LoweLL HigH ScHooL, Red edition, VoL. 221 no. 6, MaRcH 28, 2014, www.thelowell.org
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Spotlight Page 10 Attendance office opens up the books, reveals the school’s most common names.
BUILDING PLANS COURTESY OF ANDREW ISHIBASHI
A permanent building complex to replace the temporary bungalows is planned to begin construction in summer 2015.
New building complex planned to replace outdated bungalows By Cooper Logan
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HE END OF the running joke about the “permanent” temporary bungalows may finally be in sight. After decades of use, principal Andrew Ishibashi announced a plan to replace the temporary bungalows with a new permanent building at the staff meeting on Monday. Construction is scheduled to begin over the summer of 2015. This project is taking place due to the monthly expense of renting some of the bungalows, and also because many are getting old and skunk-infested (See “Wildlife near
Sly test-takers at Lowell bring home a National Blue Ribbon Award in cheating.
8IBU T What’s
Inside
News
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Robotics team competes at regional competitions, qualifies for worldwide tournament
Entertainment
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Repurpose your favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread in a delectable soufflé
Sports
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11-15
Varsity baseball team rebuilds lineup after losing ten seniors Senior breaks school mile-run record, places third nationally Page
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Read about Lowell’s debating duo, ranked first in the country
Columns
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Introverted illustrator finds comfort in expressive art Student dumps phone in favor of real life connections
Opinion
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Will an extra quarter at the counter curb San Franciscans’ deadly sweet tooth? Two reporters debate the soda tax
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project that will begin this summer, they coincide to provide a smooth transition (See “Preparation for earthquake retrofit begins later this school year,” The Lowell, Nov. 2013). To provide rooms for the displaced classes during the retrofit, new bungalows will be placed on the basketball courts in April 2014. When the main building construction is complete, the T’s will be removed and the classes that would have taken place there will be temporarily relocated to the new bungalows on the basketball court until the new building is completed. See GOODBYE T’S on Page 5
JROTC replaces green uniforms with blue in accordance with U.S. Army By Tyler Perkins
The Backpage Page 20
bungalows bewilders sensitive stone. “You let a secret out and it noses,” The Lowell, Oct. 2012). never happens,” he said. The plans The singlefor the buildstory building have ing complex The plans for the will include b e e n c om pl e t e d an d 6 rooms. building have been 1Two the district is of the completed and the rooms make now accepting contract a detached district is now accept- up bids. The building, and project will the rest are ing contractor bids. be funded aligned on by the school either side of district. Ishibashi has kept the a hallway. project secret for the past two years While this project is not directly because the plans were not set in related to the earthquake retrofit
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UNIOR RESERVE Officers’ Training Corps is slowly saying goodbye to the familiar green uniforms of the past fifty years and welcoming new ones. The change was initiated by the U.S. Army and replaces the familiar “dress greens” with with the new Army Service Uniforms, or “dress blues.” The U.S. Army made the official decision to make the switch to new uniforms in 2008, in an effort to standardize uniforms, according to the U.S. Army website (www.army.mil). Previously, the army wore three uniforms: green, white and blue. The change initiated the process of gradu-
ally shifting soldiers to the blue uniforms, which will be completed by the end of 2014. The new uniforms also have historical significance, resembling those worn by soldiers in the “early days of our nation.” These “dress blues” consist of a dark blue jacket and pants, along with a gray shirt and beret, according to JROTC instructor and retired First Sergeant Ron Credito. The color is the only major difference between the new and old uniforms. “I like the blue uniforms better,” sophomore Theresa Phan said. “They look cooler and you don’t look like green pickles in the hallway.” Credito is also a fan of the new blue uniforms.
“They look more professional,” he said. “They have a cleaner, sharper and modern look. The kids all love them.” There are not enough uniforms yet for all of JROTC. The order in which members receive the new uniforms is determined by their rank. “As we obtain new uniforms, we give them to the most deserving members first,” Credito said. “Our Leadership Bowl team was the first to wear them in the summer of 2013. Also, the Color Guard, which presents the colors, were some of the first people to get them. About 15 percent of our members already have the new uniform. Only See RO on Page 5
Mock Trial returns to state finals, places eighth for second medal in three years
By Gabby Dolgonos
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AS IT SECOND DEGREE MURDER, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, or neither? That’s something the Lowell Mock Trial team doesn’t have to worry about anymore. The team claimed 8th place out of 34 teams in the California Mock Trial State Finals on March 23, winning both a set of shiny medals and a plaque. After competing in four trials throughout the weekend, they emerged victorious from all but one. The event took place in San Jose and lasted for three days, with one trial on Friday, three back-to-back trials on Saturday and the awards ceremony on Sunday. The team was well-prepared, but they said they were not ready for everything. “The opposing teams had different strategies that we didn’t anticipate,” defense witness senior Mitchell Chan said. “They asked questions that we didn’t expect, and their witnesses brought things up that we didn’t think they would.” Still, Lowell persevered to claim the title of the eighth-best team in California. “Hard work pays off, and it was evident that we put in that time and invested that effort,” Chan said. Earlier in the season, the team’s push to qualify for the finals went largely unhindered. After beating Balboa’s prosecution in See MOCK TRIAL on Page 5
PHOTO COURTESY OF ILYA VERZHBINSKY
Sophomore prosecution trial attorney Akeylah Hernandez converses with a judge after a trial with La Reina High School, which was the only meet they lost.
March 28, 2014
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Lowell High School
NEWSBRIEFS Co-Curricular day goes green Clubs approached traditional festivities with a new environmentally-conscious policy during recent co-curricular days. Using the courtyard’s electrical outlets and styrofoam are no longer acceptable on Kermesse, co-curricular days and Winterfaire, according to junior club coordinator Jeff Lee. The Lowell Student Association’s website (www.lowellstudentassociation.com) adds that the policy means “no use of plastic cups” and “no generators.” The green policy began with Kermesse in April 2013 and has continued at co-curricular days and Winterfaire since. “Everything in the the world is going eco-friendly, so Lowell is also trying to contribute to that effort,” Lee said. The policy was a joint effort. “I helped to put the policy into action,” assistant principal of administration Margaret Peterson said. “But it came from the Lowell community.” — Whitney C. Lim
Next year’s budget looks bright
New biology teacher joins staff A teacher switch about halfway through the semester due to temporary staffing changes has interrupted the habitual flow of some freshman biology classes. Former science department head Dacotah Swett has taken over for an administrator due to leave of absence, and biology teachers Alena Killpack and Mark Wenning have left their freshman biology classes to fill in for Swett’s three AP Biology classes. Instructing Killpack’s and Wenning’s freshman biology classes is biology teacher Emma Ross. Ross is teaching Killpack’s Mods 4-5, 9-10 and 16-17 biology classes as well as Wenning’s 1-2 biology class. “I’m having a wonderful time so far,” Ross said. “My students have been incredibly flexible and welcoming through this transition and inspire me everyday with their academic dedication and curiosity.” Prior to working at Lowell, Ross taught sophomore biology for two years at Downtown College Prep, a charter school in San Jose. Ross also taught freshman biology in the fall of 2013 at East Palo Alto Academy. “Lowell is very different from my previous schools and I’m learning a lot,” she said. Ross hopes that her past teaching experiences will help her be of benefit to her biology students. — Luming Yuan f o r t h e c o m p l e t e v e r s i o n s of stories, please visit
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NAOMI OKADA
(Left to right) Seniors Teresa Pham, Carolyn Ye and Shela Ho display the trophies they won during the competition on March 1.
Seniors triumph in school’s return to SoCal Japan Bowl By Madelyn Chen
was nervous, they progressed through the first two preliminary ESPITE COMPETING AGAINST veteran teams, rounds and proceeded to the championship round. There, they a group of Lowell Advanced Placement Japanese went against two teams from Cupertino High School, who were language students won first place in the Southern past winners and had a curriculum geared towards the bowl, according to Japanese language teacher Naomi Okada. California Japan Bowl in Los Angeles on March 1. Despite tough competition and experienced opponents, the After the school was banned from entering the participant pool for over a decade, seniors Teresa Pham, Carolyn Ye and Lowell team won the championships by a margin of Shela Ho formed a Japanese language team to compete in a re- two points. “It was really intense and there was way more pressure than I thought there would gional bowl, a competition for be,” Ye said. “We didn’t expect to win, so it students studying upper-level Japanese. The girls took the We didn’t expect to was very surprising. But we’re really happy about it, since we worked really hard.” initiative to participate in the win. We just went in Besides the experience gained and event and arranged the trip to friendships strengthened, the team’s vicLos Angeles. “We’re all very thinking that we wanttory includes an all-expenses paid trip to into the Japanese language so ed to make it as memo- Washington D.C. to compete in the Nawe just thought that this was tional Japan Bowl, which will take place in a chance to test how much we rable as we could. ” Chevy Chase, Maryland from April 10 to learned,” Pham said. 11. “I’m sure many teachers will recognize A previous Lowell JapaTERESA PHAM, nese teacher, Kiyoko Takemosenior Lowell High School’s name at the National Japan Bowl, so we’ll probably have a lot of to, had trained and sent teams expectations even as a new team,” Pham to the Southern California Japan Bowl around 10 years before. However, their repeated said. “I’m honestly a bit worried, but I really hope we can just try victories eventually led to a ban on Lowell teams in the competi- our best and go as far as we can regardless of these expectations.” By reintroducing the Japan Bowl to Lowell, the team hopes tion. Beginning this year though, Lowell teams were allowed back into the pool, due to the length of time since the ban and for other advanced Japanese students to become interested in and participate in the competition. “Many of the second and Takemoto’s retirement. The team entered the tournament, which featured an array third year Japanese students were intimidated by the Lowell of topics such as Japanese topography, politics, art and the team’s win,” Ho said. “Though it seems like a really high obhistory of feudal Japan, with the goal of learning and enjoying stacle, it’s definitely within their abilities and a possibility for themselves. “Since it was our first time, we didn’t expect to them to consider in the future. They should go and participate win,” Pham said. “We just went in thinking that we wanted to not only for the competitive element, but also for the overall make the event as memorable as we could.” Though the team cultural awareness. It’s a great experience.”
