The Epitaph, Volume 58, Issue 1 by The Epitaph

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The Epitaph Vol. 58 Issue 1 Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014

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Thursday, October 29, 2020

Preventing a popularity contest New format for freshman elections

Student task force enforces anti-racism through projects By Nika Bondar Following the surge in national social justice movements, the administration decided they would like to help combat and address social issues at school by creating the Student Task Force (STF). A student survey was sent out at the end of last year assessing the climate at HHS, and offering an option for students to join the STF, principal Greg Giglio said in a Zoom interview. The 35-person group meets every two weeks through Zoom to discuss potential projects, ongoing issues and possible solutions regarding the safety and awareness of all students, Giglio said. The process, Giglio said, began with establishing the long-term purpose of the STF: to actively implement anti-racist standards at Homestead. Senior Lotus Taylor, who is an STF member, explained the group’s main goal in a Zoom interview. “[The goal is to] provide different ways for students to experience a more diverse points of view at Homestead,” Taylor said, “as well as encourage students to connect with one another.”

See TASK FORCE, Page 2

will be responsible for leading, communicating and collaborating with the freshman class officers. The main purpose of freshman advisory is to include freshman voices in decisions, even though they did not necessarily have a direct say in who their officers are, Karaaslan said. “Obviously we don’t want to pick for them,” Karaaslan said. “We think it’s [about] who they want in leadership; it should come from them, not from us, so the freshman advisory should really help with [giving the freshmen a voice].” Karaaslan said the leadership class is optimistic that this new election process will sufficiently accommodate COVID-19 changes and will still keep the process fair and enjoyable for those running. “Freshman class elections always hold a special place in my heart. I know that’s a little cheesy, but every year, I’m always really excited for freshmen elections because I started off as a freshman class officer,” Nguyen said. “Of all the elections I’ve run, whether it’s for a secretary or as vice

Candida Marugg ASB Financial Specialist

pect. It’s more about who went out there, who talked, who campaigned.” Karaaslan said in previous years, campaigning has been one of the most important parts of freshman elections, as it is how candidates receive the majority of their votes. This year, however, due to distance learning, students are not able to campaign in person, making the process much more difficult. “We didn’t know if using social media would be the most fair approach,” Nguyen said, “We want [elections] to be fair because a lot of us in leadership started off as people who weren’t the most popular, or people who [came] from schools that weren’t feeder schools, and so we want everybody to get a fair chance.” While creating an election format that gave all students an equal chance was a primary focus, leadership also had to consider another challenge: the chosen freshman officers cannot be enrolled in the leadership class. Contrary to past years, this year’s elected freshman class officers will not be enrolled in the leadership class due to how late the elections are happening, Karaaslan said. Instead, Leadership plans to implement a new freshman advisory system to make sure freshman officers are still included in leadership. ASB adviser Jessica Kirby said every Wednesday, immediately following advisory, the leadership class will hold an hour-long session for freshmen to attend. In these advisories, Kirby said she will be holding lessons that mirror those of the leadership class and leadership students

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Challenges brought on by distance learning drastically changed the procedure for freshman elections, which will now be decided by interview, as opposed to a vote like previous elections. A panel of ASB staff and students, including assistant principal Brian Dong, adviser Jessica Kirby, AP secretary Lizbeth Angel, financial specialist Candida Marugg, president Rohan Zamvar, vice president Tam-Dan Nguyen, treasurer Taner Karaaslan and three randomly selected freshmen will interview and assess the candidates. Key factors in the discussions were concerning how best to keep the election fair and to avoid a popularity contest. “We’re trying to mimic the ‘no popularity contest’ thing by interview[ing] candidates and not electing them based on student votes, because elections would just be on Instagram so whoever has the most following would win,” senior and ASB treasurer Taner Karaaslan said in a Zoom interview. “We chose interviews [because] it’s more about who is the most motivated and who has the best ideas rather than who has the most connections.” Candidates in previous elections relied heavily on campaigning in person without the use of social media in an attempt to stray away from a popularity contest. “Something that I think is really special about Homestead’s election process is that we’re not allowed to use social media, and we have to go campaign individually,” senior and ASB vice president Tam-Dan Nguyen said in a Zoom interview. “I think it removes a little bit of the popularity as-

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A Panel of ASB staff and students, plus three randomly selected freshman students will interview and assess the candidates for freshman class office.

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president, the one that is the most special to me will always be [the one for] freshman class office.”

Peri Plantenberg wins ‘High School Student of the Year’ By Saanvi Thakur and Allen Zhang Junior Peri Plantenberg was awarded the High School Student of the Year award by the City of Sunnyvale on Sept. 19 for her work advocating for climate change. “I was like, ‘Wait, what?’, and then I probably screamed and ran and told my parents,” Plantenberg said in a Zoom interview. The award is given to residents of Sunnyvale, and the applications are looked over by one of the co-chairs for the Celebrate Sunnyvale event. Michelle Bridget Ragsdale is one

Photo courtesy of Peri Plantenberg

POSES WITH PRIDE - Junior Peri Plantenberg has done impactful climate work.

member of the committee who reviewed Plantenberg’s application. “The whole [selection] process takes about a week or so for [the committee] to review the applications, then meet in person and then make their recommendations for [the possible recipients],” Ragsdale said in a Zoom interview. Overall, Plantenberg’s application was strong, Ragsdale said. “And her commitment to the Youth Ambassadors group that she helped start was very impressive as a high school student,” Ragsdale said. Ragsdale also said she was impressed with the way Plantenberg presented herself at the film production day, which is a new addition to the Celebrate Sunnyvale event where awardees read their acceptance speeches among other things. “Leading up to it, she asked really good questions. ... She was the most prepared in her remarks that we asked each awardee to do and how she carried herself,” Ragsdale said.

Plantenberg said she is passionate about climate change and tries to get involved in as many things as she can, to learn, educate and help combat it. Serving as co-chair of an FBLA community service project as a sophomore, Plantenberg helped the team realize their goal of increasing the use of biking, walking and public transportation to and from school, she said. Afterwards, Plantenberg served as co-lead of the transit advocacy team for the Sunnyvale division for Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action, which aims to “empower teens and young adults through leadership development to combat climate change with impactful education and strategic policy advocacy,” according to the organization’s website.

See STUDENT OF THE YEAR, Page 3 PAGE DESIGN BY SEOYOUNG HWANG

News

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Student Task Force Continued from Page 1

NAOMI’S DAY IN HISTORY

By Naomi Baron

Today is October 29, the 303rd day of 2020. There are 63 days until the end of this leap year. On this day in history, 33 years ago, President Ronald Reagan nominated Douglas H. Ginsburg to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987 to replace retiring Justice Lewis Powell, Constitution Center reported. The nomination failed after Ginsburg’s previous marijuana usage was uncovered. Today, the country is also going through the nomination process for a new Supreme Court justice to replace the late Ruth Bater Ginsberg. President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a Seventh Circuit judge, The Washington Post reported. The nomination process follows four main steps, according to the Supreme Court Nominations Research Guide: 1) The president announces a nominee. 2) The nominee goes through a hearing with the Senate Judiciary committee. 3) The FBI conducts a background check. And lastly, 4) the entire Senate votes to confirm or reject. In cases of a tie, the Vice President casts the tie-breaking vote. As of Oct. 23 when this paper went to print, the Senate vote was scheduled for Oct. 26. This nomination is hotly contested primarily because it was made just weeks before the presidential election. Democrats argue that the newly-elected president should be the one to nominate a justice, The Washington Post reported. Additionally, Barret’s confirmation would create a Supreme Court with six conservative justices. Democrats worry this conservative majority will repeal cases involving abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, The New York times reported. By the time you read this, the confirmation decision will have been made.

Hobson said. The most recent point of these short stories or arcelebration was about the Latino ticles is to give people a different community. perspective, and to change minds Another member of the STF, of people who might have dissenior Yusuke criminatory opinOda said he is “Being able to listen to an ions towards cerinterested in tain ethnic groups using social e-book, a podcast, or watch [without using media as an a TV show, even though punishment].” educational Taylor also disthat’s still on a screen is cussed an idea of platform. “One of my still more relaxing than just using the school ideas was to to increase doing work. We want to pro- calendar type out a short representation. Her article and vide a break for students but idea consists of inmake it concise significant also allow it to be education- putting enough so that historical events you could post al and based on some of the and celebrations of it on social mecultures in prevalent social movements various dia and get the the school calendar point across that are going on right now.” with a short devery easily,” scription for each - Lotus Taylor (12) Oda said. “The date. “They should have all the independence days on there for all the different countries! There are a lot of these events that we don’t think about because we’re American, right?” Taylor said, “but California is such a diverse state, we have to highlight those things. And we have to make a consistent effort to do so in order for us to realPhoto courtesy of Yusuke Oda Photo courtesy of Frank Hobson Photo courtesy of Lotus Taylor ly be able to represent all of our STUDENT TASK FORCE: a group of students, including junior Frank Hobson, senior Yusuke Oda and senior students.”

Taylor said the group also intends to feature different areas of campus as a way to provide more resources. “We want to highlight some aspects of the school, like the library or the multimedia center which … provide a multitude of resources.” Giglio said one of the first projects the task force started working on is the “diversity list”: a list of educational resources about ethnic diversity including literature and other mediums. “We’ve had students that are in the STF give us some suggestions about books, movies, documentaries and podcasts. ... They can be about race, ethnicity or economics; it could be all these different things that intersect the idea of racism,” Giglio said.

Recently, the STF began dividing into projects such as social media, advisory, the reading list and others. Junior Frank Hobson, a member of the task force, joined two of the ongoing projects. “I signed up for the student panel and the multicultural week, where we just talked about multicultural stuff,” Hobson said, “such as celebrating and representing different cultures. The student panel is bringing people in to talk about what they’ve experienced.” Hobson said one project already implemented by vice principal Maria Trejo is the monthly celebration of cultures: each month, a period of advisory will be dedicated to learning about a specific culture, looking at their achievements and who “they are,”

Lotus Taylor, are currently in the brainstorming stage of creating educational projects for the HHS community.

NEWS IN A MINUTE

AP Test format not yet determined for spring 2021

By Madhavi Karthik

AP Teachers adapt to uncertainty as College Board fails to provide clear expectations regarding the test formats

Local:

By Nika Bondar and Sahil Venkatesan

California sends ballots to all registered voters: Amidst the pandemic, an increase in voting by mail is apparent in California, NBC reported. In fact, approximately 72% of ballots were sent through mail for the state’s primaries in March. This is the first time county election offices are sending ballots to all registered voters. If voters send their ballots by Nov. 3, they can still reach the county election offices up to 17 days after the election and have their votes still count, according to the state Legislature. Voters also have the option to track their ballots this year, NBC reported. If they sign up, they can receive a text message, email or phone call once their county election office counts it. If voters prefer to vote in person, sports arenas in major cities such as the Levi Stadium in San Jose are open to accommodate large groups of voters while following the public health guidelines.

National:

Hurricane season causes hardships for Gulf Coast residents: In August, Category 4 Hurricane Laura hit southwest Louisiana damaging over 58,000 homes, the National Geographic reported. However, the destruction isn’t over yet for Louisiana, as the devastation from Hurricane Laura remains. Several weeks after Hurricane Laura, the Salvation Army in Baton Rouge, La. provided meals for the homeless in preparation for Hurricane Delta, a Category 2 storm. Hurricane Delta hit southwestern Louisiana on Oct. 9, ac-

cording to The New York Times. Those who live as far as the Texas coast also experienced the winds Hurricane Delta brought. Federal emergency officials have provided $170 million in aid to those affected by Hurricane Laura, but delegates from Louisiana are advocating for more.

International:

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to U.N. World Food Program: The United Nations World Food Program won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for its expansive work in tackling world hunger, according to The Nobel Prize. The WFP is recognized as the largest humanitarian organization in providing meals for the hungry. In 2019, 135 million people experienced undernourishment. To combat this, the WFP provided meals for approximately 100 million people in 88 countries. Countries including Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Burkina Faso have an increasing amount of starving people due to violence and the pandemic. Despite COVID-19, the WFP has augmented its efforts to promote food security.

