The Epitaph, Volume 59, Issue 3, 2021-2022

The Epitaph Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014

Vol. 59, Issue 3

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The road to PRIVILEGE In-Depth, page 8-9

Friday, December 10, 2021

Failing grades decrease schoolwide Students, teachers say learning is better in person

By Niyatee Jain and Erin Loh

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tioning to in-person learning, the amount of F’s across the student body decreased.

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Failing grades earned in 2nd progress report

ra said. “A lot of the teacher ‘spidey sense’ remote learning,” Tsai said. “But when I son, you have motivation from your peers we normally get when somebody is in the came back in person, it was more, ‘I need and your teachers, so you work harder and that did affect my grades.” room wasn’t there.” to actually focus and try.’”

Maisel said although there has been a Loyd said especially for students of low Rivera said she has seen differences income families, remote learning could between the social skill sets students have decrease in F’s and D’s this year, challenghave presented additional challenges such come in with this year compared to previ- es caused by the year of remote learning could still arise in future years. as taking care of siblings or having to find ous in-person learning years.

However, Maisel jobs. Students from more privileged back“I’m making my said it is important grounds, on the other hand, may have AVID ninth gradto not have a defibeen able to hire tutors or work in cohorts. ers talk face to face “WE DIDN’T KNOW IF THE KIDS cit view of students’ However, Maisel said it was students with their teachers, WERE STRUGGLING BECAUSE IT learning during the with college-educated parents who were which is stressing pandemic, since stumore impacted academically by remote some of them out,” WAS COMPLETELY UP TO STUDENTS dents still grew and learning.

Rivera said. “It’s TO GET HELP” learned skills unreStudents with college-educated par- healthy stress to get — Shawnee Rivera, Teacher lated to academics. ents collectively took more summer them to advocate Similarly, Rivera said courses in the FUHSD 2021 summer for themselves and school than first-generation students. the phrase “learning ask for help.”

Historically, over half of summer AVID 10 student Harshdeep Singh said loss” is not an accurate way to describe the school courses have been taken by he also felt socializing was difficult coming difference in education this year.

Now that school is back in person, Maifirst-generation students. Summer school back in person. However, support from his courses allow students to recover AVID class eased the process. Although sel said the school should focus on buildcredit for F and D grades, Maisel Singh said he did not notice a large differ- ing better connections between students said. ence, his grades still improved while learn- and staff and bringing innovations from remote learning, like a less rapid curricuSenior Ryan Tsai, a ing in person. non-first-generation student, said “[When you are] online, sometimes you lum, into in-person school.

“Grades are important, but our conhe chose to return to hybrid learndon’t try your best on stuff, so your ing last year to regain the benefits grade might lower,” Singh said. “In per- cerns are for the students and teachers as humans,” Maisel said. “I’m hoping we of in-person learning. He said Yes have a renewed focus on true rigor in our he noticed an improveStuden Somewhat curriculum including social and emotional ment in his grades ts learning.” since returning in Teach No e Summer school courses taken person this year. f 236 stude r o nt ey Data courtesy of Josh Maisel MORE “I didn’t really 2020-21 COURSES have priorities in

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Following the most recent grade report, the number of F’s and D’s decreased significantly compared to second progress report grades from last school year, reflecting the positive effects of returning to in-person learning.

Data provided by Denae Nurnberg, the coordinator of data and assessment, show the number of failing grades increased by 39% between 2019 and 2020, followed by a 24% decrease in 2021.

The increased support and accountability along with stronger student-teacher relationships are aspects of in-person learning contributing to the decrease in failing grades this year, coordinator of academic interventions Josh Maisel said.

Additionally, having a more structured schedule helped students perform better in person, school therapist Sarah Loyd said.

English teacher Shawnee Rivera said her goal over distance learning was to connect with students through meeting them one-on-one over Zoom.

However, establishing a relationship was difficult because most of the time students had their cameras turned off.

“We didn’t know if the kids were struggling because it was completely up to students to reach out to get help,” Rive-

believe more communication with teachers in person led to an improveDo you believe student learning has ment in grades.

improved this year?

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Football makes CCS finals, places second

By Karuna Chandran, Madhavi Karthik and Ritaja Subrahmanya

Football ranks first after regular season, makes CCS finals.

For the first time since the pandemic started, varsity football advanced to the final round of CCS. Varsity football coach Milo Lewis said the team prepared for the tournament through dedication and practice.

“The kids want [the victory] more because everybody’s been at home,” Lewis said. “This is an opportunity to keep playing and not [repeat last year where we did not] have a chance to be active.”

However, Lewis said being against the odds made their unified effort an even bigger triumph.

“It’s one step closer to [victory],” Lewis said.

Photo courtesy of Harshdeep Singh

Photo By Amber Birrell

For more CCS coverage, see page 15

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News

Friday, December 10, 2021

NEWS IN A MINUTE

By Madhavi Karthik

Local:

Monarch butterfly population springs back from decline after decades: The Western monarch butterfly population, home to California’s central coast, reached record breakingly low numbers last year potentially due to climate change and habitat destruction, according to KQED. However, researchers have recently observed an increase in monarchs passing through overwintering sites. The butterflies visiting 100 of these

habitats on average annually.

An unofficial count recorded 50,000 butterflies visited overwintering sites along the coast, with 13,000 arriving at the site in Monterey County giving scientists hope that the population can rebound, KQED reported.

Scientists believe this increase in population may have resulted from improved conditions in breeding areas.

Since the 1980s, the Western monarch population has dropped by 99%. This decrease has been attributed to the damage of their milkweed habitat resulting from housing expansion. Climate change also led to a reduction in nectar sources, affecting the butterflies’ migratory path.

Despite factors such as increased pesticide usage and the drought, the insects did not receive legal protection from preventing the deterioration of their habitats, according to KQED. Last year they were denied federal protection, but currently the butterflies are eligible to be preserved by the Endangered Species Act.

National:

U.S. may diplomatically boycott Beijing Olympics: In response to various human rights issues occurring in China, President Biden said he planned to initiate a “diplomatic boycott” from the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, The New York Times reported.

Through phone calls, human rights organizations as well as several members of Congress, urged the country to acknowledge the humanitarian issues in China.

Citizens in other regions including Canada and Europe have also expressed their support for boycotting the Olympics. While government officials would not attend the Olympics, athletes are still permitted to compete.

Support spurs from both the Democratic and Republican parties, according to The New York Times. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton advocated for a total boycott of the games and Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a meeting with the president to discuss whether or not the U.S. delegation should attend the Olympics.

New FUHSD collaborative to examine ethnic studies

By Keshav Kumar

ethnic studies,” Kwong said. “Ethnic studies calls for an inquiry based approach. In other words, students are looking at multiple perspectives to a greater extent.”

The collaborative is composed of two teachers from each school in the district along with several administrators. HHS is represented by social studies teachers Andrea Yee and Nicholas Neese.

Yee said the collaborative is currently transitioning into the beginning of the design phase.

“We’re not creating an entire day-byday curriculum, but we’re doing an overview and creating some sample lessons,” Yee said. “We want to have a pilot class in ethnic studies by 2023.”

Yee said there has been some community pushback to the implementation of ethnic studies due to some people feeling ignored.

“I think a lot of disagreement comes from people who feel left out of the process,” Yee said. “It is important for the collaborative team to take feedback from everyone who has a stake in its success.”

Junior Katia Bravo, a founding member of the student task force, said the collective has assisted teachers with ethnic studies in the past and plans to continue doing so.

“Last year, one of our groups would provide additional tools to teachers to give to their students,” Bravo said. “We’re also working on changing district-level policies, but that’s difficult to do since there’s bureaucracy to work through.”

Bravo said while further action is necessary, the collaborative is a promising first step.

“The best thing to do right now is to promote greater understanding of ethnic studies among teachers, so that we can include more ethnic studies in the Photo courtesy of Andrea Yee Photo courtesy of Nicholas Neese curriculum,” Bravo LEARNING IN GROUPS: Andrea Yee and Nicholas Neese said. represent HHS in the ethnic studies collaborative’s efforts.

To enrich the experiences of students, FUHSD created the ethnic studies learning collaborative, a forum for teachers and administrators to examine how ethnic studies could be integrated into the curriculum, FUHSD coordinator of curriculum and teacher leadership Welton Kwong said.

Shortly after the collaborative was formed, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill making a semester of ethnic studies a requirement for high school graduation. The law will first take effect for the class of 2030, according to the Associated Press.

“The goal of the collaborative is to gain a deeper understanding of what ethnic studies is and isn’t,” Kwong said. “It’s an opportunity for us to read up on ethnic studies, engage with relevant research and look at the impact of ethnic studies on student learning.”

Kwong said the collaborative’s work is largely based on a model curriculum provided by the state, which contains sample lessons on topics like Black, Latinx, and Asian American history and instruction about different identities and perspectives, according to the California Department of Education.

Kwong said future ethnic studies efforts could involve considering how new materials and ways of learning might be incorporated to existing courses.

“Some things that aren’t taught currently could be taught through the lens of

International:

Austria pilots nationwide vaccine mandate in the west: Having some of the most coronavirus cases in Europe, Austria becomes the first Western country to issue a national vaccine mandate taking effect Feb. 1, according to The New York Times. As vaccination rates remain low, the country also announced a lockdown lasting at least 10 days.

This development comes at a time where other countries such as Germany, that were known for their impressive handling of the coronavirus, are now facing large surges of cases, more than there have been nearly since the beginning of the pandemic. A lot of the resistance is coming from deep within the heart of the country who are refusing to get vaccinated.

Schools and grocery stores will remain open, but unvaccinated individuals are required to adhere to lockdown restrictions.

People who cannot not provide proof of vaccination are barred from public institutes such as restaurants with law enforcement

conducting impromptu inspections.

Austria is home to one of the highest populations of unvaccinated individuals, with one-third not being inoculated. The new surge of cases marks the fourth wave of the pandemic in Europe.

According to The New York Times, this development highlights a shift from the government increasingly ignoring anti-vaccine sentiments and working toward more drastic measures to mitigate the virus.

As a result of the mandate, the nation has received backlash from anti-vaccine movements and the Freedom Party, according to The New York Times.

Over 40,000 people participated in protests which were initially peaceful but grew violent.

Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg supported this decision due to the high number of citizens who refuse vaccination, The New York Times reported. Other countries who have implemented nationwide vaccine mandates for adults include Micronesia, Turkmenistan and Indonesia.

Finals schedule finalized School officials work together to implement finals week schedule

By Nina Vasquez Cruz, Esmeralda Villalobos Soriano and Rajiv Venkatesh After multiple changes to the sched- final in order to allow students to show ule, it has been determined finals will be what they have learned during the semesheld Dec. 13-16. There will be one to two ter and to prepare them for other exams periods every day and each will last two in the future.

“The whole purpose of the [AP envihours. Students will also have time for ronmental science] course is to prepare brunch and lunch breaks between classes, along with optional enrichment peri- students for the AP exam,” Wakefield said. “The first semester final is meant to ods before and after school.

Several versions of the finals week bell mimic that experience to help them preschedule were sent out to students this pare for the test in May.” Some teachers are assigning final year. This confusion was caused by small mistakes being overlooked, principal projects instead of a test. AP physics teacher Daniel Nunez said he believes a Greg Giglio said.

“The first schedule we sent didn’t project allows students to become more have brunch or lunch listed,” Giglio said. creative while demonstrating a deeper “We had space for it, along with enrich- understanding of concepts.

Another reason for assigning a project, ment, but we accidentally didn’t put it on Nunez said, was that his tests throughout the actual schedule.”

The enrichment period was included the semester always cover everything stuin the schedule to provide time for stu- dents have learned, so there is no need dents to improve their grades, complete for a final exam.

“Finals week is challenging because missing assignments or finish tests, Giglio said. Similar to last year, the enrich- we’re preparing students for college,” ment periods are optional and teachers Nunez said. “While college doesn’t have seven classes, there are things that will can decide how to utilize them.

For example, AP environmental sci- happen: you can’t control what a profesence teacher Jessica Wakefield said she sor assigns and you can’t control whether invites students to her enrichment peri- you have multiple tests on the same day. od if they are projected to fail her class. Those things are going to happen.”

During this time, she encourages stuPhoto by Esmeralda Villalobos Soriano dents to complete any missing assignments to raise their grade.

Enrichment is one of many features being added to help reduce student stress, which often rises during finals week. Giglio said the administrative team worked to address this concern in the bell schedule so students can succeed during finals week.

“Students need to sleep, especially when they’re stressed about finals,” Giglio said. “We wanted to make sure that we have plenty of time for food and breaks. We found that it was hard to go from a two hour test to a short break to a two hour test, so we made break times longer.”

Although all finals periods will be the same length, teachers may plan to utilize RISING STRESS LEVELS: As finals aptheir time in different ways. Wakefield proach, students’ stress levels build up. said she is giving a cumulative test as a PAGE DESIGN BY YUKARI E. HERNANDEZ AND ESMERALDA VILLALOBOS SORIANO

News

Friday, December 10, 2021

Overnight field trips resume Administrators, teachers discuss significance of travel within curriculum

By Gaby Cristancho and Nicole Pimenta Innecco Overnight field trips have our requirements based on their been considered one of the many protocols,” Dong said. “However, highlights of high school, but for since this is a school sponsored the past two years, students have activity, our advisers have the not been able to participate in right to enforce a masking polithis experience due to the pan- cy.” demic. However, due to the drop In accordance with the counof COVID-19 cases, the district ty’s public health guidelines, one has decided to reinstate over- of the beloved traditions that was night field trips for the second cancelled during the first semessemester, assistant principal Bri- ter was the annual fall journalan Dong said. ism conven“We want tion, which “We want students to students to exis attended perience high both by the experience high school school in a fun yearbook and in a fun way. We can’t way.”

Dong journalism keep taking things said. “We can’t classes. Yearaway... It’s like a great keep taking book adviser things away.

