The Epitaph Volume 61, Issue 1, 2023-24

ASB prepares for first

Students, staff share preparations, hopes for Homecoming

By Annie Guo and Veronica Zhao

The Homecoming dance is taking place in the field house on Oct. 6, marking the return of an old tradition that many other schools partake in. Following the dance, Homecoming week features quad activities, a rally and parade on the last day, leadership adviser Jessica Kirby said.

Due to low ticket sales for the dance in previous years, numerous students missed out on the chance to attend a significant high school event. In the past, only around 100 students of HHS’s student body of 2,300 attended the previous Homecoming dances, Kirby said.

Although Homecoming week has always been a tradition at HHS, there are several notable differences in this year’s Homecoming, one being a new DJ for the dance, sophomore ASB social manager Evangeline Park said.

“HHS student DJ Adi is playing the music at the dance,” Kirby said. “There will also be free food and games.”

Homecoming

dance in five years

Additionally, a new voting system was implemented, giving students the opportunity to vote for the Homecoming theme, Kirby said.

“Homecoming is something that we ask students to do, but we never really give back,” Kirby said. “Having a voting system allows inclusivity in the student body. I feel like Leadership spends a lot of time asking, but we don’t spend a lot of time giving and allowing you all to participate.”

Unlike previous years, there is no longer a carnival on the Friday of Homecoming week. This change was prompted due to the carnival and the football game taking place at the same time, Kirby said.

“We want people to go to the Homecoming game, and if we put on something else, we’re worried that it will take away from the [game],” Kirby said. “A lot of people felt like they had to choose between one or the other.”

Despite all of the changes being implemented this year, the tradition of creating floats is still going strong. Float parties started on Sept. 16, where students helped build quad decorations, Park said.

“The Quad decks are a tradition that we have been doing at HHS for a long time,” Kirby said. “There’s usually a competition between the classes, and the quad deck gets graded by secret judges on campus.”

Sophomore Annika Abraham said she is

Looking forward to HOCO week

excited that the Homecoming dance is returning this year.

“I love that there’s a dance. I was disappointed with the carnival last year, especially when I heard my friends from other schools talking about their dances,” Abraham said, “I’m really excited that there’s a dance this year as opposed to a carnival.”

Senior Maia Lee echoes the sentiment and said she is thrilled the dance will make a return in her last year at HHS.

“I feel like the dances are generally pretty fun, and it’s exciting to get another dance,” Lee said. “I’m looking forward to [it] because the whole time I’ve been a student at HHS, this is our first Homecoming dance.”

As the leadership class continues preparations, Park said the biggest ob stacle is trying to find a balance between tradition and something new. Additional ly, Kirby said an emphasis on increasing student involvement is a priority for ASB.

“I always want students to feel like they can be involved in creating Home coming. It’s not just a Leadership event, it’s a whole-school experience,” Kirby said. “Hopefully, we can get more par ticipants than usual. When students see a Quad deck, I hope they can feel more connected than anything.”

Spirit days

Tuesday - Barbenheimer

Wednesday - Rhyme without reason

Thursday - California

Dreamin’ class theme

Friday - Green and white

First rally

The Homecoming rally will take place during tutorial on Oct. 13. Watch performances, participate in games and see which class will win the most points.

HOCO Royalty

Attend the rally on Oct. 13 to see who will be crowned Homecoming royalty. Two people are crowned as royalty out of a court of 10 seniors.

Parade

The parade will start on Oct. 13 at 3:30 p.m. in the staff parking lot. The parade will march around the neighborhood with floats, marching band, the cheer team and more.

Football Game

Watch varsity football take on The King’s Academy at 7 p.m. in the Mustang Stadium. Stay during halftime to see performances from the cheer team, marching band and Equestriettes.

Accessible parking spaces added per state mandate

Students, administration discuss new spaces in staff, student lot

By Brian Ling and Jonathan Xue

HHS recently replaced 13 regular parking spots with handicap ones in the student and staff parking lots, principal Greg Giglio said.

These new parking spaces were created due to new renovation requirements on parking lot distribution, Giglio said, with the state ultimately making the final decision on where to add the parking spots. There was no choice on the school’s side about where the new spots would be placed, Giglio said.

“We probably don’t have that many students or staff members [who] need [accessible parking spaces],” Giglio said. “We are still required by law to have [these parking spots].”

To ensure accessible parking spots are not being misused, Giglio said the school can look up the parking passes and tell rule-breaking students to move their cars. Additionally, the accessible parking spots count as private property, so it is illegal to misuse them, Giglio said.

“There have been people that have gotten ticketed in the past,” Giglio said. “It is kind of a self-police system, but the police can come in and [enforce these laws when required].”

See

Students attend a float party in the quad on Sept. 23 to help create Homecoming decorations.

The new accessible parking spots were added just before the start of this school year, Giglio said. These spots can be found on the first row of the student lot.

Photo by Brian Ling

Photos by Evelyn Wang

Infographic by Annie Guo and Veronica Zhao

Bilingual counselor takes on part-time position

Maricarmen Alanis provides support for Spanish-speaking students, parents

By Ella Chan, Helen Tam and Annabelle Yip

To continue meeting the school’s need for a fifth counselor, administration decided to hire another counselor in August, principal Greg Giglio said.

Last year, the school had Eric Medeiros the fifth guidance counselor working parttime between HHS and FHS. Assistant principal Terri Hannigan said this was not the most ideal situation for Medeiros because they had to commute between two different schools and manage two caseloads. Therefore, when a full-time position became available at FHS, Giglio said Medeiros chose to counsel there full-time.

To fill this position, Maricarmen Alanis was hired part-time to counsel alpha group Ve - Z, Hannigan said. Alanis works on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Giglio said there were multiple reasons why Alanis was hired. Most importantly, Alanis is bilingual and has eight years of experience being a guidance counselor.

“She speaks Spanish and that is something we’ve not had [in our guidance counselor department],” Giglio said. “It is an increasingly important thing because our Latino population has really gotten a lot bigger over the last few years.”

While there are Spanish-speaking staff members available on campus to assist students, there are often instances where a higher skill level in Spanish is essential, particularly when it comes to complex matters related to counseling and the college application processes, Hannigan said.

Giglio said he is excited for Alanis’ arrival as she is someone with many years of experience in counseling who is able to provide different and unique insights.

“Having counselors and staff come to us from different schools, [we] learn from what they did over there, and they learn things from what we do, ” Giglio said. “So it’s a nice kind of information sharing.”

Alanis said because the guidance counselor position is a part-time job, it allows her to spend more time with her two children, making the job a suitable fit for her.

“I really felt a connection with the staff and their goals and mission,” Alanis said. “It [became] a personal desire that turned into something where I see myself working for a longer period of time.”

Growing up, Alanis said she received a lot of support from her family and school counselor because her high school was very small. But in college where there was a bigger campus, she said she lacked guidance, especially as a first-generation student with parents who didn’t speak English.

“I saw that there was a need for supporting students, and so that is where I started [my profession in] the field of education,” Alanis said. “I started tutoring little kids, and working with parents who enjoyed that interaction between the parent and the student.”

During her time in the field of education, Alanis said she realized there was a lot of misinformation about going to college, how to afford college and the post-graduation pathways students are not aware of, which sparked her interest in becoming a counselor.

“I’m here to inspire [students] to be who they want to be and help them through the process, while also guiding parents along the way,” Alanis said.

Alanis said one of the goals she and other administration have is to support the EL community and increase the resources available to them.

“Our plan as a team is to meet with [EL students] individually and bring different resources from the community in their home language,” Alanis said. “We’ve worked with De Anza College, which has more resources so that students can have different options.”

Alanis said she hopes to be involved with student activities in her first year at HHS.

“I want to increase my interactions with anything related to student life,” Alanis said. “Since I have a smaller caseload than other counselors, my professional goal is meeting every student at least once each semester.”

Although her time at HHS has just begun, Alanis said she is excited to work at HHS and looks forward to help students and give them the resources to be successful.

Accessible parking spaces

Continuedfrompage1

Giglio said he was not aware of the need for new parking spots until the construction team told administration they had to restripe the parking spaces. The news came as a shock to school administration as they did not realize state accessibility standards for parking lots had been updated, Giglio said.

“I don’t have a problem with [the new parking spaces],” Giglio said. “[If] there’s a time when you have an accident you’d be able to get from your car to campus much easier [and] you’d appreciate [the accessible parking spots].”

Facilities manager Elder Fagundes said he agrees one pro of the new accessible spots is additional space for people who need them, however, Fagundes admitted a con is the replacement of seven regular parking spaces in the student lot.

“It gets really scary when the parking lots are really crowded.”

Senior Pelleg Shani echoes Leone’s sentiments and said he believes there is no point to the new spaces.

“I think it is a waste. There’s already a lot [of accessible parking spaces] and I know that [those parking spaces] are usually empty,” Shani said.

Shani said if he comes to school even a bit late, there is nowhere to park. If there was an option to change the new accessible parking spots back into general parking, it would open space for students to park in.

Alanis said she hopes to support Spanish speaking families this school year.

News in a minute

By Evelyn Wang

“Everything has played out the way that I wanted to, so it’s been a blessing and I think [working at HHS] was just meant to be,” Alanis said. “My office is always open and I’m here to support and help.”

Local - Oriental fruit fly infestation prompts quarantine in Santa Clara County

After eight oriental fruit flies were found in South Bay, parts of Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Milpitas and San Jose were placed under quarantine until June 2024, according to ABC News. The area will be treated with organic pesticides to prevent further spreading of the flies, but for now, officials recommend people from the quarantined to eat or process foods grown in the area. The quarantine is expected to have devastating effects on the state’s economy, according to ABC News.

“Due to building codes, once you start remodeling a building, you need to provide a certain amount of ADA compliance for handicap,” Fagundes said. “That triggered us having to add more handicap spots due to the fact that we remodeled the science building.”

“If [HHS adds] more parking spots [for everyone], then [everyone will have space] and we’d all be able to park,” Shani said. “[Also], there are too many staff members in [the student] parking lot. They have their own parking lot [to park in].”

As buildings continue to be renovated, Giglio said the school may have to add more accessibility features on campus to adhere to state mandates.

““I don’t have a problem with [the new parking spaces]. [If] there’s a time when you have an accident you’d be able to get from your car to campus much easier [and] you’d appreciate [the accessible parking spots].

Although both Giglio and Fagundes said the new parking spaces are beneficial, junior Landen Leone said he believes the new parking spaces will only increase crowding in the student parking lot and he would prefer if HHS could keep the spots open to everyone.

“There are so many new drivers going in and out of the student parking lot, [sometimes it feels] like a bird cage,” Leone said.

National - Tropical storm Ophelia moves up East Coast

After making landfall in North Carolina, tropical storm Ophelia brought heavy rain, winds and floods to the Northeast, according to CNN. Over 70,000 homes and businesses lost power in North Carolina and Virginia, and five people including three children were rescued in North Carolina as a result of flooding of over three feet, according to CNN. Ophelia has continued to weaken as it moved over the mid-Atlantic, but states of emergency have been declared in many states such as Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland according to CNN.

Greg Giglio, Principal

“In the B building and the A building, they had to relevel out the concrete and the ground [because] we have a student in a wheelchair [and] the grading can’t be above a certain percent because otherwise, it becomes very difficult [for them to go on it],” Giglio said. “Our biggest issue is the elevators. We haven’t had to redo the elevators, but you know, by the time we go and start on the C building, they might make us change [the elevators], which then will cost a lot more money.”

International - OCHA revises Libya floods death toll

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revised the death toll from floods in eastern Libya from 11,300 down to 3,958, with over 9,000 people still missing, according to ABC News. The discrepancies in predicting the death toll were due to conflicting reports from various sources, according to ABC News. Originally, OCHA cited the The Libyan Red Crescent, which reported the death toll to be 11,300, but then switched to the World Health Organization’s estimate, which was 3,958.

Photo by Helen Tam

An invitation to meet the freshman class cabinet

An idea I have is to introduce a lunch league for Ultimate Frisbee. If we created teams to get people to get to know each other towards a prize at the end, then that would be something. I promise to make your opinions noticed.”

“I really hope to involve freshmen with a lot of school spirit activities. I want to create some sort of resource that kids who don’t have social media can use because I know a lot of ASB related activities are advertised on Instagram.”

“I plan to increase communication when events happen by having more emails and social media posts, reminding students about them, as well as representing people’s ideas through surveys through social media and polls.”

“I wanted to create advice channels for freshmen to communicate with seniors, juniors and even sophomores just to be able to figure out how to make their way throughout the school year.”

