Epic Issue 4, 2019

CMEA winner Pakaluk leads 19 musicians to All-State

BY MEDHA UPADHYAY

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create a symphony. While Pakaluk’s job is not always straightforward, listening to his students grasp a particularly dif�icult piece makes it all worthwhile.

“I realize that students want to be part of something great. They want to be challenged,” Pakaluk said. “But they also want to have fun.

Music is something different for everyone, and I’ve learned that from my students.”

While band and orchestra are muchneeded stress relievers for many students, they also serve as sources of pride. On Jan. 6, 19 Lynbrook students were selected for the All-State Band and Orchestra, the most in California. They will travel to Fresno from Feb. 14-17, when they will collaborate with peers from all over California.

“All-State auditions are challenging, but luckily, Mr. Pakaluk is always willing to help,” said senior Iryl Tan, who made All-State for the �irst time this year. “For my audition, he sat down and went through every section of the music with me. He showed me how to interpret the piece so that it set me apart from the other people.”

Over the years, Lynbrook musicians have learned and grown together, from performing

at Carnegie Hall to playing in a worldclass concert hall in Zaragoza, Spain.

Through determination and relentless practice, Lynbrook students have built a reputation of musical excellence.

While Pakaluk refuses to take credit for the music department’s success, his expertise has served as a guiding force for his students.

“Mr. Pakaluk understands the different dimensions of a piece, not just the outer layer,” said sophomore Richard Chiu, who will be attending All-State for the second time. “He can bring out the colors that the composer meant for the band to play. He knows the inner workings of the music, and he makes us look for the �iner details.

He makes us more aware of what we are playing, and I think that is extremely valuable.”

Pakaluk’s title as Outstanding Orchestra Educator of the year is proof of the skill and experience that he brings to the music department, and is just one of the things that the Lynbrook community admires about him.

ARUL GNANASIVAM — EPIC

here is an anticipatory hush in the air as musicians stand at the ready, gripping their instruments �irmly as they wait for the signal from conductor Michael Pakaluk. A swish of his hand launches the students into a symphony. It is this kind of performance that sets the Lynbrook band and orchestra apart from the competition, and recently earned them distinguished accolades.

On Jan. 11, Pakaluk was awarded the California Music Education Association (CMEA) Section Outstanding Orchestra Educator award at the CMEA Bay Section Winter conference. While the CMEA executive board ultimately picks the winners for each of the 17 awards, any CMEA member, student or teacher can nominate a candidate. Awards recognize a wide range of musical educators, from those instructing at the elementary to college level, and cover many areas of expertise, from ethnic to choral music.

“The achievement of Mr. Pakaluk’s ensembles and the high level of his orchestras made him stand out,” said Bruce Lengacher, CMEA Bay Section president. “The person who nominated Mr. Pakaluk also mentioned that he was not an orchestra expert to begin with and worked at his string pedagogy to achieve the high standards that are evident in his program.”

While Pakaluk is now a certi�ied musical expert, it was his parents who encouraged him to initially try music. His father persuaded him to pick up the trumpet in fourth grade, and Pakaluk eventually joined his school band. Pakaluk recalls that his school’s program never had more than 20 musicians, but he now teaches almost 250 students in �ive different groups.

“I’m blessed to have really outstanding musicians, and they make me look good when they perform,” Pakaluk said. “It’s amazing to win awards, but I don’t teach to try and get awards. I’m just trying to guide my students and let them show their talents. ” Lynbrook musicians are unquestionably skilled, but a pro�icient director is required to take a group of strong musicians and

Governor Newsom establishes goals for the new year

BY KAYLIN LI

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naugurated on Jan. 7, Gavin Newsom has taken his place as California’s 40th governor. Newsom looks to achieve what he calls “audacious goals” through a $209 billion state budget that could tackle some of California’s biggest issues, such as education, homelessness and wild�ires.

As mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 and lieutenant governor of California for eight years, Gavin Newsom made strides in healthcare, same-sex marriage and education, and his budget will continue this trend. Not only has he set aside $1.8 billion toward universal preschool and $80.7 billion for K-12 education, but he also plans on setting aside $40 million to add a second year to tuition-free community college education.

To support teachers, $3 billion will go to reducing teachers pension obligations, providing more money for the classroom.

A statewide database would track student progress from pre K-12 to the workforce to evaluate the quality of California’s education.

“While keeping the pension system solvent is indeed a critically important priority, if school districts receive help from

the state in this area, it allows us to use our �inancial resources in ways that are more directly impactful for students,” said FUHSD superintendent Polly Bove. “For our school district, it may help us decrease our expenses by about 1 percent. And we are well aware that the high cost of living makes it imperative that we devote any saved expenses toward increasing staff compensation, which plays a huge part in ensuring ongoing student success.”

While a large focus of Newsom’s budget is on education, his plans also address many other issues California is facing. Newsom calls for $500 million in state aid for shelters for the homeless, and another $500 million for local governments to combat homelessness. $140 million will go to expanding Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented immigrants aged 19 to 25. $415 million will be invested into forest management for preventing and combating future wild�ires.

However, there is considerable risk in spending so much, as it is likely that California will experience a recession in the coming years. But some believe the bene�its outweigh the costs.

“I think Governor Newsom is moving in the

right direction. I know that people criticize him, because they think that spending money on education and other aspects of social welfare is risky, and we might go into recession,” said junior Maya Abiram, vice president of logistics for the Model United Nations Club. “But I think it's a good idea. If we invest in education, more people will be able to go to college and hold higher paying jobs, and we’ll see the results.”

In addition to Newsom’s several more progressive plans, he is likely to preserve many of the Brown administration’s policies on �iscal discipline and the rainy day fund.

“I think the nice thing about Governor Newsom is he will probably continue with many of Governor Brown's programs, which were generally positive for education,” said FUHSD deputy superintendent Graham Clark. “I think we're heading in the right direction, and hopefully, we can remain that way.”

There are many issues for Newsom to tackle, such as education, wild�ires and homelessness. As Newsom takes over the California administration, he hopes that through his plans, one day, these issues will be solved.

BOYS SOCCER // PG. 14 Camaraderie and competition on the field

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

Lynbrook evaluates various enrollment concerns

Hope you have been enjoying 2019 so far! With a new year comes a new issue of the Epic, so browse our pages to learn about Lynbrook’s declining enrollment (pg. 2).

Read our staff editorial (pg. 6) on revamping the junior year English curriculum to better re�lect a diverse America.

You know them, and you love them: the dream team assistant principals David Erwin and Eric Wong. Get to know the pair better through a behind-the-scenes look at their friendship and Wednesday morning announcements (pg. 7).

You may have heard about the government shutting down, but what does that really mean? Learn about what led to the longest government shutdown in American history and the impact of such shutdowns (pg. 11). Continuing with the theme of politics, read a thought-provoking story about being conservative in a liberalleaning area of America (pg. 10).

See how junior Cosmo Cao has been racing toward victory with his win at the De Anza League League Finals and an early recruitment by Pomona College (pg. 13).

Also, visit our website, lhsepic.com, for more content!

Wishing you a smooth second semester, Justine Chen and Michelle Lum

AMC Math Contest The AMC A will be on Feb. 7 during 7th period, and the AMC B will be on Feb. 13 before school.

Mardi Gras French Honor Society is hosting a Mardi Gras celebration in the auditorium on Feb. 15 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will be performances from French classes, fun activities and delicious food.

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hen talking about the environment, things are heating up. At a time when the U.S. has the highest carbon emissions in the world, change seems imperative.

With San Jose’s Clean Energy initiative, the city plans to prompt such change.

By implementing a new system that promises to decrease city emissions by 18 percent, the environmentalist spark in the community is gaining voltage quickly.

“The San Jose Clean Energy initiative, which makes us go 80 percent carbon free with our energy, is a huge step forward from the environmentalist viewpoint,” said Dr. Nimisha Shukla, PhD in Environmental Science and Oceanography. “We’ve always advocated being cognizant of our actions” impact on our surroundings, and starting February, we’ll actually be taking concrete steps toward lowering our footprints.”

The program will switch San Jose’s

San Jose Clean Energy initiative

residential and commercial buildings to one of two clean energy systems. The default option, GreenSource, receives 45 percent of its energy from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, and another 35 percent from additional carbon-free sources, such as hydroelectric power. However, residents can choose another clean energy option offered by the program, TotalGreen, which promises to use 100 percent renewable and carbonfree sources but at a more expensive rate.

Starting in 2020, the program also hopes to implement a Rooftop Solar initiative through which residents can integrate renewable energy sources directly into their houses with the installation of solar panels.

If successful, the program will decrease carbon emissions dramatically, with predicted effects equivalent 35,000 fewer cars from roads. It will also lower costs by 1 percent from the standard Paci�ic Gas & Electric (PG&E) provider. Similar initiatives in other cities by the same program have shown promising economic bene�its, saving $89 million in the Bay Area alone since

implementation. Many in the community are delighted by the switch. Junior Madeline Shao, for example, sees many potential bene�its of the new energy source.

“As an environment enthusiast, I’m excited for this new energy system,” Shao said. “I do as much as I can to keep my household carbon emissions low, and this new source is a big step forward for the city. The fact that it’s cheaper than the PG&E sourced energy also means a lot to my family.”

Some, however, feel more hesitant about this change. Thus, the San Jose Clean Energy program does allow residents to opt-out by �illing out a form and thereby stick with the standard PG&E’s hybrid sources.

“I think many of us have concerns about the reliability of the new energy source,” said sophomore Roy Long. “The standard [PG&E] has more of a reputation as well.”

As the date of implementation nears, the city of San Jose is charged in anticipation for change. Whether the Clean Energy program’s effects will be electrifyingly positive or shockingly disappointing, are yet to be seen.

CUSTOMER

SOURCE

DELIVERY GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ARUL GNANASIVAM AND JESSICA LI

Coffee House Talent Show The Coffee House Talent Show is in the library on Feb. 15 from 7:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. This is a judgement-free zone for students to express their unique talents, so come watch and enjoy!

President’s Week No Classes Feb. 18-22 Enjoy the week off from Feb. 18 through Feb. 22! There will be no classes due to President’s Week.

by Sunny Li

03

Bay Area cities increase minimum wage

BY HATIM SAIFEE

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he clock strikes twelve, ushering in the new year. In several South Bay cities, including San Jose, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale, the start of the new year also meant an increase in the minimum hourly wage to $15 per hour.

The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since July 2009. California’s minimum wage has been increasing steadily due to the rising cost of living.

“The property values are going to continue increasing in California,”said government and economics teacher David Pugh. “There is going to be a demand for high wages. You cannot live in this area on $7.25 per hour. ” According to California Senate Bill (SB) 3, the state’s minimum wage, currently set at $11 per hour for employers with less than 25 employees and $12 per hour for employers with more than 25 employees, is set to rise $1 each year to reach $15 per hour by 2023.

