SECTIONS
News: pg. 2-3 Opinion: pg. 4-5 Features: pg. 15-16 In-Depth: pg. 17-18 Sports: pg. 19-20
SENIORS Front: pg. 7 Senior Columns: pg. 8-9 College Map: pg. 10-11 Bequeathals: pg. 12-13 Collage: pg. 14
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What does the death of Roe v. Wade mean? BY ELIZABETH CHENG AND SRUTHI MEDEPALLI
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story continues on pg. 17 || in-depth
Lynbrook’s 18 Under 18: 2021-22
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USED WITH PERMISSION OF CHARLIE CHIANG
story on pg. 16 || features
Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard BY AMY LIU
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story continues on pg. 4 || opinion
Editors’ Picks • Clark appointed as new superintendent pg. 2
pg. 3 pg. 4 pg. 15 pg. 18 GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CATHERINE ZHOU USED WITH PERMISSION FROM SOPHIA KHUBCHANDANI
pg. 19
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NEWS
the Epic lhsepic.com
Community celebrates at the AAPI cultural Festival BY TANIKA ANBU
O Letter from the Editors
Festival. Student and adult organizers from AAPI Silicon Valley, Asian American Parents Association and Bay Area Youth were
Dear Readers, As the year comes to a close, we would like to welcome our two new Editors-inChief for the 2022-23 school year, Amy will push the Epic to new heights. They, along with their amazing Editorial Board and Section Editors/Managers, worked
community. together
from
all
different
types
of
in the AAPI community that is often neglected in the media,” said Audrey Fan,
their hard work! Before heading out for the summer, teachers (pg. 3). We also have an opinion article on the Johnny Deep trial (pg. 4), gelato places in the Bay Area (pg. 15)! rights (pg. 17) and a recap of this year’s senior nights (pg. 20)! Class of 2022 with our senior issue. On themed content, ranging from comic strips encapsulating seniors’ high school
and performances committee. Students who took the lead in arranging Shan and Khushi Nigam, who worked together to create a successful event with speakers. “Our goal was to create something long lasting and impactful, so we thought we could start this tradition of having the AAPI Cultural
Festival each year in the spirit of Asian American heritage,” said Nigam, Vice-Chair of the AAPI SV Legislation Committee. In 2021, AAPI SV arranged a protest in light of the hate crimes and racism against the AAPI community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group wanted to continue this tradition of convening, leading to the showing unity and cultural pride after years of mistreatment. “We want everyone leaving to feel as if they’re not alone; that there’s a community they can reach out to for a support system, especially after these really hard times with COVID-19 and an increase in AAPI hate crimes,” Nigam said. organizations led interactive presentations underrepresented groups within the AAPI community. Ranging from Indian heritage
awaited college map! To hear directly from Epic senior, read our columns, where we give you important advice for the rest of your high school journey!
purpose of educating the engaging with
Thank you for supporting the Epic in our return to a print newspaper and engaging with our social media and online
attendees in live demos and hands-on games. In addition to engaging students, musicians and dancers encouraged their heritage. “We wanted to get performers that represented all parts of AAPI,” Fan said. “For example, we got the Hawaiian dancers to community as they are often left out.” Musicians played instruments, such as Korean and Chinese drums, in unison and had synchronized movements, creating performing cartwheels and intricate moves to the amazement of the crowd.
you important and meaningful stories, we hope you have gotten the opportunity
identity and know that there are so many other people part of it,” Fan said. Spanning four hours, the multicultural
community. Have a great summer!
community together. The event’s organizers
Hoya Saxa, Mei Corricello & Bennie Chang Editors-in-Chief 2021-22
thoughts of positive change and a renewed sense of identity and unity. CATHERINE ZHOU – EPIC GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY JASMINE RIHAL AND CHELSEA LEE
Graham Clark appointed as new Superintendent BY ANIRUDH SESHADRI
principal of Cupertino High School and later
F
ollowing an extensive four-month-long search, the FUHSD Board of Trustees appointed Graham Clark as the next Clark is really wonderful Superintendent at about making sure he includes the District Board Meeting on May 3, effective July 1. work very impressive. He Clark’s goals relationship
with
groups, maintain high schools in the district, lead more projects such as the 1:1 technology
thinks long term and wants FUHSD to continue to grow.
in Iraq for nearly a the at High
principal Homestead School. In
an Associate Superintendent at
sure he includes student voices, and I Superintendent Polly Bove said. “He thinks long term and wants FUHSD to continue to grow.” a math teacher at Fremont High School
access to technology,” Clark said. “The idea
In addition to the device management program, Clark also plans to enrich the and give them a more prominent space in FUHSD through a center. The center would increase the
which led him to
Superintendent Polly Bove
connection with the Cupertino Union and Sunnyvale school districts.
support to propose innovative ideas, improve mental health awareness and support a strong Board of Trustees that meets the needs of the FUHSD community. “There is a new state requirement for a course named ‘Ethnic Studies,’ which we are working on developing a curriculum for,” Clark said. “It gets right at our equity goal.” At the district
Superintendent in 2022. His 25 years of experience at FUHSD will inform his leadership efforts in continuing the work of the district. FUHSD’s current efforts — including strengthening connections with other districts, focusing on student mental him extrapolate plans for additional action and mitigate other serious issues such as declining enrollment.
working on human resources, contract negotiations and technology. As a teacher who taught
preparing equipment for students to practice with and provide a more competitive practice environment where
was involved with the FUHSD’s 1:1 technology device management program, Clark plans to continue the program and further implement
compete to mimic real tournaments. Adapting to the new change, the Board will help Clark settle in and discuss his goals
Photo used with permission by Graham Clark
equity and support to LGBTQ+ community time, we could verify that every student had
the Superintendent in July. His immense dedication and passion for his work will serve him well in his future years as the Superintendent.
May 26, 2022
NEWS
BY SOPHIE AU (A) Debbie Schmalz, science teacher As Schmalz concludes this chapter of her life at Lynbrook, she expresses appreciation for staff and students for creating a fun and enjoyable school atmosphere.
(C) Rita Korsunsky, AP Calculus BC and Algebra 2/ Trigonometry teacher Although Korsunsky has been recognized with numerous accolades, such as earning the prestigious Edyth May Sliffe Award twice, she feels proudest when students name her as
03
(D) Maya Baba, Executive Assistant From talking with Mrs. Jackson and students in the Student Voice group for student opinions to watching the many of the groups on campus. “You feel more connected,” Baba said. “You have
“Students say I made a change in their life — this is the most important to me,” Korsunsky said. “Not the awards, but (B) Carol Fong, Chemistry Honors teacher Instead of focusing only on grades, Fong has always pushed students to apply their logic and critical thinking skills to Chemistry. “I tell every class this: if you want to take anything away, I want you to learn how to think logically,” Fong said. “That is a skill that will always be applicable in (B) life.”
connect with people on that level.” (E) Barb Takahashi, College and Career Adviser From her 17 years at Lynbrook, Takahashi appreciates how supportive the Lynbrook community is.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CHELSEA LEE
(C)=
love it, I will always think of it
(D)
return for visits.”
(E)
(A)
Scan the QR code to read the full story
“TRY HARDER!” panel advises FUHSD parents BY JASON SHAN
“T
iger
to build a resume and position themselves mom
central.”
“The
crusher.” These are just a few of the phrases Lowell High School students use to describe their school in the 2021 documentary, “Try Harder!”, which many Lynbrook students resonate with. Acknowledging the similar academic pressure that exists within FUHSD schools and Lowell High School, FUHSD made an effort to encourage a healthier academic environment by sponsoring a session on May 6. With a diverse panel body ranging from psychologists to the traditional academic success and advise parents on how they can better support students. As the top ranked public school in fosters a highly competitive academic environment. “Try Harder!” illuminates student hardships at Lowell, where overachieving is the norm, and students constantly push themselves to meet everthe experiences of a handful of Lowell students as they go about their classes: some thrive under the pressure while attend highly prestigious universities. While their college ambitions motivate them to excel in rigorous courses and exams, they also have negative effects, including lower self-image from constant comparison to peers and lack of selfdiscovery from strict focus on academics. Like Lynbrook, a large majority of American. This identity comes into play through parental pressure — such as that of the stereotypical overbearing “tiger mom” — and a tunnel vision toward Ivy League universities from students. The same college-oriented mindset at Lowell also exists within many FUHSD students. “I see freshmen entering high school, worried about college,” Lynbrook College and Career Counselor Katherine Tang around college, doing everything they can
starting line.” The idea to hold a screening of the documentary was introduced by Vicki Nahrung and Adi Milshtein, the PTSA presidents of Homestead and Cupertino, r e s p e c t i v e l y. They researched and discovered that “Try Harder!” aptly captured the experiences at FUHSD. To fully delve into the topics panels — one for students and one for parents — were held in addition to the screening. “There are so many perspectives you can pull from in terms of the different ways students experience high school, experience success Associate Superintendent and panel moderator Trudy Gross said. “So having that opportunity for conversation is really powerful in order to explore all these different viewpoints.” The parent panel advised parents on how to be more supportive to students, both academically and emotionally. As the documentary depicts, parents hold a unknowingly enforce college-focused beliefs onto them. However, students in “Try Harder!” expressed feeling pressured to them to be overburdened and stressed. The panel discussion was centered around reframing expectations to elevate students without taking an emotional toll. participant Ian Wang said to parents during the panel. “Though they may not feel like it at
like it at Lowell — your students are already elite.” The intent of the documentary and panel was to convey that high school should not be viewed solely as a stepping stone to college, but rather a time for exploration and experimentation. is that leveraging high school to join clubs and participate in extracurricular a c t iv i t i e s will have the to students in the long run in developing their sense of purpose and passion. “Students have to be comfortable with their wellbeing and their the competitive culture overnight, but there is more than one path to particular school in order to achieve it. Students should engage in activities they are truly interested in, seek welcoming environments to support their interests, and make friendships, and these will ultimately lead to their future success.” At heart, the “Try Harder!” panel provided FUHSD parents with a glimpse into the perspectives of students at schools with competitive environments like Lowell and gave suggestions to help students navigate through a time of great growth and maturity. “At the end of the day, the message still your child,” Lum said. “College decisions are just one decision out of many in their lives.”