Megan Bridge connecting activity” When the scisaid the class — Brian Dong ence says that this year is it’s relatively planning to safe, families attend the have the option not to send their spring convention in Los Angeles kids if they don’t feel comfortable instead to learn new techniques doing so.” for running the publication.

Students attending an over“The idea that students are night field trip will need to show going to meet with professionals proof of vaccination, Dong said. in different areas generally sparks In case a parent has any concerns their own ideas that they can take regarding sleeping arrangements, into our program,” Bridge said. they can choose to rent a separate “Through the experience of travroom for the student. Mask usage eling to different places and bewill be recommended, and most- ing able to pick things they want ly likely required, Dong said. to see, they’re strengthening re“We follow the protocols and lationships with each other and are compliant with the location building a stronger community that we’re going to, so we bend feel within the program.”

Daniel Piazza, a program coordinator for winter percussion, said the ability to travel is important for the program. Piazza said the program has traveled to compete in winter percussion world championships from 2013 to 2019, but this was halted last year by the pandemic. This year, they plan to rejoin their competitors in places such as Dayton, Ohio and San Bernardino, California.

“Traveling has really built a presence for our program competitively on the national stage,” Piazza said. “The students strive to be at the top of the activity.

They put the effort in to be competitive, not just in the Bay Area, not just in California, but across the whole country. The shutdown really hampered our ability to strive for the type of success that we want when the students know that there’s no payoff.”

Principal Greg Giglio said overnight field trips enable students to gage a more comprehensive understanding of the curriculum and are an important part of HHS’s culture, teaching independence and socialization.

“Overnight field trips are things that you bond over and you make unforgettable memories,” Giglio said. “Kids are missing out on trips, events, culture and life experiences. It’s an important part of education.”

A building on track to finish in May B, C and L buildings to come next

By Leila Salam After 18 months of construction on the A building, the site is set to finish in May 2022, principal Greg Giglio said.

“It’s cranking right along,” Giglio said. “They’ve gotten through with a lot of the outside stuff and they’re really focusing more on the inside stuff right now.”

Facilities manager Toby Mockler said some of the modernizations to the A building include standardization of room sizes, more efficient heating and cooling systems, lighting, WiFi connectivity and making the building more earthquake safe.

Mockler said in addition to the upgrades, the first floor of the A building will be reconfigured from the administration office to a central resource department.

“It will contain our lead resource specialist,” Mockler said.

“It will also contain our therapists, student advocates and there

Photo by Leila Salam will be a conference room to specifically to hold IEP and 504 meetings. Along with that, there are six designated resource classrooms in the lower A building as well as three standard size classrooms.”

Giglio said in the near future the school will begin discussing CONSTRUCTION ON TRACK: A building conmore detail orient- struction is currently focused on the inside. ed decisions such as which classrooms are designat- C building and potentially the L ed to which teacher within the building, which will undergo the A building. Even though the A same process as the A building. building will be finished in May, As for the A building, Giglio Giglio said teachers will not move said construction will continue to into it until June to allow the be on track. school year to finish out.

“You’re not going to see a lot For future construction, Mock- of progress because it’s all hapler said the current schedule is to pening inside for a little while,” complete the A building and then Giglio said, “and then all of a sudmove on to the B building, then den, it’ll pop up.”

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3

Winter formal preparations commence ASB, advisers share behind-the-scenes information

By Saira Ahmed, Lia Klebanov and Anushruti Nagarajan After a year of holding events virtually, the winter dance will be the first formal celebration of the school year.

It will take place Dec. 16 and is open to all grade levels.

The annual dance will be three hours, starting at 7 p.m. and will take place in Villa Ragusa, Campbell, senior class secretary Rachel Fletcher-Ferreira said.

All students will be required to purchase tickets in advance, with tickets for ASB students costing $40 and $50 for students without ASB. In addition, all attendees are required to fill out a digital permission slip via Informed K12 on the HHS website.

ASB adviser Jessica Kirby said this year, the senior class officers took charge of planning the dance as opposed to previous years where all grade levels were involved.

To prepare, Fletcher-Ferreira said the officers referenced previous years’ planning and budgeting to gage a better idea of beverage, decoration and venue costs. ASB class officers have also utilized their advisers, guidance counselor Marisa Amezquita and chemistry teacher Chris Nafrada, to help in the planning process. ¨In order to put on events or do anything for a student body, we really have to evaluate ourselves, so that’s something I really instill in my students,” Kirby said. ¨What’s the point if we’re not thinking about who we’re serving?

Due to a limited supply of tickets, the officers initially wanted to prioritize selling tickets to seniors specifically since they did not have many

chances last year to attend vital school functions but, the plan was soon turned down and tickets were sold to all grade levels at the same time, Fletcher-Ferreira said.

To determine the theme, ASB class officers surveyed students with ideas including “mask”erade, winter wonderland, red carpet, the movie “Frozen” and disco, Fletcher said. After tallying the votes, winter wonderland was selected.

“It’s nice to go with your friends, have dinner beforehand and take pictures,” Fletcher said. “It’s cool that we have a schoolwide event that has nothing to do with academics. This kind of celebration allows you to hang out with your friends but is also something different than the average day.”

Kirby said the team planning the winter formal was concerned about attendance, since historically the winter formal has been one of the least attended dances of the year. However, this year tickets were sold out two days before the final purchase day.

With the ongoing pandemic, the dance will adhere to county public health guidelines, principal Greg Giglio said. This will include a mask mandate that will be enforced unless one is drinking or taking pictures. Additionally, social distancing protocols will not be implemented allowing students to dance, Fletcher-Ferreira said.

“Everything gets a bit more normal as we keep moving forward, but we need to be safe at the same time,” Giglio said.

Kirby said she is excited for the event to take Photo by Grace McGoran place and hopes students leave feeling more involved with school spirit and with a positive outlook for the rest of the school year.

“For most [students], this is their first formal dance and possibly their first high school dance,” Kirby said.

PROMOTING THE DANCE: ASB students “It will help peowork diligently to spread awareness of the ple regain a sense dance through putting together posters. of normalcy.”

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Opinion

Friday, December 10, 2021

STAFF EDITORIAL

Teachers: stop pressuring sick students to attend school to the student body. A large issue with maintaining safety precautions is ensuring students who are sick stay home and feel comfortable doing so.

Data from the second progress report shows a 24% decrease in failing grades in comparison to the statistics from last year, when school was online.

Evidently, the transition to in-person learning has proven to be beneficial for the student body. As such, we must continue to heed COVID-19 safety precautions, so we can continue receiving the best education possible.

In-person school offers the student body numerous benefits, ranging from improved interactions with teachers to a variety of extracurricular opportunities.

For example, inperson learning engages students, STOP PENALIZING STUDENTS: HHS must providing them not pressure students into attending classes.

Illustration by Macy Li

As we progress through the first semester, we often hear people complaining about how they miss the ease of online school. However, student performance has significantly improved during in-person learning, demonstarting the value of remaining on campus.

In order for us to safely remain in person, administrators and teachers should offer greater support

with an environment to learn in without the distractions that may arise in their own houses. Students are able to easily collaborate with peers, ask questions and build positive relationships with their teachers.

However, improvements must be made to create a safer school environment.

We have witnessed numerous teachers penalize students who do not show up for class.

For example, some teachers provide extra credit points to students who show up on test days to ensure all students attend.

While this is an effective approach to combating truancy, we must remember the pandemic is ongoing, and safety must be our utmost priority.

The fact that students are pressured to attend school even when they feel sick is unacceptable, and teachers must alter their class policies to adhere to California state mandates.

Administrators need to support students during

This vague wording raises this transition to inperson learning to alleviate questions about what is apprehension about returning considered “equivalent,” as it to campus. All students should can be left to the interpretation be offered the same academic of each teacher. As such, HHS opportunities, regardless of must help teachers create a any excused absences due clear standard, so students are to health and safety reasons. not penalized for absences.

Overall, ensuring students Therefore, administrators must standardize school-wide adhere to safety precautions absence policies to ensure is essential. For students to adequate resources for all feel comfortable with missing school when they are sick, students.

One example would be teachers and administrators standardizing the amount should create clear absence of time students receive to policies to help students catch make up missed assignments. up easily.

Ultimately, these changes This would help ensure students who are sick will will keep HHS a safe learning actually stay home, instead of environment, where we can the high-quality attending classes to avoid the receive immense stress of making up education we deserve. assignments in a short period of time.

C u r r e n t l y, the HHS website states “tests shall Have questions or comments about the edbe reasonably itorial? Want to share your opinions with equivalent to the school? Scan this QR code to write a the tests missed letter to the editor with your thoughts. during the absence.”

Letters to the Editor

Devote more resources to homeless populations

Delayed start time will benefit student body

By Keshav Kumar

By Hope Saena

Illustration by Keshav Kumar

California has long protracted issues with homelessness, which we have witnessed on our streets and under overpasses. In 2019, the homeless population in Santa Clara County reached nearly 10,000 people, according to The Mercury News. We must do more to relieve the suffering of the homeless in the short term and eliminate the root causes of homelessness in the long term.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed seven bills to address homelessness in September as part of his $22 billion Housing and Homelessness Package, according to the Governor's Office. These new laws increase mental health services for the homeless, as well as the amount of housing available.

Addressing mental health issues will help mitigate an often ignored yet fundamental cause of homelessness. At least 20% of the homeless population has some form of mental illness, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Assembly Bill 1443, one of the bills signed

by Gov. Newsom, gives social workers the power to treat homeless individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others as a result of poor mental health.

Additionally, one of the main reasons people are forced into homelessness is the shortage of affordable housing in our communities.

Assembly Bill 816 requires the California Department of Housing and Community Development to utilize federal grants specifically to address the issue.

MORE IS NEEDED: We must work to

resolve the ongoing homelessness crisis.

Gov. Newsom deserves credit for committing to the homelessness issue.

However, policymakers must recognize homelessness is worsening at an alarming pace and work to counter it.

One way we can address homelessness is to increase the amount of shelter for homeless people. In Santa Clara County, there are three times as many homeless people as shelter beds, according to Cal Matters. As a result, many will be forced onto the streets.

This avoidable trend costs cities like San Jose hundreds of thousands of dollars, due to crime and poor conditions in homeless encampments, according to the Curry TB Center. Adequate shelter would improve the conditions of the homeless population and society as a whole.

A better long-term solution is to provide extensive economic resources to homeless people, which would allow them to contribute to society. For example, the Japanese government provides homeless individuals with temporary housing and helps them find jobs, according to the Wall Street Journal.

As a result of these policies, Tokyo, a city of 13 million people, has a homeless population of less than 1,000, according to the Japan Times. While some may claim this is excessive, we must remember when policymakers have taken passive attitudes toward homelessness, the results have been catastrophic.

For example, when the Reagan administration cut funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 60%, homelessness exploded in cities like New York and San Francisco, according to SF Weekly.

By educating ourselves on the stances of local politicians and paying attention to relevant ballot measures, we can move the needle in the right direction. We should applaud any efforts to help disadvantaged populations in society, but we must always remember more can be done.

“It’s too early for this.” We hear this unable to maintain the recommended phrase daily in regards to our 8 a.m. eight hours of sleep, according to the start. However, this will soon change.

Sleep Foundation. The delayed start will In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed reduce daytime sleepiness, according Senate Bill 328, which will require most to the LA Times, therefore increasing California high schools in the 2022-2023 classroom engagement and helping school year to begin no earlier than students further their knowledge.

8:30 a.m., according to ABC News. This The health of students must be change will bring tremendous benefits prioritized. Adequate sleep will allow to the student body, as the delayed start them to lead improved lifestyles, work time will improve our attendance rates more productively during the day and and give students the opportunity to perform better in school. maintain a healthier sleep schedule.

Although adjusting to the delayed According to a study by the University start time next year may be difficult for of Washington, schools that moved their students to overcome at first, we need to start times to no earlier than 8:30 a.m. look at this change in our schedule as an showed an improvement in student opportunity to ensure we remain healthy grades and attendance rates by 4.5%. by receiving enough sleep. Ultimately, In addition, after the delayed start time this will help us succeed in school in the was implemented, students slept an years to come. average of thirty minutes more.

As students already struggle to ensure a proper sleep schedule, it is evident this change will improve student well-being.

Opponents to the bill cite disruptions the late start would have on drop-off and pickup times, along with the impact it would have on parents and afterschool activities, according to The New York Times.

However, even if this change just pushes our normal Illustration by Ritaja Subrahmanya schedule further into the day, EVERY MINUTE COUNTS: New late start will it will be beneficial to the benefit sleep deprived teenagers greatly. health of students, as teens are biologically meant to wake up later, according to the CDC. Due to shifts in our biological rhythms during puberty, teens are more prone to becoming tired later in the day, which The delayed start time causes an inability would cause them to need to create concrete change or improve stuextra sleep in the morning. dent lifestyles. Scan the QR code to read Since most students have later more about this perspective on the issue. bedtimes and early start times,

The alternate viewpoint

70% of high schoolers are

PAGE DESIGN BY HOPE SAENA AND HARSHITHA VIJAYAKUMAR

Opinion COP 26 is more like a cop out

Friday, December 10, 2021

5

Inaction from global leaders will doom our planet

By Karuna Chandran and Ritaja Subrahmanya

Infographic by Karuna Chandran, Madhavi Karthik and Ritaja Subrahmanya Illustration by Ritaja Subrahmanya

Over 100 world leaders. All gathered to attend the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference.

Sounds great, right? It should have been, if these influential individuals did not take every opportunity to undermine the conference and their final agreement, the Glasgow Pact.

During COP26, leaders aimed to create a new plan to phase out greenhouse gasses.

Yet, instead of taking the intensive actions that we need, leaders chose weak language and sought compromise, according to The Conversation. We do not need to “phase down” coal. We need to move away from greenhouse gasses to save our planet before it is too late.