15 cities in the Santa Clara County instated the $15 minimum wage this year. After 2019, these cities will determine the need for an increase in minimum wage depending on whether there is a net increase in the cost of living.

The process that goes into determining the minimum wage is divided into the technical and political aspects, according to Matthew Record, a professor of political science at San Jose State University. The technical process includes creating a minimum wage high enough to help people with low income but not so high as to harm businesses. However, Record believes that it is the political aspect that brought

wage, senior Kavya Balaji has been working as a tutor at Brighter Future Learning Center in Saratoga for two and a half years and earns $14.50 per hour, which is higher than Saratoga’s minimum wage of $11 per hour.

“This is the campus that’s closest to my house, and I’m not really doing it for the money,” Balaji said. “I would de�initely prefer working in a city with a pay rate of $15 per hour if the location were closer to my house.

I make a decent amount anyway, so it’s okay.”

Employers, on the other hand, will be faced with the challenge of having to pay employees more. Carlos Ramos, general manager of Tomatina, deals with the increased minimum wage by cutting down costs of air conditioning and napkins. He acknowledges the disadvantages of having to pay employees more but looks at it through the employees’ perspective as well.

“The disadvantages [of higher minimum wage] are less money and growth,” Ramos said. “Minimum wage is not ideal but is needed since housing has been bad in the Bay Area, so people need to be paid more.”

Ramos views the minimum wage hike as an advantage for employment appeal and job applicants.

“We get more applicants,” Ramos said. “There seem to be more people coming in for a job opposed to last year where we didn’t have people to cover positions. We do have a parent company that owns a large amount of different businesses, so it has the capital to keep us open.”

While an increase in minimum wage may seem more bene�icial to some people more than others and push employers to make dif�icult choices, it is an important step in ensuring that city residents are able to meet the rising cost of living in the Bay Area.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NEWS SECTION

the $15 minimum wage to reality.

“I think $15 per hour minimum wage was just a slogan that took hold,” Record said. “It was a number that was high enough to shake up the political status quo. But it was also low enough that it wasn’t unthinkable politically.

It has to do with the Bernie Sanders campaign and the underlying socialism that has been bubbling among younger people.”

Despite the bene�its that an increased minimum wage offers to employees, it also leads to disadvantages. While it increases students salaries, some are concerned about its long-term effects.

“I think it’s good to bump up the minimum wage, but at the same time, if you bump up the minimum pay wage, everything else will just rise in cost,” said senior Arjun Kaushik, who works at Tuxedo Warehouse. “[Because of in�lation], that increase of money is basically incremental to the workers that it affects. So, it’s not going to actually make much of a difference in the workers’ lives.”

Saratoga, however, chose to stick with the scheduled minimum wage increases enforced by SB 3. Despite a lower minimum

Four of California’s recently enacted state laws

BY NICOLE ONG

SB 179

Dear readers,

FUHSD Band Exchange Concert Lynbrook’s music program will be performing at the FUHSD Band Exchange Concert at Monta Vista High School on Feb. 6. Come out between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to enjoy great music from Lynbrook and other FUHSD schools!

San Jose flips the switch to sustainable energy

BY PRANAV MISHRA

Letter from the Editors

National Women in Sports Day Feb. 6 Celebrate National Women in Sports Day on Feb. 6 by supporting the Lady Vikings at their home games. Basketball will be playing Los Altos on Feb. 5 and soccer will be playing Wilcox on Feb. 6.

SB 822

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nrollment of incoming freshmen is a topic that the FUHSD community has continually revisited over recent years due to declining class sizes at Lynbrook.

Despite the many measures taken to help increase enrollment, data projects an overall downward trend in enrollment numbers over the next three to four years.

With Lynbrook’s enrollment reaching its lowest point in a decade in 2016, the FUHSD Board passed the Lynbrook Supplemental School Assignment Plan (LSSAP) to improve numbers. The LSSAP was a plan formulated by the Citizens Advisory Committee on Enrollment (CAC), a group of staff, students and community members who study FUHSD’s enrollment needs and make recommendations to the board.

“We looked at and identi�ied what the issues were, and we also had external analysts give us information on what the enrollment projections were. Using all the parameters, we tried to come up with the best compromise that we could,” CAC member Jena Rajabally said. “We didn’t want enrollment to suddenly grow because that would create a bubble. Instead, we wanted a gradual increase to the point where we had a very comfortable school population.”

The LSSAP guarantees all students from Miller Middle School and Christa McAuliffe School the option to enroll at Lynbrook, while reserving 22 spots at the high school for Hyde Middle School students who wish to attend Lynbrook. Implementing the plan added around 80 students to the Lynbrook student body for the 2018-2019 school year. Additionally, the LSSAP contributed to Lynbrook’s 200 overall transfer students for the 2017-2018 school year, a number signi�icantly higher than that of any other school in the district.

In order to help students who qualify for the LSSAP make the decision of where to attend high school, the Lynbrook administration organized a “Shadow a

Viking” day, which took place on Jan. 18. The more signi�icant, thus leading to the creation event was led by Link Crew students, who of the CAC. Since Lynbrook’s student led eighth graders through a typical day at population is already traditionally lower than Lynbrook, hoping to inform prospective the other schools, the effects of declining students about courses and activities that enrollment will be noticeable much sooner.

Lynbrook offers, in addition to school culture.

The FUHSD is searching for long-term “Although some online ratings about solutions to stabilize decreasing enrollment Lynbrook’s environment are negative, after since low student population has many going on this tour, I’ve actually seen that it consequences. A smaller student body would is a really nice school,” said Usayd Ahmed, lead to a decline in staf�ing, resulting in fewer an eighth grade student at Lawson Middle elective course options, with the possible School. “Everyone was really welcoming removal of classes such as French 1, Japanese and open and that gives me a very positive 1 and some music classes. Fewer staff outlook on the school.” would also potentially reduce the number The decision to continue the LSSAP of clubs available to students. Additionally, for two more years a school with stems from recent lower enrollment data that showed that “Although the high cost would compete in declining enrollment the lower division in the Cupertino of housing is affecting of the California Union School District, Interscholastic which feeds into enrollment throughout the Federation (CIF), FUHSD schools, has Bay Area, once more houses the governing resulted in a decline body of sports in in resident enrollment sell, we may see more California high at Lynbrook. By 2023, schools. Decreased students.” resident student participation in population for athletics may result Polly Bove in fewer sports teams.

Lynbrook is projected FUHSD Superintendent to drop by more than “This year, there 300 students, leading was a chance that to the FUHSD board’s we would not have a decision to renew the football team because plan by introducing a maximum of 90 transfer we didn’t have enough students coming out students each year. to play,” Rajabally said. “[Sports teams] are a “[The declining enrollment] is largely part of the school’s culture. We want to have due to the fact that there are fewer homes teams representing our school, whether it be within the LHS attendance area than in [the in sports, or in drama, or whatever activity it attendance areas of] the district’s other may be. We don’t want to lose that.” schools, and families are choosing to stay By implementing the LSSAP to help in their homes rather than sell,” FUHSD maintain previous stable enrollment Superintendent Polly Bove said. “Although the numbers at Lynbrook, the community hopes high cost of housing is affecting enrollment to maintain its expected student population throughout the Bay Area, once more houses size. While the smaller exiting senior Class of sell, we may see more students.”

2019 and larger prospective freshman Class Although all the other FUHSD schools are of 2023 may provide temporarily improved projected to have lower enrollment as well, enrollment numbers, the FUHSD will the effects on Lynbrook are comparatively continue to seek further long-term solutions.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NEWS SECTION

BY SRINIDHI SESHADRI

News in Brief

NEWS

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enate Bill (SB) 179, proposed by California State President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, introduces a nonbinary gender option denoted by the letter “X” on California driver’s licenses, identi�ication cards and birth certi�icates. Minors must �irst petition to change their gender markers and obtain the written consent of one parent or legal guardian; however, the court may deny them if a parent objects or if the court feels that the change is not in the minor’s best interest.

The bill also clari�ies and reforms the general process for changing gender identity markers on state-issued identity documents.

Previously, individuals seeking changes to their gender markers and their names, if requested, on their birth certi�icates were also required to appear in court, even if no one had �iled an objection to this change.

SB 179 removes this requirement; the court will now allow changes to gender markers and names without a court hearing.

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n response to the Federal Communication Commission’s 2017 repeal of net neutrality, which prevents internet service providers (ISPs) from manipulating data that is sent through the internet, California State Senator Scott Wiener proposed SB 822. Without net neutrality, ISPs can block content, charge more for faster access to certain websites through paid prioritization, or alter the speed at which a website transmits data, an act referred to as throttling.

SB 822 restores Obama-era neutrality rules prohibiting content blocking, paid prioritization and throttling; it also bans the evasion of net neutrality requirements. Additionally, the bill also prohibits zero-rating, where ISPs can allow users to use an application or access internet content without counting that data towards a user’s data limit imposed by the service provider. The ban of zero-rating differentiates SB 822 from the United States’ previous net neutrality laws.

AB 485

NEWS

AB 3077

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hile California has enacted numerous laws pertaining to the sale, care and welfare of animals, there are no restrictions on where stores acquire their animals from. In an effort to reduce the number of sales of animals from commercial animal breeders, known for mass producing animals in inhuman conditions, Assembly Bill (AB) 485 was proposed

by Assembly members Patrick O’Donnell and Matt Dabadneh.

While individuals may buy pets directly from breeders, AB 485 prohibits pet stores from selling cats, dogs or rabbits unless they come from a public animal control agency, shelter, nonpro�it or rescue group.

Pet stores must also maintain records documenting the source of their animals for at least one year after acquiring the animal and post where the animal came from on the animal’s cage or other enclosure.

Those who violate the law are subject to a $500 �ine per animal not kept in compliance with this guideline.

A

B 3077, proposed by Assembly member Anna Caballero, serves to increase helmet use and enforce existing helmet policies by providing new standards for minors to correct their violation if they are found to not be wearing properly �itted and fastened helmets while riding on a bicycle, scooter or skateboard or while wearing roller skates. It aims to help reach the California Department of Transportation’s goal to reduce bicycle fatalities by 10 percent per year.

No changes have been made to the existing rules for penalization, which state that a violation will result in a �ine of up to $25, which may be dismissed if it is the �irst offense. AB 3077 now allows minors to correct their violations without paying a �ine if their parents can prove that they have a helmet which meets certain standards. The minor must also complete a local bicycle safety course if available; both of these actions must occur within 120 days after the citation is issued.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NEWS SECTION

OPINION Kevin Hart must recognize the harm in his tweets 04

LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL | THE EPIC

lhsepic.com

Celebrities' improper behavior warrants apology and changed mindset

BY HSIN YEN HUANG

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of remaining apolitical, a signi�icant increase she enjoys being “cruel to old white men.” in voter registration resulted. If a celebrity’s Nevertheless, the New York Times stood by power is used incorrectly, it sends a message its decision to hire Jeong since her tweets to their followers that expressing politically were taken out of context. As an Asian woman in journalism, Jeong is often subject to verbal incorrect beliefs is permissible.

