The Epitaph Volume 62, Issue 1, 2024-25

The Epitaph

New administration joins community

Administration shares hopes, goals for upcoming school year

Parth Dhaulakhandi, Evelyn Wang and Veronica Zhao

After the retirement of former associate superintendent Tom Avvakumovits in early July, FUHSD underwent a long line of administrative changes, resulting in three new appointments at HHS: principal Denae Nurnberg, assistant principal Nico Flores and dean Rahul Sharma, Nurnberg said.

Principal Denae Nurnberg:

Stepping into her new role, Nurnberg said she has two main goals she plans to incorporate over the course of the year: collaboration and school spirit.

“My second goal is to build a positive campus culture where staff love coming to work every day. [I hope] students are excited to come to HHS and feel safe [in a] community they feel proud of,” Nurnberg said. “There’s so much that’s great here, so [I want students to feel] that [they’re] connected to the school and to have a positive experience here.”

Assistant principal Nico Flores:

Flores said he served in various roles across FUHSD, specifically at FHS and MVHS, before joining the HHS administration team. Flores said he obtained the necessary background for his current position, which entails managing athletics and activities, from previous experiences as a PE teacher, dean and assistant principal.

“[My goal] is to build a positive campus culture where staff love coming to work every day, and students are excited to come to HHS and feel safe.”

—Principal Denae Nurnberg

Putting an emphasis on a robust collaborative process between teachers, especially for those in the same department, is critical for student success, Nurnberg said. Specifically, incorporating ways for staff to connect outside of the classroom will foster collaboration, Nurnberg said.

“[It’s important to bring] renewed energy and life back into [collaborating] and supporting our [department leads]. That’s very adult-focused work that will hopefully pay dividends in the classroom over time,” Nurnberg said. “The idea is that [if] you have world literature with one teacher and [a different student has] world literature with another teacher, the skill set you’re learning across the classes should be the same.”

The goal is for expectations surrounding grading and homework, as well as the knowledge obtained by students by the end of the year to be aligned across the same course, regardless of who is teaching it, Nurnberg said.

Another area Nurnberg aims to focus on is building school spirit to foster a sense of community and belonging for both students and staff members, she said.

“I’m leaning a lot on the leadership in athletics I’ve had in my past, specifically at MVHS,” Flores said. “I have a good understanding of what’s happening, so I can anticipate certain times of the year when it’s going to start to ramp up, like homecoming [or] when seasons transition.” Because these specific administrative responsibilities are new to him, Flores said he wants to focus on obtaining knowledge and support from his colleagues.

““I’m relying on the mistakes I’ve made in the past in regards to moving from one school to another and coming in with the idea of [keeping my] eyes and ears wide open and my mouth shut,” Flores said. “There are certain times when I need to provide input based on my experience, but [first] I want to just sit back and learn all that I possibly can.”

Flores said he feels more comfortable involving himself with his new responsibilities, as previous experience has shown him the layer of grace that comes with being new to a role.

“I don’t know what I don’t know, so asking for help [is] critical,” Flores said. “Having 15 years of experience in the same school district has prepared me to have [the] inner confidence to do that.”

Dean Rahul Sharma:

Before joining the HHS administration team, Sharma said he served as a high school principal at San Jose Conservation Corps Charter School for six years.

Having transitioned from a school of 200 students, Sharma said he is working to adapt to the new, larger student body size of a public high school.

Stepping into his new role, Sharma said he aims to familiarize himself with the student body to ensure they receive the guidance they deserve.

“My biggest [goal] is getting to know the students first and seeing how I can support them,” Sharma said. “For seniors specifically, letters of recommendation are coming up, so I want to make sure that process goes smoothly.”

Sharma also said he intends to review

Shift in role causes

ASB changes

Leadership teacher, ASB students reflect on adjustment

Annie Guo, Vivian Kim and Alan Zhang

After Hector Almendarez assumed the role of the new leadership teacher, ASB made several changes to the class for the current school year, ASB president, senior Sophie Park said. The changes include a system of discussion open to the school

community and a deeper focus on holistic wellness, Almendarez said.

Almendarez said one of his main goals is to make ASB’s discussions available to the entire HHS community.

“A big thing I really want to promote for the year is that it is not just ASB, it’s anybody who is welcome to come and present an issue that they would like us to address, whether it is club-related or activities-related,” Almendarez said.

The main purpose behind student council meetings is to improve communication between ASB and clubs, Almendarez said.

Sharma Dean

current policies to make sure they are equitable for all students.

Assessing regulations comes down to evaluating what has worked in previous years and determining whether it is fair for every student, Sharma said.

When the dean position became available, Sharma said he was drawn to it by the opportunity to interact closely with a student body.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t see teachers or an admin team that looked like me,” Sharma said. “I wanted to work in education because I want to be in a space where I can support all students, whether its students of color, students with disabilities, English language learners or whoever they may be. I want to provide equity for young people and be a voice for students who may have been failed by the education system.”

Digital AP testing requires reworks Test format changes necessitates action among teachers, admin

Parth Dhaulakhandi, Henry Hu and Vivian Kim

FUHSD is making changes to district infrastructure and AP class curriculums as a result of College Board implementing digital AP testing for a majority of exams, principal Denae Nurnberg said. To support the transition, Nurnberg said FUHSD

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ amuses audiences with goofs ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’

is planning major changes to the infrastructure of the district’s WiFi.

“In terms of how to shift HHS [to online testing], we have, as a district, over the last couple of years been preparing for this change,” Nurnberg said. “We do have some limitations to [the] bandwidth [of] WiFi.”

Assistant principal Paula Mockler said she set up a WiFi infrastructure test, which students participated in, allowing the district to analyze WiFi bandwidth and internet speed. The wireless access ports at two crucial points on campus were tested to see if the network was adequate for AP testing needs, Mockler said.

Turf construction

Rahul

Nico Flores Assistant principal

Denae Nurnberg Principal

Photo by Veronica Zhao

Photo by Parth Dhaulakhandi

Photo by Evelyn Wang

Leadership changes

Continued from page 1

“[Student council] is a place you can go to ask those questions: I want to host this event. Is it possible? What’s the cost behind that?” Almendarez said. “Because ASB is so tied to that stuff, [we want to] make ourselves an available resource.”

Compared to last year, this year’s leadership class has shifted to a more student-led system, ASB treasurer, junior Evangeline Park said.

“This year has been a lot more self-directed, and we’ve been able to try a lot of new things that we haven’t done in previous years,” Evangeline Park said. “[Almendarez’s] biggest strength [is] his open mindedness. He’s very open to student ideas and student suggestions, and he’s very receptive to the ideas that we [have] proposed.”

ASB wants to create a supportive environment with its main theme this year of holistic wellness. The theme aims to help both new and returning students feel safe and respected on campus, Sophie Park said. ASB will work toward this theme throughout the school year by holding events and providing students with more resources, Sophie Park said.

“When you’re in high school, it’s like you’re in ‘The Hunger Games’ arena all the time,” Sophie Park said. “We want students to feel comfortable and seen at HHS, not afraid to be vulnerable and make genuine connections.”

Each month will be dedicated to addressing a different issue like social, emotional and academic stress, Sophie Park said. The target for this month is physical strain in the lives of students, she said.

ASB chose the theme of holistic wellness in an attempt to com-

bat the increasingly competitive school atmosphere, Evangeline Park said.

“We’ve seen increases in the number of people running for freshman class office over the last few years, so it’s getting a lot more competitive,” Evangeline Park said. “That’s why this year, we wanted to focus on promoting that holistic wellness.”

ASB is planning events throughout the school year to support students’ mental health, Sophie Park said.

“We [will] have activities like partnering with local businesses or student run businesses, like a little farmer’s market,” Sophie Park said. “[We will have] presentations for students who want to produce opportunities to help engage in mental health or receive mental health resources.”

One of Almendarez’s former student, junior Suri Yau, said Almendarez will contribute to a saf -

er school environment. He made his classroom a welcoming space and positively impacted her high school life, Yau added.

“He changed my perspective of high school and how I reacted to things,” Yau said. “Instead of being afraid of everything that I encounter, he really taught me to go with the flow and to accept that there’s going to be change and things are going to happen.”

Although his job comes with much adversity, Almendarez said he is still grateful for the opportunity to connect with the HHS community.

“It’s stressful, it’s work, [I] have to make time outside of class, but I’m having a blast,” Almendarez said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something like this. That’s how I look at it every day, whether we’re meeting or not just being thankful and grateful to be able to do this with some amazing people.”

News in a minute

Local: San Francisco opens first ‘Entertainment Zone’ event for Oktoberfest

San Francisco held its first entertainment zone event, Oktoberfest, on Sept. 20, according to NBC. Entertainment zones are areas where alcohol consumption is allowed on public streets during special events, providing novel economic opportunities and a sense of community. Oktober fest, a block party inspired by a tra ditional German beer festival, was a massive success, drawing over 4,000 people from across the Bay Area. The event showed how effec tive entertainment zones could be and paved the way for sim ilar events to be held in the future. San Fran cisco Mayor London Breed has proposed legislation to create four more entertainment zones, hoping to revitalize downtown San Francisco, according to NBC.

National: Self-administered flu vaccine approved by FDA

The FDA approved a self-administered nasal spray vaccine for influenza on Sept. 20, according to CBS News. FluMist, developed by AstraZeneca, was approved in 2003 for healthcare providers to administer in healthcare settings and pharmacies, according to CBS. Now, recent approval allows AstraZeneca to sell nasal spray for adults to administer at home. In order for patients to have access to

FluMist, it needs to be prescribed by a healthcare provider, according to the FDA. Plans to make the vaccine available to patients through an online pharmacy are underway. Adults can get an online prescription through a screening questionnaire and order shipments directly. Although the CDC recommended against its usage in 2016, AstraZeneca redesigned the antigens in 2016 and re-earned the CDC’s approval. The nasal spray can help patients who fear needles, providing them with an alternative to the traditional vaccine, according to CNN.

International:

Majority of UN General Assembly demands an end to Israel occupation of Palestinian territories

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution put forward by observer state Palestine on Sept. 18, according to CNN. The decision calls for Israel to withdraw military forces from Palestinian territories and remove settlers from occupied land within 12 months. In July, the International Court of Justice declared that Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal, which is where the mandate stems from. The court called upon Israel to end the occupation of territories claimed by Palestinians, according to BBC News.

Of 193 countries in the General Assembly, 124 voted for the resolution, 14 voted against it and 43 abstained from voting. Although the decision has no binding power, it comes with symbolic and political significance, according to BBC.

ASB holds its second biweekly student council meeting to discuss club affairs and finances.

Kevin Miao

Photo by Henry Hu

Meet the freshman class cabinet

ASB announced class of 2028 class cabinet after week-long campaigning and voting process

Since middle school, Lee said she has always enjoyed leadership classes, roles and positions.

“I have had really good experiences in ASB and leadership, so I wanted to have a chance to help my community and participate in school activities,” Lee said.

During her campaign experience, talking to new people and having creative liberty when making the poster made the process enjoyable, Lee said.

Because upperclassmen have more events like prom, Lee said she wants to host more fun events for the freshman class.

“As a cabinet member, I want to make our freshman year a more enjoyable and pleasant experience,” Lee said. “I plan to hold fundraisers and create more diverse events for everybody.”

ASB has yet to announce the remaining two cabinet members.

Digital APs

Continued from page 1

“We’ve been working with the district office [and] all the school sites have been [testing WiFi],” Mockler said. “Until the information gets extrapolated, that’s all we know. At this time, it looks like our two biggest locations are going to be just fine.”

Many AP calculus BC students attended the WiFi assessment, math teacher Pratibha Gopal said. The test aims to tackle potential WiFi issues early in the year to make digital testing feasible during testing season, Gopal added.

“I don’t know about the other buildings, but in my classroom, [the WiFi] is very spotty, and [getting] internet is a struggle,” Gopal said. “That’s why [administration] wanted to test out what it [would be] like with 300 students on it.”

Connecting current problems with past experiences, junior Vincent Wang said tests like his AP world history exam from last year were conducted with few test administration problems. Although other issues surrounding WiFi and device problems could arise, Wang said he is confident students will face minimal issues.