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The budget for the upcoming school year looks more than promising. “For the first time in my seven years at Lowell — in all the high schools I’ve ever been to — we are in really good shape,” principal Andrew Ishibashi announced at a March 17 School Site Council Meeting. The 2014-15 budget was balanced with a surplus of 24,462 dollars. The budget is projected to improve in coming years, according to Ishibashi. For that reason, although he dreams of decreasing class sizes now, Ishibashi is saving that dream for a better-funded future. “Each year as we get more money we can hopefully start working on class size,” he said. “I’ve been told that in years to come the budget will be better. It would be irresponsible to spend money I don’t have now.” In the upcoming budget, English is slated to receive an extra teacher, according to School Site Council chair and math department head Thomas Chambers. Explaining this choice, Ishibashi said, “English had the highest enrollment above their contracted goal and that’s why I’m prioritizing that department first.” English classes this semester contain an average of 30.5 students, about 5.5 above the district’s contractual goal of 25, and Chambers has been told that this is impacting the ability of teachers to grade essays. If the English department had an extra teacher currently, the average class size would decrease to about 28.9, according to Chamber’s calculations. Both joys and pains come with an improved budget. As Ishibashi noted humorously, “When we have a surplus, everyone starts asking for pie in the sky.” — Zoe Kaiser
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New club aspires to recognize teachers for service to school By Joseph Kim
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MONG THE students who loathe everything related to academics, there are some who remain thankful for the teachers at the school. Thank Our Teachers Every Semester (TOTES) is a new club started by co-presidents juniors Jocelyn Chan and Sabrina Lin. With a unique motive compared to other service clubs, TOTES aims to give teachers the support they deserve. “I chose to start this club because I noticed that teachers are underappreciated in our school and that our school is a bit underfunded,” Chan said. “I thought that it would be a great idea to combine the two aspects and fundraise money for the departments so that they can spend money on books, lab equipment and teaching
supplies.” TOTES primarily supports teachers through fundraising. “I feel like our club runs a little differently because it’s more like a committee,” she said. At every meeting, the members brainstorm fun events and ideas for fundraising. After each semester, TOTES plans to divide up the money collected and distribute it among the school’s departments, for each to spend according to their needs. Currently, the club has plans to host after school events such as milk tea and bake sales and is also looking to partner with local restaurants and cafes to host fundraisers with them. “If possible, we are also hoping to receive grants from large or small companies throughout the Bay Area since our club is dedicated to improv-
club
ing our school community,” Chan said. During Teacher Appreciation Week in May, TOTES will partner with the 2015 Lowell Student Association Board to hold events throughout the week. A table will be set up on the catwalk for students to write notes to any teacher they wish to thank. TOTES will distribute the notes and host an appreciation breakfast for all the teachers and staff at the end of the week. Aside from fundraising, TOTES is advertising to expand their club. “We would love to have more members since it’s really fun, we only require six mods for club credit, and it would be great to have new people join,” Chan said. To show appreciation for the school’s teachers or to simply brighten the school’s environment, join TOTES in Room 217B every other Monday.
The Lowell
March 28, 2014
NEWS
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PHOTO COURTESY OF STANLEY DENG
The robotics team works in their pit, making modifications on their robot before a match at the Central Valley Regional competition in Madera, California.
Robotics team qualifies for world comp. By Cynthia Leung
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FTER RECEIVING a special award during regional competitions, the robotics team qualified for the world championships for the third consecutive year. After winning the Engineering Inspiration Award at the Sacramento Regional, the team booked its spot alongside 400 other teams in the finals, which will run from April 23-26 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Engineering Inspiration Award is presented to teams that participate in community outreach and encourage their communities to engage in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) activities. “We introduced two robotics classes at Lowell and to the SFUSD curriculum, and spoke to high school girls about robotics at Square, a business that sells card readers that can be plugged into mobile
devices to process payments,” robotics team member senior Annastasia Wong said. “Also, we will be having a Lego Day in April for Girl Scouts so that they can be exposed to engineering, programming and Lego Mindstorms, which is a kit containing the software and hardware to customize and program a robot.” Receiving the award was a heartening event for the team after it had a disappointing performance at an earlier regional. During the Central Valley Regional in Madera, California, the team did not have enough time to test out the shooter before pitting their robot against other teams, according to Wong. “Unfortunately, we did not perform as well as we had expected,” robotics team president senior Ofri Harlev said. Despite the less than ideal results, the team bagged a judges’ award for making a lasting impact on their communi-
District purges personal Wi-Fi systems By Arthur Register
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LTHOUGH FEW may have noticed the change, the school took down all personal wireless routers after the district pressed for their removal last February. The change came after the district worked to meet concerns about quality brought forward by teachers last year, when the routers were initially slated for removal. The district has been insisting on the removal of the private routers for about a year. A single network avoids interference between wireless networks, allowing better district control over all computers, according to San Francisco Unified School District Chief Technology Officer of Information Technology Matthew Kinzie. Keeping the school on one network is also more secure, because students can log in using their account information, preventing non-students from using the network. This also allows school-wide access, where previously students without a password to a personal network would be shut out, according to Kinzie. The district agreed to install more SFUSD routers to replace those that were removed. “We’re placing wireless access points in or near the teacher’s
classrooms, so they’ll actually have stronger connectivity” Kinzie said. However, physics teacher Bryan Cooley said that the new changes have actually weakened connectivity. “The internet is clearly worse,” he said. “I don’t know but it might be because of the new internet security measures.” Personal wifi networks have been a key part of Lowell education in the past. Before SFUSD routers were implemented at Lowell, physics teacher Richard Shapiro set up an internet network to help teach his physics classes. This personal network allowed him to copy files and send them to all the computers in the private network as well as monitor student activity online. When SFUSD improved router access to district networks and cracked down on personal networks at Lowell last year, Shapiro’s classes as well as his network were disrupted. He argued his case to the district, and they agreed to improve and work out the issues that Shapiro brought up (See “District upgrades internet, irks teachers with personal network shutdowns” The Lowell, Oct. 2012). After a year of working on a solution, the district removed the physics room router.
ties; however, it did automatically qualify them for the world championships. Looking for better results in the Sacramento Regionals, the team made a few alterations to its robot, taking out its two-axis shooter and optimizing the robot for assists (inbounding the ball from a human player or picking it up from an allied robot and pushing it into a low goal). After eliminations, they placed seventh out of fifty. The robotics competitions are held annually held by the organization For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology (FIRST) — a robotics league for high school students that promotes STEM. Each year FIRST selects a new challenge for the robots to compete in for a spot at the finals. The team was given six weeks to design and construct a robot before competing.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OFRI HARLEV
A digital model of Cardinal Sin Alpha, which will compete in the championship in April.
This year’s challenge was Aerial Assist, which involved robots working together to shoot yoga balls into goals, receiving points for each successful shot or assist.
City supervisor and alumna Katy Tang visits track team By Emily Teng
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S THE LOOMING prospect of college inches closer and closer with each passing year, many students face an end-of-highschool crisis. However, Katy Tang, District 4 supervisor and former member of the Lowell track team, is living proof that students don’t need to map out every detail of their post-Lowell lives in order to succeed. The Class of 2002 alumna made an appearance at school to give a motivational talk to current members of the track team about her experience at Lowell on March 7. Tang emphasized that she focused mainly on sports and student government during high school, but she never intended to become a politician. “Becoming district supervisor was all sort of unexpected,” she said. “Life took me in a bit of a different direction than I had intended.” Tang visited to speak about her journey leading up to becoming a district supervisor, as requested by track coach Andy Leong. “I want her to inspire them,” Leong said. “She’s one of the most successful Lowell track members, post-college wise.” During her four years at Lowell, Tang participated in many sports including track, cross country, swimming and pole vaulting. Her athletic career continued on into college as she continued swimming and picked up yoga and soccer. “I took up a lot of sports and it helped distract me from homework,” Tang said. “If you only focus on academics, you’ll be really stressed out. Having a whole bunch of activities allowed me to concentrate on each thing
for a finite amount of time.” Tang’s time on the track team not only helped create a steady balance between work and extracurricular activities, but also taught her about the importance of working with other people. “I learned a lot about team spirit and how it can carry you through some really tough times, whether it was at a track meet or during the academic experience here at Lowell, which can be very challenging,” Tang said. “Just having that team connection helped me so much, and it allows me to work better with teams now in my current line of work.” Tang described that being on the track team is a similar experience to being on the board of supervisors. “You are all working toward individual goals, but at the same time everyone comes together for common shared goals as well,” she said. Tang’s visit inspired many members of the track team to continue working hard and balance school with extracurriculars. “I really appreciated that she took the time to come and speak with us,” long distance runner freshman Bernice Zhu said. “She inspired me to stay in my extracurricular activities despite our heavy homework load.” As a word of parting advice, Tang advises students to keep challenging themselves and to continue striving to do their best. “No success comes without hard work,” Tang said. “All the things that you’re doing right now, the practices, the meets, pushing yourself mentally and physically, all of that will help you in the future in anything that you do.”
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March 28, 2014
Lowell High School
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Students make musical debuts in spring production By Altea Bianchi Bellfort
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HIS YEAR the spring musical welcomed a number of novice faces to the cast. The spring production of Willy Wonka, which ran from March 13th and played until the 16th, saw some large roles filled by students who are new to the musical scene. For senior Joshua Roa, Willy Wonka was a musical debut of sorts. Although he is no rookie to singing, (Roa has sang in the Lab Chanticleer men’s chorus since he was 13-years-old) this was his first onstage musical. Roa said that his friends were instrumental in his decision to participate and seeing that this was his last year at Lowell, they gave him the encouragement to audition and he landed the lead. With a combination of singing, dancing, and acting, musical theatre can be a challenge. “Usually when I’m on stage I’m singing a solo or I’m with the choir,” Roa said. “But with musicals there is choreography and blocking. At one point I’m rolling on the floor singing and it’s really hard because you still need to sound good and project.” The second debutant was junior Thomas Fendert. He was in last fall’s play MacBeth, but Willy Wonka was his first musical. Much like Roa he came on to the stage and secured a major supporting role of Mike Teavee. “It was a little
nerve-wrecking because I had never performed in a musical, but it’s what I want to do professionally so I pushed past it.” Working closely with his fellow cast members built him new friendships and helped him enjoy school more, according to Fendert. Veteran actor sophomore Akeyla Hernandez, who played Grandma Georgina, also has a similar outlook on theatre. “You have to know your character’s story,” Hernandez said. “Even if it’s not broadcast in the show. You always want to have your story. It’ll help you understand why your character is doing what they’re doing.” Roa expressed enthusiasm for acting after playing his first part in the musical. “You get into it!” Roa said. “You become your character and you just start flowing with the person with you on stage. That’s the best feeling.” “Something I really love about acting in general is how you get to be someone else for a moment in time.” Hernandez said. “You don’t have to worry about school, but instead you worry if Charlie is going to get the golden ticket or whether Violet Beauregard is ever going to come back from being a giant blueberry. You get to worry about what your character worries about, act the way they act, speak the way they speak. You get to be a completely different person.”
ZOE KAISER
(Top) Senior Joshua Muller strikes a pose to the audience as Willy Wonka. (Above) Senior Joshua Roa makes his musical theater debut as Charlie Bucket, performing with sophomore Juliana Mak, who played Matilda. (Right) Sophomore Kali Kecskemeti as Charlie Bucket and senior Luciano Chan as Grandpa Joe, who is also a staff member of The Lowell, “fly away” in the Friday production of the musical.
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March 28, 2014
The Lowell
NEWS
New uniforms increase pride within JROTC From RO on Page 1 about one percent of all the JROTC members in the district have one, but I know someone who got us some extras. We expect to have enough for everyone by the start of next year. For now, they can wear either uniform to events and competitions.” Credito believes that new uniforms can improve performance. “They increase motivation and give everyone who wears them a sense of pride,” he said. Senior JC Lu Sing was among the first to receive a dress blue. “It’s definitely a privilege because most cadets still wear the uniforms of the past,” she said. As for the old uniforms, the army has procedures in place to deal with them. “We will turn them in to the logistics office and they will dispose of them,” Credito said. “In the past retired or decommissioned uniforms have been sent to third world countries to provide clothing for the poor.”
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(From left to right) Junior Jarod Tang and seniors Bethany Chan, Aileen San, Crystal Van, Karla Liwanag and Joseph Jung stand at attention in their new dress blue uniforms on March 23 during their monthly review.