“Everyone, regardless of their popularity, attacks, and to retaliate, she had tweeted should be mature and responsible about using the offensive language of her harassers what they post because it re�lects on their as a way of mocking them. Jeong’s case shows character,” said senior Tanvi Narvekar, how the practice of unearthing politically incorrect tweets from asocial media user. the past can be used as “Celebrities should a form of intimidation, a be more cautious and understand that social "Everyone should be mature practice that has forced organizations in the past media has the power and responsible about what to let internet trolls win to spread bad and good news quickly and they post because it reflects for the sake of company reputation. Unlike Hart, potentially ruin their on their character." however, Jeong issued an career and reputation.” apology, stating that she More importantly, a Tanvi Narvekar has matured and would negative reaction from Senior not be using the same the public reinforces rhetoric again. that politically “The backlash that incorrect messages celebrities receive really have no place in today’s society. Though backlash hurts does depend on the context of the tweet,” Raj one's reputation, it discourages them from said. “Kevin Hart literally went up on stage going down the same path and inspire social and made an offensive joke about abusing change. After Roseanne Barr, star of the TV his son for being gay, but in Sarah Jeong’s show “Roseanne,” tweeted racist comments case, her tweets were taken out of context, so about a former Obama aide, “Roseanne” that’s a different story.”

Since Hart’s run-in with the Twitter was canceled by ABC. The cancellation of “Roseanne” shows a major broadcasting mobs, he has issued multiple apologies for company proclaiming its intolerance for his tweets, but he has refused to comment on how he has grown from the controversy. racist comments.

In some cases, the backlash that Still, Hart’s act of blaming social justice celebrities receive from groups is designed warriors for policing comedy rather than to impede their success. After tech culture apologizing for his jokes doomed him from journalist Sarah Jeong was announced to the start. People will always remember be joining the New York Times editorial Hart making this moment about himself as board, alt-right groups claimed that Jeong a victim when he should have empathized was racist toward Caucasian people, citing with the community he hurt. Every Twitter her tweets as evidence, as she had tweeted controversy case is different, and hopefully, “#CancelWhitePeople,” and stated that this will mark Hart’s last one.

life, I have personally experienced how many of the traditions have brought my family together. Getting ready for festivals with my mom, helping my dad set up our house for guests coming to celebrate and teaching my younger brother about our customs when we were younger are memories I will cherish forever. My religion is also what allowed me to discover my passion for classical Indian dance, which has taught me many important morals and values, such as the importance of hard work and dedication . However, there are other aspects of our religion that leave me feeling isolated.

Western civilizations have been striving to achieve gender equality, with progressive steps such as the annual Women’s March, the #MeToo movement and California Senate Bill 826, which states that every company has to have women on their board. Despite these events, women continue to face discrimination in their respective religions.

Women are banned from many sacred sites, such as the Mount Athos monastery in Greece; Haji Ali Dargah, the tomb of a Muslim saint; and many temples in India, because they are considered impure or a

distraction to men. If a woman breaks these rules, she may be threatened and abused by male protestors, as was the case after two women, aged 42 and 44, attempted to enter the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, India on Dec. 24, 2018. It is customary for Hindu women not to enter a temple or participate in any religious festivities while they are on their period, but Sabarimala was one of the few temples that had banned all women of childbearing age until recently. Despite the Indian government overturning the ban at Sabarimala in September 2018, people still protest against women entering. Although these rules discriminate against women, many females also protest the breaking of these rules as it is a traditional standard in their faith. Many of them tend to be older women, who have grown up with the suffocating rules and have accepted them as their only reality.

Often, while the rest of my family goes into the temple, I have to either stay at home or wait outside the temple because I am on my period. When this happens, I feel embarrassed, especially when I am waiting for my family to return. Strangers that are

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY OPINION SECTION

evin Hart stepped down from hosting the 2019 Oscars after facing backlash for his past homophobic tweets.

Brother Nature, an internet personality, apologized in late 2018 after Twitter users exposed the pro-Nazi and racist posts he made at the age of 12. In an increasingly online world in which celebrities and their fans are realizing that their social media history is public, cases like these are becoming more common. While it is dif�icult to draw the line of what constitutes forgivable behavior, an apology and a mindset shift should always be expected of celebrities after being dealt mob justice by the internet.

In December 2018, Hart was announced as the host of the 2019 Oscars, yet he resigned two days later after Twitter users drew attention to his past homophobic jokes.

Hart had previously tweeted jokes about other celebrities looking “gay” and stated in a 2010 stand-up show that he would try to prevent one of his “biggest fears”: his son “growing up gay.” The Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences gave Hart the choice to either apologize or lose his position as the host, with Hart choosing the latter so that the controversy surrounding him would not be a “distraction” on awards night. Hart’s initial refusal to apologize stems from his belief that he had already apologized for his old tweets, most of which were before 2011.

Hart had also explained in a 2015 interview that his comments were actually an attempt to satirize his own fragile masculinity.

His stubborn defense of his homophobia

separates him from other celebrities who have faced backlash over social media. What could have been a moment of understanding turned into one where Hart defended the pain he in�licted upon the LGBTQ+ community.

“It is necessary for celebrities to apologize for offensive tweets, considering they have such a large platform and can in�luence so many people,” said junior Katie Luu. “[Hart’s] lack of apology made him look ignorant because it made it seem like he did not understand why people were angry when they had every right to be.”

Furthermore, when Hart made an appearance on the television show “Ellen,” he asserted his victimhood at the hands of the internet mob. Host Ellen DeGeneres, an openly lesbian woman in the entertainment industry, defended him, blaming internet trolls and haters for taking Hart’s jokes out of context. However, DeGeneres’s conversation with Hart reads as a person detached from the queer community convincing Hart that his actions were permissible. What both parties misunderstood is that the reaction Hart received was an attempt by online users to understand the intent behind his message and chastise him for holding discriminatory views as a celebrity with a large following.

“Ellen is a big icon in the LGBTQ+ community, but she doesn’t represent the entire community by saying Kevin Hart should still be a host at the Oscars,” said sophomore Vishma Raj. “Not everyone will agree with that, and the majority of LGBTQ+ people don’t because Kevin Hart made a lot of harmful jokes about homophobia.”

Celebrities are in a unique position in which the public is watching their every move, so it is important that they are aware of their reach. For example, when Taylor Swift encouraged her fans to vote in the 2018 midterm elections after a long period

KAVYA IYER //IN MY OPINION

Gender equality in Hinduism

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eligion. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism. All these different faiths, along with countless more, are united under this one word: religion. Originally created as a way to bring people together, some of the religious guidelines that followers may have to adhere to have become outdated with changing times and the evolution of civilizations. Although some still unify individuals, others are now used to divide and discriminate against certain members of society. Having been a Hindu my entire

entering the temple will know that I am on my period, resulting in me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Recently, many came together to form a 385 mile chain in Kerala to protest the gender inequality in Hinduism. I believe this peaceful protest was another successful step forward for female empowerment. Being considered too impure to enter a religious sanctum due to my period still, to this day, makes me feel ashamed of something that is a natural part of my body which I have no control over. Instead of creating a taboo against menstruation with rules like those implemented at Hindu temples, we should work to remove all stigma.

I am in no way ashamed of my religion; my culture has played a huge role in shaping me into who I am today, and for that I will forever be grateful. However, I do believe that as times change, religion should adapt with them. I hope more people will take a stand like those who protested at Sabarimala, and people will be propelled by the voices of those against gender inequality, allowing religion to evolve into a better �it for modern civilization as we know it.

OPINION

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

05

Unpacking Amazon's controversies

BY CLAIRE CHIU

A

fter Amazon unboxed its newest project, Amazon Headquarters 2.0 (HQ2), protesters �illed the streets of New York City to voice their dissent.

Criticism over the headquarters’ locations and working conditions have fueled public disapproval of Amazon. The retail giant’s actions, though legal, are morally wrong and require serious revision.

In November 2018, Amazon announced its plan to build a second headquarters split between two campuses: one in Long Island, New York, and another in Crystal City, Virginia.

The company is set to receive $3 million in state and city incentives on top of the bid money for its new campuses, a reward for the revenue Amazon could possibly generate for the cities. Bidding prices started from $5 billion, but in an effort to beat out other rival states, many states bid more than required.

Many expressed disapproval over the billions wasted in bidding that could have been used to bene�it city residents.

“It is interesting to see these competitions between states to incentivize companies to relocate because you need to look at whether it’s a good deal for the states,” said economics and government teacher Jeffrey Bale. “States have provided housing for employees and huge tax breaks for Amazon. If you look back on it, the taxpayers’ dollars aren’t being repaid in the long run.”

Amazon has received immense backlash for HQ2; residents of each city were not noti�ied prior to Amazon's decision to house its headquarters in these two cities because no public hearings or votes on the project were held. While withholding company decisions are not illegal, the inhabitants of Long Island and Crystal City had no say in a decision that could drastically change their everyday lives. While Amazon’s presence can certainly boost the cities’ economies, it can also have other consequences: skyhigh housing prices which may lead to an increase in homelessness. New job openings mean more demand for housing, which further drives up housing prices of already expensive areas, including

New York. The worsening traf�ic, rising housing prices and homelessness crisis in Seattle, Amazon's mother city, are examples of the possible repercussions of HQ2.

“If you’re putting a headquarters in a major metropolitan area, it’ll cause greater problems,” said AP U.S. History and World History teacher Steven Roy. “There are plenty of non-major metropolitan areas that have good infrastructure that are good choices. For example, there is Detroit, which is economically depressed and could use the economic boost.”

Amazon’s announcement of HQ2 comes a few months after a controversy concerning its neglect of blue-collar workers, the backbone of the company’s success. At the time, many delivery workers, packers and forklift drivers lived paycheck to paycheck on a $13.50 per hour wage. New Food Economy found that in 2017, nearly one in three Amazon employees in Amazon were on food stamps or living with someone who was, indicating that many workers were below the poverty line.

Amazon warehouse workers have a package quota to �ill, and many strain themselves in order to achieve these quotas. The strenuous labor involved, in addition to the long work hours and limited breaks overall have resulted in worker injuries, miscarriages and even deaths.

According to Vice, 600 ambulance calls have been placed for Amazon employees due to injuries in Amazon UK warehouses from 2015 to 2018, an amount that far surpasses that of local shipping businesses.

“My job is not just like a normal ice cream scooping job. You have to make ice cream from start to �inish, and you stand there for hours and hours with maybe a 10-minute break in between,” said senior Aditi Raja, a part-time worker at Creamistry.

“I can’t imagine how much more strenuous it must be for Amazon workers. I feel like I would be fed up by the end, and the thing is now, I could quit my job, and I could be �ine, but the Amazon workers can’t do that.”