“Some [students during my test] had trouble, and [administrators] had to help them out, but everything ended up getting worked out,” Wang said. “Some other possible issues would be WiFi or battery, but I’m sure administration

Austin Ge

Beatrice Lee Sojin Kim

Becoming an officer is a unique opportunity to contribute to the HHS environment and community, Ge said.

“Overall, [running for class cabinet] looked like an opportunity for me that I couldn’t just pass by,” Ge said. Campaigning was equally fun as it was exhausting, Ge said.

“I had one of the biggest posters so it was a big hassle. I was pretty burnt out at the end of the week, but I think it contributed to the success of my campaign,” Ge said.

Because campaigning is a large part of getting votes, Ge said he focused on this aspect the most and learned a lot from it.

“To be a leader, you have to have great experiences and a pretty charming personality,” Ge said.

has accounted for those issues.”

Apart from the concerns surrounding WiFi infrastructure, the district has been preparing teachers for potential changes to AP curriculums in response to a digital testing format, Nurnberg said.

“A couple of years ago, we met with all the teachers,” Nurnberg said. “[We] worked through a number of different questions around what teachers [would] need to do in order to shift support in their classrooms toward more digital practice for FRQs and DBQs.”

English teacher Megan Bridge said College Board has granted the choice between physical and online testing to classes like hers for years.

Regardless, after the definitive switch, Bridge, who teaches AP literature and composition, said she feels obligated to make changes to the way she prepares students for the AP test despite her preference for handwritten practice.

“One of the key things AP teachers need to do is [prepare] their [students] for the test as it is going to be, and so I would be doing my students a disservice if we didn’t do more computer-based writing [and] multiple choice,” Bridge said. “I don’t think the curriculum is going to dramatically change because of that, but we will move some things that were on paper to the computer.”

New practices in place to reduce waste, save money

Danielle Feldsher, Malar Raguraman and Madeleine Yee

As preparations for the Homecoming dance are underway, ASB has increased efforts to boost sustainability for the event, ASB vice president, senior Aayushma Adhikari said.

The dance, which will take place on Oct. 18, will use decorations and materials that are either rented or bought secondhand. ASB’s budget will be spent more consciously throughout the year to reduce unnecessary purchases that further the sustainability initiative, Adhikari said.

This year, ASB will buy materials from local stores such as CVS and Home Depot, instead of buying new cardboard. To reduce the waste from Homecoming, ASB plans to reuse decorations from previous years and save any new decorations created for future events, Adhikari said.

“Each year we have a different theme. [Consequently], students are having to cut, paint and make various decorations,” Adhikari said. “Because we’re starting from scratch [each year], at the end of Homecoming, most decorations get recycled.”

However, buying recycled decorations can reduce wasted materials, Adhikari said. For example, this year’s senior Homecoming theme is Caesar, and ASB plans to explore second hand stores to buy decorations that fit the theme, she said.

“We do not have anything that is related to ancient Rome in our current collection of decorations,” Adhikari said. “We are planning on going to different thrift stores and flea markets to try and buy decorations secondhand for our floats. For the dance, we’re also going to be borrowing decorations from

Kim said she wanted to join ASB to make school events more engaging and accessible.

“I want events to be more diverse and positive so everyone can enjoy [them],” Kim said. “I want to make [freshman] voices heard so they can have input in school events, as well.”

Overall, the campaign process was pretty fun, as she was able to make more connections with people, Kim said.

“I got to meet a bunch of other [freshman] and go around giving them the speeches,” Kim said.

As a class officer, Kim said her goals are to increase participation in school activities and make a positive change for the students.

I look forward to preparing for Homecoming and making it really entertaining for everyone,” Kim said.

ASB revises Homecoming in effort to promote sustainability

other clubs like Indopak.”

While methods of sustainability such as renting and borrowing materials are ideal, Adhikari said executing them can be difficult. To counter this issue, social manager, senior Leela Menon said reusing decorations will be prioritized in future years.

“Last year, [ASB] did not save everything, so it was hard to find and reuse stuff,” Menon said. “[We are] fixing that for next year, making sure we store all the stuff that we need for the dance properly.”

In addition to sourcing materials in an eco-friendly manner, leadership teacher Hector Almendarez said consciously spending ASB’s funding is the most effective way to practice sustainability. Cutting out unnecessary purchases is helpful in reducing waste, Almendarez added.

“I can understand the desire to do something cool, like get a cool decoration, but [the problem is] not being able to see beyond the consequences of that purchase,” Almendarez said. “The last thing you want to do is waste money. That’s wasteful in and of itself,

DESIGN

but [the decoration] is going to be thrown away and it is going to end up in some landfill.”

In the past, a sustainability commissioner took on the task of implementing environmental consciousness for events such as Homecoming. However, the role was moved up to a district-level position, junior, social manager Agnes Ko said.

While there is less direct regulation without the position, sustainability is an important topic that is always considered by ASB, Ko said.

As the year progresses, Adhikari said it is important to make environmentally conscious decisions while accommodating ASB’s budget and creating a pleasant experience for the student body.

“If they have any questions about the sustainability of Homecoming, students are encouraged to always reach out,” Adhikari said. “We’re always trying to be better, and we’re always trying to see what the student body thinks of our initiatives and the way we run our events.”

Wang said the digital format of last year’s AP world history exam worked out well for him.

Photo by Henry Hu

Infographic by Ella Chan, Aviv Matas and Helen Tam Photos by Helen Tam

Handmaking decorations with recycled cardboard is an effective way to improve sustainability for Homecoming, Adhikari said.

Photo by Malar Raguraman

The Epitaph

Editors-in-Chief

Managing

News Editors

Danielle Feldsher Kevin Miao

Opinion

Lifestyles

Arts

Creative

Design

Multimedia

Social

Opinion

Staff Editorial

Reform club advising system

The deactivation of old clubs necessitates the birth of new ones, a phenomenon synonymous with the start of the school year. However, every club needs an advis er, which many prospective clubs lack due to an imbal ance: too many clubs and too few teachers willing to advise. Students, teachers and administration are all responsible for this shortage and must work to create a better club ecosystem.

There is little reason for teachers to advise clubs. In fact, advising clubs is not required at all, ASB club commissioner senior Eric Ko said. Teachers are to su pervise four school events and club advising counts toward two of those events, leadership adviser Hector Almendarez said.

However, Ko said even if a teacher advises more than two clubs, they still have to supervise two more school events. Advising a club yearround is much more difficult than simply supervising a sports game, which leaves teachers with little to no rea son to consider the option of club advising.

Additionally, ASB fails to provide guidance for teach ers who advise clubs. Only infrequent emails and a handbook give insight into the advising duties, chem istry teacher Samuel Fung said. Further communica tion is necessary to paint a clearer understanding of ad vising responsibilities and the restrictions that come attached.

Advising for a club also includes several drawbacks. The increased preparation time and the post-pandem

Vote policy for president, not popularity Candidates must clarify policies

concrete agendas, instead opting to compete in a popularity contest.

Every aspect of a presidential campaign, from the vice presidential pick to public appearances, can influence the election. Despite a misplaced emphasis on personality and relatability, voters must ultimately understand the policies of each candidate to decide their ballot. Though Americans constantly face the problem of voting for personality, this year’s election suffers from added difficulty. Both presidential candidates are failing to set

Kamala Harris is a unique candidate, not only because of the special circumstances of her nomination. Over a month has passed since she received the Democratic nomination, and Americans have just gained clarification on her stances on fracking and the economy, according to CNN. Harris’s prioritization of painting a superior personality has taught voters how “brat” her campaign is and her fondness for coconut tree parables; however, much more work must be done to illuminate the possible legislation Harris will enact.

For the many issues such as immigration and gun control that still require attention, voters and the media are left to inferences based on her past experiences.

As the previous California attorney general, Harris created tough-on-crime policies and drastically increased conviction rates to curb crime, according to NBC News. As a senator, Harris helped pass uncontroversial, bipartisan bills into law, according to Congress. However,

voters are still confused about her current perspective on illegal immigrants and policies she would sign into law. By leaving such stances to her past record, Harris further confuses Americans because of her conflicting roles.

During her vice-presidency bid, Harris shifted many of the stances she proposed during her presidential campaign, including foreign policy and immigration, according to CNN. Additionally, many of her current policies are based on continuity and slight additions to president Biden’s policies. For the Democratic base, another four years of Biden is ideal, but sticking by similar policies fails to address undecided voters who are unsatisfied by his tenure.

Harris comes off as little more than a younger, more relatable version of Biden. In the coming months, she must focus on distinguishing her policies from Biden’s. Americans cannot simply vote for Harris based on her Democratic nomination and personality. Voters can only make an informed decision if there is more clarity on the policies being proposed.

Conversely, Americans often assume Donald Trump to be the presidential candidate with unique, uncompromising policy stances. However, Trump has recently changed positions on the contentious issue of IVF, a form of

fertilization, according to NPR. His sudden announcement contradicts the Republican backlash against interference into women’s rights. For example, the Roe v. Wade reversal, which removed abortions as a federal right, is core to the Republican mantra. Despite acting as a strong advocate for the Supreme Court ruling, Trump now contradicts his previous statements.

Trump also goes against the tough-on-crime persona favored by his conservative base by supporting Florida’s marijuana legalization, according to BBC. Curiously, Trump also supports Florida’s plans to increase abortion timelines, thus further contradicting his stance toward Roe v. Wade. With these core position flips, Trump leaves many voters in confusion with little clarification into the specifics of his policies. Both candidates’ policies are unsound and constantly changing, and voters are currently forced to vote based on popularity, inferences or party affiliations. Trump and Harris must clarify the differences in future policies to allow Americans to make an informed decision about the next four years. Policy specifics may not affect the choices of many core party members, but to undecided voters, policy will influence who they pick as president – not their preference between an angry, orange man and a Biden copycat.

Both Harris and Trump have failed Americans by leaving policies open to voter speculation.

Illus trat ion by Ella Chan

Just give Biden a little break

President Biden receives no credit

President Biden had an unpopular presidency. His positions on world events, such as the Russo-Ukrainian and Israel-Hamas wars, along with his mental acuity have all been points of contention.

Despite taking a beating from all sides, Biden has more accomplishments than most presidents in the last century, many of which the public does not appreciate.

Biden is not given enough credit for the work he has done for our country. He picked up the piec es of a government decimated by former president Trump and built policies that will positive ly affect America decades into the future.

One of Biden’s great est achievements during his four years as president was the number of bipartisan deals passed.

Though Congress was heavily polarized after Trump’s presiden cy, Biden overcame this handicap, causing 70% of bills to pass with bi partisan support — the highest percentage since 2004, according to Quo rum.

Such bills include the Investing in America bill, which funds roadwork and public transportation, and Safer Communities Act, which extend ed restrictions on gun ownership.

These bills all garnered signifi cant Republican support, accord ing to Newsweek, demonstrating Biden’s ability to negotiate and pass proposals that benefit all Americans.

Party has maintained a strategy of non-cooperation to hurt Democratic presidents’ ratings, according to MSNBC.

However, Biden not only gained their support on bipartisan bills but also convinced them to back positions they historically opposed. These bills benefit everyone, no matter who they support.

Cooperation is the bedrock of democracy, and without it, the government would come to a standstill. Biden negotiated — a term often forgotten in today’s politics — to help Americans, regardless of their political views.

Biden once again demonstrated his ability to negotiate with both sides during the prisoner swap

prisoner swap freed 16 American citizens, according to Associated Press News. Biden did whatever it took to protect US citizens.

Biden’s contributions to the United States only continue. He inherited a rising homicide rate but managed to reduce it by 11.8%, one of the sharpest drops on record, according to AH Datalytics.

This occurred because of his 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which helped make communities safer by funding de-escalation training for law enforcement.

Biden also took a step toward protecting the future by committing $303 billion to climate change initiatives, double of what was spent in 2020, according to Bloomberg.

This is significant because, in recent years, the Republican

Biden is not ignoring the climate threat or handing the responsibility to the next generation; he is taking active steps to stop climate change head on.

However, Biden had one last thing to give to America: his humility. After pressure from both inside and outside the Democratic Party, Biden stepped down from the presidential race and gave his endorsement to vice president Kamala Harris. Biden realized he would not be able to beat Trump and gave up his chance at power for the good of Americans.