Upcoming Viking Events Last day of school for seniors On May 26, seniors attend high school classes for the last time and will be honored with Valedictorian titles, scholarships and other notable awards in the quad. Memorial Day holiday - No School May 30 marks the day we pause to remember those who fearlessly served our country in the armed military forces. Last day of school for underclassmen The school year ends on June 2. Enjoy summer break, and see you next year! Finals Week take place from May 27 to June 2! Graduation On June 3, we congratulate the Class of 2022 for successfully concluding their journey at Lynbrook! We cannot wait for you to see what you accomplish beyond high school.
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OPINION
the Epic lhsepic.com
Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard highlights domestic abuse LIU
Immediately following Heard’s op-ed, Disney also dropped Depp from its sixth Pirates of
met with disbelief when they share their
Story continued from front page.
dropped from her role as Mera in
Who do you believe or support more?
it is reasonable
GRAPHIC
N
to want to avoid being portrayed in a negative
ILLU ST RA TI O M BY
revenge against the
Y LE S KIM
that
immediate minimize additional harm by refraining from
not immediately removed from
to try to retaliate
immediately Heard and didn’t give Depp’s side of the story any Heard still deserves to get help for what she
Johnny Depp claimed that.. • Heard’s op-ed was extremely damaging to his career and reputation, sued her for $50 million • Heard threw a vodka bottle at him and severed
wins, I hope that he will be able to regain
Heard did not follow through with her $7 million donation pledge to the ACLU
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MYLES KIM
•
Amber Heard claimed that... • The op-ed published in 2018 didn’t defame Depp, Countersued Depp for $100 million • Depp has substance abuse and excessive drinking problems • Depp repeatedly sexual and physically abused her
Is the ‘summer body’ trend toxic? SUN
A their goals or promotes a healthier lifestyle
—Riki Murase, sophomore
—Arnav Signhal, freshman “A healthier alternative to the mindset follow what other people do, instead,
—Riya Ubale, junior
—Olivia Bu, senior
AUDREY SUN— EPIC GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN LIU
OPINION
May 26, 2022
05
Improving and de-stressing AP courses
L
of frantic studying for upcoming Advanced Placement tests, when students can be overly burdened by the AP courses they chose to take. These stressors AP teachers that teach the same course should collaborate to further align their curriculum so that all students have generally the same preparation for the exam. Teachers should continue to incorporate creative ways to teach their courses without compromising equitable preparation for the AP test. AP courses are college-level courses that provide students with an opportunity to take credit. Students are often stressed from the pressure to do well on AP exams because many take on more AP tests or courses than they can handle. of those, when
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN LIU
BY RIA PHELAN
A
s our society progresses and develops new ideas, the question of who should be leading our governments and what
Politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have demonstrated how representation of younger Americans is appreciated by the public, especially by new voters. However, the experience and insight of older politicians often comes in handy. This is one of the main reasons why a majority of government is run by an older demographic. Dianne Feinstein, has been senator for 30 years and is currently the oldest member of Congress. Though Feinstein has disputed allegations that she is unable to properly perform her duties, the report shows that unable to keep up with the demands of their job. If Feinstein has experienced the decline of old age, she should take it upon herself to step down. serve have been furthered by the claims of her inability to lead from fellow lawmakers and coworkers. According to former staff, Feinstein has had trouble following along during complicated conversations and
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN LIU
Staff Editorial
The Voice of the Epic perhaps some students would be better off focusing on say one or two,” AP U.S. History teacher Kyle Howden said. guidelines that explain what concepts and skills to cover, but teachers have discretion on how they teach and work with others teaching the same class. Most teachers do try to go beyond what College Board requires, which allows the courses to be more engaging and in-depth. “We try not to merely teach the test, because the test is just a snapshot of how a student is performing,” AP English Language and Composition teacher Terri Fill said. students can transfer their learning into college and their professional lives.” Teachers also vary in their emphasis on the actual AP test compared to the content of the class. Some teachers go over AP test style questions throughout the year, while others do little test preparation and focus on broader curriculum. Especially during the second semester, teachers should focus on preparing students for the AP test by providing low-stakes practice tests or reviewing grading rubrics together as a class, so students do not have to worry as much during the weeks leading up to exam day. “It would be helpful for students if teachers offered review sessions during late April and before the test,” junior Sharon George said. AP teachers should still be able to have
creative freedom and control over how they want to teach their classes and their curriculum, but course teams should come to an agreement on how to prepare students for the AP test so that students who have different teachers will still have similar experiences and expectations for the AP exam content. Another aspect that negatively affects students is when teachers assign tests or major projects that are not direct preparation for the exam during or before AP testing. Cutting down on high-stakes tests for upperclassmen during AP testing week is one way teachers, even ones who do not teach AP classes, can make this time less stressful for students. “When students are already stressed about their AP test, the last thing that we want is to also have to worry about another big test that teachers are assigning,” junior Leejae Kang said. Teachers should also be more understanding about late work during AP testing. This can be done by recording lectures and posting them online for students who miss class. “There is still the expectation that you stay on top of your classes, but we can comes in,” Howden said. “So you might have homework, but the window for its due date might not be till later.” By creating a balance of test preparation and content, maintaining creative control over courses and not having high stakes tests during AP testing weeks, teachers can help students feel more prepared and less stressed during the grueling weeks of AP season. *the Epic voted 34-0 in favor of this stance, with 2 staff members abstaining.
recognizing well-known staff and associates, common problems that come with age. If these allegations are true, Feinstein should take it upon herself to step down from her position and choose not to rerun in 2024. Voters deserve the best and most capable people to manage their rights, alter legislation and voice their beliefs; if Feinstein is unable to provide that, she should not be
the long run, as it would allow for a mix of younger and older people to represent the country. step down but when large groups of people think some of them should step down.” said sophomore Kaawon Kim. “Each branch of government should have a diverse voice of opinions from all ages and backgrounds.” Leading groups of people requires immense dedication and hard work to successfully and equitably represent and concerns. Feinstein has helped pass numerous legislation throughout her 30year career and is seen
Battling insecurities by balancing hormones
B
efore buying clothes for a new school year, I found myself constantly choosing items that were a size larger than my body in an attempt to conceal my shape. These were also the clothes that I got complimented the most in. I would get glares or even laughs on the days when I mustered up the courage to take long for me to get used to purchasing oversized clothes without a second thought. myself constantly frustrated over why it was so hard to lose weight. I consulted numerous nutritionists who all told me the same thing: I will naturally gain weight as I grow. But my weight gain made me look so different from the people around me. My self-image was always polluted by the thought that I would look prettier if I was thinner — I even received more compliments on days I wore clothing that I played competitive squash from a week in two-hour sessions and ate relatively healthy. Yet I still had dark spots around my neck and a hump between my shoulders that made me stand out. A pediatrician told me it could be Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, a condition in which ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, male sex hormones that are usually only present in small qualities in women. 0% of women suffer from hormonal imbalance, and approximately 70% are unaware of conditions like PCOS that manifest due to hormonal irregularities. I was part of that 70%. A nutritionist who specializes in hormonal imbalance started on a vegan diet, as cows are kept pregnant to maximize their dairy production, resulting in high levels of estrogen that negatively affect hormone levels. I began to increase my intake of Cruciferous vegetables, which contain an enzyme that down. Some common ones include
However, limiting someone has historically raised a lot of controversy, and as such, rarely any action has ever been taken. Many of the elderly face ageism in the workplace and are discriminated against. But, having some limits on a
BY ANUSHKA ANAND//IN MY OPINION
I eat all day and maintain ingredient and GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LINA MEZERREG AND LAUREN LIU
as an inspiration to women around the country. After being elected as the mayor of San Francisco, she pursued a career in Congress and has been serving as one of two California State Senators since 1992. However, some politicians choose as Dianne Feinstein. Although leaving mid-term may not be the ideal situation, she should take it upon herself to step down if she feels a serious decline in her mental or physical stamina. “The world is constantly changing and I think politicians should take that to Sonali Goel. “However, I do understand that older people in politics can also be wise since they have had to deal with so many things throughout the years.” Though Feinstein has broken many records in the Senate and gave a pivotal voice in committees like the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees, she may be unable to continue dealing with the demands of being a politician. Feinstein should take it upon herself to assess the situation, and if necessary,
promising results. My dark spots and acne This seemingly minuscule difference has changed a lot; I feel lighter and can walk longer distances without getting tired. While I still have a long way to go, celebrating small victories like losing a pound or going a week without eating anything not plant based motivates much a psychological struggle as it is physical. Restricting diets and intense have motivation to change my behaviors without observing results. As a result of eating a healthier diet and doing these workouts, I feel accomplished and inspired to continue. be overweight has a story. Those around exercise enough. However, a medical diagnosis was the true culprit. In spite of the fact that many people with hormonal imbalance and other conditions are seen as unhealthy, they are often healthier than those around them, and understanding this has helped to gain closure with longhaunting insecurities.
Let's recap some of the biggest headlines of the past four years . . .
lynbrook welcomes freshman class to campus.
class of twenty two upsets upperclassmen for two second place finishes in winter rally.
freshman class enchants audience with wizarding world of harry potter performance.
sophomore class transforms lynbrook into multidimensional wonder.
coronavirus pandemic forces students into remote learning.
biden and harris win nailbiting twenty twenty national election.
George floyd's death incites black lives matter protests across the country.
lynbrook returns to in person learning for the fall of twenty twenty one.
senior class leads lynbrook to the edge of reality for their final homecoming.
football team celebrates homecoming win for the first time in eight years,
class of twenty two slays prom . . . and then covid.
from the epic to you, congrats class of twenty twenty two!