First year of health, ethnic studies begins

By Faith

After being in development for over a year, the mixed health and ethnic studies course is piloting at HHS. The first semester will focus on health and the second on ethnic studies, taught by science teacher Jessica Wakefield and history teacher Andrea Yee, respectively. The course will become a requirement to graduate for the class of 2030.

Both semesters will have four core units. The first semester includes personal and community health, mental, emotional and social health, nutrition and physical activity and alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Additionally, a sex education unit is in the works for next year’s curriculum, Wakefield said.

“I want students to feel empowered to make healthy choices because they have built a foundation of knowledge applicable to their lives,” Wakefield said. “Leaving the

class, students will either have the knowledge to make [health-related] decisions or know what resources to use to help [themselves].”

Neither health nor ethnic studies will have traditional tests; instead they will use projects to assess mastery, Wakefield said.

“Most of our assessments are project based so we are able to see students apply what they have learned in real-life scenarios,” Wakefield said.

Due to the nature of a pilot course, there will be some content overlap with freshman biology and P.E. this year, principal Greg Giglio said.

“[Freshman] P.E. classes still have drug and health nutrition counseling because the majority of students aren’t in health,” Giglio said. “That will change next year though. We can replace or stretch out [units], so it will cause a natural change in those classes.”

Both Wakefield and Yee said they are focusing on cultivating

a welcoming environment, as health and ethnic studies can be touchy subjects.

“I am super open with students and encourage them to be open with me,” Wakefield said. “We came up with class norms together to make sure everyone feels safe, valued and heard.”

One of the skills being taught in health is fact checking, as anyone can write misleading articles online, freshman Kat Heller said. Heller said the course is helping her navigate the online world safely, and she is looking forward to the ethnic studies portion of the course.

“I’m glad [the class] is becoming a required course,” Heller said. “I think that topics like health and ethnic studies are very important to know about, especially in a world of online misinformation and hate.”

Eve Tweddell, another freshman in the class, said she enjoys the health segment, and it met her expectations.

“The class has made me think a lot more about different aspects of my health and where I am in them,” Tweddell said. “I’ve enjoyed some of the whole-class discussions because we all have differing opinions, and it’s interesting to hear others’ thoughts.”

“The main thing that I advertised the most was that I wanted to host student polls. It could be in person, but I’m thinking more of a Google Form type of deal. I’ll be really humble and you can always come up to me.”

As the course continues, Wakefield and Yee said they will be implementing suggestions. “[We’re] figuring out how to regularly get feedback,” Yee said. “Receiving feedback from our community is an important part of what we want to do.”

class.

FUHSD delays implementation of digital AP testing

tor of Data and Assessment Denae Nurnberg said.

By Kevin Miao

Following College Board’s announcement to offer digital versions for seven AP tests, FUHSD decided to hold off on the switch from paper to computer, Coordina-

In 2022, College Board contacted the district regarding the transition for five FUHSD offered tests that have the digital option. These tests include AP English Language and Comprehension, AP U.S. History, AP Computer Science Principles and AP World History, Nurnberg said.

Despite this, HHS is unable to facilitate these new online AP tests

as the internet system in the large gym does not have the capacity to host enough devices without overstressing the system, AP U.S. History teacher Gregory Russo said.

“[Another] challenge with the [digital] AP exams is that we have to give it at a specific time,” Assistant Principal in charge of AP testing Susan Rocha said. “If I’m giving a test to 200 plus juniors and I have to give it at 8 o’clock on a Wednesday, where are they going to go? What I heard was [that] they’re going to open up AP testing, in the sense that College Board might say here’s your window for giving an AP test. [If] we had a window, we could certainly offer more opportunities.”

The school’s Wi-Fi can not handle everyone testing in the same place at the same time, but the school is working to fix that, Russo said.

“We have scheduled upgrades to our gyms this coming spring,” Nurnberg said. “Cupertino is going to run a little bit of a [trial] for us to see how many students we can get onto the Wi-Fi to run [the test] in the gym. At Homestead, the infrastructure just isn’t there yet.”

These improvements will give HHS the ability to administer exams digitally, but will most likely not be ready in time for exam season, Rocha said.

“The school is being very supportive in doing this, but it takes time to install that stuff,” Russo said. “They have to buy [Wi-Fi hubs] and install it, it’s not like you’re just putting it on the floor, you have to go up in a [lifting platform], install it in the ceiling, and run the cables. We probably won’t have it in May, but the school is optimistic that we’ll have something for students next year.”

AP U.S. History teachers in particular are ready for this transition because the U.S. History test mostly consists of writing, which translates easily into a digital format, Russo said. However, the main concern is making sure the switch doesn’t add unnecessary stress for students or jeopardize scores in any way, Rocha said.

“If I had a magic wand, I would let students choose for themselves what [kind of test they want,] but [it is] unrealistic to have different testing sites and different testing types, so if it were up to me I’d

probably go digital,” Russo said. “The benefit [of digital tests is that] it’s easier for everyone. The test is very secure because you’re in a secure browser [and] administering [it] is easier because you don’t have to deal with these big boxes of paper and testing materials.”

Despite the problems faced with the switch, Rocha said that it would come with substantial benefits.

“It would be a huge environmental benefit, getting rid of a bunch of paper,”Rocha said. “Another benefit is [for] people who [have] accommodations, most of them are built into the digital [test].”

Because students are used to digital devices, Nunberg said the transition from pen and paper to digital tests should be natural.

“[Students] are on computers all the time. You live on computers, you’re so used to just typing, we all are,” Nurnberg said. “So the digital model is the one I think we all very much embrace in terms of administration of the test. But logistically, we’re just not there yet. It’s a problem across the nation.”

Maya Power

“Hayden Floyd

Owen Chau

Advait Ghosh

Lily Li

Infographic by Mikha Pilar, Elena Shim and Mackie Vu

Wakefield checks in on students working on a group assignment in health

New internet infrastructure to be installed to allow for mass testing

Watters

Photo by Mikha Pilar

The large gym’s internet infrastructure struggles to handle the simultaneous testing of all AP students.

Photo by Kevin Miao

The Epitaph

Editors-in-Chief

Nicole Kim

Rajiv Venkatesh

Managing Editor

Saira Ahmed

News Editors

Brian Ling

Evelyn Wang

Opinion Editors

Anushruti Nagarajan

Lindsey Steel

Lifestyles Editors

Ella Chan

Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

Arts & Culture Editors

Parth Dhaulakhandi

Veronica Zhao

Sports Editors

Nathan Gu

Helen Tam

Design Editor

Mackie Vu

Multimedia Editor

Veronica Zhao

Social Media Editor

Annabelle Yip

Art Editor

Faith Watters

PR Manager

Harshitha Vijayakumar

Reporters

Sanah Arya

Amanda Boles

Maya Dutt

Andrew Fekete

Danielle Feldsher

Annie Guo

Brian Ip

Parker Lin

Alicia Liste

Alan Ma

Aviv Matas

Kevin Miao

Adam Orrin

Mikha Pilar

Nicole Pimenta Innecco

Malar Raguraman

Naaga Senthil Anand

Elena Shim

Varun Vijay Mani

Jonathan Xue

Catherine Yang

Demi Yau

Mission Statement

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Staff Editorial

Homecoming court does not adequately represent student body

Homecoming court is one of the most highly anticipated traditions at HHS, celebrating 10 students for their involvement and contributions to the school across four years. Despite its goals of fostering community, the members of homecoming court are not always representative of our diverse student body. The court selection process fails to consider the wide range of contributions students have made to HHS, ultimately undermining the unity homecoming serves to create.

Every staff member nominates up to 10 students for homecoming court, assistant principal Susan Rocha said. The top 10 students who receive the most nominations become members of homecoming court, Rocha said. Howev er, this pro cess prevents some stu dents from receiving the recognition they deserve.

For exam ple, six of the 10 homecoming

court members this year are involved in ASB. These students have all undoubtedly left visible impacts on HHS, but there are many other ways of being a leader on campus aside from the leadership class, and that must be reflected in the selection of homecoming court members.

Although the homecoming court nomination process allows teachers to select the students they feel have contributed to the HHS community the most, teachers cannot see or know everything students do to make our school a better place. There are several ways in which students have left an impact on HHS and the broader community, whether on a large scale or in more subtle ways.

Some student athletes ried sports teams to CCS and tain students ed countless hours to

America’s finest nursing home

Older politicians face health scares, hinder progress

By Lindsey Steel

In a democracy, people want to see their values and experiences mirrored in their leaders. But as we are led by politicians three times our age, many of whom have suffered from health scares that have im paired their abili ties to do their jobs, their effectiveness to represent younger generations is called into question.

As some of the highest ranking officials in the country are pushing toward or well into their 80s, age has prevented many from carrying out their duties. California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who died last week, served until she was 90 years old. Up until her death, Feinstein was known to have a faulty memory, relying heavily on her staff to fulfill her duties and even tell her how to vote on bills, according to The Hill.

The fitness of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, 81, also raises concerns. In August, McConnell froze for more than 30 seconds at a press conference, according to NBC, and did so again several weeks later.

Allowing politicians to make decisions for the American people when they cannot do so for themselves violates the very core of democracy. The Senate is supposed to be the world’s greatest deliber-

volunteering and serving the community, and others have helped their peers understand key concepts or ideas in their coursework.

For instance, one senior last year was editor-in-chief of The Epitaph, president of three clubs and a varsity athlete, but was not nominated for homecoming court. The fact that she was not recognized for her efforts shows that the nomination process overlooks many students, especially those who have a less obvious impact.

To create a more representative court, students should submit applications describing their extracurricular activities. By detailing their contributions, teachers can get a more holistic understanding of students’ roles within our community, allowing them to make

more informed decisions about who they nominate for homecoming court.

Another way to improve the nomination process is to have administrators put together a list of all seniors. For teachers who do not teach seniors, a list would give them a better way of selecting senior names, allowing them to nominate a wider range of students.

To truly recognize student involvement, homecoming court must allow students across various activities and backgrounds to showcase their valuable contributions. By ensuring that a wider range of students’ efforts are acknowledged, we can demonstrate that leadership and community impact can be shown in more than one way.

A holiday for all the wrong reasons

Columbus Day harms Indigenous communities

By Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

“Christopher Colombus discovered the new world.” We all heard this line in our elementary school history lessons, along with making paper headdresses during Thanksgiving and watching “Pocahontas.”

bration of Columbus, but an idealization of colonialism as a whole. By honoring Columbus, a man who destroyed many Indigenous peoples’ lives, we are indirectly showing our support for all those who have hurt others in the name of colonization.

ative body, but when its leaders grapple with such frequent health issues, it is apparent they are unfit to address the issues our nation faces.

The Senate isn’t the only place dominated by older generations. At 79, Joe Biden is the oldest president in office, while Donald Trump is 76.

Aside from health concerns, old age also has negative policy implications. For example, despite 59% of Democrats supporting the elimination of the filibuster, Feinstein refused to vote to abolish it because she still believed in the traditions of the Senate from decades ago, according to Data for Progress.

These distinct generational divides are due to the fact that older and younger generations often prioritize different policy objectives. Middle-aged voters consistently name the economy as the most pressing voting issue, while younger voters are more concerned with climate change, abortion rights and gun policies, according to the New York Times.

When older politicians’ values and priorities diverge from that of their younger voters, they cannot truly meet their constituents’ needs. These leaders are stuck in years past, and are ultimately out of touch with the evolving perspectives youth have.

If we want to achieve true progress, we must call upon new faces and new ideas. It is the only way to make our voices heard and make our democracy work.

However, this version of history presents a distorted view of reality — one which glamorizes colonialism and diminishes Native experiences and history. The recognition of Columbus Day as one of just 12 paid federal holidays only exacerbates these distortions.

Though referred to as a principal event in U.S. history, Columbus’ arrival to the Americas signified the end of traditional Native life. Columbus caused extensive deaths in Indigenous communities by spreading diseases and forcing Native Americans to work on plantations and gold mines under brutal conditions, according to the History Channel. Columbus’ horrific treatment of Indigenous groups should not be commemorated with a national holiday, but condemned for the immoral deeds they are.

However, the issue of Columbus Day is larger than just Columbus’ actions. Throughout American history, the experiences of Indigenous peoples have been dismissed and belittled. Native communities lost their homes, lives and cultures as a result of colonialism, according to the Washington Post. Yet, the United States dedicates a day each year to celebrating the very symbol of colonization: Columbus.