At 81 years old, Biden is the oldest president of the United States, but his years of experience have served him and the American people well.

The work he did may not take effect immediately, but future generations will reap the benefits of Biden’s policies. Though some of his positions are still controversial, he did what he thought was best for Americans. A true president does not focus on themself. They focus on the people, and for that, Biden deserves to be remembered as one of America’s best presidents.

Saying ‘no’ isn’t always that easy

Substance abuse resources must tackle peer pressure

As drug use becomes an increasingly prevalent problem among students, the resources designed to educate youth about the dangers of substance abuse must improve. Unfortunately, most prevention presentations at HHS, including advisories, are insufficient.

While they provide information regarding the long-term impacts of drugs, they often overlook critical aspects such as the influence of peer pressure and important strategies for students to resist it.

Teachers have an obligation to protect students by educating them on the consequences of drug use. However, the current resources provided neglect influencing factors, such as peer pressure, which

ers who at least used drugs once did so due to peer pressure, according to The Berman Center. In fact, teenagers with fewer friends who are drug users are far less likely to abuse substances, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Given that peer pressure significantly contributes to substance abuse, there is an urgent need for resources to address this relationship.

An example of how prevention efforts fall short is demonstrated in a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, where methods that solely focused on the dangers of drugs often failed to account for the social influences that lead to usage.

However, after incorporating social resistance training to participants in the study, researchers found refusal skills training was essential for effectively preventing substance abuse.

Implementing peer resistance training could drastically reduce drug usage at the school. Social influence training

Let our students cook

Homestead needs to offer cooking class

Brian Ling

Creamy butter chicken, chunky Reese’s brownies and fluffy golden waffles. Although I have made these dishes in the comfort of my own home, I am often limited to the ingredients available in my fridge and pantry. To teach students how to make nutritious meals, HHS must reinstate a cooking elective so students can be both healthier and more independent.

Personally, I started cooking around middle school. Learning these skills took much trial and error, guidance from parents and YouTube videos before I started to understand what exactly I was doing.

It took months of experience to be able to consistently cook meals at an edible state. A cooking class will give future students confidence in the kitchen, allowing them to avoid starting in the dark like I did.

One of the major ap peals of cooking is being able to create any flavor you desire and tailor meals to your exact palate. How ever, doing so is often difficult while not having adequate cooking supplies.

A cooking class would give students a safe, open space to experiment with cooking new things firsthand and gain experience by creating new tastes.

Moreover, a cooking class would provide students an environment with significantly more resources and reinstate them equipment that may not be available in their households.

Beyond providing a space with ample guidance and resources, a cooking elective would teach students how to balance meals with proper nutrients for healthier eating.

Understanding what specific vegetables and meats provide health benefits will lead students to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The obesity rate in America has risen roughly 11.4% since 2000, according to the CDC, so teaching students about nutritious food and consumption choices is paramount to improving their health.

Additionally, cooking is a lifelong skill that most students will use for the rest of their lives. As students enter adulthood, cooking will save both time and money. It is tremendously valuable to know how to turn groceries into healthy, delicious meals and doing so can often be quicker than going to a restaurant or waiting for food

Students will learn skills that are applicable to life in cooking class.

Other schools in FUHSD such as FHS have cooking electives. It is time for HHS to catch up and try to promote healthier eating habits for students. Reinstating this elective would help students foster essential life skills and encourage them to make more nutritious food choices.

Devils on two shoulders

Youth voters vote for a ‘lesser evil’

Adam Orrin

to Weill Medical College of Cornell. Since peer resistance training has such a significant impact, it is vital for HHS to implement these lessons to protect the health of students.

Given the aim is to prevent drug usage, HHS must focus advisories on preparing students with strategies to resist peer pressure. Simply acknowledging that drugs are harmful to the body does little to help students navigate social situations involving drugs.

Thus, pamphlets, advisories and slideshows that only focus on the dangers of drugs are not enough unless combined with approaches for resisting peer pressure.

Without providing adequate resources for students, the substance abuse crisis could inadvertently be exacerbated, and the possibility of frequent overdoses could increase. Each year, deaths due to drug overdoses rise. In 2021, drug overdose deaths among adolescents increased by 109% compared to 2019, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the future well-being of students, HHS must establish systems that address peer pressure in substance abuse.

In order to stop the constant cycle of drugs HHS must dedicate more resources that focus on the relationship between substance abuse and peer pressure.

Resources that only acknowledge the effects of drugs have proven ineffective time and time again, and sticking by them does little to prevent teenagers from falling into the cycle of drug abuse.

An advisory centered around educating students on peer pressure, substance abuse and effective resistance strategies could reduce drug use and ensure students never add to an overdose statistic.

Every year, Americans hear the same words: “Well, they’re better than the other guy.” Echoed by the Democratic Party since 2016, this statement reinforces the idea of choosing the “lesser evil” candidate.

This concept not only plagues our democracy by pressuring voters into supporting a candidate they oppose, it also gives parties a sense of entitlement over votes and support.

With the election rapidly approaching, Democrats have continued pushing for young voters’ support through celebrity endorsements and social media advertising.

However, presidential candidate Kamala Harris refuses to strive for key progressive policies and instead defaults to center politics, expecting blind support from young voters. By 2028, youth voters will make up over 50% of potential voters, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Thus, we cannot allow our voices to be ignored when we will soon decide elections.

In Harris’s debate against Trump on Sept. 10, she reiterated her support for fracking, a form of oil drilling harmful to the environment. For younger voters, en vironmen tal protec tion is a key issue that the Democrat ic Party is ignoring, but despite this, we continue to vote for them.

If Democrats want our votes, they need to support the progressive policies we are asking for. Otherwise, why should we support a party that is deaf to our voices?

Despite continuous protests, Harris’s campaign has yet to change its unwavering support for Israel and ignores calls for an arms embargo.

On Aug. 7, Harris responded to protesters against her continued funding of Israel at her campaign rally. She said: “If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking,” according to USA Today.

Harris’s statement demonstrates the extreme arrogance of Democrats, especially toward young voters at the forefront of protests. The Democratic Party elite do not feel obligated to earn your vote. Their mentality of voting fails to recognize that a vote for the “lesser evil” is still a vote for evil. No candidate is entitled to votes, and no one should be pushed to vote for an unrepresentative candidate.

Young voters cannot be trapped into pledging support for candidates who ignore us.

Before casting your ballot this election, consider if the candidate you are voting for deserves your vote. Have they earned it? Have they backed policies and pushed agendas you support? If so, vote for them. However, do not support a candidate who disregards their voters. They don’t control our support, they must work for it. If candidates aren’t held accountable for our issues, we allow our country to settle for less than what we deserve. Illustr natio ayaMyb tDut

Annika Abraham

Maya Dutt

To ensure the health of students, it is necessary for HHS to implement resources combating peer pressure.

Biden deserves more credit than he gets as he laid the foundation for a better future.

Politicians ignore the voices of young adults, yet still encourage them to vote.

IllustrationbyMaya Dutt

IllustrationbyBrian Ling

Illustration by Annika Abraham

The insignificance of the vice president

VP choices only reveal a

president’s values

Jason Lai

As the election enters its final months, much attention has been paid to the actions of both potential vice presidents: Tim Walz and James David Vance. Despite the buzz about VPs, the role ultimately has little impact on the election.

Voters should cast ballots based on the potential president rather than the VP, who has little influence on swing states and holds limited power in the office.

Candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s selection of running mates from non-swing states reveals the VPs minor importance. A presidential ticket does not perform better in the VP candidate’s home state, according to Politico.

If the VP truly influences voters, Harris would have picked a running mate from a swing state such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

However, her choice of Walz suggests the VP is chosen more for their person ality than ability to change the course of the election.

Moreover, the VP holds limited authority in office, making their specific policies inconsequential.

Aside from avoiding im peachment and stepping in if the president dies, VPs are only obligated to cast an occasional tie-breaking vote in the Senate, ac cording to US News.

Due to the limit ed power granted to the VP by the Con-

stitution, voters should not place much weight on their promises. Voters should instead prioritize the words of the presidential candidates.

The VP is only noteworthy because it reflects the judgment of each candidate. How and why the running mate is chosen reveals the candidate’s priorities and gives voters a glimpse into the qualities they value in leadership.

In choosing Walz, who supports the middle-class and traditional American values, Harris hopes to appeal to a different demographic of voters than her base.

On the contrary, Trump’s choice of Vance allows him to further push his right-wing agenda by promoting a VP with similar values.

As Americans fill out their ballots, the VP pick should not be a deal-breaker. Which VP is more preferable or relatable should not influence votes, as the role has little influence in shaping the president’s agenda or changing election results.

Ultimately, the focus must shift

and policies.

One day less for school success

Four-day schedules provide benefits to students, teachers

Olivia Levesque Ouellette

As the school year kicks off, I already feel completely overwhelmed by the volume of work from a five-day school schedule. Although HHS currently implements this routine, a recent wave of high schools across the United States have begun transitioning to a four-day schedule.

With the implementation of the schedule, HHS could see improvements in student behavior, reduced operation costs and increased teacher retention, ultimately creating a more sustainable enviroment for education.

After thousands of high schools adopted the four-day schedule, many school districts noticed significantly improved student behavior. The new schedule resulted in a

Senate Bill 1047 sets AI guidelines

California ensures safety in AI usage

Elena Shim

Over the last few years, AI, while convenient, has led to much misuse. Despite the increasing controversy surrounding the use of AI, more AI platforms are being introduced every day.

Recently, the California legislature passed Senate Bill 1047 to target the root causes of AI misuse. The bill addresses the risks AI brings into society, specifically deepfakes, which is AI-generated content that falsely appears authentic.

Deepfakes perpetuate the spread of misinformation, as they utilize AI to create lifelike images, videos and audios that resemble actual people.

An increasing number of AI systems are able to leverage deepfakes to implement high-impact cyberattacks, leading to societal destabilization, psychological manipulation and lost trust in information institutions, according to CNN.

Deepfakes allow people to easily trick others by producing false content that seems realistic from just a few seconds of viewing, resulting in damage of the privacy of others and public humiliation.

As the election approaches, several deepfakes surrounding the presidential candidates have risen. On X, there have been deepfakes that portray presidential candidate Kamala Harris as a diversity hire and depict fake arrests of presidential candidate Donald Trump.

This deceptive, election-related content threatens the integrity of the election and distorts public perceptions, according to NYT.

Senate Bill 1047 outlines the first set of rules for AI development to avoid such societal issues and provide safer use of AI.

The bill also requires all AI developers to consider the risks of the platforms they produce and ensure their creations do not exacerbate deepfake issues, according to CalMatters.

Moreover, instead of banning AI usage completely, the bill sets foundational rules for AI-development companies to adhere to.

In this way, companies have rules they can refer to when developing their AI platforms, which further ensures their platforms do not offer an opportunity for malicious users to harm others.

The California legislature has completed an exceptional legislative action in passing Senate Bill 1047, showing the state’s commitment to offering AI ser vices, and work to decrease unforeseen consequences.

With Senate Bill 1047 implement ing clear guidelines, Californians can finally develop users’ trust in AI interactions and foster a healthy environment for further innovation.

future, this law must reach not only the citizens in California but also reach the federal level because AI issues are a national security concern. Therefore, the federal government must take similar steps in setting regulations for AI development.

If this bill became federal law, there would be a uniform standard in developing AI across the nation. Furthermore, it would emphasize the importance of the law and help recover the reputation of AI. Senate Bill 1047 reflects California’s commitment to shaping the future of AI responsibly. By embracing this legislation, California allows a space for AI advancement while ensuring a safer and ethical

Looking toward the

Definitely more interesting than president John F.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a traitor

to his family

Jonathan Xue

27% reduction in fights and a 31% decrease in bullying, according to the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis. By lowering the number of school days in a week, HHS can reduce negative behavior and improve student well-being. Additionally, the adoption of a four-day schedule can save money and allocate existing funds more efficiently. After the Duval County School District in Jacksonville, Fla. implemented the modified schedule, the district saved $7 million, according to Linq.

With this schedule, HHS would gain the financial flexibility to spend money on other resources. The additional funding can also be used for more advanced supplies, academic programs or even clubs on campus. Teachers’ salaries were also positively impacted by the fourday schedule. After 27J, a Colorado school district, switched to a fourday schedule, they received more tax funding and were able to raise the starting high school teacher salary by $9,000, according to ABC News.