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MEI CORRICELLO, LINA MEZERREG AND EMMA CIONCA.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHARLENE CHEN
SENIOR MAP CALIFORNIA
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Archana Pisupati Architha Dhananjayan Aviv Kesar Farhaan Khan Malaika Sriram Chapman University Teresa Arisawa Claremont McKenna College Abhinav Ganesh Mission College Joanna Azevedo Occidental College Pranay Mamileti Pomona College Emma Constable San Jose State University Alexander Lopez Muyi Lin Santa Clara University Helen Hao Jacob Lin Stanford University Anton Ouyang Crystal Qian Francis Chua Luke Zhao Tim Jing Ty Hosein William Huang UC Berkeley Aadip Kunal Aditya Suresh Anwen Huang Anya Sikri Arnav Jain Aryan Dwivedi Carolann Dong Carolyn Liu Derrick Cai Hari Parthasarathy Humayd Zameer Ishan Goyal Jocelyn Tao Kevin Li Krishna Ajjarapu Michael Florip Nicholas Huang Oliver Ni Ria Phelan Ryan Liu Swetha Rajkumar Xinglin Li Yiqin Huang
UC Davis Christopher Chan Jennifer Lee Justin Chang Kavin Bagal Michelle Zhu Nehal Shahi Vanessa Su Victoria Hwu UC Irvine Alexander Tai UCLA Joe Lin Kristin Zhao Paurush Pandey Raymond Shao Ronak Badhe Sharlene Chen Shreya Kakhandiki Srikar Nimmagadda Sydnie Yu Vivek Alumootil UC Riverside Divya Singh Janhavi Joshi UC San Diego David Wang Hillary Chang Isabelle Chan Jacob Liu Olivia Bu Praharshitha Thumati Richard Nguyen UC Santa Barbara Aaryan Kainth Alex Huang Alison Tjoe Arwen Ma Calais Waring Faith Ju Jailyne Chuang Jeslyne Chuang Karthik Bhattaram Maitri Patel Siddharth Chattoraj University of Redlands Kaustubh Josyula University of Southern California Amy Zhou Emily Chen Keshav Soni Kyle He Marcus Au Youqi Huang
CONNECTICUT Yale University Ellen Zhang
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Georgetown University Anna Han Bennie Chang Eric Yan Marissa Dai Mei Corricello Sherri Wu George Washington University Melissa McCullough
GEORGIA
Emory University Anya Hung Georgia Institute of Technology Aryan Shah
ILLINOIS
Northwestern University Rachana Aluri University of Chicago Lillian Fu Isabelle Lee University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign Andy Min Austin Cruz Brandon Yuan Jiatian Yuan Rishi Kodavati Wheaton College Hana Yung
INDIANA
Indiana University Ethan Lin Pramesh Karthikeyan Purdue University Aadit Sangwan Adam Chen Colin Newton Deeya Jain Rebecca Gao Shreya Agrawal Shreya Kamath Tyler Liu
MARYLAND
Johns Hopkins University Ceci Sun Claire Wang Sophia Wu
MICHIGAN
Michigan State University Arhan Mulay University of Michigan Jasmine Hou
MASSACHUSETTS Berklee College of Music Krishna Balaji Boston University Demir Genc Tyler Nguyen
Harvard University Kento Nishi Massachusetts Institute of Technology Aarushi Mehrotra Albert Tam Alexander Zhang Angela Jiao Sejal Rathi Sumedh Shenoy New England Conservatory of Music Angela Sun Northeastern University Jodi Au Wellesley College Grace Jiang
Shawn Wang New York University Alyssa Meng Arianna Huang Christopher Li Ian Chen Leo Yang Shreeram Modi Parsons School of Design Tammi Trujillo Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Hasitha Nimmagadda University of Rochester Alaap Rag
PENNSYLVANIA NEW YORK
Cornell University Alice Lu Jacqueline Wen Jeanie Chan Kyle Wyatt Selena Yao
Carnegie Mellon University Alicia Fu Andy Xu Kevin Zhu Suanna Zhong Vishwa Subramanian
Point Park University Richard Kim
WASHINGTON
University of Pennsylvania Anirudh Bharadwaj Benjamin Xu Elliu Huang Samantha Wu Shailesh Senthil Kumar
WISCONSIN
University of Pittsburgh Alexander Kao
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island School of Design Claire Lin
TEXAS
Rice University Angela Hu
University of Washington Alisha Bose Radhika Mehta
University of WisconsinMadison Benjamin Chan Muhammad Ashiq
OUT OF COUNTRY CANADA
University of British Columbia Caroline Hou Talia Chen
University of Texas at Austin Bhuvana Mukkamala Emma Cionca Jacob Emmanuel Lin Nitish Bansal Reina Pradhan
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHARLENE CHEN
S E N I O R I, Aadit Sangwan, bequeath many League Championships and Sangwan Specials to Ryan Wang and the rest of the waterpolo team, Drakesh’s phone number
Carl-bot to Manank Doshi, Science Olympiad tryout results to Selena Yang, class notes to Pranjal Chatterjee, and a lifetime’s worth of SMART goals to Diego Perez, Zion Feng, Jesus Ruiz, and Owen Polivka.
Rice for Kai wIwamoto, more ugly shoes for Lauren Yee, and super sexy hair and my immaculate Spotify playlists for Joseph Zou.
I, Angela Sun, bequeath good fortune to Audrey Sun and Eunseo Oh.
I, Aditya Suresh, bequeath better badminton skills to Pranav Virupaksha, Ethan Jok, Shawn Chang, Satvik Gonur, Shovan Jagadev, Jiaheng Lyu, Cyrus Liao, Nishanth Nagesh, and Pranav Durbha. I, Alaap Rag, bequeath unmuting abilities to Akul, activevoice emails to Aneesha, amazing CCC performances to Anika, temple runs to Athreya, dad coughs to Vipra, four hour Lindy sessions to Madiha, senioritis to Hallie, doctor applications to Avishi, prom crashing to Sneha, a lynratfuture AISA but especially to my children, Aneesha, Akul, and Anika, the best AISA experience and continue making me proud like you guys do every single day. I, Albert Tam, bequeath absolutely zero Spanish knowledge to Amy Liu, mountains of Stray Kids albums to Haley Leung, stress-free AP Chem to Evelyn Hsu and Sarah Zhang, plenty of Bobby Salazar’s to Nathan Tsang and Darian Liu, and perfect intonation to Luke Li. I, Alexander Tai verses to Shash, another CCS title to Fu and the squad, the best kdrama osts to Sarah Sun, a successful senior year to Ella Tao, an even better Link Crew group to Aneesha and Claire, and a banger track season to Allen, Evan, and Akshat. I, Alexander Zhang, bequeath hours of Yearbook deadline-rushing fun to Valhalla editors, my chess skills to Owen Yuan, research luck to Harry Chiu, a bear hug and my last few brain cells to Crystal Lee, MIT admissions luck to Neelesh Bokkisam, Yearbook dedication to Siri Ratnam, and my poker skills to Larry Wang. I, Alexander Lopez, bequeath stress free production nights to Mrs. Howard, the hope and future of the drama program to Samantha, the sound system to Eshwar, the lighting booth the Ava, 3 broken lego helmets to Joseph, and an alarm clock to Siddharth. I, Alicia Fu, bequeath croissants in both French class and the cafeteria to Lily, good luck in college applications and with making parfaits to Nox and Dhivya, and a hopefully physics free senior year to Sharon Zhu. I, Alisha Bose, bequeath my Britney Spears impressions to Isha Shah, a surplus of red and green pirates to Tanmayi Rao, all the frosted sugar cookies in the world to Sravya Vakkalanka, countless more “om-nom-noms” to Diya Loonawat, peaceful singing valentines adventures and getting lost at Disney to choir, chaotic April Fools issues with green babies to the Vertigo underclassmen, and a hundred more Pentatonix arrangements to Viking Vocalists. I, Alison Tjoe, bequeath more s’mores roasting under the mid-autumn moon to Carrie and Dara, TP Tea drink recipe memorization to Kristy, three-stepping and more self-assurance to Chloe, trail leg run drills and healthy hair to Riley, more Bravoland visits to Evan, speedy prs to Shyon and Bethany, 400m jitters and thrills to Patty, and exciting races, everlasting memories, and less injuries to
I, Alyssa Meng, bequeath the precious YOLO mentality to Chloe, many picturesque sunsets to Patty, an endless girlfriends to Allen and Akshat, the stain-free Arcadia room and the ability to eat spicy foods to Evan, the ability to pass a free-ball to Aarya, serves over the net to the girls volleyball team, and my love and record-breaking
I, Amy Zhou, bequeath coffee candy to Sophie A, TSM winning a major tournament and XQC channel points to Leo, a better sheet music scroller and less cringey jokes rapid tests to Aahaan, an endless supply of cheezits to Kyrsten, 9 pm talks outside to Michelle, Ainai, and Carlynda, MK Bell’s blue cola to Tanika, bio crash courses to Esha, *boy gossip* to Sophie Y and KK, Life Is Still Going Kahoots to Rebecca. I, Andy Min, bequeath loc-tite to Ankith, dog treats and a leash to Akash, a better laptop and Wi-Fi to Celine, yellow California hoodies to Mridula, a bowl and a scissor to Wayne, Valorant RR to Anna, a shaving razor to Yuvraj, seagull-laughter-inducing jokes to Nandani, short jokes to Jimin, Taco Bell to Shovan, and blue banners to everyone else at robotics. I, Andy Xu, bequeath my arm to Alex Lee, my SHEHs to Ben Ching, my haircuts to Kylie Chang, my stickers to Ashley Chen, my freestyling ability to Shashwater, and my bruises to Sophia Ao. I, Angela Jiao, bequeath feldspathoids and triangles to Edwin Law, the ability to differentiate between Stegosaurus and Spinosaurus to Andrew Yuan, poignant reimbursement reminders to Antone Jung,
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMMA CONSTABLE
curry cravings to Harsha, evenings dedicated to roasting people in Indian movies to Akul, the best hair superlative to Anika, sleepless nights making DECA presentations to Krish, and 2 years of visiting me constantly in college to my sister Meenakshi because you are the best friend I could ever ask for.
a girlfriend, Matthew Ju and Austin Liou an amazing next 3 years at Lynbrook, Jasmine Chen Word Hunt wins, Anirudh Nandakumar no second period tardies, Joseph Zou a license so he doesn’t have to walk to school, the
I, Anirudh Bharadwaj, bequeath Science Club shenanigans to Pranjal and Sharon, a thorough history of Francoist Spain to Vaibhav and David, better organization skills than I ever had to Kiriti, Dayyan, and Zandra, precariously tossed tennis balls to Steven, and a perfect record against Harker to Antone, David, and Eric.