In interviews, podcasts and news stories, vocal workers have spoken out about the abuse they endured from having been treated solely as producers. Tasha Murrell, an exworker at an Amazon warehouse in Memphis, miscarried due to continuous, hard labor and long hours due to neglect. When asked if she could take time off, her supervisor coldly told

her to get an abortion and said that she would not authorize Murrell’s absence.

Later that day, Murrell miscarried.

Worker dissatisfaction eventually led to protests, in which workers demanded for higher wages and better treatment.

For all the work they do, they deserve fair treatment. After much effort to quell protests to no avail, Amazon �inally relented and increased wages of workers, though not without �irst cutting performance bonuses that could result in up to a loss of $300 per month.

“Total compensation includes all bene�its and any bonuses that might occur,” Bale said. “Changing one element but reducing another doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better.”

In recent months, efforts have been made to raise the wages of Amazon workers to $15.25 per hour. However, the money is not enough. Workers need safer working environments, as well as more frequent breaks and maternity leave. Amazon makes millions, and without the support of their blue collar workers, Amazon would not be the big corporation it is today.

Amazon's move to New York and Virginia may seem to be a done deal, but legislative changes ameliorating current worker conditions can prevent crises.

Politicians and advocates such as Lisa Herbold and Teresa Mosqueda of the Seattle City Council are pushing for a law that will hold Amazon accountable for the consequences of creating HQ2, and have even gone as far as traveling to New York to deliver their warnings. Among some of the discussed proposals are helping out with keeping the homelessness rates down and addressing the needs of Amazon’s blue collar workers.

Fellow giant Microsoft, also with a headquarters in Seattle, has set an example for corporations and their relationships with their home cities, as it is currently investing $500 million into Seattle to help with low income housing.

Likewise, Amazon should follow in the footsteps of Microsoft and contribute to the communities they are building in.

It is now up to Amazon to heed the people’s demands and take action before its problems escalate.

ART ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE LEE

SADHANA SARMA//IN MY OPINION

Communication saves vacations

M

y mother’s jaw dropped as I told her I couldn’t go to my sister’s wedding reception. She never realized that my last day of school was on the day of our �light for Atlanta. Luckily, I didn’t miss out on anything — school or the wedding; I simply joined my family a day later. But similar situations happen all the time. Living with my parents, the king and queen of spontaneous trip planning, I often �ind myself explaining that I still have obligations over break for my extracurricular activities. After many of these conversations, I have �inally learned one sure-�ire way to communicate my agenda with my parents: email. If my mother received one email about a DECA trip or a journalism workshop over break, she would never dare plan a trip at the same time.

Lynbrook organizations tend to hold events over winter and spring breaks.

For example, DECA’s regional conference occurred from Jan. 4 to 6 this year, coinciding with winter break for the �irst time in many years. Winter and spring sports hold games and meets over break. When it comes to sports, the issue of getting PE credit by attending all events also factors in. As many extracurricular activities are more than an opportunity to have fun, students are often left in a limbo, choosing between a family vacation or their dedication to an extracurricular activity.

When Key Club held its district convention on the �irst weekend of spring break 2018, I was eager to go and meet other students from across California, Nevada and Hawaii, all while learning leadership skills. I eagerly mentioned the event to my parents, thinking that their shared excitement meant that my plans were set in stone: from April 13 to 15, I would be dressed in my best business formal attire at a large convention center in Reno.

Months passed, and as I began to set my �light plans for the trip, my mother asked me, “You’re going out of town?” I was used to this; a quick reminder should suf�ice. Except this time, she told me that I couldn’t go on a chool trip when we were going on a trip to Cancún.

Now, I know that it is largely my fault for not formally informing my parents about such a large trip, but hindsight is 20/20. Luckily again, everything worked out; no plans had been made for a trip to Cancún. In fact, the idea of a vacation to Mexico had just been planted in my mother’s mind that morning.

As the preparations for that same Key Club convention ensue this year, I am making sure that my Key Club adviser CC’s my parents in all correspondences about trip planning.

Every time my mother receives an email from my adviser, she barges into my room to ask if I’d like the email to be forwarded to me —of course, I’ve already received the same email, but she doesn’t need to know that. I’m just happy that she is well aware of my trip, and it’s all thanks to email.

While my case is an extreme one, the sentiment is still the same: correspondence with parents, rather than just students, goes a long way in planning for events over break.

Organizations on campus should reach out to parents ahead of time to prevent any con�licts during breaks. It is important to recognize that school-af�iliated events are valuable, but people may not always remember them in the grand scheme of “break,” as they can get easily distracted by potential vacations.

Breaks are a promising time, full of fun and relaxation, but some of my best breaks have been chock full of extracurricular activities, like Key Club and the Epic. It would be a shame if I missed out on such opportunities just because an email arrived in my mom’s inbox a little too late.

06

OPINION

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

Texas court ruling jeopardizes Obamacare reforms

BY ELENA WILLIAMS

P

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ELENA WILLIAMS

aralysis. Pregnancy. Diabetes.

These three conditions have little in common, except that they each could have caused a patient to be declined medical insurance before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, came into effect in 2014.

For years, healthcare in the U.S. has been expensive and insuf�icient, particularly for low-income people, young adults and those with pre-existing conditions. If these uninsured people have a medical emergency, such as a broken limb, a car accident or a cancer diagnosis, they risk �inancial ruin.

“Healthcare is a basic necessity,” said Heather Kong, vice president of Pre-Medical Club. “If somebody is sick and they need money for treatment, there should be a policy in place to help them.”

The ACA aimed to improve the affordability and accessibility of health insurance. Though it improved the situation markedly, it has faced strong legal and political resistance. Most recently, the program was jeopardized on Dec. 14, 2018, when Texas Judge Reed O’Connor declared the law unconstitutional and thus invalid.

Should his decision be upheld, the several millions covered by the ACA will be in danger of losing essential healthcare.

One subject of controversy in the ACA is a provision known as the individual mandate, which required most Americans to purchase a basic healthcare plan or face paying a �ine. In 2014, the Supreme Court upheld the mandate as an exercise of Congress’s taxation power; the �ine for not buying health insurance, the court ruled, was a legal mode of tax collection. Still, pressure from opponents built until Congress voted to nullify the mandate in 2017, setting the tax to $0. Since then, the rest of the ACA has remained in effect, simply without enforcing the requirement to buy healthcare.

This created a problem for insurance companies due to the guaranteed issue clause, another provision of the ACA which prohibited private insurers from charging more or declining coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions. Many healthy people terminated their plans when Congress voted to stop enforcing the individual mandate.

By the guaranteed issue clause, insurers were still required to cover patients with pre-existing conditions who spend more on medical bills, thus dramatically increasing the average cost per patient and forcing insurers to charge more overall.

“If you don’t want companies to be able to deny or price coverage on the basis of preexisting conditions, then you have to have a system where people can’t just wait until they get sick to buy insurance,” said Michelle Mello, professor of law and health policy at Stanford University. “That leads to adverse selection and a ‘death spiral’ that destroys the insurance market.”

In short, the individual mandate was meant to work in conjunction with the guaranteed issue clause by decreasing the average cost per patient for insurers, and offsetting the increased costs of covering patients with pre-existing conditions.

This was the basis of O'Connor's ruling.

Since the Supreme Court framed the individual mandate as a Congressional tax that was no longer generating revenue, it could not be considered a tax and was therefore unconstitutional. O’Connor argued that since the rest of the ACA was structured around the individual mandate, the act must be struck down as a whole.

However, many legal scholars disagree with the ruling, including Professor Michael McConnell, former Tenth Circuit Court judge and director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford. He argues that since the individual mandate tax is no longer being enforced, it functions as a recommendation rather than a law, and therefore cannot be considered unconstitutional.

“The district court confused a congressional decision to render the mandate [ineffective] with unconstitutionality,” McConnell said. “A 0 percent tax is not unconstitutional; it is just toothless. The reason Congress deemed the rest of the statute inseparable from the mandate was a matter of economic reality, not of form. It was Congress's decision to [set] the rate to zero.”

The decision was met with severe pushback from Democrats, who promised to appeal it and �ight to preserve the rest of the ACA. Those who disagree with the basis of the ruling, including Professors McConnell and Mello, foresee a quick end to the debate.

“I think it is likely that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will reverse the district court's decision, and that the Supreme Court will deny review,” McConnell said.

Regardless, the ACA will stay in effect for at least the short term, which is a relief to many. Despite the contested legality of the ACA, it remains a popular reform; in fact, public approval for the ACA as a whole has increased since its passage in 2010.

Besides the guaranteed issue clause, the ACA offers several other protections to those at risk of losing coverage. It expanded both Medicaid and Medicare, aiding those who are unable to afford healthcare themselves and reducing the medical costs for the elderly.

Additionally, under the ACA, insurance plans cover preventative care; businesses with over �ifty employees are required to provide insurance plans to full-time employees.

One provision affects the Lynbrook population in particular: the requirement that people under the age of 26 be covered under their parents’ plans. Repealing the ACA would leave many young adults struggling with the sudden �inancial burdens of adulthood and the added challenge of paying for often costly medical insurance. These costs affect their choices; the increased price of living can discourage young adults from taking out student loans or going to university before entering the workforce.

“Some of my friends have a lot of medical bills," said Samiksha Patil, vice president of the Health Education Association of Lynbrook. "It's very stressful when they don’t know how they can pay for college."

The ACA was built on the philosophy that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. While the individual mandate has its downsides, it is better for some to be forced to buy health insurance than for others to be forced to live without it. Judge O’Connor’s verdict employs a dubious legal justi�ication to attempt to dismantle a law which many people desperately need.

The Declaration of Independence proclaims the unalienable right of all people to life, and the private insurance system has failed to adequately protect the lives of millions of Americans. The ACA is the closest legislators have come to remedying this problem; overturning it would deny millions a right they were promised was unalienable.

Redefining American literature for a diverse classroom

B

eing American in the 17th century meant being Caucasian, and being an American author meant being a white male; however, the past four centuries of America’s existence have undoubtedly altered what it means to be American. A glance at the country’s culture in recent years clearly demonstrates this: tremendous efforts have been made toward women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and racial equality, with the Women’s March, Pride Month and #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Despite this, the changing American social fabric has been minimally re�lected in the curricula of American Literature and AP English Language and Composition (APLAC), even though the FUHSD de�ines American Literature classes as “a chronological or thematic study of American literature, its literary periods and major writing,” “encouraging wider reading including classics by American authors” and states that “[APLAC] uses a survey of American literature."

Decisions regarding the content taught in each classroom are made at a state or local level; at Lynbrook, English course curricula and the master list of literature for all classes are decided by the English department. Junior year core texts, which all American Literature and APLAC teachers must teach, include “The Scarlet Letter,” “The Great Gatsby” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Teachers are free to choose their additional pieces of literature, as long as they contribute to the courses’ main objectives of students becoming familiar with the American literary tradition and can connect it with the nation’s history; however, the current American pieces chosen by teachers do not do America’s traditions and history justice.