The holiday is not just a cele-

These people include Hernán Cortés, who wiped out the great Aztec Empire, King Leopold II of Belgium, under whose barbaric treatment the people of Congo suffered for decades and Oliver Cromwell, whose conquest of Jamaica led to Britain’s worst engagement in slavery.

The glamorization of colonialism encouraged by the celebration of Columbus Day demeans all communities who have suffered under colonial rule. Furthermore, it dismisses the severe repercussions of colonization: the erasure of traditional cultures, economic exploitation and countless deaths in Native American communities.

Though Columbus Day is not explicitly celebrated at FUHSD, the holiday should instead be recognized as Indigenous Peoples Day, in order to create a safer and more welcoming campus environment for Indigenous students in our community. Native students at HHS deserve to have their voices heard and recognized by their school.

It is imperative that we remember history for what it truly is, and honor and respect the Native communities of our country. The anniversary of Columbus’ arrival should be celebrated as Indigenous Peoples Day, and used to acknowledge the history and experiences of Indigenous communities and advocate for their rights.

Illustration by Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

Columbus Day dismisses the harsh realities of colonialism, and is a dangerous romanticization of our nation’s history.

Older generations’ views don’t align with those of young voters, as they prioritize different policies.

The homecoming court nomination process should take multiple factors into account, such as academic, athletic and artistic achievements.

IllustrationbyAnushrutiNagarajan

Illustration by FaithWaters

Severing cultural connections

Plan to phase out Chinese program makes little sense

By Nathan Gu

One by one, students ducked under the crimson streamers hanging from the door. Curious, I stepped in and returned to a familiar classroom.

Jay Chou’s soulful hit song “Love Confession” lit up the awe-inspiring room filled with decorations the students and teachers have made over the years. Taking in the scene, the contagiously warm atmosphere reminded me of my two years in the Chinese program.

On April 14, students received an email from the district about the plan to phase out the Chinese program in the 2024-25 school

year due to decreased enrollment compared to other courses. Seeing the news shocked me.

Contrary to the statement released by the district about declining enrollment, the enrollment of students within the Chinese program has not changed, remaining at around 215 students for the past five years, according to HHS data.

This year, the Chinese program at HHS grew to 220 students, while the number of total students enrolled in language courses continued to fall, according to FUHSD.

The rise in the number of Chinese students coupled with a drop in the total number of language students signifies a decrease of students in other programs, which makes the district’s decision to cut Chinese unwise.

The class felt like a second home where I could express my

passion for Chinese culture with other students while delving into topics that gave me a deeper sense of connection to my culture. By cutting the course and severing connections between new students and the Chinese program, the district leaves the Chinese community with no secondary home.

HHS is an exception to declining enrollment trends, with its smaller language courses of Chinese and Japanese both maintaining a consistent enrollment of about 215 students.

At Monta Vista however, the Japanese program, which is being phased out, saw its enrollment drop by double digits to around 130 students. FUHSD must hold off on cutting language programs at HHS unless a similar trend occurs here, preserving this key part of the high school experience for many coming years.

HHS Language Class Enrollment

An unfair advantage College Board should have delayed implementation of digital SAT

By Annabelle Yip

In March 2024, the SAT will move to a fully digital format for all students except those who require accommodations, according to the College Board.

After taking the SAT three times in the past year, this news intrigued me. I am not opposed to the implementation of a digital testing format, as it is less wasteful and better suited for the technologically advanced society we live in today. However, the College Board should have been more thoughtful in making this transition.

Instead of selecting the March 2024 date to begin administering the digital exam, the College Board should have implemented it at the beginning of the 202425 school year, giving students enough time to prepare before they began the year.

If the format shift had been postponed, students who are taking the paper SAT prior to March would have had an adequate amount of time to change their studying methods.

This is concerning because the exam is now less standardized and accurate, as a student who misses a few early questions could immediately be trapped in a low score, without the chance of redemption in later questions.

Furthermore, all PSATs will now be digital, as well, which affects students who are taking both the PSAT and SAT. PSAT-takers who are also taking the November and December paper SAT exams may have to flip their studying plans back and forth, as those dates happen after the digital PSAT, which can only be taken in October.

Ultimately, the College Board should have considered the fairness of such a major decision before implementing it for all students. As they move forward with digital AP tests, it is essential that students are given the opportunity they deserve to perform their best.

The choice of administering digital AP exams is currently given to schools, so it is necessary that districts act with foresight by providing students and teachers the proper amount of time to adjust their studying and teaching techniques to such a big change, especially because students spend months preparing for these tests.

FUHSD must hold off on the decision to cut language programs at HHS unless a clearer decline occurs.

Legacy admissions must end

Family history has no place in college admissions

By Nicole Pimenta Innecco

With the recent Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action for college admissions, it is time for the government to step in and address the questionable practice of legacy admissions.

The continued tolerance of this practice becomes all the more problematic now that marginalized groups have lost priority in the process. With the scales being tipped so dramatically, it is imperative to stop rewarding students solely for having a family member who attended the same university.

Legacy admissions practices can double or even quadruple a student’s chances of getting into a highly selective school, according to The Atlantic. This is unfair, as it essentially allows people to inherit an advantage in the college admissions process. At the most selective institutions in the United States, it is typical for 10-15% of students to have a parent who also attended, according to the National Center for Education.

The rationale for colleges to have this system is a financial one — colleges believe that giving legacy applicants an edge helps them bring in alumni donations, according to U.S. News and World Report. But these reasons are just excuses. College admissions are meant to be based on strictly merit, and students are told throughout their lives to dedicate years of hard work toward

achieving this one goal. The ability of these institutions to take into consideration factors that a student did not earn for themselves contradicts the ideals of the American education system.

When students are admitted based on legacy status, it diminishes the achievements of other students who have worked hard to excel. This system not only fails to reward merit but also sends a message that who you know is more important than what you know.

Legacy admissions tend to favor white and wealthy applicants, as those were the main demographics of their students 30 years ago.

At Harvard, seven out of 10 legacy students are white, according to a 2019 data analysis by the National Bureau of Economic Research. As a result, these policies can reduce the diversity of a student body, both in terms of race and socioeconomic background. This lack

of diversity limits the richness of the educational experience and deprives students of exposure to different perspectives and ideas.

Furthermore, legacy students often come from affluent backgrounds, as their relatives were able to afford a college education at the institution in question. This compounds the established cycle of privilege, as these students are more likely to have had access to high-quality education, standardized test preparation and extracurricular opportunities, according to PBS. Reserving seats for these students that might have otherwise been given to underprivileged ones limits the power of college to provide a platform for social mobility.

Universities must ensure they are giving every student an equal opportunity to expand their knowledge through higher education. An important step towards this goal is to end legacy admissions.

The digital SAT will use a multistage adaptive testing methodology, according to the College Board. Test-takers who answer problems correctly will receive more difficult questions, and those who miss problems will receive easier questions.

My first last times

By Anushruti Nagarajan

COLUMN — I feel I am at a point of “lasts” that marks the end of a significant chapter in my life: childhood. As I walk through these familiar school doors for the last time this year, I can’t help but reflect on the growth and transformations I’ve undergone the past four years. From the mistakes I have made to the personal goals I have reached, I’ve learned important values of perse verance and resil ience.

In ninth grade, I was afraid to perform poorly in ac ademics, sports and extracur riculars. However, I eventually realized I would get some things easily, and struggle with others, which helped me learn to accept what is given to me. I treated high school as a new chapter of my life, telling myself that unfamiliarity is not always a bad thing.

While initially scared to wander into uncharted territories, I am now able to navigate my way through by asking questions and advocating for myself.

It is especially crucial that we learn to embrace unfamiliarity in modern-day politics. Clinging to old, traditional ways of thinking can hinder progress and leave the government underprepared to address the complex issues of our time.

By embracing unfamiliar political ideologies and adapting to changing circumstances, we can foster innovation, encourage inclusivity and chart a path towards a more inclusive and responsive political landscape.

Ultimately, while we can cherish our past, we must also embrace the adventures that lie ahead. In doing so, we honor the memories we have created and the lessons we have learned, carrying them with us as we navigate the unfamiliar paths in front of us. As I say goodbye to my childhood years, I am filled with gratitude for the experiences, friendships and growth they have brought me. The “lasts” are nostalgic, but also bring wisdom, resilience and the promise of new beginnings.

Students may struggle with the quick transition between studying for paper and digital SAT exams.

Legacy admissions allow alumni to essentially hand their relatives an exclusive key into selective universities.

Infographic by Nathan Gu

Illustration by Nicole Pimenta Innecco

A stepping stone for success or a paper-thin fix?

America needs affirmative action, whether we like it or not

By Nicole Kim

There is a feeling almost every student in the Bay Area has succumbed to: that everything you do is to get into a top college. For many of us, anything that may keep us from that goal is something we don’t like, including affirmative action.

But as the youth of this nation, we must take a step back and acknowledge the importance of affirmative action in bettering our society.

Affirmative action is defined as any positive steps taken to increase the representation of minorities in areas from which they have been historically excluded, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The topic of affirmative action has become increasingly relevant to the student body following the Supreme Court’s ruling that affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

This decision reverses decades of precedent and, according to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, “imposes a superficial rule of race blindness on the Nation.” On the surface, this decision seems to affect only students, but its scope reaches the entire nation — without diversity in education, diversity in high-level leadership positions is more difficult to achieve.

The college education-to-success pipeline is drilled in many students’ heads. Whether from external factors or our own internal pressures, there is an idea that if you pursue a college degree you are one step closer to a comfortable life. This notion is especially true for people from racial groups with greater societal barriers to higher education.

Building spirit together

Students must actively participate in school events

By Elena Shim

Rallies and themed weeks are the heartbeat of our community. Yet, not enough students truly engage in these activities. Caring about school spirit not only makes a better school environment but also balances the intense, competitive atmosphere of HHS.

The leadership class works to make all students aware of schoolwide events, sophomore class officer Karis Lin said.

School spirit is an essential part of a well-balanced education. In fact, those who have more school spirit perform better academically, according to a survey conducted by Na

If education truly is a medium for a better life, we must welcome the measures taken to eliminate obstacles in education access.

In a 2019 study conducted by the Pew Research Center, three-quarters of Americans said it is important for companies to promote diversity in the workplace. However, if we as a society want to see diversity in our leaders, we have to be accepting of the changes made to ensure diversity in the stepping stone for leadership: education.

We do not have to like affirmative action to recognize that it is effective. If we want a diverse, representative workplace and government, we must take the steps to

With affirmative action’s end, equality returns to college admissions process

By Rajiv Venkatesh

The promise of America is one of equality under the law. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court affirmed this promise when it ruled that colleges cannot use policies that discriminate against applicants based on their race.

With the end of affirmative action policies, seniors can

about their racial identities without affecting their chances of admission.

Discrimination based on race is always wrong, no matter the intentions. When racial identity is reduced to a checkbox, diverse groups of students begin to look the same on paper.

For example, affirmative action does not consider whether an applicant’s parents attended college. However, having a college-educated parent with the resources to help a student through the application process can be extremely helpful, a complexity which affirmative action ignores.

Supporters of affirmative action argue that race always has an impact on students’ educational opportunities through their family’s income, ZIP code and other factors. However, this ignores the differences in this impact among members of a broad group.

To address this, universities should instead use data to understand a student’s background rather than attempting to put a number on the impact of racial inequality.

This strategy has proven successful in promoting diversity without the use of discriminatory affirmative action policies.

In 2022, the demographics of accepted students to the UC system largely mirrored the pool of applicants to the schools, according to the university’s data. This was possible despite affirmative action being banned in California, showing that race-based policies are unneccesary to ensure diversity.

As better alternatives emerge to promote diversity, it has become clear that affirmative action was not meant to last forever. It is a Band-Aid over a gaping wound, a simplistic solution that fails to address real issues by granting an advantage to minority students at only a few selective schools.

Rather than relying on discrimination to solve past discrimination, we must expand access to high-quality K-12 education, ensuring that opportunities are available to all.

Not all representation in politics is good representation

allows students to interact with others as peers, not competitors. Especially at HHS, where academics are a central part of school culture, it is crucial that students take advantage of these community-wide events.

Aside from spirit days, football games are a chance to foster community. While turnout for the homecoming game is high, other football games lack audience members. School spirit is about showing up to more than just major events, as these community-wide events create a stronger bond. The call for more school spirit isn’t just a request for enthusiasm but for unity. To achieve this, we must become active and embrace these events. Only then can we find balance in our school’s competitive culture, and create a more united, engaged envi-

Vivek Ramaswamy’s policies hurt his own community

By Varun Vijay Mani

Like me, Vivek Ramaswamy’s roots trace back to Indian immigrant parents. But that is where the similarity ends. The 38-yearold entrepreneur turned politician is one of the few high-profile young Indian American political voices, but virtually every statement he makes in his controversial campaign goes against his own community.