I, Calais Waring, bequeath days and asbaes to Chloe, charity work and many more spotlights to Kimaya, one more ARK lifeline to Joelle, a Rachel S*xbucks free room and balcony time to Divya and Vaishu, freedom from nose picking and paid bird rides NOW to Krish, Subway footlong feet and another shot at leg council to Aakash, telefono to Daniel, and dodging not one but two war drafts to Hahm.
I, Farhaan Khan well deserved friendships to Esha Dasari, amazing Silsilay emcee skits with fun nights at Lindy Lane to Vipra Bindal, Akul Murthy, Madiha Khan, good luck in all science classes to Akshat Dhingra, Hao Chai, Alan Tong, a successful
I, Annie Zeng, bequeath all the basketball girls and “Annie 2.0” to Sarah, Jordan Poole and getting over your germaphobia to Navya, endless boba and crumbl cookies to Arthi, and delusional nights, stupid jokes, bball mvp, and matching fam rings to Maggie.
I, Carolann Dong, bequeath a year of endless spirit to my KEY-uties, fun times and in-person events to Sophie Yang and Hannah Su, and a stress-free dues season to Alex Qi.
I, Anton Ouyang, bequeath all my bad habits to Aneesha, singing in class and mic 4 to Esha, pick up lines to Joseph, asBOIS membership to Satvik, jokes and puns to Peter and Comedy Club, ten minute warmups to Lynbrook Golf, and a year of exciting memories to ASB. I, Anya Hung, bequeath a gaming PC to Claire Lin, daisies to Angie Wu, pushups to Dominik Wilhite, no broken
crowns to Lauren Li, warm gummy worms to Haley Tamtoro, shiny new equipment to the Lynbrook Guard, and a wall full of sensei pictures to Kitchen Sensei. I, Anya Sikri, bequeath all my positive wishes and love to Samiya Anwar. To Serena Kher and Parmis I bequeath my luck in stats and the ability to nap in almost any scenario. You guys are so fun to be around and I hope Parmis continues to take all advanced courses. To Peter A., I bequeath a stress free junior year, I know you got this and just work smarter not harder to succeed. To Kate Lee, I give all of my art and ceramics luck, may you be the best artist and chemist there has ever been. To Sharon and Venus I bequeath to you coffee and smiles in science. I, Archana Pisupati, bequeath god status to Athreya, a license to Sanaa, spirit’s candy to Nina and Anika, latte drives to Ainai, Kyrsten, Sophie, and KK, a non-satirical year to Allison, a georgia girlfriend to Mihir, warm & cozy to Esha, weekends in SLO to Avishi, nine inches to Akul, npc sounds and pekoe to Madiha, belting bruno mars to Vipra, purple leggings, vanilla graphics, and a spirited sanguine senior year to Aneesha, and une année formidable to 22-23 SHF! I, Architha Dhananjayan, bequeath endless boba and korean corndog dates, my saber, and so much love to Elisabeth Shin, two memorable last seasons and an at Lynbrook to my guard baby Janhavi Gowaiker, and the most fun and amazing future shows and seasons to lynbrook guard. <3 I, Arnav Jain, bequeath my two handed jumpers and Tik Tok taste to Akshat Dhingra, tears from SKY Castle and plushie Graham to Sophia Khubchandani, impressive Spanish acumen and Drake’s voice to Aneesha Jobi, remaining public speaking skills to TOC bidder Akul Murthy, Thunder Shots apparel to Trevor Knotts, future of Lynbrook soccer to Nachiket Joshi and Samir Mehra, aspiring skills to make strawberry cookies to Venus Dhanda, Tang physics problems to Jamie Tan, and Silsilay tickets to MistaBale.
I, Aryan Dwivedi, bequeath good luck for the mediocre San Antonio Spurs to Shashin Gupta, common sense for not saying out-of-pocket things to Aneesha Jobi, a shirt that isn’t gray to Akul Murthy, and a reminder for starting
I, Austin Cruz, bequeath sleeping on time and great memories to Andrew Peng, and running awesome hills to Adarsh Iyer, Adit Kantak, Jennifer Chua, Lily Fang, Aiden Kato, Nicholas Kong, Sophia Das, and Vijay Krishnamoothy. I, Bennett Wong, bequeath an absence of leg, ankle, foot, back, and shin pain to Lauren, lots of post-track fried chicken and boba to Bethany and Kristy, unmatched speed to Shyon, Evan, and Allen, working valves and good tone to the sousa section, strong arms to Annie and Grace, and even more good music taste to Stella.
I, Carolyn Liu, bequeath all the blue baseball caps in the world to Jibin, all my brains and my handwriting to Brandon, and better origin stories and lies to the only sophomore in the Oogie Boogie Chem Gang Siri. I, Christopher Chan, bequeath the passion to dance to the underclassmen of breakdance, my soul staring eyes to Shawn, my drive to build a massive body to Cyrus, and most importantly, my embracing of failure to my beloved sister, Chloe. I, Christopher Li Mehra and Nachiket Joshi. I, Claire Wang, bequeath my ability to keep plants alive to Selena Yuan, underclassmen who can follow instructions to Patricia Chang, my Arcadia dreams to Sean Tat and Serena Kher, a permanent spot on the 4x4 to Casey Fung, endless wide angle forehead shots to Allen Wang, the world record showering time to Evan Taylor, unlimited gum to Carrie Chern, and my unhealthy addiction to webtoons to Akshat Dhingra. I, Colin Newton, bequeath tons of good luck to next year’s wopo team, stress-free college apps to Annika, Arjun, Serenity, Elizabeth, Ryan, Kai, Steven and Daniel, a comfy cisco hoodie to Crystal, unlimited Lucky Charms to Nachiket, a Java workspace for Patrick, my Spreadsheet skills to Payton, and an awesome high school experience
I, David Wang, bequeath a warm pool to water polo and swimming, any speed I have to Ryan Wang and Joseph Zou, good posture and walking to Annika Liou, Japanese and government jobs to Kai Iwamoto, a growth spurt to Ethan Park, and an exciting 4 years of high school to my
I, Deeya Jain, bequeath easy props to push to the lhsmb clarinet juniors, four full seasons to the clarinet freshmen, “the more we help we get the better than” to Rishab and Enze, a brusque senior year to Eleanor, and no more missing tuners to Mrs. Otoshi. I, Demir Genc, bequeath the future of the water polo team Nachi, ASB spirit’s mic #2 to Satvik, a speedy recovery from AP Bio to Ishan and Alisha, buckets of Popeyes and of-pocket jokes, great vibes, and a siuuuu-worthy senior year to Aneesha, and a fantastic next three years with the Genc legacy to my brother Deniz, Class of 2025.
I, Divya Singh to my girls, endless biryani for Esha Dasari, disturbing tea to Serena Kher, good grades to Javishi Jeddy, better music taste to Anna Milman, and a fun 3 more years for my little sister Nitya Singh, Class of 2025.
I, Bhuvana Mukkamala, bequeath all my tennis skills and Telugu heritage to Athreya, storytimes at basketball games to Vipra, my Daisy by Marc Jacobs perfume and shrimp
I, Grace Jiang, bequeath productive sectionals to Claire, “stan loona” to Eleanor Chen, peaceloveclari to Eleanor Koo, adjacent seats in Wind to Celine and Joanne, cat ice cream to Benjamin, my crochet bee to Annie, 3rd clarinet solos to Riya, status of “short” in the section to Jonas, another “stan loona” to Jasmine, good luck to Rishab and honors-free sophomore year to the clarinet freshmen, and error-free attendance sheets to Mr. Pakaluk. I, Helina Li, bequeath League champions to the coolest badminton team in the state, better drill-memorizing skills to Grace Wang, happier pieces to the richest club in the school, and three more spicy years to my little sister Xing Xi Li. I, Hillary Chang, bequeath unlimited locker room trips to the team, yams to Jamie, masks to Kylie, a teaching credential to Anishka, half eaten cereal to Daniel, chem help to Chelsea, more vocab to Susanna, tea to Alex, pizza to Riya, sunscreen to Vivian, kahoot questions to webdev and hbv, and good vibes only to everyone I have met over these last four years. I, Hsinpin Wen, bequeath my perfect pitch to Serena Kher, erhu skills to Samantha Leong, reverse hits to Reema Vanwari, oui-oui-baguettes to Sravya Vakkalanka
Patricia Chang, a successful track season to Riley Chen
I, Humayd Zameer, bequeath, to my brother and sisters that will follow, my many reputations and my presence left behind in every room I have stepped foot into. I bequeath my sense of humor to all of my friends; may it be remembered and I not slain for it. I bequeath to my art friends my questionable remarks. I bequeath to my teachers my eternal gratitude for all they have taught me. And to the school, my memories. I, Isabelle Chan, bequeath crazy swim adventures, yoga drylands, speediness, and the best lane to Vidushi Upadhyay and Irene Chung, more amazing seasons to the to Isha Shah, Claire Lin, Diya Loonawat, and the dolci girls, a million brunch passes to Elizabeth Cheng, a stress free high school experience to Aditya Mehrotra and Eleanor Chen, and all the love in the world to my sisters Bethany Chan and Lauren Chan. I, Isabelle Lee, bequeath a good sleep schedule to my sister Bethanie, timely turn-ins for my Vertigo underclassmen, top-tier procrastination skills to Akshara, my caffeine addiction to all future AP Chemistry students, quality piñatas to Mr. Leung, excellent poetry reads to Mr. Seike, and barbie-movie-watching opportunities to Mrs. Willson and her daughter. I, Ishan Goyal, bequeath Chem Frog to Hannah Chung, last-minute LCABR panic-prepping to Anshul Singh and Iryna Iziumska, way-too-long Bay Section meetings to Lyria Zhu, automated iMessages and the word goodnight
I, Elliu Huang, bequeath middle management to the Epic’s next managing editor, Anirudh, a torrent of emails to the Epic staff, the ENC position to Baby Miller, idiosyncratic designs to Aaron Yan, unlimited doughnuts to the tennis team, especially “Freshmen beater” Saurabh, Luca “No Mercy,” “Swagnik,” Atharva “Ball boy,” Akul
senior years that I never got to my sister Radhika Goyal, class of 2024.