The lack of direction from between in-person and online the College Board regarding testing conditions may not be the format of AP tests this so drastic for all of the subspring affects certain subjects jects. more than others. However, AP Calculus AB teacher all curriculums continue to Angie Esswein said in a Zoom adjust as the online version of interview that online assessAP classes takes shape. ments allow students to use AP English literature more resources in her class as teacher Debbie Vanni called well. the College Board twice to ver“The students can use ify the format of test adminis- their textbook, notes and astration, but said she was disap- signments. This wouldn’t be pointed to be presented with allowed if they were in class,” misleading inEsswein said. “I say to you, ‘okay, you can formation. Similar to EssAt first, Vanwein, some teachuse the book,’ because I’m ni said she was ers, such as AP trying to keep everything on told AP exams Spanish teacher would be adPaco Arevalo, do an equal playing field. And ministered renot find the unthen in May they say you’re motely. When certainty of the not allowed to use anything she called a testing format second time, and you’re like, ‘but I’ve been concerning. Vanni was told “We are doing using the book the whole that decision everything online, had not been and that is preyear.’” made yet. - English teacher Debbie Vanni paring them for This uncerwhatever is comtainty caused Vanni to doubt ing if [the test] is going to be whether she is adequately pre- online, as it may be,” Arevalo paring her students for the AP said. exam, she said. Arevalo said the AP curricShe said she believes stu- ulum presented by the College dents will be disadvantaged if Board requires the same skills they are trained in one meth- for both in-person tests and od and then forced to adapt to virtual tests. another. Along with other teachers, “I say to you, ‘okay, you can Arevalo said he has decided to use the book,’ because I’m take a positive approach to the trying to keep everything on transition, hoping the learning an equal playing field. And process will eventually yield then in May they say you’re beneficent results. not allowed to use anything “Eventually when we go and you’re like, ‘but I’ve been back to class, it’d be great if we using the book the whole could incorporate some of the year.’ That’s the part that’s un- things we learned, such as not fair,”she said. making so many photocopies,” However, the differences Arevalo said. PAGE DESIGN BY EVELYN SOLIS

News

Cancer Society continues to bring awareness

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Cancer Society finds alternative ways to spread awareness for breast cancer By Hope Saena

Traditionally, Homestead Cancer Society marks the month of October with breast cancer awareness fundraising and volunteering. However, COVID-19 has caused the Cancer Society to cancel events and come up wiht alternative ways to promote cancer awareness, club president, junior Sophie-Malie Fischer said. Instead of giving up, Cancer Society members have continued to spread awareness for breast cancer, even from afar, Fischer said. It is estimated that one out of every eight women in the world will develop breast cancer. October is dedicated to celebrating breast cancer survivors and those fighting it, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Since Cancer Society is no longer able to proceed with club activities and volunteering events on campus, junior activities di-

rector Sooninie Choi said it’s been difficult adjusting. “Last year, we had craft activities and fun meetings, with chatter and competitions,” Choi said in an email. “We had volunteering events and fundraisers. Now, most of that is not possible. It’s the sad reality, and it hangs over every meeting.” Though it has been a tough experience overcoming these challenges, it has encouraged the club to create new, engaging activities online to educate their members while remaining safe, vice president, senior Khushi Thapa said. Thapa said these new activities, including presentations on different cancers and card making, help strengthen the connections between club members. “[Members] are able to not only learn about the different types of cancer but also present it and let others know what new

Photos courtesy of Homestead Cancer Society information they found while overcoming new barriers and working on building a good relationship with other club members,” Thapa said in an email. Although the pandemic has made it difficult to create events, the club’s goal of educating and bringing awareness to breast cancer remains. CARDS FOR PATIENTS: Members of The Homestead Cancer Society made Fischer said she becards for cancer patients in isolation. lieves breast cancer is the “stepping stone” toward ness at HHS, Fischer said she awareness throughout the panbringing awareness to all cancers. believes there is definitely not demic, Fischer said, and we can “Breast cancer is probably enough of it. use the internet to educate oththe most well known cancer, and “Cancer is more common than ers. it can overshadow some of the most of us think,” Fischer said. “Telling them what you other cancers,” Fischer said in “While there is some awareness, learned in a meeting or an activity an email. “However, awareness like from Pink Night [a fundraiser you did not only spreads awareleads to the community being by the basketball teams], the gen- ness, but builds connections,” educated, and can lead to further eral knowledge of most students Fischer said. “A club is about a awareness for other cancers. It is is fairly low.” community, and while it is hard beneficial to everyone.” Cancer Society remains deter- to build one at this moment, it is While there is some aware- mined to pursue their mission of not impossible.”

NHS starts Project Compass

Student of the Year: junior

NHS project to help students struggling with virtual learning By Seoyoung Hwang

In an effort to ease the stress from the online school experience for students struggling with classes, especially freshmen, HHS’s National Honor Society formed “Project Compass.” The project consists of two sections. The first part offers resource packages aimed at students taking AP classes. Students can access resources and tips for their classes to better grasp any parts of the AP curriculum they might be having trouble with, secretary of NHS Serena Meng said in a Zoom interview. The second part of the project is the “buddy” system, where a freshman gets paired with an upperclassman who will answer questions about high school and

help them with any of their classes, vice president of the project Allison Lee said in a Zoom interview. “Over the summer, I started a nonprofit with my friends,” Lee said. “We have a similar goal, and it’s to connect high school mentors with middle school mentees to help with [the] transition to high school. I thought that it would be really cool if we can also do this mentorship relationship [concept] at Homestead.” The project closed off their first round of sign-ups on October 9, and around 20 people have signed up to work for the project. The problem officers are facing right now is the lack of signups from freshmen.

Photo courtesy of National Honor Society

NHS PROJECT COMPASS: NHS starts Project Compass as a way to

“I know freshmen are feeling really intimidated and overwhelmed right now,” Erin Ronan, the club adviser for NHS, said in a Zoom interview. “I’ve been pulling kids aside, into a separate breakout room, and I’ve been telling them [about the project, instead of emailing them because] it’s really nice when somebody pulls you aside and says [something to you].” Though details of the project have not been finalized yet, NHS hopes to provide more help to the students as the project progresses, Meng said. “We kind of just want to start here and see how it goes,” Meng said. “We hope to expand and maybe work with other tutoring services.” Meng said the NHS officers hope the mentors and the mentees will be able to form a bond and support each other when they need help. “I really hope that the freshmen will reach out to upperclassmen at Homestead and really develop this special mentorship relationship that will really help them to have a better experience [as a student],” Lee said.

Peri Plantenberg wins award

Continued from Page 1 With her team, Plantenberg said she advocated for city- and county-level laws aimed at combating climate change on a wide scale. Plantenberg said the group has already successfully lobbied for six bills that were signed by the governor, and which will combat climate change by making an impact throughout California. “One thing I like to say at city council meetings, when we’re advocating, is we need a future to be the future,” Plantenberg said. “Adults seem to think that the youth will kind of solve this crisis for everybody, but we do not have the influence and power and age and experience to do all of that. So it’s going to take some team effort.” Plantenberg said she started her journey in climate change advocacy as a young child in elementary school, organizing an ongoing litter pickup club. “I think climate change was always in the back of my mind,” she said, “and I wanted to make an impact to help combat it.” However, Plantenberg said she soon realized she wanted to do more to combat the climate crisis. “Around seventh or eighth grade, I started to realize adults were not taking action to solve the climate crisis,” Plantenberg said. “It was kind of up to us.”

Plantenberg said one of her favorite moments during her fight for climate change was when her transit advocacy team was able to exceed their goal of getting 40 to 50 people to advocate during a Valley Transit Authority meeting. “I remember feeling so proud of the transit team [and] so gratified by the success of our goal and so motivated to continue making an impact,” she said. Hoi Yung Poon, a co-founder of Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action, said she enjoys mentoring Plantenberg and watching her grow. “[Plantenberg] is a great example of a youth who wants to make a difference [and who] shows tremendous passion and enthusiasm in the climate effort,” Poon said. “I think that she has grown tremendously as a young leader. … I’m extremely proud of her.” Plantenberg said she plans to continue working with Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action to implement wide-scale changes at the city, county and state levels. “She’s going to have a bright future,” Poon said, “[because] whatever she puts her mind [to], she’s going to be able to get it done.”

help students who are having a hard time with remote learning.

Editors & Reporters Nika Bondar Editor-in-Chief Sahil Venkatesan Editor-in-Chief Saanvi Thakur Managing Editor Naomi Baron Senior News Madhavi Karthik Junior News Shreya Partha Senior Opinion Leila Salam Senior Lifestyles Karuna Chandran Junior Lifestyles Saanvi Thakur Senior Entertainment Amber Birrell Junior Entertainment Nitya Kashyap Senior Sports Raymond Rhanbise Junior Sports Miya Liu Creative Liaision Elaine Huang Senior Design

Allen Zhang Senior Social Media Miya Liu Senior Multimedia Seoyoung Hwang Junior Multimedia Allen Zhang Copy Editor Yukari E. Zapata Business Manager Josh Cantwell Nahrung Reporter Riley Dalton Reporter Reporter Bobby Gorelick Sofia Jimenez Reporter Christine Kim Reporter Lia Klebanov Reporter Macy Li Reporter Erin Loh Reporter Xochitl Neely Reporter

Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter

Ashley Orozco Plata Mae Richardson Hope Saena Evelyn Solis Ritaja Subrahmanya Ariana Juliette Tejeda Moreno Jack Xu Alyssa Zimmerman

Adviser Natalie Owsley

Mission Statement

Advertising

The Epitaph is a non-profit publication at Homestead High School, 21370 Homestead Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014. The Epitaph is a forum for student expression and not subject to prior review, in accordance with Education Code 48907. The staff is comprised of HHS Journalism students. Views expressed do not necessarily represent views of the school, its staff or the district. Editorials are opinions of the editorial board. The Epitaph welcomes letters to the editor but reserves the right to edit submissions. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Include contact information. Unsigned letters cannot be published, but names will be withheld upon request. Send all correspondence to homestead.epitaph@gmail.com, or drop letters in the newsroom or the office mailbox. If the Epitaph has made an error, please send corrections to homestead.epitaph@gmail.com. The corrections will be published in the corrections box for the next issue. To reach the Epitaph staff in C102 call (408) 522-2572 or fax (408) 738-8531

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PAGE DESIGN BY ERIN LOH

Opinion

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Climate change is slowly, but surely killing us

The statistics of climate change are becoming a reality By Amber Birrell

THE PARTISAN PARTY

By Sahil Venkatesan

tion, people living on the coasts will be forced out of their homes because of rising sea levels. Additionally, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, our health will be compromised due to poor air quality and increased waterborne diseases caused by climate change. The data shows that climate change is real: 2019 was the second hottest year on record and ocean temperatures also hit an all-time high, according to the New York Times. Additionally, according to NASA, “Greenland lost an average of 279 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2019, while Antarctica lost about 148 billion tons of ice per year.” Scientists have collected data about climate change and we can see this happening with our own eyes. In California, wildfires are getting worse. According to The Los Angeles Times, “eight of the ten largest fires in California history have burned in the past decade.” We can also see more and more storms appearing in the east. There have been so many hurricanes this year that scientists have had to move to the Greek alphabet to name them, according to The Guardian. Ev-

Illustration by Amber Birrell

A CLIMATE REALITY: It is time to take action against climate change

because our future depends on it.

idence that climate change is real keeps growing, as do the frequency of natural disasters. Yet, the vast majority of people aren’t taking action. It is no secret natural disasters take away lives and homes and create massive amounts of destruction, which is why we need to wake up, open our eyes and understand what is happening. Earth is in trouble because of us, and it is our job to take action before it is too late. According to the New York Times, to stop global warming, we need to zero out our greenhouse

gas emissions. This will be difficult because there are billions of sources of these worldwide, such as power plants, mining and farming. Climate change will affect each and every one of us and we cannot afford to not contribute; we have to actively fight against it. It is important we all stop and take a second to think about the long-term effects of climate change and realize we are slowly approaching the tipping point. Once we hit the peak, our entire existence will be endangered.

American politics forced to adapt to COVID-19 By Macy Li

The U.S. presidential election is a defining moment for people all across the country. Every four years, citizens flock to polls and cast their ballots after candidates spend months campaigning. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s election season has been unlike any other in history. Campaigning has been largely virtual, and in-person conventions have been canceled. To avoid any risk of exposure, many Democrats are advocating for a more convenient method of voting by mail — which has become a contentious issue. Even though over 25 states have expanded access to universal mail-in voting, President Trump and his supporters have repeatedly equated this move to a fraudulent election, according to the New York Times. However, Trump publicly admitted to undermining the United States Postal Service in order to make it harder for voters to mail in their ballots, according to The Guardian.