Ramaswamy is leaning into farright anti-immigration talk, proposing tough measures like using the military to seal off our borders and aiming to deport U.S. citizens born to undocumented parents, according to NBC. Ramaswamy has also vowed to “gut” the sys tem for H-1B temporary work er visas if he wins the White House, according to Politico.

However, he used this very system in the past to hire high-skilled foreign workers for the com pany that built much of his wealth, ensuring the poli cies that allowed him to succeed in America are not available to future generations of immigrants.

As a young candidate in a race dominated by older politicians, Ra maswamy claims the mantle of a next-generation leader. However, his positions diverge sharply from the mainstream preferences of most young people.

For example, 77% of young people believe that something must

be done about climate change, according to Pew Research Center. However, Ramaswamy rejects prescriptions for combating it, like eliminating or reducing the burning of fossil fuels, according to the Washington Post.

Despite trying to come off as a hip, young politician, another of his head-scratching policy proposals is raising the voting age, which would deny the right to vote to most Americans aged 18 to 25, according to Politico.

Eliminating youth voices in the election process would silence a significant portion of the U.S. population, setting us back on issues that impact young people, such as gun violence and climate change.

Despite advocating for such far-fetched policies, Ramaswamy

currently in fourth place in the race for the Republican nomination.

Politicians are notorious for making promises they cannot keep, but in the past few months, Ramaswamy has taken this to a new level.

He demonstrates an increasing trend among far-right politicians of stating emotive, outrageous claims to garner attention, and is ultimately pushing the Republican Party in a more conservative direction.

As we gain the right to vote, we must recognize that politicians often make promises they can’t fulfill. As a result, it’s important to think critically about what they are actually saying.

Reading credible sources and engaging in discussion can help us make informed decisions about who to support — especially when one of the choices is a candidate who would rather we did not vote

Affirmative action: a medium to diversity or racial discrimination by another name?

Illustration by Varun Vijay Mani

Illustration by Faith Watters

Football games are a good opportunity to gather students for increased school spirit, but student turnout is too low.

Illustration by Amanda Boles

Reaching the finish line

Seniors navigate college application process

By Ella Chan and Helen Tam

Every year, a new class of seniors take on the task of college applications, where students face the unknowns of the world after high school, guidance counselor Derek Chan said. The college application process represents both a culmination of students’ high school years and the first step towards their future, which can be very stressful, Chan said.

“Students think that the decisions they are making are make or break decisions,” Chan said. “This puts a lot of pressure on them.”

However, it is okay to not know the right answer to certain situations or have everything all planned out, Chan said.

“Seniors forget how much hard work they have put in since freshman year,” Chan said. “They need to take a step back sometimes and reflect on their progress and growth.”

Inefficient time management is a major issue Chan said he notices among seniors. Students often stress during application season to find a college that fits their academic and professional needs, Chan said.

“It is never too early to start thinking about college or life after high school, and a little goes a long way,” Chan said. “Something I always encourage students to do is to start the college process early;

for example, even doing 15 minutes of research as a freshman can help down the line.”

Another opportunity students should take advantage of is the college fair, which happened recently on Sept. 18th, Chan said. At the college fair, representatives from more than 150 schools sat at booths to answer student questions.

Senior Daniela Silverman, who is applying to 12 colleges, said she is in the midst of a stressful college application process.

“My parents gave up a lot so that I could have opportunities that they did not, so I want to show that their sacrifices were worth it,” Silverman said.

To alleviate her stress, Silverman said she tries to focus not only on college applications, but also on maintaining a healthy balance between having fun and working.

“Working with my friends who also have to do college applications and trying to take a step back [from it] has helped make the process fun,” Silverman said.

On the other hand, there are students not subjugated by the stresses of the college application process.

Senior Jamie Nguyen is already committed to the University of Chicago for soccer. Ngyuen said she is grateful for the opportunity to play soccer at the collegiate level and at the school she has always wanted to go to.

“I can finally relax after dedicating so much time to getting recruited,” Nguyen said. “I am looking forward to being able to play the sport I love and make new experiences in college.”

Shoot for the stars: AVID prepares students for college, beyond

AVID teachers discuss their unique roles

on campus

By Lindsey Steel

Being the first in your family to go to college is no easy feat. Through the Advancement Via Individual Determination program, four teachers are determined to make this accomplishment a reality for their students, AVID 11 teacher Shawnee Rivera said.

Rivera, who has been an AVID teacher for 18 years and also teaches English, said the program allows her to shape the trajectory of her students’ lives by preparing them for college. Throughout their four years of high school, Rivera said she hopes to instill strong organizational and communication skills in her students, helping them not only prepare for further education, but also for life after college.

“My goal is not just to get my kids into college, but to get them there knowing they will graduate,” Rivera said. “I tell my kids over and over, ‘I’m overpreparing you. I know this is not what your friends are doing to study or stay organized.’ But I want to make sure no matter where they go to college, they’re going to be successful.”

For English, AVID 12 teacher Natalie Owsley, the program is a way to give back to students who are in situations similar to how she grew up.

“I was the first person in my family to go to college,” Owsley said. “My high school didn’t have AVID when I was there, and I feel like I could have benefitted from the program.”

Unlike her other subjects, AVID requires more than lesson planning and grading tests, science, AVID 10 teacher Jessica Wakefield said. In her two years as an AVID teacher, Wakefield said she has grown immensely.

“These kids have helped me realize that everybody has a

unique story, a unique history and a unique situation,” Wakefield said. “It has taught me patience and understanding.”

Because AVID teachers work with the same group of students for four years, students are able to receive more individualized support, world history, AVID 9 teacher Kelly DiNucci said.

“There’s such a high priority on building community [in AVID],” DiNucci said. “As a teacher, you have to be open to changes in the schedule and you want to meet students’ needs. There’s a lot of flexibility built into the AVID class that you don’t find in a general education agenda.”

AVID student since freshman year, said the program has given her an outlet to ask for help, whether she has a question about an application or an everyday task.

“I have not only gotten close with the people in my class but with other AVID teachers,” Solorzano said. “We are around each other so much that I feel like I can go to any of them if I need something.”

““I tell my kids over and over, ‘I’m overpreparing you. I know this is not what your friends are doing to study or stay organized.’ But I want to make sure no matter where they go to college, they’re going to be successful.”

Shawnee Rivera, AVID II

Though she has only worked with her AVID class for a couple months, DiNucci said she is looking forward to the connections she will make with her students.

“I have a lot of respect for these kids in the first few months,” DiNucci said. “They have impacted me by their honesty [and] their ability to ask for help and be vulnerable that way. In these early days, they seem very dedicated to AVID.”

Senior Kennya Solorzano,

Preserving the past, creating new futures

Staff, students reflects on school traditions

By Annie Guo, Mackie Vu and Veronica Zhao

From the battle of the classes to homecoming court, campus traditions have united students throughout HHS history, ASB Vice President, senior Aditi Ghosh said.

One custom is the use of “senior hill,” a popular brunch and lunch spot in the quad, Principal Greg Giglio said.

Although the name suggests the spot is reserved for seniors, Giglio said it has nothing to do with the grade levels that gather on it.

However, Giglio said he is confused as to why the name still persists today, as students typically try to stray away from “claiming” one place to be somebody’s, Giglio said.

“We have added two hills since [the creation of the ‘senior hill’],” Giglio said. “[They] weren’t meant to be dedicated for a specific grade.”

World Literature teacher, alumni Sara Moreno, who graduated in 1991, said there were many unique campus customs when she was a

student. A central one was an oak tree that grew in the middle of the previous quad, she said.

“A lot of times, senior pranks were toilet papering that tree,” Moreno said. “One year, there was a prank where some kids brought a car on campus and somehow attached it to the tree.”

Although many old-school traditions have been lost with time, staff and students work hard to give old traditions a new and more inclusive twist, Ghosh said. The annual BOTC, for example, was altered to include different types of students, Ghosh said.

“We integrated a Mario Kart tournament and I see that as a tradition that will carry on the next few years,” Ghosh said. “We had all kinds of people participating in these events and that is something ASB is always trying to do: engage different people, especially students that aren’t really extroverts.”

However, the postponement of a long standing tradition the senior walk-in — was disappointing to students, senior Abby Tsao said.

“All the other seniors had a walk-in, so I thought ‘oh my God this is going to be me,” Tsao said. “When [hearing the postponement, I was] like ‘oh nevermind.’”

In addition, there are many current events that combine grade levels and unify the school, Ghosh said. This differs from past traditions, where there was some separation between classes, Moreno said.

“There were areas of the quad that were traditionally ‘set aside’ for certain classes,” Moreno said. “If you had friends in other areas, you would go visit, [but] it was like you were in another land.”

Despite this, Moreno said there was a unifying spirit that was encouraged by school-wide events such as rallies.

Today, Ghosh said students come together through events as well.

“Throughout my course at HHS, [traditions] have been a medium for students and staff to develop interclass and intraclass bonds,” Ghosh said. “I’ve seen people from all different sides of campus come together, such as in our dances and rallies.”

an

In all, Ghosh said HHS has hidden traditions that occur every day, making school a special place.

“Although it might not seem like we have a lot of traditions, a lot of things are underlying,” Ghosh said.

However, Tsao said she noticed HHS does not have any unique traditions, only school events. Instead, Tsao said there are traditions that happen within different communities on campus, such as with her being a part of the percussion section in the marching band.

“Every time we [travel] to a

teacher

Having been a part of the program for so long, Rivera said AVID leaves both students and teachers with invaluable skills. Seeing her students evolve over their high school careers and growing alongside them iws the most rewarding part of being an AVID teacher, Rivera said, and is what keeps her coming back.

“Watching my kids go from terrified ninth graders to confident leaders their senior year teaches me that everybody can change,” Rivera said. “We can change our learning styles and adapt. I watch my AVID kids shift and be flexible with their teachers. They teach me that change is inevitable, and they teach me to truly embrace it.”

show on a bus [a member of drumline] will start hitting the overhead compartment to start a song off and [people on the bus] will sing that song together,” Tsao said. “It helps hype me up before a competition and [the bus] feels more united.”

Additionally, ASB is committed to starting new traditions, Ghosh said.

“We’re looking to create new traditions and stray away from things we do all time,” Ghosh said. “That’s definitely the forefront of what ASB is trying to do this year.”

The college fair is a useful way for students to learn more about the schools they want to go to, Chan said.

Working with the same students for four years fosters unbreakable bonds between AVID students and teachers, Rivera said.

The tree in the center of the quad was an important place for past traditions such as senior pranks, Moreno said.

Photo by Lindsey Steel

Photo by Brian Ip

Photo illustration by Mackie Vu and Veronica Zhao

COURSES GROUPS RESOURCES GRADES

three aps or

For many, grind culture is a characterizing part of their high school impacts their educational journeys.

Feeling the pressure, pushing the Students, staff discuss the causes of grind culture

lot to offer. Try not to let the grind define you,” les said. “You need to find ways to be able to yourself to have fun. You’re young, you’re never to be 14 through 18 again in your life.”

SCALE OF STRESS

By Amanda Boles, Faith Watters and Catherine Yang

Grind culture describes how students will overload themselves and work extremely hard to gain academic advantage in hopes of improving their future, sophomore Aayush Gaywala said. It is extremely prevalent in Silicon Valley due to the abundance of colleges where admission feels like a lottery, even if you have a strong academic profile, junior Eric Ko said. Grind culture gives you something to continue working toward, but sometimes if getting into a good college is the only thing on your mind, it can become detrimental, Ko said. However, Ko said he believes by focusing on the present, rather than the future, he can limit his stress for college.

“I think my stress and worry for college is lower than [most since] I work towards improving what I’m doing right now rather than [doing it for] college,” Ko said. “It may be related to college, but in my mind, that is not something that I’m mainly thinking about. College will be the result of improving what [I am] doing right now, and having this mindset is way less stressful.”

It is important students understand that where they go to college does not matter, but rather how they go about it, social studies department lead Marc Gonzales said.

“What you make of your college experience is what matters the most,” Gonzales said. “There are 3,000 plus colleges throughout the country and [not getting into the] top 50 isn’t the end because there are [many] colleges out there where you can get the same good quality education.”

Students are constantly pushing themselves to take the most rigorous classes even when it is not in their best interest, Gonzales said. Wanting to keep up with peers and to have the prestige of applying to the best school shouldn’t take away from the high school experience, Gonzales said.