“Faultbot” and 7am practices to Sidd the “Choker.”
and hikes to Jamie Tan; and my nonexistent chemistry skills to Matthew Huang and Eunseo Oh.
I, Emma Cionca, bequeath a stellar sports section to Susanna Tang, an incredible Indesign fashion show to
Kher, endless production shenanigans to the Epic staff, senior years to Luca Lungeanu and Cougar Karson, and a lifetime supply of La Croix to Mr. Williams.
I, Bennie Chang, bequeath election coverage memories
to Allison, Chinese friends to Akul, getting to say “this needs to be more dynamic” to Sophie and Catherine, the Homecoming crown to Esha, pre-edited photos to Sophia, physics perfection to Kevin and yummy production dinners and rock-paper-scissor victories to the Epic.
Stefano Segovia, Sruti Elangovan, Amanda So, Sumedh school full of success, love, and happiness to Avishi Reddy.
I, Derrick Cai, bequeath Tubby to Hannah Chung. I, Arwen Ma, bequeath better marketing cluster exam scores to Akshat Dhingra, my Thursday shifts at Ceremony to Claire Lin, and an actual social life to Arelyn Ma, Class of 2027.
amazing season.
I, Emma Constable, bequeath lively Tailgate carnivals to Link Crew, non-crashing hard drives to the Epic, treasured senior year memories to Asmi Jamnis, short brunch lines
Sean Constable, Class of 2027. I, Ethan Lin track memories to Delaina, endless hugs to Vincent, and grass to touch to my little sister, Allison. I, Faith Ju, bequeath Shash Dwivedi 5 bucks, Allen Wang
I, Jacob Liu, bequeath long sessions on the toilet before Lee, Cyrus Liao, Kimberly Yang, and Ruiqi Liu; failing
I, Jacqueline Wen, bequeath fun seasons and easy wins against Milpitas and Monta Vista to the Lynbrook Badminton team, easy classes/tests to Kimberly Yang, and stress-free club planning to Sharon Zhu and Jamie Tan. I, Jasmine Hou, bequeath future dubs and tormenting Anson to the Lynbrook Girls Volleyball Team, securing checks to Vaishu, passing on Principles knowledge to
recommendations to Omar, sincere love and appreciation to Mr. Fulk, and future years of success to all. I, Jiatian Yuan, bequeath Darla and Marla’s bouncy personalities to Akshara, emo Rodrick to Ankita, Peet’s vibes to Vertigo, and an endless jambalaya supply to French Honor Society.
B E Q U e AT H A L S I, Joe Lin, bequeath Science Olympiad materials to Edwin Law and Pranjal Chatterjee, a successful term to Sarah Sun, sofas and future tech accomplishments to Sophia Khubchandani, head shakes to Shyon Ganguly and Peter Aguirre, wordle streaks to Allison Hsu, buckets to Jeffrey Gao, primogems to Katie Chung, youtube subscribers to Ryan Chen, a spirited year to Satvik Shreesha, massive gains to Alex Lee, bug-free code to the Lynbrook App development team, ASB memories to Mr. Lee, and squatty potties to Mr. Bale.
Cheng and Amy Liu and all the love in the world to my volleyball sophomores. I, Michelle Zhu, bequeath Sarah Sun doing calculus homework at dance competitions, Serenity Chu the entirety of Higher Ground, Sydney Chao endless
passant to Owen Yuan, a dangerously overpowered golf ball catapult to Jiahe Lu, html for Shubham Parab, a sveltejspill to Snehil Kakani, and a low bar to clear to
absolutely nothing to my younger sister Riley Chen. I, Selena Yao, bequeath the Cours Intro and a second soul
Lynbrook DECA and Vertigo, and an amazing high school experience to all future classes. I, Muhammad Ashiq, bequeath Yechistan to Yechan Lee.
I, Karthik Bhattaram, bequeath my astrophysics memery to Daniel Wang and future astro club members, politics discussions to Mr. Signore, questions about banks to Nguyen, foreign policy analysis to Pugh, love of les debats to Madame Schang, questions hardware and TCP/IP to Mr. Fulk and Kwong, lit analysis to Mr. Seike, Mrs. Albaker, Mr. Miller, and Mrs. Dunlap, GNU Emacs and anime/manga recommendations to Ronak and Kento.
I, Muyi Lin, bequeath league title and Co-MVP to my children Jonathan Fu and Shashwat Dwivedi, high school success to Pravan Goplan, a great season for the Magic and a poor season for the Blazers to Aaroh Rag, Harsha Anand, Arya Pathak, one highlight poster on BleacherReport to Harsha Kadiyala, and lifelong success and happiness to Lucy Barnes.
I, Kaustubh Josyula, bequeath the power to not be ill to
I, Nicholas Huang, bequeath mid-meet tacos and no
Allen, a seat in the front of my car to Sean, the ability to talk to a girl to Cyrus, the speed to beat Kathir to Shyon, the abandonment of soccer to Nathan, all the speed in the world to Chloe, more shoulder slaps to Chris, less pre-race jitters to Casey, and an unbroken collarbone to Duc.
tweaking to Evan Taylor, cramp free days to NT, goals and assists to Nachiket Joshi, and my continued love and support to the Lynbrook soccer team.
I, Kavin Bagal, bequeath 3 more years of fun, adventure, and stress-free learning to my brother Vihan Bagal, as well as 4 years of a great high school experience to anyone going to Lynbrook.
I, Nitish Bansal, bequeath the library and easy wordhunt boards to Jamie, airballs and yoga videos to Andrew, sponsored frisbees and the last salad to Steven, choccy cake and viola jokes to Chelsea, strawberry fanta and SRK
I, Kento Nishi, bequeath high membership retention to CS,
math memes to history club.
Java classes to Mr. Fulk, aqueous homework solutions to Mr. Leung, a mousepad to Mrs. Fill, Ivermectin to Mr. Iams, quote-ID quizzes to Mrs. Albaker and Mrs. Willson, ice water to Mr. Signore and Coach Bernie, petabytes of RAM to Anish Lakkapragada, copium to Marc Melikyan, and Svelte, TypeScript, and PyTorch to all programmers at Lynbrook.
I, Oliver Ni, bequeath a sunny senior year to a Sunny senior Lou; perfect clears and T-spin doubles to Alex Lee; buggy code and konjac jelly drinks to Claire Chen; productive library afternoons to Jamie Tan; unrelenting, exuberant simpery to Andrew Yuan; lottery tickets [hopefully winning ones!] to Kylie Chang; thousands of deleted pictures to Susanna Tang and Chelsea Lee [you two will always be together]; and a high school journey
I, Kevin Li, bequeath an empty History Club budget to Paige Semersky and Hongyu Guo; speaking consciences to Steven Pan, Eric Shen, and Owen Yuan of Math Honor Society; clutch buzzing skills to Justin Leong and the OSB team; the Lynbrook cafeteria to Clarence Tang; and the survival of Science Club to Pranjal Chatterjee, Sharon Zhu, and Justin Leong. I, Kevin Zhu, bequeath William Xu my driving “skills”, Edward Ke the ability to win arm wrestles, Lillian Yu gallons of glaze and great Tato fortune, and Anushree Atmakuri a dry-erase smiley-face. I bequeath the book I
Lilly Wu. I, Paurush Pandey, bequeath all the birch trees to Neelesh Bokkisam, the ability to hit a spikeball to Erin Hsu, my leg days to Sivaan Sharma, pre-shocked muscles to Vikram Thirumaran, emojis to Shreya Udupa, unlimited RAM to Clarence Tang, and a well-adjusted pirate to Andrew Xin.
establishment to Jbowl, hats to benjammin, worry-free shakes to Riley Chen. To Iris Yu, I bequeath our dreams— Liebesträumes by and by—of hands dexterous as your Mozart and heart melodious as my Chopin. I, Krishna Balaji, bequeath studying fast for every exam or quiz announced in class. I love the thrill of each memory me and my class can. I am happy that my four years of high school is done. It has been an exciting year for me getting to know each other. I will certainly miss my teachers and my friends in high school. I, Kristin Zhao, bequeath SF MOMA visits to Vivian, ztz’s soft-serve tower to Jasmine, well-behaved A Major Problem members to Janice, snatched eyeliner to Akshara, controversial t-shirts to Allen, worship sets at CCIC Sunnyvale to Bethanie, my team to Yechan, sleep and food to Elizabeth, time for rest to Samantha, and no more physics to Enze. I, Krithi Koodli, bequeath low cutoffs on olympiads with many A’s in the name to Andrew Yuan and Daniel Wang, and many amazing chalk-on-lab-table drawings to Justin Jeng and Nithin Katere. I, Kyle He, bequeath a 7-minute mile to Jamie Tan, a fully written song to Andrew Yuan, a heleerious time to Alex Lee, a red sweatshirt to Susanna Tang and Chelsea Lee, actual Tetris skill to Angie Wu, elementary school playtime to Russell Chen and Joseph Zou, and a box of bagels and cream cheese to Saketh Penumudy, Sophia Ao, Karthik Balaji, Cyrus Liao, Jiahe Lu, and Ethan Jok. I, Kyle Wyatt, bequeath my pre-workout addiction to future LHS gymbros, success to the next ASB Clink commission, athleticism and stretches to Satvik Shreesha, height to Alex Lee, an amazing season to the next varsity volleyball team, and a great school year to dictator Sarah Sun. I, Leah Homstad, bequeath descanso pics to Jimin Hwang, side of the road fruit to Jennifer Chua, christmas socks to Chloe Chan, an injury free season to Shannon Tai, the legacy of the jesus stick to Janhavi Venkatesh, pre-race naps and watch holding to Patricia Chang, hand holding
I, Sharlene Chen, bequeath a stress-free senior year and speedy PRs to Patricia, pretzel necklaces to Dassy, 85 drinks to Lily, persimmons to Jenn, Wharton dreams to Shannon, walking on water to Aaron, left-hand and Chelsea, pica boxes to Catherine and Sophie, cool to Anshul and Iryna, luck to Lyria, and the rest to my brother Daniel, class of 2027. I, Shawn Wang, bequeath my barely used Campbell’s textbook to Harold Wang, my STEMlord tendencies to Pranjal Chatterjee, a lifestyle of degeneracy to Justin Jeng and Sunny Lou, my SSBM grindset to Jacob Chung, tournament luck to what’s left of the parli debate team, and a general feeling of contentment with whatever path my sister, Luthien Wang, takes at the end of the day. I, Shreya Kakhandiki, bequeath the 2023 county championship to the whole lhs mock trial team, happy memories with the coyotes and with Jared to Esha messages to Athreya Iyer, terrible McDonalds chicken sandwiches and mud-free dogs to Selena Yuan, a caffeine addiction recovery to Sophie Yang, and every good thing in the whole world to Tanika Anbu and Mr. Pugh.
food to everyone else, a port-a-potty to Mr. Bale, happy married life to Mr. Signore, and a lifetime of friendship to the apjp gang.
fantastic high school experience. I, Pranay Mamileti, bequeath an out of court statement made for the truth of the matter asserted to Esha Dasari, Tanika Anbu, and Lynbrook Mock Trial, coiling cables and editing videos to ASB Tech, signing checks on time to Sophia Khubbie, multi-angle homecoming videos to Catherine Zhou, Katie Chung, and Lynbrook Film Club, more coconut music to AISA, Garlic Fries and another undefeated season to Steven Pan and Lynbrook Golf, and the ASBois to Peter Aguirre and Satvik Shreesha.