As the U.S. continues to see an upward trend in deaths and infections, Trump has refused to enforce restrictions to actively combat the virus. Masks and lockdown restrictions have become significant political issues under his presidency. To voters, whether a candidate supports mask-wearing or social distancing has become a large factor in elections, according to ABC News. Rather than working together to combat the pandemic, the two major political parties have become more divided. The next president will be tasked with fighting the pandemic and dealing with its aftermath. As a result, it is crucial for the U.S. to elect a candidate who is competent enough to face these challenges. With Election Day approaching, these impending issues will play large roles in determining the next President. As Americans, it is important for us to vote for a candidate who can secure the safety of our future.

Illustration by Shreya Partha

The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett was full of hypocrisy and a stunning lack of morals by the Senate Republicans who drove the nomination forward. In order to fully understand why so many Democrats are repulsed by the nomination, it is important to understand the recent history of Supreme Court nominations. In March of 2016, former President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court after a vacancy was opened by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell argued that it was an election year, and Obama had no right to nominate a justice to the Supreme Court. McConnell even refused to hold a hearing for Garland, according to CNN. The move by McConnell was clearly a political stunt. There is no basis in history for this kind of political move. In fact, according to the Washington Post, 14 presidents have appointed justices to the Supreme Court in election years. McConell was just taking action in order to benefit his party. Ignoring the precedent they set just four years ago, Republican Senators moved through with the Amy Coney Barret confirmation less than one month before the 2020 presidential election. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in 2016 that he would not support a Supreme Court nomination in 2020, and that we could “use his words against him.” Defying his promise just four years earlier, Graham publicly said that he will vote in favor of confirming Barrett. After the partisan politics displayed by the Republican Party in 2016, Democrats were rightfully outraged. It is clear the Republicans will clearly do what benefits them, no matter what has happened in the past.

As uncomfortable as it is to admit, climate change is real. We only have up until 2030 until its effects become irreversible, according to The National Geographic. Many major politicians have refused to acknowledge climate change as a threat. Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, he has reversed 99 climate policies and rules. We cannot have our own president telling people that climate change is not real, The effects of climate change are already starting to take effect throughout the world and we are not yet experiencing the worst of it. According to Resources for the Future, “global warming of two degrees Celsius is very likely to lead to more frequent extreme heat events and daily precipitation extremes over most areas of North America.” Additionally, climate hazards like wildfires and storm surges will become more frequent, according to NASA. We are all at risk of being affected by these natural disasters. Hurricanes, floods and fires are happening right now, near our friends and family. If we continue in this direc-

A DEFINING ELECTION: With the pandemic, this year’s election will be drasti-

cally different with new voting methods instituted around the country.

Infographic by Shreya Partha and Sahil Venkatesan

PAGE DESIGN BY ALYSSA ZIMMERMAN

Opinion

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Systemic racism affects educational experiences

Redlining should not determine quality of students’ education By Madhavi Karthik

Systemic racism has an immense impact on minorities, and its role in the educational system isn’t addressed nearly enough. The Jim Crow laws of the late 19th century enforced racial segregation and is an example of systemic racism in the past. This racism has far-reaching effects into today and adversely affects minorities. One such example is redlining. Redlining is a practice in which government agencies like banks refuse to provide loans to people based on their neighborhood’s racial background. This started in the 1930s and was used to prevent people of color from buying houses in certain areas, according to CBS News. Redlining was especially common in large cities, including Chicago and Detroit. Thankfully, this practice is no longer legal due to the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which prohibits loan officers to factor race into a loan offer. Regardless, redlining from decades ago still has a detrimental effect on current issues minorities face, according to KQED. For instance, schools are heavily impacted

in historically redlined neighborhoods. This is because schools are mainly funded by property taxes, which is an issue for many people of color, according to Medium. Property taxes are determined by the value of property. Since people of color weren’t approved mortgages when redlining was institutionalized, they were forced to live in areas with lower property taxes. Now, the descendants of these people have to go to schools that are underfunded. This prompts a vicious cycle where people of color who live in these underprivileged neighborhoods do not have access to a resourceful education. These students cannot afford the same luxuries as students in wealthier communities, such as extracurricular activities and tutors. Systemic racism clearly hinders students from reaching their potential, as it causes families to lose access to advantageous tools. Furthermore, according to the Education Writers Association, Baltimore schools in historically redlined neighborhoods that have a predominantly Black population performed lower academically

than schools in non-redlined areas. Similar to other redlined neighborhoods across the country, this is due to a lack of educational resources. The district CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, Sonja Brookins Santelises, hopes to take action and raise awareness of this problem. Santelises and other panelists at the 2019 Education Writers Association’s seminar encouraged journalists not to measure the success of schools based on test scores because schools in historically redlined neighborhoods don’t have access to as many resources as schools in wealthy areas. To combat these detrimental effects, schools in the district are implementing gifted programs in historically redlined neighborhoods, rather than keeping them at the schools where white students are the majority. More awareness of this issue needs to be raised. The educational system negatively impacts people of color disproportionately, and few measures are being taken to prevent the continuation of it. We must advocate for widespread changes in order to make progress.

OFF THE RECORD By Shreya Partha

Infographic by Madhavi Karthik Infographic by Madhavi Karthik

Police brutality claims another innocent Black life Breonna Taylor’s injustice: one of too many By Xochitl Neely

In the Black community, tragedy from police brutality and racism is commonplace. African American men are seen as dangerous criminals and gang members. The police in the U.S. commit human rights violations at a shockingly frequent rate, particularly against racial and ethnic minorities and especially Black people, according to Amnesty International. If you fear for your life constantly when dealing with African Americans, then being a police officer isn’t for you. No one’s life should end because you thought you saw something that wasn’t really there. Sadly, on March 13, 2020, 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police who entered Taylor and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker’s apartment—without announcing themselves—making it seem like they were intruders, according to The New York Times. Taylor and Walker were sleeping when three LMPD officers came into their apartment without identifying themselves. Walker, who is a legal gun owner, fired one warning shot at the officers because he thought they were intruders. They returned 32 shots, six of which hit Taylor. She died that night after the officers waited five minutes before getting her medical atten-

tion, according to The New York Times. Kenneth was arrested for shooting at the officers; however, the evidence clearly points to the officers’ faults. The officers should have been charged because they know what their job entails, and it is critical that officers communicate regardless of the situation. Police officers are supposed to call out who they are and the department they are in so the accused knows it is the cops and not an intruder. In the case of Breonna Taylor, the cops never called out who they were. Instead, they invaded h e r

Illus trat

house—inevitably causing panic—and justified Kenneth Walker’s decision to shoot. Breonna Taylor never got the justice she deserved. Giving her family $12 million doesn’t change the fact she’s dead. It is completely ludicrous that if the situation were reversed and it was a Black man shooting, the victim would get justice rather quickly. But when it comes to innocent African Americans, there seems to be a kind of hesitation. This injustice isn’t new and it’s clear in certain s i t u a t i o n s. On June 27, 2015, a mass shooter named Dylan Roof took the

tha Par ion by Shreya

BREONNA TAYLOR’S DEATH: Too many black lives have been lost as

a result of police brutality.

lives of nine innocent African Americans. Officers gave 22-yearold Roof a burger after he shot and killed nine innocent people at a Bible study, according to Vice.com. It’s wrong that officers give someone who’s clearly dangerous water and food after killing nine innocent African Americans during Bible study, but can’t give justice to Philando Castile. After Castile was pulled over for a traffic stop and told police he was a licensed gun owner and had one with him, the polic officer shot him when he reached for his I.D. The officer claimed he “feared for [his] life,” according to The Washington Post. It was supposed to be just a traffic stop, but it ended in murder. Castile’s child and girlfriend were in the car. Police brutality isn’t new; it’s been around for decades. But no action has been taken to give justice to those who have fallen victim to police brutality. Breonna Taylor is one of many African Americans killed due to police brutality. Tragedy is common in the Black community. We have to fear for our lives just because of the color of our skin. Police brutality and racism needs to stop, and justice must be given to the people who deserve it.

Kalopsia is defined as the delusion of things being more beautiful than they actually are—a theory I constantly see at play in my life. As humans, we tend to romanticize situations for the sake of self-preservation. The world we live in today—more important—the upcoming election, is no exception. Politics has slowly evolved into an idea where our basic human rights are being influenced by political gain and a place where the future of our world— in regards to climate change—has been handed off to people who doubt its existence. The bigger problem here isn’t that we are handing these problems to people who don’t have our best interests at heart, it is the fact that we fail to acknowledge how big the problems are. The problems we push away will just keep becoming more serious until they affect us on a more personal level. This is why the 2020 presidential election is so critical. Americans don’t seem to understand the severity of this election because it hasn’t yet directly impacted their day-to-day lives. By the time they do, it will be too late. Basic rights, like college affordability, access to abortion facilities, free or affordable health care and POC/LGBTQ+ rights, are dependant on this election. By not realizing the severity of voting for the wrong candidate, these rights can and will be taken away. That is also why kalopsia is a dangerous idea to play with. It makes us believe our lives will get better and our situation will fix itself. As a result, we don’t take action to change. It is imperative we make it our duty to not push the reality of the world away, especially right now. Rather, we should embrace it, build off it and enact change — it is, after all, our future.

PAGE DESIGN BY SOFIA JIMENEZ, SHREYA PARTHA AND YUKARI E. ZAPATA

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Distance learning: a workload nightmare

Opinion

Loss of community affects student mental health

By Bobby Gorelick

FEMINIST’S DISCLOSURE By Leila Salam White feminism is defined as feminism that ignores intersectionality, according to the Huffington Post. Being an intersectional feminist means recognizing the interconnected social categorizations such as race, class and gender, as they apply to feminism. It also means recognizing the inequities faced by women in minority groups. White feminism is problematic because the sexism that women of color, LGBTQ+ women and women of different socioeconomic backgrounds face is likely to be completely different than the sexism that I — a straight, cisgendered, white woman — face. Many straight, white feminists, like me, don’t often consider how factors like racism and homophobia impact the sexism that others face because it is not something they are confronted with on a daily basis. However, just because someone doesn’t directly experience that form of discrimination does not mean that it is okay or that they can ignore it. That person has even more reason to listen to those with different experiences, educate themselves and be mindful of the privilege they have when they discuss sexism or when it is brought up in conversation. I myself have struggled to acknowledge how my own privilege affects my perception of misogyny. One of the things I have tried to do to combat my own ignorance is pause to check myself when I find myself forming opinions of others or their experiences. I try to think about how my position of privilege may be causing me to jump to conclusions about someone and I check myself. In order to support women of marginalized groups, it is time that as white, straight women, we recognize the unfair privilege we have and make more of an effort to listen to and uplift women with different experiences than us.

Long, tedious hours spent behind a computer screen, several hours of homework and the monotony of our routine in the confinement of our houses are all a part of a student’s life right now. The levels of increased stress due to my workload lead me to the conclusion that while support systems, such as advisory and mindfulness activities, are a good first step, they are not enough to balance the high demand workload of remote learning. Therefore, it is important to get to the root of student stress and academic pressure. According to data presented by Josh Maisel, FUHSD coordinator of academic interventions, last spring, when we made the switch to remote learning, there was a 34% increase in F’s for first generation students and a 21% increase for students of college educated parents. This data proves that distance learning is more difficult and has impacted student performance. According to The Washington Post, remote learning is causing toxic stress for students, and children are not coping well with the changes. This has been shown through increased calls to suicide hotlines and requests for mental health resources since the start of the pandemic.

Illustration by Shreya Partha

DISTANCE LEARNING’S TOLL: Strenuous hours spent doing home-

work are only taking away from time to rewind and recharge.

In addition, remote learning has taken away a huge part of the community I’ve come to appreciate. I miss being able to interact with my friends during class. A big part of my social life is gone and I often find myself feeling isolated, which contributes to the trauma caused by living through a pandemic. “Students are known to do better in class when they have a friend for encouragement and venting. The lack of social interaction can harm a student more than most realize,” according to Learn Safe. Research from Stanford

University, suggests that in high-achieving communities, an excess amount of homework reduces the opportunity to develop personal responsibility skills through spending time with family and engaging in their communities. However, right now, my concern for learning the material is increasingly being overshadowed by my worry about completing assignments and meeting deadlines to reduce the workload. In fact, according to Viviana Torres, summer academy principal who presented at a recent FUHSD board meeting, “com-

mon responses that students have to incidents of trauma [are] things like fatigue, trouble sleeping… it can also lead to confusion and trouble focusing, which means they’re not able to process, and often it can also lead to the avoidance of unpleasant tasks and [experiences].” To meet the requirements of students facing these struggles, it is critical to acknowledge the toll Covid-19 has taken on all of us. The administration must make the changes needed to the curriculum to alleviate student stress. A relentless workload creates extreme academic pressure on students, and must be adapted to fit the strenuous circumstances students are facing. That means minimizing the content but maintaining meaning. A concrete system to reduce homework for students and allow them to have periodic weekends dedicated to non-academic activities will not only benefit their mental health, but benefit the greater community. Students should be able to take breaks from the stressful workload and return to coursework with renewed motivation and willingness to learn. Now is the time to make change in order to support students and ensure that this year is successful.