COP26 was meant to help the world refocus on their pledges from the 2015 Paris Agreement.

However, its new goals are nowhere near the Paris pledges to prevent the climate from warming by over 2°C, according to The Conversation. Even if countries manage to meet the goals from the new Glasgow Climate Pact, the planet is set to warm by 2.1°C. Needless to say, the goals of this conference were not met. In essence, COP26 was a publicity stunt by global politicians, made to seem like active efforts were being made.

In fact, COP26 was eerily reminiscent of the Paris Agreement.

While countries across the globe promised ambitious action on

climate change, analysis by Cli- resources to make the transition mate Action Tracker proves the since the U.S. has spent centuries vast majority of countries’ 2030 ruining the planet and creating targets to reduce greenhouse the dire situation we face today.

We are sick of hearing the emissions are inconsistent with their long term zero emissions same story over and over again.

Global leaders need to take acgoal.

The problem is partially with tion. Their pledges and promthe U.S.. As long as the U.S. par- ises are meaningless when they takes in the blame game, with refuse to take concrete action to Biden accusing China and Rus- combat climate change.

Action starts small. Pressursia of not showing up for the important issue, no change to- ing members of Congress and ward a more environmentally local leaders such as mayors or efficient future will occur. While other city officials to take action these important figures should is an important first step to take. have attended, there is no point Being actively involved in the in coming to class and not do- movement to save our planet will ing any work. It is comparable to prove to global leaders that we do just staying home. Similarly, Rus- care. In turn, they will hopefully sia and China not coming was take legitimate action during fuequivalent to the U.S. coming to ture climate conferences, paving the summit and not enacting any the way for global change.

Our future looks bleak. Howaction.

Though the U.S. was overtak- ever, if we come together as a en by China as the largest car- global community to fight for bon dioxide emitter, it is the 13th the planet we call home, through largest carbon dioxide emitter, measures small and great, we according to Reuters. Since the can save Earth for generations to mid-1700s, the U.S. has emitted come. double the amount of carbon dioxide compared to China. Even if anya rahm the U.S. is making internal efforts Sub a j a it yR to meet green standards, it is nb tio a r up to them to also supst Illu port developing nations who need extra

Police reform endures uphill battle

By Macy Li Once again, the infamous city of Minneapolis has been thrusted to the forefront of the national debate over police reform. Just weeks ago, Minneapolis voters faced the opportunity to drastically influence the city’s policing system with the introduction of a new municipal ballot measure, according to Time.

George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer reinvigorated the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, provoking nationwide protests against police brutality. In the wake of ongoing calls to “defund the police,” City Question 2 was developed and brought before voters.

This municipal ballot measure would have amended the city’s charter, according to the Washington Post. If voters had approved the measure, the amendment would have allowed for the replacement of the police department with a Department of Public Safety. The police department would no longer have been necessitated by the charter, according to MPR News.

It comes as no surprise Minneapolis eventually rejected the measure, failing to garner enough votes in support to meet the threshold.

An institution, which has persisted for centuries and has remained an integral part of society,

cannot be altered so drastically in a short period of time.

Instead, this incident reveals the progress the country has made in fixing this institution, which is rife with flaws. The mere introduction of this measure, along with the opportunity to implement reform through the passage of official legislation, is notable. Overall, the nation is moving in the right direction. Americans need to continue pushing for change.

Calls for police reform are not new. For centuries, racism has been embedded in the U.S. police system. This issue lies at the core of reform efforts.

Around 1920, Gov. Frank Lowden of Illinois appointed an investigative commission that discovered Black Americans were more commonly arrested, subjected to police identification and convicted than white offenders, according to the ACLU. These trends are still pervasive today. In Florida, police officers utilized mug shots of Black people as target practice, according to Vox. This is a form of explicit racism, and it is utterly atrocious.

In a shooting simulation constructed by Professor John Correll at the University of Colorado Boulder, police officers were found to pull the trigger more quickly against Black suspects than white suspects, unveiling

the presence of racial bias in instances of shootings.

As part of police reform, these racial biases must be addressed, because they undoubtedly cost lives.

Aside from the policies proposed in Minneapolis’s municipal ballot measure, a direct method for combating this issue should be instituted.

Training that specifically helps officers combat their biases should be mandated. Typically, police officers receive a mere 11 hours of training on cultural diversity and human relations, eight hours on community policing strategies and eight hours on mediation and conflict management. In comparison, they receive 111 hours of training on firearm skill and self-defense, according to the Justice Department.

This accentuates how un-

LACK OF ACTION: Across the globe, our leaders have failed to implement solutions to solve criticle issues that effect humanity.

THE COURT DECIDES

By Ritaja Subrahmanya At a first glance, West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency does not seem like a particularly noteworthy Supreme Court case.

The case challenges the EPA’s jurisdiction in setting standards on emission guidelines, saying its Clean Power Plan usurps Congress’s ability to make policy for our nation, according to the Constitutional Accountability Center.

However, this vital case is so much more than a debate about environmental policy; it could alter the fundamental structure of our government, stripping away the power of Congress to delegate the enforcement of laws to governmental agencies.

The root cause is the political doctrine of nondelegation, which is the idea that the Constitution limits what Congress can delegate to federal agencies. Many Supreme Court justices, most notably Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, have indicated their support for nondelegation and will likely use this case to strip powers from the EPA and other federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, Education and Labor.

This could severely reduce the government’s power on prevalent issues ranging from birth control to overtime pay, according to Vox. In addition, if the Supreme Court were to invalidate the EPA’s authority in this case using the nondelegation doctrine, it could unravel every major law passed

by Congress since World War II, according to the Washington Post. This would be catastrophic.

The fabric of our country is at stake. The Supreme Court must preserve our democracy and prevent the adoption of nondelegation by ruling to protect the powers of the EPA. As Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her minority opinion in Gundy v.

United States, if nondelegation becomes U.S. political policy, “then most of Government is unconstitutional.”

equipped police officers are in handling racial biases, along with a myriad of other situations they are forced to respond to, such as mental health crises and domestic or sexual abuse cases. Their lack of training in these areas is reflected in their unjust, prejudicial treatment of different populations.

Every day, reform efforts take the stage, addressing the flaws in the country’s policing system. Yet, many issues remain unsolved, such as the ingrained presence of racial biases among police.

Ultimately, there is proof of our advancements, but the fight to eliminate these injustices must continue.

PAGE DESIGN BY GABY CRISTANCHO AND ARIANA TEJEDA MORENO

6

Opinion

Friday, December 10, 2021

Fighting for our future

Students must participate in local politics

By Dan Penalosa

By Macy Li

It’s time to end the Electoral College, an antiquated system that serves to silence the voices of voters across the country and fails to promote a participatory democracy.

Currently, states are allotted electors based on the number of their representatives and senators, according to The New York Times. The first candidate to garner 270 electoral votes wins the presidency.

At first glance, this appears to be a fine mechanism — but let’s discuss the implications.

Simply put, the Electoral College has racist origins. It was instituted to appease the Southern states, where there was a sizable disenfranchised population, according to The New York Times. As such, slaves were counted as three-fifths of the white person, leading to an overrepresentation of these states.

The Electoral College tips the scales in favor of smaller states.

Take Wyoming, for example, where each resident’s vote holds 3.6 times greater value than a Californian’s vote, according to the New York Times. This is wholly unjust.

The votes of certain Americans should not hold more weight than others. Equal representation is fundamental to our democracy: it is the idea our country was built on. The Electoral College fails to grant us this justice.

Instead, it amplifies the voices of some and diminishes the voices of others. Millions of Americans could vote for a candidate, but if only a slight majority favors the other, their voices are silenced.

Under this system, presidential candidates who have lost the popular vote have won the presidency.

Ultimately, the popular vote is the only just way to determine our president and preserve our belief in equal representation.

We must abolish the Electoral College and stop silencing the voices of Americans.

er is by starting a petition. For instance, the recent petition for more gender-neutral facilities on our campus proves the impact our voices have.

Another way to participate is by attending meetings and speaking to our local politicians directly. For example, the Coalition for Racial Justice did this in September 2020, by delaying the FUHSD Board of Trustees’s vote on the SRO contract with Santa Clara police, according to the FUHSD website.

The coalition also pushed the district to release their disaggregated data on suspensions and expulsions.

We must also put work and

effort into activism to ensure especially if it impacts our that we are not being performacommunity. tive, because progress will likely It is imperative for us to be overturned once people have stand up for what we believe “moved on” from the issue. in to enact change.

Parents are not the primary constituents of school boards and city councils.

We are, and we have the power to decide the future of these institutions. We inherit the consequences of today’s decisions.

As such, we must have a say in local REVITALIZE LOCAL POLITICS: We must legislation,

Illustration by Macy Li

THE POLITICAL ARENA

When discussing politics as students, it often feels like adults shoot us down and speak over us. But in reality, we, as students, wield political power that is amplified in our community.

This power collectively amounts to real change on the local level, which in turn makes state and national progress more viable.

Local politics is equally as important as national or state politics, and it is more immediately impactful in our community.

City, county and district governments have fewer constituents than state or national assemblies, so they are more liable to listen to our voices.

One way to wield our pow-

push for change in our own communities.

STEM versus Arts: breaking down stereotypes

Discovering creativity within STEM

By Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

Exploring authenticity through arts

By Chloe Wong

STEM is a rapidly growing only have 20 words. Creating an In a polarized society, near- masterpieces through the words field, in business, industry and entire running program with ly everything is painted out to I wrote, and I discovered beautischools. The idea that computer these limits requires massive be black and white. Arts and ful patterns in the notes I played. programming is an essential skill amounts of resourcefulness STEM are the perfect example I owe these treasured skills and for students is becoming increas- and innovation. Additionally, of this, with STEM rising up to experiences I have cultivated to ingly prevalent, according to The the growing diversity of techa pedestal above arts. At HHS, the arts.

Wall Street Journal. nology and variety of consumfor example, the emphasis on However, any aspirations I had As this conception spreads, er demands necessitate unique arts is condensed to mere elec- of a future in the arts were quickthere are growing concerns over and fresh perspectives to help tives or GPA boosters, while ly stifled, making me feel desthe impact computer program- create new products within the STEM classes are considered perate for another option. Unming may have on students’ cre- programming field. As of Octointegral to finding a career. Arts familiar words like “irrational,” ativity. However, the main pur- ber 2021, approximately 62% of are viewed as emotional and il- “cutthroat” and “amateur” flitpose of programming is to create the world’s population regularlogical, whereas STEM is por- ted about during conversations something new. It requires stu- ly uses the internet, a rate that trayed as concrete and sensible. about art majors. Growing up in dents to think of original ideas, is growing at an annual rate of The demand for STEM ma- the Bay Area, I instantly learned for which creativity is essential. 5%, according to DataReporjors is growing rapidly, accord- I would have to twist my art-inThus, computer programming tal. ing to a report by Emsi. In Cal- clined self into a STEM major to actually fosters students’ creativiNearly everything on the inifornia alone, the popularity of achieve far more opportunities. ty and imagination. ternet is designed and run by STEM majors increased by 39% The arts had been my safe haTo be creative is to possess a computer programming, so as in one year, while the popular- ven my entire childhood, and I “thinking outside the box” mind- internet usage increases, proity of arts majors decreased by could not imagine a future withset. When one thinks of creativity, grammers must be inventive 3%. Although this statistic is in out it. However, when I began the first thing that comes to mind and experimental to keep up line with the standards of our dipping my toes into the intimiis usually the visual arts, which with this growth. This demand society, it undermines the im- dating waters of STEM, I saw its has been linked to creativity due to think of unique solutions and portance of art. With STEM’s appeal. to the freedom and individuality original ideas is a major stimupopularity and arts being Despite the unbalanced scale, it allows. Visual arts are viewed as lator of creativity. looked down upon, it comes as it became more clear to me that the more exploratory classes, enUltimately, computer prono surprise our generation has both arts and STEM deserve couraging students to be adven- gramming is a field that enan affinity for STEM. recognition. Arts are a crucial turous in their expression. The courages creativity. This subject My talents lie mostly in the building block in our society. freedom of expression visual arts in high schools is beneficial arts. As a child, I discovered When walking through an art classes provide to students can toward students’ sense of increative writing and uncovered gallery, the pure complexity and be seen in direct contrast to the novation and imagination. It a passion for it. Whenever I creativity invoke emotions only systematic teaching methods of helps create a new generation felt overwhelmed, I could al- art can create. Meanwhile, STEM STEM subjects, such as comput- of inventive and ways find an outlet through the upholds the scientific and matheer science. creative inarts. I found ways matical disciplines that maintain However, it is vital to consider dividuals. to construct our logic and reasoning. the actual purpose of computer When fully dissected, we see programming. While it is certainthe components of STEM and ly easy to immediately label proarts are different, but the big gramming as a restricting field picture is quite similar. STEM because of its relation to STEM, and arts do not need to have a the aim of programming exdefined index of characteristends much further. tics when the two are ofIn actuality, computer ten interchangeable. The programming allows picture of our society much room for original would be incomplete if thought and new ideas even one puzzle piece — it essentially rewere missing. The quires creative thinkcontributions made ing. The main objective by both are irreplaceof programming is to use able, and one cannot code to solve problems given cersubstitute the other. tain constraints or specifications.

Although many people This problem solving requires have biases toward either students to use their imagination STEM or arts, we cannot Illustration by Leila Salam and originality. deny the tremendous conFor example, a pro- ACHIEVING A BALANCE: The widely-held conceptions in our communities tributions both have made gramming language may surrounding STEM and the arts are fueled by flawed stereotypes. to our world.

PAGE DESIGN BY KARUNA CHANDRAN AND RAJIV VENKATESH

Lifestyles

Friday, December 10, 2021

Advancements in advisory content received positively

7

Students enjoy latest topics, activities

By Brevin Reed Even though, senior Defne Clarke thought there would be just another advisory covering social justice on Nov. 16, the actual topic couldn’t have been more different.