Samantha Leong, Alexis Giaquinta, Zayan Azom, Janhavi Venkatesh, Alicia Cho, and Joshua Chu, many glorious LD TOC bids to Soohyuk Yoon, Manank Doshi, and Pranav Popuri, happy victories and zoom-zoom speed to Lynbrook Football, wonderful years to Sarasvati Bhat and Suhaib Shafquat, my two-time improv champion pizzazz to Gio Cabaltica, never-ending, hilarious shorties conversations to Jivitesh Kalle, Ohana Miura, Annika Dhebar and Pranav Tallapaka, and abundant fun to Rohit Chattoraj.
distance love to Patricia Chang, smiles and CCS-qualifying 800Ms to Lily Fang, unlimited 85° breads and a smoking hot distance boi to Jennifer Chua, rainbow tuxedos to Sadhvi Narayanan, season-long vacationing to Shannon Tai, and the hay in the barn and an amazing time and friendship in cross/track to my children: Sophia Chen, Eliane Juang, Annie Peng, and Jackie Tong.
to the counter everyday to Rayyan Ghafoor. I, Srushti Patil, bequeath amogus to Sophia Das, crunchy bars to Andrew Peng, my pro driving skills to Lily Fang, constant crashes to Patricia Chang, raccoons to Allison Hsu, sigma energy to Satvik Sreesha, a SHEEEESH to Adit Kantak, mango slushies to Jennifer Chua, ideas worth spreading to Anishka Banerjee and Paulina Chin-Wong, sleep to Shannon Tai, staying hungry to the Distance Girls, my dawgs to Serena Kher, success with Sports Medicine to Ellen Kwon, sharing cultures to Peter Aguirre, a prosperous next 3 years to Kimaya Pantvaidya, wholesomeness to ASB Recognition, hay in the barn to Luca Signore, and my love for running to Lynbrook Cross Country and Track & Field <3.
I, Rachana Aluri, bequeath Telugu titanhood to Vaishnavi Kunapuli and Aarya Aluri, South Indian superiority to Athreya Iyer, making Melissa Tao proud to Ella Tao,
I, Sumedh Shenoy, bequeath Honor Society versus Club
acrostic poems to Daniel Wang, a sense of fashion to Rayyan Ghafoor, an asbanging year to Chloe Chin and
anything-he-can-get-at-this-point to Owen Yuan, Messie and other cursed cow drawings to Ryan Chen, a healthy dose of patriotism to Eric Shen (Canadian Eric Shen
Faith Wang, Paper Airplanes to Aneesha Jobi and Sydney Chao, game to Peter Aguirre and Satvik Shreesha, wordle dubs to Mr. Leung, and more NBA NFT trading cards to Mr. Lee. I, Rebecca Gao, bequeath matching pink shirts and Red Velvet fangirling sessions to Jamie, no more mask tans to Anne, fun times playing doubles to Anishka, (hopefully season to Mridula, endless cans of Sprite to Himani, being able to beat Gunn twice to the rest of the tennis team, and creative and fun SPS intro activities to Sarah, Iryna, and Paulina.
sets to Alan, my barber and hairline to Ben, my APCS I, Marcus Au, bequeath the remaining solos to eunseo, a ghost club to pranjal, 2nd chair experiences to luke, nonexistent cs skills to ashley, animal-naming shenanigans to lyria, weekly eylar struggles to ethan, our illegal busking cash to samantha, and a prosperous communist reign to the next century of nchs. I, Mei Corricello
Sohan, my kanji skills to Riya, and a great 4 years to my
I, Ronak Badhe, bequeath an atbash disguised as an aristocrat to Rishab Salkale, a TB of RAM for “research” to Anish Lakkapragada, gratis software to Patrick Huang, an applicational fourier series to Marc Melikyan, an en
I, Tori Hwu, bequeath a low stress senior year and less awkward interactions to my fave junior Sabrina Ning, and less PTSD to my main bae Abby Fong, and lots and lots of boba adventures to side bae Lauren Yoon. I, Ty Hosein, bequeath the Selvamoney Cadence to Mr. to Miles Lim, some grass to Amadeus Liu, some chops Drum Captain to Scott Tzng, salsa verde to Teja Jampani, y mi lapiz a Paula Alburja. I, Tyler Liu, bequeath my utmost respect to my Lynbrook teachers, easy skills checks to future Blaschke students, my grade in AP Physics to Pranjal Chatterjee, beautiful TENOR-trombone music to Jacob Chung, amazing baritone skills to Dennis Han, Daniel Yang, Sophiya Mehra, Annie Liu, Dominik Wilhite, and Grace Wang, Kannan, spanish-carrying powers to Arjun Kumar, and a fun four years of Colorguard at Lynbrook to my younger brother Justin, Class of 2027.
to Big Sean T, Pepper to Kristy, handmade mochi to Kylie, the ability to whisper to Carrie, a growth spurt to Deniz, offensive powerhouse mentality to Nachiket, a jumpshot to Claire, endless ARK supplies to Joelle, elite Cards Against Humanity gameplay to Sanaa, hops to Akshat, a record label to Sydney, a joker free senior year to Sarah, and fruit jellies, sunshine, swerve, and besti***s to Allison. I, Vanessa Su, bequeath a lifetime supply of unwanted of pasta parties and caterpillar runs to my fockey fam, a limitless supply of lettuce and green sauce to Riley, endless c-names to Casey, middle name “Julius” to Evan, the speed demon to Chloe, retirement from track planning to Patricia, kick-up abilities to Akshat, better and countless PR’s and medals to my track team. I, Vishwa Subramanian, bequeath Andrew Hahm some good leg days, and David Olmo my incredible Spanish skills. I, Vivek Alumootil, bequeath pro-bounce to Andrew Peng, a faithful support to Ethan Feng, 5s on AP Chem and a pay raise to Mr. Leung, the tree spot and acorn season to the next generation of CLIP kids, and olympiad success to future Lynbrook mathletes. I, William Huang, bequeath *the* fabled oldass gray tables to Antone, applied applied physics to Eric, even more camps to David, bamboozling pseudoscience propaganda to Pranjal and Sharon, fresh slide themes to Rebecca, Edward, and Sydney, hopefully quiz bowl lmao to Keshav and Netra, a doable JWST question to Andrew prowess and actual tacos to Justin, Vivian, Hank, and Kylie, and Advanced Organic Chemistry Part A: Structure and Mechanics to Mr. Leung. I, Youqi Huang, bequeath editor in chief to Myles, separate showers and core dominance to Divya and Vaishu, freedom from Idaho and obsession with the
forms to Steven Pan, a much-needed W (along with the
should he accept it, the task of taking the CAML to Pranjal Chatterjee. I, Swetha Rajkumar, bequeath three more exciting years at Lynbrook to my younger brother Aadharsh Rajkumar, Class of 2025. I, Sydnie Yu, bequeath mental stability to Akshat, dubs on and off the court to Shash, puppy therapy to Daphne, manifestations to Sarah, dark humor and rec’s mother role to Allison, TI-84PlusCE calculators and sweet physics dreams
I, Rishi Kodavati, bequeath my last 2 brain cells and all Fang, christmas alarms to Sadhvi Narayanan, and all the hay imaginable to the cross country/distance track team.
I, Theodore Lai, bequeath a higher arena to Adit Kantak, tapering to Vijay Krishnamoorthy, fun runs to Nick Kong and Adarsh Iyer, and knowledge bombs to Ethanman Feng and Andrewman Peng.
I, Tyler Nguyen, bequeath track merch and Boba Guys to
I, Srikar Nimmagadda, bequeath my most prized I, Pramesh Karthikeyan, bequeath a great next four years to Vrishank Chandrasekhar, to Shreya Udupa to carry FBLA to greater heights, my amazing roleplaying skills to Anshul Singh and Aahaan Bhandopadhyay, and
I, Teresa Arisawa, bequeath many, many fruitful years of sports live-streaming to Catherine Zhou, Katie Chen, Marina Yu, and Zixuan Lu.
I, Siddharth Chattoraj, bequeath Studio 74, llama-tastic
I, Sophia Wu, bequeath girlboss calves and tumbleweed I, Praharshitha Thumati, bequeath ikemen men to Rio Mashimo, concussion-free season to Varsity Softball
I, Talia Chen
more Ls to Satvik, monthly checkins to Anirudh, clean popcorn machines to Jeffgao, no more Togo moments to Yuvraj, a y-chromosomeless year to Ashley, Santa Cruz day trips to Jin, ikemen to Rio, and unconditional support to ASB.
traphouse and better games NOW to Krish, market value up for Aakash, life in color to Hahm and Reddit streams that don’t lag to the cave.