“One of the problems is that many of the big foundational works were written by white men,” said Robert Richmond, English Department Lead and APLAC teacher. “But there's also a very rich and wonderful collection of contributions by women and people of color. We have to try to make room for that.”

Additionally, the de�inition of American authors

Staff Editorial The Voice of the Epic includes a vast range of individuals other than white males.

“A lot of times we read works by the same authors, who are usually a part of European culture, and it’s important to understand other worlds’ cultures because they are just as important,” said sophomore Helen Hu. Representing American literature with a majority of works by white males would not only be historically inaccurate, but it would also be an unjust neglect of the various ethnic groups and minorities that contribute to American culture. Students must be exposed to a wider range of experiences, as not doing so would be failing to recognize that America’s history was forged by a plethora of ethnic groups, as opposed to just one. “[American literature] should be representative of the different cultures that make up America, a melting pot,”

ELENA WILLIAMS — EPIC

said American Literature teacher Jessica Dunlap, “Ideally, we would be able to see the whole spectrum of what it means to be American and the variation in the American experience.”

Individual teachers at Lynbrook have already made efforts to diversify courses, despite the possible challenges in expanding them. It can be dif�icult to �ind texts that provide broad cultural experiences while balancing the need for appropriate content for high school readers and o engage students in deep discussion.

“We think about ways to change up the curriculum, but the problem is �inding works that are more representative of the diversity in our country that are meaty enough and appropriate for classroom discussion,” Dunlap said.

World Literature and European Literature teacher Kristy Harlin has included “In the Time of the Butter�lies” by Julia Alvarez in her lessons for several years, and Richmond and Dunlap have included “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. Additionally, several American Literature and APLAC classes include a supplemental reading project in which students choose an American novel from a comprehensive, diverse list. Possible works by immigrant authors include “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston, “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck and “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan. Despite current efforts, more must be done to improve on the current lack of diversity.

“To me, what we have still doesn’t seem adequate,” Richmond said. “We need to look at the whole curriculum.”

While discussion of the issue has begun, greater efforts at district and state levels must be made to align the literature students read with America's diversity.

Maintaining the 17th century de�inition of “American” fails to represent today's America. If an objective of studying American literature is to connect it to American history, it must done with both accuracy and sensitivity. *the Epic staff voted 36-0 in favor of this stance

07 FEATURES Erwin and Wong: the voices of “This Viking Life” LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL | THE EPIC

lhsepic.com

BY PATRICIA WEI

came with teaching history,” Wong said. “I enjoy �inding those than 100 ribbons in his of�ice to give to each fourth period opportunities to go into classrooms and getting to better class that guesses the song correctly, and Stevens estimates that 20 to 30 fourth period classrooms call each week. t is 8:50 a.m. in the of�ice on a Wednesday morning, and know students.”

Erwin, who is the father of a high school sophomore, often “Mr. Erwin and Mr. Wong make the announcements assistant principals David Erwin and Eric Wong and engaging and exciting, and I think it encourages ASB students school psychologist Dr. Brittany Stevens are ready for feels a paternalistic responsibility toward students.

“I’m old enough to be a parent [of the students here],” to make the announcements more interesting too,” senior another show. At 8:55 a.m., Erwin, standing in an electrical closet in the of�ice, plays a song on the PA system for the Erwin said. “Sometimes I see students here not just as Robyn Lee, ASB Community Link commissioner said. “The music encourages students to work together.” whole school. Erwin and Wong then read the daily bulletin students, but my children, and I want to see them do well.”

Erwin and Wong’s different experiences and attitudes Connecting over sports and food, as well as their desire to off a script prepared by Erwin while classrooms rapidly call 7756, Stevens’ of�ice, to guess the name of the song. Erwin complement each other. For Wong, who has worked solely help students, Erwin and Wong have a friendship that helps and Wong have dubbed these weekly announcements “This in FUHSD, Erwin’s experience in other districts such as them look forward to coming to work.

“We’re sometimes sarcastic and joke around with each Viking Life,” produced by W-LHSTV — just one way the Hayward, San Lorenzo and Millbrae brings him perspective two administrators add humor into their day. Erwin named on how schools outside of FUHSD face challenges. For Erwin, other, which shows a level of comfort and trust,” Wong said.

Stevens a producer of the show, and she reviews the scripts Wong’s easygoing nature allows him to be himself. Both “There are times when we have to deal with really serious embrace a casual working environment, bonding over how issues, and we know we have each other’s back.” he writes for the announcements.

“Mr. Erwin and Mr. Wong make each other and us laugh they prefer to not wear ties to work.

“I feel like [Mr. Wong] has helped me become lighter and all the time,” Stevens said. “Their friendship is really positive funnier,” Erwin said. “There’s a running joke that he’s my and adds so much humor to our lives.”

Erwin and Wong began working together in 2013, when little brother.”

Erwin and Wong also establish better Wong came to Lynbrook after serving as a teacher and dean at Fremont High School. Erwin had been working at friendships with other staff Lynbrook as assistant principal of activities for three years. of�ice Prior to working at Lynbrook, Erwin was the principal of m e m b e r s Taylor Middle School in Millbrae, California. Both began their by spending careers in education as history teachers and had similar d o w n t i m e them. reasons for becoming administrators: wanting to work with with They often eat a school on a larger scale to make a long-term difference.

“I look at being an administrator as being in a position to lunch together sixth help take part in systemic change,” Erwin said. “For example, during I really believe change comes from what happens day-to- period and go to the new day in a classroom, weight but [being an administrator] puts “They’re great assistant r o o m to work you in a position to because they out in the EPIC �ind the right people principals EI — IA W ATRIC P to put in a classroom. have the balance of being a f t e r n o o n . talk they g as Every year, I like taking part in in h g administrators who can follow Wong plans lau ffice, the behind-the-scenes in’s o w r E rules and make decisions an event for all part of that.” it in ong s and W staff members In addition to their in w Er but also make personal in the of�ice AM | ip. shared background M TE h A d E n R ie s D to eat dim sum as history teachers, connections with staff.” eir fr h t t u abo together and the two bonded over Dr. Brittany Stevens enjoy each other’s sports, both having School Psychologist company while coached high school appreciating what sports: Erwin coached each person does for tennis and Wong coached baseball. While walking around supervising campus, the school.

“There are many times they often chat about the latest Golden State Warriors game.

“I put a lot of value in forming relationships with the when we deal with stressful people I work closely with,” Wong said. “I think it’s important situations, and I feel like I can go to have a job where you like being around like-minded people to [Mr. Erwin or Mr. Wong] help making a decision,” Stevens said. who challenge you and are working toward the same goals.”

This year, Erwin oversees the master schedule, “They’re great assistant principals coordinating the classes that Lynbrook offers, and Wong because they have the balance manages guidance and facilities. Although they work with of being administrators who can different aspects of the school, they frequently check in follow rules and make decisions but n nts o with each other and the rest of their administration team also make personal connections.” ceme n u o ann Erwin and Wong began reading during weekly meetings. Wong believes that the openness e the befor t ip r the administration team shares allows them to be honest and the announcements together on sc EPIC ws his WEI — revie Wednesday mornings in the middle of constructive toward each other’s ideas. g ICIA n R T o A P |W “We really have an open door policy in the main of�ice the 2017-2018 school year for logistical RSAL g.

EHEA ay mornin R d for both students and staff,” Wong said. “Those on the reasons: ASB, which normally does the s e Wedn administration team were all teachers or guidance counselors announcements every morning, does not at some point. We are trying to make lives easier for both staff meet on Wednesday. Eventually, Erwin and Wong added their own spin to it. During and students.”

Although Erwin and Wong no longer spend every day Homecoming Week in 2018, Erwin put in a classroom, they �ind ways to interact with students. together a podcast in which he interviewed about their Homecoming Homeroom has allowed them to better connect with students. teachers “I do miss having the direct contact with students that experiences in high school. Erwin has more

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Scan below for a behind the scenes video of “This Viking Life”

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KELSEY LU — EPIC

SHOWTIME| Erwin and Wong read the announcements together on Wednesday morning.

PATRICIA WEI — EPIC

RIBBONS| Awards for the classes who guess the song.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY SONG AND KAYLIN LI

08

I

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

t is estimated that only 3 percent of the population are twins, according to the Atlantic, leaving many wondering what it is like being a twin. To bring to light what being a twin is actually like, two sets of Lynbrook twins share their stories.

I

T

t is common for twins to be competitive and have great in�luences on each other. Sophomore twins Claire Tang and Francis Tang used to have an intense sibling rivalry.

However, their relationship changed after they developed a stronger bond. They abandoned the contests, and competitions became more playful.

“Before, I wanted to be better than my twin,” Claire said. “But now, we just jokingly make fun of each other.”

Claire and Francis have very different interests. Claire is passionate about mathematics and enjoy solving math problems for fun. Francis, on the other hand, who is drawn to history, likes to spend his spare time reading history books.

Interestingly, this difference has been bene�icial for their academics.

Claire says that she is often in�luenced by people she spends time with, so she became more interested in history because of Francis. Claire and Francis are very different in personalities and interests, but their relationship has evolved from competitive interaction to a positive in�luence on each other.

T

wins always have each other to talk to and rely on, especially when facing tough challenges. Fraternal junior twins Anish and Ananth Pilaka faced many ups and downs as twins, but have always been there to offer support.

When Ananth was on the football team, many people would tell Anish criticisms about the team, so Anish was there to support Ananth.

“I’ll try to tell good things about [Ananth] to other people, trying to have his back,” Anish said. “There are times he’s done the same for me.”

People also expected both Anish and Ananth to be good at sports and play at the same level. Anish was just �iguring out his own interests, but by constantly being compared to his brother, people started criticizing him.

At hard times like these, the twins were supportive of each other.

“People sometimes did not know the boundaries, so I tried my best to stop these situations,” Ananth said.

With each other to rely on, Anish and Ananth are able to overcome challenges together, and grow with each other’s support.

“You never feel alone,” Ananth said. “It is unlikely that both of us will feel sad at the same time, so we can lift each other up whenever we can.”

wins are known for being compared, and fraternal freshmen twins Aref and Aseem Anwar have heard it all.

“People compare our height difference and different interests because Aseem likes wrestling, and I like track and �ield,” Aref said. “He is shorter and stronger, while I am taller and faster.”

Many twins, like Aref and Aseem, want treatment as individuals. Characterizing twins as the same can diminish that.

“I wish people knew that twins aren’t much different from regular siblings,” Aref said. “We just are siblings, except we can help each other more because we are the same age.”

On the other hand, being twins allows Aref and Aseem to help each other out more often. At school, they learn about similar topics at the same time. At home, they rely on each other for emotional support.

Each twin is a different person. Aref and Aseem do not have a relationship that is too different from a typical sibling relationship; however, being the same age brings them closer to always support each other.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FEATURES SECTION

FACTS

B

eing a twin can have a positive impact on social life. Many twins enjoy each other’s company and interact with each other’s friends, which can allow twins to have more friends.