With an increased salary, there would be a greater incentive for teachers, allowing those at HHS to dedicate more time to personalized instruction. This shift would improve the student learning experience and boost teacher morale. Ultimately, successful schools are built on an environment that supports the welfare of both students and teachers. Four-day schedules must be administered at HHS to promote safer school culture, responsible budgeting and teacher recruitment.

COLUMN — “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.” is an instantly recognizable name, even if you know nothing about him or his failed presidential bid. Nephew of president John F. Kennedy, RFK Jr. has large shoes to fill.

The Kennedy family has dominated American politics for generations, holding positions in almost every level of government, according to PBS. One conviction ties these Kennedys together: a staunch support for the Democratic Party. Then RFK Jr. decided otherwise.

RFK Jr. is a man of many un conventional beliefs — chief among them is his continual rhetoric against vaccines, which he believes to cause autism and death, according to Reuters. Not all of RFK Jr.’s policies are as extreme or paranoid, but any positive policies concerning environmental protection, healthcare and housing are overshadowed by his governing anti-vaccine agenda.

From actively opposing COVID-19 restrictions to chair ing an anti-vaccine nonprofit, RFK Jr. has a history against vaccines, ac cording to Reuters.

To RFK Jr.’s proponents, he is

Kennedy

the herald of truth. To every other American, he is more conspiracy theorist than candidate. The recent bear carcass story, when RFK Jr. illegally dumped a run-over baby bear carcass into Central Park, certainly did not help invalidate these beliefs.

Americans should rightfully characterize RFK Jr. as unhinged because he abandoned his family in pursuit of a doomed, conspiracy-fueled aspiration.

When RFK Jr. announced a personal bid for the presidency and Democratic nomination in April 2023, multiple other Kennedys decried the betrayal. His family members supported incumbent Joe Biden and urged RFK Jr. to end his campaign, according to NYT. Despite his family’s strong suggestions, RFK Jr. persisted.

secure the Democratic nomination, RFK Jr. pivoted to run as an independent candidate.

In polling, RFK Jr. consistently scored around 5% of the popular vote, according to ABC News. After months of the same futile results, RFK Jr. suspended his campaign on Aug. 23. In the dying moments of his campaign, RFK Jr. elected to endorse Trump — yet another betrayal to the Kennedy clan.

Trump’s own decision to accept RFK Jr.’s endorsement is completely nonsensical. The endorsement has netted Trump marginal polling gains, with his campaign only gaining around 0.3%, according to ABC News.

In exchange for this negligible boost in ratings, Trump perpetuates stereotypes of himself and other Republicans as conspiratorial. For a candidate so often portrayed by Democrats as illogical, Trump exacerbates these assumptions by partnering with RFK

From a horrible premise and uncompromising beliefs, the entire Kennedy24 presidential campaign has felt like a lesson in self-sabotage. Now, the same values that alienated RFK Jr. from his family are deeply attached to the Trump campaign.

Voters must reevaluate Trump’s position in light of this partnership, paying special consideration to any changed stances influenced by RFK Jr. As election day draws near, only the ballots will reveal the effects of RFK Jr.

By setting strict rules, Senate Bill 1047 helps rebuild public trust toward AI and ensures benefits are not overlooked.

Instead of having five days of school, students should have four days and a three day weekend.

IllustrationbyJasonLai

Illustration by Olivia Levesque Ouelette

IllustrationbyElenaShim

New English teacher begins next chapter

Kelly Rodrigues joins English department

Aashka Nagarkar

Although she did not plan on pursuing a career in teaching, English teacher Kelly Rodrigues said she found interest in the occupation due to the influence of one of her teachers in high school.

During an emotionally strenuous period in her life, the kindness the teacher showed her left a lasting impression, ultimately inspiring her to pursue a career in teaching, Rodrigues said.

After four years of teaching at another high school, Rodrigues said she is excited for her new role at HHS.

To promote learning in her room, Rodrigues said she aims to create an environment where students are encouraged to think critically and speak up about their different perspectives.

Through this, Rodrigues said she hopes to help students hone their English skills by interacting with one another with their unique ways of thinking.

“Any time I challenge my students to think beyond what they’re currently thinking, I try to help them practice critical thinking skills, and see from different angles, [which can better them as students], that has a big impact,” Rodrigues said.

Sophomore Anushree Ogale said Rodrigues is eager to help students connect to each other. The cheerful environment Rodrigues creates within her classroom makes class fun, Ogale added.

“[It] feels like there was a lot of emphasis on team building, slightly longer than another class would focus on it,” Ogale said.“But I think that’s a good thing.”

Sophomore Yana Astardjieva, said Rodrigues builds a learning environment that fosters effective learning. It’s easy to focus in class because of the atmosphere Ro-

drigues creates, Astardjieva added.

“[She] keeps the lights down and puts bright slideshows up on the wall, so it’s getting illuminated by the content on the whiteboard,” Astardjieva said. “There’s nothing else you can focus on.”

Rodrigues said she wants her classroom to be a space for students to express their ideas and make mistakes.

“It takes time to build that comfort in a classroom, so I’m excited to create an environment where students feel safe to make mistakes and learn from them,” Rodrigues said.

Looking forward, Rodrigues said she is excited to watch her students grow as people through the rest of the school year because she didn’t get that opportunity in her previous school.

“I’m excited to see how close we get as a class, how those relationships are built and how students will grow comfortable to speak up more and get involved in [participation],” Rodrigues said.

Celebrating diversity by forming friendships

TDAU officers, members share about club

Annika Abraham

While school is primarily a place to learn, it is also a place where students can form meaningful friendships with those around them, Senior Carlie Breiner said. One club in particular, The Differences Among Us, has centered its mission around this sentiment, working to foster long-lasting relationships between students and special needs peers, Breiner said.

Every other Wednesday, TDAU members spend their lunch creating arts and crafts with resource students and building relationships that contribute to a more inclusive community, Breiner, TDAU president said.

“Because of my relationship with my sister and the fact she has autism, I wanted to make an impact for students like her, who don’t always get the opportunity to be social and step into campus with the other students,” Breiner said. “I really wanted to help provide a setting for that and make sure that the high school experience was memorable and engaging for everyone.”

Senior Celine Park said the club has provided her with valuable chances to expand her involvement in special education and connect with a larger number of students than she would normally.

For instance, she was recommended for community tutoring - a program that allows her to assist in PE for students with special needs — where she has been able to connect with many students, learn more about them as people and create long-lasting friendships, Park said.

“I think a lot of my friendships with the students who have special education are kind of the same as any other friendship,” Park said. “We get along, have fun with each other and we talk. Honestly, it can

feel a little bit more refreshing because they’re more direct with you.”

Although TDAU focuses on building connections, senior Ingrid Gomard said the club’s impacts go beyond just creating a community of friends.

For instance, the club has helped her gain further perspective on what it means to really be inclusive within the realm of special education, Gomard said.

“There’s definitely been some change of perspective on people who are differently abled than we are,” Gomard said. “I’ve been able to see them more eye-to-eye than I would have if I never interacted with [them].”

Similarly, Park said TDAU has influenced her to become a more empathetic and compassionate person. Specifically, it has encouraged her to realize resource students are not too different from herself and her peers, and they deserve to be treated with the same respect as any other student, Park said.

“You spend your downtime

with people who are not able to get as much social interaction with other students as we are, as they are isolated from the large majority of HHS. I think it benefits both students because you are both making friends as well as having fun with each other,” Park said. “I am really grateful that TDAU exists because we are able to have that connection. Without TDAU, it would be difficult to reach that [community].”

Reflecting on her own experiences in TDAU, Gomard said the club has shown her how eager resource students are to make new friends and engage in conversation.

Looking back on the friendships she has made during her time in the club, Gomard said one in particular stood out: her friendship with Finlay Snell, a senior who graduated last year.

“I would sit down every day and [Finn] would change his seat to sit next to me. We would talk all the time [in] every single meeting,” Gomard said. “He was a ray of sunshine and good friend.”

Club adviser shortage draws concerns

“Your adviser manages the communication that happens between you and admin and your adviser is also the person who’s going to be managing all your finances.”

Amanda Boles, Henry Hu and Kevin Miao

Declining enrollment numbers in the last five years have led to teachers transferring to other schools or retiring, and the number of available club advisers has decreased drastically, ASB club commissioner, senior Sanjitha Pamukuntla said.

As a result, many students have struggled to find a teacher to advise their clubs, which is required to be an ASB-recognized club, Pamukuntla said.

“[It’s a problem] because students who want to start a club won’t be able to [have] their club affiliated with ASB if they don’t have an adviser,” Pamukuntla said. “Some students [may feel] rejected and it’s like they won’t be able to start what they want.”

Aside from being a requirement for ASB-affiliated clubs, advisers also greatly contribute to running clubs smoothly, Pamukuntla said.

“If you’re an ASB-recognized club, you need to have an adviser who’s going to manage the logistics of your team,” Pamukuntla said.

Many teachers are already advising multiple clubs, leadership teacher Hector Almendarez said. Almenderez, who advised a total of four clubs, said even though teachers are willing to support student-run clubs, it is hard for them to cover the increasing number of clubs while balancing their teaching workloads and lives at home.

Even established clubs, such as speech and debate, have struggled to find an adviser amidst the shortage, president, senior Kristin Lee said.

The club has been forced to host meetings after and outside of school, which has impacted it negatively, as meetings are less convenient for members to attend at those times, Lee said.

To work around the lack of an adviser, Lee said the club has been trying to communicate with teachers to borrow their rooms at lunch for their general meetings.

“In terms of actually getting a permanent adviser, we haven’t had too much luck,” Lee said. “Time commitment has been the top reason. These teachers are saying that they have no time to manage the responsibilities of being a club ad-

viser, which is understandable because it is a lot of work.”

Throughout the school year, teachers are required to supervise a minimum of four school events, but if they are a club adviser, they only have to do two events, Pamukuntla said.

However, that incentive is not enough for teachers to take on the many responsibilities that come with being a club adviser, Pamukuntla said.

Sharing a similar sentiment, Lee said club advisers should receive more compensation for the responsibilities they take on to support students.

“[The lack of advisers] definitely has a large impact on our students,” Lee said. “It can be demoralizing if we’re trying to start new initiatives within our community, but feel we’re unable to because of so little time and resources.”

To address the shortage, Almendarez created a form to collect data on the number of clubs each teacher is advising, assistant principal Nico Flores said.

The information from the form is intended to give students perspective on which teachers are willing to advise a club, thus connecting aspiring clubs with advisers, Flores said.

Furthermore, another step that can be taken to address the club

adviser shortage is for ASB to deactivate clubs that do not fulfill the proper requirements, Flores said. In doing so, teachers can take on more legitimately qualified clubs, Flores said.

“We could look at [if] we need to be stricter on clubs. Are all clubs adhering to the club bylaws? Are they meeting regularly? Are they putting in the minutes? Are they doing things appropriately?” Flores said. “If they’re not, are we willing to make those hard conversations

and tell them sorry, but we are going to deactivate you.”

Despite the challenges posed by the shortage of club advisers, speech and debate and other existing clubs will continue the search for a permanent adviser, Lee said.

“With our club and many others, I believe that our students are determined,” Lee said. “Our members are enthusiastic about the club. Through that, we will find a teacher who is equally committed to our club and wants to see us succeed.”

Rodrigues said she is excited to create a positive learning environment for her students.

TDAU aims to expand their annual buddy ball, an interdistrict dance for special education classes, to include more non-FUHSD schools, Breiner (left) said.

Without an adviser, speech and debate have been communicating with teachers to borrow their rooms for meetings, Lee said. PAGE DESIGN BY SELINA WANG AND JONATHAN

Photo by Aashka Nagarkar

Photo by Kaylin Yi

Photo by Kevin Miao

From religion to fitness to social media, students and staff discusses how these

Choosing healthy options

Athletes, staff share impacts of nutrition on fitness

“The biggest thing is trying to avoid processed foods, so sticking toward clean proteins like chicken, beef and turkey, and trying to avoid the high fatty foods that you can get. As long as you’re putting in clean protein, that’s gonna be a lot better as far as energy and getting fuel for your body.”