“You want to be able to enjoy your time, enjoy your friends and the area we live in, because it has a

Learning to celebrate your success is something all students and even adults need to work on, based therapist Sarah Loyd said.

“We’ve seen a lot of huge accomplishments, the same time, success is different for everyone,” said. “Accomplishments are more than just academic based, or how many AP classes you take. Academic rigor is not the only way to measure your success accomplishments.”

Many students’ mindsets toward grind culture concerning, Loyd said, as it arouses stress and ety among students.

“[I want to] get rid of this all or nothing Loyd said. “[Many students think] ‘If I don’t I’m not going to get into college’ or ‘if I don’t on this assignment, I’m flunking high school.’ extreme thoughts are untrue.”

In addition to the weight of college, the ment someone is raised in can play a pivotal their perception of grind culture, Ko said.

“Growing up, that kind of pressure was embedded in me,” Ko said. “So it doesn’t really feel like sure, but something I feel like I’m obligated

Despite the overwhelming pressures of grind ture, Ko said it serves as strong motivation him to achieve academic success. Ko said more work he has, the more driven he is to his work done quickly, so he has the time destress.

“I’m driven by knowing that once I get stressors out of my mind, I can relax. ” Ko said. “I take around an hour every day to destress, whether that’s going through Instagram reels watching Netflix.”

Gaywala said the pressure to do well school comes from his personal desire to attend college and, in the event he ever has children, to set them up for success.

“I want to succeed academically and go top college like Stanford, Harvard or MIT,” Gay wala said. “In order to keep up with [my peers], also have to commit to grind culture, so I joined

Chris Nafrada, Science

How have you seen grind culture in your students?

“What I have seen for the most part, especially in high stakes classes such as honors and AP classes, is there tends to be anxiety surrounding the grades that are going to be earned in those classes. And in doing so, the learning becomes lost. I truly think that if you learn for the sake of learning everything else just takes care of itself.”

James Aguirre, English teacher

How have you seen grind culture in your students?

“Kids are doing work that’s not even for English. I often see kids [working on] math, science and computer science, which makes me think about how much work those classes assign. I would say it’s a sign that there’s an imbalance in where kids are spending their energy.”

How do you caused

“I try to provide flexibility get assignments from try to be mindful about whether it’s

Photo by Amanda Boles

The Epitaph

nothing the limit

How do you feel when you hear...

school experience. Students share how this idea journeys.

you,” Gonzato express never going something on, schoolaccomplishments, but at everyone,” Loyd academic Academic success and culture are and anxithinking,” get an A, don’t do well school.’ These environpivotal role in embedded like a presto do.” grind culmotivation for the get time to my said. destress, reels or well in attend children, to a Gaypeers], I joined

a lot of clubs, am doing independent research and am running a nonprofit outside of school.”

While he has a large workload, Gaywala said he leaves time to do activities outside of school and tries to maintain a healthy school-life balance.

“[At any moment] I can choose to back up a little bit or not do as much work,” Gaywala said. “I have support systems in place for myself, and I’ve taken on an academic load that is manageable along with what I want to do outside of school.”

Despite the repercussions if taken too far, Gaywala said there are some benefits to grind culture. Specifically, Gaywala said grind culture prepares students for the stresses that come with adulthood. His freshman self could never handle his current workload, Gaywala said.

“If you are going to grow yourself as a person, you need to learn how to cope with stress properly,” Gaywala said. “Every time I feel stressed, I quickly take two deep breaths and move on.”

Ko said it is important that students focus on their passions, and the results will follow.

“I advise others to focus more on improving what you are doing right now, whether that is in an extracurricular activity or your grades,” Ko said. “This will help you make a more meaningful contribution to the community, which is exactly what you want to do to prepare for college.”

Upcoming

What did you get on the test?

“I can understand why people would want to know that and compare, but at the same time that comparison can be a little unhealthy and make people feel horrible about what they might have gotten on a test.”

-Kyler Choi (10)

“I get kind of annoyed. I feel like in terms of improving, you should be comparing yourself to your previous grades and stuff if you really want to improve. And for me, it kind of demotivates me if someone gets a better score than me.”

-Lucia Liu (11)

I only got (#) hours of sleep.

“That is a little unhealthy, because it is a comparison with other people. But, it can also help, because if you’re sharing that you could get some advice from others.”

-Kyler Choi (10)

You wont get into a good college unless you have…

“[When I hear this], I feel pressure to get good grades and do more extra curriculars, like getting into clubs and being involved with their activities.”

-Amy Li (10)

“I feel really discouraged when I hear this phrase. In this generation, it does ring true to a lot of [students], but colleges should still try to accept people based on their personality and traits instead of their academic rigor.”

-Angelina Cuan (11)

I only got a (#) on the test.

Despite the time commitment, Ko said FBLA has allowed him to grow as a leader and travel with friends to competitions across the nation.

Science teacher

How do you try to alleviate stress caused by grind culture?

“I try not to give homework. I used to give quite a bit of it, but then I started to realize that students were just going through the motions of completion, but weren’t getting anything out of it. So I try to only assign meaningful work within the scope of the period.”

“People shouldn’t say that to friends or anyone because it can make them feel discouraged and like they want to give up.”

-Angelina Cuan (11)

Obligation or hobby?

Mon

“Track and field has practices every day after school, for a few hours at a time so it definitely takes time. However, as long as I manage my time wisely I can get all my homework done.”

-Allison Brown (10)

Wed

“I mainly do robotics and tennis. The people are really cool because everyone shares common interests. It’s definitely a big time commitment.”

-Shannon Wu (10) Fri

Sat you try to alleviate stress caused by grind culture?

flexibility with what I get and when I from students with my late policy. I about how much work I assign and it’s valuable or helpful.”

“I love doing FBLA. I also do Boy Scouts and play badminton. I like all the activities I do, but sometimes, it can be too much.”

-Varun Narayanan (10)

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo courtesy of Varun Narayanan

Photo courtesy of Allison Brown

Photo courtesy of Shannon Wu

AI: A trusted tool or dangerous weapon

Teachers share thoughts on using AI as an educational tool

By Amanda Boles, Malar Raguraman and Catherine Yang

AI has become a highly controversial topic in education on campus. With highly developed and accessible AI tools now available, there has been uncertainty over the ethics of using such tools in an educational setting, history teacher Greg Russo said.

The current policy regarding AI is teachers get to determine rules based on the subjects they teach and their personal stance, Principal Greg Giglio said. As ChatGPT and other AI tools are still new for many teachers, Giglio said it is of utmost importance that all teachers have an understanding of how they work so they can implement effective policies which suit their needs.

“We need to get an understanding of what [AI] is and how it can be used,” Giglio said. “We’re trying to educate teachers because it’s all coming at us at a fast speed.”

However, many teachers still remain uneducated on AI and therefore cannot use it efficiently, history teacher Kelly DiNucci said.

“My stance is developing as we know more about AI, but I think there are limits on it for teachers, though those limits are different for students,” DiNucci said. “I really don’t know enough about AI to say how teachers can use it.”

Although many raise concerns over students using these powerful tools, the question of whether educators should use AI is still up in the air, Russo said.

Russo said AI can be a helpful tool to improve his teaching. The history teacher uses ChatGPT to add new and unique bits of information to engage students during a lesson, he said.

“I’ve asked ChatGPT a few questions that might help make my lecture a bit more engaging or

interesting,” Russo said. “It’s very helpful at getting me to take what I already know [and] to think about it in a different, more concise or interesting way.”

Resources such as ChatGPT are also extremely helpful as a study tool for students because they condense information from multiple sources, Russo said. He has even encouraged his students to use it as a study tool to prepare for the AP U.S. History test, he said. This use of ChatGPT extends to teachers, as they can also use it to write tests or create study materials for their students, Russo said.

However, Chinese teacher Vivian Ju said AI isn’t a helpful resource for teaching language. ChatGPT is not the right tool for translation or sentence creation, Ju said, and using more traditional teaching and learning methods is more effective.

“There’s no way for students in Chinese 3 or 4 or even AP Chinese to ask AI, ‘Hey, show me how you use this particular sentence structure,’ because it’s going to give you

Climate concerns community

just take all subsidies away and let them compete on the free market, where I think renewable energy would win.”

By Parker Lin, Mikha Pilar and Annabelle Yip

In light of recent climate-linked disasters such as the wildfires in Maui and hurricane Hilary in southern California, members of the HHS community have become increasingly concerned about the impacts of climate change, ASB sustainability commissioner, junior Aayushma Adhikari said. The impacts of these natural disasters are dire and require action, Adhikari said.

“So many people have had to move out of their homes and they’ve lost their livelihoods, their family and their friends [due to climate change],” Adhikari said. “It’s deeply concerning, not just because of the environmental effect of these natural disasters, but also because of how it impacts people, wildlife and other organisms.”

Similarly, science teacher Richard Carmona said that seeing the effects of climate change continue to worsen around the world has caused him to worry for his children’s futures.

“It concerns me because I’m nervous that their futures [are] not going to be as stable as what we’ve experienced,” Carmona said. “More and more weird stuff keeps happening because of climate

change.”

As such, Carmona said various lifestyle changes are necessary to mitigate the effects of climate change. For example, people can reduce their meat consumption or recycle more efficiently in order to lessen their individual carbon footprint. However, Carmona said although small changes in communities are essential, individual action does not have the greatest effect on climate issues, so large government action is what is going to make the difference.

“We need big systemic changes,” Carmona said. “Big policy changes on the state, local and federal government level need to happen to really stop this. The government needs to stop subsidizing fossil fuels and either subsidized renewables, like solar or wind, or

As the ASB sustainability commissioner, Adhikari said she supports student-led initiatives regarding environmentalism as well as assisting environmental clubs on campus. With the effects of climate change becoming more prevalent worldwide, Adhikari said she plans to continue to educate and inspire students to be more environmentally conscious and active.

“This year, I really want to focus on enacting positive and tangible changes within HHS and the surrounding community,” Adhikari said. “One of my goals is to have a green jobs fair where students can explore various careers in all sorts of fields regardless of their interest, as the green jobs career sector is skyrocketing.”

Additionally, Adhikari said donating to legitimate sites for natural disaster relief, such as fundraisers for the Maui wildfires, is an important way for people to do their part, and encourages teachers to talk about such issues in the classroom.

“I would highly recommend that teachers mention these things in classrooms, because not all students have the support of their friends or family at home to actually know more about these issues,” Adhikari said.

Climate change initiative pres-

ident, senior Sahasra Akula said the club is spreading awareness and hosting activities to encourage students to be more sustainable in their daily lives.

“[We are doing activities] where we can make an impact, maybe not as big as a global scale, but at least on a local scale,” Akula said. “Last year, we used recycled plastic bottles and taught club members how to make them into different pen holders. So, teaching people how to reuse their things is one way we’re showing students how not to waste. Whatever you’re doing [to help the environment], even if it seems like a little bit, is going to create an impact in some way.”

Adhikari said she encourages all people to learn about the real, accurate facts about climate change. It is important that students and teachers avoid misinformation as they continue to educate themselves and others, Adhikari said.

“The more people that are educated about exactly what is happening, not any sort of conspiracies, but the exact truth and the actual scale of which climate change is happening and these natural disasters are occurring, [the better],” Adhikari said. “Just seek out to be educated, and if you’re knowledgeable about these topics, try and talk it through with your friends, family, teacher, or anyone else you know.”

something above your Chinese understanding,” Ju said.

Additionally, Ju said she prefers to self-select more authentic resources for her curriculum.

“I won’t use [ChatGPT] for my own growth in terms of teaching since I have a solid understanding of what I’m doing,” Ju said.

While ChatGPT can teach students and teachers alike, it should

be used sparingly, Russo said. This is especially important for writing, since relying on AI can undermine the ability to write independently, Russo said.

“You shouldn’t present something as your own if it’s AI generated, even if you’re a teacher,” Russo said. “Just like for students, it is appropriate in some areas and inappropriate in others.”

ChatGPT and other AI platforms are not exclusively tools for students to utilize, but also for teachers, Russo said.

How do you figure out your career path?

Aaroushi Sheth (9)

“I figured out my career path through experience; taking different classes and trying to find out what I liked. It's also good to talk to your teachers and ask them how they chose their career path. Talking to other people helps you figure out your own career.”

Harshdeep Singh (12)

What are the easiest sports to make it into?

Maggie Ng (9)

What’s the best bathroom?

Poorva Khambekar (9)

What’s the most fun AP class?

Ofri Rave (9)

“Some sports accept everyone that tries out and some do cuts. Just do what fits best for you. And if you're going to sign up for a sport, make sure you have the time for it so you don’t overwhelm yourself.”