Fraternal senior twins Jodie and Jada Lee consider their relationship to be similar to that of other siblings. The only difference to them is that they may be closer than other siblings due to being the same age. “[Having a twin] is just like having another member in the family,” Jodie said. “It is like any other sibling relationship, just that we are in the same grade.”

Jodie and Jada were in separate classes when they were younger, so that they would have different experiences.

“When we were in elementary school, we were put in separate classrooms to become more independent and not rely on each other for everything,” Jada said.

Establishing independence from a young age helped them develop their own personalities and make their own friends.

“It’s fun to hang out with our groups of friends since they know us the best,” Jada said. “They know one of us, and then get to know the other twin.”

A guide to podcasts

BY RACHEL WU

44%

44% of the US population has listened to a podcast

80% 80% listen to all or most of each podcast episode

#1!

Smartphones are the number one medium for podcasts

podlediad podcast pāku’i u podcastu

播客

Podcasts now span for 100 different languages across the world

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FEATURES SECTION

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f the new year means a new you, then here is something to add to your list of resolutions: listening to podcasts! Whether it be while walking to school, riding in the car or just enjoying some free time, pull out your phone and your earbuds to play the latest episodes of your favorite podcasts.

Read on for suggestions of podcasts you might like to listen to.

TITLE New York Times — The Daily

ARTIST Michael Barbaro

Learn more about current political issues by listening to “The Daily.” Hosted by Michael Barbaro, a political journalist for the New York Times, each 20-minute episode of “The Daily” goes over a recent political event and invites guest speakers to share their thoughts on it. This podcast separates itself from others, as its guest speakers include those who defy social norms like a Republican congressman who opposes Trump’s plan for a wall and those who share insight on a political topic such as a border sheriff who supports Trump’s plan to build the wall. In addition, Barbaro’s unbiased questions allows his audience to relate to his podcasts no matter where they fall across the political spectrum. Sit back and enjoy a podcast from “The Daily” for your daily dose of news.

Tiny Leaps, Big Changes

Gregg Clunis

“All big changes come from the tiny leaps you take” is the motto for the podcast “Tiny Leaps, Big Changes.”

This podcast is hosted by digital media artist Gregg Clunis, and each episode focuses on an area of personal growth and suggests simple tips to achieve each goal, so it is the perfect motivational boost for the new year. With currently more than 300 episodes, the podcast covers a wide range of topics of personal growth, whether it is being more productive or having a healthier lifestyle. Clunis breaks down what each goal means and shifts one’s perspective on a certain topic to nurture rather than discourage. Everyday life examples such as demonstrating how competition can help push one harder, allow Clunis to be relatable, making his suggestions realistic. Listen to this podcast and step by step, or rather, leap by leap, big changes will come.

Welcome to Night Vale

Cecil Baldwin

Welcome to the �ictional town of Night Vale, where the supernatural meets the natural and where ghosts and green-eyed �ive-headed dragons are a part of everyday life. With more than 100 episodes narrated by actor Cecil Baldwin, each episode of “Welcome to Night Vale” is a series of announcements and reports on the strange events, such as a bake sale to fundraise for blood space wars and neutron bomb development, that occur in Night Vale. The podcast’s narration, both deep and menacing, is accompanied by chilling music that send shivers up your spine. The speci�ic details of the town and its events, like a glowing cloud that rains corpses of armadillos and lizards, help the podcast live up to its reputation of being as alluring as it is strange. Listen for a good spook, and enhance your experience by listening at night…if you dare.

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

FEATURES

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IN-DEPTH

LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL | THE EPIC

IN-DEPTH

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

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Supporting red in a sea of blue

Opening up about government shutdowns

The experiences of the politically conservative minority in the Bay Area

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RISA MORI — EPIC

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The demographic trend of the Bay Area may also explain its dominant progressivism.

Historically, ethnic minority groups, women, more educated citizens and those living in shared households generally lean Democrat, while more white, religious and working class Americans tend to vote Republican, according to Pew Research Center data.

Liberal reforms made in the past have fought for civil rights of certain groups who have been discriminated against or marginalized.

Even now, many minorities may be more likely to lean liberal because progressive policies often serve them better, or are advocated so. While a stance on issues relating to the environment or same-sex marriage may be taken based on an individual’s values, a view on immigration is generally in�luenced more by an individual’s ethnicity.

According to the Bay Area Census, Santa Clara County had only a 3.2 percent ethnically minority population in 1960.

As the minority percentage climbed in Santa Clara County municipalities, the number of Democrats surpassed that of Republicans in the 1962 direct primary elections; 51 percent of registered voters in Santa Clara were Democrats while 44.3 percent were Republican.

In the 2018 primary elections, the number of registered Republicans shrunk to 18.3 percent, less than half of the 46.5 percent registered Democrats.

“The experience of living among people from diverse backgrounds causes people to become more tolerant of other cultures and become more socially liberal,” said FUHSD Board of Trustees President Roy Rocklin.

However, according to Curry, older demographics, even in the immigrant population, tend to vote conservative when concerning the economy.

“There are a lot of conservatives in California, just not so socially conservative, but �iscally conservative,” said senior Nikita

Rangwala, president of the Junior State of America Club. “Because people in the Bay Area are so high-earning and typically in the upper tax bracket, they are generally more conservative about where their money goes.”

Amid the staunch liberalism at Lynbrook, some may feel attacked because of their different political beliefs. For junior Robert Sun, a political conservative who grew up in the predominantly Republican environment of North Carolina, previous negative experiences included a serious death threat and barrages of judgmental looks.

“I’m not too surprised because my views aren’t really popular over here. But I really don’t take it personally,” Sun said.

Brittain, on the other hand, has been able to open dialogue with some peers. Like Sun, he has been threatened because of his political views, but has since become friends with the very person who threatened him.

“It seems pretty tolerant here so far except for some of the people. People are really willing to speak,” Brittain said. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with [a sophomore with different beliefs] before, and we’ve found some common ground, which is a big step toward not being completely polarized yet.”

Still, Brittain has had to face attacks to his character by some of his peers who judge him solely because of his conservative-leaning opinions.

“There were some people who thought I was the equivalent of Hitler for thinking that Trump was an okay president,” Brittain said.

“I said I don’t hate the president; they started calling me Hitler and that I want to deport all Mexicans, even though I’m half Mexican.”

Nonetheless, people with more rightleaning views may not want to express such beliefs to those around them. Tufts University professors Sarah Sobieraj and Jeff Berry found that conservatives fear being called bigots and therefore are less likely to talk about politics with someone with differing views. And, according to the Cato Institute’s

2017 Free Speech and Tolerance Survey, 58 percent of Americans feel restrained from sharing their beliefs due to the political climate, which can be attributed to the stereotypes associated with conservatives, especially in liberal environments.

“I think people associate being conservative with being anti-feminist and very cold-hearted — all the words surrounding ‘something-phobic,’” said senior Joyce Ker, who leans more conservative than liberal. “Most of the poetry I write focuses on the subjugation and objecti�ication of women — I and anyone who reads my writing can see that I strongly support women.”

Known for his adamant conservatism, senior Ben Shapiro believes that much of the narrow-mindedness he perceives in student political beliefs can be attributed to a lack of knowledge caused by the overwhelmingly liberal environment.

“The main issue I have is not that many people here are liberal,” Shapiro said. “What really gets me is when people accept this majority as being what it’s like for the rest of the country, which it is not. This is a purely a Bay Area bubble we’re living in.

The lack of a diversity of opinions here also makes it so people don’t want to actually educate themselves about the real issues and alternate viewpoints from their own.”

As the majority of students are under 18 and cannot vote yet, of�icially they cannot af�iliate themselves with a certain party and some have little political knowledge.

Students who are not involved in politics are most susceptible to having their beliefs shaped by the liberalism around them.

“It’s a knee jerk reaction that people have,” Shapiro said. “They think, ‘You’re either with me or against me.’ That’s our natural instinct.”

In future decades, the Bay Area may remain a center for liberal activism and ideals, as those who are younger and have higher education, especially in the technology industry — who tend to lean liberal — continue arriving in the masses. However, conservative ideals should still endure through individuals, on �iscal and social policy. After all, liberal and conservative sit at two ends of a long and three-dimensional spectrum, with few on the very extremes.

Going forward, as doing more research on politics leads to knowing more facts, students can further �ind their own place on the spectrum, and even possibly where MAGA hats and feminism shirts can coexist.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN YE

the government shutdown earlier by pay once the government shutdown is passing a funding bill and overriding over, but during the shutdown, those the president’s veto with a two-thirds who live paycheck to paycheck fell majority vote in the House and Senate. into debt as they struggled to pay fees If both parties were willing to work including rent and medical bills. In together, they could have been able addition, some had to draw from their to reopen the government. However, savings to pay for living expenses and Republican Senate Majority Leader did not spend money on businesses.

Mitch McConnell refused to approve The Congressional Budget Of�ice a spending bill that Trump did not said that the shutdown costed U.S. support. Some say their unwillingness to economy $11 billion, which is twice of compromise re�lects troubling divisions the disputed $5.7 billion for the wall. within the government.

“Long-term, I feel the length of this “Government shutdowns show our shutdown will put some people in system of government is failing. Partisan �inancial distress,” said government divisions are so e m p l o y e e deep and bitter that Michelle Gilman* government can’t to the end “Government shutdowns show prior function. This is a bad of the shutdown. sign for the future our system of government “The �irst of of our democracy,” the month is is failing. Partisan divisions a p p r o a c h i n g , said Stanford Law School professor are so deep and bitter that which is often Michael Asimow. a day that government can’t function.”

“The idea that mortgage and government workers rent payments Michael Asimow and contractors Stanford Law Professor are due. For and all who rely on some, this could government services mean eviction or but otherwise have a negative hit on nothing to do with border security can their credit score.” be held hostage to force Democrats to go Perhaps it was that empathy that along with Trump’s wall shows that. policymakers lacked that resulted Due to an article of the Constitution in the government shutdown. It that does not allow money to be drawn has highlighted the deep con�licts from the treasury unless an appropriation within the government, showing how bill is passed, government agencies policymakers were unable to put their cannot receive funding if Congress does differences aside in order to serve the not pass budget appropriations. For people. They have only capitulated essential jobs involving safety, workers due to mounting pressure produced must continue on unpaid work. Other by the ill effects of the government workers are furloughed, meaning they shutdown. are on unpaid leave of absence. *names have been kept anonymous Federal employees will receive back for privacy reasons

Discovering beauty standards around the world

BY CHLOE LEE AND KELSEY LU

by K-pop culture and Japanese anime, which depict many males with a more delicate image. Through K-pop and K-dramas, the “�lower boy” look — used to describe a male with feminine features — became popularized and desired.