- Athletic trainer Dan Yusim

“If you don’t have a balanced diet, then you don’t have the energy, especially for student athletes, to get through a whole entire school day. So I think [nutrition] plays a big role in how energized you are.”

- Student athletic trainer Molly George (11)

“Whenever we’re at competitions, we’re not allowed to have too much sugar. At lunch we have to look for healthier options to prevent sugar rushes, so we don’t have a health

Separating

Digesting Dietary Decisions

Photo courtesy of Molly George

Decisions

from post:

online content

what happens to it after the picture taken.”

Although social media can be harmful, Suri Yau said being cautious about content she consumes has helped her better food choices and improve her perception of body image. think that everyone has a different experience with social media depending side of social media you’re on. I’ve that TikTok has a lot of negative reabout food, so I don’t have TikTok, make sure to block or report people spreading negative ideas,” Yau said. “I think time on social media helps because you start being brainwashed with somedia and different people who are alyour feed, it can control your life.” filtering the negative content out of social media feed, Yau said social media benefited her life in many ways. Specifhas become a source of inspiration food choices, Yau said.

“When I go on Instagram, I get a lot of recommendations now for recipes and different foods to try out,” Yau said.

“I think I’ve been able to diversify my palate and try more foods that I haven’t thought about trying before.”

Ultimately, it is critical for students to learn how to healthily navigate social media, Lloyd said. The best way for teenagers to develop this skill is to trust their instincts and do adequate research,

“You should be a self-directed learner,” Lloyd said. “If something is too good to be true, chances are it probably is, so don’t just follow the influencer and don’t trust the first thing you see.”

A menu of diets

Students explore backgrounds, challenges of dietary choices

“The funniest thing about being vegan is you’re just eating the same things as

Non restrictive

“Though I don’t have a specific diet, I try to eat healthier foods like fruits and vegetables. One of the benefits of that is there aren’t really any restrictions, and I can eat pretty much anything.”

-Anisha Senthilvasan (9)

Kosher

“I feel like [being kosher] is a bit limiting, but there are usually substitutions I can make for pretty much everything that I like. Some times it’s a little bit of an issue to find food that I can eat but it’s never [been] a major problem.

“One drawback of being vegetarian is when I’m with friends that have a set plan of what to eat and it includes meat, so I end up just not eating it.”

- Emma Gove (11)

New members in court

Mock trial hosts tryouts, hopes to build strong team

Alan Zhang

The air is filled with tension as the gavel strikes. Chatter quiets as the courtroom nervously waits for the judge’s final verdict. Speeches, evidence and reasoning were put into this recreation of a trial, an experience mock trial aims to imitate for their members, secretary and outreach director, junior Rohan Bedekar said.

As a club, mock trial allows members to reenact court cases and legal proceedings in competi-

tions with other schools, Bedekar said. In each case, schools will try to persuade the judge that their argument is more just, he said.

This year, the club’s main goal is to match its previous achievement by winning the county championship, Bedekar said.

“That’s going to be pretty difficult, but we did it in 2020, so we can do it again,” Bedekar said.

To reach this goal, mock trial hosted multi-part tryouts for member recruitment, vice president, junior Noah Rockmael said. The tryouts consisted of several parts, including a monologue, impromptu, direct examination, cross examination and a casual interview, Rockmael said.

During tryouts, the club’s officers looked for candidates who had strong public speaking skills

Opening the stage to new goals

Drama students discuss aspirations

Olivia Levesque Ouellette

As the school year begins, drama teacher Alana Caires said she has plans to bring more new ideas to the table, in tandem with incorporating feedback from students.

Coming into her second year of teaching in the drama department, Caires said she aims to get to know the students better by supporting those who need help.

“[I want to] involve more of the students who are less active in the club or the classes, [helping] them feel comfortable on stage and improve,” Caires said. “We have a lot of people with a lot of experience, [who] are great leaders. That helps because they can help other students, but I can also focus on [students who] need more support.”

Similarly, drama club president, senior Jackson Reavis said he also has many goals to improve member involvement throughout the school year.

For instance, within drama club, Reavis said he wants to continue building the club’s community. More specifically, Reavis said he wants all members to contribute to decisions surrounding socials and activities, allowing the club to harbor a collaborative atmosphere.

“The club [has been] very officer-run the past couple of years,” Reavis said. “I want to kind of get rid of that system and have [all] members decide what happens.”

As an avid lover of the drama community who is interested in becoming a more active member, sophomore Niki Lakhani said she wants to partic-

instead of those who had a more nuanced understanding of the law, Bedekar said. Even though both are essential for mock trial, the officers prioritized the first, he said.

“Law knowledge is easy to teach. Showing more character is easy to teach,” Bedekar said. “But it’s hard to make someone who’s already a bit shy [be able to] project and be [louder].”

In particular, the club’s officers looked for people who believed in themselves while they spoke, Rockmael said. Another trait they valued was speaking volume, which was emphasized during tryouts, she added.

“We wanted someone with a lot of confidence that was sure of themselves,” Rockmael said. “Even if they stumbled, they remained calm and kept the same demeanor. In general, we want people [who can] project to the back of the room.”

After tryouts, mock trial added 10 new people to their team, Rockmael said. Although this addition was quite significant, Rockmael said she would still like to further expand the club.

Freshman Noah Chang, a new member of mock trial, said he was intrigued by the idea of expanding his knowledge of law through participation in the club.

“I’m most excited about seeing how the scrimmages and competitions go and just to be working on a case with people that share the same interest,” Chang said.

Looking toward the future, Bedekar said he hopes mock trial will remain victorious. Before all the current officers graduate, Bedekar said he wants to create a legacy for the club.

“[Our] long term goal is to just set up our team for success,” Bedekar said. “So even when the officers leave, we hope the HHS mock trial team will continue to be champions in competitions.”

Fostering connections one game at a time

Mahjong provides unique experiences

Catherine Yang

With a long history in China, mahjong is a traditional tile-based game that holds historical and cultural significance. In the game, players rearrange a set of tiles by drawing and discarding pieces, aiming to achieve a winning hand before their three opponents do, Chinese teacher Jessica Bai said.

Junior, William Hsu said playing mahjong in the club reminds him of the times he played with his grandparents.

Similarly, mahjong club president, senior Benjamin Callahan said his experiences in the club remind him of times spent playing with his family.

“I found [the club] really fun [when I joined],” Callahan said. “My favorite part of this club is watching people have fun playing with their friends while also making new friends.”

Though it originated in China, mahjong is a multifaceted game with variations throughout many cultures, Bai said.

“Mahjong is becoming more popular in other areas. In fact, the founder of the club was actually Japanese, and they told me that Japanese people also play mahjong,” Bai said. “I have friends in America who aren’t

ipate in hosting the socials and meetings for the club.

“I really love the community of the drama club,” Lahkani said. “To be a bigger part of that, the next steps would be to act on officer team.”

Alongside involving students in more tasks, Caires said she wants to focus on creating a comfortable and inclusive environment in the classroom so students can feel confident in experimenting with their acting.

“Theater is such a wonderful opportunity to build skills by stepping out of your comfort zone,” Caires said. “No matter what they’re participating in, whether it’s the drama class, the club or the productions, it’s a chance [for students] to explore themselves.”

In his final year of drama, Reavis said he also plans to build and strengthen the drama department, hoping to leave an impact by emphasizing the importance of community.

“I found my passion through drama,” Reavis said. “I want to ensure anybody who walks through the auditorium doors can feel the same way and have the same chance to find their passion like I did.”

Chinese that play the game.”

Due to mahjong’s complex nature, Bai said the game encourages players to develop different strategies for the game. To be good at mahjong, players need to be skilled at calculations, Bai said.

“More often, those who have strategy will win,” Bai said. “[Mahjong] is a game of probability, and understanding which pieces to keep and which to throw out is crucial.”

Conversely, when reflecting on his experiences with mahjong, Hsu said he feels that although the mahjong club has helped him improve his skills, sometimes the game comes down to luck.

Regardless of the game’s competitive nature, mahjong club’s primary focus is to provide members with an opportunity to socialize with one another, Bai said.

“I want to see kids mingling with each other and finding friends in this club,” Bai said. “Mahjong is always a group game you play with three other people, [which allows you to] get to know more people.”

Marching band comes ‘Full Circle’

Theme incorporates seasons, reflects director’s career

Aviv Matas and Kaylin Yi

Inspired by the four seasons, marching band’s field show, “Full Circle,” will cycle through the seasons musically, starting and ending with summer, band director John Burn said. Through a series of transitions marked by changes in music and visuals, viewers will be immersed in each season, Burn added.

Because this is his last year as the band director, Burn said he and the design team, who decide the yearly theme, felt it would be fitting to do a show based on the four seasons.

Although the show is primarily focused on the cyclical nature of seasons, Burn said its theme also reflects the many full circle moments he’s experienced throughout his career.

“The start of each new day, the start of each new band season, the start of each new school year, the fact that I was a student at HHS and am now back as a teacher [are all full circle moments],” Burn said. Due to the concept’s abstract nature, staff visual head Elad Zohar said the show will be challenging to execute, requiring much thought to be put into music and visual effects.

“The seasons and the circle of life [is] so broad,” Zohar said. “Creating really impressive moments, both musically and visually, is the thing that connects us back into the showmanship and immersion of the show.”

The use of the French horn solo of “One Summer’s Day,” from “Spirited Away,” creates the image

of a relaxing summer afternoon. Fast-tempoed music from Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, paired with a more modern piece, helps the show transition into fall, Burn said.

Next, Burn said “Vivaldi’s Winter” superimposed with Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” will reflect the calmness of winter by shifting into a slow and emotional mood.

After that, they transition from winter to spring by creating an uplifting atmosphere through the piece “The End?” by Nicholas Britell from Netflix’s “Don’t look up”. Finally, to complete the circle, the French horn will return to welcome summer in again, Burn said.

Due to “Full Circle” representing the end of Burn’s 30 years as band director, the theme is bittersweet in nature, flute section leader, junior Eleanor Hanson said.

“It’s a full circle because it’s the end of [Burn’s] career, and it’s really sweet,” Hanson said. “I like the seasons aspect of [the theme] and how it affects the songs, the drill

and the formations. It’s a good last-year theme.”

Sharing a similar sentiment, first synth sophomore Nina Gupta said the theme of a full circle reflects the effort Burn has put into helping the band improve.

“I think of this field show as not just trying to recognize the sort of cyclical nature of everything in life but also to recognize the fact that, while Mr. Burn [may be] retiring, the things he’s provided and brought to this band aren’t going to be gone,” Gupta said. “We’ll still have him here through everything we’ve improved on.”

Moreover, Gupta said the band putting in extra effort to ensure the quality of this year’s show reflects the commemoration of Burn’s career.

“He goes through the same process each year of making us grow more as a band and create a wonderful field show that wins the hearts of the audience every time,” Gupta said. “Each year, it’s a cycle, and each year, band improves more and more.”

The marching band practices multiple times a week to perfect their performance.

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo by Alan Zhang

Rockmael (right) said mock trial is in the process of preparing for its upcoming competitions.

Students think carefully before making their next move in mahjong.

Drama students at club meeting bond over games and activites.

Photo by Adam Orrin

Photo by Aviv Matas

Nailing self expression into student-run businesses

Student nail technicians discuss small businesses

Aashka Nagarkar and Mackie Vu

As boredom arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, sophomore Tina Yu said she began watching detailed nail art tutorials on YouTube. These videos inspired her to begin her own nail business, where she offers in-person nail services including acrylic and polygel, Yu said.

Although her nail business is a source of income, Yu said she finds the creative aspect of nail art to be the most enjoyable.

“[I do nails] because of my interest. It’s not for money. [That’s] a good aspect of it, but it’s not the reason I started,” Yu said. “I just really like art, and I feel like nails are a unique way to express my art other than just drawing on paper.”

Similarly, senior Mika Cohen said when she stumbled upon an Instagram account of a girl showing off nail designs, she was also inspired to do others’ nails.

“I find [doing nails] fun because I can make money off of doing something I like and it’s very relaxing to me,” Cohen said. “So I’m happy with it.”

Generally, Yu said her business is going well, but she is often overscheduled during Home-

coming, prom and graduation season, as people tend to want to get their nails done for these events.