Alexa Ochoa (12)

“The upstairs bathrooms in any of the newly constructed buildings are all great, but the upstairs B building is the best. Never go to the downstairs C-building girl’s bathroom. It’s a toxic wasteland.”

Arina Shpin (12)

APs are not fun. I'm sorry. They're not because it's literally in the name: Advanced Placement. You're going to have fast-paced courses, more homework and more projects and labs in science classes. But if it's a subject that you like, then there's potential for fun.

Alexa Ochoa (12)

What are the best clubs to join?

Maya Powers (9)

“Anything you’re interested in and want to explore. If you’re really into entrepreneurship, probably FBLA. If you like STEM and building with your hands, probably robotics. There’s also lots of artsy clubs.”

Alexa Ochoa (12)

Infographic by Alicia

and Nicole Pimenta

CCI members, seniors Kento Sakta and Shyam Krishnan participate in a Kahoot trivia game about climate change. Events such as these educate students and encourage activism within the school community, Akula said.

Photo by Annabelle Yip

Students, staff discuss recent impacts of global warming

Photo by Catherine Yang

New clubs on the block

By Naaga Senthil

This year on campus, students have started clubs based on their personal interests. From history to chess, these new clubs encapsulate the range of interests and the diversity of the student body.

History club

After junior Alex Jiang noticed the absence of a history club on campus, Jiang said he invited a few friends to create one.

“I really like history and this primarily stemmed off of my interest in science fiction like Star Wars,” Jiang said.

Currently, the club is facing some challenges, such as engaging younger students and increasing the turnout during meetings, vice president junior Evan Wang said.

“As one of the newer clubs at Homestead, we found it hard to get our name out,” Wang said. “We are planning on growing our social media following to reach a broader audience.”

Though there is the possibility of having a low turnout during meetings, both Jiang and Wang said they are optimistic for the future of the club.

“Our primary goal is to get students of all grades and knowledge levels engaged in history,” Wang

said. “We want to make it fun and interesting for them to learn.”

Chess club

Sophomore Henry Hu said he saw the growing popularity of chess around campus, which prompted him to start the club.

“In November, there is an interscholastic competition between the different chess clubs in the FUHSD district that we are planning to attend,” Hu said. “[The competition] will be a great way for members of the club to meet other players.”

Freshman Charles Komatsu said he finds the club to be a relaxed environment. After learning about the club from his friends, he said he decided to attend the first general meeting and has enjoyed every meeting since.

Komatsu said he hopes to practice various strategies and learn more about different tactics.

“I’m looking forward to the tournaments and puzzle rushes, hanging out with my friends and playing chess,” Komatsu said.

Hu said he hopes the club will be able to expand on the passion students have for chess. Additionally, he said that he has a clear vision of the impact that the chess club will have at HHS.

“We really want to make chess one of the most popular activities

Order in the court

Mock trial officers talk about tryouts, experience with club

By Adam Orrin

A vengeful botanist placing a poisonous snake in his neighbor’s mailbox. A theater enthusiast stealing William Shakespeare’s ring. These are two examples of creative cases the mock trial team has been tasked with investigating. Combing theater and litigation, mock trial has restarted this year, hoping to prepare its members for the season ahead.

Mock trial gears up for the next big case with tryouts, mock trial co-president, senior, Rohan Venkatesan said. A lot of people come into tryouts nervous but the officer team isn’t looking for perfect, just potential, Venkatesan said.

Junior Trisha Liu said her experience trying out for mock trial has helped her step out of her comfort zone.

“I joined mock trial [because] I was really bad at public speaking,” Liu said. “I was really inspired by a lot of the officers and the attorneys during my freshman year and I decided to keep going with mock trial my sophomore and now my junior year.”

The officers discussed what

drew them into mock trials and how it has helped them to accomplish one of their goals, as early as high school, officer, sophomore Noga Rockmael said.

Rockmael said she wants to become an attorney one day and has started on the path to that dream with her experience in mock trial.

“I’ve always wanted to be an attorney, so |it’s| like pursuing that job. But in high school, you get more experience with it…and I think what makes other people passionate about it is an interest in law,” Rockmael said.

Mock trial coach Jay Venkatesan said he wants to help the students achieve those dreams and guide the students through the legal process in building their mock trial cases.

“My job as the coach is to explain to the kids how the legal process works, how the trial process works and then guide them into developing the examinations and the presentations that they need,” Jay Venkatesan said.

As a lawyer himself, Jay Venkatesan said his experience of doing mock trials in high school has helped him on his path to becoming a lawyer. “I really enjoyed doing mock trial, and it showed me I wanted to be a lawyer],” Venkatesan said. “You can’t get this experience in any other club.”

at HHS,” Hu said. “As we expand our reach, we are going to go more in-depth into what the game of chess is all about.”

Songwriting and music production club

When club president, senior Anika Iyer observed the lack of a music community on campus, she said she decided to start the songwriting and music production club with vice president of songwriting, senior Anna Savage.

“I have always had a passion for creating music and I wanted to bring that to the school community,” Savage said.

With this club, the officers hope to bring forth a community for creation, Iyer said. The officers were inspired to start the club in hopes of meeting other like-minded students. Seeing as she did not have the same opportunity to join a club with her interests, Iyer said she found it important to give other students a safe space to share their passion for music

production. Iyer said she hopes the club will expand its reach to encourage other to pursue their musical endeavors.

Both officers said they have an optimistic outlook for the impact of the club within HHS and beyond.

The ‘limitless’ PTSA

PTSA is a key participant in volunteering, event organization, fundraising

By Alicia Liste

The Parent Teacher Student Association plays an integral role in our school’s volunteering, fundraising and event organization, principal Greg Giglio said.

“They are limitless in the kinds of things they do,” Giglio said.”

Some of the events the PTSA organizes each year include the upcoming job shadow day program and the grad night party.

The PTSA, which can be joined by anyone willing to pay a $10 fee, is a non-profit organization, according to PTSA president Harita Menon. One of their key components is their advocacy work in local, state and national politics, ensuring governmental policies help educators, schools and students, according to the National PTA website.

In addition to their work in politics, PTSA volunteers also collaborate with student charity projects held by clubs or ASB, such as book drives, offering the adult supervision that makes these weekend events possible, when Homestead staff are unavailable, said Menon.

Other events with PTSA collaboration include Multicultural Night, the annual staff appreciation brunch and Beyond the Blue, Menon said.

“Especially since coming off of the pandemic, the PTSA has been very excited to come on campus and help with student activities,” Menon said.

Events related to seniors and their families, such as senior celebration and senior awards night, particularly benefit from the PTSA, which offers hospitality at these events, hosting cookie or treat receptions, Menon said.

“It’s wonderful that we do it for senior families, even if the whole school doesn’t see it,” Menon said.

Most importantly, the PTSA is a big source of donations, providing everything from lab supplies to reading materials. In recent years, such contributions have included a $10,000 donation toward upgrading desktop computers, providing organizational planners for students, and offering discounted rates for practice college exams, according to the PTSA page.

Other than the money already allocated to specific departments, teachers can also apply for grants and fundraise more money for

their respective deparments, Menon said.

Similarly, Giglio said the school relies heavily on the PTSA whenever a department’s financial needs exceed its annual budget, such as for an exciting new idea or lab experiment, as they can turn to the PTSA to foot the bill.

Despite everything they do for the school, the PTSA is still lacking in student involvement, Menon said.

“I have no idea what the PTSA is,” junior Riya Zingade said. “But it sounds like an important way to connect between different types of people, including teachers and parents.”

Involvement in the PTSA, both from parents and students, is extremely essential in maintaining a well-funded, more cohesive school community, Menon said.

“In schools where there’s a big level of parental involvement, kids do better,” Giglio said. “They’re more connected, they’re happier, and they tend to do better in school due to [community involvement].”

PTSA president Harita Menon (far right) helps organize HHS’s volunteering and fundraising efforts.

Senior Anika Iyer (left) and Freshman Charles Komatsu (right) participate in Songwriting and music production and chess clubs, respectively. (Photos by Naaga Senthil)

Photo by Parth Dhaulakhandi

Mock Trial officers, (Trisha Liu, Anushruti Nagarajan, Rohan Venkatesan and Noah Rockmael, left - right) prepare new members for championships.

Photo courtesy of Harita Menon

More than banjos and beer

Country is the most misunderstood genre of music

By Brian Ip

Before listening to Marty Robbins and Zach Bryan, I believed country songs were a shallow genre of music. The first image that came to mind was a hillbilly playing a banjo on his porch while sipping on a beer. While this perception is often spread throughout the media, I disagree with this notion of country music being about nothing but patriotism and pickup trucks. Instead, the genre constantly changes, spreading across the country from its origins in the southern United States.

“Gunfighter Ballad and Trail Songs,” an album released in 1959 by Marty Robbins, emphasizes the rich cultural background of country music. The collection follows the life of different outlaws and sheriffs on the Western border frontier. Each song in the album expands on a unique aspect of the Wild West — whether it is a historical song about the Homestead Act or a more fantastical story of an outlaw giving up the life of crime to follow God.

In the single, “They’re Hanging Me Tonight,” the story is told from the perspective of a man waiting to be hanged. The song opens with the narrator’s motives for killing his ex-partner, describing how she left him for another.

As the song progresses, we are given details of his increasing jealousy, such as when he sees them together in a bar, his envy driving him to murder them both.

“They’re Hanging Me Tonight” is a song layered with complexity, revealing the genre’s ability to breathe life and emotions into songs. Furthermore, the song’s story format slowly reveals the narrator’s motives and keeps the listener guessing what details will be unveiled next.

Deinfluencers redefine trends

The positive impacts of deinfluencing, a new social media trend

“Gunfighter Ballad and Trail Songs” does a fantastic job of constructing a picture of the Western United States, with each passing track adding depth through a different life, story or perspective. The overall presentation and individual storytelling in each single constructs an alluring atmosphere, depicting the peak of the Wild West.

Looking at the modern influence of country music, “Burn Burn Burn” by Zach Bryan is a more analytical piece of art, covering the desire for simplicity outside of the fast-paced life most people find themselves in. Zach Bryan explores the superficiality of modern social life, elaborating that people nowadays wish to impress others through dressing up for late night parties.

Contrasting this with his personal views, he explores his desire to return to his childhood days, surrounded by nature and not social media. The song provides a unique look at different perspectives on lives from a different era, with Bryan’s unique style, lyrics and voice all showcasing the depth of country music.

As I delved deeper into the genre, I discovered that country music cannot be discounted as simply just Southern bonfire songs. Country incorporates sounds and portrays environments in impressive detail. Both Marty Robbins and Zach Bryan’s singles and albums cover historical events and provide unique perspectives of everyday life, whether depicting life hundreds of years ago on the frontier or in the modern era.

Country music’s ability to portray profound messages and perspectives has disproved the common perception of country music, and has instead demonstrated the intense growth of the genre through its inception.

By Kevin Miao

With over half a billion views in a year, deinfluencing has risen to the top of viral trends on TikTok. The hype is centered around influencers who have flipped from promoting a product to discouraging it.

The act of a celebrity or otherwise famous individual promoting or encouraging the purchase of a product and influencing its sales is a key business strategy. A Forbes report states that over 60% of consumers have said they trust product recommendations they receive from influencers, as opposed to less than 38% of consumers who trust corporate brands.

Recently, however, more and more deinfluencers have been emerging: people who discourage the purchase of a product and encourage consumers to evaluate whether they need a product before spending money on it.

While deinfluencers may intuitively seem like the opposite of an influencer, their ultimate goal is the same: to popularize an opinion on a product.

Deinfluencers may appear to act out of a moral obligation, but they might be doing it to promote another, seemingly better product or to gain the trust of their viewers. In the end, people on social media only look for one thing: clout.

Deinfluencers are following a trend themselves, a result of people trying to get on the next big thing, which is apparent from the drastic increase in the use of the #deinfluencing tag on TikTok.

tions. I have seen many videos where influencers depict products in a bandwagon manner, just to attract customers for the product.

Just as music has evolved over time from cassettes to streaming, country music has also evolved in style and execution.

You are just a fan

Doja Cat controversy shows dangers of parasocial relationships

By Mikha Pilar

Many fans have a parasocial relationship with their idols. From the BeyHive of Beyoncé to the Army of BTS, fans spend lots of time, energy and money when it comes to supporting their favorite artists. Recently, fans of Taylor Swift spent an estimated $1,300 each to see her perform live at her “Eras Tour,” according to Newsweek.