However, in modern Western cultures, someone who is tan, skinny with long legs and wide hips, big breasts and full lips is considered attractive. The Guardian traces the desire for tan skin in Britain back to the Industrial Revolution: impoverished people began working in factories, resulting in pale complexions that were associated with poverty. For men, the term “lumberjack” captures the desired appearance: a muscular body with facial hair. Western males focus more on what they can do to develop muscles, spending hours at the gym to achieve the look. A San Francisco State University study

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road hips, a curvy �igure and youthful features — the epitome of beauty for many Western women according to a magazine poll on people’s ideas of beauty.

Across the globe, however, completely different standards can be found. Double eyelids, a thin �igure and porcelain pale skin is the typical ideal East Asian appearance.

On the other hand, in South America, Latina women strive for long dark hair, slim but curvy bodies and an overall young yet seductive look according to Af�inity Magazine. What is considered beautiful can vary from country to country.

“I would de�ine ‘beauty’ as someone who is strong and inspiring, someone who is courageous and not afraid to be themselves,” said sophomore Austin Tong. “When people are able to be vulnerable and put themselves out there, it shows how strong they are and essentially their beauty. I love to see people when they stop caring about what others will say or think.”

Different cultural standards in�luence one’s perception of beauty. What many Chinese and Korean women strive for is known as “baifumei,” meaning pale and rich in Chinese. According to the Huf�ington Post, Chinese culture’s �ixation on a pale complexion dates back to the Han dynasty, during which the feminine ideal was to have white skin. People started using methods such as wearing protective clothing and using skin lightening products to guard their skin from tanning. According to the Medium, many Chinese men strive for a tall and skinny �igure with few feminine characteristics. This desire is in�luenced

ART IILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRISTY YU

t �irst glance, Lynbrook’s political climate may seem to skew politically left, with no Lynbrook Republicans Club, but a Democrats Club. If you walk around campus on any given school day, passing by processions of students traversing in and out of classes, you might catch a glimpse of a student wearing President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hat to express his support for the current president. That student is freshman Alex Brittain.

Brittain’s hat draws looks from students.

“Nice hat!” is a common comment when others spot his hat, some re�lecting awe and others slightly mocking in a sarcastic tone.

“The �irst time I wore [the hat], I was trying to see people’s reactions to see how many compliments I would get and how many people would give me a dirty look or something. It was pretty balanced [between good and bad],” Brittain said. “I don’t support Trump because I think he’s the greatest guy ever. There are a ton of problems with him. I support him because I think that the alternatives would have been worse.”

By the mere numbers, the Bay Area slants politically liberal. In the 2018 midterm elections, 71.4 percent of voters in Santa Clara County voted for Democrat Gavin Newsom for governor. Surprisingly, at Lynbrook, only 42 percent of 100 surveyed identify as Democrat, still the highest percentage out of any category. Over the decades, as the overall Bay Area population has grown, so has the prevalence of liberal values. Since San Francisco’s beginnings as the counterculture birthplace in the early 1960s, the Bay Area has become a hub for anti-war, gay rights and women’s rights movements, among other economically and socially liberal ideologies.

Most recently, the 2019 Women’s March advocating for legislation protecting women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality and more drew in around 18,000 marchers in San Jose and around 60,000 in San Francisco.

“Historically people came to California because they wanted to try something new, which tends to skew people toward liberalism,” said Jane Curry, a political science professor at Santa Clara University.

“Also, younger people like to �ind new ideas, and the tech industry [in the Silicon Valley] is something that is all about innovating. That encourages a kind of liberalism in terms of wanting to be able to do new things and not being held back by old traditions.”

hirty-�ive days.

Nine government agencies. 800,000 workers. 78 percent of whom live paycheck to paycheck. Zero pay.

These points are just some of the effects of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to pass spending bills that fund government agencies due to con�licts between political parties or with the president. As a result, those agencies cannot continue

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY PRANAV MISHRA AND ALISHA NAIDU

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY IN-DEPTH SECTION

BY MELISSA CHEN AND JESSICA LI

operating, impacting the jobs and livelihoods of government workers.

The recent partial shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, 2018 and ended on Jan. 25, 2019, was caused by a dispute over the budget for the U.S.-Mexico border wall, which President Donald Trump promised to build to strengthen national security. Trump refused to sign a spending bill that included $1.3 billion for general border security, and then Speaker of the House Paul Ryan proposed a bill that provided $5.7 billion in funding for the border wall instead. The second bill, however, was rejected by Congress. During the shutdown, the Democrat-controlled House passed the �irst Senate bill to reopen the government, but due to Trump’s demands for wall funding, the Republican-controlled Senate did not approve of the bill. Though it seemed to be a con�lict between the two political parties, the president publicly took the blame for the government shutdown. “[The government shutdown] seems to be uniquely a political weapon used by the president to try to achieve a policy, which is to get funding for a border wall,” said U.S. History and Government teacher Mike Williams.

“It’s a self-in�licted wound by the President because it’s largely unfeasible for a number of reasons: there’s really no crisis, and he’s unwilling to compromise to get the government back up and running and deal with the border issue separately.”

Republicans had the power to end

BY PRIYANKA ANAND AND SUNNY LI

found that while women worked to stay skinny, men worked to become muscular.

Latina celebrities such as So�ia Vergara have set the standard for Latin American women. For Latinas, most women work for a curvy, younger and sexier look. According to the Latino Health and Beauty Care Market, Latinas are “signi�icantly most likely” to spend the most money on beauty products such as makeup and perfume.

This idealization of a certain appearance can produce negative effects as people start obsessing over achieving what their society de�ines as beautiful. YWCA, a nonpro�it women’s organization, reports that 40 percent of newly diagnosed cases of eating disorders are girls between the ages of 15 to 19; they also state that those who spent the most time perfecting their appearance are usually the ones with the least selfcon�idence.

“I’ve felt the need to lighten my skin for a while, as women in my family would push lightening products on me,” said senior Vennela Chukka. “It took a lot to overcome that and realize that bleaching my skin would never detach me from my Indian identity.”

Today, social media platforms have extended the de�inition of “beauty” to a wider audience. While scrolling through Instagram, people are constantly viewing what their society tells them is beautiful or handsome. This can have a negative effect on the users as they begin playing comparison games, pointing out parts of their body they want to change. As a result, some people may resort to extreme diets or cosmetic surgery to achieve the idealized appearance.

“When we see that [a certain look] is getting lots of positive reinforcement, there’s an agency for us to go ‘oh, that’s good for me too,’” said Javier Galindo, an instructor of Popular Culture at De Anza College.

“It’s similar to when people go to casinos, and the sound of money coming out of machines acts as reinforcers for continuing to gamble.”

Even with body positive messages, the media tries to appeal to everyone by showing models with the ideal body and lifestyle.

Beauty standards date back several centuries but are also changing as times progress. What one sees as a physical �law might be beautiful to another. It is important for individuals to remember not to get carried away with these ideals but rather to create their own de�inition of beauty and own it.

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IN-DEPTH

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL | THE EPIC

COSMO CAO

hits the ground running

BY BELINDA ZHOU

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5:57, 15:58, 15:59, 16:00: junior Cosmo Cao watched the numbers on the stopwatch elapse, mocking him, each second more agonizing than the last.

16:01: his muscles ached, and his legs felt �laccid, but he was only inches away from approaching the �inish line — he could not relinquish a season’s worth of hard work now.

16:02.4: he crossed the �inish line, earning the �irst-place title at the cross country team’s most highly-anticipated meet of the year — the De Anza League (DAL) League Finals.

Cosmo’s cross country season this year may have ended with him taking home the �irst-place medal from a distinguished meet, qualifying him for states, but his journey began with the modest, sandy track at Miller Middle School. It was there that Cosmo began to participate in track and cross country at the beginning of seventh grade.

“Cosmo reminds me somewhat of Forrest Gump: blindly running forward and never questioning where [life] will take him,” said Yang Cao, Cosmo’s father. “Cosmo is distinct in the sense that he does not have natural talent in running. However, when he focuses on something, he is dedicated and will always push himself to accomplish [his goals].”

Cosmo’s commitment to the sport compelled him to join the track team in his freshman year of high school. His passion for running was propelled by encouragement from his coach, who also happened to be the cross country coach. He urged Cosmo to participate in the varsity cross country team in his sophomore year. As a result, Cosmo was on the varsity team in his sophomore year by default, even though he had no prior exposure to competitive high school cross country. “[Joining the cross country team as a sophomore] felt kind of awkward because it was my �irst year doing high school cross country when everyone else already had a year of experience,” Cosmo said. “To add to that, I was on the varsity team, so I was by far the youngest and least experienced. Thus, I spent a lot of time following other people and trying to get the hang of it.”

As a newcomer who did not know what to expect from his �irst year running high school cross country, Cosmo did not formulate a set of standards or goals.

He relied mostly on his other more experienced teammates to guide him through the inevitable obstacles and pitfalls of the sport. This past season, however, with a year of experience already under his belt, Cosmo and his teammates synthesized their ambitions into one common objective: to make states. This hope, however, came at a price.

During the season, cross country takes up a lot of time — practices take place every weekday after school for approximately two hours. On top of the scheduled daily practices, varsity runners often take

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it upon themselves to practice on weekends as well to stay well-conditioned. Cross country is a very physically taxing sport — long runs are typically seven or eight miles, while workouts are generally composed of shorter distances at faster speeds.

Moreover, cross country can often be mentally exhausting.

“Every sport has its own dif�iculties,” Cosmo said.

“For cross country, it is having the mentality and the mindset to persevere. The hardest part is to attain that mindset in which you are constantly trying to improve yourself so that you can tolerate the monotony of the sport.”

At the beginning of the cross country preseason in August 2018, Cosmo pulled a calf muscle, immobilizing him for approximately two weeks.

When he resumed training afterward, he was slower by just a few seconds, but for runners, even a minor change in time can be detrimental. His reduction in speed frustrated and demoralized him, as Cosmo discerned that his lack of suf�icient preseason training might in�luence his performance and outcomes during the actual cross country season.

As the day of DAL League Finals drew nearer, the team recognized the magnitude of the race, as it was one day closer to ful�illing the goal it had established at the beginning of the season: to qualify for states.

Their individual results at the DAL League Finals would determine whether or not they quali�ied for states. Needless to say, Cosmo’s sacri�ices and hard work proved to be rewarding: he earned the DAL League Finals �irst-place title, achieving a time of 16:02 for a distance of 2.95 miles and qualifying for states.

“The coaches were really happy that [Cosmo] won, but were not entirely surprised,” said Jake White, one of the cross country coaches. “We told Cosmo he could win and to not be surprised if he was leading at some point in the race. We had studied the competition and knew it was possible… [What I admire most about Cosmo] is his commitment and leadership. The [other runners] look up to him. The team is better as a whole because he is on the team.”

In cross country, shiny medals and grand trophies are not the only incentives or rewards for runners.

Cross country has helped Cosmo blossom into a well-rounded leader. As a lead runner, Cosmo’s duty is to ensure that the team is on track with their progress, lead workouts and perform well during races to serve as a role model for his peers.