“Sometimes people request simple designs such as French tips or little drawings, but most of the time I draw very intricate designs and use cool beads and charms,” Yu said. “Some designs are really intricate, taking up to 20 minutes per nail.”

To manage the time-consuming nature of her business, Yu said she expanded into selling pre-made press-on nails last year, which helped her develop a more flexible schedule.

Unlike Yu, Cohen said she only does in-person nail appointments.

To manage her schedule, she only offers appointments on days when she is more free, including weekends or days she doesn’t have sports practice, Cohen said.

Aside from time management, Yu said her nail business has also taught her other skills, such as effectively interacting with customers.

“I’ve learned how to communicate with people better because a lot of people that order from me aren’t people I’m close with or friends with. So I think it helped with my social [skills],” Yu said. “I found that, from these experiences, I’ve been less introverted in my everyday life, and it’s been easier to talk to new people. It’s a good skill to have because meeting new people [allows me to] learn new things and make more connections.”

A challenge Cohen said she faced when she began her business was finding clients who were willing to get their nails done by her.

“A lot of people already have nail technicians or go to the salons, so it’s difficult to advertise myself,” Cohen said. Moreover, Cohen said transitioning from doing her own nails to also doing other people’s nails was difficult. Howev-

er, after starting, she quickly adapted to the change, Cohen added.

“I try not to move the client’s hand as much because I’ll literally distort my fingers to get the right angle,” Cohen said.

Despite the challenges she has faced, Cohen said she does not regret investing in her business and plans to continue it as a side-hustle to make extra money in college.

“The investments are worth it, even if they’re scary. At the start, I was really nervous to invest in all of the nail products I needed because it was my own money,” Cohen said. “If this nail business fails then I just wasted so much money. But it didn’t because I’ve paid it all off and I’m just making money, so I’d say just take the risk.”

One of Yu’s customers, sophomore Kiki Yoshimoto, said when Yu did Yoshimoto’s nails, she was highly satisfied with the final product’s quality.

“[The] nails are really long-lasting. I don’t think any of my nails have lifted yet, and it’s been three weeks,” Yoshimoto said. “They’re really good quality, and she did [the designs] really nicely, too.”

In addition to looking good, Yoshimoto added that the nails are a reflection of her own creativity.

“I’m a pretty creative person, so I feel like it reflects on what I do with my nails,” Yoshimoto said.

Nail art is more intricate than other creative outlets, it is a unique form of self-expression, Yu said.

“I know clothes are a really significant part of self-expression, and it’s how most students express themselves. But nails are a unique way to express yourself and the kind of art you like,” Yu said. “It’s less about the big picture and more about the small details. Everyone can see your outfit from far away, but to see someone’s nail art, you have to be close to them. It’s different from clothing because nails are something small that holds a lot of meaning.”

Promoting culture one step at a time

TSA officers, members share objectives, plans

Ethan Xue

As a cultural club, the Taiwanese Student Association aims to provide opportunities for students to explore Taiwanese culture, traditions and events, TSA co-president, senior Logan Chang said.

Unlike many other cultural clubs, TSA’s purpose is not to reward member engagement and volunteering, but to instead provide an enjoyable, immersive learning experience about Taiwanese culture, Chang added.

“We focus on talking about the culture itself, not aiming for members to gain [a tangible] benefit, but to let people understand Taiwanese culture,” said Chang.

Presenting opportunities for members to learn about Taiwanese culture, TSA holds monthly general meetings where officers host informational slideshows and online games, senior Edison Li said.

“One of [the presentations] was about different Taiwanese cities and how they’re important, another one was about the Taiwanese language,” Li said. “You’re learning, but you [are] also bonding with the other people.”

In addition to general meetings, Chang said TSA plans to host some more elaborate events this year by collaborating with other clubs. In particular, officers are planning a night market event that will take place around November, Chang said.

“Night markets are a big thing in Taiwan [and] other Asian countries where they [have] food. It’s really bustling [and] there’s a lot of games,” Chang said. “We’re trying to replicate that environment to that experience of being in Taiwan.”

Because officers are given autonomy to plan and execute events, TSA can easily host fun

and educational events, vice president, senior Ariel Jang said.

“In my opinion, [other clubs] haven’t given me as [vast] of a range of opportunities,” Jang said. “[If I want to] make my own event in TSA, I would be able to go through with it, and everyone would help me with it.”

This school year, the club plans to devote resources to supporting officers’ individual event ideas and to share more specific areas of Taiwanese culture with members, Jang said.

“We want to be able to have all officers do what they want, [so they can] grow, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes,” Jang said. “The members will learn about more specific parts of Taiwan like the language or [individual] tribes.”

Additionally, TSA officers are placing a heavier emphasis on boosting member engagement this year, especially through the use of digital polls, Jang said.

“Every week, we send out a poll [with] questions that are related to Taiwanese culture. If they respond, we give them a stamp card, so it encourages people to talk outside of GMs and events,” Jang said. “Members also share their [own cultural] experiences on our Discord, so that’s the main way members and officers share community.”

TSA appeals to many students because officers dedicate themselves to organizing meaningful events for members, Jang said.

“I really [like] the club because of how the officers [are] able to bond so well together and how they [are] able to collaborate and make such unique events,” Jang said. “I started going to general meetings in my freshman year, and I just kept going.”

Overall, Chang said TSA consistently explores creative and diverse approaches to sharing Taiwanese culture with its close-knit, friendly community.

“We promote creativity in different ways,” Chang said. “We can portray Taiwanese culture through music, food or language, so we find different ways to express [our Taiwanese heritage].”

by

Learning to take pride in small victories

How breaking up goals helped me make progress

Amanda Boles

COLUMN — When I previously sat down with my calendar of deadlines, I often had a grand idea of efficiently crunching out each assignment, with the product being in its perfect and final form. Envisioning my progress as an efficient stream of work, I would only begin the next task after I finished the previous.

However, I soon realized that this method of time management

was inefficient. I was always waiting for myself to be in the proper state of mind to put out my best work, getting hung up on little details that prevented further progress.

As a result of my idealistic mindset, lines like “How can I lay out the rest of my essay if the introduction has not already been written to my standards?” or “I only have an hour right now to complete my math homework; that’s not enough time” became staples of my internal dialogue.

The barrier stopping me from placing my pencil on assignments or starting little projects had grown unimaginably high. I had to acknowledge and tackle this problem.

After trying a few different

solutions, I found that methods like creating to-do lists and blocking out my time were ineffective. To-do lists creating overhwhelming lists of tasks, and blocking my time left me confused as to how I should utilize the big chunks of time I gave myself. However, one solution in par ticular set itself apart from the others: setting daily objectives. Every day, I wrote one task of my choosing on a sticky note, shifting my focus from a singular, unattain able goal to a small, feasible task.

In doing so, it be came much easier to start working. I found these small tasks less demanding,

leading me to make steady progress on my objectives.

As a result, I could tell myself, “Even if I didn’t do a lot today, at least I succeeded at one thing.”

This line started a positive feedback loop where I felt accomplished after completing a small

Ultimately, my minute accomplishments culminated into final projects I could take pride in, reinforcing my realization that perfectionism had been working against me.

I learned to accept that I would not be able to accomplish as much if I always waited for a “perfect time.” Or was weighed down by little discrepancies I ob-

While it may have taken a long time to reach this conclusion, I’m glad I did. Learning to accept completion on a smaller scale is what helped me accomplish more with the time I

Yu (left) said she runs her own nail business while simultaneously balancing school work and social life.

TSA hosts meeting to welcome students of any ethnic background to join, promote and celebrate Taiwanese culture.

Photo courtesy of Tina Yu

Photo courtesyof

Mika Cohen

Photo

Ethan Xue

Arts & Culture

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ amuses audiences with goofs

Sequel provides solid punchlines for both fresh and old audiences

Adam Orrin

Returning to the “Beetlejuice” fandom, the aptly named sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” champions the light horror and comedy the original is known for.

Released on Sept. 6, the film follows the Deetz family’s return to Winter River, pulling the audience into a chaotic and witty story that does the original justice.

The original “Beetlejuice,” released in 1988, is a horror comedy featuring Beetlejuice, a specter trickster who markets himself as a “bio-exorcist.”

He is hired by the Maitlands, a ghost couple that wants to scare away the Deetz family from Winter River. However, Beetlejuice, a comedic horror of a poltergeist, is eventually defeated by the Deetz family.

The sequel instantly draws viewers back into the world of the Deetz family, where Lydia, played by Winona Ryder, has grown up but stays haunted by her traumatic past.

After the passing of her father, she re-

turns to Winter River with her teenage daughter Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega, and her shallow boyfriend Rory, played by Justin Theroux.

The entire cast’s performances allow this movie to shine so brightly. In other sequels, the actors typically seem to phone in their performances, with emotionless portrayals and poorly written characters.

However, the cast of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” digs deep into giving charismatic and emotional acting.

Jenna Ortega’s spot on the cast list was one of the best choices this movie made, especially after her authentic performance in the TV show “Wednesday.” Her display as rebellious teenager is seamless and complements her greatness.

Unfortunately, the lack of a meaningful plot digs “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” into a hole it struggles to get out of. The whole movie feels stretched, despite coming in at a run time of only 144 minutes.

Many of the film’s ghoulish gags come too little too late, and while they still get a chuckle for the most part, they are underdeveloped and barely miss the mark.

Despite the half-baked plot, the soundtrack accompanying this film did not disappoint. Featuring lots of ‘80s pop hits, the sound of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is a unique experience on the ears.

A robotic end to artistry

Use of AI jeopardizes authentic music

By Sachin Chandran

Music has always been my favorite way to express my emotions, whether it’s listening to Frank Ocean when I want to wallow in self-pity or upbeat hip-hop when I want to energize myself.

However, what truly draws me into music is the expression of feelings through authentic voices. Unfortunately, an increasingly popular trend in the music industry is the use of AI to imitate artists and even bring them back from the dead.

Through AI, artists can now artificially imitate their own voice by taking someone else’s vocals and modifying the track to make it sound like their own.

One such example is the album “Vultures 2,” by Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign, where West used an AI model to mimic his voice in the song “Sky City.”

This is highly disrespectful to West’s fanbase because West tricks fans into believing he put effort into the song when, in reality, he did nothing.

AI usage will lead vocalists to not bother producing music by themselves and instead let AI do it for them.

Seeing a well-known artist like West use AI shows the many issues it could bring to the music industry, such as stealing other’s work for personal gain.

This trend may eventually lead to artists fully relying on AI to produce their music, which eliminates all of the authenticity and originality music thrives on.

Another harmful use of AI in the music industry is its ability to mimic the voices of other artists.

The most notable occurrence of this is in Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle,” released on April 19. Drake used the voice of Tupac Shakur, who passed away in 1996, to make his AI model say disrespectful and untrue things.

Drake’s usage of AI sets a bad example for other artists, as they now feel entitled to revive the dead for personal gain.

AI voice mimicry has also been used to imitate the voices of current popular artists. A primary example is TWXN, an artist who alters his voice with AI to sound like popular rappers Travis Scott and Playboi Carti.

TWXN has climbed to 4.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with their most popular song, “Telescope,” achieving 55 million streams.

This use of AI is unjust because TWXN is imitating the style of other artists without giving them credit.

If the popularity of AI in the music industry continues to grow, there will be a future where real, authentic art is washed down the drain by robotic, unethical music.

AI should not strip other up-and-coming artists from their well-deserved success. As listeners, we must stop supporting AI music to preserve the authenticity and expression that makes music special.

The use of songs like Bee Gees’s “Tragedy” and Donna Summer’s “McArthur Park” were clearly intentional and helped drive the story forward, making their respective scenes stand out as some of the most interesting.

One such example is the wedding scene that accompanies the song “McArthur Park,” a seven-minute-long musical number. It pulls the audience through a wacky dance that concludes when Astrid thwarts Beetlejuice’s wedding plans.

While it is extremely comedic, it also is very haunting. This fun chaos echoes what makes Beetlejuice such a compelling character. He brings a charismatic and comedic

effect to every moment, while still not letting the audience forget how truly disturbed and monstrous he is.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” had immeasurable potential. Although it is an enjoyable watch filled with a solid cast and strong soundtrack, the film falls short, leaving audiences with poor plot structure and average jokes.