The dangers of these one-sided relationships stem from the fact that celebrity interactions with

their fans are mostly done to appease the audience, with no personal feelings being attached.

Doja Cat does an extraordinary job of reminding the masses of this phenomenon, churning out statements on social media that directly insult her fanbase. An example of such behavior includes a comment she published on Threads, Instagram’s text application.

A fan of Doja Cat’s expressed their concerns about the artist’s lack of gratitude for her fans, as they are what allow her to make music for a living. Doja Cat responded by pointing out that her fans were never obligated to support her in the first place, following this statement with several insults. The peculiar interactions between

Deinfluencing helps discourage people from buying useless or faulty products.

Not only have I seen such videos, I too am guilty of having purchased unnecessary products that looked attractive, such as the mini-projector now collecting dust in my room or the slushie maker tucked away in my cupboard. Deinfluencing is useful because it prevents these needless expenses. However, no matter how effective, beneficial or trustworthy a deinfluencer may seem to us consumers, it is important to always stay vigilant.

Despite their potential ulterior motives, deinfluencers can have many positive benefits, as they help prevent useless purchases and promote cheaper substitu-

A bat mitzvah blast

By Adam Orrin

Adam Sandler made a hilarious comeback to film this August with his movie, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” The film delves into what it is like to be a Jewish girl preparing for her bat mitzvah, a Jewish right of passage where a teenager assumes the responsibilities of an adult within the community.

The movie portrayed the awkwardness of the Jewish teenage experience perfectly: full of pressure and cringe. The comedy follows a Jewish girl named Stacy Friedman, played by Sunny Sandler, as she struggles to get ready for her bat mitzvah while balancing all the relationships in her life, from her friends to the cute boy in her class.

The breakout performance by Sunny Sandler, Adam Sandler’s daughter, smashed all of my expectations. Every scene feels like watching an unscripted, live video, and every emotional line, no matter how cringe, is delivered perfectly.

Unfortunately, the same quality of acting cannot be attributed to Stacy’s older sister, played by Sadie Sandler. All I can say about her

Doja Cat and her fans caused much uproar, with many offended that the artist responded to their loyalty with disregard.

I myself am not a fan of Doja Cat, but sometimes I listen to her music on trending pages on social media and music streaming platforms. I do, however, believe the way she addresses her fans is rude.

As a fan of K-pop girl group TWICE, I, too, have experienced parasocial relationships. One member, Nayeon, once uploaded photos of a handwritten letter she made for fans, making fans feel loved by Nayeon herself. Although this made me feel this way as well, I soon realized that pleasing fans is just part of a celebrity’s paycheck. A notable case of paraso -

performance is “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.” Her jokes land flat, and it seems as if she was forced into this movie. Her character serves no purpose, except to be another Sandler on the cast list. Similarly, apart from the small yet hilarious bits featuring Luis Guzman, the other characters were mediocre.

You never know what their ulterior motives may be, so it is important to remember to not trust an influencer too much, regardless of their stance on a product.

“You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” uses clever humor to tell an authentic Jewish story.

I am shocked by the movie’s ability to be lavish and exaggerated, yet remain relatable. As a Jewish teen myself, I can attest to the struggles depicted in parts of the movie, like learning your Torah reading. I understand the stress of standing on the podium staring at family and friends, feeling as if they are judging your every move.

This feeling of teenage angst and stress fits perfectly with the soundtrack of the movie. The bedroom-pop feel compliments every scene perfectly, whether emotional or hilarious. Furthermore, the standout song, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Traitor,” perfectly captures all the complicated emotions of a teenage girl struggling with relation-

cial relationships nowadays are ones between K-pop artists and their fans. In 2020, a controversy arose regarding a member of a K-pop boy band group EXO, an artist named Chen, when he announced his decision to get engaged and start a family with his fiancée.

According to the Korea Herald, a score of people stormed Gangnam, a city in

ships. Plus, every great song came with a picture-perfect shot.

What shocks me about this movie is not how it makes me laugh, but how it makes me cry. The movie portrays the modern Jewish experience with extraordinary realism, which I connected with.

To see a story where you do not see yourself as an outsider is amazing, and seeing my culture represented in such an authentic manner is beautiful. This movie is more than meaningful — it is necessary.

Movie: “You are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah”

Grade: A. Watch on Netflix.

South Korea where EXO’s parent company, SM Entertainment, was based. The protestors demanded Chen’s removal from the group, feeling betrayed by his personal decisions.

The sudden reminders of the dangers of parasocial relationships Doja Cat came out with are a wake-up call for everyone involved. She did not do it in the friendliest manner, but taking a more aggressive approach was necessary to keep fans, especially the most aggressive ones, at bay. Musicians create music, and fans consume it. Maybe it is not that deep after all. You are just a fan, nothing more. Social media masks the divide between artists and their fans.

The whole Sandler family comes together to make new comedy film

Illustration by Parth Dhaulakhandi

Illustration by Brian Ip

Illustration by Mikha Pilar

Photo from Netflix

Requests:

New trends reshape pop music

Possibilities in pop music are expanding for artists, listeners

By Alan Ma

Driven by evolving trends within the music industry, pop music has transformed as artists take advantage of the accessibility of music-making tools and the “TikTokification” of the industry.

In past years, technological advancements have led to increased creative freedom. With access to free Digital Audio Workstations and platforms where pre-made beats can be bought, new artists can be born anywhere, anytime.

In addition, composition software such as Musescore and Sibelius allows modern composers to easily create pieces using computer keys instead of having to write sheet music.

A prime example is Lil Nas X — a popular artist blossoming due to the advancement of musical technology. He created his hit song “Old Town Road,” which topped the Billboard Charts for 19 consecutive weeks, using a beat that he bought for $30 on the platform BeatStars, according to CNBC.

Lil Nas X first released his song on TikTok resulting in a viral explosion that elevated his music career to new heights.

As artists compete to gain viral fame on TikTok, they produce more music that is suited to the platform. “TikTok songs” have a particular, memorable portion that

Sid Sriram’s career comes to a ‘Standstill’ with latest album

step for Sriram. Despite growing up and studying in the Bay Area, he sang nearly all of his songs in Tamil until “Sidharth.”

By Malar Raguraman

Sid Sriram, an artist from the Bay Area, has the perfect voice for heartbreaking love songs.

His gorgeous voice has been the driving force of his career, leading him to work with legendary songwriters in the Tamil music industry to create beautifully intimate songs, many of which have become immensely popular within the South Indian world.

To reach a wider audience, he is currently on his “All Love No Hate” tour in America.

In August, he released “Sidharth,” a completely English album that was produced by Def Jam Recordings, a record label that has discovered and popularized many of today’s well-known artists including Muni Long, Justin Bieber and DJ Khaled.

This, along with Sriram’s unique voice, had me eagerly anticipating his album. As an American teenager who listens to South Indian music, I was expecting a new blend of the two distinct worlds of Indian and Western music.

An English album was a big

I expected this album to embrace his American side with enlightening, personal and melodious songs.

=However, listening to “Sidarth” for the first time was one of the most disappointing moments of my life.

It was devastating to hear Sriram’s powerful voice lost to the excessive reverb in nearly every song.

These new songs are an attempt at a strangely electronic music style and lack real melodies, something that typically ties Sriram’s voice into a song.

The notes and elements feel disconnected, and his lyrics provide no real meaning.

Instead of binding two beautiful cultures together with “Sidharth,” Sriram failed to implement Western techniques into his music and blindly threw in certain Indian elements.

Sriram’s album made me wonder: Was he straying from his usual style to gain attention from American audiences? If so, why would

is around 10-15 seconds long and can be used in the background of a short video. One viral song on TikTok is Capone’s “Oh No,” which is used by Tiktokers to express disapproval. The lyrics used are “Oh no / oh no / oh no no no no no.”

Simple, repetitive lyrics like these are popular on TikTok as they help to express emotions and opinions without requiring viewers to listen closely.

Another song with “Tiktokified” lyrics is “girls like me don’t cry,” released by thuy in 2022. The lines “Girls like me don’t cry / Girls like me pretend we don’t cry” make up six to seven lines in the last section of the song and are repeated throughout the piece.

“girls like me don’t cry” highlights another way TikTok has changed the music in dustry:

it’s creating a demand for versions of songs with altered speeds, which differ from originals in certain aspects, such as its “danceability”.

The regular version of “girls like me don’t cry” is hardly found on TikTok, with the majority dancing to the sped-up version instead. This new market opportunity has caused artists to speed up and slow down their own music, in an attempt to gain virality or additional profit on media platforms.

As microgenres develop fan bases and “Tiktokified” music becomes more mainstream, the pop industry is rapidly changing. With more people given the resources to make songs, the music world is facing diverse possibilities and potential rags-to-riches stars.

he do it in this way, losing his old audience in pursuit of a new one?

“Sidharth” shows that Sriram’s focus has strayed from the South Asian music styles that have brought him so much success. He has so much potential, and by collaborating with artists who know how to cultivate it, Sriram can create incredibly special music in any industry.

Sriram has yet to touch the peak of his achievements, and I’ll be waiting for his life-changing songs until then.

“Sidarth.” Grade: C+

Artist: Sid Sriram

With the advancement of music-making applications in recent years, more people can become musicians.

Girlhood on ‘Guts’

Olivia Rodrigo spills her guts on her latest album

By Sanah Arya

The catchy verses, well-written lyrics and raw emotion of Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album “Sour” caused the album to gain enormous traction. With her second album “Guts,” Rodrigo captures the journey of adolescence with unapologetic honesty.

Each track feels like a diary entry, offering a glimpse of her innermost thoughts and feelings.

Rodrigo kicks off the album with a pop-rock track, “all-American bitch.” The song explores the contrasts of American culture, highlighting Olivia Rodrigo’s sense of misplacement.

She reflects on her concerns about double standards and unachievable norms for women through her lyricism and tone.

Rodrigo breaks character during the song’s unexpected bridge, moving from a twinkly guitar background to punk rock, expressing her spontaneity and confidence in herself.

“bad idea right?” has become extremely popular on social media. The playful storytelling and lyrics resonate with me and so many other teenage girls. The song emphasizes on the excitement of making poor decisions. In “bad idea right?” she sneaks out of a party into an

ill-advised hook-up. Toggling between logic and impulse, the chorus repeats “Seein’ you tonight, it’s a bad idea right?” but ends with “Yes, I know that he’s my ex, but can’t two people reconnect?”

I love these lyrics, and how she contradicts herself throughout the song. The way she conveys the beautiful mess and imperfections of her life and mind makes the song so special and relatable.

The album takes a melodramatic shift on the piece “vampire.” This is the most-streamed song on the album, and for good reason. The track juxtaposes her past love — a lying, heartless older man who only appears at night — with a vampire using witty comparisons.

I find this song a little cliché, but I absolutely adore the melodic shifts and intense lyricism.

As someone whose music taste doesn’t typically align with the pop-rock genre, I was pleasantly surprised by the production and execution of every song. I’d recommend that everyone give the entire album a listen.

The underlying meaning within every snarky remark makes each lyric exciting and sincere.

With this powerfully relatable album, Rodrigo encompasses the true experience of being a girl — the highs, the lows and everything in between.

“GUTS.” Grade: B+

Artist: Olivia Rodrigo

‘Sidharth,’ a truly unexceptional album by an exceptional singer

Olivia Rodrigo’s angsty coming-of-age album “GUTS” is booming on multiple platforms and has already hit over 100 million streams.

Taylor

Photo from Disney

Illustration by Alan Ma

Sriram’s incredible voice was hindered by experimentation in his latest album, “Sidharth.”

Football coaches adapt to support players Grossman steps into critical role

Coaches mold players with unique techniques

By Andrew Fekete and Danielle Feldsher

JV coach Raymond Souza and varsity coach Milo Lewis both hold important roles in the football program. However, the two coaches have varying approaches in how they coach young athletes. Regardless of these differences, their passion and love for the game impacts the lives of these young athletes, Lewis said.

“[In] varsity, you [can] work on the finer details, but in JV, it’s more of the basics, ” Souza said. “A lot of the plays within JV are more vanilla than varsity.”

The purpose of JV football is to teach the basics of the game, help players get used to the physicality of the sport and develop team members into stars, Souza said. Furthermore, Souza said he prioritizes helping players fight through the mental battles of the game.

“Everyone’s different, so I try not to be a cookie cutter, ” Souza said. “If I see [a player struggle] with pressure, putting them in that situation at practice is the easiest way to get them to handle it in a game.”

