Issue 2 vol. 52 by The Epitaph

epitaph

Let’s

the

HOMESTEAD HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 52

ISSUE 2

Talk

SS EE XX

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

About

/8-9

21370 HOMESTEAD RD. CUPERTINO, CALIF.

ABOVE: Above: A stampede of students race against A stampede of students race the countdown a rush to get to school. againstinthe countdown.

tions Students rush to school in unsafe manner Lauren Lee Reporter

control create dangerous probents on a daily basis. “People speed all the time late,” senior Emily Murray said. With nearly 2,500 students, stead are packed full of kids rushing to school every morning, and

dashing home every afternoon. “Students disobey the law all the time,” senior Niloufar Nikfarjam said. “They think they can get to school faster if they speed.” and S. Mary, the horseshoe and the student and teacher parking lots. During the morning rush, students’ desperate attempts to get to their classes on time force cyclists, pedestrians and cars

there are no crossing guards speAdditionally, the only buses

run through red lights and walk through lanes of cars.

the police can make sure students get to school safely.” While Cupertino Middle School employs two crossing guards - one at the corner of

the special education department, and are not available for the rest of the student body, according to Student Conduct Liaison Louise Garces. As a result, students are forced to either take the public bus for a fee, drive or be driven by a parent, bike, or walk. All continue and around campus.

posed of student drivers with shiny new licenses and students as students pile out of the parking lot; the process is slow and drawn out as droves of pedestrians force cars to wait before they are able to exit the driveway. “I’ve seen bikers almost get hit because they didn’t stop and ignored the cars,” Nikfarjam said. “During lunch, I’ve also seen cars speed out of the student parking lot exit even though people are about to cross it.”

Continued on page 3

meanwhile, is primarily com-

Challenge Day continues despite setbacks Students turned away due to lack of adult volunteers, program still a success Carla Gonzalez Reporter The student center was buzzing with energy last Tuesday morning, as student leaders donning red shirts led the rest of the students participating in Challenge Day in welcoming games to break the ice. The energy was electric as eager students anxiously awaited the start of the program so many have called “life changing.”

the mix of twenty leaders and participants disappointed to be turned away. “I was really upset,” Verbrugge said, “I had done all this work for

two Challenge Days have been put on the school calendar, with the next opportunity to participate coming in the spring. While about 150 students signed up to participate in Challenge Day last week, 20 were turned away at the start of the program due to a lack of parent volunteers. Despite being on time and ready

students, but some adults failed to show up. Nevertheless, the Challenge Day spirit was not dampened. The participants that were unable to attend this semester were guaranteed a spot in next semester’s program, and those who were able to take part

junior Julia Verbrugge was among

looking forward to gaining that new outlook on people and on the world because I’ve had that after every single Challenge Day.” There was to be one parent or

smaller group. First-timer junior Damian Teso said, “I had a lot of weight on my

ABOVE: Students show sign of respect toward a fellow Challenge Day member.

shoulders and after Challenge Day. It feels like all this weight just came been building upon me.” Junior Theodore Tefera also atnever look at people the same way

At the corner of... Cheering for cheerleaders

Pg. 4

Pg. 15

too… The people that were in there with me, I’ll never forget them.” “It’s such an important experience,” English teacher and adult volunteer James Ratti said, “because what it really teaches more than anything else is empathy. It’s just being able to understand that other

people have their own things going on.” Although she was unable to attend this semester, Verbrugge is already looking forward to her next chance to participate. “There is no way I’m missing it.”

News

Entertainment 12

Opinion

Sports

Lifestyles

Last Word

PAGE DESIGN BY VERA SOPHIA BELIAEV PHOTOS BY TONI ROBERTS AND LAUREN LEE

news

Thursday, October 30th, 2014

Quad Update Construction causes noise that disrupts classes Marissa Lee Editor As the construction in the quad progresses, residual noise continues to grab the attention of students and staff. The noise, which has already begun at the start of the school day and lasts through to the final bell, can be heard in many classrooms near the quad, including in the classroom of English teacher Erin Harris, located in the lower C building. “The noise causes me to keep my doors closed and to speak at a louder level which can be frustrating,” Harris said. “However, the noise is inconsistent, so it’s not bothersome all the time.” Harris understands that there is no way to accommodate every teacher. She said she suggests patience, because it is only temporary, and in the end, the outcome of the noise will benefit the school. The noise also affects physics teacher Susan Mrozack, senior Bardia Ghayoumi said. “In physics class... she constantly requires the door to be open and closed to regulate the temperature of the classroom,” Ghayoumi said. “This is impossible because of the construction outside. She refers to it as a symphony of noise because otherwise it would drive her crazy.” Some students have learned to tune it out. “I just use my earphones to cover the sound,” senior Emily Kim said. Even with all the noise, for some students, the distraction does not faze them. “It doesn’t really affect me. I don’t mind the noise,” junior Madelyn Hanel said. The noise from the construction is inevitable. Whether it is excruciatingly painful to deal with or as irrelevant as the buzzing of a fly, it is something everyone must accept, until the cafeteria is completed at the end of the school year. “Currently, they are installing metal framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, among other work so there are a lot of people working and a lot of activity,” Assistant Principal Tara Grande said, in an email. The construction is “on track to be completed sometime in May, 2015,” she added.

New System in Infinite Campus Administration activates web-based reports Shauli Bar-On Reporter Traditional paper report cards are becoming obsolete thanks to (IC) web-based reports. Instead of handing out progress reports and end of semester report cards, the administration now posts the documents online. Homestead is the last FUHSD school to open these portals, as the four other district schools have been posting grades on IC since the 2011-2012 school year. information center… everything about our students, attendance, our classes, our parents, emergency contacts, it contains all of that information,” said school administrator Barbara Olson, who overHomestead has used Schoolloop, an online website with student’s grades, for multiple years. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to create an account in order to stay updated with school work. Schoolloop sends a daily email to account holders showing grades and homework uploaded by teachers. “Schoolloop really helps me manage my homework schedule and lets me know what classes I need to focus more on,” said junior Ori Klein. While Schoolloop does show reports, or attendance records. Having progress reports online ensures parents have the opportunity to see their child’s progress report, report cards, as well as attendance. “The positive is that any parent

Percentage of parents with IC

Fremont 29%

Homestead

54%

10 11 Grade Level

who’s got an activation on IC can go online and look,” Olson said. Saving about 8,000 sheets of cant amount of money, “Online reports are a step towards progress,” Olson said. Some students and parents dislike the idea of online reports as parents are much less likely to login and view them. “I think less people saw it [the recent progress reports] because vidual,” said Klein. The school however, has a variety of ways to help parents and students log in and view these reports. A letter was sent out in December with each parent’s activation code and login instructions. In addition, Online Tools Help provides step-by-step instructions on the set up and login process. On October 27, a “Los Padres” meeting was held to teach Span-

nite Campus. An email can always be sent to hhs_onlinehelp@fuhsd.org with any questions. Parents are eager to get their account set up; Olson receives roughly 50 emails a week asking for activation codes. To ensure parents with strugprogress report is additionally mailed home to students who have a D or F on their report card. Parental support directly correlates to a student’s academic one of the best ways parents can stay involved. “I think that’s [parental support] key. Parents are student’s According to a study by the Center for Public Education, students with involved parents attend school on a regular basis, earn higher grades and test

Lynbrook 74%

Percentage of parents with an IC account, by school

scores, are more likely to go to college and are prone to have healthy social skills. “Parents are playing a major role in their child’s academic achievement and success,” said parent Zahava Zuniga “A parent can facilitate and direct their child to the appropriate choices in the curriculum. A parent can provide academic assistance when needed.” These new online reports enable low grades and lack of attendance to be viewed and taken care of early, being less detrimental to the student’s records.

10th Anniversary of No Child Left Behind Education law requires 100 percent proficiency by this school year, students and teachers reflect on failure Shiri Huber Editor

Percentage of HHS students scoring proﬁcient or higher on STAR tests

This school year marks the 10th anniversary of No Child Left Behind, a law signed by George Bush with a long-term goal to improve America’s education system. Set to expire this year, it aimed to achieve 100 percent proficiency on nationwide standardized tests by all students. As years went by, this goal became more and more elusive, ultimately labeling No Child Left Behind as a failure. “I think they’re ridiculous,” AP Government teacher Christy Heaton said. “There’s no way they can have 100 percent proficiency on a test.” No Child Left Behind’s problems stemmed from its unrealistic expectations. All students, including those who do not speak English and those with learning disabilities, are expected to reach proficiency. Heaton added that with America’s diversity, “the kid that just arrived in this country two days ago has to show 100 percent proficient or advanced? That’s just not possible.”