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Standing out through stand-up comedy acts TANG
“M
y mom was actually the one who told me to come out and perform here,” sophomore and stand-up comedian Aakash Choudhary said during his act at the Coffeehouse Talent Show. “After my birth, I guess that would be her second mistake now.” Choudhary’s comedy acts elicit joy and laughter, but what his audience does not see is his strong mindset driven by previous failures. performance,” Choudhary said. “I did horrible — no one laughed. But I was really happy because I realized there was so much growth to be done and that I had such a long and fun journey ahead of me.” In sixth grade, Choudhary felt socially inferior stopped taking his negative feelings so seriously and explored new ways of standing out, eventually landing on stand-up comedy, an art introduced to him by his parents, who were big fans of Trevor Noah, a South African comedian. “I was just trying something that no one else wanted easier to win a game which no one else was playing.” Whether in a casual conversation or during a class presentation, laughter from others has always been the most gratifying sound to him. Choudhary’s biggest inspiration and supporter is his mom, Lakshmi Subramanian, who always encourages him to bring his talent to the public. Subramanian believes a of a live audience to receive feedback and learn from both
good and bad experiences. “Every show is different and not every show is going to be a good show so you’re going to learn from every time you perform,” Subramanian said. Throughout his day, Choudhary jots down jokes whenever they cross his mind. As a performance nears, he spends hours creating transitions from one joke to another until a full script is complete. “I think people underestimate the process of stand-up comedy,” act at the Coffeehouse Talent Show probably had six months worth of comedy inside of it, but hearing the audience laugh made it all worth it.” A barrier that many public speakers struggle to instilled in him since elementary school and his ability to turn failures into opportunities for growth have allowed him to unceasingly expand his comfort zone. “To combat stage fright I just think to myself, ‘If I mess up, so what? Nobody cares about my failures more than I do,’” Choudhary said. “Just be humble and know that you can fail.” In the future, Choudhary aspires to perform at comedy clubs to attain the full experience of being a stand-up comedian and sharpen his writing process. He hopes to work on lengthening his sets by focusing in on each joke to create longer, more developed segments. “Stand-up comedy is very therapeutic for me,” Choudhary said. “Even if I never perform live again, I’ll probably forever still be writing jokes. Even for sad things that happen in my life, writing about it just feels so good to me. Comedy is more than anything a way of self expression for me.”
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BY SAMIYA ANWAR
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indistinguishable from a gallon of Cookies and Cream ice cream from a local Safeway, a far better alternative to the twenty minute drive to Los Gatos where parking is extremely limited. The gelato was neither creamy nor
the shop recommended the Tiramisu, and it did not disappoint. The gelato was exceptionally authentic — both silky smooth and creamy. The Tiramisu was delicious, and the bitterness of the coffee perfectly balanced out the sweetness of the gelato.
elateria Bella Roma is located on Historic Murphy Avenue in Sunnyvale. The shop has an extremely wide selection of
ocated in quaint Downtown Los Gatos, Dolce Spazio Gelato was a little too cozy — the tiny shop was cramped even though there were only a
recommend Dolce Spazio Gelato.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SAMIYA ANWAR
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found refreshing and perfect for summertime. It wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet, and I could taste the fresh blueberries used in the recipe. The serving size was small and the gelato could have
choose one. I settled on dark chocolate, where I encountered a
ocated in Downtown Campbell, Snake does not specialize in gelato. A worker
worth it. While it didn’t blow my mind, the shop is still high on my list.
elato Classico Italian Ice Cream, located in Downtown Mountain View, served up by far the best gelato I’ve had to this day. The shop is easily found due to its colorful neon sign, which creates a bright ambience. Plastered on the wall are the numerous awards the shop holds, including Best of Mountain View 2019, enticing local and international customers. Boasting
Gloop drowning in a chocolate lake at Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. This gelato was a spiritual experience and I will dream about it for nights to come.
May 26, 2022
FEATURES Nimay Shankar
Crystal Lee
“Even if two people don’t know each other, if you both know how to play music and you sit down behind your instruments and you jam, it’s almost like you know each other in a way.”
“If I start something, I’m going to keep going until I can master it, and each project I get better at motivates me to do the next project.”
Evan Taylor something I could become really good at. When I was younger, there were a lot of things I was decent at, but nothing that I wanted to dedicate myself to.”
Ashley Huang
Sophia Khubchandani
Sagar Bhatia
“Through violin and dance, you can convey things that words cannot tell and let the audience interpret what you want to convey.”
“I want to continue documenting people’s lives and being a person that others can trust to preserve their memories for them.”
“My goal is to teach as many people cryptocurrency and what it has evolved into to help
Kate Lee
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“My motivation for this was mainly my passion for learning. I liked seeing how we can use particle physics to solve real life problems.”
S
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Priyanka Supraja Balaji
DL AN
N L IU
BY KAT IE C
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U, AMISHI CH E ZHO AND RIN RA ,M YL E
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“With tutoring, you get to know others and understand what they’re going through.”
E TH CA
16
Yixuan Wong
Aneesha Jobi
18
“Music has given me a safe place to escape and something which I can rely on when things get tough.”
Victoria Dai
“I like the community that Jalwa creates because there’s lots of different teams like this all over the Bay Area, and they all meet together for different showcases.”
Kevin Li
“There’s a common saying that art comes from suffering. I want to take that suffering and make it a bit more colorful, taking power away from that anxiety and fear.”
Seth Leung “Dance is a way of expressing yourself without words. My favorite part about dance is the way that you get to show who you are to others.”
“Everything I’ve done at Lynbrook has been able to hopefully make a lasting impact and encourage others to explore their interests.”
Colin Chow
Lily Fang
Calais Waring
“For me, streaming is doing what I already love —playing games —- as well as meeting new people, another thing I really like.”
“When you run and your mind’s not really on anything, it really becomes stress free.”
“One of the highlights of my high school life is getting into ASB and engaging with student life, being able to see how something can go from a conception to an event that students can enjoy.”
Alaap Rag “I just hope that people remember to stay true to themselves and to be inclusive.”
Avni Agarwal “I’m a very big feminist and really passionate about women’s rights and that is how I see myself in the future.”
PHOTOS BY THE FEATURES SECTION
Read more about their stories here:
IN-DEPTH
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What does the death of Roe v. Wade mean? BY JASON SHAN AND SAM SARMA
Story continued from front page.
future reactions might hold, from the public and from the government.” The draft opinion pertains to a pending decision for Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, after a doctor from Mississippi’s only licensed abortion facility
“Abortion is a healthcare issue,” gynecologist Priya Panneerselvam said. vv“Overturning Roe v. Wade does not decrease the number of abortions that Age Act. The act prohibits nearly all abortions will happen in this country — it’s going to after 15 weeks’ decrease the number of gestational age. If safe abortions available the decision does to women in this not change, it will You don’t have to be a country.” overturn Roe v. Wade constitutional scholar The leaking of the to allow each state to understand the idea draft opinion, which to choose abortion that the founders did not laws without an mean to have privacy in individual’s protection time in modern history the 14th amendment is of privacy by the that a draft decision has fundamentally erroneous. federal government. been disclosed publicly Right-leaning states AP Government teacher while the case was still have already begun to pending, making it even declare that they will more controversial. almost immediately Roe v. Wade has raised ban abortion if the
ANWEN HUANG
established in 1973, yet a currently majority conservative Supreme Court has further endangered the ruling of the decision. “Will the Supreme Court cave in to that public pressure and what might that then suggest about the capabilities of the people to sway such a court?” U.S. History teacher Steven Hsu said. “A leakage is not common e v i d e n c e , but as a result, it creates precedents to see what
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historically pro-choice states like California become “sanctuary states” where women can safely receive legal abortions. “The decision disproportionately affects people of color in low-income areas in red states,” junior Sanjana Gadaginamath said. “One argument that I’ve heard is, ‘You can just But that’s just not something everyone can
afford to do.” Laws regarding abortion in the U.S. have rooted in religion, morality, civil liberties, 1800s, abortion was largely legal in the country; regulation mostly dealt with the dangerous drugs some women used to induce abortions. But the latter half of the 19th century saw the Catholic Church ban abortion completely. Congress passed the Comstock Law in 1873, which prohibited the distribution of abortion-inducing drugs through the mail. During the women’s rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, the Supreme Court initially allowed married couples, then later all unmarried adults, to access birth control state to legalize abortion, followed by New York, Alaska and Washington. The procedure, however, was not accessible in all states. In 1969, 21-year-old Norma McCorvey, who grew up in poverty and had already put two of her children up for adoption, sought an abortion in Texas. Unable to obtain an illegal procedure, she was referred to two anti-abortion activist district court, which ruled that the state’s abortion ban was illegal because it violated an individual’s constitutional right to privacy. The case was then brought to the Supreme Court, where four Republican-appointed and three Democratic-appointed justices
legalized the procedure nationwide in a 7-2 decision. Justice Harry Blackmun wrote that a woman’s right to abortion was included in the constitutional privacy stated in the 14th Amendment. “You don’t have to be a constitutional scholar to understand that the idea that the founders did not mean to have privacy in this context is fundamentally erroneous,” AP Government teacher Mike Williams said. “Aside from politics, aside from my view on women’s access to abortion, saying that you don’t have privacy rights in the Constitution requires you to be an extremely strict constructionist.” McCorvey later became an antiabortion activist. Shortly before her death, she admitted that her pro-life activism from anti-abortion organizations. In addition to protecting one’s liberty to have Scan the QR code an abortion to continue reading without excessive government restriction, the 14th Amendment’s right to privacy and Equal Protection clause
NEHA AYYER — THE EPIC
IN-DEPTH
May 26, 2022
18
The laws and ethics surrounding animal testing of animal testing is an ongoing moral debate between people for and against the use of animals in research. Humans are the last recipients of products, with the potentially fatal effects of certain chemicals falling on animals. Animal rights advocates argue that there are no cases researchers deem the testing necessary to assess products for human use. Many universities and research institutes have organizations to monitor animal treatment in testing. Organizations such as the National Institutes of Health inspect animal facilities to ensure that experiments are carried out according to animal cruelty
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ANUSHKA ANAND
what is considered an animal. Humane organizations often take issue with the fact that the animal must suffer for the testing of a drug which may not work, and ultimately will not even be used on their species, making their lives dispensable. “It’s seen as a form of animal cruelty because it could potentially cost the life whatever disease you’re trying to experiment with,” said senior Sophia Wu, co-president of the Health Educational Association club. “And it’s not like the animal just naturally got that disease, so you would be hurting the animal’s life people don’t really see that as fair.” A common misconception is that scientists have advanced far enough with alternative testing methods that the use of live animals is obsolete. While alternatives to animal testing exist, such as organoids — cell clusters that approximate living organ tissue and have been grown from a biopsy — and computer modeling, they cannot completely replace animal-based research.