Bungalows to be replaced with permanent structure, construction planned for 2015 ant with the building code — the fire department just From GOODBYE T’S on Page 1 sees chairs and tables in a hallway.” The expected completion date is currently unknown. The detached building will hold two classrooms durThe teachers that currently have classes in the T’s ing the day, but the wall between will not necessarily move into the rooms will be removable, the new building. “Right now allowing the building to morph the departments in the T’s are The detached building will into a multipurpose space. The all mish-mashed together,” Ishiand wrestling teams will bashi said. “The question is, hold two classrooms dur- cheer be able to use the room for what is going out there?” The new building will include ing the day, but the wall practice after school. “Just like wrestling in the cafeteria now, a bathroom and water fountain between the rooms will be they will break it down and set that will be more accessible back up,” Ishibashi said. “Infrom athletic facilities than the removable, allowing the itstead of practicing outside or in locker room bathrooms. Ishibashi intends the hallway to be building to morph into a the cafeteria, they will be able to practice inside, but they will a productive space in addition multipurpose space. have to share with other groups.” to the classrooms. “All along the While the district is funding hallways are electrical plugs and the building itself, Ishibashi every few feet I will have desks so students can sit and study with outlets for computers hopes the Parent Teacher Student Association and and phones,” Ishibashi said. “Hopefully it will be compli- Alumni Association will make donations to assist with
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PHOTO COURTESY OF EVA MORGENSTEIN
The bungalows, which were originally installed as temporary fixtures in the school, will be replaced by a new building comple. Construction is slated to begin in the summer 2015.
accessories for this new building, like flatscreen TVs, projectors, recording equipment and speakers.
Cruel compensation Success for mock trial at statewide competitions
edge of the law. “One of the misconceptions about From MOCK TRIAL on Page 1 the final round on Feb. 18 in the San Francisco Fed- mock trial is people think it’s all scripted, but it’s eral Building, the team reclaimed its title as All-City not,” team co-captain senior Natalie Kaliss said. “You never know what angle the opposing team will go champions, advancing to State undefeated. At the beginning of each year, all California after, so you have to think on your feet and try to teams are given a realistic but invented court case, incorporate that into your argument on the spot.” Overseeing everything is the team’s head coach, complete with evidence, exhibits, witness statements personal injury attorney and case information. This and Lowell alumna Doris year’s mock case tries a high Cheng. “Doris came in when school student accused of selling prescription AdderYou have to think on we didn’t have any coaches, when we thought we weren’t all to a close friend who later your feet and try to even going to have a team,” died of cardiac arrest, acsaid. “She kind of cording to pre-trial attorney incorporate that into Kaliss saved us. She rescued us sophomore Nikole Gorin. like we were little helpless A mock trial team conyour argument. ” baby birds.” sists of two sides: the prosUnfortunately, next year ecution and the defense, NATALIE KALISS, the team will have to coneach made up of multiple senior tinue its quest for the state witnesses and attorneys. The title without the guidance groups never compete in the same trial at once; instead the defense faces off of Cheng, who will be retiring from her position as head coach after four years of working with the against another team’s prosecution and vice versa. Though it might seem like simply acting, mock team. “She’s taught all of us so much and we’re going trial requires quick thinking and a thorough knowl- to miss her a lot,” Kaliss said.
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CORRECTIONS HUIMIN ZHANG
Actors from San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre performed scenes from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in the Carol Channing Theater on March 19. Above: An actor portraying Romeo of the Montagues kills Tybalt of the Capulets, avenging his friend Mercutio’s death.
Dear Readers, An entertainment article from the Feb. 28 issue of The Lowell about a reporter recreating baked goods from a food blog (see “Senior whips up delicious gluten-free cupcakes, The Lowell, Feb. 2014) incorrectly reprinted the pear cupcake recipe, excluding “24 ounces of under-ripe pears, scrubbed but not peeled”
from the list of ingredients. For the complete, original recipe, search “pear layer cake” on www.bravetart.com. On Page 15 of last month’s sports section, one swimmer was incorrectly identified in a photograph. It was freshman Sarah Merry, not senior Sally Tan. The Lowell Staff
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March 28, 2014
Lowell High School
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ZOE KAISER
ZOE KAISER
The senior registries competed in the annual March Madness basketball competition from March 17-21. Reg 1409 came out victorious. (Clockwise from top: Top left) Senior Wen Liu of 1416 jumps for the ball as senior Julia Wong of 1409 plays defense. (Top right) Senior Addiston Brenneman of 1417 single-handedly blocks senior Zach Rowson of 1413 from taking a jump shot. (Middle right) Senior Dimitri Tran of 1409 prepares to pass the ball. (Bottom right) Senior Sammy Pollard of 1409 successfully dunks the basketball. (Bottom left) Wong takes the ball down the court.
ZOE KAISER
ZOE KAISER
March 28, 2014
The Lowell
EnTErTainMEnT
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By Natalia Arguello-Ingles
If you are ever in need of a funky dose of feminism, do not hesitate to look up these truly talented women who can be held in the same high regard as their male hip-hop counterparts.
Da Brat
MC Lyte
Though Da Brat, real name Shawntae Harris, began rapping at 11 years old, she wasn’t discovered until the mid ’90s. Her untouchable flow and bold, rebellious style garnered her a reputation as one of the best among the few female MC’s of ’90s hip-hop. Da Brat was the first solo female rapper to go platinum.
Brooklyn born beauty MC Lyte established herself as a tough and outspoken female voice in rap early on, releasing her first single in 1987. Unlike many female rap artists and MC’s of her time, MC Lyte not only challenged the misogynistic attitude of rap through the confident and dominant, yet feminine, twist to her music, she also unapologetically challenged the sexism of hip-hop through her lyrics. She was the first woman to release a solo rap album on a major label.
Queen Latifah
Lil’ Kim Under the guidance of rap legend Biggie Smalls, 4’11” rapper Lil’ Kim became a powerful force in hip-hop in the late ’90s. Despite critics’ predictions of failure, Lil’ Kim’s uncharacteristically deep and powerful voice and impeccable flow eventually propelled her to #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts and landed her a Grammy. Kim has been chastised for allegedly glorifying sexism and the objectification of women through her highly provocative attitude, attire and lyrical content. But in actuality, Lil’ Kim’s decision to cultivate an image of both video vixen and strong and talented female rapper represents a different kind of feminism and female empowerment in which women’s sexuality is celebrated.
From the locker rooms of her New Jersey high school, where the now acclaimed musician and actress Queen Latifah held informal rap and rhyme sessions, to her high school rap group Ladies Fresh, later called Flavor Unit, to her first Grammy winning single “U.N.I.T.Y,” Queen Latifah’s natural ability as both a singer and rapper, her spunky demeanor and well-tuned knack for business are undeniable. Ironically employed at a Burger King, Queen Latifah plowed through the misogyny and chauvinistic attitude prevalent in her chosen genre to become the hip-hop queen she is today.
Brooke Candy Brooke Candy, who was first “Tumblr famous” for her over-the-top, extravagant, and LA-esque style — seven inch platform sneakers, elaborately painted on eyebrows, and thigh-long blue braids — first gained recognition as a music artist when featured on artist Grimes’ music video, “Genesis.” Daughter of a Hustler magazine executive, Brooke Candy is a self-proclaimed stripper, rapper and stoner. Brooke Candy preaches female and queer empowerment by way of her extremely over-sexualized image and music.
Lil Debbie The Oakland based rapper Lil Debbie first rose to local fame as part of the rap group White Girl Mob with rappers Kreayshawn and V-Nasty. Her high-pitched voice is a stark contrast to the deep and melodic voices of past female rappers. Unlike rapper like MC Lyte, Queen Latifah and even Lil Kim, Lil Debbie’s success as a music artist is less about her music and more about her image as an independent and rebellious woman in the rap industry, as well as a fashion icon and a business woman.
Reporter recommends internet a cappella group, dazzles listener with signature sound and voices By Stephanie Li
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SOULFUL BARITONE, A CLEAR tenor and a strong soprano, combined with the undertones of a vocal bass and a booming beatboxer, collectively adds up to the five-member a cappella band Pentatonix. Originally from Arlington, Texas, members Scott Hoying, Kirstie Maldonado, and Mitch Grassi started the group in high school, specializing in a cappella, or singing without instrumental sound. The last two members, Avi Kaplan, and Kevin Olusola, were invited to join right before the group auditioned for NBC’s a cappella competition, The SingOff. After bringing home the first place prize of $200,000, and, more importantly, a recording contract with Sony, the quintet moved to Los Angeles to pursue their career, while continuing to post covers of popular songs on YouTube. They have released three albums, PTX Vol. 1, PTXmas and PTX Vol. 2, and are currently embarking on their North American tour. Drawing from pop, dubstep, electro, and hip-hop influences, Pentatonix’s charting albums consist of original remakes like their cover of “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, self-written songs incorporating organic sounds like the track “Natural Disaster,” which is built around handclapping and foot-stomping, as well as distinctive medleys
like their viral “Daft Punk” mash up — all produced without instruments or electronic add-ons. Instead, each song is full of resonating vocal harmonies cushioned by vibrating beats and the tease of a bass so low that even headphones have trouble picking it up, allowing for an intriguing mix. An esteemed vocal bass in the a cappella community, girls and guys alike fawn over Kaplan’s signature husky notes. On the other end of the spectrum are Maldonado’s piercing high notes and Grassi’s powerful falsetto, both steady and striking, hitting each note without fail. Besides his amazing vocal capabilities, Hoying’s intense rapping skills are also occasionally featured, as well as Olusola’s “cello-boxing,” a combination of beatboxing and cello-playing. Arguably most amazing of all is Kaplan’s incredible talent of singing two notes at once, creating an illusion of a phantom sixth member. All this, and more, creates Pentatonix’s unique sound. Their ability to cover a wide variety of songs attracts a diverse fanbase of all types and ages, from a cappella enthusiasts to everyday high school students, bringing them even closer to their dream of becoming the world’s first mainstream a cappella group in recent history. Find them on their website (www.ptxofficial.com) or visit their YouTube channel PTXofficial.
8 EntErtainMEnt
March 28, 2014
Lowell High School
On Trend: Popular ’70s rocker remains a style icon, inspiring festival staples and streetwear By Campbell Gee
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TEVIE NICKS ONCE SAID “I was not going to be a stupid girl singer. I was going to be way more than that.” And over the years, the Fleetwood Mac singer and solo artist has successfully managed to establish herself as both a legendary rock singer-songwriter and an empowering style icon. Since joining the famed band in the 70s, Nicks’ gypsy-like outfits have become just as memorable as the catchy choruses to the group’s hits like “Rhiannon” and “Landslide,” which she wrote. Their critically acclaimed 1977 record, Rumors –– featuring a memorable album cover that depicted a tall Mick Fleetwood next to an all black-chiffon clad Nicks — not only put Nicks’ harmonic crooning on music radar, but also defined her mother-nature-meets-Victorian-goddess aesthetic. With the help of longtime designer Margi Kent, Nicks has cultivated this enduring velvetdominant style, which the songstress calls her “uniform.” With a wardrobe of sheer shawls, suede platform boots (to compensate for her short five-foot-one stature), crescent moon necklaces,
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flowy maxi dresses and billowy velvet skirts, Nicks put the hippie, Coachella-esque look on the map before it became cool to modern day hipsters. Although the rocker’s look has hit the mainstream, Nicks has made it a point to stay true to her unique aesthetic. Not being shy about her fashion choices, the outspoken singer told The Record in 1982, “The clothes I wear... that doesn’t change. I love long dresses. I love velvet. I love high boots. I never change. I’m not a fad person. I still have everything I had then. That’s one part of me...that’s where my songs come from.” Though her specific style wavers in and out of popular fashion, Nicks remains an unconventional sex symbol and eternal poster girl for feminine rockers. Over time, Nicks’ style has seeped into other aspects of her career, as she has incorporated similar free-spirited elements in her live performances. The singer is known to adorn her microphones and tambourines with strings of flowers, ribbons and beads –– while her whimsical on-stage twirling has become a trademark for Fleetwood Mac fans. Though her look may not carry the same obvious strength as other female powerhouses like Blondie or Joan Jett, Nicks continues to inspire wannabe boho girls and drag queens alike.