No Child Left Behind’s legislation established reforms to hold schools and teachers accountable for improving students’ performance. The law required of states annual testing in reading and mathematics from third to eighth grade, annual report cards of students’ test progress and 100 percent proficiency in both student and teacher performance. The legislation came under fire for both its emphasis on testing and for making teachers accountable for performance. “Teachers pay based on how students score,” Heaton said. “You’re judging schools based on how kids bubble answers.” Senior Meghan McCabe agreed with the negative effect of

excessive standardized testing. “Teachers began to focus on teaching to the test instead of just teaching to learn,” she said. Statistics today prove NCLB’s failure. According to the Center for Education Policy, the percentage of schools not meeting adequate yearly progress reached 38 percent in 2010. This was an almost ten percent increase from 2006. At Homestead, student proficiency was measured by the California Standards Test, a component of the STAR test. In 2011, students scored approximately 70 percent proficient in most subjects. The state average was 50 percent. With the expiration of NCLB and its ultimate failure, new

reforms have been introduced with the implementation of Common Core, a nationwide program for new curriculum standards. Although Common Core also requires testing, it attempts to emphasize critical thinking rather than memorization of facts. Common Core is a “much better evaluation of what students have learned and are able to do,” Heaton said. “Most educators would agree that preparing kids for the future is no longer preparing them to memorize… because now they can jump on a computer and look up all kinds of things. It’s being able to evaluate evidence and figure out how to use the information that they’re finding in a good way.” HHS held a practice test for Common Core’s approved standardized test, Smarter Balanced, last school year. “The NCLB tests were much more plug and chug for information,” McCabe said, “but Common Core makes us think.” HHS will be implementing the full length Common Core tests this school year.

PAGE DESIGN BY SHIRI HUBER AND ANGELA WANG CHART COURTESY OF HHS SARC REPORT

News

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Continued from page 1 Traﬃc

Changes bring new life to the library

THE WORLD

Rachel Hildebrand Editor

can still be an issue.

A library is often depicted as

year.

books and little to no social op- and paper,” said Bateman, explaining portunities. Yet at Homestead,

Google Apps for Education is - a program sponsored by

ment.

Matthew Wu Reporter

Hong Kong SHowdown Hong Kong is a subject -

brarian, is trying to reconcile -

library, as

- and districtbrary tremendously,” said librar- sponsored student emails is

poetry

addition to making

greater collabo- ration for students inside and outside -

IN A WORD

Bateman is not only become more com-

For example, Bateman is look-

citizens occupying important public buildings and -

Bateman

optimistic

- day before cross country practice.

citizens and Hong Kong demonstrators resulted in

comfortable in trying some-

manually.

take a look at safety.” -

Annual ShakeOut

peace starts to become a fad-

Precautions taken as a result of the Loma Prieta earthquake

ISlamIc State

Alisha Parikh Reporter

as a terrorist organization,

drill, according to SCEC. -

and unfair prosecution of continues to edge closer to

to be prepared for. pened one day before Home-

Students

campus,

under siege in September, came close to being captured managed to recapture key

be felt from San Francisco

people took it seriously,” said for Kobani remains a stale-

people, according to USC’s -

members

feeling

raging around contested arist organization, some from

confused next “big one” still looming, -

in California alone, according

up.”

SourceS Include VIce newS, cnn, and BBc

opinion

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Suggestions to relieve congestion epitaph \

Steps needed to fight the war against traffic

We urge the Fremont Union High School District to maintain a responsible number of crossing guards at intersections. While crossing guards are common near elementary and middle schools, none

ABOVE: Standing at the corner of Traffic and Mayhem, searching for a solution It’s 7:40am. Cars and trucks roar down Homestead Road while acrid fumes swirl around the crowds of students rushing to class.

been heightened: the repaving of Fremont Avenue – a major thoroughfare for several schools in the area – and its ensuing delays, have dramatically increased commute times and reckless road behavior, leaving us to wonder why the construction was not conducted during summer break. It is easy to forget the danger

the intersection of Mary and Homestead, students duck out of cars and into the road in a mad dash to school. This is a typical morning at Homestead High: too many cars and too many people in a situation that will inevitably end badly.

to a petition created in response to the tradgedy, which beseeches the city of Cupertino to ensure the safety of pedestrians and bikers. There are remedies that can be taken to help relieve the traf-

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

situation is untenable and requires crossing guards and other measures to reduce automotive use. fore and after school is both congested and dangerous. Recently, the situation has

have all gotten an unfortunate reminder. On Monday morning, the 27th of October, a Monta Vista student was hit and killed by a big rig truck. Change.org is now host

pedestrian

outside of government intervention. These remedies fall into three categories: improving driver and behavior, reducing

The best way to improve driver and pedestrian behavior would be to employ crossing guards at strategic intersections close to the school.

forego using the ride to school to as a chance to give student drivers extra practice, and instead instruct their children to walk or bike. Drivers should be urged to practice defensive driving techniques due to the number of pedestrians, cyclists, and inattentive drivers. Steps should also be taken to ing to and going from the school. Carpooling should be encouraged – perhaps through use of an app or website that allows drivers and students to meet and arrange rides. The District should also ex-

the

STAFF

Reporters Alisha Parikh

Matthew Wu

Arisa Faron

Michael Huang

Brittany Prock

Noor Baig

Bryce Rausch

Ramona Amely

Carla Gonzalez

Rohan Vaidya

Ellie Hilty

Shauli Bar-On

Lauren Lee

Toni Roberts

Lily Adler

Vera Sophia Beliaev

Lucy Li

Veriche Blackwell

Editors Shiri Huber

News

Greg Schrader

Opinion

Marissa Lee

Lifestyles

Donnie Denome

Entertainment

Rachel Hildebrand

Sports

Angela Wang

Copy Editor

Public transit may also play a could do more to educate student and parents on bus schedules and There

denying

that ways cause congestion around Homestead, but there are steps we as a school and a district can take to relieve said congestion. If crossing guards are provided, fewer cars are driven, and those who must drive take steps to ensure the safety of those around them, 7:40 in the morning might not be so terrifying.

Priya Sodlapur

Editor In Chief

Production Team Business Manager

Priya Sodlapur Nancy Zhou

Design Editor

Adviser

Natalie Calderon

epitaph

the

The Epitaph is a non-proﬁt publication at Homestead High School, 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014. The Epitaph is a forum for student expression and not subject to prior review, in accordance with Education Code 48907. The

The new F word

staﬀ is comprised of Homestead Journalism students. Views expressed do not necessarily represent views of the school, its staﬀ, or the district. Editorials are opinions of the

Not as bad as you think

editorial board. The Epitaph welcomes all letters to the editor but reserves the right to edit all

Ramona Amely Reporter

submissions. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Include contact information. Unsigned letters cannot be published, but names will be withheld upon request. Send via homestead.epitaph@gmail.com, or drop letters in the newsroom or the oﬃce mailbox. If The Epitaph has made an error, please send corrections to homestead.epitaph@ gmail.com. The corrections will be published in the corrections box for the next issue. To reach the Epitaph staﬀ in C105: call (408) 522-2572 or fax (408) 738-8631.

nists to strengthen women’s rights, one clear problem remains: women and men are still not equal. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women still make less money than men. In fact, they earn 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, despite the fact that women hold just as many jobs as men. inist” has been misinterpreted for years, holding a negative connotation that has caused many people - men and women alike - to run away from, rather than toward, the feminist label. But as a modern society, it is important to embrace feminism and to bring the misconceptions about it to an end. Earlier this year, actress Emma Watson reinforced the idea behind changing the way we see the word

in a speech to the UN supporting her campaign, HeForShe. Watson discussed the many misconceptions about feminism, such as the false belief that being a feminist means putting men down, being aggressive, and being a dominant women. In reality, these ideas about feminism are simply not true. The truth behind feminism is that men are encouraged to join

your issue, too.” Rather than oppressing feminists and putting them down, men should help women rise to equality, spreading awareness and promoting a better understanding of what it truly means to be a feminist. Feminism is not

“Men .... Gender equality is your issue, too.” - Emma Watson

this opportunity to extend your formal invitation,” Watson said

rather, it’s aimed towards equality and respect for both women and men. Many men have the misconception that feminists are trying to overthrow men and take over the world. The truth is that women sim-

ply demand equal rights. They cannot, however, reach that goal without the help of men. We need men to embrace the F word. The more men there are who can proudly call themselves feminists, the more impact the feminist movement will have on creating equal rights for women. Watson’s HeForShe campaign is the perfect starting point in the push for seeing men and women feel free to be sensitive,” Watshould feel free to be strong… It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum, not as two opposing sets of ideals.” So listen up, men: it’s time to change the way you view femimovement.