She said she was surprised to see her teacher’s whiteboard light up with the words ‘Gratitude Advisory Lesson’ in big white font.

Clarke said she wasn’t expecting the advisory to be discussing interpersonal skills, much less expressing gratitude.

“The fact it wasn’t something we always talk about made it have a lot more meaning,” Clarke said. “It made us think about something we don’t always think about.”

Similar to past advisories, a video was shown in addition to the usual presentation.

The video featured a heartwarming study in which participants gave a phone call to their role models and explained why they appreciated them, Clarke said.

“I loved the video,” Clarke said. “Having a video with an emotional impact made me take the advisory more seriously.”

Of course, the advisory didn’t

come without faults, Clarke said.

The activity where students wrote a letter to a person they were connected to most was a little more rigid than she would have liked, the senior said.

“Words are a great way to show gratitude, but you could also draw a picture or make something [creative] to show your appreciation for them,” Clarke said.

Like Clarke, junior Roopa Srinivas had a few recommendations to make advisory an overall better experience for students.

She said it felt slightly awkward discussing personal topics with classmates.

“It would be nice if we could choose our advisory classes,” Srinivas said. “I would rather do the advisory with a group of people I’m more familiar with.”

At the same time, it is not to say she didn’t like the advisory at all, Srinivas said. In fact, the junior said she liked this advisory more than others.

“This advisory felt way more interactive,” Srinivas said. “I liked that they gave us a physical activity to do [instead of just watching presentations].”

Junior Emily Tumacder said

she also en- Photo by Brevin Reed joyed the activity, but for different reasons.

“I convey my emotions a lot better through writing than I do through speech,” Tumacder said.

GROUPS GET GRATITUDE: Students learn “The activihow to expressi appreciation to others. ty helped me show just how thankful I am “Surprisingly, I learned a of the people I have that are close lot more about my teacher in to me in my life.” this advisory class,” Tumacder The letters were also more said. “I’m really glad they got open ended, Tumacder said. Get- to talk about who they are ting to choose who to write to grateful for, as well.” and what to say was preferable.

Without this advisory, Tu“In our [sexual assault] adviso- macder said she would not ry in October, it felt like there was have stopped to think about really only one correct answer to all the people she’s grateful the questions they were asking,” for, which has allowed her to Tumacder said “With the one we closely reflect on her actions. just had, we were given more cre“I wasn’t the biggest fan of ativity to write whatever we want- advisories initially,” Tumacder ed.” said. “However, if the adminUnlike previous advisories istration keep introducing covering privilege or oppression, new and unique topics like a the gratitude advisory offered time management advisory for everyone a chance to share their example, I’ll start looking forown experiences, Tumacder said. ward to it a lot more.”

FBLA service project: sustainability in fashion

By Nina Vasquez Cruz

The fast fashion industry is a rising issue affecting millions of people while also being partially responsible for the world’s major polluters, sophomore project chair Samhitha Varanasi said.

FBLA’s community service project is working actively to emphasize the importance of clothing sustainability.

The community service project is a great learning opportunity for members to improve skills through leadership and initiative, sophomore, member Onuva Ekrem said.

This year, the project is gravitating toward educating students who are unaware of the long-term consequences fast fashion has, sophomore, community service project chair Saanika Patel said.

“Fast fashion has become very prominent from the rise of social media [platforms] like TikTok,’’ Patel said. “ A lot of people don’t know the dangers of fast fashion and how it impacts the environment.”

Attracting the attention of teens through social media is one of the many approaches the project is taking to address the problem, Varanasi said.

“High schoolers are some

of the main consumers for fast fashion and we hope to leave an impact on students through our various social media campaigns,” Varanasi said. “We want students to become conscious and sustainable when shopping.”

To get better insight on clothing sustainability for students, Patel said the team is working with the organization, FabMo which is based in Sunnyvale.

“FabMo is a local organization that focuses on repurposing textiles,” Patel said. “A lot of times, fabrics get thrown away into landfills and FabMo takes these fabrics to sell. In return, we help FabMo reach a teen audience, which is one of their main goals.”

A prominent reason why the project chose to work with FabMo was their ability to provide students an opportunity to get hands-on involvement, Patel said.

They play a part in helping members take first steps regarding fast fashion, the sophomore said, and providing ways to make an impact.

“Through these events that they’re hosting with us, we believe we can spread further awareness about textiles and garment sustainability,” PaPhoto courtesy of Saanika Patel tel said.

One of many events the project has held includes a guest speaker with a non-profit organization, Remake, on Nov. 10 in the I-Hub. The event was held to inform students about what has been TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITY: Project members happening in

play heads-up with fashion related terms.

the fashion industry and what is necting their personal lives being done as prevention, Vara- to these global issues, Ekrem nasi said. said.

“They helped us understand “It feels nice knowing I’ve the importance of worker’s ethics made a tangible impact helpand how legislation can change ing the environment,” Ekrem people’s lives,” Varanasi said. said. “One of the main pro“They touched on how they are a ducers of clothing is where major part of the Garment Work- my parents are from so I have a personal connection with it. er Protection Act, a bill recently passed in California that ensures I want to help to create awarea minimum wage for all garment ness against the overlooking of worker conditions.” workers.”

It is important to under“The clothing drive is our bigstand everyone has the power gest event,” Patel said. “We are trying to make it a school wide to share their voices and make event so anyone in our communi- an impact on real world issues ty can donate clothes. Instead of even if it is something small, donating to places like Goodwill, Krishnan said.

“We take a lot of things we’re planning to donate to local for granted,” Krishnan said. organizations.”

Project members are work- “Knowing we can help people ing hard to spread awareness to who are in a worse situation get to the root of this problem. just by being part of a comThey want to inform students munity service project or simon the most relavant information ply educating people is a good regarding fast fashion, Varanasi start.” said.

“One of my goals is to tackle the issue within H H S,” Va r a nasi said. “By the end, our If you want presents for family, friends and school will teachers, scan this QR code for thoughtful become an ingift ideas. These holiday presents are percredible cenfect for showing gratitude! ter of sustainability.”

G i v i n g back to the community allows members to feel a sense of accomplishment, Scan this QR code to learn about the arknowing they tistic processes of different students and are working to the inspiration that fuels their individual make an imcreativity! pact and con-

Meaningful gifts for everyone

Student artists at HHS

THE DAY DREAMER

By Karuna Chandran I remember my first year of middle school like it was yesterday — all the wonderfully joyful and painfully awkward moments.

I was a bright and bubbly middle schooler who didn’t know quite who I wanted to be, but I look back at those days with fond memories.

One day, in a seemingly innocent move, I told the person sitting next to me an idea I had for a project.

We had to pitch a sustainable business model for a big-time corporation. Only, later, when it was time to share our ideas with the class, she presented MY idea!

My eyes narrowed. I felt cheated. If there was one thing I was good at in sixth grade, it was holding a grudge.

Throughout the rest of the school year, I learned some things about this classmate: she always said exactly what was on her mind and went straight to the punch.

Later in the year, the same classmate came to sit with my friends and I at lunch, as she knew some of the other girls in the group.

Soon enough, it became a permanent arrangement and what I learned about her has changed my perspective entirely.

Despite all those times when I had been annoyed at her overconfidence, I found myself impressed at her ability to stick up for herself no matter what.

She turned out to be an incredibly strong and kind human being and I was grateful for the chance to realize that. Most of all, I learned she was a steadfast friend and would do anything for the people she cared about.

I learned as long as we shared the same values of compassion and unwavering loyalty, all our differences faded into the background. Now, I am so thankful to have her in my corner.

The most interesting part of the story of how we met is I was not exactly her favorite person either at first.

I believe the words she used were “goody twoshoes.” But I think I can get over that for the sake of our friendship.

PAGE DESIGN BY OLIVIA SHEN

8

In-Depth

Friday, December 10, 2021

Friday, December 10, 2021

Students speak on the advantages and disadvantages different aspects privilege provide. The illustration below depicts various obstacles students face in the real world.

9

AVID helps students overcome hardships

By Saira Ahmed and Anushruti Nagarajan

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS: im-

plicit prejudices an individual is not immediately aware of, but impact the way they view the world.

EMOTIONAL TAX: un-

MICROAGGRESSION:

indirect and often hidden expressions of racism, sexism, colorism, ageism, ableism or any other form of bias.

An investment in pride The Pride Club has worked with the HHS community and administration to create an LGBTQ section in the library to combat the lack of representation in literature.

Photo by Anushruti Nagarajan

The benefits ELD offers When students move to the U.S. from another country, ELD provides both academic and social help. Scan to see students express gratitude for all they have gained from ELD.

seen mental measures individuals from marginalized backgrounds take in order to feel included, safe and respected.

BRIDGING THE GAP: Assistant

principal Terri Hannigan said she works to provide equal opportunities for first generation students.

Do you see privilege in HHS? There is a big advantage to any student whose family members have gone through high school and college. The AVID program guides students through all of those processes. If your family members haven’t had that experience, it might be harder for your family members to guide you.

Illustration courtesy of Audrey Magpanta

These definitions all highlight critical aspects of understanding the umbrella term ‘privilege’.

Definitions by Nicole Kim

Hidden privileges brought to light

By Saira Ahmed and Anushruti Nagarajan

training around privilege throughout my time here,” Hinton said. “Those are important, but it’s important to include students in those conversations, not only teachers. Teachers can steer class topics, but school-wide conversations should be experienced by every student, not just those who happen to have a teacher that addresses it.”

Photo courtesy of Kirk Hinton

With junior year comes the looming shadow of the SAT, a test many students begin preparing for well in advance. However, there is a gradient in the amount of help students are able to receive.

Junior Hetal Kurani said wealth and privilege play a role in standardized testing. She said she believes her access to prep books helped her immensely.

“If I had access to private tutors and other resources, I could have scored even better,” Kurani said. “Those who do well on the test are usually the ones who have access to the most resources for support.

Those who don’t have resources tend to do worse. It is a pretty unfair system.”

Kurani said she used books from the library to help her prepare and attributes her satisfactory score to practice.

“The main reason I succeeded on the SAT was my practice outside of the prep course, since it taught me a lot of generic things that are easily accessible on the

internet and thus it wasn’t helpful for the growth of my score,” Kurani said.

Like Kurani, junior Alan Jian said he agrees with the idea of wealth affecting test results, since he was able to have access to outside tutoring that inspired him to study.

“I would not have been able to do as well on the test if I didn’t practice and get tutored. The practices really helped me get used to the testing format and learn how to better pace myself,” Jian said.

Jian plans to retake the test after seeing his score and said he believes improvement is much more difficult when one has less resources available.

“Wealth and privilege dictates how much outside help someone can get when doing standardized tests, and with less wealth, one is less likely to be able to afford external resources such as tutoring and textbooks that help someone increase their score,” Jian said.

Junior Claire Oh also retook the SAT, improving her score on her most recent test and felt that having extra help was specifically useful to being able to focus a on weaker areas.

“Having extra help was really beneficial because it was more efficient at raising my score than if I had tried to do it on my own,” Oh said. “I think a lot of free online resources were also helpful and those can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. I had a couple of practice books but some were free and the rest were second-hand from my older sister.”

In May 2020, the University of California system decided to no longer consider SAT and ACT scores in admissions and scholarship decisions, according to The New York Times. The decision followed a debate over standardized tests, in which students of color and students with disabilities claimed the tests put them at a disadvantage.

Photo by Naomi Baron

AFFORDING THE SAT: Students get

varying degrees of aid in their prepara-

“I’m super fortunate that my parents actively want and pay for these kinds of resources which have ultimately helped me do better,” Oh said. “To people without these privileges, taking the test and getting a good score is way harder. That’s why schools and universities these days are slowly loosening the requirements for these kinds of scores in applications, which I think is a good step in the right direction.”

Do you believe enough is being done toward breaking privilege barriers?

We are doing some things that address the issue, but I always think more can be done. In AVID classes, teachers are doing a great job in removing barriers that cause students to not be successful in their classes. Ideally, everybody would have an AVID type class. There is always room for improvement.

Combating privilege with clubs

By Ariana Tejeda Moreno and Anushruti Nagarajan Photo courtesy of Jay Legeard

STEPPING TOWARD PROGRESS: English teacher Kirk Hinton is holds ‘privilege walk’ activity in class.

“Members of the LGBTQ+ community constantly have to come out, correct people on their pronouns and have to justify their existence. There are still many problems on campus with people getting constantly misgendered and teachers not paying attention to it.”

—Officer Jayden Legeard (12)

Photo courtesy of Jena Alsup

“In our meetings we have a lot of discussions on topics that are related to privilege. We had a meeting about homeless women and their periods and how they do not have access to period products. Having conversations about these topics is really important and [educating] people about it ensures everyone’s voices are heard.”

— President Jena Alsup (12)

Photo by Anushruti Nagarajan

The Differences Among Us

foster a safe environment for participants.

“The natural impulse is to feel defensive and feel like somebody is telling you that you didn’t work for something,” Hinton said. “It isn’t about telling you that you didn’t work hard, it’s that you didn’t have to work as hard as other people, but that doesn’t invalidate the effort you put in.”

Despite the initial reaction some students may have, Hinton said this lesson generally leaves a positive impact on his students.

“Some [students say], ‘the fact that people couldn’t step forward for this one makes me sad and makes me realize that I’m lucky in that way,’” Hinton said.

“Generally, the privilege walk has been an eye-opening experience.”

Hinton said he admires that HHS is beginning to pay more attention to the disadvantages students face.

He said having advisories that surround topics such as race and sexuality is a step in the right direction.

“We have had staff

I think the biggest one is not understanding the college admission system.