The negative effects of online learning

Differentiating school, personal lives more difficult now By Ashley Orozco

School is the bane of most students’ stress and now that we’re learning online, this stress is amplified. Trying to keep up with due dates while grasping the concepts being taught is already hard enough, but doing this from your home makes it infinitely more difficult. The average student could fall several months behind academically when all impacts are taken into consideration, according to The New York Times. A big change in lifestyle can feed loneliness, anxiety and even lead to depression, according to Inside Higher ED. Going from being in a classroom environment and seeing our friends on a daily basis to staring at a computer screen almost all day is bound to affect our mental health. This has for sure affected me and most of the people I know. The toll of isolation, the virus, increased workloads and other impacts taken into consideration are rising among many students, according to Inside Higher ED. Increased workloads play a significant role in the stress of students. This is one of the biggest changes that has affected me because after school I have a multitude of tabs open but I never know where to start and end up doing it all at night. However, there are some students who feel the change is beneficial for their social anxiety. After being forced into social interaction from being in a

classroom, these students are at peace doing school work in the safety of their bedroom, according to VOX. Yet, distance learning clearly doesn’t come without its downsides. The same students who dread social interaction are still waiting in anxiety-stricken anticipation when teachers cold call and they don’t know the answer because of the change in learning style. For me, I don’t seem to understand certain concepts the same way because I’m not able to learn to the best of my ability through a video like my peers can. Out of all the consequences of online learning, this is what makes me the most anxious. Using research we can see the amount of learning that students have lost under these conditions, according to The New York Times. A lot of teachers are assigning assignments that don’t necessarily help us learn the material, it’s a lot of busy work. The work I do out of class doesn’t help me prepare for tests or quizzes, if anything I think that without the extra work I’d do a lot better on assessments because I’d have more time to study. Introverts feel better now and their social anxiety is better because they don’t have to speak up, according to VOX. Being an introvert myself, online learning has made my anxiety worse. In most classes we can’t send private messages to the teachers and we have to either send them to the whole class or speak up. Additionally, we can’t just not

participate because it’s part of our grade. Many students encounter obstacles such as slow internet, procrastination and a desolate feeling of isolation, according to The New York Times. While technology allows us to communicate with our friends, it does not provide the same feeling as seeing them face to face. One of the hardest parts of online learning has been feeling isolated from friends. Teachers try to give us the same feeling as we would normally get in classrooms through the use of breakout rooms. However, they are nothing but awkward and the ambiance is just not the same. Since my sister and I are both learning at home, the wifi doesn’t usually hold, and it gets especial-

ly loud at times if the rest of my family is home. This is strenuous because with so many distractions, it’s really easy to lose focus on a video or lecture. Students completing online courses tend to do quite poorly on tests of academic knowledge, according to The New York Times. This shows that students aren’t really learning but are just toiling away for the sake of passing. Learning in these current situations is definitely not the easiest thing, but we’re all making the best of it and trying to adapt. The crisis is far from over and could continue to harm student’s mental health, according to The New York Times. There are many obstacles that come with online learning, it’s not easy and we should not pretend like it is.

Illustration by Shreya Partha

ONLINE LEARNING CHALLENGES: Students have trouble grasping

concepts because of the lack of one-on-one interaction with teachers.

PAGE DESIGN BY NITYA KASHYAP AND XOCHITL NEELY

Lifestyles

Working on campus during distance learning

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Teachers and administrators elaborate on their experiences

By Lia Klebanov

Even though students are learning from home, staff and administrators are working behind the scenes to deliver the best year possible given the circumstances. Some staff members choose to work from home while others commute to school. French teacher Kelly Ronsheimer said in a Zoom interview she prefers to separate her personal life from her professional life. Teaching simultaneously while her daughter is also learning can be inconvenient. “If I’m teaching and she’s on

her remote learning, we’re going to be clashing,” Ronsheimer said. One thing that many employees do when working from home, is establish a work area. Finding a set space can be difficult, especially when there are multiple people in one household, AP Physics 1 teacher Kathleen Shreve said in a Zoom interview. “We did have a space set up for me in the spring in my house, but my husband is now working full time from home as well, so he kind of took over that space,” Shreve said. The switch from working at home to on-campus requires staff members to abide by different health regulations. According to the CDC, employees in a school need to stay six feet apart, not have extended contact with each other and stay at home if they are experiencing sympPhoto courtesy of Anthony Nguyen toms or have ON CAMPUS STAFF: As a member of the admin been exposed to team, Nguyen works on campus in his office, daily.

someone with COVID-19. “For us, it’s basically as long as you are healthy, you are able to come to campus,” Shreve said. Additionally, classroom conditions play a role in the safety of teachers. Shreve said she controls her own air circulation system, which is not connected to other classrooms, allowing her to feel more comfortable in the space. “There’s one output to a different space, but basically I control my HVAC system so I breathe my own air,” Shreve said. To help with making sure the environments are safe for teachers, some COVID-19 preparations HHS has taken include providing staff members with hand sanitizers and thoroughly cleaning the classrooms daily. “They’re using this industrial cleaner or spray that is different from what they used to use,” Dean Anthony Nguyen said in a Zoom interview. “I also see that cleaning is a little bit more frequent.” As the dean of students, Nguyen comes to school in person almost every day. He said that working from home comes with a lot of distractions and causes a lack of focus. “[I’m] getting as much done [at school] as possible because there

Immigrating to the United States

are a lot of students that need support, especially now,” Nguyen said. When it comes to teaching on campus, there are some big advantages, including the possibility to have demonstrations and hands-on activities, Shreve said. She uses different devices all logged into the same Zoom in order to provide her students with the best learning experience possible. “That’s something that I can do here a little bit more easily than at home because I have a larger workspace to set up that many screens,” Shreve said. “I think that’s the big difference is that I have more space to really play with.” Furthermore, social interaction is one of the big advantages that come with being in a school environment even when there aren’t as many staff members on campus, Ronsheimer said. Communicating with fellow employees is something she enjoys doing. “Because I like to be social. I really like the people I work with. So it’s a pleasure to be able to have to walk to the bathroom,” Ronsheimer said. “I go through the main office and then I get to say hi to certain people.”

Photo courtesy of Joanna Lin

Students share how they overcame language, cultural, social barriers By Erin Loh “I couldn’t understand anything. Someone would say something, and I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then they’ll repeat it but I still can’t understand anything, so I kind of just nod and get over it,” senior Joanna Lin said over Zoom as she recounted the experience of coming to America from Taiwan for the first time. Like many other immigrant students on campus, Lin speaks English as a second language. Embarking on more than just a physical journey, students who immigrate to the U.S. may face challenges, such as language barriers, cultural differences and social obstacles. Sophomores Siyi Ji, Oybek Kasimov and senior Joanna Lin have all experienced immigration first-hand. Ji immigrated from China to America twice, having returned to China in the middle for five years. Although he took English classes in China, Ji was still hesitant to talk both times he moved to the U.S. “There’s always this awkward phase,” Ji said in a Zoom interview. “[When I came in first grade,] I didn’t speak for three months. [But when] I came in seventh grade, it only took a month and then I could start talking.”

Kasimov, however, said he was quite the opposite. Coming from the middle-eastern country of Uzbekistan, Kasimov arrived in New Jersey during the summer of 2018 before coming to California half a year ago. For him, communicating was not awkward at all and helped him learn English quicker. “I’m not afraid to talk to people, so I just spoke and spoke, and asked [lots of] questions,” Kasimov said in a Zoom interview. “When I started ninth grade, everyone from my middle school knew me.” He pointed out that one of the main differences between the U.S. and Uzbekistan is that while Americans have more opportunities as adults, they miss out on some purer childhood experiences kids in Uzbekistan get to have. “[My friends and I] used to go to the kindergarten in the summer when it was closed. We used to take cherries or fruits from the trees to eat and make juice. And when the security guards come to yell at us, we just run away,” Kasimov said. Lin and Ji both mentioned the differences in school systems between the U.S., China and Taiwan and how it affected their friendships.

“My friend from seventh grade invited me to join lunch with her, and we became very close. [To this day] I am very grateful for that.” -- Joanna Lin (12)

“In Taiwan, we don’t have to go from class to class,” Lin said. “We’re with the same people for all three years of middle school and all three years of high school.” This system, she added, made making close friends easier. Additionally, Ji pointed out the difference between individual rights in China and America. “People here take saying whatever they want for granted,” Ji said. “[For example,] in China, you can’t say anything about politics.” Although most of the people they have met are nice, Kasimov, Ji and Lin all said they have experienced difficulties socializing and making friends at some point in their journey. For Kasimov, the difficulties stem from having come to Homestead in the middle of distance learning. Ji and Lin, however, came before school shut down and faced challenges making friends because they were shy. “[The biggest challenge is] mainly confidence. When I don’t know how to pronounce a word, I get really embarrassed,” Lin said. Lin said she believes non-native English speakers don’t have to feel as shy as she used to if the student body works harder to include them in the community. Drawing from personal experience, Lin said students can be more welcoming to non-native English speakers by inviting them to join for lunch, or simply by conversing with them, even if they cannot carry the conversa-

RETURNING TO TAIWAN: Lin visits a Taiwanese night market and eats the local specialty, stinky tofu.

tion very well. She still remembers her experience making a friend in seventh grade. “My friend invited me to join lunch with her, and we became very close. [To this day] I am very grateful for that,” she said. Overall, Lin said she feels she has grown a lot since coming to America. “I can understand both sides of view, and I can accept more cultures. [Most importantly,] I feel like I can empathize more with people from all [backgrounds],” she said.

Multimedia Showcase Scan the QR code to check out our multimedia package featuring different student workspaces and their essentials for studying.

THE DAY DREAMER By Karuna Chandran

I have always been a vocal child—to put it lightly—but the first time when I really spoke my mind was in elementary school. After preschool, I expected a warm, funny teacher that gave smiley stickers and encouragement. Instead, I ended up with a tough teacher who I thought expected too much out of us. After all, I was only six! So being my usual blunt self, I decided to walk up to her desk and ask her why she was so strict. The next day, she walked in and gave us a huge lecture about why she was so hard on us. She explained that if she coddled us and let us do whatever we wanted all the time, nothing would get done. As it turns out, she was actually an amazing teacher! The discipline I started to learn in her class set me up for later on in my life and made me a better student. The point of this story is that if I had never asked her, I would have spent the whole year sulking about how awful my teacher was without considering the reasoning behind her rules. Now, I am not suggesting that anyone go up to their teachers and be as blunt as the elementary school version of me that had zero filter. (In fact I highly recommend you don’t do this.) However, it did teach me a lesson about talking to people, especially when you don’t understand them. I still believe it is important not to let problems sit unattended. It will fester in your mind and cause a lifetime of uneasiness. Additionally, the longer it takes for you to talk, the harder it is to fix. During these times of turmoil where social issues are at the forefront of people’s minds and the world is advocating for change, it’s important to talk to others, become more educated and keep the conversation alive. Even a casual conversation with a friend or family member can help everyone make sense of our crazy world. PAGE DESIGN BY NAOMI BARON AND HOPE SAENA

Spread

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Is thrifting ethical?

“I definitely think people should go thrifting more because it’s so much better for the environment. ... Fast fashion leads to so much pollution and terrible issues like toxic waste accumulation.” -Adrienne Liang (12)

Gen Z Trends

Generation Z (1997-2012) has put a lot of emphasis on the concept of trends, and it has become an integral part of their shared culture.