Advertising One email and you can reach nearly 2,300 students and teachers from Northern Sunnyvale to Southern Los Altos. If your target market is between the ages of 14 and 18, contact The Epitaph at epitaph.ads@gmail.com and we can make it happen.

Donors Your ongoing support is appreciated. Daniel Schrader Mark Denome Cindy Meek-Prock Christine Gassmann Carol and Bob Hilty Pazit and Erez Bar-On

PAGE DESIGN BY AlISHA PARIKH AND BRITTANY PROCK PHOTOS BY NANCY ZHOU AND DONNIE DENOME WORD COLLAGE CREATED ON WORDLE

5 opinion A later start for better scores Thursday, October 30, 2014

How changing school start times will help students Bryce Rausch Reporter

Many high school students today face a chronic health problem without even knowing it. While sleep is often viewed as a luxury that active people

time beyond 8:30 is ideal to dents to get more rest. The study states that when school students reported getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep and their grade point average rose by anywhere between a half to a full point. If administration is interested in boosting morale

from the National Sleep 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night is a biological necessity. Today’s students have a sleep problem. If not ad-

action is to change Homestead’s start time.

lead to serious health problems ranging from obesity

culture surrounding sleep. These days it is a badge of honor to be functioning on

a Harvard study. The best solution for today’s sleep deprived teenagers is later start times for today’s high schools. When students are de-

you’re working hard and that

ABOVE: Changed Class start times would result in fewer students sleep-

your health for a grade. Forgoing sleep for other “more

ing in Class

consequently less attentive. Students who have more up less knowledge than those who are well rested. Isn’t that the purpose of school: to participate actively and soak up knowledge? Starting school at a later time would allow students to get the physician recommended eight to

knowledgeable

students.

the adolescent mind is biologically driven to fall asleep late and wake up late. Today’s school schedule begins having ample time to get the recommended eight hours of sleep.

The earlier start time at school is unnecessarily combating the adolescent body clock. students are pressured by their peers and parents to take harder and heavier class loads. Even with good time management skills and a good work ethic

lars. Many students simply don’t have the energy to manage all these move the school start time to beyond 8:30. A separate study from University of Minnesota showed that any-

could lead to more serious issues than drowsiness in the long run. The best solution for lack of sleep in today’s students is to begin school at a later time. Better-rested students are more attentive and likely to participate they get more out of the overall school experience.

A push in the wrong direction Changed APUSH curriculum deemed anti-American Ellie Hilty Reporter

The

truth

should

not

how harsh it seems. History should be taught without bias in order to educate America’s youth with a complete understanding of their country’s past and provide them with unbiased instruction. Controversy has exploded over the debut of the new framework for Advanced Placement United States Hiswere intended to be put into use this fall. The College Board’s changes to APUSH have been postponed until next fall after being accused of having unconstitutional ering revisions. The previous topic outline provided teachers with a general base for what to focus on throughout the year in order

to prepare students for the AP test. Not all state standards are teachers are likely to spend less instructional time on the state standard information because it is not guaranteed to be on the AP test. The ultimate goal of APUSH teachers is to prepare students requirements will be less of a priority for their instructional time. In response to the new potential National Committee responded with concerns and demanded resolution. They claim the new curriculum “reflects a radically revolutionist view of American history that emphasizes negative aspects of our nation’s history while omitting or minimizing positive aspects.”

taught in a sugar-coated fashion by purely promoting the positives. While this contrasts entirely with the negative perspective ing history one way to the other presents major issues. A skewed view of American history is problematic regardless of which side the bias supports. Students in America deserve to know the complete history of

ibly crucial aspect of complete comprehension of historic events and how to learn from them. The innovators and dreamers that shaped the idea of the American dream have been left

knowing both sides to the American story is crucial for complete understanding of the events. When only the positive or only the negative of an event is

omitted from the outline of what teachers should focus instruction on. The framework minimizes the positive aspects of American history while emphasizing the problems in America’s past. Making mistakes was a crucial part of America’s foundation and negatives should certainty

learn is censored. Having a bias can convey the same learning material quite differently and change outside perspective of America. Understanding both sides of the story is an incred-

of the new framework negative. including Dr. Martin Luther -

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them to be educated citizens with a well-rounded perspective of America’s past.

but successes are just as critical.

EXPAND OUR ACCESSIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION TO STUDENTS, THE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

Understanding the motives of the men and women who shaped America’s past is important for comprehension of the construction of America. The College Board should strive for a balance between positives and negatives in their revisions to the framework so students can obtain a complete understanding of American history. Revision is necessary before this new curriculum’s installment next fall. The goal of the College Board should continue to be to prepare students for

Corrections We apologize for the following mistake in the previous issue: Spread: A quote from Cathie Fordyce Dillender was incorectly attributed to Kathy Draper

OF OUR LATEST ISSUE AND CATCH NEW STORIES THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT INTO THE PAPER.

PAGE DESIGN AND PHOTO BY GREG SCHRADER

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Kylie Sherman Sophmore The Oct. 2 article, “Student Teachers in the Classroom, Why and How They Don’t Help,” does not represent all student opinion. Many of the students in Señor Arévalo’s Spanish classes appreciate teacher. speakers in Señor Arévalo’s class provides a smaller teacher-tostudent ratio and more attention per student. An essential part of learning a language is being able to speak, and a large part of the Spanish class consists of speaking in Spanish with small groups or with partners. It is impossible for Señor

LETTER FROM THE CHIEF Priya Sodlapur Editor

At the Epitaph, we believe in upholding our responsibility to voice and opinions of the student body. With that in mind, we do and events across campus, both positive and negative. The Epitaph has a longstanding tradition of reporting quality news to the Homestead Mission Statement, which is “ [...] to recognize individuals, events and ideas, and bring news to the Homestead community in a professional, unbiased, and thorough

A Letter to the Editor Arévalo to be with all the groups at the same time, and student teacher Señor McDonald is able to help by listening to the smallgroup Spanish conversations and assisting with vocabulary and grammar when Señor Arévalo is on the other side of the classroom. When kids are having trouble getting started, Señor McDonald begins the conversation. He is friendly and helpful with questions about homework and comprehension. Alisha Parikh’s statement that student teachers “do not contribute towards students’ learning experiences” is a negative generalization. Some student teachers

not so much. In Señor McDonin Spanish and his experience living in a Spanish-speaking ences and context to lessons as students practice the language. Alisha Parikh’s statement that “students will learn regardless of whether there is a student teacher, or an experienced teacher educating them” is narrowly focused. While students can read books and learn through independent study, textbooks and studying alone are only part of an education. Teachers bring more to the classroom than the words from a book. Good teachers pull students beyond individual

on what we believe is a rising concern at Homestead and within the On Monday morning, Oct. 27, a fellow Monta Vista peer was struck and killed by a truck while riding his bike to school. The tragic loss of this student brings to light a pressing concern that can no longer be ignored, and we have a responsibility as a comcommute conditions.

receive, such as training, “don’t room” and therefore the student the students. While Sean McDonald, the student teacher for Paco Arévalo’s Spanish classes,

Greg Schrader Editor

It seems every year someone is advocating a new model for educating our youth. In recent past, we’ve seen people touting everything from same-sex academies to charter schools. Meanwhile, both the Bush and the Obama administrations focused on testing and accountability as the solution for America’s underachieving schools. However, the solution to failing schools lies neither in new school models nor in additional testing. The fact is that nearly any model is capable of succeeding given a talented

leadership. Conversely, every one of these models will fail if the above attributes are lacking. Throwing money at the problem is no solution. Researchers can identify many wellhave failed. If we look at countries that succeed in education, one of the common attributes is high pay and/or high prestige for highly This is true of private tutors in South Korea, who may earn upwards of a million dollars a year, and public school teach-

ers in Finland, who are employed in what is considered the most prestigious profession according to nordic newspaper “Helsingin Sanomat.” A review of top performing schools in the United States would also show that they’re characterized by strong and energetic leadership; that is, an administration that is both motivated and enabled to insist on excellence. The current emphasis on testing and making teachers accountable for the success of their students sounds persuasive; however, there’s surprisingly little evidence to support this.

Instead, the research seems to indicate that students succeed when teachers are free of the fear of failure, and are encouraged to innovate. Simultaneously, it’s important to make teaching a desirable profession, not just for those looking for a safe job, but for those who are eager to take risks, and to try new approaches. For America to succeed in the 21st century and beyond, we need to have great schools, and that will only happen if we can draw top students into the profession of teaching, and if we ensure that our schools have motivated and professional leadership.

SAT: Scholastic Absurdity Test?

However, if one delves deeper into the structuring of the test and its questions, it is quickly recognized that the SAT is no indication of a student’s reasoning or academic ability. If it were truly a test of reasoning skills, there should be no

question types and how to answer them. There should not be expensive SAT prep courses or tutors that guarantee a 2400. And yet, since these things exist, and students can raise their scores by more than four hundred ing techniques, the SAT obviously only indicates only how well students can take the SAT. cally formatted questions that are less. Little-known vocabulary words such as “salubrious” and “leitmotiv” have appeared more than once on the SAT, and it is not uncommon to hear of students memorizing lists of hundreds of obscure vocab words in preparation for the test. Strangely-worded questions and answers are also trademarks of the SAT that are designed to stump even the most academically advanced high school students. In fact, as a response to the wide controversy surrounding the SAT, many colleges are dropping their SAT requirements. According to Richard C. Atkinson, president of the University of California, “Anyone involved in education should be concerned about how overemphasis on the SAT is distorting educational priorities and practices… and how it can have a devastating impact on the self-esteem and aspirations of young students.” SAT preparation classes or lessons are designed to help students

the test that involve categorizing

boost their scores. Yet these strat-

reporters resent the diversity of the Homestead population. The Epitaph is a publication that functions as a designated public forum for student expression. As a student-run paper, which operates under California Education Code 48907, reporters and editors are responsible for

that the Editorial Board has writ-

classes in the future. Alisha Parikh claims that the

teacher Señor Arévalo, future students will reap the rewards of his student teaching experience for years to come. After Señor McDonald has completed his term as a student teacher, he will go on to teach classes of his own. He will be a better teacher because of his experience and will impact many students’ lives. Since we are all connected, improving the education of even a small group of students will improve the world for everybody—including those who wonder how and why student teachers help.

The fear of failure Why school reform is doomed

serve our readers.” Additionally, our

what we publish. The content we choose to publish is printed without prior administrative review. We work hard to ensure that tive of the issues that are important and relevant to the student body. As stated in every issue, we welcome all letters to the Editor because we believe that giving a voice to our readership is just as important as reporting the news.

experiences and expose them to the viewpoints of others. Good teachers teach students to think and to connect with each other. This is the reason that student teaching exists. Aspiring teachers must gain experience in the class-

opinion

Angela Wang Reporter Every high school student is familiar with the dreaded event known as standardized testing. Before applying to college, students are expected to take either the SAT or ACT. Although SAT scores are important factors in college admissions, neither test serves as a true indication of a student’s academic ability. In fact, some would argue that standardized tests assess nothing more than how well one performs on standardized tests. The SAT currently includes a critical reading section, writing section (with essay), and math section, and a score out of a total possible 2400. While commonly expressed but not

controversial test, the SAT is still taken by the majority of high school students in Silicon Valley and across the country. According to the College Board, the test’s administrator, the SAT “tests the skills you’re learning in school.” test material, has varied over the years. In fact, the test is set to change once again in 2016, amidst numerous controversies. Revisions include making the essay optional and lowering the overall

egies have also exposed a strict formula to taking the test. For example, there are specific question types on the SAT as well as specific answer types. In order to find the right answer, a student only has to discern the correct answer type, rather than actually calling upon any “reasoning ability.” As a result, high SAT scores only show that someone has magic test formula, rather than high aptitude or ability. Students with excellent GPAs can easily do terribly on the SAT, if they do not understand how the test operates. It is clear that the SAT is not, as it claims, a test of aptitude or academic skill. The SAT tests one and only one thing: how well a student can ace the test. Its confusing questions and vocabulary often make students wonder whether it is worth spending hundreds of dollars on test preparation in order to sit down to this exhausting four-hour exam. Although the importance of test scores to college admissions as a standard for gauging academic ability should not be disputed, the SAT cannot accurately serve this purpose. are unable to remove the arbitrary element of the test, colleges should no longer use it as a reliable measurement to judge students’ reasoning ability. PAGE DESIGN BY GREG SCHRADER ILLISTRATION BY AUSTINA WANG

Lifestyles

Thursday, October 30, 2014

The quad controversy

Real Talk

New quad captures the attention of students Ramona Amely Reporter Looking back to the quad’s earlier days, it is easy to see that, even with recent changes in design and structure, not much has changed. The quad continues to symbolize the heart of the school, and student interaction, along with being the common lunch hang out spot. And on a more social aspect, the quad can be seen as both a place for social cliques to form, as well as territories that have been handed down through generations. Before the remodel, the quad extended from freshman wall to senior stage, with the labeling of sections within the quad serving to designate the “hang out spots” for students of each class. Rhonda Rousseau (‘79), said the quad was divided by classes when she was at Homestead, from 1975 to 1979. However, with the remodel and a new opportunity for students to form hang out spots, the questions remains whether or not students like

the idea of “territorial spots” within the quad, or if they will simply choose to accept their places and move on. Rousseau, who was on the dance team, and whose daughter, Kailey Harvey, is a junior this year, said she liked the social environment the quad created. “I loved it,” Rousseau said. “There was an obvious kind of hierarchy… everybody kind of had their place and every class was viewed in a certain way.” Tara Grande, assistant principal of facilities, agreed. “I think it’s a natural occurrence in high school,” she said. “I think that there’s always gonna be sort of that grouping that happens by grade level.” Since the quad’s remodel, designated spots for students in each class to hang out have not yet been created. “The senior stage kind of had all the seniors form together into one class,” said senior, Jocelyn Corona. “Now

Even from the earlier days of Homestead, the quad seems to have represented the classes and social aspect of the school as a whole. The socialization of students in the quad “...really re-

their own place to hang out.”

student

Rohan Vaidya Reporter Math teacher Erin Ronan talks about her awkward encounters with students and how she deals with them.

ABOVE: A flat and empty quad after lunch

body,”

Grande

said.

As of now, students are still quad they feel best suit them and their respective classes. Although certain areas of the quad no longer exist, it’s likely classes amongst each other, in no time.

Students aim for better future through the support of a college degree Lily Adler Reporter

ABOVE: Senior Ricardo Rodriguez and freshman Jennifer Zapata will be the first in their families to attend college.

to 17-year-olds in the U.S. are highest among underrepresented partment of Education Data Reminority groups, with Hispanics leading the pack at 61 percent. school year, low-income Hispanic students had the highThe College Board deest dropout rate among all student groups tion student as a in the school. one who is the And ac“I inspire myself cording to the mediate family the to attend and to be something in NCES, dropout rate subsequently life.” for Hispanic graduate from students college. Often Ricardo Rodriguez c o n s i s t e n has tly been higher ation student, the than that of any highest degree obother race, since tained by a parent is a 1990. While the numhigh school diploma. And sometimes even that’s a stretch. ber of Hispanic dropouts has According to Homestead been declining over the past statistics from the California De-

With Erin Ronan

Algebra 2 Trig/AP Calculus AB math teacher, Erin Ronan, talks about her awkward moments with students from Homestead High School.

First generation In three and a half years, freshman Jennifer Zapata plans to be the first person in her family to go to college. Zapata is part of a growing group of students - known as “first generation” who are making their way through the rigors of high school. Living in a single-parent home, with her mom, Zapata is a positive example for her two younger brothers. And her sights are set high, with UCLA as her ultimate goal. Zapata works hard to keep her GPA up while helping her mom care for her brothers. And she is not alone. The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2012

ten match the stereotypes for low income Hispanic students. Senior Ricardo Rodriguez, who is applying to UC Davis this a student who has worked relentlessly to break this stereotype. Rodriguez has challenged himself in high school, taking AP courses, working during the school year and over the summer and playing on the soccer team. But Rodriguez has had his fair share of roadblocks on his way to his college dreams, perhaps because the road is not easy for students like him. The College Board reported in a 2001 study that “while 82 students enrolled in a college

school, only 52 percent of students whose parents had completed high school did.” The statistics are even lower for students whose parents did not complete high school: 36 percent. While Rodriguez’s parents did graduate high school, the odds are still stacked against him, but with the support of his parents and little sister, Rodriguez remains on the road to college, with Davis and Chico as his top two choices. Regardless of which school he attends, he plans to major in Mechanical Engineering. “I inspire myself to be something in life,” Rodriguez said. For Zapata, whose mom did not graduate from high school, the struggle continues, but she has one goal for her senior year, and that is to know for sure that she will be going to college. With the support of her mom and her aunt, Zapata said she believes she will reach that goal. “My mom and aunt are strong women, and they push me to be my best,” Zapata said. The high expectations from her family members as well as the understanding that she is a role model for her younger siblings is what drives Zapata. She knows what she wants for her future: a good job, money and to avoid the struggle her mom had to face without a high school diploma, and she “A college degree gives you more of an endorsement,” Zapata said. “You have more job opportunities, and much more self pride.”

The Epitaph: For how long can you stand being surrounded by students and why? Erin Ronan: I went out the other night with one of our assistant principals and the whole topic of retirement came up and I said, “I don’t know...this retirement thing seems so long away, Imma be honest, other than waking up early, I love being at school. I love the classes and students at Homestead. I love my fellow teachers”. Like tomorrow, I’m so excited for tomorrow! Giglio is having a taco tailgate party at lunch! The point is I love being at school. advantages of working with teenagers? ER: always in on the latest trends and slang words. Like I know what my friends kids always say... I know the pop culture nowadays. The downside is when you have a teenage student that is so negative…nothing makes them happy. TE: How do you tend to get rid of students when they get too annoying? ER: exponentially more students I enjoy than I don’t enjoy, but there are some students that always want to push that button that goes “DING DING DING” and goes too far. I have two strategies: kill them with to them. I would say, “Yes darling what can I do for you today?” and I say it with a smile on my face. Or unfortunately, it has to be that they get ignored. TE: What is one really awkward moment you have had ? ER: I have had several times where I’ve seen students kissing and touching...and I’ve talked to girls, woman to woman, “Let’s chat about this” and make sure to [let them TE: Have you ever seen students outside of school? ER: ...I saw a girl doing things she shouldn’t have been doing. I saw them later on at school and told them to be a little more safe. I didn’t really know what to do, she was drunk. I was not comfortable with the behavior... TE: How do you deal with awkward situations with teachers? ER: You can’t expect things to be perfect all the time, but every now and then where theres a teacher that hasn’t been here long and leaves Homestead, but nothing makes them happy. They complain a lot and they don’t get along well. and you’re just like “Shut up, stop complaining!”. I do what I do with students, kill them with kindness or I ignore them.

PAGE DESIGN BY NANCY ZHOU PHOTOS BY NANCY ZHOU, ROHAN VAIDYA, AND LILY ADLER

Lifestyles

Let’s talk about

Thursday, October 30, 2014

“Sex is glorified in media and it is very common in modern day culture.” -Collin Cheng, freshman

Girl meets boy. Girl meets girl. Boy meets boy. Shy glances turn to flirting; flirting turns to talking dirty. Pictures hidden behind passcodes; plans hidden behind the pressure to uphold reputations. The media says, “Do it!” demanding teens to push the boundaries between private and public. Sex is a part of life, but despite its overwhelming presence in media and popular culture, it’s still considered taboo. Are we ready to make sex an open topic?

495

Thursday, October 30, 2014

students answered this survey about sex.

“People should be waiting [to have sex]... Our parents would never let us do that stuff. They don’t even talk about [sex]. They’re like ‘whatever, you’re not going to do that stuff anyways.’” -Emily Gao, freshman

“I hear a lot of jokes [about sex]. I don’t know if it’s a serious topic, but a lot of people joke about it all the time. Maybe once we get more mature, we will think of it as more of a life thing.” -Ramtej Pinisetty, senior

“I think people are uncomfortable about talking about sex because either they are not educated about it or they are just embarrassed.” -Kay Boissy, junior

S E X The culture “hook up”

Sex education: Is it sufficient?

Students discuss varied opinions on the sex education unit in biology

The inside look on casual sex among teens

Angela Wang Editor

Lucy Li Reporter

Every freshman, unless otherwise unpermitted, is required to participate in a three- to six-week sex education unit in biology second semester, according to California law. “The law requires that HIV/AIDS prevention education is taught once in middle school and once in high school,” according to the California Comprehensive Sexual Health & HIV/AIDS Prevention Act, “and states that if comprehensive sexual health education is taught, the local educational agency (LEA) must abide by all tenets of [the law]. The LEA may not pick and choose topics.” Yet, according to a survey by the Epitaph, students have extremely varied views on the usefulness and purpose of the educational unit. During the sex education classes, freshman are “[provided with] with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect his or her sexual and reproductive health from unintended pregnancy and STDs,” and “[encouraged] to develop healthy attitudes concerning adolescent growth and development,” according to the California Department of Education. But many students said they do not feel this is enough. Forty-nine percent of students surveyed said they believe Home-

well as that sex is bad and that if you have it then you will get an STD, get pregnant and possibly die.” Others said they believe the sex unit should emphasize more of the impact of sex on students’ lives. “The biology department is a quality one at our school,” a male junior said in his survey response, “but they can do a better job of stressing the importance of

According to one female sophomore’s survey response, “I think a lot of schools provide sex education classes that aren’t very informative. All they really tell you is that as you grow your body will change, as

they can’t try what they don’t know.” Overall, sex education is an important unit for students to learn, but whether that

Hooking up is not what it used to be. Using the age-old baseball analogy to describe the “running of the bases,” people of our parents’ generation might say that in their day, third base was oral sex and a home run was “going all the way.” Now, according to Tom Wolfe, author of “Hooking Up,” third base is going all the way and “home plate is learning each other’s names.” According to Elite Daily, there has been an increase in casual sex and its acceptance, along with a dying culture of the traditional relationship. However, it is not the amount of hooking up that has changed over the years but the kind of partners. According to an ar-

ple, in which there is a mutual understanding and trust. Hooking up is “a stupid mistake,” Patel said, because of the risk of pregnancy and the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Patel said the because of the risk of pregnancy and the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Patel said the danger is always present and the thought of interacting with the girl afterward would be awkward. Patel also said his views may be connected with beliefs from his Indian culture: “You can date, but you can’t have [casual sex],” Patel said. On the opposite end of the spectrum, senior Yarden Elias said he believes hooking up is a way to de-stress. Elias said he chooses to engage in casual

are engaging in casual sex with “casual dates or pickups.” A recent study called “No Strings Attached: The Nature of Casual Sex in College Students” reported that 70 percent of sexually active 12- to 21- year-olds have had uncommitted sex. One acute concern over the rise of casual sex is connected to health matters and moral disturbances. Senior Parth Patel said he believes in long-term relationships between two peo-

things” and because it is also a way to gain satisfaction. There is a certain degree of emotional maturity and responsibility needed with this mindset, Elias said, because “you have to be careful of the other person’s feelings and the actual action in general.” Ultimately, Elias said, hooking up is a choice that doesn’t need to be publicized. “Whether you do or you don’t hook up should be your own private matter,” he said.

“You have to be careful of the other person’s feelings and the actual action in general.”

or bad.” Some students, however, said they felt the material taught in high school, coupled

“The information learned before high school with the information learned from said, “but the information learned in high

Still, others said they believe the sex education unit is entirely unnecessary. “I learned about subjects that I personally felt were too controversial and taboo for a ninth grader to learn at the moment,” a female sophomore said. “The sex education unit taught many people about how to conceive a child when teen pregnancies are a problem in America at the moment. Having sex education dropped as a unit may

disputed.

PAGE DESIGN BY ARISA FARON & ELLIE HILTY

Lifestyles

Let’s talk about

Thursday, October 30, 2014

“Sex is glorified in media and it is very common in modern day culture.” -Collin Cheng, freshman

495

Thursday, October 30, 2014

students answered this survey about sex.

“I think people are uncomfortable about talking about sex because either they are not educated about it or they are just embarrassed.” -Kay Boissy, junior

S E X The culture “hook up”

Sex education: Is it sufficient?

Students discuss varied opinions on the sex education unit in biology

The inside look on casual sex among teens

Angela Wang Editor

Lucy Li Reporter

they can’t try what they don’t know.” Overall, sex education is an important unit for students to learn, but whether that

“You have to be careful of the other person’s feelings and the actual action in general.”

or bad.” Some students, however, said they felt the material taught in high school, coupled

“The information learned before high school with the information learned from said, “but the information learned in high

disputed.

PAGE DESIGN BY ARISA FARON & ELLIE HILTY

Thursday, October 30, 2014

New Librarian is one for the books Rachel Hildebrand Editor She is an active hula dancer for her halau in Japantown, has completed a triathlon, met famous authors and is mom to a nine-year-old daughter. Her name is Amity Bateman, and she is the new librarian. Bateman said she grew up dreaming of being a writer, but realized writing was not her forte and went on to the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in Latin Literature and Roman Civilization. “Being surrounded by people who share your esoteric interest [was the best part],” said Bateman, “To be like ‘I want to talk about Rome!’ and whole bunch of people would be like, ‘Yeah, me too!’” She then continued to Berkeley, where she said she studied at a very technology-based library program. After Berkeley, bateman said she worked at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, a K-8 school in Palo Alto for ten years before coming to work at Homestead, as she appreciated high schoolers’ sense of humor. “I choose to be a librarian because I love books, I love reading, and I love teaching,” Bateman said. Plus, she added being a librarian allowed her to skip the “bummer” parts of teaching, like grading. As one would expect from a librarian, Bateman said she spends a majority of her free time reading. Some of her favorite “Ready Player One.” Her most recent favorite is the teen bestseller “Divergent.” Though her name, Amity, is also the name for a faction in the book that represents peacefulness, Bateman said she believes

Smart with time

lifestyles

New smartwatches connected to cheating in the classroom Michael Huang Reporter Another wave of technology is taking the world by storm: smartwatches. These computerized wristwatches that act like smartphones are becoming the next big thing in the tech world. Many different companies, such as Motorola and Apple, are starting to Pull dip their feet into this rapidly growing market. Devices such as the Moto 360, Android Wear, and Apple Watch are all uniquely designed; a sign of the high demand for the tiny gadgets. Nonetheless, there is one similarity between each of these options: smartwatches are more easily concealed during tests or quizzes than smartphones or portable music devices. They can simply be hidden under the sleeve of a jacket “discreetly and conveniently,” said one student, who wished to remain anonymous. With its ease of concealment, using smartwatches in the classroom is already an issue, where the devices have, in fact, already been used as a cheating catalyst by at least one student. “I’ve cheated on a oral presentation once,” the student said, “but I have not

ABOVE: Moto 360 connects to your smartphone to provide you with incoming calls.

been caught because I normally use it to see what my friends are chatting about.” having to monitor smartwatches for cheating is a very novel issue. “[Monitoring smartwatches] is just a logistical pain,” computer science teacher John Shelby said. “In a similar way that you are not supposed to have your phone out during a test, the idea would, of course be that you are not supposed to be using any sort of an aid during the test.” With the growing market of smartwatches, there are still little to no rules that have been implemented in the class-

room related to smartwatch use and regulation, aside from normal technology use rules. “If a student had their phone out, I would question that,” Shelby said. “If I saw a student particularly messing with their fancy watch, I’d question it in the same way. For someone who’s really bent on cheating, the smartwatch is just a more subtle way to do it. However, as a teacher, I put some amount of faith in my students; but in addition to that, I do some amount of diligence in walking around.” Shelby still holds to his belief of integrity in students as well as his test-monitoring

routine, which is further supported by Principal Greg Giglio. “We’ve talked about [smartwatches] once or twice,” Giglio said, “but we don’t want to make an issue out of something that may not be an issue.” Despite Giglio’s beliefs, there seems to already be a problem brewing with smartwatches. Albeit a new issue, using smartwatches for cheating could be a problem in the future for standardized tests, such as SAT and AP exams. Perhaps it is a bigger problem than it seems. Only time will tell.

The High School Effect Students offer advice on balancing academics with extracurriculars Carla Gonzalez Reporter

As you make your way through high school, you begin to realize that this is no “High School Musical.” The struggle to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars, clubs and other resume-fillers makes most students want to break out in tears rather than in song, and leaves little time to find passion in doing things they love.

the faction known for being brutally honest. “I look for a book that gives you insight into the world,” Bateman said. She prefers teen books because they get to the point faster and, in her opinion, are often more real than books encoded in “I would like the library to be a place where everybody can come and be comfortable,” she said. “Where you can collaborate with your peers.” Bateman said she recognizes that school is a very high stimulus environment, and is aiming to provide an oasis from the hectic school day in the library. In addition to supporting the students, she said she aims to help teachers integrate technology into the classroom and provide technical support in general. Bateman said she hopes to provide a welcoming place for students, and maybe even incorporate some aloha spirit.

Emily Hering Junior

Emily Zhou Senior

APs or Honors classes: AP US History

APs or Honors classes: Two APs and two Honors

How she spends her time: Works at Winchester Mystery House and 2B Fit, active member of drama club and takes American Sign Language outside of school.

How she spends her time: Tutoring, FBLA, KSA

Personal input: keep my grades at least passing.” Tips on stress management: “Find an outlet. Like working out, or reading or theatre or an art.”

Personal input: “Try not to procrastinate and get ahead on your schoolwork when you have the time. Sometimes you do Tips on stress management: “Once in a while, take some time off for yourself... when I’m too stressed out, I take an hour-long nap while listening to music. Clear your head a bit, then get back into the game.” PAGE DESIGN BY LILY ADLER AND TONI ROBERTS PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY HERING AND EMILY ZHOU

lifestyles

Thursday, October 30, 2014

California, Los Angeles)

(graduate of University of

(graduate of Menlo College)

(graduate of University of California, San Diego)

What? That’s true? College fun facts that schools do not teach Lucy Li Reporter

The Accidentals: no accident New acapella group formed on campus Brittany Prock Reporter Among many of Homestead’s groups and clubs is The Accidentals, an acapella group run solely by students. For this group, there is no teacher advisor and all decisions are made by the students. At the beginning-of-the-year auditions, 25 students tried out, but only 13 actually belong to the group today. Unfortunately for the 12 other students who auditioned, their

singing talents were not enough to allow them into to this exclusive group. Acapella is singing using only voices without any instrumental sounds. The Accidentals can be compared to the one in the movie, “Pitch Perfect” besides being at the collegiate level, of course. Unlike most organizations on campus, The Accidentals is considered a “group” and not a “club.” This means that they do not have to go through the pro-

cess in which clubs are vetoed or approved by ASB. According to ASB rules, in order to be considered a club, one needs a teacher and has to include every one who applies. Well, The Accidentals have no advisor and not everyone can be in the group. However, Jeff Morton, the choir and music theory teacher, allows the group to rehearse in his classroom from 3:15 to 4:15 on Wednesdays and Fridays, and he helps them with whatever they

need. “The group is doing better than most groups of its kind in the last eight years,” Morton said, “and there have been several acapella groups in that time.” Sophomore Sunny Han, the group’s leader, confessed that everyone who auditions to be part of the group is not always accepted. Students have to try out and must be

“

in order to be included. Students that are accepted are able to check their range, hold a part, and sing a nice solo. At the audition, which takes place early in the year, students are required to be able to attend regular rehearsals and pass a singing “test” as well. Han said she started the group because of her passion for sing-

ABOVE: The Accidentals conducting practice

leader was quite stressful because she had no idea what to do, but as time has passed, leading the group has taught her many things.

She said the people she works with are amazing and she loves going to rehearsals and being apart of the group. Freshman Mila Sviderskaya has been in the club for two months. “I have really enjoyed it,” Sviderskaya said. “It gives me something to do and it allows me to bond with some amazing people.” While the group has not yet participated in any competitions, Sviderskaya said she hopes that it will happen someday. Han said the group will not be participating in competitions due to the fact that most of them take place in Oregon, which is too far for the group to travel to. “We just enjoy singing for people,” said Han. While auditions for The Accidentals already happened for this year, students may have another chance to show their stuff shortly, Han said. The Accidentals are working hard to make their voices heard and to spread awareness of acapella as a whole.

”

PAGE DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY LUCY LI PHOTO BY BRITTANY PROCK

entertainment

Thursday, October 30, 2014

From my point of view

Twice the talent Two student artists showcase their creative inspiration Priya Sodlapur Editor

A Theatre Spotlight

Greg Schrader Editor The low murmur of a hundred voices, faint echoes of preshow music, a dry heat pounding downwards from meticulously focused lights, actors everywhere practicing lines - these were what opening night of Homestead’s production of Oscar Wilde’s “The Canterville Ghost.” The casting process is deceptively simple. I have been through this process countless times, but the pressure remains the same. On the day of auditions, we

ABOVE: cases the intersection of art and music

ABOVE: his passion for nature and oil painting

Senior Steven McDonald is the sole featured artist in the upcoming Homestead Art beginning on on Oct. 29. He was selected for this opportunity to showcase his

painting outdoors. Mostly I do it out of the Palo Alto Baylands,” I go out, Saturday mornings, and ing a 9-by-12 painting.” Plein air painting, McDonald

Daily. McDonald’s interest in art stems from his mother, who is also an artist and was able to

painting outdoors, which caters to his preference for spending

a rehearsal schedule and a page

in his childhood, he said. His passion for art can be

from the show. Each of us is given half an hour to prepare. Many read their lines religiously, hoping that familiarity will breed success. Others spend their time trying – perhaps in vain – to get into character. Many are in full-

oped an interest in the hobby. McDonald said his connection to nature encouraged him to choose an art focus in a medium that favors this passion.

said. “Being out there with just scapes, and just having to sit there and watch it for a few hours.”

I certainly am. One by one, we are then called onto the stage for a reading. Sometimes there are requests for the student to “just drop the accent if you can’t do it” or “say it again, but slowly and with emotion.” our time and told that a cast list will be posted shortly. Rehearsals follow casting. Gravitas and solemnity are not

lot. It’s a style called plein air painting which simply is

“Plein air painting is almost

Oct. 29 to Nov. 20 in the main offor the opportunity to showcase cated to his pieces.

Artists have begun to embrace the integration of different forms of art, such as graphic design within the music industry. For sophomore artist Allison Valente, art in the music industry, such as music videos, is what album covers and music videos,” Valente said. “ I started watching the music videos and I thought the effects... were really interesting and the way that they portray words into pictures.” various art forms including videography, photography, Photoshop, and Illustrator, all of which she taught herself or learned via online tutorials. To Valente, art is not just a hobby but a stepping stone in -

Instead of bottling up feelings, as many teenagers feel the need

that we will arrive on time, ready to act, and be memorized by our deadlines. Two months later and the

what my secrets are.” These, among other topics, are closely related to those dis-

uninitiated,

Day, where students opened up about aspects of their life that they usually

Hell -

the show’s failings, all the cast’s tails come to fore. until they seem almost tangible, sell it as a substitute for caffeine. In the spirit of full disclosure, this may be affected by the alarmingly high quantities of caf-

ABOVE:

able themes connect easily with the strong emotions and complexities felt by young people today. made a name for herself in 2013 after contributing lyrics and vocals to the chorus

endless parade of self-empowerment songs because it encourages people to share their emotions and insecurities rather than just

ward to with the release of

“They tell us from the time we’re young/To hide the things -

her album, “Heart on My Sleeve.” “Secrets” stands out in the

only one who spent so long attempting to be someone else/ Well I’m over it.”

adjusting lights and programing sound cues. Rehearsals, now in A thousand details demand attention. night is upon us. Hearts beating, stomachs clenched, the curtain

Homestead has been a place for Valente that has provided her bring people together,” Valente said. “I’ve made so many friends ing people through Homestead that I probably would not have classes really helped me because they inspired me.” According to Valente, art has not only been a way for her to pursue a hobby but also for her to show her true self. press yourself through things other than school-related or said.

Noor Baig Reporter

sions. In the song, she shares personal insecurities including fears and weight issues, singing,

the

wards her goal of a music mar-

Sharing Secrets

the director; it is more of a mutual understanding and respect for the space and the script we all share. Rehearsals are long, fre-

For

comes out of the closet. After The video’s imagery demonstrates themes of society telling young people to withhold their challenges these rules by showcasing the parts of herself which With her strong spirit and bravinsecure people everywhere.

from their peers, such as family issues, low self esteem and bullying. At Challenge Day, students were given a safe environsensitive

topics,

hopes will become a norm in today’s society. The accompanying music video reinforces this connection by addressing taboo subjects, ing the video, she DESIGN BY MICHAEL HUANG AND MATTHEW WU PHOTOS BY MATTHEW WU AND PRIYA SODLAPUR MARY LAMBERT PHOTO COURTESY OF GAINESVILLE SCENE

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Open gyms, open controversies

sports

New CCS policy limits practices for winter sports Matthew Wu Reporter It’s no question that any sport, regardless of what it is, requires a heavy amount of dedication. Whether that be through the commitment of time and effort in constantly honing the personal skills of that given sport, or seeking advice from teammates and peers, athletes constantly strive to go above and beyond their given capabilities in order to achieve greater success. As a result of this and the increased pressure on student athletes to practice in order to keep up with the rising standards of high school sports, the Central Coast Section, more widely known as CCS by the school community, have implemented a new policy to lessen the burden of student athletes. “I think [Sports] gives them a chance to let things out, so it’s great for all kids,” basketball coach Shawn Hook said. “It helps them build character.” As the skill levels of these athletes increase, so does the level of

competition among these young changes is limiting the amount individuals, giving rise to an inof time sports teams have to creased need for practice. practice to around 18 With student athhours a week. letes already busy “That’s plenkeeping up with ty of time for “I do believe the academic and what we need pressure and glamor of winsocial requireto do.” Hook ments, the need said. “Alning overshadows the importance for increased though it’s of what athletic participation can practices often never a bad becomes overthing to have shadowed by the more time.” education,” requirements of CCS’s main - Donna Keith school life. change in policy “With the stress that regards the use of student athletes are under, open gym, where powe always talk about how famtential teammates run through ily is the most important thing, drills and scrimmages to get a academics and then basketball,” feel for the team and coaching Hook said. “Their homework staff. While it is technically against While they have no direct the rules to begin practices for a impact on the practice patterns sport which has not begun it is utilized by school teams, CCS atseason, there is no rule against tempted to focus more on helpthe use of open gyms; making ing student athletes balance the idea controversial among academic work with athletic many members of the sports extracurriculars. One of these community.

Cartoon: Halloween football sleepover Toni Roberts Reporter

“It can be a slippery slope for coach Donna Keith said. “Many athletes in season typically don’t participate in open gym.” The problem of open gym, it seems, relies not on the concept of it, but rather in the seemingly unfair advantage that some members of the sports community believe open gyms create for other players. “Running plays and working on team building concepts gives an unfair advantage to athletes not in season,” Keith said. “Coaches who oversee open gym can’t help but screen a participant’s athletic potential.” Instead of seeing it as an unfair advantage, however, some athletic community members see it as a way to help newer team members adapt to the high school athletic environment. “It gives the coaches an understanding of who can play a little bit and who can’t,” Hook said. “So when it comes time to make

the team, everyone has a better idea of who should deserve to be on the team, and who should practice more.” Open gyms, which many claim to be nothing but an excuse for extra practice, are typically attended by many student athletes. Often times, these open gyms will feature the run through of drills and more relaxed forms of practice, as it is technically against cially coach during this time. “It gives [the kids] a way to escape,” Hook said. “It’s not a school environment, so it allows them to have fun and enjoy the sport.” “I do believe the pressure and glamor of winning overshadows the importance of what athletic participation can bring to a student’s high school education,” Keith said, “teamwork, leadership, compromise, communicamanagement.”