1. Abra Lace Up With Boots, $150 (us.topshop.com) 2. Boho Babe Kimono Cardigan, $30, (www.forever21.com) 3. Sterling Silver Crescent Moon Pendant Necklace, $38 (www.ross-simons.com) 4. Kimchi Blue Country Picnic Maxi Skirt, $69 (www.urbanoutfitters.com) 5. Leather Belt, $50 (www.hm.com)
Reporter discovers fresh way to use generic chocolate spread, bakes light and fluffy soufflé By Patricia Nguy
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not contain much hazelnut anyways. Coffee is chocolate’s magical companion, so I added some instant espresso powder. If you cannot find instant espresso powder, instant coffee powder would work just as well, as would liquid espresso or coffee. The added liquid will lighten the egg yolk and chocolate hazelnut spread base and make it easier to fold in the egg whites. I sprayed the ramekins with non-stick spray and dusted them with cocoa powder. Together, the two were an improvement from buttering the ramekins and coating them with
HE SMELLS OF MALT chocolate and rich hazelnuts waft from the jar the moment I break the golden foil seal, revealing a light brown, creamy substance that gleams in the window light. How did I ever doubt this not-Nutella, generic, store-brand, chocolate hazelnut spread? It might have been the ingredients: “sugar, vegetable oil, fat reduced cocoa, hazelnuts (6 percent), whey powder, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin, flavoring.” In addition, it tastes sugary and has a chemical twang and rough textures. Reluctantly, I salvage the deceiving jar, hoping the contents will become more palatable if I incorporate them into a delectable recipe. Since chocolate hazelnut spread is poor in flavor and texture, I could not simply use the spread as-is. Any recipe I might use needed modification. I singled out a recipe by focusing on the lesser of the two evils — texture. I avoided creamy recipes because the spread’s graininess would be too obvious. I decided on “Laura in the Kitchen” host Laura Vitale’s Nutella Soufflé. The soft and fluffy texture of a soufflé would mute the spread’s dusty texture and distract my taste buds from its fake, metallic sweetness. Instead of adding the sugar to the egg yolks, as per the recipe’s instruction, I added it to the egg whites for more stability. The soufflé turned out to be too sweet, so I omitted the sugar entirely in the next batch. But without the extra stability from the sugar, the egg whites started returning to a liquid state immediately after I whipped them into stiff peaks. I reversed the I ended up with an appealrecipe process and whipped the ingly puffed soufflé that tasted egg whites right before I needed them, so they would sit around like a light, cakey brownie. It for the least amount of time. I also found melting the chocolate hazelwas not deep and dense like nut spread unnecessary because it a dark chocolate truffle, but did not make incorporating the spread any more or less difficult. at least it did not have that For the soufflé’s flavor, the only choice I had was making it more laboratory taste. chocolatey since the spread did
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PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICIA NGUY
bittersweet chocolate because the soufflés stuck less to the ramekins’ sides, and the unsweetened cocoa powder contributed more chocolate flavor than the bittersweet chocolate. I filled one ramekin to the rim and another halfway and tapped both of them on the counter to settle the batter. With the batter ready, I was surprised by how much could still go wrong without due caution. The halffull ramekin’s soufflé rose to below the rim. The full ramekin’s soufflé beauti-
fully rose over the rim but started to spew batter from the sides. The top fell off, and the remaining batter continued to rise, so I had trouble determining when it was done. Beware of being too rough when sliding the ramekins into the oven and only fill them three-quarters of the way full to avoid overflowing batter. I ended up with an appealingly puffed soufflé that tasted like a light, cakey brownie. It was not deep and dense like a dark chocolate truffle, but at least it did not have that laboratory taste. The insides were a hybrid between a cake and a mousse. Any chocolate hazelnut spread would work for this impressive yet comforting soufflé, perfect for colder spring evenings. Find this recipe at Vitale’s website (www.laurainthekitchen. com).
The Lowell
March 28, 2014
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The Lowell Spotlight March 28, 2014
Whats my name? By Noreen Shaikh and Luming Yuan Picture this: it’s the first day of school, and your teacher is trying to learn the students’ names by taking attendance. When she calls your name, someone else blurts out “here” before you have a chance to respond. You might think this is a big coincidence, but situations like this are not unusual in large schools like Lowell. Roughly 2,600 students roam Lowell’s hallways everyday, and the likelihood of having the same first name as someone else is very high, especially if you have a popular name. Among the most common male names at Lowell are Andrew, Kevin, Justin, Michael, Eric(k), Anthony and Jonathan. “There have been a few instances when someone yells my name and I turn around because I think they’re calling me, but they are just calling someone else with the same name as me; that really annoys me,” sophomore Michael Delara said. Meanwhile, the most popular female names are Sara(h), Michelle, Jessica, Ann(e)(a)(ie), Jennifer and Samantha. “I think it’s pretty cool
that Sarah is one of the most common names, but at the same time I don’t feel unique,” sophomore Sarah Hua said. Since it’s likely for two people to have the same first name, this sometimes raises issues in classrooms. “Once in English class there was a girl with the same name as me, so everyone distinguished us by our last names,” sophomore Anna He said. The probability of having the same last name as someone else is even greater. The most popular last names at Lowell are Wong, Lee, Li, Huang, Chen, Chan, Yu, Ng, Wu, Nguyen, Liu and Tran. 41 Lowell students share the same first and last names, which can lead to complications. “Once the counseling office had a mess-up with all the people in the school who had the same name,” junior reporter Michelle Wong said. “One day during reg, I got called in and met all the Michelle Wongs, Justin Lees and William Wongs. It was a really funny situation; it felt like a Saturday Night Live skit.” There are eighteen repeated first and last names, according to the attendance office.
Most Common Boys Names 19
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Most Common Name Combinations Lee, Justin Lee, Justin
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Eri c An (k) & toh ony
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Lee, Justin Cheung, Eric
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Cheung, Eric 21
Cheung, Eric 18
Yu, Eric
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Yu, Eric Yu, Eric Chan, Tiffany
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Chan, Tiffany
Sam Jen antha nife r &
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Illustrations by Kimberly Li
L n, e uy n Ng Tra &
Frosh-soph baseball dominates league Lowell High School March 28, 2014
John Hogan breaks the school’s mile record
Page 11
AMBER LY
Junior pitcher Craig Colen on the mound in the Cardinals’ 4-0 win over Balboa on March 13. Colen pitched six shutout innings, striking out seven batters.
Vars baseball aims to repeat championship glory By Danielle Flores
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FTER LOSING TEN of last year’s seniors, the varsity baseball team is looking to step up to the plate. The Cardinals are stressing the fundamentals: accurate hitting, quick fielding, consistent pitching and good sportsmanship. Last season, graduated seniors left fielder Jesse Tom, center fielder Aaron Leong, pitcher Elijah Sanders, second baseman Josh Vaugn, first baseman and relief pitcher Jasper Scherer, right fielder Andy Glickfeld and catcher Jake Simon brought home the city championship. This season, the Cardinals are aiming to rise above the competition and come back as champions. “There’s a different drive to be better than last year,” junior outfielder Scott Tom said. “There’s a huge gap to fill with all the talent that left last year.” In particular, seniors Joe Mueller and captain Max Read as well as juniors Craig Colen and Luis Hernandez have taken charge this year in their positions as pitchers, according to head coach John Donohue. The pitchers have a combined Earned Run Average (ERA)
of 1.15 this year, with Colen leading the team, remain in Division I, they will only compete striking out thirty-seven opposing players over against their main competitors: Galileo, Balthe five-games he’s pitched. boa, Washington and Lincoln. This season, Juniors first baseman Nick Rolph, third all Division I teams will only play against b as e man and each other instead designated hitof having to also t e r Va u g h n Division II Being on the varsity team for play Blue, right teams during the fielder Markus four years now, I can honestly league season. Min and second Because of this say this year I feel like our adjustment, this baseman sophomore Matthew will be much team is the most complete it’s year Schivo have more competitive also become been in years and we are still for the Cardinals. more consistent Their record will getting better.” in translating be based upon coaching advice g ame s ag ai nst into games. “EvLINK CHAPMAN, teams who play eryone thought senior captain and centerfielder on a similar level, it would be hard in contrast to last for us,” Donohue said. “But the juniors and year, when their record included games against seniors have really stepped up.” lower division teams. “It’s going to be a much Besides the seniors leaving, the Cardinals more difficult season than last year,” Tom said. will also have to adapt to a different league With the majority of last season’s outfieldschedule this year. Though the Cardinals ers graduated and the season’s league schedule
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changed, the team is welcoming back coach Daryl Semien after his three-year leave from the team. “Lowell is home,” he said. As a third base coach, Semien takes on the critical role at helping players get to home plate. “Coach Daryl just knows so much about the game that he can help a player with anything,” pitcher and outfielder senior Vishaal Patel said. Semien works alongside assistant pitching coach Emil DeAndreis and first base assistant coach Romeo Aurelio. “Emil motivates and pushes us in practice and in games through the way he speaks,” Patel said. “Romeo focuses on the little things like running bases correctly, bunting correctly, and being aware during games.” The team hopes for their 13th city championship under Donohue. “Being on the varsity team for four years now, I can honestly say this year I feel like our team is the most complete it’s been in years and we are still getting better,” captain and center fielder senior Link Chapman said. “I’m really excited for this season. Lowell can expect big things from their baseball team this year.”
Girls’ soccer creates JV team to nurture new talent
By Ophir Cohen-Simayof
according to Kauffman. “We’re focusing on playing N A 70-80 MINUTE game, it can be a challenge quicker, improving individual technical skills and allowing 28 girls to have enough time on the field. seeing the field and their options with and without This year, under the supervision of coach Lind- the ball,” she said. Along with quickness, Kauffman plans on winning say Kauffman, a Junior Varsity girl’s soccer team was games through organizacreated in order to allow tion. At practice, both players more individual teams are working on playing time, primarily playing at non-league We’re focusing on playing challenging and creative opportunities to score games. quicker, improving individual goals. “Playing a smart, Although the amount passing game of players is similar this technical skills and seeing the composed is really the key to our year, the team is now split up into 14 players field and their options with success,” Kauffman said. Though JV games give each. One way players and without the ball.” players more time with are selected depending the ball, both teams pracon their speed of play LINDSAY KAUFFMAN, ticing together makes it — the amount of time it varsity soccer coach difficult for Kauffman to takes to get to the ball and focus on the skills each pass it. “It really was up player needs to improve on. Because of this, the senior to being able to play at a certain pace, their skill level, knowledge of the game, chemistry with other players, players have taken leadership roles to help the other players. Senior midfielder Mikela Waldman takes this and the position they play,” Kauffman said. This year’s Junior Varsity’s goals include getting role through conducting exercises and inspiring See SOCCER on Page 12 the players up to speed with those already in varsity,
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Senior Tia Doherty in Lowell’s 6-0 shutout of Washington on March 13.