“I think organoids are great, and they can take the place of some animal testing. But again, if you’re developing a drug and you’re going to put it in humans, you probably still need to test it at least somewhat in animals before you would go ahead and start using it in humans,” said Holden Maecker, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University. There is also debate over whether animals are accurate simulators of human experience with drugs, given the biological differences between humans and animals, effects of being in a laboratory setting and misalignment in the animal forms of diseases with their human forms. “Despite the genetic similarity across all mammals, there remain big differences in physiology,” Maecker said. “There’s a lot of things that work well in mice that don’t in humans, because they’re inbred strains with identical genetic backgrounds. As soon as you go into humans or any other outbred species, there’s so much more variation that things may not work as well as they do when you were precisely controlling the genetic background.” Due to varying beliefs surrounding consumer products developed via animal testing, many brands have included labels on product packaging to indicate whether the product was tested on animals. Labels including the words “cruelty-free” paired with a rabbit symbol, such as the pink bunny from the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics’ Leaping Bunny Program, is one label that serves as a denial of participation in the animal mistreatment that many believe comes with animal testing. These labels assure those hesitant to use animal-tested products that they are not supporting companies with morally gray methods. However, these labels may not matter anymore if Congress passes the
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ehind the makeup that conceals blemishes or the drugs that heal patients, animals are being used to assess the safety and effectiveness of
mandates. Current federal laws require animal testing on new drugs before they can be used in human clinical trials, which must be done to obtain approval from the Food and Drug Administration for prescription. In the U.S., the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 is the sole federal law that regulates animal treatment in research, teaching, testing, exhibition and transport. Since the legislation was passed, multiple amendments have been made to improve the act in ways such as raising laboratory animal standards,
O TI RA ST LU N IL SU C Y HI RE AP UD GR Y A B
BY TANIKA ANBU AND ANUSHKA ANAND
pending Humane Cosmetics Act, a bill introduced in late 2021 prohibiting the use of animal testing in the development or evaluation of cosmetics products, along with its sale and transportation. pass legislation banning animal testing in cosmetics. Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act in 2018, which prohibits the sale of animaltested cosmetics and went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. “I think it would be better if scientists didn’t put animals in harm when they don’t need to, so having legislations that limit that are good things,” said Wu. Although the well-being of animal test animals should be subjected to testing for based research in science. “A lot of people would like to say ‘Don’t do animal testing; it’s bad,’ but a lot of that reputation came from things like the cosmetics industry,” Maecker said. “If you talk about cancer, when people are dying because there aren’t viable treatments, harm than good. There is a place for animal testing, it just has to be well regulated.”
Company takeovers: progressive change or madness? BY TIM KIM AND AMISHI CHANDRA
M
illions of people woke up the morning of April 25 to discover that the unthinkable had happened: Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX had privately purchased the public social media forum, Twitter. With these recent changes in company holdings that previously seemed immovable, many are beginning to question the consequences of such abrupt changes in power and the potential implications for customers, work environments and future of these companies. Through the privatization of Twitter, Musk hopes to preserve free speech and end the instances of censorship that accuse Twitter of. In order to achieve such “free speech”, Musk has indicated that he will reevaluate Twitter’s moderation policies to prevent users from being removed from the platform, as he believes that allowing all individuals to express their opinions without being excluded is While such grandiose proclamations for freedom may seem promising, there are several potential
drawbacks to Musk’s plan. The unrestricted user-posting content of Twitter could quickly become not only majorly controversial by allowing individuals to spread offensive and destructive comments, but also misinformative and harmful for users who could be the targets of negativity and hate from others, deterring them from remaining active on the app. “The more that companies are associated with one person, the more risk arises for the company being subjected to negative things associated with that individual, and the less chance it has at eventually surviving without them,” economics teacher Jeffrey Bale said. “Elon Musk is putting himself in a bit of a quandary because he’s getting into very political territory by proclaiming free speech for all, and people will try to take advantage of that lack of restriction.” Today, company takeovers are becoming more common, with industry giants frequently buying smaller companies. But now, takeovers happen not only to private companies but also other publicly owned ones which can only be obtained through price auctions. In addition, a company’s board of directors, a group of prestigious people including CEOs and people who hold major power, vote for the strategic decisions for the company and approve purchase offers. “The people buying the company have to really have to believe you can unlock some value by running the company differently,”
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY NEHA AYYER AND AUDREY SUN
business professor Bryon Lilly said. “You gotta have some serious guts and almost be egotistical to believe that you company smarter than all the professionals that have been running it over the last 10 years.” Telecommunication company Vodafone’s takeover of Mannesmann takeover that mirrors this modern concept, occurred in 1999 and was encouraged by convincing the public that takeovers are acts of consolidating companies. This furthered a focus on stimulating growth, gaining competitive advantages, increasing Although the general public was told that their rights would be preserved, the employees of companies being bought were more worried about disruptions to the company by new owners, such as ruining the regulation of the company and tilting the scale in favor of the rich people, widening economic inequality. Twitter is not the only company in the previous few years that has been taken over by tech industry giants; Facebook took over Instagram, AT&T took over Bellsouth, and most notably, Disney took over Pixar, Marvel 20th Century Animation and Searchlight Pictures. “I think a lot of these companies are not smart in allowing big industry takeovers, because the
industries may try to change things about the company that they are not familiar with, which consumers might not like,” junior Jerry Chu said. “For example, when Whole Foods was taken over by Amazon, they changed the in-person stores to look more futuristic, which resulted in them losing some customers that didn’t like this change.” “One of the historical purposes of takeovers is to force the current managers to run the company in a different way, or to force the current managers to sell the company to someone else,” Lilly said “That tells us that one of the historical purposes of a takeover, especially a hostile takeover, would be because you believe the company it wouldn’t be worth more if it was managed or run in a completely different way.” Although Twitter’s takeover can be interpreted as hostile due to Musk’s push for large changes Read the full to the platform’s story here: supposedly limited user freedom, Twitter’s co-founder Jack Dorsey views the decision to sell the company as one choices he has ever made.
SPORTS
the Epic
lhsepic.com
19
The importance of coaches in player development BY NICOLE GE
than the loss itself. Oftentimes, a decline in performance is caused by athletes trying to learn a new skill, but the import
C
set from a young age, allowing them to become the
physically. Maintaining a balance between pushing athletes
their coaches for success and growth. people skills in addition to the knowl gymnastics coach Gary DeGuzman
to coach stems from their passion for
When athletes are not performing to their full poten tial, coaches should also react to the situation depending on the athlete. While some athletes may prefer encour agement and reassurance that a solution is within reach, others need coaches to be upfront to stimulate their performance.
“Your interactions with [coaches] can lead you on the right path or it can destroy your passion and dream.” Nhat Nguyen, Badminton coach
It is important for coaches to remind athletes to remember that their sport is something that is enjoyable and a way to re
to abstain from the competition due to mental health is tends to get demoralized when coaches yell at them, then coaches should try ing so the players don’t beat
from my athletes is that best and
they
do
their
Personally, I want my actly what I need to
As a teenager, history teacher and badminton coach
his academic teachers caused him to question his decision. at that point made me realize that, in the long run, adults like
realization made me want to become both a teacher and a coach which is often made by being pushed out of one’s com fort zone. Coaches do this by setting attainable goals
tween rigor and support, coaches should also nor malize ing off days and mention aspects of their ath l e t e ’ s perfor mance ra t h e r
goals, and this balance is unique to each athlete and sport. GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY AMISHI CHANDRA
Joining the JV team should be an option for upperclassmen RAJ
H
igh school athletes often are faced with a number of obstacles, one of which being a policy prohibiting all junior boys and all seniors from participating in JV
Clara Valley Athletic League should reconsider this policy in
opportunity to further their athletic careers.
due to their high roster limitations. Cross country seniors can participate in JV during the regular season, but they still must strong upperclassmen and kept them on JV to help the team
underclassmen — on JV. and is a reason why upperclassmen athletes occasionally prefer JV teams.
choose between two options: either end their athletic career
players are offered more playing time compared to others.
NO UPPERCLASSMEN ALLOWED
failing to attend sports practices and games for more than Upperclassmen who didn’t get PE credit for playing a sport
they are forced to end their high school athletic career, and
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY AMISHI CHANDRA
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May 26, 2022
SPORTS B.
D. C.
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editors-in-chief amy liu elizabeth cheng managing editor anirudh seshadri H.
copy editors sruthi medepalli timothy kim
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design editors catherine zhou sophie au
E. I.
adviser josh miller news editors chelsea lee sam sarma
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opinion editor myles kim
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features editor katie chin
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in-depth editor neha ayyer
L.
M.
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sports editor susanna tang web editors jason shan meera nambiar
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business/pr manager anushka anand O.
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social media manager jasmine rihal
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V. U.
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staffers amishi chandra audrey sun deeksha raj lauren liu nicole ge samiya anwar tanika anbu
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seniors anwen huang bennie chang crystal qian elliu huang emma cionca emma constable lillian fu lina mezerreg mei corricello ria phelan sharlene chen youqi huang A. Girls soccer. B. Field hockey. C. Girls water polo. D. Boys golf. E. Girls basketball. F. Girls volleyball. G. Boys volleyball. H. Cross country. I. Boys soccer. J. Badminton. K. Boys water polo. L.
small print: the Epic newspaper of Lynbrook High School and is a student-run open forum not subject to prior review, as protected under the California Education Code. Views expressed in the Epic represent those of the administration or faculty of this school or district. Letters to the Editor, guest columns and other materials to be considered for publication are welcome. They should be sent to Room enc. epic@gmail.com.
A. Used with permission of Ashlee Liu. B. Used with permission of Reema Vanwari. C. Used with -
W.
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