From day one of freshman year [you learn] what it takes to be college eligible by the time you are a senior. The teachers do a good job of keeping track of their students and how they’re progressing towards that eligibility and offering them [help] if they’re struggling to get there.

By Christine Kim

Women’s Empowerment Ambassadors

on the same line on the field. Next, a statement is read out loud that either allows one to step forward or backward if the statement is applicable or non-applicable to them. Though race is one facet of privilege, it is not the only topic addressed in the privilege walk, Hinton said.

“Some statements raise questions like, ‘if you have more than 50 books in the house growing up, step forward,’” Hinton said. “That’s not something most people would associate with privilege, but it reveals what’s important to that family.”

Hinton said he has made changes to the activity over the years to make students feel more comfortable.

“When I did the privilege walk the first time, everyone had their eyes open,” Hinton said. “We all started holding hands. It was really hard. At some point, you had to let go because you couldn’t stretch that far.”

He said he now requires everyone to close their eyes while doing the activity to

Traversing the obstacles of the SAT

HHS Pride

A class of students walk onto the field in pin-drop silence awaiting the beginning of the ‘privilege walk.’

Kirk Hinton has been doing this activity in his honors American literature class for two years, alongside other teachers. Students are asked to participate in this activity to emphasize how everyone has advantages and disadvantages in certain areas, even if they do not realize it, Hinton said.

This activity is purposefully conducted while reading the book “The Underground Railroad,” which tackles racism in the U.S. “Looking at the demographic of my classroom, there are definitely groups that aren’t there or underrepresented, and that always bothers me,” Hinton said.

“When thinking of racists, we tend to picture some guy in the South with a pickup truck and a confederate flag. While that’s one aspect of racism, there’s definitely racism here, [as well].”

The privilege walk begins with everyone starting

What is one issue AVID helps students overcome?

“TDAU is a club aimed to spread awareness about intellectual and developmental disabilities with the intention of destigmatizing them. Our main method of combating privilege is through meetings where we educate members on different types of mental and physical disabilities.”

— Co-president Suditi Dadichi (12) PAGE DESIGN BY SAIRA AHMED, CHRISTINE KIM AND ANUSHRUTI NAGARAJAN

8

In-Depth

Friday, December 10, 2021

Friday, December 10, 2021

Students speak on the advantages and disadvantages different aspects privilege provide. The illustration below depicts various obstacles students face in the real world.

9

AVID helps students overcome hardships

By Saira Ahmed and Anushruti Nagarajan

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS: im-

plicit prejudices an individual is not immediately aware of, but impact the way they view the world.

EMOTIONAL TAX: un-

MICROAGGRESSION:

indirect and often hidden expressions of racism, sexism, colorism, ageism, ableism or any other form of bias.

An investment in pride The Pride Club has worked with the HHS community and administration to create an LGBTQ section in the library to combat the lack of representation in literature.

Photo by Anushruti Nagarajan

The benefits ELD offers When students move to the U.S. from another country, ELD provides both academic and social help. Scan to see students express gratitude for all they have gained from ELD.

seen mental measures individuals from marginalized backgrounds take in order to feel included, safe and respected.

BRIDGING THE GAP: Assistant

principal Terri Hannigan said she works to provide equal opportunities for first generation students.

Do you see privilege in HHS? There is a big advantage to any student whose family members have gone through high school and college. The AVID program guides students through all of those processes. If your family members haven’t had that experience, it might be harder for your family members to guide you.

Illustration courtesy of Audrey Magpanta

These definitions all highlight critical aspects of understanding the umbrella term ‘privilege’.

Definitions by Nicole Kim

Hidden privileges brought to light

By Saira Ahmed and Anushruti Nagarajan

training around privilege throughout my time here,” Hinton said. “Those are important, but it’s important to include students in those conversations, not only teachers. Teachers can steer class topics, but school-wide conversations should be experienced by every student, not just those who happen to have a teacher that addresses it.”

Photo courtesy of Kirk Hinton

With junior year comes the looming shadow of the SAT, a test many students begin preparing for well in advance. However, there is a gradient in the amount of help students are able to receive.

Junior Hetal Kurani said wealth and privilege play a role in standardized testing. She said she believes her access to prep books helped her immensely.

“If I had access to private tutors and other resources, I could have scored even better,” Kurani said. “Those who do well on the test are usually the ones who have access to the most resources for support.

Those who don’t have resources tend to do worse. It is a pretty unfair system.”

Kurani said she used books from the library to help her prepare and attributes her satisfactory score to practice.

“The main reason I succeeded on the SAT was my practice outside of the prep course, since it taught me a lot of generic things that are easily accessible on the

internet and thus it wasn’t helpful for the growth of my score,” Kurani said.

Like Kurani, junior Alan Jian said he agrees with the idea of wealth affecting test results, since he was able to have access to outside tutoring that inspired him to study.

“I would not have been able to do as well on the test if I didn’t practice and get tutored. The practices really helped me get used to the testing format and learn how to better pace myself,” Jian said.

Jian plans to retake the test after seeing his score and said he believes improvement is much more difficult when one has less resources available.

“Wealth and privilege dictates how much outside help someone can get when doing standardized tests, and with less wealth, one is less likely to be able to afford external resources such as tutoring and textbooks that help someone increase their score,” Jian said.

Junior Claire Oh also retook the SAT, improving her score on her most recent test and felt that having extra help was specifically useful to being able to focus a on weaker areas.

“Having extra help was really beneficial because it was more efficient at raising my score than if I had tried to do it on my own,” Oh said. “I think a lot of free online resources were also helpful and those can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. I had a couple of practice books but some were free and the rest were second-hand from my older sister.”

In May 2020, the University of California system decided to no longer consider SAT and ACT scores in admissions and scholarship decisions, according to The New York Times. The decision followed a debate over standardized tests, in which students of color and students with disabilities claimed the tests put them at a disadvantage.

Photo by Naomi Baron

AFFORDING THE SAT: Students get

varying degrees of aid in their prepara-

“I’m super fortunate that my parents actively want and pay for these kinds of resources which have ultimately helped me do better,” Oh said. “To people without these privileges, taking the test and getting a good score is way harder. That’s why schools and universities these days are slowly loosening the requirements for these kinds of scores in applications, which I think is a good step in the right direction.”

Do you believe enough is being done toward breaking privilege barriers?

We are doing some things that address the issue, but I always think more can be done. In AVID classes, teachers are doing a great job in removing barriers that cause students to not be successful in their classes. Ideally, everybody would have an AVID type class. There is always room for improvement.

Combating privilege with clubs

By Ariana Tejeda Moreno and Anushruti Nagarajan Photo courtesy of Jay Legeard

STEPPING TOWARD PROGRESS: English teacher Kirk Hinton is holds ‘privilege walk’ activity in class.

“Members of the LGBTQ+ community constantly have to come out, correct people on their pronouns and have to justify their existence. There are still many problems on campus with people getting constantly misgendered and teachers not paying attention to it.”

—Officer Jayden Legeard (12)

Photo courtesy of Jena Alsup

“In our meetings we have a lot of discussions on topics that are related to privilege. We had a meeting about homeless women and their periods and how they do not have access to period products. Having conversations about these topics is really important and [educating] people about it ensures everyone’s voices are heard.”

— President Jena Alsup (12)

Photo by Anushruti Nagarajan

The Differences Among Us

foster a safe environment for participants.

“The natural impulse is to feel defensive and feel like somebody is telling you that you didn’t work for something,” Hinton said. “It isn’t about telling you that you didn’t work hard, it’s that you didn’t have to work as hard as other people, but that doesn’t invalidate the effort you put in.”

Despite the initial reaction some students may have, Hinton said this lesson generally leaves a positive impact on his students.

“Some [students say], ‘the fact that people couldn’t step forward for this one makes me sad and makes me realize that I’m lucky in that way,’” Hinton said.

“Generally, the privilege walk has been an eye-opening experience.”

Hinton said he admires that HHS is beginning to pay more attention to the disadvantages students face.

He said having advisories that surround topics such as race and sexuality is a step in the right direction.

“We have had staff

I think the biggest one is not understanding the college admission system.

From day one of freshman year [you learn] what it takes to be college eligible by the time you are a senior. The teachers do a good job of keeping track of their students and how they’re progressing towards that eligibility and offering them [help] if they’re struggling to get there.

By Christine Kim

Women’s Empowerment Ambassadors

on the same line on the field. Next, a statement is read out loud that either allows one to step forward or backward if the statement is applicable or non-applicable to them. Though race is one facet of privilege, it is not the only topic addressed in the privilege walk, Hinton said.

“Some statements raise questions like, ‘if you have more than 50 books in the house growing up, step forward,’” Hinton said. “That’s not something most people would associate with privilege, but it reveals what’s important to that family.”

Hinton said he has made changes to the activity over the years to make students feel more comfortable.

“When I did the privilege walk the first time, everyone had their eyes open,” Hinton said. “We all started holding hands. It was really hard. At some point, you had to let go because you couldn’t stretch that far.”

He said he now requires everyone to close their eyes while doing the activity to

Traversing the obstacles of the SAT

HHS Pride

A class of students walk onto the field in pin-drop silence awaiting the beginning of the ‘privilege walk.’

Kirk Hinton has been doing this activity in his honors American literature class for two years, alongside other teachers. Students are asked to participate in this activity to emphasize how everyone has advantages and disadvantages in certain areas, even if they do not realize it, Hinton said.

This activity is purposefully conducted while reading the book “The Underground Railroad,” which tackles racism in the U.S. “Looking at the demographic of my classroom, there are definitely groups that aren’t there or underrepresented, and that always bothers me,” Hinton said.

“When thinking of racists, we tend to picture some guy in the South with a pickup truck and a confederate flag. While that’s one aspect of racism, there’s definitely racism here, [as well].”

The privilege walk begins with everyone starting

What is one issue AVID helps students overcome?

“TDAU is a club aimed to spread awareness about intellectual and developmental disabilities with the intention of destigmatizing them. Our main method of combating privilege is through meetings where we educate members on different types of mental and physical disabilities.”

— Co-president Suditi Dadichi (12) PAGE DESIGN BY SAIRA AHMED, CHRISTINE KIM AND ANUSHRUTI NAGARAJAN

10

Friday, December 10, 2021

Elements of ‘harmony’: artwork behind first magazine

Lifestyles

By Seoyoung Hwang

Frontier has always been a place for students to be able to express their artistic sides and this year is no exception.

The magazine club published their first Zine on Dec. 9 with the theme ‘Harmony,’ featuring artists with different artistic specialties ranging from painting to poetry.

TIFFANY YU

ISABELLA DOBBELAERE

Senior Isabella Dobbelaere submitted a photo of a sunset. The photo she took represents harmony between the clouds, sky and tree which all remind Dobbelaere of happiness, she said. She loves the contrasting colors in the picture between the bright pink and the blue.

“The sky was pretty when I went for a walk, so I took a photo,” Dobbelaere said.

“I want to share happiness through it.”

ANNA DOBBELAERE

“I want to share a different perspective of the world in a positive way,” Dobbelaere said. “When people are reading my work, I want them to look around and see the world in a different way.”

Sophomore Anna Dobbelaere started writing poetry in eighth grade as an outlet for her thoughts. She produced a poem about autumn and changes in nature. Dobbelaere said she received a lot of her inspiration from listening to music and lyrics in order to write the best piece of work possible. Although she is proud of the results, she said she is still working toward improving her poetry skills overall.

AVA MAGHSOODLOU

Junior Ava Maghsoodlou produced a painting including a teal background with an eye and a silhouette of a person embroidered around it. She said she uses art to translate her emotions rather than getting inspiration from somewhere else.

“To me, art is the ultimate form of self expression,” Maghsoodlou said. “And I think that humans bond by relating to each other. I [want to] effectively portray my unique experiences and the emotions I feel through my work. [And if] other people see my work and it provokes something in them, that to me is the goal.”

Photo courtesy of Ava Maghsoodlou

Illustration courtesy of Tiffany Yu

President and treasurer of Frontier, junior Tiffany Yu produced a landscape painting of a cloudy beach with Photo courtesy of Isabella Dobbelaere two beings reaching out to one another and almost holding hands. Yu said she chose to paint this depiction because the quietness reminds her of harmony.

“I really like the theme of cloudy beaches,” Yu said. “Sunny beaches are commonly depicted as optimistic while cloudy beaches are secluded and empty.

[This painting shows that] being alone is a totally acceptable thing to enjoy.”

HARMONY IN ART: Student artists produce art and photography work for Frontier’s first Zine.

Digital artist’s process in virtual age

Maia Lee explains how she makes space for herself in digital world

By Saira Ahmed

SOCIAL MEDIA

said there is a negative impact in seeing the data.

“Even when Instagram hides the number of likes, the creator can still see the likes, which defeats the whole purpose,” Lee said.

“It’s hard not to focus on it because Instagram’s whole thing is, ‘Oh, COLLECTION OF STICKERS: Some you’re a cre- of Lees designs have been turned into ator. Look at stickers. your statistics.’” according to StudyBreaks.

Lee said it is dis“[The engagement has] deficouraging to see drops nitely been a huge part of sepin likes over time. arating social media from the This is an unfortu- fact that I like art,” Lee said. “I nate trend many art- hate Instagram, but I don’t hate THE FINISHED PRODUCT: Lee uses ists on Instagram face, doing art.”

Procreate to add some final touches.

Lee’s theme of cute animals and food has amassed over 7,000 followers on her Instagram account, @maiadraws.