12 SPORTS
March 28, 2014
Lowell High School
Girls’ soccer divides and conquers with team split
From SOCCER on Page 11 motivation. “I help lead ab workouts at the end of practice, and encourage everyone to be fit,” Waldman said. Despite the lack of individual attention during practices,
Badminton soars
there are benefits to combined practices. Both teams work together to help each other. In scrimmages, the starting varsity players play against the JV, or the starting defense play against the starting offense. This way, the girls challenge themselves, and the JV team gets more prepared for future seasons where they will have to take their skills to the next level. Senior midfielder Joy van Hasselt sympathizes with the JV players, as she was once also in their position. “As a player that once struggled on the field, I know how beneficial it was for me to be playing with girls that have such a higher skill set than I did,” van Hasselt said. “I think having the combined practices really will encourage younger, more inexperienced players to work harder and learn more from their teammates.”
Apart from limited time at some non-league games, the JV team plays at non-league games. However, two of the Junior Varsity games were canceled, due to bad weather and conflicts with the opposing team, so the girls are back to competing during practices to win time on the field. “We hoped to have more games sprinkled throughout the season to get the girls more minutes, but now we have to work as one big varsity squad,” Kauffman said. “Everyone will have to fight in practice to win time in the games, but at least this encourages the girls to work hard in practices throughout the season.” During league games, both teams will unite and morph together to win the season. All the played league games add up to the season’s climax — Athletic Academic Association Championships.
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Senior Cally Chung smashes a shot in the Cardinals’ 4-3 victory over the Balboa Buccaneers on March 11.
KARINA HUFT
Senior forward Mikela Waldman scored a hat trick in the Carlinals’ 6-0 shutout over the Washington Eagles on March 13.
The Lowell
March 28, 2014
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14 SPORTS
March 28, 2014
Lowell High School
CARDS SLiDe HOMe
ALL PHOTOS BY HUIMIN ZHANG
(Above) Sophomore second baseman Evan Cheng slides safely into third base during the frosh-soph baseball team’s 29-1 victory over the Lincoln Mustangs on March 12.
(Above) Freshman pitcher EJ Whorton slings the ball towards the plate. The Cardinals did not allow the Buccaneers to score until the 5th inning. (Below) Freshman catcher Martell Coleman prepares to hit a pitch.
(Above) Freshman pitcher, first baseman and right fielder Joseph Solomon sprints out of the batter’s box and powers to first base.
The Lowell
March 28, 2014
SPORTS
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Spring 2011: Hogan joins the Lowell track team as a sprinter, competing in the 100m, 200m and 400m dashes.
Track All-City 2011: Hogan takes third in the boys’ frosh-soph 400m dash (54.97).
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Summer 2011: Hogan qualifies for the United States of America Track and Field Junior Olympic Nationals 800m race with a 2:04. He then runs a 2:05 in Wichita, Kansas, withstanding temperatures of 118°F. Track All-City 2012: Hogan wins the boys’ frosh-soph 400m dash (53.03). He also competes in the 100m and 200m dashes taking 6th and 4th 1st respectively. Hogan then anchors the 1st place boys’ frosh-soph 4x400m relay team (3:40.60). Summer 2012: Hogan returns to the USATF Junior Olympic Nationals, taking 10th place in the 800m (1:58). He also runs the 400m (52.0).
Fall 2012: Hogan joins the cross country team as a junior. He places 7th overall at All-City with an 18:18 5K, despite fighting a pulled hamstring. GAVIN LI
Senior distance runner John Hogan tears up the track in the 4x400m relay at the K-Bell Invitational on March 9, 2013.
Athlete of the Month: John Hogan By Joseph Kim
racing, I pulled my calf pretty badly and that caused some lingering FTER RECOVERING from a crushing four-month injury, tendonitis. New to distance running, I did not know how to handle distance track star senior John Hogan is back and ready the injury and I ended up taking a week or two off, which caused to ignite a record-breaking season. Taking gold after gold, my fitness to deteriorate, limiting my breakout season. Now I get Hogan has proved himself one of Lowell’s most valuable athletes, in injuries all the time but I know how to deal with them. It’s the small the process earning himself the spot of March’s Athlete of the Month. things, like adjusting, stretching, icing, being smart, etc. That would The Lowell sat down with him to hear his thoughts on being one of be one challenge. What would you say is your biggest accomplishment so far? the most successful athletes Lowell has ever seen. Having transitioned to distance and already being one of the top When did you first start running competitively and what made 50 in the state would probably be one of my biggest accomplishments you start? Late eighth grade. I joined a summer track team after I got cut right now. Nobody would have thought that I could have done that from a basketball team. I was always pretty fast in the schoolyard and in less than three to four months of running. Getting from nowhere I knew that my friends ran track for their middle schools. I went to a to somewhere so quickly, it’s definitely my biggest accomplishment. private middle school and they didn’t have a track team so I wanted And then there’s also been some races where nobody expected me to do anything, and I came out big. One of these was in summer after to try it out. I started out as a sprinter. my freshman year when I decided to compete with a club team. It What made you switch from sprinting to running distance? I realized I wasn’t fast enough on a national level and I knew that I is far more competitive than the city at that age level. That being could never be elite through sprinting because your talent only brings said I had to move up to the 800m because I stood no chance in the sprinting events. In the summer each race you so far; I needed to move up to distance. is a qualifier to the next, the last race being When did you switch to distance? the mecca - The United States of America I switched to distance in the summer Track and Field Junior Olympics. Each meet going into my junior year. I ran the 800m gets harder to qualify as you go along. I got and I joined cross country my junior year. 400m 0:50.7 (in relay) to the final meet before the big one, and it The transition has been fun and its been a 800m 1:55.4 happened to fall on the same weekend which lot of work but I think I’ve transitioned well. my family goes camping every year, I had a Are any of your family members runners? 1600m 4:10.99 2:12 which was very mediocre relative to No, but my godfather was a runner in col3200m 9:26 the other kids, so my mom said “Hey John, lege and he’s like an uncle to me. He helped since you will likely not qualify, maybe you’ll 5000m 16:20 me make the decision to move up to long consider going on the camping trip instead.” distance. He ran cross country in college so I, of course, said “Mom, no way, this is my he’s been like a mentor to me. chance.” I ended up running a 2:04, qualifying for nationals in WichDo you have any major motivations or people you look up to? Just the idea of being number one. Running is so objective: you ita, Kansas. I’ve never felt so fired up after a race. That fire still burns have first place, second place and third place; you have this time, strong in my chest ever since. this time and this time. The idea of being on top of the city, and What are your plans for running in college? I’m being recruited by division one schools. Right now I have a then on top of the state and then maybe one day being on top of the entire sport, it’s something that constantly goes through my mind. few schools on my mind: Boston College, Fordham University in That’s what drives me, just to be number one, and I think that’s it New York, University of California in San Diego, University of San Francisco but right now I’m waiting to find out about financial aid. for most runners. What is an average day of training for you like? What does it take? My number one choice would probably be Boston College right now. Is there anything that you want to add? I wake up far more tired than the day before. I get to school and That’s pretty much everything. I mean, it’s a hard sport. The differpretty much sleep through class because I’m exhausted. Fourth period I run three to four miles. Then I go back to class and listen to all the ence between a runner and a sportsperson is that someone who plays stuff I have to learn. Sixth period I go to weight training where I do basketball or football plays hard. I work hard. There’s a big difference. a lot of core work, cardio stuff, maybe some more miles. Then I go What I do is not fun. You can ask me “Why do you do it?” and most back to class, blah blah blah. After school I run seven to ten miles, of the time I can’t answer that question because I don’t really know. and all of this is at a relatively fast pace. Then I get home at around I think it’s really just to win. It’s such a competitive sport. How much you put into it is how much you’re going to get out of it, and that’s 7:00-8:00 p.m., eat a lot and crash by around 9:30-10:00 p.m.. what I love about it, and we’ll see what happens this year. I don’t want And you do that everyday? to have any regrets when it comes to the last time I board that bus, Six days a week. I usually take one day off just to recover. after the last meet. That’s what I did this year — I gave it all I got, I What was your biggest struggle? You’re constantly attacked by injuries because you’re running so have no more to give, and I don’t want a single regret after the last much that you have a high chance of getting injured every week, time. I’m very lucky to have a coach who is experienced and knows and I have to consistently run around that. Last year I started off what he is doing and provides a plentiful number of opportunities the season with very strong performances, ranking pretty high for to be successful. Having an awesome group of teammates around a junior. But the first week of May, the big month for championship me makes it all possible.
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Personal Records
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March 2, 2013: Hogan runs his first official 1600m (4:33) at the Santa Rosa Big Cat Invitational.
March 30, 2013: Hogan helps break the school’s 4x800m relay record, running a 1:56 leg at the Stanford Invitational. The team set the record at 7:57.42.
April 6, 2013: Hogan runs a 4:19 1600m at the Arcadia Invitational, the second fastest 1600m in school history.
May 2013: Hogan pulls his calf, leading to lingering tendonitis. Track All-City 2013: Just a few weeks later, Hogan runs through 2nd the injury for a 4:26 2nd place finish in the 1600m (qualifying for State). The injury, however, forces Hogan out of both the 800m and 4x400m relay later that day, and later the 1600m at State. The injury would eventually sideline Hogan for over four months. Fall 2013: Hogan returns to Cross Country with a month to go in the season. He sets the season record HUIMIN ZHANG his first race back at 17:28 (right). Hogan goes on to take 1st individually at AllCity with a 17:40, qualifying him for the State meet where he runs a 16:20.
March 23, 2014: Hogan breaks the school’s mile (1609m) record with a 4:12 2nd place finish at the Adidas Meet of Champions. His time ranks him as the third fastest high school miler in the nation. His converted time for the 1600m (4:10.99) places him just a fraction away from the school’s 1600m record.
16 ProfiLeS
By Ophir Simayof
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Jeffrey Chen
To be able to win a round, debaters must be knowledgeable about the topic, which is revealed only 20 minutes before the round begins. “My biggest difficulty was learning about current events and how to debate them because you can’t have a debate on topics like Syria without knowing about its history with suppression, terrorism and violence,” Chen said. Because debate is lot of work, one would think that it is a challenge to balance Lowell’s requirements and continue debating. However, Chen fights this battle through time management and enjoying what he does. “For anyone who is really dedicated in debate and really wants to do well in terms of academics, it’s prioritizing your time well while trying to read the news anytime you can,” he said. “I really do believe that anything that I do in debate or anything that I do to prepare for debate can be used in any other context. So, when I am reading about current events, I don’t feel like it’s homework necessarily.”
Lowell High School
By Tyler Perkins
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INNING A DEBATE BRINGS a sense of pride and accomplishment, which only comes through hours of practice. Senior Marc Cunningham and his partner senior Jeffrey Chen know this feeling well and are currently ranked first in North America for all high school parliamentary debaters. Rankings are based on several competitions throughout the year, which Cunningham and Chen did very well in. At the Martin Luther King Invitational in Union City, they competed against 136 teams, winning alongside junior Eli Pollock and sophomore Thomas White, another parliamentary debate team from Lowell. Needless to say, Cunningham is satisfied with their ranking. “It hasn’t quite clicked yet,” he said. “I am happy with how we have done so far this season, and I hope we can keep it up.” Cunningham became involved in debate when he joined Lowell Forensics Society in his freshman year. “I actually joined debate somewhat by chance,” he said. “I had al-
By Noreen Shaikh
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Yu Ling Wu
ZOE KAIS
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By Noreen Shaikh
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EING THE INDIVIDUAL events director for Lowell Forensics Society is not an easy task, but senior Catrina Sun-Tan manages the job with just enough time left over to act out scenes from the play, These Shining Lives in duo interpretation. As director for individual events, Sun-Tan not only recruits and helps members work on their scripts, but she also works on her own acts with her partner, senior Yu Ling Wu. The pair have qualified for both the State Qualifications and the 2014 National Tournament in their first year competing for duo interpretation. With acts such as Salt Lake City Punks!, These Shining Lives and Frozen, the pair have worked hard to make it this far. Before participating in duo interpretation, Sun-Tan performed individually as a sophomore and junior. As a sophomore, Sun-Tan was awarded third place in humorous interpretation at Golden Gate Speech Association. In both tenth and eleventh grades, she advanced to the octofinals at University
of California, Berkeley, in humorous interpretation. “I have excelled a lot after joining individual events,” Sun-Tan said. “In tenth grade I started off shy, but after watching everyone else perform I improved.” After joining Speech and Debate, Sun-Tan has grown in many ways. “Individual events has taught me teamwork and to have chemistry with your partner,” Sun-Tan said. “Because of individual events, my confidence has risen, and I am not afraid to speak out. My confidence has also allowed me to do more around Lowell and get more involved by even making my own club, Room to Read.” As a director and performer, SunTan puts her heart in everything she does. “I have learned a lot of leadership skills since being a director prepares you for the real world and college through practicing management,” Sun-Tan said. She hopes to participate in Speech and Debate individual events in college.