Therefore, Cosmo has learned to hold himself to a higher standard, no matter what dif�iculties may pose as hindrances. “[Cosmo] has developed his body and his mentality to perform well no matter the circumstances,” said sophomore Rohit Malhotra, one of Cosmo’s teammates. “Cosmo has not stopped training in a year. He comes out and relentlessly trains day after day.”

In November 2018, Cosmo’s high school achievements presented the potential for a collegiate-level athletic career; just a junior in high school, he has already been recruited by Pomona College, a Division III university which boasts its reputation of having one of the top cross country teams across the nation.

Cosmo’s experiences during his two seasons of high school cross country have proved invaluable.

Additionally, the lessons cross country taught him have solidi�ied Cosmo’s philosophy that no matter how steep the hill seems or how long the course is, anyone can succeed as long as they persevere against obstacles and pitfalls with tenacity and willpower.

AUDREY WONG — EPIC

Achievements:

Fun Facts:

- De Anza League Championship

- Middle school mile time: 5 min 30 sec

- 8th at CCS

- Current mile time: 4 min 39 sec

- 74th at States

- Favorite food: Cicero’s Pizza

- Cross Country MVP 2018

- Occupation: Cicero’s Employee

- Cross Country Sophomore of the Year 2017

- Hobby: Reading SAT Prep Books

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Boys soccer scores through the season

BY DIANA XU

the game, they will not be pulled out. Not opportunities and collective defending, in only does Macpherson want the best for order to win the league and get to CCS,” said his players, but he also understands them, varsity co-captain and junior Luka Mandic. easily creating a bond on and off the �ield.

“I think it was a reality check for us because “Bonding with [the boys] seems to we were getting a little ahead of ourselves, come naturally as I am someone who loves and it put us in our place.” the game myself, like they do,” Macpherson As each game is unpredictable and said. “I have some conversations with offers new obstacles, practice is essential individuals about the game, and we talk for effective game delivery. While some about the tactical side of it. When we walk coaches may make their players �it into their away from the style, Macpherson �ield, we’ll still �igures out the be talking about team’s style and soccer together.” accentuates that The team has Click here to on the �ield. The established the read more about team practices goal to make it practices and the every school day to Central Coast 4 to 6 p.m. and team's experiences! from Section (CCS) often has games this year. With on Wednesdays this in mind, the and Fridays. With team has worked extensive training hard, with opportunities for success, and time spent together, the boys face both growth and improvement. Winning the individual and team obstacles.

Homestead Christmas Cup XXV marked “Last year especially, I was really hotthe beginning of the team’s winning headed as a freshman,” said varsity player streak of seven wins, one tie and one loss. and sophomore Ethan Israel. “I didn’t really Unfortunately, the streak ended on Jan. know how to communicate with people, 11, when the boys lost to Cupertino High and I always thought the whole team School. revolved around me. This year, I am more “The game against Cupertino showed aware of my actions, and I get along with us that there are still things we need to �ix, my teammates more.” such as possessing the ball, creating scoring Having played together for multiple

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nowing he had to save this ball in order for his team to win, junior and goalie Ryan Markert stood in position, ready to react. The next few events were a blur: the sound of a whistle, the kick of a ball. By re�lex, Markert, with the weight of the team’s success on his shoulders, reached out in front of him, pushing the ball away from the goal. The team shouted and ran toward Markert in victory; his performance determined the outcome of arguably one of the most notable games in the ongoing season, the championship game against Wilcox High School for the Homestead Christmas Cup XXV, Lynbrook winning 1-0 in yet another win for the boys varsity soccer team.

“Just watching the guys’ reaction around [Markert] was a bonding moment for the whole team,” said Lynbrook alumnus and coach Robert Macpherson. “In that moment, I knew this team was going to go a long way because they were all together.”

With two sophomores, eight juniors and 12 seniors, many of the boys on the team have played together before.

As a �irst-year head coach for the varsity team, Macpherson allows them to play con�idently and creatively without rami�ications. The players know that even if they make mistakes on the �ield during

ENZO CABALTICA — EPIC 1.

1 & 3: Junior Ryan Markert and senior Justin Wang practice shooting goals. As of Jan. 29, the team has scored 43 total.

2.

years, most team members settle disputes or disagreements by just communicating with one another. In addition, there is a new dynamic within the team, possibly contributing to the little con�lict it has.

The team’s determination, positivity and passion shines through even after practice.

“A lot of guys will continue training on the �ield after practice, getting work in whenever possible, which is something respectable that hasn’t been too popular in the past,” said varsity co-captain and senior Denver Yu. This year, the team has also started to plan for pasta parties with FIFA tournaments hosted at a teammate’s house. The boys have also worked in the snack shack at football games to fundraise, and on days when there is heavy rain, they sometimes watch their own recorded games together. Online, the players have a Facebook Messenger group chat in which they talk about practices or discuss game performance. The chat is also used in a light-hearted way, with the players often joking around with one another, not just as teammates, but instead as friends.

As the team continues to train and grow together, it has never lost sight of its goal: making CCS this year. With a new energy and an improved team dynamic, the boys look forward to playing the rest of the season together as one.

AUDREY WONG — EPIC

2. The team poses for a group photo during practice. They assist each other on an off the field, averaging 2.2 per game.

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AUDREY WONG — EPIC GRAPHIIC ILLUSTRATION BY SPORTS SECTION

Unique workout spots for staying healthy

BY ALISHA NAIDU

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taying in shape is a New Year’s resolution that tops many people’s lists, but going to a traditional gym can easily become mundane. Instead, explore unique places to work out near Lynbrook: On One Dance Studios, which features world-famous choreographers; Soulcycle, which has recently become a trendy workout spot; Fremont Older Open Space Preserve, a hiking spot highlighting a scenic view of the Bay Area; and Planet Fitness, an affordable yet welcoming gym that emphasizes a judgement-free environment.

ALISHA NAIDU — EPIC

Soulcycle, located in various Bay Area spots including Santana Row and Palo Alto, has surged in popularity, especially with young women. Though the 45-minute indoor cycling classes feature high-intensity cardio and full body workouts, Soulcycle’s rise in popularity can be accredited to its positive energy. The motivational classes are known for supportive instructors, a strong feeling of community and a peppy music playlist.

At $32 per class, Soulcycle is on the more expensive side, but cheaper packages with multiple classes are available too, and �irsttime riders only pay a fee of $20. Soulcycle has a high-energy, uplifting environment that provides an exhilarating workout experience.

On One Dance Studios, located in East San Jose, is for dancers of all levels. They offer various classes in urban choreography and hip hop, K-pop, GROOV3, salsa and more. Beginners often go for their Monday Night Workshops, weekly classes in which a choreographer teaches the community one of his or her choreographies. One downside is the high pricing. The two-hour Monday Night Workshops are $15 each, and the hour-long classes in the other dance styles are generally around $16, but they offer a free �irst class for new members to try their dance classes before committing. On One Dance Studios is a great way to pick up new dancing skills and to learn exciting choreographies.

Hiking up in the lush and scenic Fremont Older Open Space Preserve provides a fresh, new look on the Bay Area. The most popular vista points in Fremont Older include Hunter’s Point, Maisie’s Peak and the Stevens Creek Reservoir. At Fremont Older, most trails have rolling hills, and trail lengths range from as short as two miles to as long as 10 miles. All trails are pet-friendly and are shared by both bikers and hikers. The park is open half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, but earlier times of the day tend to be less crowded, especially on weekends. Fremont Older is a free, beautiful spot to get a breath of fresh air and appreciate nature while staying healthy.

Planet Fitness is a health center located in West San Jose and is most wellknown for its affordability and welcoming environment. Although its amenities may not be as luxurious as those of other gyms, Planet Fitness’ basic membership plan, which costs $10 a month, includes all the equipment necessary for a good workout, such as treadmills, stationary bikes, weights and yoga balls. Upgrading to a Black Card, the premium plan which costs $21.99, gives access to the HydroMassage, tanning beds, massage chairs and other bene�its. For those who want to work out and stay on budget, Planet Fitness serves as a perfect way to ease into the gym environment.

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

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PHOTOESSAY

Blue JAZZY TUNES | The Lyratones Jazz Band, including Lynbrook history teacher Mr. David Pugh on the drums and music director Mr. Michael Pakaluk on the trumpet, plays a wide assortment of jazz, swing and other dance numbers.

DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY | Sophomore Andrew Merriam swing dances to one of the bands’ many arrangements. The Lyratones have an impressive 700 song playbook, ranging from Latina samba to rock n’ roll.

VOICE OF AN ANGEL | Vocalist Claudia Conrad accompanies the bands’ swing music with her vocals. The talented vocalist has been with the band since it began almost 30 years ago.

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LYNBROOK HIGH SCHOOL | THE EPIC

Pearl

tudents danced the night away at the annual Blue Pearl dance on Jan. 26, as swing and dance music from the Lyratones jazz band echoed throughout the gym. The dance was held on behalf of the Lynbrook Instrumental Music Boosters and raised money for the band program.

Band members dressed in tuxedos and suits for the event and served a variety of foods and drinks to the guests, such as homemade baked goods and handcrafted Italian sodas and �loats.

Drinks and �loats were served at the makeshift bar, which was decorated with strings lights and decorative bulbs, adding to the ambiance of the semiformal occasion. Next to the bar were tables, each with a candle in the middle and to the side was a glowing decorative water fountain, all of which added to the classy atmosphere of the event. Inside the gym, music played in front of a large space of the gym where students could swing dance. Students also had the opportunity to get their photos taken in front of a backdrop by a professional photographer.

In efforts to promote the dance, the Lynbrook Band went to great lengths to put out advertisements. The multiple promotion efforts included swing dance tutorials on Youtube, a promotional video starring senior Alvin Han, a Facebook event, pro�ile picture spams and �lyers around the school.

The dance featured live music, provided by The Lyratones jazz band.

The Lyratones jazz band began about 30 years ago as an employee activity for the Lockheed Corp., located in Sunnyvale, California. The name Lyratones was initially LERA-tones; the “LERA” stood for Lockheed Employee Recreation Association. Over time, non-Lockheed employees joined the band’s 17-piece orchestra, including Lynbrook history teacher David Pugh, who plays the drums. Pretty soon numerous managers requested the Lyratones to play at their events, and the Lyratones became the orchestra they are today. For the Blue Pearl performance, music director Michael Pakaluk joined the band on the trumpet.

The Lyratones perform songs for a variety of dance styles, including Samba, West Coast Swing and Waltzes, and play arrangements from famous artists such as Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington and Ted Heath.

By Arul Gnanasivam

SERVING UP DRINKS | Members of the band program work as bartenders and waiters, serving food and drinks to the guests. Guests were treated to homemade baked goods as well as custom made Italian sodas.

JAZZ VOCALS | Vocalist Jack Herschkorn accompanies Conrad on the vocals. Like Conrad, Herschkorn has been a part of the orchestra since it �irst began almost 30 years ago.