Photo courtesy of Adrienne Liang

“[My favorite part] is not always the clothes for me, because I look through the whole store. ... My favorite part is seeing all the things that you wouldn’t usually see at a store or things that you know hold value to someone else.” -Nicholas Cam (11) Photo courtesy of Nicholas Cam

“If you look at [thrifting] in general, it does help the environment, and I think it’s only a problem when people resell it for more money, because that happens a lot, and it’s just not okay.” -Trishna Basnet (12) Photo courtesy of Trishna Basnet

POV: Trends’ effects on me Trends: the ups and downs

By Ariana Tejeda Moreno At the beginning of quarantine, I noticed the effect trends have on society, myself and those around me. This affects what clothes, music, etc. that a lot of people like at any given time. I purchased the Animal Crossing game after seeing the trend on TikTok and wanting to buy it myself, but when I arrived at Target, it was already sold out. I ended up having to wait a whole month just to get it. Aside from that, this is one of the few TikTok trends I actually followed; I really enjoyed the game, and it was definitely worth my time and money. I’m glad the trend introduced me to my new favorite game. If the trend hadn’t existed, I probably never would have found it. Even though I enjoyed the Animal Crossing trend, the bak-

ing from scratch trend at the beginning of quarantine really annoyed me. I normally cook dinner with my mom, and this is how I learn to cook traditional foods like enchiladas, different soups and mole. Some ingredients we need to make these dishes are flour and butter—two ingredients no longer available because of the baking craze. My close friends experienced a similar struggle of not being able to find ingredients in stores. This was the first time I have been annoyed by the effects of a trend because it directly affected my life. Trends affect not only what people are buying in stores, but they can also have a huge impact on what’s big in music. I love being introduced to trendy new artists. Songs and music have always

been a major part of my life. It’s a way I connect with friends and family. Music is a big conversation starter among my family because they introduce me to new music and we talk about it a lot. Recently, my brother has been showing me new trendy artists like Cage the Elephant and Arctic Monkeys, which are more indie rock and both super big bands right now. Trendy music gives me the opportunity to form new bonds with my family, and I really enjoy it. In my experience, trends don’t bring negativity, nor are they bad. I don’t mind them at all. Some people don’t like certain trends but as long as everyone follows trends in a respectful manner, it’s cool to share your interests and include other people.

Trends impact students’ lives Gen Z students elaborate on the trends that surround them

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Lookbook Scrunchies

“Scrunchies are popular because they can add a pop of color and personality to your outfit.” -Emma Ikeya (12) Photo courtesy of Emma Ikeya

By Lia Klebanov and Allen Zhang

“Nowadays, trends are what defines society; whatever the trend is, that’s what binds everyone together, and you can either be on the trend or off the trend,” junior Benjamin Sun said. His words echo the sentiment that trends have a large impact on Generation Z, especially in the clothes they wear, the media they consume, the foods they eat and even their habits and actions. Trends are activities and lifestyle choices that become extremely popular for a short period of time. Often, people learn about the latest fads from social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. In fact, these apps themselves can be considered trends as well. For instance, TikTok, a video sharing platform released in 2016, is now used by about 800 million active users worldwide, and out of those, 41 percent are aged between 16 and 24, according to Datareportal. Mostly Generation Z members use the app, which has proved the amount of influence it has. When the app first launched, TikTok was considered to be much less popular. “For a while, TikTok was kind of a joke … because Musical.ly [was typically] used by younger audiences,” Sun said. However, TikTok quickly became one of the most popular social media apps. Junior Noya Zamir said that she gets most of her trends from the video-sharing app. “It depends on how much time I have; [I spend] probably around two to four hours a day,” she said. Like Zamir, Sun said that he spends “a solid hour” every day on TikTok. A big reason why a lot of people like him follow the latest crazes is because of the way others perceive them, he said. “Being on or off the trend can change how people view you, depending on the trend,” Sun said. Sophomore Alan Jian said that he recognizes there are downsides to both following and failing to follow a trend. “If you do follow a trend, some people might

label you as ‘basic,’” Jian said. “But if you don’t, some people might think you’re weird, and people won’t want to hang out with you.” Zamir said that she would prefer not to be known as “basic” for following trends. The stereotypes that come with wearing certain clothes labeled as “basic” is far from the truth for her. “‘Basic’ is a word to describe anything that has become popular, essentially,” Sun said. “So anything that has transcended the original genre that it was made for is basic.” However, other students do not feel compelled to keep up with trends because they are ever-evolving. It takes effort to keep up with the constant changes, Jian said. “I feel like [keeping up with trends can] be a bit exhausting, and sometimes, I don’t feel there’s much meaning to a lot of the trends,” Jian said. Freshman Beatrice Ho also said that she does not bother keeping up with what is trending because they never last for very long. “A lot of [trends] go away really quickly,” Ho said. “What’s the point?” Ho said that there are many alternative ways to connect with others besides following trends. “I don’t think it’s necessarily important to keep up with trends to fit in, because there are so many other things that you can do, like share other common interests with people,” Ho said. She listed baking, music-editing and animating as examples of activities that can connect people. Despite having differing opinions, students seem to agree that the following of trends has become a large part of our generation’s shared experience. “It definitely influences people’s thoughts, especially now, when information can get around really quickly,” Jian said. “That’s the major thing: how it can influence people’s opinions and ideas and prompt discussion, whether it’s civilized ones or non-civilized ones.”

Athleisure

“In athleisure wear, I feel comfortable, and I feel like I can be free to move around.” -Ning Ning O’Brien (10) Photo courtesy of Ning Ning O’Brien

Vans

“Vans are popular because they come in many designs, and they are super casual shoes that you can wear everywhere.” -Kathleen Petcu (12) Photo by Allen Zhang

Bucket Hats “I like my bucket hat because I like the khaki color and how it makes me feel like I am an explorer.” -Karen Asakawa (10)

SOCIAL MEDIA APPS: Gen Z spends a lot of time on social media platforms like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Photo courtesy of Karen Asakawa

PAGE DESIGN BY LIA KLEBANOV, ARIANA TEJADA MORENO AND ALLEN ZHANG

Spread

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Is thrifting ethical?

Gen Z Trends

Generation Z (1997-2012) has put a lot of emphasis on the concept of trends, and it has become an integral part of their shared culture.

Photo courtesy of Adrienne Liang

POV: Trends’ effects on me Trends: the ups and downs

Trends impact students’ lives Gen Z students elaborate on the trends that surround them

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Lookbook Scrunchies

“Scrunchies are popular because they can add a pop of color and personality to your outfit.” -Emma Ikeya (12) Photo courtesy of Emma Ikeya

By Lia Klebanov and Allen Zhang

Athleisure

“In athleisure wear, I feel comfortable, and I feel like I can be free to move around.” -Ning Ning O’Brien (10) Photo courtesy of Ning Ning O’Brien

Vans

“Vans are popular because they come in many designs, and they are super casual shoes that you can wear everywhere.” -Kathleen Petcu (12) Photo by Allen Zhang

Bucket Hats “I like my bucket hat because I like the khaki color and how it makes me feel like I am an explorer.” -Karen Asakawa (10)

SOCIAL MEDIA APPS: Gen Z spends a lot of time on social media platforms like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Photo courtesy of Karen Asakawa

PAGE DESIGN BY LIA KLEBANOV, ARIANA TEJADA MORENO AND ALLEN ZHANG

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Traditional welcome back rally changes theme

Lifestyles

Change from traditional rally theme to be more culturally considerate By Leila Salam

Around the time of the aloha rally, the topic of possible cultural appropriation was brought to the attention of leadership adviser Jessica Kirby by the Equity Task Force, Kirby said in an email. The staff member mentioned that the theme of the rally could possibly be bordering on cultural appropriation. After Kirby received the feedback, she brought it up in leadership class to discuss. “We brought it up in class when we were doing the rally debrief, which is when we go over the pros and cons of the rally, and once we mentioned that, we had a discussion on it,” ASB president and senior Rohan Zamvar said. “Honestly, I think it was a relatively short [discussion] because we [hadn’t] considered it in the past.” Zamvar said that once leadership recognized how some people felt about the rally theme, they quickly agreed they would change it. “Once we talked about it I think everyone was under the consensus that, now that we are completely knowledgeable about the whole scenario, we agree that we should not have done this,” Zamvar said, “and this is like a precedent that we will set for the future that we won’t do this.” Senior and ASB treasurer Taner Karaaslan added that the discussion was fairly quick as

“As a class, we discussed how it could potentially be offensive to others and how it’s important that we don’t just consider it from our perspective, but from the perspectives of the students as well, particularly students that might be offended by it.” - Tam-Dan Nguyen (12) cultural appropriation was not something leadership had previously considered in relation to the aloha rally. “Once people reached out to us and we saw our mistake, we were really quick to change,” Karaaslan said. “I think we had one class discussion about it, and we were just all like, ‘okay, let’s change this, this is wrong, this is our fault’.” ASB vice president and senior Tam-Dan Nguyen also emphasized leadership’s focus on looking at the issue from a different perspective. “As a class, we discussed how it could potentially be offensive to others and how it’s important that we don’t just consider it from our perspective, but from

the perspectives of the students as well, particularly students that might be offended by it,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said the discussion has caused leadership to reevaluate parts of the aloha rally theme and focus on possible new ways to celebrate the start of school. “I think, going forward, we’re going to kind of reassess,” Nguyen said. “I don’t think we’re going to be doing the aloha theme anymore, which I think might frustrate some people because it is a tradition, but I think that it makes sense after I’ve taken a step back to think about it.” One major reason leadership had never considered the aloha rally theme to be cultural appropriation is the fact that it is a long

standing tradition at HHS, Nguyen said. “Tradition is obviously a big aspect in Homestead,” Nguyen said. “A lot of our events are influenced by tradition. The welcome back rally has been [the] aloha rally for as long as I can remember and as long as I’ve heard of it.” Karaaslan said that regardless of the fact the theme is a tradition, it is still something that should be changed. “We [have] only really [had the theme] because it is traditional at Homestead to have the aloha rally,” Karaaslan said. “So that was our fault for not recognizing [that it was offensive].” In order to tell students about their decision, leadership has drafted an email to address the situation. “We want to address it to the campus because one of our big focuses this year specifically is to make sure that we’re being as inclusive as possible,” Zamvar said. “Obviously, portraying something like this isn’t necessarily the best thing to do.” Zamvar said leadership plans to write an email instead of using social media to make sure they are handling this respectfully. “We were debating about whether or not to use social media because we don’t want to seem insensitive about [this topic]; we want to make sure that

it gets it’s due respect,” Zamvar said. “We’re just trying to get the message out there that we’re conscientious of our decisions, and we understand where people are coming from.” Nguyen said leadership will take time to be as respectful as possible of the situation when they inform the student body. “We want to make sure that we do it right the first time,” Nguyen said. “Whether that takes time [or not], we want to make sure that we do it right.” Zamvar, Nguyen and Karaaslan all emphasized that this will be a learning experience for leadership. “I’m sure the student body will be okay with it because it’s not a major change that we’re making,” Karaaslan said. “We just realize our mistake and I’m sure they’ll be supportive of us and [we’ll be able to] grow from this.” Moving forward, leadership said they will look for student feedback after events to make sure all students feel comfortable, Zamvar said. “Now we’ll definitely take a new approach when we go into all our new events just to make sure there’s no groups being, like, implicitly or accidentally targeted by our actions, which obviously we don’t [intend to do],” Karaaslan said. “But now, this whole example will definitely help move us in a better direction.”

Seasonal celebrations altered during COVID-19

Students, parents may not celebrate October holidays this year By Ariana Tejeda Moreno and Hope Saena COVID-19 restrictions have altered the way we will celebrate this October’s holidays. The Santa Clara County public health department’s website informs residents of the Bay Area that celebrating with large groups brings higher risk of exposure. It is advised to avoid high-risk activities, such as trick-or-treating. However, low-risk activities that involve staying at home or remaining in small groups are highly recommended by the CDC. Due to the ongoing pandemic, participating in certain activities holds an undeniably high risk, bringing parents to try to find new ways to keep the Halloween spirit while staying safe at the same time. English and resource teacher Nicole Zambrano said though she and her family’s plans have changed, they will be trying new low-risk activities this year. “We’re going to do fun stuff together, have Halloween-themed food, decorate the house and try to make it exciting for [my daughter and nephews],” Zambrano said in a Zoom call. “We’re just trying to make it fun for them, but still keep it small.” Zambrano and her family will practice social distancing for the safest outcome on Halloween, she said. This includes staying within the social bubble and not trickor-treating.