Catrina Sun-Tan
ITH HER peppy voice and flamboyant persona, senior Yu Ling Wu never fails to impress debate judges. For the second year in a row, Wu qualified for the 2014 National Tournament in duo interpretation for Lowell Forensics Society. Last year, she competed solo in humorous interpretation. Duo interpretation and humorous interpretation are some of the “individual” events. Duo interpretation is a section of Speech and Debate in which duo partners memorize ten-minute scripts and act them out in front of judges, in a series of rounds. Sources for script excerpts HUIMIN ZHANG vary widely, from well-known movies like Frozen to more obscure independent films like Salt Lake City Punk. “Duo interpretation is my life,” Wu said. Sun-Tan, have been working tirelessly on “It’s something every kid should perfecting their acts for Nationals. “It is very do. Aside from it being one of my different performing with a partner rather favorite activities I love to do, I feel than performing on your own,” Wu said. like it really helps you find your “Sometimes we want to kill each other, but I would not ever choose another person to own voice and express yourself.” While performing, actors are share the stage with me.” In 2010, when Wu was an eighth grader at not allowed to use props, wear A.P. Giannini Middle School, Lowell Speech makeup, make physical contact or have direct eye contact, according and Debate students presented and worked to Wu. “It challenges us to think of with middle school students. She knew inhow to physically create a situation stantly humorous interpretation was for her. or act something outrageous using Wu has grown and accomplished much since only what is natural to our body,” Wu said. her A.P. Giannini days. “As an eighth grader, “This means a lot of cool sound effects, beat- it was really awkward for me to perform, and boxing and a great use of your imagination.” I was doing it for fun so I wasn’t competitive Last year, Wu was the first person from about it,” Wu said. Wu began Speech and Debate with the Lowell in about six years to make the cut for the National Qualifications. To qualify, Wu intent to only participate for fun. “The very won second place at California Interpretation first time I performed humorous interpretaand 22nd in State Qualifications. At Nation- tion I was super nervous, but it really stuck with me because I love to entertain people als, Wu ranked 54 out of 250 contestants. Wu and her partner, senior Catrina and make them laugh,” she said.
ways found world issues to be interesting and wanted to improve my public speaking skills. When I first joined, I did not really have any clear plans or expectations, but I soon took a liking to debate.” Cunningham is drawn to the quickthinking aspect of debate. “It’s that moment when someone is going after you and challenging you,” he said. “You have to come up with a solution and run with it. It forces you to look at different things and consider different viewpoint, since you don’t get to choose what side you argue.” Cunningham and Chen were not always the dynamic debaters that they are today. “A good debater needs to be determined and see the bigger picture,” Cunningham said. “Most importantly you need to have confidence in yourself and your partner. That was a problem for me early on, but once we started trusting each other, we became really good.” Though they are currently ranked first in the continent for parliamentary debate, it is possible that they will lose this honor before the season is over. “The rankings are constantly changing based on tournament performance,” Cunningham said. “We have held this spot since January, but could still lose it if we do poorly in a competition.” Despite being one of the world’s best high school debaters, Cunningham is still learning. “I think I still have a lot to learn,” he said. “I can most definitely say, however, that my partner, Jeffrey Chen, has an immense amount of skill and dedication. When we first started working together, it was clear that he had tremendous potential. He is a consistently strong debater.” As for his future, Cunningham hopes to use the skills he has picked up debating in his career. “While many debaters pursue law or politics later on, I want to go into engineering,” he said. “ I think the public speaking and quick-thinking skills I have picked up in debate will help me in whichever career I chose.”
Marc Cunningham
F WORDS ARE A PERSON’S GREATEST weapon in battle, then senior Jeffrey Chen, ranked as one of the best debaters in the nation in January 2014, has already won the war. Chen confessed that he had a hard time believing it was true when he first found out that he and his partner, senior Marc Cunningham, were ranked first in the nation by the debate coaches at Oakland’s Bishop O’Dowd High School who also run the website Point of Information. At the time, the duo’s greatest concern was maintaining its winning streak, having only lost one round. “It was shocking,” Chen said. “I think Marc and I were probably more concerned about not losing at that time because we were ranked with only one loss.” Chen’s debating career began in the 10th grade when he swapped cross-country running for parliamentary debate. “I think debate is important because you learn a lot of skills regarding presentation, which is extremely important for any social context you are in, whether it is school or at work,” he said. “I thought that was probably an important skill to develop before I graduate.” Looking back at himself as a sophomore, Chen would not have ever dreamt of achieving this much success. “I think generally when I try to look at myself in my debate career, I don’t think of myself as someone who is really talented in debate,” he said. “I always thought of myself as someone who is just working really hard at the moment and really just trying my best to do what I can.”
March 28, 2014
March 28, 2014
The Lowell
COLUMNS
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Writer publishes work to discover new perspective By Gabby Dolgonos
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HEN I WAS LITTLE, I SUPPOSE I must have been deeply moved by my loose teeth because I wrote the same sentence in my preschool journal over and over again: I have a [sic] adult tooth. It wasn’t the most spectacular sentence, even for a five-year-old, but my writing endeavors had to start somewhere. As I grew up, so did my sentences. But it wasn’t until middle school that I started to look around myself and seek inspiration from one of the few things I could have known — my own life. I began writing about all the places and people that intrigued me, and I found that I finally had a place to spill my thoughts without consequence. It turned out that lined paper was much less judgemental than an average teenager. Soon, everything I thought about was written down on loose scraps, in notebooks and on my computer, until I ended up with over a hundred pages of embarrassing rants. After a year of driving me to a few summer creative writing classes and watching me write away to no end, my dad suggested I submit some of my writing for publishing. I had never written for anyone other than myself, so I was hesitant. Publishing brought with it concerns I hadn’t considered before: what am I trying to say? Is this worth anyone’s time? Who even cares what I write? Even so, the possibility of rejection wasn’t nearly as terrifying as knowing that some of my inner thoughts could be printed on paper and made available for any pair of curious eyes to read. I was reluctant to write what I really thought and felt, too afraid to put my ideas out in the world to be judged.
I refused to submit any of my writing, so my dad decided to take things into his own hands. A few months after he entered one of my stories into a contest, I got an email telling me the story had placed in the top ten and was published by Creative Communication, a company that sponsors national contests for students, in their yearly anthology. Actually seeing my writing in print changed everything. I decided I liked the way my name looked at the top of the story, and I realized that if the administrators of the contest thought my stories were worth reading and publishing, maybe other people would as well. It was then that I began to believe the things I wrote had value. Though I kept at it, submitting my writing never got easier for me. Even now, three years later, I’m still just as wary when I’m showing someone anything I’ve written. If anything, sharing my writing has become harder for me as I’ve grown and become more critical of myself. Oftentimes I get frustrated, throw away most of what I’ve written, swear not to try any of it again, then slink back to my desk in two days with a new perspective, only to go through the same cycle in
a few weeks. But when a magazine or contest decides to publish something I’ve written, the feeling of validation I get outweighs the just-as-possible rejection emails. The idea that someone, somewhere, found my thoughts and words interesting and deemed them meaningful enough to put into print keeps me ecstatic through the week. Despite the occasional frustration with the process, I try to write every day. Writing is the only way I know how to organize my thoughts. Whenever I have a long day or can’t focus, I scribble until I feel sane again — whether I’m writing paragraphs, sentences or even scattered words. Jotting down these fragments doesn’t just help me vent; there’s always a chance that in a week, I’m going to reread what I wrote and be proud rather than frantically jab the delete key on my keyboard. I like to think that the things I write improve as time goes by and that now I write more for the sake of the craft of writing than simply relaying stories. I’m still rarely perfectly happy with what I write. But I know that even if most of the things I write never see the light of day, I’ll keep writing, because I couldn’t stop if I tried.
Introverted illustrator Senior ditches tech adapts to new technique in favor of reality
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IE
lustration was a chocolate-making machine for the features page. At first, I had trouble creating an illustration to fit the requirements. But after communicating many times with my editor, I realized that creativity yields the most success. We ended up with a final illustration that we both liked. Whereas originally my art was not limited, now I adapt it to fit my editors’ requirements. Fortunately, I’ve found a way to incorporate my creativity into a functional format. By doing so, I’ve once again expanded my style and have a new direction.