Though Instagram benefits her in terms of exposure, she Photo by Saira Ahmed

the textures of the digital brushIn the technological age we es.” live in, art is no longer confined Lee said she starts off with to handheld mediums. Soph- using the ibis Paint X app on omore Maia her iPad and Lee takes adswitches to vantage of this Procreate for and spends finer details. her free time She finds creating diginspiration ital artwork. from anything However, she around her at did not start the moment, her art jourbut there are ney as a digital Photo by Saira Ahmed certain subCREATING DIGITAL ILLUSartist. jects she ofTRATIONS: Maia Lee starts “I started with using Ibis Paint X. ten draws off with trasuch as aniditional art like drawing on my mals or food, which she usually table and my homework,” Lee puts faces on afterward. said. “Other than that, I usual“As soon as I add my signaly do digital art, because I can ture, I’m finished with it,” Lee achieve more of the finished said. “I just look at it, and I’m look I want with the colors and like, ‘that looks about right.’”

Photo courtesy of Maia Lee

THE PROCESS

Students plan to pursue careers in performing arts

By Amber Birrell and Mae Richardson

GABRIEL OCHOA - MUSIC

Creating music is special because it is unique to you, member of the band Eternal Solstice, senior Gabriel Ochoa, said. What started as a fun idea to establish a band turned into something Ochoa now wants to pursue in the future.

“We started our band around freshman year but we mostly messed around for a couple of months and then we started learning the instruments,” Ochoa said. “Senior year is when we started practicing and performing.”

Along with his band, Ochoa has already taken up gigs including playing at the most recent rally, outside of a public library, at house parties and opening for bigger bands.

While they mainly play cover songs, the band has recently begun writing their own songs within the past few months, Ochoa said.

Ochoa said he plans to move

to Los Angeles in the future to make music with his band as he has high hopes, but ultimately, the senior said he just wants to pursue what he loves after high school — making music.

“I want to stay true to what I enjoy by making music in the future — hopefully with some of the same people I play with right now,” Ochoa said. “But as long as I make what I like and I enjoy it, that’s all that matters.”

ISABELLA CHENG - DANCE

For senior Isabella Cheng, her passion, dancing, has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember from figure skating as a child to now, dancing to mixed genres such a K-pop and hip-hop.

Cheng said she combines her passion for video editing, dancing and choreography by posting videos on her YouTube channel as well as her Instagram account.

Recently, she posted a dance video of herself for an audition, she said.

“I am auditioning for the BE:LIFT audition, which is a part of HYBE, which is one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea,” Cheng said. “The auditions are not something my life depends on, but I want to pursue what I love, so if I could make it in, that would be amazing.”

Even if Cheng does not achieve her ideal goal of becoming a K-pop idol, she said she still aspires to participate in other fields related to dance.

“If I’m not performing, I want to be the choreographer since choreography comes naturally to me,” Cheng said. “It would be really cool to work behind the scenes and see the end result come into play.”

HELEN BEYER - THEATER

Senior Helen Beyer said she is also planning on pursuing a career connected to performing arts.

The drama community is what made Beyer fall in love with dra-

ma. Beyer said her mom strongly career by any means. She plans encouraged her to join in middle to major in theatrics and head to school, but it was not until she Los Angeles to pursue acting.

“I definitely want to pursue joined from her own interest that she felt compelled to continue acting and try and make it big,” Beyer said. “However, I have redrama.

“Middle school kind of sucks alistic expectations and teaching and you don’t really know what drama sounds like a lot of fun, as well.” you want to do or who you Photo courtesy of Gabriel Ochoa are,” Beyer said.

“Theater was interesting to me so I decided to continue with it. The close knit community I discovered in drama was what really made me want to stick with it.”

Beyer said she wants theater to be involved in her plans after high school and her

LOVE FOR MUSIC: Ochoa said he hopes to continue to play music with his band, Eternal Solstice, after he graduates.

PAGE DESIGN BY ASHLEY OROZCO PLATA AND ZEINAB RAKHSHANDEHROO

Lifestyles

Friday, December 10, 2021

Spirited up for scream team

11

Group brings students together to promote school spirit in the stands

By Aiko Charon, Keshav Kumar and Harshitha Vijayakumar

As everyone’s eyes were on the scoreboard, tension filled the air at the long-awaited CCS semi final football game. Suddenly, the crowd erupted as the team secured another touchdown. As players and students celebrated, one group stood out amidst the joyful chaos: scream team.

Known for their color-coded outfits, loud chants and contagious spirit, the scream team brings together students to support the school’s sports teams at their events, member, sophomore Anika Iyer said. The scream team has become a mainstay of the campus’s major athletic events, energizing students and encouraging players.

Iyer said being part of scream team has been an exhilarating experience since the group welcomes all students and gives them a common purpose of increasing school spirit.

“I think the scream team makes the students feel unified and encourages them to show school spirit,” Iyer said. ”I’m

Photo by Josh Cantwell Nahrung

POSING WITH PASSION: Scream team wears matching neon gear at the

CCS semifinal football game.

always looking forward to new games so that I can cheer on the team with my friends.”

Not only does the scream team bring students together, but members also encourage sports teams to do their best in games through cheers, Iyer said.

Junior Jason Preett Singh

‘Lynking’ science lovers Sophomore creates ‘Scilynk’

By Niyatee Jain After facing difficulty in securing research internships at universities over the summer, sophomore Arnav Chakravarthy said he came up with the idea of creating a social media platform focused on building connections between scientific professionals and students. With the help of junior Arvind Kumar from LHS, Scilynk was born.

The app, which is currently in its fundraising phase and is set to launch in the fall of next year, allows for a simple way for students to reach out to college professors and professionals through connection requests and messaging abilities. Additionally, the app features a job board where internship opportunities for research positions can be posted.

Users of the app can also access discussion panels, Q&A forums and communicate with researchers on projects, Chakravarthy said.

“The main aspect of why Scilynk was founded was because it was supposed to be a connection thing,” Chakravarthy said.

“It then snowballed into this big networking platform for scientists. It’s like Facebook or Reddit

but with a lot more research features and science based.”

However, Chakravarthy said attracting consumers to their platform can be difficult, especially with competing networks like Facebook and LinkedIn. “Social media thrives on lots of concurrent users on the site at the same time,” Chakravarthy said. “Having a thriving community of people who all have the same passion is the biggest key to starting a platform like this.”

Creating the platform from scratch without any previous experience was a challenge for the Scilynk creators, Chakravarthy said. However, through hard work and determination, the team managed to create the app without any adult involvement.

Scilynk’s focus is to connect users with other science enthusiasts, Chakravarthy said. He hopes students are able to use the platform to enter the scientific community, as it can be a harder field to get into.

“The whole goal for our network is to be able to push the future of science,” Chakravarthy said. “Research is a cool field where you never know the boundarPhoto courtesy of Arnav Chakravarthy ies. By creating a network where we can connect with some of the most brilliant minds around the world and also help the new workforce of science students, we have built a good future for finding out more amazing discovBRIDGING SCIENCE COMMUNITY: Scilynk creators combine technology with the scientific community. eries.”

Delgado, a football player, said the scream team’s presence at games pushes all the players to do their best on the field.

“The scream team motivates us to work harder since we have people supporting us, and we don’t want to let them down,” Singh Delgado said. “I think the

team likes the cheering because it shows that the school supports us, even though it puts some pressure on us.”

Scream team member, sophomore Nathan Enders said the reformation of the scream team this year, after years of nonexistence, has proved beneficial after a year of separation due to distance learning and COVID-19.

Enders said scream team is a tight-knit group of students who all have the same goal of being as loud and supportive as possible and show that whether the event is a championship football game or small fundraiser, scream team is always there to believe in the players unconditionally.

“We all know that in the past, HHS has been lacking in school spirit,” Enders said. “We want to show other people and other schools that the spirit is very much alive and that we will do anything we can to support HHS.” Before scream team was assembled, the level of excitement

and energy in the stands was drastically smaller, Enders said.

In his experience, he said the extra kick of energy scream team adds to the stands can make a true difference in the outcome of the sporting event.

“I have talked to some of the guys on the football team, and they all have said that the student section is so important in keeping the energy going around the stadium,” Enders said. “To be completely honest, I think scream team is the reason HHS beat Mountain View.”

While discussing the history of scream team, senior Annabelle Bussey, the co-president, said scream team went on pause as a result of distance learning.

Rachel Fletcher-Ferreira, the other co-president, said she was very enthusiastic to work with Bussey to bring scream team back this year.

“It was a way to make up for lost memories and bring back student spirit to our sports games,” Bussey said.

Quiz bowl wins tournament

Club draws on diverse knowledge to win

By Rajiv Venkatesh

For some people, trivia may seem trivial. However, for members of the Quiz Bowl club, trivia is a way to show off one’s knowledge, learn new things and connect with others, club study manager, sophomore Payton Chung said.

“I’ve always been interested in learning new things,” Chung said. “Quiz bowl is a way to express my knowledge, and doing that with more people allows me to push myself even further.”

The club’s commitment to excellence paid off, as the team won the varsity division of a tournament held Nov. 16 by achieving an undefeated streak in the preliminary rounds, according to the tournament’s website.

Senior, club member Raymond Feng said he attributes the team’s victory to the diversity of knowledge among its four members.

“One thing that is great about our team is how we complement each other,” Feng said. “It’s one thing to have four strong players, but it’s another thing to have four strong players who are strong in different areas. I think we hit all the bases pretty well.”

Quiz bowl is an academic trivia game in which players compete in teams of four to earn points, Chung said.

The questions cover a wide range of topics such as history, science, religion, fine arts and culture.

Some questions must be answered by a single team member, while others can be discussed and then answered by an entire team.

Like Chung, junior Ivy Zhan said she joined because

Photo by Rajiv Venkatesh of an inPhoto by tktkt terest in learning m o r e about her passions.

She said she appreciates that the questions asked in quiz bowl competitions do not ex- PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Sophomore Payton reads practice questions to help members prepare for c l u s i v e l y Chung competition. focus on one area, such as math or sci- skill level when they begin quiz ence, but include a multitude of bowl. fun and seemingly random quesThe ability to work in a team tions. is also important, and quiz bowl Competitions are a roller players must understand their coaster of emotions, Zhan said, teammates’ strengths and weakas it feels good to get a ques- nesses in order for the entire tion right, but sometimes players team to succeed. overthink their answers or are Chung said his love of comjust a little off the correct answer. peting in a team combined with “There are times where your his interest in many subjects is mind just goes blank and you what draws him to quiz bowl. just say something,” Zhan said.

“Quiz bowl is a bunch of like “When the games are tight and minded people who are very inyou make a mistake, you feel real- terested in learning and experily bad, but you can at least know encing new things,” Chung said. that you went for the question.”

“I think these two quantities A great quiz bowl player sup- combine to give a sense of camaports their teammates through raderie between members, and these challenges and ensures that your practice and knowledge all everyone enjoys playing, Zhan come together in these tournasaid. ments.”

Players must also be While tournaments are large well-rounded and have an un- events, Chung said tournaments derstanding of different subjects, are a very fun experience for him. but having a specialty in one sub“I do get nervous because I’m ject can be useful. in a competition and I want to do Chung said he agrees exper- well,” Chung said. “But at the end tise in a variety of topics makes a of the day, quiz bowl is something good quiz bowl player. that I do for fun, and I want to This knowledge can be gained make sure I’m having fun in these over time, Chung said, and a de- tournaments. I focus on enjoying sire to learn and improve is often myself, and winning is something more important than a player’s that comes along the way.”

PAGE DESIGN BY ERIN LOH AND RAYMOND RANBHISE

12

Friday, December 10, 2021

Internet desensitization is detrimental for kids

Arts & Culture

Online activities, news outlets expose children to mature content at critical, developmental stage of life

By Erin Loh and Brevin Reed Some may characterize the modern era by the immense speed at which innovation happens, from the rapid development of new technology to the increasing accessibility of the internet and skyrocketing popularity of social media platforms.

However, the rapid pace of innovation also causes an increased rate at which kids are being introduced to these innovations.

Kids and teens are being intro-

duced to smartphones, social media and the internet younger than ever before, according to the Pew Research Center.

Consequently, they are exposed to the media’s “uglier side” of obscene content and profane language before they are ready to handle it. This causes kids to fail to recognize traumatic topics as they get older and makes them unaware of the emotions sensitive topics can invoke.

The vulgar content kids see on the internet causes them to become desensitized, an issue where one loses a sense of distress around cruel or sensitive topics due to overexposure to it, according to Merriam-Webster.

Growing up desensitized to violence and Illustration by Amber Birrell other issues can be detrimental for young people, as it causes them to lack empathy as adults, which in turn fosters a cold and unconnected community.

EXPOSED TO NEGATIVITY: Children are exploring the internet with little

to no filters on what they can and cannot see.

As a society, it is important to check what gets posted on the internet — not just because it is harmful right now, but because it is also harming the future generations.

Children are being desensitized around the use of slurs online and on social media, an issue that causes them to be oblivious to the possible harmful effects of their language.

According to a poll by the Associated Press, a majority of teens and young adults have seen slurs used online, and while a growing number of people denounce the use of innapropriate language, 57% cite the main reason for young people using slurs on the internet is to be cool or funny — not to be mean.

The fact teens are using slurs to make themselves seem “funny” proves how serious internet desensitization is, since people have become incapable of fully grasping how hurtful slurs can be to targeted groups.

Especially now, when some elementary-level kids are online unsupervised, seeing the use of slurs online can result in more drastic desensitization.

At this age, children are still learning how to respect others, and more mature people using slurs online can instill the no-

tion that such language is OK. However, in reality, the use of slurs online can jeopardize people’s mental health, and may also cause them to use this language in real life.

Internet culture is also desentizing children and young teens to violence. With little to no filters on content, kids are able to view whatever they want. Not knowing what is good or bad, children can incidentally expose themselves to inappropriate content.

While instagram has attempted to combat this problem by providing content warnings, children can be naturally curious and may not understand the seriousness of the content they are exposing themselves to. According to The New Yorker, a majority of sensitive content filters are ignored, which shows that warnings may not be as effective as we once thought.

The news is yet another example of violent unfiltered content.

Unlike adults, kids do not know what is safe and unsafe to click on.