Teens also plan to celebrate Halloween at home with friends in their inner circle. Senior Benjamin Ruvinov said he would normally party with friends, however, he has changed his plans to practice safety protocols recommended by the CDC. “We will not be [going out] this year because places [that offer Halloween activities] are limited or closed,” Ruvinov said. Ruvionv said he plans on handing out candy as usual with extra precaution such as spraying wrapped candy with anti-bacterial spray. He has no intention of going out on Halloween this year. “I will have only a little get together, just five to ten people,” Ruvionv said. Although Ruvionv is not going out, he said everyone who decides to go out should follow general precautions, such as wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer. Students have similar plans during Halloween. Sophomore Deni Eways said she has plans that will keep her and her closest friends safe. “Our inner circle is going to have a little party, bring candy, and just make the best of what we can out of the experience,” Eways said in a Zoom interview Eways said the safest way of celebrating is with a little circle of your own. “That way no one can potentially get exposed or expose anyone else,” she said.

Eways and Zambrano both said they look forward to seasonal events such as trick-or-treating, pumpkin-picking, and Halloween parties with their inner circles. Although Halloween is a widely popular holiday, it isn’t the only one celebrated in October. Día de Los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated by many in the Latino community. During this holiday, many gather together and pray to remember significant others that have passed away. Some customs include costumes, parades, and ofrendas-altars. These ofrendas are built at home and are decorated with marigolds, beverages and food to welcome back the souls of those who have deceased to the living world. They are then able to feast, drink, dance and play music with their loved ones, according to the Day of the Dead History. This year Dean Maria Trejo had several goals at HHS surrounding celebrations of Día de Los Muertos. Trejo said these family celebrations are meant to bring everyone together and this year’s celebration will differ greatly. ¨The Latinx community is being affected at many different levels,” Trejo said. “Family celebrations are a big part of the Latinx community, as in many others.”

Another October holiday Trejo hoped to celebrate at HHS is National Coming Out Day. National Coming Out Day is celebrated annually on October 11. It’s a day for members of the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate and support both those who have come out and those who haven’t. The HHS community is a di-

verse one that is being affected by COVID-19 very uniquely. Overall, while the COVID-19 pandemic has affected some people’s activities for celebrating October’s seasonal holidays, people have found alternate ways to stay safe and have fun. “It’s a bummer, but it is what it is this year, so we got to keep everybody safe,” Zambrano said.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Zambrano

SAFETY DURING HALLOWEEN English teacher Nicole Zambrano takes daughter and nephews to a pumpkin patch.

PAGE DESIGN BY RILEY DALTON

Lifestyles

Thursday, October 29, 2020

The pre-college experience and its role in decision making

College choices look very different for seniors during the pandemic By Karuna Chandran

Photo courtesy of Sahiti Kadiyala

As distance learning continues, the class of 2021 has been forced to continue with college planning despite the situation, and this switch has not been without its challenges. AVID class of 2021 teacher Shawnee Rivera said in a Zoom interview that three of her students decided to go to a junior college instead of a four year college. “I totally get it, but ... I feel like they’re just settling now, because they feel like the options are far less for them, which is frustrating from my perspective,” Rivera said. One of the biggest adjustments with distance learning is that seniors do not have the opportunity to experience the college environment by visiting prospective college campuses. “I think the environment is a big [factor in college decisions], and [you should] always visit a campus, even if it’s virtually, to see if it’s something that suits you,” guidance counselor Raquel DeJesus said in a Zoom interview. “If you feel like you don’t have that connection with them, it’s harder to develop a connection later on.” Due to the circumstances, there is a chance the first year of

ONLINE COLLEGE PLANS: Due to COVID-19, seniors like Sahiti Kadiya-

la have to get college information through virtual means.

college may be at least partly remote, College and Career Center adviser Vicky Salazar said. “They’re not going to have that beginning freshman year experience, [while] that big of a deal, but it’s still a semester of not being able to be on campus, living in dorms, away from your parents,” Rivera said. Salazar also agreed that the

experience will be very different when students are able to come to campus. “Some of my own best college experiences were through campus activities, events and just people I met in classes or walking around campus.” Many students such as senior Sahiti Kadiyala also believe in the importance of visiting prospec-

tive colleges to get a feel for the environment, especially if it is a close choice between two schools that otherwise match up. “It affects how much you value [the school] as a person and whether you’re willing to sacrifice a location that’s not exactly what you want for an education that you’d prefer,” Kadiyala said in a Zoom interview. In addition, college tours gave students from the AVID program a glimpse into the college life by allowing those seniors to be able to see the classes and dorms, Rivera said. “[The school] might go from feeling totally inaccessible to feeling like a place where they could see themselves going,” Rivera said. Salazar agreed that while campus life is important it is also crucial to keep in mind that during these times, this may not be an option due to the pandemic. “There are other great ways to learn about campus life,” Salazar said. “Especially now with so many virtual resources, it is great to be able to access these without necessarily having to travel to the college.” Many universities are switching to an online format and offer-

ing virtual tours and programs. However, senior Lotus Taylor believes it is simply not the same. “Seeing students [at Cal Poly] literally building [a] miniature house in a grass, I was like that’s really cool,” Taylor said in a Zoom interview. “This shows me, you know there’s a really big student atmosphere here … You’re not going to see that, no matter how many virtual tours you do.” To try to help combat the problem, HHS has been holding virtual presentations, and Kadiyala said they are really helpful for her. “Going to one of those virtual sessions is really helpful for me to know first of all what the purpose of that [college related form] even was and second, what forms, you’d have to fill out and what the deadlines are,” Kadiyala said. Overall, all guidance counselors including DeJesus want their students to know that it is completely fine to reach out to them for help and support. “I want students to understand that we understand their frustration and feeling stressed and anxiety and overwhelmed this year, because this is completely new to all of us and to them,” DeJesus said.

Yoga & Fitness Club improves mental health of students, staff amidst Covid-19 crisis

Club serves as important resource for stressed-out students By Alyssa Zimmerman

open to what it could mean to be less anxious,” Ronsheimer said. High school is doubtlessly a high stress experience, and distance learning only adds to that stress. “I think a big difference that I have noticed is usually anxiety and depression are at the top of the list [of student mental health issues],” schoolbased therapist Sarah Loyd said in a Zoom interview. “The past few months [there] is more academic stress, particularly, and that has been the common theme of students’ pres e n t a t i o n s. Students are feeling overwhelmed with remote learning and [begin] losing motivation.” As a schoolbased therapist, Loyd said, one of her roles is to create mental health lessons for both Illustration by

rman

Alyssa Zimme

“Two years ago, I was really stressed out with math,” Yoga and Fitness Club co-president, senior Indy De Smet said reminiscently in a Zoom interview. “We’d have yoga club right before my math class every other week. It was just a nice way to take my mind off of it and get ready for it.” The Yoga and Fitness Club is a sports club that practices yoga over Zoom once every two weeks. De Smet suggested that anyone feeling stressed out, whether from class workload or the overall stress of life, should stop by for a meeting. “It’s done in a very relaxing way, especially after that many Zoom classes,” De Smet said. “It’s during the lunch period, so it’s a nice way to just take your mind off of everything.” The Yoga and Fitness Club is headed by French teacher Kelly Ronsheimer, as both an adviser and an instructor. “[It’s perfect for anyone] if you’re willing to try something new with your body and you’re

SAVASANA IMPROVES MENTALITY: the corpse pose involves releasing tension and allowing your mind to wander.

staff and students. In one of these lessons, the HHS mental health team recommended yoga as one way to manage mental health issues and stress. “Yoga is useful because it allows you to take the moment and the time to focus on your breath, which is a very grounding experience. It’s also a very good thing for your body to breathe. It’s the moment of awareness, and mindfulness, which affects our brain,” Loyd said. “Yoga is a practice that gives you the opportunity to do that while at the same time strengthening your muscles and stretching your muscles, which is also very important.” Loyd said that yoga helps most with stress, depression and anxiety, but should be used in conjunction with, not instead of, professional help. Although yoga in general is very good for mental health, it’s Savasana, the corpse pose, that really focuses on the mind and overall well being, Ronsheimer and De Smet both said. “Savasana is the North Star of yoga. No matter what practice you do, Savasana is always part of it. And it’s this letting go. You come up and you’re reborn, with a different layer of wisdom,” Ronsheimer said. “You feel really peaceful, like your life is good just as it is right now, and you just want to smile at yourself.” The Yoga and Fitness Club is an easy place for students to start practicing yoga at home. “We just get everyone there and then I

Photo courtesy of Kelly Ronsheimer

RONSHEIMER STRETCHES: The scorpion pose, which Ronsheimer is

shown doing at an airport, is thought to reduce stress and improve focus.

lead some yoga. And that’s it. And turned into one of those weird I just talk them through the pos- people,” Ronsheimer said with a es. But I’m not going anywhere laugh. Even if yoga seems weird super deep,” Ronsheimer said. As far as accounting for stu- or unenjoyable at first glance, dent mental health, “What I’ll do there’s no harm in giving it a try. is I’ll look up poses online that It could have a huge impact on have to do with calming tension your mental health. You might or anxiety,” Ronsheimer said. “I even start doing it every day. like to teach around a theme.” There’s no need to be conBut even Ronsheimer, who cerned if this all seems like too seems completely immersed in much work. spirituality and yoga, admits that Prioritizing your mental wellat first, the stigma around yoga being doesn’t need to take more scared her away as a teen. than five minutes, De Smet said. “At your age, I didn’t know “A good way to de-stress is to anything about meditating or take time, even if it’s just five minyoga. That was all really weird utes, to just close your eyes and stuff that really strange people focus on yourself, and your mind did. Whereas now I do yoga; I and how you’re feeling in the mopractice every day. So, maybe I’ve ment,” she said. PAGE DESIGN BY BOBBY GORELICK AND MAE RICHARDSON

Arts&Culture

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Entertainment Industry adapting

Despite a global shut down, the entertainment industry triumphs By Alyssa Zimmerman

The entertainment industry has gained a reputation for bringing dreams to life. It’s something that has inspired me and countless others. One thing that’s more disappointing is the way the entertainment industry’s standards are set in stone. After concerns with COVID-19, many fields of the entertainment industry have had to make changes with almost everything. Although they were abrupt, could these changes be beneficial to the industry? Will they be able to break the cycle of monotony? For a closer look, take the film industry for example. “Trolls World Tour” was set to release in April 2020. It was a risk, but Universal Pictures ultimately decided to forgo a classic theater release. Instead, the film was released through online streaming services. In three weeks, “Trolls World Tour” earned what its predecessor did in five months. No doubt about it, this was a huge triumph. Although this might seem altogether insignificant, it has larger implications for the entertainment industry. A theatrical release is the standard for the film industry and yet Univer-

Prodution Director camera date

scene

Illustration by Shreya Partha

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY THRIVES: coronavirus regulations force entertainment to adapt to a pandemic ridden world

sal’s success questions the need for this process. Without a middleman, film studios could walk away with larger profits and audiences would have to pay less. There could be a future where straight-to-digital releases become the standard. In another field, musicians who once booked

ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE RADAR New movie and music releases in upcoming months

Album Name: weird! Artist: Yungblud Genre: Pop Rock, Alt Rock Release Date: Dec. 4 Photo Courtesy of Billboard

Album Name: Confetti Artist: Little Mix Genre: Pop Release Date: Nov. 6 Photo Courtesy of Billboard

Movie Name: I Am Greta Director: Nathan Grossman Genre: Documentary Release Date: Nov. 13

Photo Courtesy of Moviefone

Movie Name: Shawn Mendes: In Wonder Genre: Music, Documentary Release Date: Nov. 23

Infographic by Saanvi Thakur

take

Photo Courtesy of Moviefone

world tours can no longer play a live show, but they haven’t let these coronavirus restrictions stop them. Countless musicians have put on or are promising livestream concerts for their fans. Although no one can deny the thrill of an in person performance, this new trend has its

merits, too. Fortunately, online shows are more accessible for the larger public. Fans with disabilities or those who can’t afford to travel now have easy access to live shows. Even once artists go back to playing sold out arenas, online shows will still be beneficial. Late night TV ––which is another form of entertainment performed in front of a live audience–– is a perfect example of how the entertainment industry has a destructive knack for repetition. The stale formula most late night shows insist on sticking to might have seemed appealing ten years ago, but it just doesn’t cut it for new viewers who have the top comedians, the current news and the opinions of their favorite celebrities easily accessible. Coronavirus, however, managed to break this pattern up. Late night show host, Seth Meyers, used the pandemic as an opportunity to connect with his audience. He used the adjustment of filming in his home as an opportunity to analyze and reference audience feedback. When comments under his YouTube videos told him they didn’t like a scene, Meyers turned it into an inside joke. Beyond

that, Meyers has taken this opportunity to add a larger narrative to what is normally a disjointed genre, late night TV. Meyers sidestepped that stiff format by adding a layer of personability. Although he has since gone back to filming in a studio, Meyers still makes continuous references to the show’s format and the audience, which is new to the show. I was ecstatic to see Meyers change. He took a fault in the late night TV genre and ––by acknowledging and ridiculing it–– improved his show. Despite all of this, it’s not all greener pastures and new horizons for the entertainment industry. The hard truth is that not everyone working in entertainment is a millionaire who can afford to rest on their laurels. For the most part, these adaptations are a major turning point moving forward. Despite some unintended consequences, it’s my opinion that these changes make up for a refusal to adapt under normal circumstances. Once regulations are lifted and COVID-19 is no longer a concern, I hope that the entertainment industry will not only keep these changes, but continue to adapt from there.

2000s pop punk is back

Machine Gun Kelly brings nostalgia to 2020

By Saanvi Thakur

Growing up, my music taste was a complete mess. I was obsessed with Carrie Underwood’s power anthems and addicted to Demi Lovato’s classic pop songs. I listened to every genre in the music industry but was always drawn to the pop punk world for new music. With the release of Richard Colson Baker’s –– known professionally as Machine Gun Kelly –– new album, “Tickets to My Downfall,” the 2000s pop punk nostalgia was brought back but the music itself is here to stay. Including 21 songs that are sung so vulnerably and perfectly, “Tickets to My Downfall” is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. The album itself was very well produced and there are multiple interludes that make the album feel more personal and easier to connect with. My favorite interlude was the “kevin and barracuda” with Baker and Pete Davidson, where they joke around and voice animated aliens. One of my favorite songs, “title track,” has some of the most powerful lyrics that highlight the hidden truth about the music industry and the fame that comes with it. Baker sings, “I sold some tickets / To come see my downfall / It sold out in minutes / I saw friends in the front row / They’ll leave when I’m finished / And the light in my name’s gone.” Having had experience with toxic people, I strongly

related to the lyrics and found a lot of truth in what Baker wrote. When I first listened to the song, I immediately thought about self worth and prioritizing myself, which made me love the song even more. “Title Track” starts off with a simple strumming pattern but by the chorus, the electric guitar and drums kick in, adding to the musical experience significantly. These details are what makes Baker’s songs so addicting and refreshing to listen to. “Bloody Valentine,” “forget me too,” “all I know,” “lonely,” “nothing inside,” “hangover cure” and “can’t look back” are all songs that also stood out to me for their originality. It may seem like I’ve listed out the entire album by now, and to be honest, I wouldn’t be opposed to doing so, but I chose these songs specifically because of their meaning. These songs talk about feelings we’ve all had but are too afraid to talk about in the open. Through these songs, Baker normalizes feeling depressed, angry, sad and even numb –– which is something I can relate to and admire in his music. The lyrics are all very raw and don’t sugarcoat Baker’s feelings, allowing listeners to really relate with his music. One song from the album that I can’t get out of my mind is “play this when I’m gone.” When I first heard this song, I started crying because of meaningful lyrics combined with the way the instruments and vocals were layered. Baker also announced via Instagram that he wrote this

Photo Courtesy of Billboard

POP PUNK KING: new release adds to Baker’s musical range

song for his daughter, which just made this song that much more emotional. There are so many people who have broken relationships with their dads, and this song gives those people a glimpse into a loving father daughter relationship. In “play this when I’m gone,” Baker guides his daughter through the realities of the world in a beautiful way. The truth of the lyrics and the emotions that it made me feel made this song one I will never forget. “Tickets to My Downfall” is an album that has so many different songs for any kind of mood, and one that I definitely recommend adding to your playlists. “Tickets to My Downfall” is my number one album from Machine Gun Kelly and it definitely will make your favorite album list too if you’re interested in the pop punk world. PAGE DESIGN BY ASHLEY OROZCO

Arts&Culture

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Now, forever, ‘Always’

Danielson’s albums provide comfort during uncertain times By Shreya Partha

I first came across Isak Danielson on Spotify toward the beginning of quarantine when I was bored of my music and needed a change. One listen to “Always” and needless to say, I was obsessed. I started by listening to his album “Yours” and from there, my love for his music only continued to grow. Upon hearing his 2018 album “Yours” and his most recent album “Remember to Remember Me,” I immediately noticed a change in his musical style. There is a distinct, heightened sense of maturity and a deeper meaning behind each song in the newer album. Additionally, the tone of the music presents a more forceful and empowering feeling for the listener. In the title song for “Remember to Remember Me,” Danielson sings, “Don’t want to lose the memories / Remember to remember me / Thought I’d let you know / You only have to call.” Unlike other modern artists, Danielson draws listeners in because of the genuineness of his songs, the weight his lyrics hold and the comfort that comes along with it. Instead of using profanity or diss tracks, he uses relatability to

paid or told to act a specific way. When Danielson uses these lyrics to express his emotions to listeners, it allows his fans to feel more in tune with their own and be more accepting of the emotions they feel. Going along the same line of vulnerability, Danielson opens up about his feelings in NOSTALGIC EUPHORIA: Album “Remember a more intimate to Remember Me” reveals Danielson ‘s talent. song, “I Am Fallestablish a connection with his ing in Love.” In listeners. Through his songs, he’s the song, he sings, “If I should be able to remind fans they are not honest I’ll miss you, I’ll miss you alone in what or how they think / I would give my heart to be near and the feelings they feel are val- you, near you.” id. He also adds, “I can’t preThis is especially expressed in tend like I’m not falling in love/ one of my favorite songs: “Light ‘Cause I’m falling in love,” which Up.” Danielson sings, “Can you is probably the most unguarded help me out of my misery? / sentiment he could have said. ’Cause I need someone / To keep Danielson’s complete lack of me calm when I can’t breathe.” security in relation to other artIn this song, we are met with ists is what makes him so likable. another version of him — one He isn’t afraid to realize and who shows vulnerability. accept his feelings, even if they Especially right now, it is dif- are difficult to accept. ficult to see artists show any sort Furthermore, he takes the exof vulnerability because they are tra step of conforming these feel-

ings into a song that is catchy to the general onlooker but almost nostalgic to his enthusiasts. While many people have trouble just coming to terms with difficult emotions, it takes real talent to take those emotions and share them with the world. My all-time favorite song of any artist is his song, “Always.” This song utilizes repetition in all the best ways. He coaxes his significant other to promise him they will be together always and that through it all, the highs and the lows, they will remain together. Danielson makes use of a popular couple, Ross and Rachel, from the show “F.R.I.E.N.D.S,” to accentuate how close he wants to be with his partner I’m drawn to this song because of the feeling that overcomes me when I listen to it. It’s a comfort song to me because of the familiarity, the nostalgia and the predictability of it for me, after listening to it on repeat. That’s how I would categorize Danielson and his music: familiar, nostalgic and safe. It’s not safe in the way he sings or tries different music styles, but it’s safe in its dependability: you can listen to his music for hours on end without ever getting bored of his voice, lyrics or beats.

Hollywood double standard

Detrimental double standards put women in a box By Karuna Chandran

certain way for the sole purpose of pleasing others. The problem with this is that women lose both ways. If we try to be tough and ask for what we want, we could be perceived as aggressive. But if we try to be extra sweet, people might think we’re incompetent. Why should women have to walk on eggshells just to succeed in an industry that is supposed to af- HARMFUL DOUBLE STANDARDS: Even female actresses who have found ford equal oppor- tremendous success have been plagued by stereotypes and judgements. tunities? Even seasoned actress and face just to get to where she is wearing lots of suits. I love how she unabashedly stood up for producer Mindy Kaling has today. Overall, the entertainment her choices, while also trying to talked about this disparity between genders. According to industry is fraught with harmful teach an important lesson. She the New York Times, Kaling felt double standards, and in order proved that to truly get people guilty simply for pushing for for it to become a workplace to change, you have to explain, what she wanted because wom- that promotes equal opportu- not accuse. After that, she continued en, unlike men, are expected to nities for all genders, it has to improve. by encouraging women to do be “team players.” This fight continues with what they want without fear of Even when she made a small demand, she would end up actresses, such as Blake Lively, humiliation, even if it is someapologizing for her actions. Be- who have been pushing back thing that is considered to be ing an Indian-American and a against such stereotypes, ac- male-dominated. I have always believed that huge fan of “The Office,” I loved cording to USA Today. When criticized for the num- small moments like this are watching Kaling’s character on the show, and was inspired by ber of suits she wore during a what eventually lead to change. seeing her name listed as a pro- promo for one of her movies, As Lively said, even something ducer in the credits. But I never she replied asking the critic if as material as fashion is a place realized the struggles she had to she would make note of a man to start. Illustration by Shreya Partha

Actors are often looked at with admiration from their adoring fans who wish their lives could be just as perfect as those on the big screen. While their lives seem like a fairy tale, many don’t realize the struggles actresses have to overcome to be fairly represented in the entertainment industry. Over and over, actresses have had to deal with sexist remarks that would never have been permissible for their male counterparts. One of the countless examples of this comes from a People magazine article in which actress Melissa McCarthy recalls being asked during a press conference why she had acted in such a “grotesqe” manner. McCarthy responded saying she was playing a character and questioned the reporter if he’d ever asked a man something similar. In a different interview, a journalist asked McCarthy if she was shocked she had been successful in the industry desopite her size. The fact that success is attributed to a woman’s body type still shocks me, and proves the entertainment industry deserves to be looked at with the same level of scrutiny that other businesses have been through as of late. One excellent example of this is the “likability trap” where women are expected to act in a

HOLLYWOOD CONFESSIONS By Amber Birrell I was watching “Confessions of a Shopaholic” the other night, and don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie, but as I was watching, I realized it under played a very common issue: debt. The movie followed the main character Rebecca Bloomwood, played by Isla Fisher, who was $10,000 in debt because she was addicted to shopping. However, by the end of the movie, she miraculously overcame her shopping addiction and sold all her clothes, which helped her earn more money than she owed. The movie dangerously oversimplified the process of paying off debts, which takes a lot more time than depicted in the film. I, along with many others, have fallen for these unrealistic standards created by movies because they become the norm for Hollywood films. Making issues like this seem small is dangerous to young and impressionable audiences, as it immensely underplays the reality of debt. The harsh reality is that millions of Americans are in debt and aren’t able to pay back their debt despite working all their lives. But this movie makes it seem as if it’s a small inconvenience that you can quickly fix. On top of that, the movie suggests that people can overcome addiction in a few months, but this is also not the case. Movies shouldn’t be suggesting this to their audience because addiction is a very serious problem that many people deal with. It is ridiculous that movies are sending such messages to viewers. Movies can create a lot of false expectations for children and even adults, and while it is enjoyable to watch, audiences need to remember that what they see on TV is almost never what happens in real life. We should not be underplaying issues that are so relevant in society today. PAGE DESIGN BY JOSHUA CANTWELL-NAHRUNG

Sports

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Athletes use platform to advocate for racial equality

Athletes supporting Black Lives Matter influences their followers By Yukari E. Zapata

RAYMOND RANTS By Raymond Ranbhise

The Houston Texans. They were once a stacked team with a top five quarterback and a strong wide receiver core. With Deandre Hopkins, Kenny Stills and Will Fuller as their top three receivers, the Texans dominated on offense. Their O-line wasn’t the best but they had their QB, Deshaun Watson and Hopkins, so it didn’t really matter. They cruised to a 10-6 record and they were supposed to make it deep into the playoffs. Little did they know, 1 game would cause misery to Texans fans. It would generate deep hate for Bill O’ Brien, the head coach/general manager of the team and lead to him getting fired. It started in the divisional round against the Chiefs last year. The Texans looked like they were going to handily defeat the Chiefs as they had a 24 point lead with ten minutes remaining in the second quarter. But, as Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” The Chiefs scored 41 unanswered points and won the game 51-31. The Texans blowing a 24-point lead was a result of terrible defense and even worse playcalling. For example, not going for it in Chiefs territory and then fake punting it on their own 40 yard-line. This was the beginning of their downfall. To make matters worse, in the 2020 offseason, Bill O’ Brien fleeced the Texans by trading DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth-round draft pick to the Cardinals for David Johnson, a 2020 second-rounder and a 2021 fourth-rounder. He traded the Texan’s best receiver for a running back past his prime. This trade heavily impacted the Texans, as they are 1-5 and are tied for last in the AFC South. Thank goodness they fired Bill O’brien. He did a lot of damage and it will be hard to salvage the season. This season, they’ll be rotting in the basement of the AFC South.