The movie is entertaining, but it is clear lightning did not strike twice with the Beetlejuice franchise.

Movie: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”

Grade: B. Rated PG-13. Watch in theaters.

Mukbangs should feed positivity, not toxicity

Support mukbangers with healthy eating habits

Mackie Vu

Amid the confusing times of my prepubescent years, I found comfort in mukbang: a form of content that involves individuals eating a lot of food. The mukbangs I watched would either fill up a hole of loneliness through storytelling or help me fall asleep through their satisfying ASMR sounds.

However, as I entered my teenage years, I found myself drifting away from these videos as schoolwork became more prevalent. Now, as a senior, these videos have found their way back to me.

Recently, mukbangers have been trending in media for their bizarre eating habits. For example, a mukbang creator named Jelly Bean Sweets has been accumulating attention for consuming large quantities of junk food in a few minutes and gaining a concerning amount of weight.

Her habits have generated significant speculation regarding the reason behind uploading this content.

Jelly Bean Sweet’s weight gain is not the only concerning aspect of her situation.

Many viewers believe she is linked to feederism, where individuals find sexual pleasure in weight accumulation, according to the National Library of Medicine.

This fetish is extremely disturbing since it can involve nonconsensual individuals. The rise of Jelly Bean Sweets raises ethical concerns about the nature of mukbangs because sexual pleasures should not be a topic of discussion in a video where many viewers, including children, find comfort.

Another popular mukbanger, Nikocado Avocado, highlights the severity of how media feeds into internet personalities. In “Two Steps Ahead,” a YouTube video posted on Sept. 6, Nikocado Avocado revealed to his viewers that he conducted a public experiment.

While posting pre-recorded mukbang content for the past two years, he lost 250 pounds within the same time frame. His stunt successfully tricked the internet into believing he stayed obese, all while the audience was feeding into his bait and making fun of his body.

Viewers, including myself, have reason to be concerned about unhealthy mukbangers. For many viewers, mukbang videos serve as a source of friendship.

social connection between the viewer and the mukbanger, according to ScienceDirect. Thus, seeing unhealthy weight gain among mukbangers makes me worried for their health and well-being.

Although it is reasonable to be concerned for the health of mukbangers, interacting with their videos may do more harm than good. By engaging with their content in comments, mukbangers may be encouraged to continue pushing out similar content.

It is worrying to see their health deteriorate, but we are ultimately not responsible for their well-being and it may be best to leave these creators be.

Instead of promoting mukbangers with unhealthy eating habits, we should encourage mukbangers who take care of themselves.

Mukbangers have proven to negatively impact their viewers by encouraging them to overeat or have other unusual eating habits, according to the National Library of Medicine. Thus, it is important to support mukbangers who promote natural eating methods. For example, mukbanger Stephanie Soo engages in storytelling during her videos and paces her eating at a regular speed.

She establishes what a good mukbanger should look like: uploading entertaining content while not binge eating food.

Mukbangers teach us lessons that span more than just food; they allow us to be mindful of the content we consume and who we want to promote.

By supporting mukbangers with healthy eating habits, viewers can not only shape their own behaviors but also impact the culture surrounding food consumption as a whole.

In fact, watching mukbangs fosters a

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” returns with invigorating performances from Jenna Ortega and Michael Keaton.

Mukbangers can spread healthy eating habits, but some do the opposite when they binge junk food on camera.

IllustrationbyMackieVu

Music produced using artificial intelligence is disrespectful to artists who put work into crafting their own sound and image.

Photo from Geek Tyrant

Illustration by VivianKim

Think twice before cutting the cord to cable TV

Simplicity of cable TV improves visual entertainment

Alicia Liste

Rushing through her math homework, my fourth-grade self had only one thing on her mind: switching on the TV and channel surfing. Growing up, I loved cable TV; the variety of programs offered, the predictability of my favorite shows and the educational content all satisfied my childhood curiosity about the world.

However, my average TV viewing experience looks very different today. I open one of many streaming services available for subscription, spend half an hour scrolling through row after row of content and eventually fall asleep before selecting something to watch.

In today’s world, streaming services draw in more viewers than cable TV, according to NBC

‘CRAZY’

News. However, in a society dominated by endless choices, where even a cereal aisle feels overwhelming, the simplicity of cable television shines through.

Though paradoxical, the predetermined nature of cable TV allows for a more enjoyable experience and removes the burden of endlessly browsing on-demand content.

While less flexible, this simplicity makes watching cable TV more satisfying and entertaining. The fixed nature of programs on cable TV also allows for the exploration of movies and series that might have otherwise been overlooked.

For instance, I distinctly remember the time I discovered the PBS cooking series “Lidia’s Kitchen.”

Although I was originally searching for action-packed weekend entertainment, I was hooked after stumbling upon Lidia Bastianich’s cheery demeanor and delicious recipes. Watching “Lidia’s Kitchen”

nurtured my love for the culinary arts, demonstrating the ability of cable TV to broaden perspectives through fixed programming.

Educational media is another significant advantage of cable TV. Cable offers entertaining programs for children and adults alike, a benefit streaming services often lack.

Many of my fondest child-

hood memories consist of learning about nature and history from shows such as “The Incredible Dr. Pol” and “Antiques Roadshow.”

These series taught me there is much more to life than the everyday world around me and inspired me to explore new environments.

is crazy disappointing

LE SSERAFIM’s album lacks depth

Vivian

Kim

Are you feeling “CRAZY”? LE SSERAFIM, a K-pop girl group under the corporation HYBE, is known for its creative themes and trend-setting ideas.

Being in a K-pop group, they specialize in music videos that involve extensive dance scenes.

Released on Aug. 30, their newest EP, “CRAZY,” is trending on social media with its dance challenges and collaborations with other idols. However, the album’s repetitive and simple choreography is significantly disappointing and does not take advantage of what the group is capable of.

After receiving criticism for their lack of skill in singing and dancing, “CRAZY” is centered on a futuristic theme of overcoming challenges.

The title track, “CRAZY,” is a mix of pop and EDM music with unique sound effects and voiceovers. LE SSERAFIM has always had a strong sense of melody, with many of their albums going viral with their catchy songs.

This album is no exception, as “CRAZY” features an addictive chorus and a strong, futuristic melody.

However, the bland choreography accompanying this song is unfitting. It is clear that their dancing is targeted toward social

media challenges, which undermines their capabilities for more demanding dances.

The choreography is awkward and does not allow them to perform to their fullest potential. As a longtime fan, I have seen their previous dances with better technique and precision in songs such as “Easy” and “Antifragile.” “CRAZY” does not live up to expectations of their previous performances and lacks stage performance quality.

As a dancer myself, I like having difficult choreography to practice because it makes me proud of myself for accomplishing something I worked hard for.

The feeling of achievement after learning a dance is what makes dancing addicting. However, the choreography of “CRAZY” only consists of leg lifting and small hand gestures, which is extremely repetitive.

Although I was initially very excited to learn the dances from this album, I was quickly let down after viewing the simple choreography.

Despite my disappointment, “CRAZY” does include a few decent songs. My favorite track from the album, “Crazier,” has more moody lines, which contrasts the joyful vibe of their title track.

The song is suited for casual listening because the softer autotune requires less energy to listen to, allowing me to enjoy the melody while relaxing. However, the song does not strike me as anything special and leaves little impact.

Another aspect of the album I appreciate is the shift in language

usage to accommodate an international fanbase. Their first track, “Chasing Lighting,” is written in three different languages, while their fourth track, “1-800-hot-nfun,” is only composed in English.

As an international fan, I feel included while listening to “1-800-hot-n-fun” because I can understand their lyrics.

Although “CRAZY” reflects on LE SSERAFIM’s personal experiences in overcoming challenges, it is ultimately overshadowed by their bland choreography.

The album ultimately fails to leave an impact and shows a decrease in performance quality compared to what the group has previously executed.

For future albums, I hope LE SSERAFIM rekindles the creativity initially showcased in their debut.

Album: “CRAZY.”

Grade: C+.

Artist: LE SSERAFIM.

Although streaming services offer a worthwhile advertisement-free experience, viewers must take a more balanced approach to the TV dilemma and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Now that my family has joined millions of others in cutting the

cord to cable television, I get my cable fix through our local PBS member station, KQED, which livestreams content free of charge on its website.

If a movie or series I want to watch is unavailable on my streaming services, I pick up a DVD version at the local library. Although my fourth-grade self would be disheartened to learn that cable TV may never regain its 20th-century peak, society today would benefit from remembering the value of the old-fashioned predictability cable TV once offered.

The chronic consumerism cycle

Microtrends fuel overconsumption

“Have you seen the new Stanley Cup? What about the Owala? Or the new lip balm from TikTok Shop?” These snippets of everyday conversation reveal the powerful influence social media trends have on society.

As trends develop and fade at a faster rate, a new word, “microtrends,” has surfaced. The term refers to the constant churning of new trends, where individuals are pushed to participate in excessive consumerism, encouraging the rapid creation of new prod ucts.

Although microtrends may seem addicting due to their constant refresh, they ultimately play a negative role in shaping children. The constant repetition of what is “trendy” can stunt de velopment in personal style and fuel a cycle of overconsumption.

Influencers on apps such as TikTok and Instagram are at the forefront of promoting the latest products, whether it be makeup, skincare or clothes.

role models and blindly following their lead.

This is extremely concerning because when influencers promote a never-ending, consumer-driven lifestyle to their young audiences, many children adopt the habits of their idols and carry those patterns into the future.

Not only do microtrends encourage overconsumption in younger demographics, but they also promote fast fashion. For influencers to maintain their ever-consuming lifestyle, they must buy products quickly and efficiently.

To maintain their own expenses, they promote the use of extremely cheap and accessible products from websites such as Shein or Temu, companies that have been repeatedly exposed for producing items in sweatshops and using child labor, according to the Business & Humane Rights Resource Center.

Influencers must be aware of the negative impact of microtrends.

As public figures, influencers have both the privilege and platform to spread awareness of unfair working conditions.

With the usage of social media increasing, a rising number of impressionable children have begun following these influencers.

In fact, up to 95% of youth 13 to 17 report having used a social media platform, with nearly 40% of children ages 8 to 12 also having used social media, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Developing children often idolize influencers, viewing them as

Instead, they choose to indulge in overconsumption. Rather than prioritizing personal gain through the promotion of unethically produced products, influencers must vocalize their concerns and use their platforms for good.

It is essential for individuals to consider the costs of constantly chasing new trends. Instead of blindly following the latest “popular” item, people must acknowledge and work toward shaping a more ethical and responsible future for consumerism.

Up-and-coming rapper Tae Hauk brings honesty to hip-hop

Tae Hauk deserves more hype

Maya Dutt

COLUMN — While scrolling through cat reels, bad puns and posts from friends, I came across a video with a generic title about Gen Z being misunderstood.

Just as I was about to swipe away, the lyrics drew me back.

“The problem is we got fentanyl / which is killing all of our children / Problem is we got neighbors taking rights away from our women.” Canadian rapper Tae Hauk had gotten me hooked.

Once I heard “The Problem,” I quickly found more of Hauk’s music on Spotify. Some of his generic music are love songs or diss tracks, but many delve into his hopes, fears and love for music.

His music centers around his childhood and anxiety for the fu-

ture, which are topics that deeply resonate with me.

Hauk turned to music as a form of self-expression, according to an interview with Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadow News. He is an ethnic Korean, who was adopted by a white family in Kelowna, Canada. In the MRPMN interview, Hauk said he felt singled out being surrounded by a majority-white community and wanted to reinvent himself as a role model for other Asians.

Hauk’s love for music is palpable in his albums, but so is his fear for what the future holds. The tension is clear in “Pitman Hall,” which talks about his struggles writing music while growing up.

“Halfway between adult and immature” reflects my feelings perfectly, as he expresses his frustration at doing “adult sh*t” and his shock at high shool ending.

However, he is most afraid of not leaving an impact. In “Life Story,” he raps: “And I hope I’m remembered / I hope my life is wor-

thy / I hope you don’t forget me if I die early.”

However, being young does not mean Hauk lacks maturity. Being successful in music is often difficult, yet he raps with self-confidence rarely found in new artists. Because he started making music without formal training, he often tries tactics that I don’t usually hear in my other music, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

He uses strategies like rapping over loud chorus or talking into the mic during intros and outros, a technique reminiscent of rappers like XXXTentacion and Joey Bada$$, to add authenticity to his music. Hauk will drop listeners into phone calls or internal monologues about his life, giving his songs an intimate, conversational feel that I love.

He also knows how to add humor and irony to his music, often juxtaposing calming backtracks with harsh lyrics and wordplay.

Hauk’s honesty with listen-

ers extends to his political views. Though he is still an emerging artist, Hauk is unafraid to express his opinions on controversial topics. His frustration is undisguised in his newest single “No One Is Listening,” where he rapped about the presidential election. In “The Problem,” he echoed many Gen Z voters sentiments when president Biden was running against former president Trump, rapping “They say that we don’t vote, but we ain’t got a voice / A choice between two white dudes / Is that a choice?”

He also sings about global warming and its impact on his life decisions. I can feel the sense of urgency and fear in his voice, and it echoes my own.

Tae Hauk is my favorite emerging hip-hop artist because his lyrics resonate with me, and his worries and struggles mirror my own. He gives voice to our generation’s problems and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable about his feelings.

He deserves to become famous

and achieve his dreams so he can make a positive contribution to society and show others that it is possible for them to achieve their dreams, as well.

Streaming services can offer an excess of choice to consumers.

Annie Guo

“CRAZY” lacks enjoyable choreography or diverse songs

Photo from HYBE

Illustration by Alicia Liste

Photo Illustration by Maya Dutt

Turf construction hinders fall sports practices

Athletics, practices restricted to smaller fields

After rising health concerns were voiced by the community, the turf on all sports fields is being replaced, greatly affecting team practices and games for the fall season, athletic director Chris Grossman said.

Due to the construction, the football team cannot separate JV and varsity team practices, varsity safety and running-back, junior Diego Rodriguez said.

The inconvenience leads to merged team practices, which creates both a space and a timing issue, Rodriguez said.

Additionally, because the football team is not allowed to practice in temperatures above 80 degrees, the delayed football practices conflict with field hockey and marching band practices, varsity receiver and cornerback, sophomore Andrew Fekete said.

Aside from the football team, both field hockey and marching band have been sharing the baseball field for practices since the start of the school year, varsity field hockey defender, senior Lea Koren said. While football and marching band can use the baseball practice field, field hockey is restricted to practicing on the turf between the baseball diamond and the fence, Koren said.

“We would usually play on a full field

to get the full experience and practic efficiently for our games,” Koren said. “[Now], we have to practice in one third of our regular sized field, and we are not getting enough conditioning in. We’re not doing all of our warm ups properly because it’s too small.”

The field construction also confines student life. The lack of home football games offers fewer opportunities to show school spirit through supporting sports teams, scream team captain, senior Landen Leone said.

“I am really passionate about going and supporting our athletes,” Leone said. “As an athlete myself, I understand how crucial it is to have an engaged crowd [when you compete]. I think it’s necessary for our scream team to be out there supporting our football [team].”

Despite the drawbacks and challenges of construction, the new turf will have improved organic technology to help it be softer, feel more cool and reduce injuries, Grossman said.

“The turf gets torn up over time,” Grossman said. “At the beginning of every year, we fix holes in different things. Fresh[ly] laid turf is going to be in better shape than something that has been down for 10 years.”

Fortunately, all the fields are expected to have new turf installed by January, Grossman said.

“As soon as the softball field is finished and released to us, [the construction team is] going to start working on the baseball field,” Grossman said.

Excited for the new playing environment, Grossman said the two fields will help with giving both teams their own dedicated space.

Athlete of the Month

Ido Saban brings air of positivity

to football team

When playing on a sports team, having a positive mindset is essential for growth as both a player and a teammate.

As running back, safety and kicker for the varsity football team, senior Ido Saban has carefully developed his optimistic attitude over the course of two years, left guard, junior Edwin Fuentes said.

Saban’s mindset has allowed him to grow into a leader amongst his teammates, Fuentes said.

While his athletic journey initially began with soccer, Saban said it was online media that got him interested in football.

“I watched the show ‘All American,’ and [it] got me really excited [to try] football,” Saban said. “I began in freshman year, and I have stuck with it since.”

Although he played football at Wilcox High School for two years, Saban said he is very passionate about the HHS football program.

Although Wilcox is a more competitive and rigorous school when it comes to

Varsity girls tennis team remains competitive

Coach, players share strategies for success after divison drop

After a drop from the De Anza to the El Camino division this year, players and coaches for the varsity girls tennis team are adapting their practice styles to face new opponents, coach Jackie Lam said. Despite the change, the team continues to train at the same intensity in the lower division, Lam said.

Facing a new division means anticipating new challenges, including different schools and players, captain, senior Ciara Begley said. As a result, the team does not know what to expect coming into matches, Begley said.

In response to these new circumstances, Lam said she is working with the team captains to incorporate a standardized practice routine to allow the team to train more efficiently.

“We have a routine that we do every day, [which] revolves around an overall development of all the different fundamentals of tennis,” Lam said. “In the second half of practice, I give [the players] more free time so there is fun incorporated [into our practices] as well. We are doing a hybrid of both developing skills with drills and creating a space, so they can have fun.”

“When we are back to spring sports, we [will] have both our softball and baseball field for the two teams,” Grossman said.

Despite the reduced number of home games, Leone said he hopes students continue to support HHS.

“I am sad that we only have three [football] home games, but it just means that, for the three home games we have, we’re going to go all out,” Leone said. “We are really hoping for high attendance, and we’re looking for quality over quantity.”

As a new addition to the team, assistant coach Constance De Monts will help players improve their performance with fitness training to reduce the risk of injury, Lam said.

“I’ve brought in [De Monts as a] strength and conditioning [coach, [and she] is also an HHS varsity girls tennis alumna,” Lam said. “She helps the players build leg strength and footwork, so they can understand how to move their bodies properly to avoid getting injured.”

Adapting to the shift in division, the team has been able to focus more on skills previously ignored, singles three player Thien-Mai Vu said.

“[We are] working on skills we haven’t worked on before and we’re making sure all of our fundamental basics are there,” Vu, a senior, said. “This

football, Saban said he is very happy to be at HHS.

“I absolutely love it when [my teammates and I] win,” Saban said. “I like playing well, feeling good about myself and the game.”

Saban said the challenges in his football career have motivated him to work harder.

“Last year, I didn’t get much playing time, [even though] I was putting in a lot of work outside of school. And that just really bummed me out,” Saban said. “I kept working to get faster and stronger. [I’ve been trying to work on] the mental aspect of [football] and that’s what got me here.”

In the first game of the season, Saban played the majority of the game on offense, defense and special teams, which is an incredibly difficult feat, varsity football head coach Shawn Hook said.

“He’s an absolute leader amongst everybody,” Hook said. “He put a lot of hard work in, and he’s trained himself to be a really good football player. I think it truly shows that he cares about his teammates.”

During the season, Fuentes said Saban serves as a mental anchor for the team and always tries to raise their morale when they do not have energy.

Fuentes said he recalls a time when Saban bought Chipotle for the entire offensive line after the first game and win of the season, attempting to motivate the team to win the following game.

way, [we] can be a well-rounded and strong team overall.”

Sharing a similar sentiment, captain and singles one player, sophomore Poorva Khambekar said the division change has driven the team to push harder in practices.

As a sophomore, Khambekar said she and the other players in her grade are especially motivated to return to the upper division because they will be playing in that division for the next two years.

“Every year, you have a shot at going to the upper division, Khambekar said. “But if we don’t make it back up to the upper division this year, it sets the standard for how it’s going to be.”

The seniors on the team also interpret the change in division in a multitude of ways, doubles three player, senior Zoya Lou said.

“Even though [we’re] in the lower division, we should still try our best. [We’re] playing just like we would in the upper division,” Lou said. “Senior year is my last year, so I am focusing on having fun. [Although] winning is important, being happy is the most important.”

In hindsight of the team’s previous season, Lam said she hopes to start this season with a clean slate and a focus on building morale among players.

“Last year, we didn’t have the best record,” Lam said. “Now, it’s really important to forget about the previous season. [We] need to try to do our best this year [to make sure] we can redevelop our chemistry. Since we’re in a lower division, we can win more so it can boost our confidence and give us that happiness of having a winning streak.”

Although the team lost the next match, Fuentes said he appreciated Saban’s gesture all the same.

“I always see him smiling,” Fuentes said.

“[Saban is] a ray of sunshine walking around class and on the football field. He treats his [offensive line] right, and I respect that from him. He’s out here treating his players and his team well.”

Saban said that one of his favorite parts about being on the team is making connections with his fellow players and building a strong, united team that stands up for each other on and off the field.

The most valuable lesson he learned over his football career is to always work hard and value the work of others, Saban said.

“We win and lose as a team. You can’t do everything by yourself. You have to be a strong team,

and everyone’s got to help each other out,” Saban said.

Saban said his teammates give him the support he needs to perform.

“If someone hits me, my teammates are going to hit [back],” Saban said.

Photo by Alicia Liste

The team is primarily focused on boosting morale and developing fundamental tennis skills, Lam said.

Photo by Danielle Feldsher

Sachin Chandran

Maya Dutt, Isabela Guilardi and Alicia Liste

Isabela Guilardi, Aviv Matas, Madeleine Yee and Veronica Zhao

PAGE DESIGN BY ELLA CHAN AND HENRY HU

Field reconstruction has pushed back the date of the varsity football team’s first home game, Fekete said.

Photo by Alicia Liste

Saban said his best attributes as a football player are his vision and tackling ability.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

“The water polo community is [unique because] it’s so small that you know everyone and make great friendships.”

- Clara Lang (11)

GIRLS TENNIS

“Tennis is an individual sport, [and] with doubles, it’s a pair sport. You’re thinking by yourself or with another person. [It is unique because you] have to rely on your own skills and abilities.”

- Zoya Lou (12)

Photo by Madele

Photo by Amanda Boles

PhotobyJasonLai

studenTs, teAchers discuss brainrot and slang

A brainrot scan

Students diScuSs their favorite brainrot termS

“[Skibidi] is not really definable. You cannot explain it to someone who does not understand it. [I like it] since it’s used so much, and everyone finds it funny.”

SCANNING...

“Demure means that something is cute. It’s different from all the other brainrot terms because [brainrot terms] are overused by [the] younger population, and it is very annoying when it happens. [However,] demure is not [annoying].”

— Yujun Lee (11)

SCANNING...

“Aura is the energy or confidence you have and how other people view you. If you have a lot of aura, that means you are super cool. If someone does something cringey, then you would say ‘Oh, that’s negative aura.‘”

Data from a survey of 413 students

From ‘ThaT’s hoT’ to ‘gyAtT’

evolution of slang from the 1980’s to modern day

1980s

‘80s slang is most known for the phenomenon of Val-Speak, which is associated with valley girls. Characterized by a materialistic lifestyle, valley girls are uppermiddle-class women from Los Angeles, according to Babbel.

1990s

The slang of the ‘90s and 2000s was defined by the influence of hip-hop culture. Snoop Dogg’s popularization of the phrase “fo shizzle” showed how hip-hop has the power to shape not only what people listen to, but also the words they say, according Dictionary.com.

TikTok

classroom party

teacherS share thoughtS on slang in the clasSroom

“[Brainrot] creates a sense of culture and connection for people who understand the references. On the flip side, it can alienate some people if they are not up to date on everything. You have to understand 10 levels of something before [understanding] certain jokes.”

English teacher Ed RilEy

“We need [slang]. The dictionary is full of words that were once considered slang and have now become part of the vernacular. As an English teacher, [I think] playing with language is a positive thing overall.”

2010s

The 2010s was the first decade heavily influenced by slang from the internet. Much of the slang of this decade, like “duh” and “yas,” was taken away from black and queer communities without giving credit to the marginalized groups, according to BuzzFeed.

2020s

Today, the slang of Generation Alpha, people born after 2010, has been deemed “brainrot.” With terms like “skibidi” and “rizz,” Gen Alpha has created a unique identity with its fastpaced cycling of new terms and phrases, according to NBC.

— Reva Karri (10)

— Allison Brown (11)