The news is filled with headlines of human conflict and consequences, each article worse than the last. While the intent of the reporters may be to bring light to human suffering, since there are so many articles con-

taining inhumane crimes, the opposite effect is achieved.

Kids who are still learning about the world come to see these issues as commonplace.

School shootings have become a weekly headline in American news, and while this is a devastating event, I have noticed it does not have nearly as much impact on the reader as it would in Australia for example, which has not had a school shooting since 1996, according to USA Today.

What can we do about all this?

We cannot force news outlets to change what they report on or make people on the internet more kind. But we can change our actions.

While the internet makes it easy to be anonymous, we must hold ourselves accountable for what we say and do over the internet.

We also must practice empathy, keeping in mind there are real stories behind the headlines we see on the news.

If we can be more conscious about ourselves and others, treat strangers on the internet with kindness and reflect on information we see, we can begin dismantling the internet culture we have become accustomed to and make the internet a safer space for everyone.

‘Eternals’ is a diverse spin but leaves audience unsatisfied

By Ariana Tejeda Moreno, Ashley Orozco Plata and Hope Saena Marvel Studios’ newest feature is a hard push with no pull, as it is one of the longest movies we have watched but somehow manages to not have enough time to play out. “Eternals” serves as a transitional bridge to possible future Marvel storylines but ultimately is disappointing.

This is the first Marvel movie to introduce the “Eternals,” which is a fascinating aspect – but falls short of capturing the variety of storylines present.

Many of the characters’ storylines feel rushed and like a simple introduction, which proves disappointing to us as the rushed introductions gave barely Photo courtesy of IMDB enough processing time to allow viewers BETTER THAN EXPECTED: Despite to develop a viable connection with the its flaws, ‘Eternals’ represents many diverse groups brilliantly. characters.

The diversity in this movie, on the the audience to connect to at least one other hand, is presented well. It is in- character. clusive and provides an exemplary stepAside from the diversity of ethnic ping point to what other Marvel movies groups, this movie does well representshould be like in the near future. ing members of different communities.

The wide variety of representation For example, Makkari, who was origthis movie brings connects the audience inally a white hearing male, is now porin a meaningful way and paves the way trayed as a woman of color and Marvel’s for greater representation in the future. first deaf superhero.

Watching a team of superheroes with Makkari communicates with her different ethnic backgrounds allows team using sign language, and this is no setback for her. Her super speed assists her in amazing fight scenes against monsters and people.

While “Eternals” has the potential of being an all-time favorite, it ultimately fails to reach that point. The storyline is rushed and incomplete. Despite the flaws, the range of diversity represented in the leading cast makes “Eternals” a slightly more enjoyable watch.

‘Eternals’

Genre: Action

Release date: Nov. 5, 2021

PAGE DESIGN BY JOSH CANTWELL-NAHRUNG AND KESHAV KUMAR

Arts & Culture

Friday, December 10, 2021

A trifecta of food trucks

13

Fremont food trucks offer unique, diverse eating experiences

By Bobby Gorelick dishes including pupusas, empanadas and more.

I decided to try the fried plantains with beans and crema ($5.00) as well as a bean and cheese pupusa ($3.75).

The plantains were perfectly caramelized and the sweetness paired incredibly well with the saltiness of the beans and the freshness of the crema. They practically melted in my mouth with a symphony of balanced flavor.

The pupusa is a completely different experience. If you are not familiar with a pupusa, it embodies an outer masa dough made from maize flour filled with either beans, cheese, meat or a combination.

The pupusa had a delicate yet delicious flavor from the beans and cheese, especially when paired with the mild tomato salsa East Fremont Ave and citrusy curtido, a Salvadoran cabbage slaw.

I am so impressed with the balance in all the dishes I tried and will definitely return to try the many other types of pupusas, and to reorder the plantains.

Next, I ordered from Asian Momo House, an Asian fusion restaurant selling some Indo-Chinese dishes I had never heard of.

Since the specialty

FREMONT FOOD TRUCKS LOCATION:

PUPUSA TIME

ASIAN MOMO HOUSE

EL GRAN SABOR

Photo by Bobby Gorelick

Food trucks hold a very special place in my heart. I have many memories from my childhood connected to family, friends and sharing delicious meals outside of food trucks.

Two weeks ago, I visited the plaza across from Fremont High School on East Fremont Ave. and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road which is home to three fantastic food trucks. The trucks serve food from different cultural cuisines including Salvadoran, Indo-Chinese, Nepalese and Latin American.

The first food truck I visited, Pupusa Time, specializes in Salvadoran food, a cuisine I had not previously tasted, making it all the more exciting.

The truck sells a variety of

By Amber Birrell

THREE FOOD TRUCKS: Of all the dishes I tried from the food trucks in Sunnyvale, the plantains with beans and crema were my favorite.

is momo, a Tibetan and Nepali dumpling dish, I decided to order the chicken fried momo ($8.00).

The momos have an incredible aromatic flavor, which compliments the fried dumpling wrapper.

The momo reminded me of a more traditional dumpling while highlighting Indian spices and herbs. It is paired with a creamy yet spicy sauce I could not get enough of.

The spice complemented the fried momo, making it an even more fragrant and light eating experience.

Apart from the amazing food, the wait time was a bit of a letdown, but the flavors compensate for the service, so I will definitely be returning to try more from the menu.

Lastly, I ordered a quesadilla from El Gran Sabor, which serves

both Mexican and Salvadoran dishes. I was excited to finish off my food truck journey with a simple quesadilla ($7.00).

However, I am disappointed by the quality the food truck produced. The cheese was not fully melted and it lacked flavor. The only component saving the horrifically bland quesadilla was a flavorful green salsa.

However, other than the salsa, I struggled to find any redeeming qualities.

I was disappointed with this dish, but I am open to returning to try other items on the menu and am hopeful it will be a better experience.

I must admit I am jealous of the options the Firebirds have right next door to their school, but I look forward to trying new cuisines from other Sunnyvale food trucks in the future.

Say no to book monopolies

Mega book mergers limit opportunities for readers, authors

By Shreya Partha As a naive and clueless child, I can’t say I’ve ever cared for the publishers behind my favorite books. After all, all I cared about was the book itself — who cares who published it? Turns out, I should have.

The big five publishers, Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster and Macmillan, are often the names behind your favorite books. But what happens when two of these publishing groups attempt to merge?

Catastrophe for the book

community — authors and readers alike.

ViaComCBS agreed to sell Simon and Schuster to Penguin Random House in a $2.18 billion deal on Nov. 25, 2020, according to the LA Times.

It seemed that all hope was lost, and the negative implications were set to ensue, but Nov. 2, the Biden Administration sued to stop the merger.

Mergers in the book industry have never been popular, but it seems especially ill-timed when diversity is

Illustration by Shreya Partha

BOOK INDUSTRY MERGERS: When two huge publishers merge,

the book community, authors and readers, will be affected negatively.

FASHION POLICE

being scrutinized at every corner.

Not only has the antitrust division of the Department of Justice probed into the acquisition, but readers who hope to discover new voices will be impacted negatively.

For avid readers, having a diverse palette of book choices is important. It is not okay to simply have representation in books. We need it among authors as well.

In order for this to happen, a wide range of publishers is needed to ensure that well-known authors are not the only ones being picked up and publicized.

Authors will be hit one of the hardest when it comes to book mergers. When authors have a limited number of publishers to negotiate with, their payments are lower and their ability to negotiate and leverage content will be impacted negatively, according to Public Knowledge.

Moreover, the way independent bookshops have to adapt to keep up with the competition will worsen how they run their businesses and as a result, a lot of them may have to shut down.

The biggest problem with the merger is competition. If consummated, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would control over two-thirds of

the publishing industry.

If the merger went through, the Big Five would be reduced to four, leaving hundreds of current and potential authors with fewer options and less leverage, according to the National Law Review.

Furthermore, when mega publishers are formed, new competitors, like publishing house start-ups, will have a harder time forming meaningful relationships with authors. This creates a lack of diversity in topics and variety in new books in the coming years might start to bore those with an avid affinity for reading.

If it is not clear already, a variety of options is critical to keeping the book community thriving.

As a reader, I am constantly looking for new recommendations.

The source of my most recent reads are local bookstores and publishers who often publicize underrepresented authors.

The prospect of these smaller publishing houses shutting down due to the merger is a daunting thought.

In order to preserve the fresh and youthful nature of the book industry, independent book publishers must be prioritized, and huge mergers that would create mega publishers must be prevented.

When I think of blazers, my mind immediately goes to professional or formal styles with simple colors like black, navy or a dusty gray but now more than ever, there is an abundance of different styles, colors and prints available.

Interestingly enough, blazers can be traced back to the 1820s when a college boating team in Cambridge wore bright red blazers, vastly different from formal blazers today.

In 1952, they finally made their editorial debut where the jackets were again designed in a “blazing red” color, leading to the name blazer, Nordstrom trunk club reported.

So contrary to what I initially thought of blazers, they showed up in bright, bold colors, not muted ones.

Over the years, I have seen hundreds of different styles from professional fits and leather blazers, to most recently, ones with bright prints and colors. This makes them extremely versatile and fun to style.

One day you could wear a trusty black blazer and a pair of jeans for an overall casual look.

But the next, throwing on a bright printed blazer as a statement piece will achieve a fancier look, similar to the bright red blazers we saw years ago.

The opportunities are endless.

Black leather blazers are by far my favorite type. They are not only warm and perfect for cooler weather, but when paired with virtually anything, they achieve a lavish look that I am obsessed with.

This winter, I hope to see more blazers around as they are truly an undervalued piece in people’s closets.

I rarely ever see blazers being used to their fullest potential.

With excess designs and colors, blazers should be a staple in everyone’s wardrobe because of their ability to elevate any outfit to the next level.

I can confidently say I love blazers; they are timeless pieces, perfect for any occasion throughout the year.

PAGE DESIGN BY MACY LI AND NICOLE PIMENTA INNECCO

14

Friday, December 10, 2021

Female PE teachers connect with students

Sports

By Seoyoung Hwang and Brevin Reed

RAYMOND RANTS

By Raymond Ranbhise A loss for the Houston Astros is a win for America. Setting political differences aside, everyone can agree the Astros losing the World Series to the Atlanta Braves is the best thing to happen all season.

The Astros, who were exposed in the 2017 world series for using hidden cameras behind center field to relay stolen signs to players, became one of the most hated sports teams in America, according to Republic World. After the 2017 cheating scandal in 2019, fans across the country who once rooted for the Astros as the underdogs facing the Los Angeles Dodgers turned against them. With the 2021 world series being the Houston Astros’s third world series appearance in five years, all of America was rooting for their downfall.

Their opponent, the Atlanta Braves did not have an easy path to the world series. After losing all-star and MVP contender Ronald Acuña Jr. to a torn ACL in the middle of the season, it appeared the Braves’ shot at playoff contention was over, especially in a close National League East division. But the Mets imploded, and the Braves held off the Philadelphia Phillies to win the division and secure a playoff spot. However, they were not out of the woods just yet, as they would have to face the Milwaukee Brewers and then the Dodgers, who were dominant all season. Miraculously, the Braves came through to beat the Brewers and the Dodgers. A key reason for this is two key players for the Braves, shortstop Dansby Swanson and outfielder Jorge Soler, stepped up in Acuna’s place and led the Braves through the playoffs. After a tough run in the playoffs, the Braves were set to face the disgraced Houston Astros in the world series. Although seen as the underdogs, the Braves defeated the Astros in the best out of seven series to win their fourth championship, and all of America, except for the city of Houston, Texas, was

Having a strong connection between students and teachers is oftentimes described as one of the most important things in a classroom.

Especially in a physically demanding class, such as PE, feeling comfortable is a priority. Every freshman is required to take PE freshman year.

Female PE teachers, Sara Frausto and Lisa Nakamatsu, give support to all of their students, ensuring students feel comfortable during class.

“I try my hardest to encourage everybody to try,” Nakamastsu said. “It does not matter about your gender. It is all about effort and coordination skills. Everybody is different.”

Although there is still a stereotype around female PE teachers, Frausto said she is not afraid to give support toward her students and make the class enjoyable for them.

“There’s still a stigma in PE that boys are better than girls, but having a female PE teacher that can connect with different students in different ways is very

beneficial and helps build some confidence or bring a different perspective to the classroom,” Frausto said.

Even if it is not female PE teachers specifically, having a teacher who is like one of the students helps them to step up and try something new and enjoy it, Nakamatsu said.

“Having the ability to see somebody similar to you doing something [different] makes you feel like, ‘there is a possibility that I can do this too,’” Nakamatsu said.

Junior Cassidy Morrison said she sometimes does not feel comfortable talking to her male PE teacher about personal issues that affect her ability to participate in PE. “It can be weird telling Mr. Hook that I’m on my period,” Morrison said. “It just feels a lot easier to tell another girl, especially one I trust.”

Additionally, Morrison said she has had many problems with male PE teachers since middle school.

“We would sometimes catch

them looking at Photo by Seoyoung Hwang us, and we honestly did not feel safe being around them,” Morrison said.

“You shouldn’t feel that way, especially in a class you’re forced to take, like PE.” Senior Shyla Krishnappa said she enjoys having Nakamatsu as her teacher in PE BREAKING THE MOLD: PE teachers, Nakadance. matsu and Frausto work to promote inclusivity.

“Nakamatsu is very understanding of physical dents may feel more comfortable limits,” Krishnappa said. “I have with female teachers, Krishnappa had male PE teachers who have said having diversity both among yelled at other students during staff and students is beneficial to conditioning.” all.

Krishnappa also said she noFrausto and Nakamtasu ticed overall increased positivity agreed, saying everyone learns in within the classroom with female a different way. teachers.

“We have a very diverse “I’ve never had a PE teacher population,” Frausto said. “EvI enjoyed talking to before Naka- ery teacher teaches differently matsu,” Krishnappa said. “She is whether they are male or female, always so bright and happy.” and we need the same diversity in Even though some female stu- our teachers to reach everyone.”