Since the start of the Black Lives Matter movement, there have been many celebrities and widely known influencers using their platform to inform people about the movement and show their support. But influencers and celebrities are not the only ones, many American sports leagues have taken a stance to support the movement. “I believe that athletes are using their platforms for good when it comes to spreading [awareness about] the BLM movement,” junior Tyler Huang said “The NBA did a fantastic job at this. [They wore] special messages on the back of their jerseys, coaches had a patch, and they painted BLM on the court.” When it comes to taking a stance and showing support for movements, supporters and athletes have to be ready to receive backlash from opinionated non-supporters. However, there are always members of their following that are willing to support the athletes. “I don’t think that the Black Lives Matter movement would harm the sport and its reputation. It’s just caring about other people,” junior water polo player Madeline Lum said. “It’s especially good with their platform, being such a big influencer in the

world, it helps to show people that it is important that people care about the movement.” Athletes, like Colin Kaepernick, who played for the San Francisco 49ers, began to show their support for the BLM movement through taking a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance. Because of athletes like Kaepernick, more and more members of younger generations have begun to research and inform themselves about the movement’s significance. “I think that using your platforms for political awareness is really good, especially since in this day and age, lots of kids don’t know a lot about voting and just don’t know about politics in general,” Lum said. “I think it’s good that celebrities and people with platforms are helping to spread awareness about that.” Within HHS there have been many new regulations added to ensure that school is a more diverse and free space for all students and staff. HHS has shown this through mandatory advisory classes that students attend almost every Wednesday. “With advisory they’re making [HHS] more anti racist,” said sophomore varsity soccer and varsity field hockey player Francesca Pastizzo “As a woman of color, I

think it’s a positive change. [Advisory] slowly brings topics [about anti-racism] into [students’] lives and helps them be more educated on those topics” Alongside HHS’s efforts to make school anti-racist, social media has taken a significant role in informing students about the movement. Seeing athletes with social media platforms that have been informing their followers about the movement is also a great resource. Many athletes, despite receiving backlash and losing following, have continued to support Photo by Madeline Lum

Photo by Madeline Lum

the BLM movement. With those athletes supporting BLM, there continues to be a large crowd of their fans that are standing and supporting the movement alongside them. “Black Lives Matter isn’t just a movement, it’s literally fighting for people’s rights,” Lum said. “Obviously, all lives matter, but it’s just the fact that black lives matter the most right now; they need our help. Not everyone is facing as much oppression as they are; they’re literally hated for their skin color; they can’t change that; nobody can change that.” Photo by Francesca Pastizzo

ATHLETES SUPPORT ACTIVISM: Athletes at HHS have spoken out about racial inequalites and how they feel about the BLM movement.

COVID-19 disrupts student athlete recruiting process Unforeseen setbacks create challenges for athletes, recruiters By Josh Cantwell-Nahrung High school athletes across the country are desperately looking to be recruited as the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly decreased opportunities for students to be scouted by college coaches. COVID-19 was a major setback for spring sport athletes, especially those who are at a crucial place in the recruiting process. Jeff Amaral, the assistant recruiting coach for the baseball program at West Valley College said recruiting is “absolutely a challenge” during the pandemic. “There is a player and coach relationship that develops through the recruiting process, and not having baseball be played has unfortunately been the biggest challenge that we’ve faced,”

Amaral said. With new guidelines developed over the COVID-19 period, the ability to make and maintain a good relationship with players and coaches has been affected tremendously. Division 1 colleges are in what is now known as the “dead period.” This period is mandatory for Division 1 universities, and means no Division 1 college can visit players off-campus. Division 1 colleges are no longer allowed to host tournaments, attend showcases or scout athletes in person off campus. The dead period showed promise to end in late August, but was pushed back to the end of September and now the end of October.

Photo courtesy of Elaine Huang

Photo courtesy of Andre Mao

COVID RECRUITMENT STRUGGLE: Junior Andre Mao is one of the

many high school athletes affected by the recruitment changes brought on as a result of the pandemic.

There is no telling when this period may end and it might not be anytime soon with cases rising in most states as of October, according to The Washington Post. While Division 1 colleges are heavily restricted from recruiting, there are no specific rules that Division II, Division III and NAIA schools must follow. Lower level universities may continue to recruit as normal. However, any school may restrict coaches from off campus recruiting, if deemed necessary. It is up to the individual school to decide what they believe to be safe. Though the pandemic has created many setbacks for student-athletes in the recruiting process, many coaches have noted that there are still some positive aspects. “I would say being in a coach’s position for young athletes, I’ve seen a couple of different positives. Number one is athletes actually understanding the concept of overcoming adversity,” Amaral said. Many athletes are overcoming adversity by taking advantage of having the ability to connect virtually with coaches and their programs. To make recruiting easier for student-athletes during this time, online organizations such as Next College Student-Athlete have free recruiting profile setups, which could greatly benefit athletes looking to commit to a college. College recruiting has turned mostly virtual over the shutdown

period. In the past half year, major online platforms for recruiting have emerged due to top-level colleges having the inability to scout athletes in-person. Social media has always been a prevalent method of recruiting, but never before to this extent. The fastest growing social media platform that has emerged during this time, as the best method of recruiting is Twitter. Twitter allows athletes to easily reach out and sustain contact with coaches. If a coach moves to another school, an athlete can maintain contact with that coach by following them on Twitter. Over standard email communication, the coach’s email would change when moving schools, and contact could be lost. According to Geoff Schaab, a NCSA personal recruiting coach, athletes who use Twitter can build their own brand for all coaches to see. Schaab believes that social media, especially Twitter, is key to building relationships with coaches under pandemic circumstances. “Every single kid that’s even in the college ranks right now is facing adversity that we’ve never faced before,” Amaral said. “We’re having to find ways to overcome and adapt and we’re not being victims of the circumstances. We’re trying to go out and find solutions on how to maximize our time, maximize our little bit of time during our lifetime where we actually get to play and compete at high levels.” PAGE DESIGN BY MADHAVI KARTHIK

Sports Thursday, October 29, 2020 15 How are athletes coping with the Covid-19 pandemic? By Mae Richardson

Taryn Takegami (10)

Kyra Sunil (11)

Taiko

Badminton

Taryn Takegami has been doing Taiko with San Jose Taiko for five years. She is a part of the San Jose Junior Taiko performing ensemble.

Kyra Sunil has been playing badminton for six years. Besides competing on the Homestead team, she is a co-president of the Badminton Club.

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How have practices changed because of COVID-19? “When we’re practicing songs, it usually consists of the instructors putting on a track and then all of us playing but without unmuting ourselves. It’s kind of weird in a way because we usually feed off of each other’s energy for each song.”

How has COVID-19 affected your mentality? It’s kind of hard because for Zoom calls, sometimes it glitches out and you can’t really hear the music. My mentality has been getting better because we’re all working together and getting through this. We’re trying to bring people up.”

How have practices changed because of COVID-19? “Before, we were able to have a tent where everyone would set their stuff up under. But now, you arrive like an hour before your riding time and you’re supposed to leave right after.”

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What should athletes be doing during this time? “Making sure you’re not exercising a lot when the air quality is unhealthy because it will hurt your lungs and affect your future performance. But on top of that, you should try your best to stay fit if your team isn’t practicing as much.”

Katelyn Richardson has been horseback riding for thirteen years. She is a part of a team called West Wind IEA and has won various awards.

Katelyn Richardson (12) Horseback Riding

How have practices changed because of COVID-19? “I’m doing private lessons right now. I know they have open group training, but I just don’t feel comfortable going with COVID, but from what I know it’s about the same.”

What should athletes be doing during this time? “If you can’t practice your sport, still find ways to be active even within home like doing an at home workout, or maybe going for a run, or a bike ride or something; just trying not to let yourself go out of shape. You still need to maintain that self discipline.”

How have practices changed because of COVID-19? “Fencing is already a no contact sport and the closest you can possibly get to anyone is just about six feet. You have to wear a mask during practice.”

How has COVID-19 affected your mentality? “This whole quarantine thing really [made me] understand that just because it’s what fencing is thought of, it isn’t necessarily an individual sport just because there’s so many interloping aspects of it.”

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Kamran Hussain has been fencing for 5 years. He is at the cadet level and is a part of the International Fencing Academy in Sunnyvale.

Kamran Hussain (10) Fencing

PAGE DESIGN BY MACY LI

Last Word

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Politics in perspective

The big picture: exploring politics Understanding opposing political viewpoints, their impact on friendships By Madhavi Karthik and Ritaja Subrahmanya The presidential election is just around the corner. In Santa Clara County, Democrats make up 49.72% of registered voters, according to voter registration reports detailed by the California Secretary of State. As a result, most people in our area share similar views, junior Ethan Mahimainathan said. “Whenever I encounter someone [with opposing views], it’s such an opportunity because I never get any face to face interaction with someone who really disagrees with me,” Mahimainathan said in a Zoom interview. “At the end of the day, [everyone is] probably going to learn something and it [will] be for the better.” Senior Claire Chen said it is important to discuss politics with people who have opposing views to understand different perspectives. “Just being able to discuss different things and hearing [other people’s] views about [a topic] help[s] you get a better picture of the reason people support [a certain stance],” Chen said in a Zoom interview. Though sophomore Joss Broward, a Democrat, thinks it would be an interesting experience to befriend someone with a different political stance, said he believes politics and ethics do merge to a certain extent. “I’m not going to say you can’t be my friend because you have different political views,” Broward said in a Zoom interview. “But, if you support Trump, I cannot be friends with you because I think he is a racist, sexist, transphobic, homophobic human being and I cannot support any part of that.” Although polarization in politics is apparent, many students who have friends with differing political stances believe this helps them see various perspectives. Senior Joshua Lee said he believes politics and friendships don’t necessarily correlate. “In terms of friendship, you want to

make friends that are good for you,” Lee said in a Zoom interview. “[I turn] to their morals because morals are different [from] politics.” Sharing political views with others helps you gauge a new understanding, but it’s important to be respectful, Broward said. “If you’re going to try and change [someone’s] mind or have a conversation, come from a place of empathy,” Broward said. “If we go out [to] someone who has different views screaming and throwing punches, they’re not going to want to listen. But when we say, ‘we understand where you’re coming from’ and slowly try to introduce our own viewpoint, we can actually create a team.”

Voting with Mr.Neese What was your view on voting when you were younger? “So when I was a high school student [and] when I talk to my students now, they have the same ideas I had. I used to think voting doesn’t really matter, especially in California so at first it kind of felt like it’s not that big of a deal. I’ve [learned] that every vote does count, even if it doesn’t feel like it.” How do you think voting has an impact on your life or on you? “In my perspective, voting gives you the right and ability to say, ‘I made my voice heard’ if it hasn’t been listened to [and] I’ve also learned that not voting is kind of a privilege. So for me when I vote, I’m voting because my life as a gay Mexican American man is impacted if I don’t vote.”

What are some voting tips and tricks for first time voters?

Photo courtesy of Joss Broward

BEING POLITICALLY ACTIVE Sophomore

“The biggest thing I recommend is to look at all the ballot races. So oftentimes, we start just at the top and say, ‘Who am I gonna vote for president’ but there are so many other people, including state politicians and local politicians, who have a larger impact, because city council members decide where Santa Clara County money is going.”

Joss Broward wears his “The Green New Deal” sweatshirt showcasing his Democratic views. He believes in spreading the word and informing others about political matters.

If you are/were able to vote, who would you vote for? Joe Biden

Polls are based on a survey of 338 responses

Donald Trump 9.5%

83.7%

Neither 6.8%

Which political party do you identify with? Democratic 57%

Independent 10.1%

Republican 8%

None 24.9%

What does HHS think about the 2020 election? [I would vote for Joe Biden because] he was talking about [having] training [for] cops and law enforcement and making sure that everyone is up to date with the racial injustice going on in our country. He was also talking about pushing for more eco-friendly jobs. Zoe Del Vecchio (9)

Honestly, I wouldn’t vote for either candidate. I would [probably] abstain from [voting]. But if I had to choose, it would have be [vote for Donald] Trump [because] he has policies for supporting and uniting [families]. Joshua Lee (12)

While there’s the electoral system, I still think that voting as a citizen is a really important role in maintaining our democracy. Kaz Nakao (10)

PAGE DESIGN BY RITAJA SUBRAHMANYA AND SAANVI THAKUR