PH E
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ACK WHEN I WAS little, I kept pretty quiet. Unfortunately, my shy tendencies were only amplified by the fact that I spoke little English. My inability to communicate kept me from hanging out with anyone who could not speak Chinese. However, there was one true companion whom I could always depend on — my art. I drew wherever and whenever the opportunity arose. When I was young, I followed my mom to family reunions, parties at friends’ houses and shopping trips to the Goodwill, bringing my full kit of supplies: a huge clipboard container with an assortment of color pencils, glitter pens and a stack of printer paper. After a few social pleasantries, I would immediately isolate myself in a corner with some decent lighting and begin channeling my train of ideas for my next drawing. I allow my creativity and interests to blindly guide me through my drawings. I used to draw all kinds of creatures and animals, from aliens to dinosaurs, with the exception of humans. I was never really fond of drawing people. But as my interests shifted, so did my art. I have added to my own style more and more as new inspiration layered on top of old ideas and forms of drawing. Thus, my drawings often reflect the inspiration that I acquire from my daily life. Random observations from an hour’s wait behind a clothes rack at Ross may find their way to the back of a receipt paper. I enjoy mostly doodling with a pen or pencil, usually avoiding paintings and larger pieces because they are more time consuming projects. When I joined The Lowell, I was able to expand my repertoire because an illustrator on the paper may not have a choice about what to draw. This allows me to improve and forces me to extend the boundaries of what I can and cannot draw. My first assigned il-
ST E
By Stephan Xie
By Mica Jarmel-Schneider
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ECHNOLOGY IS A WONDERFUL TOOL, which can bring joy, connection and human discovery. Today, however, we fill many a free moment with technology, replacing face-to-face conversation with texting or Snapchatting, and lose ourselves in our screens instead of interacting with the world. I fell victim to these ways about a year after getting a smartphone, and I began to realize that I did not like the effect this technology has on my behavior. So I made a radical decision. Last November, I stopped using my cell phone entirely. In addition to changing my behavior, there was other rationale behind the decision. I wanted to increase my personal accountability and to decrease my virtual presence. Often, when hanging out with friends, I was not completely in the present. Instead, I was texting a different friend; I felt accountable to both the people around me and the people who were not. Because all of this information is at our fingertips, we are encouraged to access it. I wanted to make plans, to arrive places on time and to fully enjoy the moment I was living in. Disappearing from the grid was a bit jarring at first. I began to realize exactly how much I relied on my phone for everything, from looking up bus times to checking my grades. My left butt pocket, where I normally stowed my cellular device, now feels uncomfortably empty, and I have to get creative to reach my friends and parents. I can no longer expect to change plans without it becoming a hassle. To go to new places, I have to look at paper maps and pay attention to my surroundings. Now, relying on my surroundings to get around, I more fully appreciate the way people navigated the world before the information era. Since breaking free from cellular dependence, my experience has been wonderful. My time, previously spent scrolling and clicking, is now spent seeing and hearing. The ratio of my real-life interactions to technology-based interactions has increased favorably. I am no longer hampered by the need to always be
available to everyone I know; I am no longer chained down by my excessive data usage. After almost four months without a smartphone, I recognize some serious flaws with my plan. Although I incessantly complain about cell phones, they are much more efficient than any other kind of communication. My friends consistently pressure me to get a phone, so we can make plans without the landline being involved. My parents, too, find the lack of communication difficult. Likewise, my grandparents worry that in the case of an emergency, I would not be able to contact anyone. These are problems that I am trying to figure out; perhaps it makes sense to have a cheap flip phone which would not engender technology abuse. Yet something about making an extreme change has been very satisfying — I do not think I could have made the switch with a gradual, rather than abrupt, change. Another predicament is my newfound dependence on Facebook. I use it much more now than I did with a phone, as it is my main source of communication with people who I do not see regularly. This arrangement seems to counteract my general agenda, but I need a way to reach people and Facebook seems to be the next best option. Overall, my decision may seem incredibly selfish. Honestly, it is. In our interconnected world, it is hard to make a decision without it affecting others, especially when it involves technology. Joking or not, my friends have told me how removing myself from easy contact is only in my own self-interest, and I agree to a certain extent. I do not mean to antagonize or condescend cell phone users. I do not judge or look down upon those who use their technology often. This is just the way I have chosen to internalize the information age. I am trying to make a change for myself without much regard for how this affects others. However, I try to see the bigger picture. I think of this cell phone purge as a step towards becoming who I want to be. I believe that I am heading towards the conscientious, aware, present Mica that I want to be.
18 OPINIONS
March 28, 2014
Sweet beverage tax to do more harm than good
Soda tax will help encourage healthy drink choices
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By Luke Haubenstock OTHING IS more refreshing than an ice-cold bottle of Coca-Cola on a hot summer day. But have you ever thought past the instant gratification to consider the detrimental health risks associated with downing that sweet, bubbly beverage? The average American consumes 45 gallons of soda each year, according to the Beverage Marketing Association. This amounts to almost 6,000 cups in the typical lifetime — equivalent to 3,000 pounds of sugar — from sweetened beverages alone. Study after study has shown that this extraordinarily high sugar intake is extremely harmful to the human body. Unlike fat and sodium, which should also be consumed in limited amounts, sugar is not an essential nutrient. Sugar is purely empty calories and therefore easily stored as fat. Excessive sugar consumption often leads to obesity, and, in severe cases, type 2 diabetes. Consuming large amounts of sugar also increases blood triglyceride levels, which can raise cholesterol and cause heart disease. In addition, sugar consumption has been linked to liver failure, kidney disease and pancreatic cancer. San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener’s recent proposition to tax soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages is exactly what the city needs to overcome its deadly sweet tooth. If approved, the tax would increase the price of soda by about two cents per ounce — adding up to an extra 24 cents per bottle. While it is not much, the higher price would force consumers to second guess their beverage choices as the cents start to add up. This tax would be especially helpful in lowering soda consumption among low income youth — the biggest soda consumers in the nation.
Historically, taxation on unhealthy products, known to some as “sin taxes,” has greatly reduced consumption of such items. For example, two years after President Barack Obama signed the 2009 cigarette tax hike that raised the price of a pack of cigarettes by 62 cents, three million people quit smoking, according to the Center of Disease Control. Following the approval of this tax hike, Researcher Jidong Huang of the University of Illinois at Chicago found that teen smoking immediately decreased by 13 percent (www. usatoday.com). The proposed soda tax would work in the same way, significantly lowering soda consumption because of raised taxes. Contrar y to popular belief, the beverage tax would actually save citizens’ hard-earned money. With a decrease in soda consumption, obesity and diabetes rates would also plummet. As the need for diabetes and obesity treatment decreases, less taxpayer money would be needed to pay for related health care. Americans are currently in a health crisis. Sugary beverages are linked to around 25,000 deaths each year in the U.S., according to the Americaaqn Heart Association. And the number keeps rising. The best solution is to implement a beverage tax to lower soda consumption. So, do it to save taxpayers’ dollars. Do it for your health. Support beverage taxation.
Lowell High School
“I
By Cooper Logan graphics and the unique culture that F Y O U D R I N K t h a t comes along with them. If the soda tax your teeth will fall out!” is voted into law, we would be furthering I can’t count how many gentrification instead of protecting and times my mom has told me this assisting the valuable communities that — but is it really Supervisor Scott are already struggling just to stay afloat. Wiener’s place to tell me what I Another serious issue with passing a can and cannot drink? San Fran- citywide excise tax is that local vendors cisco’s proposed tax on sugary will shoulder the financial burden. San beverages simply doesn’t add up. Francisco cannot tax the Coca-Cola On the upcoming November corporation, for example, in the same b a l lot, way the fedthe proeral governposed m e nt c a n . We would be furthering tax on The price sodas of all Coke gentrification instead of will not go will be in the protecting the valuable com- up, but stores form that sell soda munities that are already will simply of a regresstruggling just to stay afloat. b e t a x e d . sive tax The city inmeasure. tends for Rather these stores than taxing the rich at a higher rate to raise tax directly on sodas, which than the poor, or even taxing everyone would supposedly reduce consumption. equally with a flat tax, a regressive tax However, these stores could take robs a higher proportion of a person’s the new costs in an entirely different income the less money they make. way by spreading the new costs across Suppose that, as a result of this tax, other products without raising the two individuals now both spend price of sodas, negating the intended $100 more per year on soda. This effects of the tax. If the tax increase added cost will be much more does not even result in an increase of a burden to to the individual in the price of soda, then all the benwho makes $30,000 a year than efits of levying such a tax disappear. the person who makes $300,000 I can support excise taxes in certain per year. Because of this, the tax will situations. Cigarettes are certainly toxic disproportionately impact San Fran- and should be taxed at high rates to cisco’s poor communities and families. discourage people from smoking them. This tax comes at a pivotal point However, the solution to the complex in San Francisco’s history. Every year, issue of obesity and diabetes is not more and more longtime San Francisco simply to tax soda. Such a complicated residents are forced out of the city by problem demands a comprehensive the rapidly rising cost of living. This solution which should focus on eduprocess of gentrification is decimating cation, community support and deSan Francisco’s underprivileged demo- veloping healthy habits among youth.
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KT KELLY
Colleges should consider economic background in addition to race during the admissions process
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By Madelyn Chen ability and even greater potential and character, and should be NE RULE OF LIFE is that it is unfair. While all given special considerations by selective colleges, which often people are supposedly created equal, there are have bigger budgets and more flexibility to offer financial aid. a variety of factors that give some a distinct adInstead of focusing on racial affirmative action provantage over others, solely by virtue of the circumstances grams, universities should consider students’ socioecothey are born into. Though colleges have generally been nomic background in admissions decisions and undertake equalizers between people of different backgrounds, the efforts to reach out to and inform low-income students growing wealth gap has led to huge socioeconomic status with high academic potential of college opportunities. divides in universities, which generally focus on increasing Those who challenge California’s 1996 Proposition 209, racial diversity instead of income-based affirmative action. which forbids the use of race, sex, and national origin as facThe income achievement gap is now twice as large as the tors in various fields, usually ignore the positive programs that achievement gap between Africanhave stemmed from it. As a result of a Americans and whites. Fifty years ban on race-based affirmative action, ago, the opposite was true, according which can lead to reverse discriminato Stanford Professor Sean Reardon Obstacles caused by finan- tion and decrease the value of a col(www.cepa.stanford.edu), and was lege degree, schools in the University cial and social challenges of California system have partnera reason for race-based affirmative action programs that sprang up with low-income schools in orare not often admissions ships at many universities, which gave der to mentor disadvantaged students special preferences to historically early on. In addition, UC schools use criteria for universities. disadvantaged minority applicants. a comprehensive review policy which In the half century since raceconsiders socioeconomic factors such based affirmative action programs as family hardships, special circumwere first implemented in colleges, stances, and quality of neighborhood racial divides in America still exist, but are not quite as in admissions, according to Century Foundation (www.tcf. readily visible. In contrast, the income inequality gap has org). As a result, UC schools have greater economic diversity grown, but obstacles caused by financial and social chal- than selective colleges which use racial admissions approaches. lenges are not often admissions criteria for universities. While the merits of a class-based affirmative action The problem of undermatching — in which students system shine in practice, such programs have been impleattend schools below their academic ability — is common mented by only a few universities. This is mostly due to the among high-achieving low-income students in rural areas increased financial costs of attracting a larger amount of who lack access to information about colleges, according to financially disadvantaged students, a factor which does not a 2013 study by the Brookings Institute (www.brookings.edu). count in US News & World college rankings according to Students who have maintained considerable academic a 2011 Inside Higher Ed article (www.insidehighered.com). achievements while confronting challenges display strong Many universities prefer using race-based affirmative action
O
Updated affirmative action policies produce more graduates
due to the high amount of middle and upper-class minorities they recruit, so diversity is attained while without losing finances. People from different economic backgrounds offer a different perspective and ideas, both of which are beneficial to the makeup of a univerity’s student body. Although income and academic inequalities in America will take more than new college admissions criteria to fix, the implementation of class-based affirmative action programs at universities and strengthening of those programs at colleges which use them would help close the gap between socioeconomic classes and provide opportunities to a wider range of students while keeping high academic standards. Life is intrinsically unfair, but for those who rise above trials and embody traditional American values of hard work and self-reliance, an understanding admissions committee and a quality college education would be a step towards an improved American society and economy for all.