In contrast, Lewis strives to show support whenever an athlete

Grossman channels past experiences to improve athletic department

may be struggling with pressure. He gives them relatable stories to make sure they don’t feel alone, while also giving them insight on how to get out of those stressful situations, Lewis said.

From Lewis’ stories to Souza’s practice scenarios, captain, senior Wyatt Hook said the biggest difference between varsity and JV is the overall speed of the game.

To help JV players get ready for this change of pace, Souza said he values preparation to strengthen not only the players, but also the varsity program. He strives to push his athletes to the next level, seeing improvement as the season goes on, Souza said.

“It’s [important] to take that little leap,” Souza said. “A lot of our plays at the end of the season will be adding [details] to our basic plays. It takes a little bit more physical and mental experience to run those plays; but by the end of the season, there’s a lot more plays in our playbook.”

Lewis said his biggest goal this season is to bring his team back to the playoffs and give them an understanding of the significance of that achievement. Lewis and Souza both said they agree that being reliable is often more valuable than having skills in football.

“I just look for a person who has grit, “Lewis said. “I don’t care if you’re good or bad. Give your fullest potential and then whatever happens, happens. As long as you go home and know you did your best, I’m okay with that.”

Lewis said he has continued with coaching because of his passion for watching players reach their fullest potential.

”My players grow up and I see what they’ve done with their lives,” Lewis said. “When they come back and tell you what you’ve done for them, it changes your life.”

By Nathan Gu

After two years of working as HHS’ athletic director, English teacher Mallory Lantz stepped down from the position due to her increased family responsibili-

ties, allowing math teacher Chris Grossman to step into the role.

Before picking up the role from Lantz, Grossman said he was an athlete himself and played professional baseball for 10 years. However, after graduating from UC Berkeley, Grossman said he bounced around the sports scene for a couple of years, unsure about his goals for the future.

“I went and got my MBA in sports management, thinking I might get into college coaching, ” Grossman said. “I tried it out for a couple of years [but] it wasn’t something that I really wanted to do because I’d have to essentially start my career all over again.”

Instead, Grossman said he pursued a career in sales working with Coca-Cola. After Coca-Cola let him go as the district sales manager during the pandemic, Grossman said he decided to pursue an educational career.

Following his passion, Grossman took

a job teaching math at HHS last year, before becoming athletic director this year. Grossman said the role involves scheduling games, finding officials for them and overseeing fundraising for the athletic programs, all while teaching his classes.

In his second year at HHS and first as athletic director, Grossman said he looks forward to working in the position and taking major steps to better the school’s athletic department.

“As the new athletic director [I want to] turn [the athletic department] more from what it has been into a college-level athletic program, ” Grossman said. “I [will implement] some of my own experiences [from] growing up as an athlete and playing at a high-level athletic program like Cal, which I think can be very beneficial to our student [athletes].”

Varsity basketball coach Matt Wright said he looks forward to working with Grossman in the future.

“I think it’s great to have [an athletic director] with such a strong sports background, ” Wright said. “It’s also amazing to have someone who cares about sports [and] I just hope that he’ll stay with us for a long time.”

Boys water polo starts strong

Teams extend undefeated streak after drop to lower division

By Kevin Miao, Rajiv Venkatesh and Catherine Yang

Boys water polo dominated the early season after their move to the El Camino League, winning all of their first seven games.

Last year, the team was in the upper division, known as the De Anza League, but hovered on the brink of relegation to the lower El Camino League, varsity coach David Dour said.

Although the team won enough games to remain in the upper division, the coaching staff, then-athletic director Mallory Lantz and parents made the decision to move to the lower division to allow another school to move up to the De Anza League.

Junior Ryan Anton, a member of the varsity team, said playing in the new league has been an enjoy-

able experience, with both the varsity and JV teams winning by wide margins in each game.

“In the upper league, everyone does club and has played for multiple years,” Anton said. “Then you have this league, where the best kids have played for one or two years. It’s just a different level of experience.”

The team’s success in the lower league has improved the both players’ motivation and commitment, senior Carter Beitel said.

“We’ve had issues with people ditching practices in the past, but that hasn’t happened this year,” Beitel said. “People like to be on a winning team, so I think they’re having a lot more fun.”

Athletes score big for their communities

Players coach, mentor, play to give back to their community

By Anushruti Nagarajan,

Some athletes don’t just excel on the field — they strive to make a lasting impact off it. Beyond the roar of stadiums and the glory of championships, these individuals are quietly but passionately rewriting the playbook of what it means to be an athlete.

One of these players is right side hitter, senior Victoria Simpson, a volleyball player. Simpson said she is mentor and coach for youth volleyball players at Red Rock Volleyball Club.

“Over the summer I coached kids ages 10 to 15, I taught them basic volleyball skills and ran

drills with them,” Simpson said. “I thought it would be a great idea to coach kids who are interested in the sport I love.”

Simpson said her coaching role not only benefits her on the court but also allows her to view the game from both a player’s and a coach’s perspective.

“It makes me a better player because I’m more receptive to what coaches say and why they’re saying it, ” Simpson said.

Like Simpson, junior Julia Lohman, a water polo player and swimmer, channels her knowledge and skills into teaching swimming. Lohman said the most rewarding aspect of her experience as a swim instructor was witnessing the progress made by the children she taught as a result of her guidance.

”There was this one little kid, who wouldn’t get anything above his ankles wet, “ Lohman said. “But

by the last day he actually jumped in the water, and that was the best moment of the entire summer because his face lit up with so much joy and I was so proud.”

The main takeaway from her experience is patience, one of the most important tools while working with kids, Lohman said.

“Patience is always key,” Lohman said. ”Forcing a little kid to do something will get them to not do it even more. So the more you force it, the less they’re willing to do it.”

Center-back, soccer player Brooke Young, a senior, shares a passion for inclusivity and empowerment through soccer. Young plays on the San Jose Earthquakes Unified team, which consists of players with special needs and their partner players.

”12 through 25 is the age range for the players, and I work with them to improve their soccer skills

and make them feel more included.” Young said.

Young said her role on the team helps her with her own abilities as a player and to be more open minded and understanding to everyone in her community.

For now, Beitel said he is happy with the move to the lower league, as the team is set to lose most of its starting lineup when he and other seniors graduate next year. However, sophomore Kevin Martull said he sees a return to the upper division as a challenging, but achievable goal.

“We definitely should play against fiercer competition,” Martull said. “It’ll help us as a team to face off against the better schools.”

“It also helps with inclusivity and just makes me more aware too, “ Young said. “It gives me more experience interacting with people from different backgrounds [and] promotes inclusivity with everyone, no matter their abilities or skills.”

Helen Tam and Harshitha Vijayakumar

Souza said both he and Lewis set goals to bridge the gap between JV and varsity.

New athletic director Chris Grossman said he hopes HHS can build its athletic program and strive for excellence on the field.

Senior Brooke Young said she enjoys playing alongside everyone, and helping every player flourish no matter their skill level.

Varsity coach David Dour said the shift to the lower league will allow newer players to grow.

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo courtesy of Brooke Young

Photo courtesy of Chris Grossman

Photo by Andrew Fekete

KICKING OFF THE NEW YEAR

Students share their goals and excitements for the upcoming season.

BOYS WATER POLO

"I'm looking forward to senior night because I'm excited to have a night all about me, and to finish off the season with an undefeated record.”

-Yosef Pilip (12)

1-3

Records updated as of Sept. 27

“[We have] had a little bit of a slow start. We're picking up, though. Practice is definitely getting more intense. I feel like we can have a strong season this year.”

- Ben Ochinero (12)

“I'm most excited for team bonding events such as secret sisters, the potluck at the end of the season and potentially a haunted house we're gonna go to.”

-Mahi Patel (12)

“[I am looking forward to] improving so I can play better with my friends and get to know my teammates better.”

-Bella Castaneda (11)

0 - 6

TENNIS GIRLS WATER POLO

FIELD HOCKEY

“The season is going good, [the team is] definitely getting more fluid [as we grow] more comfortable playing with each other. My goals are to improve my skills, stay positive and have fun!”

-Kiyona Brown (11)

GIRLS GIRLS

3 - 1 - 2

Athlete of the Month

Sophomore Carson Chang shines as varsity quarterback

By Andrew Fekete

To be a starter on a loaded varsity roster is already enough of a feat, but to be the starting varsity quarterback as a sophomore is something most players can only dream of. Sophomore Carson Chang does not have to dream it, he gets to lives it.

4 - 3

VOLLEYBALL

“I think we can win the league. We can stay undefeated in the league and make CCS.”

-Linnaea Moore 5 - 0

This year, Chang is one of just two players to become varsity quarterback as a sophomore in over 50 years of HHS football history, head coach Milo Lewis said.

“It’s been huge for us,” Lewis said. “He’s going through all the things now [instead of as] a senior by playing in a spot for three years. It’s gonna be something different for us.”

Chang said his love for the game came from his dad.

“Growing up, my dad was a

football fan,” Chang said. “We were watching football on TV, and I was like, ‘alright, it looks fun. I’ll give it a shot.’ So me and my dad would go out and throw the ball around.”

This interest led him to play flag football from fifth grade to eighth grade. Although he didn’t play tackle football until his freshman year, he quickly picked it up and became JV’s starting quarterback as a freshman.

When summer practices started this year, Chang said he

"So far the season is going really good. We moved down a league so the games are a little easier for us. And we're able to play better because we can work together better if the other team is not as aggressive or as good as last year."

-Raz Harif (11)

GIRLS: 22/30 BOYS: 16/37

"I'm hoping that we can get the team more bonded together this year. I'm also hoping that we can make it far in the postseason, potentially going to the state meet."

-Ido Halevy (11)

CROSS COUNTRY

did not know what his position on the team was.

During the offseason, quarterback coach and defensive coordinator Tom Fernandez said he worked on his foot speed and throwing motion, which helped him develop into a more agile football player.

“We don’t expect him to know everything right now,” Fernandez said. “As long as he keeps getting better and better each day and each year, he’s gonna be a dynamite quarterback.”

Sophomore Carson Chang said he was proud his hard work paid off since he didn’t expect to go from JV to varsity in his sophomore year.

WOODBRIDGE MEET

Photo by Nicole Pimenta

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo by Nathan Gu

Photo by Elena Shim

Photo by Alicia Liste

Photo by Brian Ip

Photo by Amanda Boles

Photo courtesy of Sophia Willink

studenTs share canon evenTs at hhs

The legend of louise

Student conduct liaison Louise Garces is a memorable figure at HHS, junior Zain Mohsin said.

Sophomore Kyo Rodriguez said they have had special experiences with Garces throughout their time at HHS.

“[In my P.E. Dance class], Louise was dropping off a student who got caught skipping, and she started dancing with us,” Rodriguez said.

Garces helps establish an orderly campus environment, Mohsin said.

“No other high school has a monitor like her... Louise takes it

36.I%

of students said experienced being stopped

The invasion of club emails

Signing up for clubs but not attending their meetings is a common occurrence among students, junior Zain Mohsin said. This leaves students with spam emails and heartbreak over their inability to optimize the clubs at HHS, Mohsin said.

“Oftentimes, you have to know what you can do, do a good amount [your] freshman year, then build yourself up,” Mohsin said.

7i.2%

of students said they experienced being on multiple club email lists but not attending the meetings

Bathrooms of Annihilation

Being grossed out by a bathroom is a universal experience at HHS, senior Chetan Kurkure said.

“I have walked into a bathroom and then walked right out several times, since the bathrooms are not clean most of the time,” Kurkure said. People also leave feminine products on the floor and most bathrooms have at least one or two clogged toilets, sophomore Chloe Hou said.

86.2%

of students said they have experienced being grossed out by a bathroom

“[The bathrooms] have graffiti all over the wall.” Hou said, “ I can’t use the bathrooms because the toilets are clogged.”

asB vs technical difficulTi es

Broken projectors, echoing microphones and other technical difficulties mark rallies as uniquely belonging to HHS, junior Zain Mohsin said.

“During last year’s senior rally, the balloon decoration failed to go off,” Mohsin said, “Everyone was surprised, waiting for the balloons to drop down.”

Despite the issues, technical difficulties make rallies special, sophomore Kyo Rodriguez said.

7I.6%

of students said they experienced technical difficulties at rallies.

the tesT of time

Having consecutive classes held in buildings on opposite sides of the campus was incredibly difficult during the construction and renovation of the B building and library quad area, sophomore Kyo Rodriguez said.

“It would take forever,” Rodriguez said. “People would stop if they [saw] people they know. It would always be really tiring [going] from one end of the school to the other.”

6i.4%

of students said they experienced running across campus to beat the bell.