Jeff Hoffman, new coach on campus Arisa Faron Reporter The new coach for girls varsity basketball hopes to bring change and improvement to the team this season. His name is Jeff Hoffman, and he has years of experience on and off the court. “I played basketball from the time I was a little tike, up until junior college at De Anza,” Hoffman said. “I’ve coached almost all levers to varsity basketball for the past 15 years.” Hoffman grew up in the bay area and attended Fremont High School and San Jose State University. As an elementary school teacher, Hoffman said that his favorite parts of coaching are the teaching and strategy aspects. “I enjoy teaching a group to become a team,” Hoffman said. “it’s fun to see a team develop, and the players having fun playing the right way.” Hoffman said he looks forward to the season with the girls, where he plans to work on hard to help them improve their skills. “Defense will be something we will concentrate on, and we will play team basketball,” he said. “I expect that we will compete in every game, always giving our best, and play as hard as we can. This is something I know we can do.” Having a new coach is not the only change the varsity girls basketball team will see this year. Along with the new coach, eight of last year’s varsity players were graduating seniors, opening up many new spots on the team for those who did not get the chance last year. Even with a mostly new roster,

team this year is to teach the girls how to play as a team. “So if someone sees us play,” Hoffman said, “they would say how hard we play.” Hoffman said one goal is to move from the El Camino League to the De Anza League, which is the stronger of the two leagues within the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League with which all HomeSenior and girls varsity basketball player Kimmie Wong said that she looks forward to the new season with coach Hoffman. “He wants to push us to work hard and play as many games as we can this season,” she said. “He has big was so good but I think he will be a positive change for us.” Senior Cole Martin has participated in both junior varsity and varsity boy’s basketball in his high school career. When Martin was a freshmen, Hoffman was the substitute coach for the boy’s varsity team when the coach, Troy Lenneman, was on vacation for a week. Martin said that Coach Hoffgirls because he has coached for Homestead before. Martin said he knows the game well and he does a good job communicating with his players. Wong said that she looks forward to the new season with coach Hoffman. “He wants to push us to work hard and play as many games as we can this season,” she cause our last coach was so good but I think he will be a positive change for us.”

he and the team can work hard to be successful. His goal for the PAGE DESIGN BY NANCY ZHOU, RACHEL HILDEBRAND, BRYCE RAUSCH

sports

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Scoreboard Girls Water Polo Varsity 10/28 9-2 L 10/23 7-3 L 10/18 9-7 L 10/17 9-5 W 10/16 12-0 L 10/14 9-4 L 10/9 7-2 L 10/7 9-8 L

Boys Water Polo

JV 10/28 6-2 W 10/16 3-2 L 10/7 3-2 L

Field Hockey JV Varsity 10/24 10/17 3-0 L 10/10 4-0 L 10/22 10/3 11-0 L 10/17 10/1 6-0 L 10/10 10/8 10/3

0-0 1-0 5-1 0-0 1-0 1-0

T W L T L L

Varsity 10/28 7-6 W 10/16 16-7 L 10/14 9-8 L 10/9 13-11 L 10/7 14-9 L 10/2 9-6 L

Mens Varsity Gronovius- 25th Reed- 56th Freshman Mackay- 4th Li- 6th Tandon- 12th 1st Overall

L L L L L L

Girls Tennis Varsity 10/21 3-4 10/16 6-1 10/14 3-4 10/7 1-6

L W L L

JV 10/28 10/23 10/21 10/16 10/14

2-5 5-2 7-0 7-0 7-0

L W W W W

Girls Volleyball

Girls Golf 10/21 10/16 10/14 10/7 10/1

JV 10/28 6-5 10/23 11-2 10/16 11-3 10/14 6-5 10/9 13-1 10/7 12-1

Football JV Varsity 10/24 42-7 W 10/24 34-0 W 10/17 54-14 W 10/17 48-12 W 10/10 42-0 W 10/10 14-14 T

Cross Country - Mt. Sac Invite Girls Varsity Kamas- 6th Allen- 20th Soph Sawyer- 1st Trautman- 3rd Sloan- 4th 1st Overall

Varsity 10/22 3-2 10/21 0-3 10/16 0-3 10/11 0-2 10/11 1-2 10/9 0-3 10/2 3-0

266-217 L 250-220 L 250-209 L 241-217 L 241-318 W

L W W W L W L

JV 10/22 0-2 W 10/16 1-2 W 10/9 0-2 W 10/2 0-2 W

Cheering for cheerleaders HHS cheer returns to competitions Rachel Hildebrand Editor There is a slight buzz of voices as they take their positions on stage. Each girl has her hair tied back into an impeccable ponytail with a green bow. A remix of pop songs comes on, and suddenly the girls move, smiling as they expertly complete a routine of jumps and stunts that range from lifting each other into the air to forming pyramids. Almost three minutes later, the music cuts out, and the cheerleaders leave the Great America stage with rapidly beating hearts and wide smiles. The team had competition together. “It felt like a rally,” said junior Paula Navarro, when describ“Either way, you support all the teams there and you’re there for the same reason - because it’s something you love to do.”

The competitive cheer team includes students ranging from freshmen to seniors. These are the same cheerleaders who perform at football games, basketball games and rallies. They compete in the Varsity Show Cheer nontumbling category, which means they cut out the cartwheels and tumbling and replace it with advanced stunts. Most recently they took home second place at the USA regionals, hosted by Great America at the 28th annual Cheerleading and Dance Competition. “It was very nerve-racking since we didn’t know what to expect from the other teams,” said Maddie Tsao, a sophomore and co-captain of the JV team. Homestead has not had a competition team in four years, due to a lack of a coach to instruct the team, but that changed when

David Del Cid joined four-year coach Connie LaScola last season. “We are a non-tumbling team, so we do a lot of stunting, and our stunting has to be at a very advanced level,” said LaScola. The girls practice twice weekly, three hours at a time. The the Spirit team, which does not compete. The next two hours are spent on conditioning, stunting, pyramids and some tumbling. With over 400,000 high school cheerleaders in the USA, according to a recent survey by the National Federation of State High Schools Association, the environment of cheerleading has evolved from the stereotype of short skirts and blond hair that existed in the past. Cheerleading is not all smiling faces and acrobatic moves, either.

ABOVE: The competive cheer team took second place at Great The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research reported that for every 100,000 cheerleaders, 2.68 received catastrophic injuries, making it more dangerous than football, in which only 1.96 players in 100,000 received catastrophic injuries. Still, the girls turn up at every rally, sporting event and competition, smiling as they lead cheers and complete stunts. “I think [competitions] bring the girls closer to the sport,” said Coach LaScola, whose two daughters participated in cheer

in high school. With cheerleading receiving more recognition and professionalism, she hopes the program will provide the girls with the skills they need to move onto college cheer and beyond. “It’s so great having a family,” said Olivia Sotir, a freshman. The girls are currently preparing for the upcoming regional competition, which will be held at James Logan High School in Union City on Nov. 2nd. There they will compete for a national bid.

PHOTOS BY NOA YAKIR, NOOR BAIG, BRYCE RAUSCH, ELLIE DUPIN, NANCY ZHOU, CONNIE LASCOLA, VERICHE BLACKWELL, AND RACHEL HILDEBRAND PAGE DESIGN BY RACHEL HILDEBRAND AND LAUREN LEE

last word

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Hidden Homestead Veriche Blackwell Reporter Donnie Denome Editor

As a student, it is easy to ignore anything that is not directly related to academics. However, Homestead is not just classrooms and hallways. We have found six intriguing locations that are often overlooked or unseen.

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PAGE DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY VERICHE BLACKWELL