March 28, 2014
The Lowell
EDITORIAL Bathrooms are lacking in hygiene, school and students must clean up
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EDITORIAL
Middle Class Student
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INCE ALL OF US DO THE TASK REGULARLY, we shouldn’t need to think too much about using the bathroom. However, at Lowell, the activity can be so unpleasant that the condition of the bathrooms is constantly brought to our attention. Something needs to be done about these wastelands we call bathrooms. Of course, everyone has to go at some point during the school day, but there is no reason for bathroom breaks to be overwhelmingly unpleasant. Considering all of the stressful tasks we Lowell students endure on a daily basis, from sitting through calculus tests to making sure we are not late for the next class, the state of our bathrooms only contributes to the stress level at school. Unlike many of our obstacles we cannot change, we could improve the bathrooms for the good of all Lowell students. A typical trip to the toilet at Lowell begins with unpromising signs for both eyes and nose. Due to the limited number of stalls in the restrooms, we have to wait in long lines while people ahead attempt to finish what they have started as fast as they can. After that, the real problems arise. “You walk into the bathroom and the smell just hits you,” senior Selena Saad said. In addition to the odor, there are plenty of strange sights, such as mold in various corners of the stalls or by the sinks, ripped wet toilet paper thrown about and the occasional puddle of mysterious liquid on the tiled floor, not to mention mean-spirited graffiti on the stall walls, such as the random use of explicit language. The bathrooms in the gym locker rooms are the worst of them all. The stall dividers are so small that while using the bathroom, one can accidentally peep on the people in the next stall. It’s awkward, uncomfortable and even a bit creepy. Students of all grades and genders are struggling to stay positive and avoid being grossed-out during visits to the bathroom, which only add to their stress levels. It is a burden for students that restrooms are smelly and repulsive. Why should we be forced to put up with these nasty restrooms? We could easily improve the bathrooms ourselves. For one, students could be more careful and considerate to other people who will use the bathroom after them. For another, certain groups in the school like the PTSA could raise money to make the worst bathrooms more pleasant, so that they could be up to the same standard as the nicer bathrooms in the school, like those in the science wing. Since the science wing has been added somewhat recently to our school’s grounds, it has cleaner stalls, and its paper-dispensing machines actually work. “The science building’s bathroom is the best one,” senior Patricia Chin said. “The bathroom is newer, and it’s cleaner.” We could significantly improve the bathrooms without any largescale additions, such as removing walls or repainting. Instead, a small amount of money, which could possibly be fundraised, would allow us to add a variety of new and simple fixtures to the restrooms, such as air fresheners, better mirrors and paper-dispensing machines that do not break down easily. When students are bombarded with disgusting sights and smells, bathroom breaks become unpleasant. With the amount of academic stress students here at Lowell experience, a simple break, such as using the bathroom, should be a somewhat relaxing experience.
Want to have your opinions published in the next issue of The Lowell? You can submit your letter to the editor to lowellopinion@gmail.com. You can also deliver it in person outside of S107.
THE LOL
MONICA LEE
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Editor, A recent article published in this paper covered public concern about gentrification in San Francisco. The article alluded to media reports that caricaturize this process as a “culture war” between “nerdy but rich” Silicon Valley yuppies and more down-to-earth residents of San Francisco neighborhoods. But despite the media’s claims, the improvement of the inner city has created invaluable economic and social benefits. Gentrification aims to rebuild neglected neighborhoods—albeit not always with residents’ approval—in order to reinvigorate the local community (an “unwanted face-lift,” as the article calls it). Columbia urban planning professor Lance Freeman explains that “In formerly disinvested neigh-
borhoods gentrification is often accompanied by new retail outlets, the refurbishing of housing and overall improvements in amenities and services.” Newcomer yuppies may be materialistic, but at the end of the day, who stands to gain more from their excessive demands than local businesses (and the workers that those businesses employ)? But let’s not forget that gentrification is also about literal rebuilding. Every San Franciscan gets to walk the newly-smoothed sidewalks and sit in the leafy new parks. San Franciscans need to find a way to reconcile their concern over elevating living costs with the undeniable benefits of urban redevelopment. ~Mitchell Chan, Reg 1404
Editors-in-Chief Deidre Foley s Henry Hammel Elijah Alperin s Cooper Logan News Elijah Alperin, Deidre Foley, Whitney C. Lim, Cooper Logan, Michelle Wong
Sports Henry Hammel, Ian James, Sam Tick-Raker, Amber Ly, Andrew Pearce Features Kai Matsumoto-Hines, Luke Haubenstock Elena Bernick, KT Kelly Opinion Elazar Chertow, Spencer Thirtyacre, Samantha Wilcox Reporters Natalia Arguello-Inglis, Altea Bianchi-Belfot, Madelyn Chen, Crystal Chung, Ophir Cohen-Simayof, Gabby Dolgonos, Danielle Flores, Campbell Gee, Kelley Grade, Joseph Kim, Gisela Kottmeier, Cynthia Leung, Jeffrey Li, Stephanie Li, Whitney C. Lim, Amber Ly, Patricia Nguy, Andrew Pearce, Tyler Perkins, Arthur Register, Rachael Schmidt, Noreen Shaikh, Pasha Stone, Emily Teng, Sam Tick-Raker, Samantha Wilcox, Luming Yuan Art Editor Monica Lee Illustrators Camilia Kacimi, Kimberly Li, Christine Van, Stephan Xie Photo Editor Huimin Zhang Photographers Karina Huft, Zoe Kaiser, Amber Ly, Sally Ma, Cate Stern, Lily Young Multimedia Editor Monica Castro, Luciano Chan Social Media Manager Michelle Wong Business Managers Martin Costa, Carissa Ng, Gabe Schumm
Advisers Lael Bajet, Samantha Yu Published every four weeks by the journalism classes of Lowell High School, Room S108, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco, CA 94132 Phone: (415) 759-2730 Internet: thelowellads@yahoo.com; http://www.thelowell.org. All contents copyright Lowell High School journalism classes. All rights reserved. The Lowell and The Lowell on the Web strive to inform the public and to use their opinion sections as open forums for debate. All unsigned editorials are the opinions of the staff. The Lowell welcomes comments on school-related issues from students, faculty and community members. Send letters to lowellopinion@gmail.com. Letters must be signed. Names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit letters before publication. 2012 NSPA Print Pacemaker 2011 NSPA All-American 2011 NSPA Online Pacemaker 2009 NSPA First Class Honors
2007 NSPA All-American 2007 NSPA Web Pacemaker
2007 CSPA Gold Crown
2006 NSPA Print Pacemaker
Lowell should offer an SAT prep course as a way to even playing field in college application
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UNIOR YEAR IS UNDOUBTEDLY one of the most pivotal Many students spend between $500 and $4000 on tutors years in a student’s academic career. Already struggling and out-of-school classes to boost their scores, but not with the increased everyone can afford this. A Lowell difficulty and amount SAT course would level the playI think it would be really helpful ing field for students who cannot of coursework as well as balancing extracurexpensive test prep classes. to have an on-campus SAT prep afford riculars, juniors have Principal Andrew Ishibashi supto also prepare for the course. A lot of people can’t afford ports the idea of implementing Scholastic Aptitude Test, an SAT prep course.“[The class] classes like Elite or don’t have time would be through a teacher, not more commonly known as the SAT. and it would be free over the weekend to take classes.” aforprogram, Who has the time to the students,” Ishibashi said. keep up with a demand“For example, we can have the Sarah Chou ing academic schedule, consultant come twice a month to junior sports and college prep have prep classes in the auditorium while staying sane? To help lower student stress levels, after school. We would offer this consultancy by semester.” Lowell should create a free SAT prep course. Test preparation This would not be the first time Lowell would offer a classes are critical to score well on the SAT, as they teach class after school. Former economics teacher Jim Spellicy important test-taking strategies not used in everyday tests. taught AP Human Geography after school to students who
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wanted to take the test before it was offered as a class at Lowell. Under Spellicy, the students were able to succeed on the AP test and bolster their college resumes. Likewise, hiring a consultant to help with SAT prep, students would get time with someone specialized in teaching test-taking strategies equivalent to those taught at paid programs. Students are completely on board with the idea. “I think it would be really helpful to have an on-campus SAT prep course,” junior Sarah Chou said. “A lot of people can’t afford classes like Elite or don’t have time over the weekend to take classes.” If offered this free after school program, those who could not afford the classes would receive some kind of help preparing for the SAT. “The course would provide more of a balanced playing field for everyone,” junior Cindy Calderon said. By making an SAT prep course accessible and free, students who need help in getting started or learning strategies, would have access. “I do believe in SAT prep,” Ishibashi said. “It is possible for this to happen next year.”
The LoweLL high SchooL Backpage, March 28, 2014. wow, you Spend TiMe reading ThiS? geT a Life!
Spotlight Page 10 101 ways to be a teacher’s pet and make your whole class hate your guts.
The Backpage Page 20 How to gracefully turn down a promposal in the meanest way possible.
What’s News
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Student blinded by sight of wild belly button, prompting administration to enforce appropriate dress code Security golf carts to be upgraded with twin turbo V8 engines to catch students en route to Stonestown
Sports
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Registry 1409 overcomes Duke University in March Madness sporting event
Columns
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Student shares unique experience of actually seeing counselor in couseling office SI student acknowledges Lowell’s superior bathrooms
Opinion
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Hallways are way too spacious GlobalTap dispenses water too slowly to satisfy thirsty students
ZOE KAISER
Seniors Ian James and Elijah Alperin participate in the March 7 Spring Spirit Rally. This was the first time more than one senior showed up since 1912.
Seniors finish last semester of high school with record GPA and attendance
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By Ian James HE SCHOOL IS entering senioritis season, but Lowell students must have been blessed with a miracle vaccine. The months after the end of the first semester have seen surges in grades, extra-curriculars and attendance. “Many Lowell students save their best work for second semester senior year,” administrator Nye Eve said. “During their last months at the school, and for many their last months with their high school friends, students seem really motivated to shut themselves off from socializing to zero in on math and English essays.” Administrators and teachers alike are filled
with praise for Lowell’s hard working seniors. “Many schools see students slack off after college applications are turned in, but not at this school,” math teacher Varia Bell said. “Lowell has a reputation for having grade obsessed students, and I’m glad the Class of ’14 is maintaining that image.” Students attribute these rises in performance to their decreased stress now that college applications are submitted. “After the college app process was completed, I felt like I could really buckle down and focus on maintaining a 4.0 GPA,” senior Ian Sane said. “Completing monotonous problem sets seems so much more rewarding
now that I only have weeks left to enjoy the vibrant city of San Francisco, before I leave for at least four years.” The Lowell Wellness Center, however, is worried that many students have piled on too many classes for their last semester. “Students seem very determined to set a challenging and stressful schedule for the one semester that colleges won’t see until after admissions are determined,” Wellness Center representative Kai Hines said. “We are worried that the senior class’s perfect attendance in 2014 might hint at an unhealthy obsession with academic performance, and are imploring students to organize a senior cut day.”
School’s pressure Radioactive mound results in award- of sediment behind winning cheating school finally gone By Ian James
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TUDENTS HAVE a new reason to be proud of their school after it was awarded the National Blue Ribbon Award for excellence in cheating. The administration was excited to announce last Monday that Lowell students won the prestigious award, clearly outshining their embarrassingly honest peers. “Lowell students put in excellent performances in all areas of cheating,” senior administrator Lettum Copee said. “In terms of ingenuity, ambition and pure determination to cheat the system, our kids are simply unmatched.” Teachers attribute Lowell’s success to the school’s unique academic atmosphere. “At Lowell we strive to put as much pressure on the students to perform as possible,” math teacher Raleigh Mean said. “By giving students excessive amounts of homework and convincing them that they should understand questions beyond their comprehension, we get a really high success rate of cranking out cheaters.” Teachers also believe that meeting Mondays have greatly
improved cheating at the school. “The workshops on how to turn a blind eye and how to pick favorites are really phenomenal,” French teacher Court Cubain said. “And they give students extra time to search for old tests on the internet.” When asked about the cheating, Lowell students often cited their families as their most important sources of motivation. “I could never have become the copier I am today if my parents hadn’t been there to support me every step of the way,” sophomore Seeks Appees said. “Whenever I considered toning it back, they were there to remind me that if I don’t get a 4.0, I won’t get into college and will never find a job or real happiness.” Lowell’s remarkable program surely spells success for current and future students. “There isn’t a single college that hasn’t been impressed by my amazing peripheral vision,” senior Cheets Alot said. “And I know when I apply for my first job, companies will love my ability to copy scantrons and feign sickness.” This story was originally published in another newspaper.
AMBER LY
The uranium deposit mound behind Feibush Field has finally been removed. Thankfully, it has only taken about 20 years off of Lowell students’ lives.