Funding disparities in athletics

A look inside what actually separates funding among sports

By Josh Cantwell-Nahrung There is a common misconception that there is an unequal distribution of money from the school to specific individual sports.

However, athletic director Mallory Lantz said this is not the case. Under Title IX, all sports on campus are required to be funded the same amount Photo by Josh Cantwell-Nahrung

Photo courtesy of Josh Cantwell-Nahrung

ATHLETIC FUNDING EQUALITY: All sports on

campus receive equal funding.

by the school, Lantz said. She said she has started doing more school fundraisers and boosters to help athletics with general fundraising.

In addition to funding from the school, individual sports have the ability to fundraise on their own.

“I started a new fundraiser this year. So far it has had really good success through donations and the normal athletic boosters,” Lantz said.

Although these measures are in place, many sports may still differ in funding for a plethora of reasons. Sports that do fundraisers, have parent donations and ask for outside donations, Lantz said.

Even with the money provided by the school, the pressure

to fundraise can be overwhelming, especially for sports that require more expensive gear. For sports like cheer, fundraising is needed to ensure they have enough money to get through the year, senior cheer captain Isabel Matta said.

“There’s so much stuff we need to fundraise for. We have really high goals to meet, and from personal experience and talking with some of my teammates, it’s a pretty high bar for a lot of families to meet,” Matta said.

The band program consists of approximately 180 people and is entirely self funded through donations, required fees and fundraisers, senior Kassy Hernandez said.

She said the funding re-

quirements are clearly set out before the year starts and must be met to adequately fund the band program for each performance.

According to Lantz, the band is not covered under athletic funding regulations and does not receive money from boosters, so it ends up being entirely up to them.

“A program with more opportunities for sports programs to get money outside of individual fundraising would be ideal, because it would relieve a lot of pressure from student athletes and their parents,” Matta said.

“I’ve heard Mrs. Lantz is working on something similar to this, and that makes me really excited for the direction the athletic department is going in.”

Unseen warriors of color guard

Male athletes, nonbinary athletes play pivotal role

By Lindsey Steel Modern dance and ballet instruction coupled with telling a story through weaponry such as rifles and flags can only be found in one sport: color guard.

But despite the intense training and athleticism that goes into color guard, sophomore Taishi Maekawa said many have the notion it is a feminine sport.

“There is a commonly heard stereotype color guard is only for girls, since its participants are traditionally girls,” Maekawa said.

“But it’s perfectly normal for everyone to do it.”

In fact, color guard is a place for any athlete, regardless of gender, junior Hannah Wehbeh said.

In her three years of color guard experience, Wehbeh said at least one boy or nonbinary mem-

ber has been on the team every season. Additionally, the roles male and nonbinary members of color guard play are nearly identical to that of any girl, Wehbeh said.

“The only difference between guys and girls is girls are inherently more flexible,” Wehbeh said. “Guys, on the other hand, are inherently stronger and taller.”

Although everyone contributes equally in color guard, the stereotype that excludes boys from the sport can isolate some athletes, junior Itai Kolin said.

“I feel very different,” Kolin said. “The contrast is obvious, especially with my body. I’m taller than everyone else, and that just highlights our differences.”

Additionally, Kolin said as- still harbors an inclusive and sumptions have frequently been supportive environment, Maekamade about his identity due to wa said. his participation in the sport.

“All athletes on the team are “The boys on guard all get supportive and that creates a assumptions about their sexu- great environment for everyone.” ality and gender,” Kolin said. Photo courtesy of Itai Kolin “I have received some blatantly homophobic and transphobic comments before, and that makes me feel uncomfortable.”

Despite the stereotypes boys in color guard have to overcome outside of prac- INCLUSITIVITY IN GUARD: Male and nonbinatice, the team ry members face extra obstacles from peers.

PAGE DESIGN BY AIKO CHARON AND MAE RICHARDSON

15

Sports

Friday, December 10, 2021

New season begins

“Going into this season, my goal is to give everything I have and leave it all on the court.

I’m looking forward to learning how to work better [with my team].Our team chemistry is really good and we have a great chance of doing really well this season.”

Coaches discuss upcoming winter season

By Madhavi Karthik, Hope Saena and Ritaja Subrahmanya

to ho

Tatum Leuenberger (11)

by ss

Jo d

ar w ro

B

cer coach Joe Simas said he hopes to emphasize unity and collaboration between his players this season. Simas said the league the team plays in is very competitive, which means the players need to work together to succeed.

Resuming the season after the pandemic caused a delay in playtime last year, so varsity girls soccer coach Rebecca Strong said she was excited for the team’s dynamics to return to normalcy, Strong hopes to instill a philosophy of perseverance in players throughout the upcoming season, she said.

“Even with a pandemic, the fact that they can still come back out here and play is such a great thing,” Strong said. “I hope I remind them of that and they remember this part of their life when they graduate. If they can get through playing during a pandemic, they can pretty much get through anything.”

P

As the fall season comes to an end, winter sports teams and their coaches have already begun preparing for their upcoming season.

Coming off a historic season, playing in their first ever CCS Division I championship game, varsity boys basketball coach Matt Wright said he is excited for the new season.

One of the team’s current priorities is to ensure new players are able to gain experience prior to the start of the season, Wright said. Many key players graduated last year, which means many players on the team have never played on varsity before and therefore need to learn new plays and techniques.

“One of the best things about last season was that everyone was a selfless player,” Wright said. “They played for each other which was really inspiring to watch, and I think we could accomplish that again this year.”

Varsity girls basketball is facing tough competitors this year as they moved into a higher division last year, coach Becky Chiu said. Their focus this season is on upping their vigor and intensity to compete in the higher division, Chiu said.

“I’m looking forward to how truly intense we can be,” Chiu said. “Each year we get better and better, and this is the year where the girls have pushed each other and held each other accountable the most.”

As for the wrestling team, coach Manuel Regidor said the biggest obstacle the team will face this season is mental.

“The mindset that this team needs right now is that hard work will always be talent, and they need to have that drive to work hard,” Regidor said. “If they don’t have that, then it’s gonna be a tough season for them. But once they’re able to learn that hard work always pays off, then they’re gonna have an easier time.”

Additionally, varsity boys soc-

“I’m looking forward to playing my last year [on the team] with some of the people I’ve been playing with since elementary school. I hope to win a CCS championship since we lost at finals last year.”

Connor Kane (12)

Photo by Josh Cantwell-Nahrung

“This is going to be my last season, so it’s going to be a lot more [intense] and is really about pushing to finish off all my years [with the sport.] I’ve been working out extra and getting in shape with conditioning.”

Dylan Uyeda (12) Photo courtesy of Dylan Uyeda

to by Pho

“[I am most looking forward to] having a good season this year, playing against some friends from other schools and hopefully being able to compete in the CCS championship this year. I also want to score some goals this season.”

Leo Janson (11)

Rita ja Su

Photo by Ritaja Subrahmanya

anya

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“Something special about our team is the amount of team bonding and traditions we have. It’s really special to take part in and I’m excited for the rest of the season and very grateful I get to play with these girls.”

Nicole Lee (11)

Football’s fight for first Scan this QR code for a football player’s insight into what went right and wrong in the season, as well as how football plans to make improvements for the coming year.

goals for gains in the new season boys basketball

Photo by Seoyoung Hwang

Coach Matt Wright said the team has been working to prepare for the season nonstop since August, hoping for a De Anza league title.

girls basketball

Photo by Joss Broward

Coach Becky Chiu said her goal is to help players gain confidence by playing the sport and leave as strong, independent women.

wrestling

Photo by Gaby Cristancho

Coach Manuel Regidor said he plans to emphasize the importance of striving to challenge yourself and pushing through mental obstacles.

Tennis, cross country make CCS

Girls tennis: Varsity girls tennis fell to Menlo-Atherton in a 6-1 loss during the quarterfinals of CCS. Going into the tournament HHS was unseeded, which is why making it to quarterfinals was such a huge deal, team commissioner Ivy Zhan said.

“Because we were playing in the upper division of the SCVAL League,” Zhan said, “it gave us a really good chance of getting far in the playoffs.”

The team took on Carmel High School first, followed by the fourth seed, Cupertino High School. The team spent time strategizing and practicing to prepare for the tough match against Cupertino, Zhan said.

“Cupertino won the league championship and we played them before, so we knew what to expect,” Zhan said. “We had practice after our first match [against Carmel]. We were joking that the match was the warm up to our practice. We faced [Cupertino] twice before, but I guess the third time’s the charm.”

Despite the hard loss, Zhan said she learned a lot from this season.

“It wasn’t the best way to end the season on a tough loss,” Zhan said. “As a team, we’ve improved so much and I feel like we could have performed better.

But we all fought really hard throughout the tournament and I’m proud of our team.”

Cross Country: Cross Country fell in the first round of CCS this season.

Senior Mia Tarkington said the team’s performance during CCS did not reflect their potential, which prevailed during their season.

“Overall, we didn’t do very well,” Tarkington said. “We didn’t have our best showing that day. But throughout the season we did a great job.”

Additionally, Tarkington said the team was looking forward to making their mark at CCS despite encountering obstacles during the season due to the loss of players and the pandemic.

“Usually we have a really strong squad, but this year because a lot of people graduated and [because of the pandemic], our team took a big hit,” Tarkington said. “We weren’t sure if we were gonna make it at all.

We barely did it. We got the last spot, so we were really excited.”

By Madhavi Karthik girls soccer

boys soccer

Photo by Josh Cantwell-Nahrung

Coach Joe Simas said he hopes to instill hard working ethics into his players and enable them to create their own goals and challenges.

Photo by Ritaja Subrahmanya

Coach Rebecca Strong aims to focus on offensive techniques to strengthen the team’s shooting proficiency, she said.

PAGE DESIGN BY MADHAVI KARTHIK AND RITAJA SUBRAHMANYA

16

Spotlight

Friday, December 10, 2021

The Bay Area is filled with an array of unknown and underrated places. Here are underappreciated locations you should check out!

By Joss Broward, Karuna Chandran, Lia Klebanov and Brevin Reed Photo courtesy of Local Wiki

Fruitvale

Muir Woods

Fruitvale, a neighborhood in Oakland, is home to the city’s largest Latino community. Discover the unique culture and vibrant colors of the city by taking a stroll past the exhibits in the Institute of Mosaic Art. Celebrate Hispanic festivals with food and entertainment. Peralta Hacienda Historical Park is a great place to learn about the history of Native Americans and Mexican Americans within Oakland and right at the heart of the neighborhood is the Public Market, a shopping area that is run to support local vendors.

Photo courtesy of HarshLight

Japanese Friendship Garden The Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose awaits visitors with various attractions including koi pond feedings and train rides. Explore one of the nearby historical museums documenting the history of San Jose, then settle down and have a picnic near one of the garden’s three large ponds.

During the spring, cherry blossoms are plentiful throughout the park and provide an immersed seasonal experience. All this nature got you in an energetic mood? Visit the Kelley Park Amphitheater just next door and watch a live performance.

Photo by Joss Broward

Bernal Heights Park Taking a step through the Esmeralda Corridor at the front of the park, hikers are greeted with beautiful scenery. After a quick walk up a secluded road, Bernal Heights Park provides a fantastic view of San Francisco. Although bustling during the day, Bernal Heights Park provides a quiet panoramic view of the city at nighttime — the perfect place for a late night picnic. If exercise is more your style, take a 1-mile walk around the perimeter of the park, stopping at the community garden. If you’re feeling up to it, plant something of your own!

Photo courtesy of Bold Frontiers

Ever desired to escape into the forest alone, just yourself and nature? If so, Muir Woods in Mill Valley may be the perfect place for you. Muir Woods offers 295 acres of forest, filled with 200+ foot tall, 800-year-old Sequoia trees.

The area contains just under four miles of hiking trails, all under the enchanting cover of hundreds of Redwood and Sequoia trees. The forest is located just a short, 10-mile drive from the Golden Gate Bridge. The classic trail most visitors take is the Main Trail, where one can see old-growth redwoods firsthand and walk alongside Redwood Creek. Feeling hungry after your hike? Stop

by Avatar’s Punjabi Burritos nearby! Muir Woods and the surrounding shops have plenty to offer in your trip around the Bay Area.

HHS’ FAVORITE RESTAURANTS Christmas in the Park:

Explore the holiday cheer in San Jose’s very own Christmas in the Park! Discover a variety of events, food and performances. New activities like decorating gingerbread houses and drive-thru light shows are being added every year.

If performances are more your taste, then watch live singing and dancing on the community stage.

Photo courtesy of Giada Hu

It’s a really cute Chinese restaurant in Main Street, Cupertino. They have a whole range of cultural foods like sesame toasted prawns.”

Train of Lights:

Located in the Niles Canyon, the Train of Lights is an awe inspiring display, steaming through the mountains from Fremont to Sunol. Covered in bright Christmas lights, the exterior of the train car is just as bright and festive as the inside. Attendees are served hot chocolate and have the option to reserve a private car just for their friends or loved ones.

Golden Palace (Cupertino)

- Giada Hu (9)

Shana Thai (Mountain View)

Photo courtesy of Chetan Kurkure

I really like the spices they add to make vegetables taste good. There’s a variety of food including vegetarian options, so everyone can enjoy.”

-Chetan Kurkure (10) Photo courtesy of Nicole Zambrano

Holiday fun for Winter Break

Sorelle Italian Bistro (Campbell) It’s owned by Italian sisters that used to work at a different restaurant and the food is absolutely delicious. It’s tucked inside of a neighborhood with a nice atmosphere.”

- Nicole Zambrano (Resource Teacher) PAGE DESIGN BY JOSS BROWARD, LIA KLEBANOV, BREVIN REED ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOSS BROWARD AND LIA KLEBANOV TITLE ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA