebuilding the shopping center, Kimco is working to accommodate everyone, including the businesses and customers. By the end of construction, Cupertino Village will become a more enriched shopping and dining center.
FOOTBALL// pg. 14
MICHYLA LIN — EPIC