Lowell Magazine — April 2015 by The Lowell

Lowell The

UNISEX BATHROOMs for students 8

LET’S TALK PHILOSOPHY 4

SWIMMING IN SYNC 14

pg.16

I WANT YOU TO VOTE* *BUT ONLY IF YOU’RE 18 OR OVER

WHY SAN FRANCISCO SHOULD LOWER THE VOTING AGE TO 16

Lowell A The

pril

2015

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New coaches revive track team, strive for consecutive titles

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After last season’s precarious one-point victory over the Lincoln Mustangs in the All-City championship, the track team is working hard to hold on to the title. —Stephanie Li Culture clubs celebrate with dance and song

Performances from members of the Black Student Union, Filipino-American Club, La Raza Club and Polynesian Club brought the school’s first Multicultural Night to life. —Jacqueline Nguyen

INSIDE THE MAGAZINE

thelowell.org

LET’S TALK PHILOSOPHY

New club devotes itself to religious debate By Emily Teng

The social studies and math departments boogie for Kermesse

Hit and run near campus makes three sophomores more careful crossing the street The students were hit by an unidentified driver on the corner of Forest View Drive and Ocean Avenue on Jan. 30, according to the victims. —Emily Teng

Police investigate two robberies of students over past months around school A student was heading home going towards Sloat when a car pulled over and a person stepped out of the car demanding the student’s phone, according to dean Ray Cordoba. The student gave it up and the suspect drove away. The car was reported to the police, but the investigation is ongoing. —Danielle Flores

Girls’ soccer goes for gold to continue a 20-year legacy The team has been around for almost 21 years and has won the championship title 19 times, losing only twice to the Lincoln Mustangs. —Sophia Wu

Boys’ tennis looks to beat private school rival, propel past All-City With a new coach duo, the boys’ varsity tennis team is preparing to ace its way through the upcoming season and past All-City finals. —Josephine Dang and Joyanne Ibay

UNISEX BATHROOMS FOR STUDENTS

The GSA proposes a new gender-neutral restroom By Tyler Perkins

IN THE WORKS NEWS

Luming Yuan on Special Ed Happy Grams Noreen Shaikh on New Online Attendance Jade Fong and Caleb Hillidakis on Mock Trial

SPORTS

Aiko Delos Reyes on Girls’ Gymnastics Danielle Flores on Girls’ Softball Lisa Cheung on Fencing Clarissa Wan on Boys’ Volleyball Arthur Register on Badminton

COLUMNS

Rayming Liang on Procrastination

OPINIONS

Luming Yuan on Value of Service Trips

WEST SIDE ON THE WEST COAST Showcasing the school’s West Side Story spring production By the Staff Photographers

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM

Senior baseball player’s 88 mph pitches drive him to the top of the mound

By Johann Leffler

SWIMMING AS A UNIT

Swimming hopes teamwork in and out of the pool will bring state success

By Olivia Starr

ENFRANCHISE THE TEENS

Should citizens aged 16 and 17 have the right to vote? Vote16 thinks so. By Rachael Schmidt

EDITORIAL

Why Lowell needs a college counselor

OLLEGE COUNSELORS are becoming so popular that in 2013, 26 percent of all college applicants — three times as many as in 2003, hired a private admissions consultant or an independent educational consultant to assist with their college applications, according to a Stanford University professor. The average package, from consultation junior year to application senior year, can be over $4,000. Obviously not everyone can afford a private college counselor, especially at public schools like Lowell where 43 percent of students are low-income. To make the college application process fair for all students, some SFUSD high schools, including Abraham Lincoln High School and George Washington High School, provide college counselors for their students. These college counselors help students with college-related issues only, while regular school counselors are responsible for schedules, graduation, truancy concerns and emotional welfare. At Lowell, neither school counselors nor

the Volunteers in College and Career Information (VICCI) Center can perform the full duties of a professional college counselor. Lowell needs its own college counselor. Lowell’s regular counselors act as both academic and college counselors, making it hard for them to perfect either role because of an overwhelming workload. “Right now counselors deal with grades, stress, meetings and emotional needs, but then we have to turn that off and search up college information,” Lowell counselor Adrienne Smith said. “Getting a college counselor would make current counselors’ work easier and would let counselors get to know their kids better.” Having a college counselor in the VICCI Center would expand the services that Lowell already offers. “College counselors attend conferences and are up-to-date on the changes in the college preparatory process,” said Lowell counselor Josephine Ho. “They will be able to help the VICCI Center fulfill its potential to be a great college center by working with parent volunteers and providing them with direction.”

VICCI Center volunteers agree with this sentiment because they lack the comprehensive knowledge of a professional college counselor. “Parent volunteers know some of the information students ask for but being a college counselor is not their job and there’s no way to account for how much each volunteer knows,” said VICCI Center parent volunteer Michael Wong. A college counselor who works full-time at Lowell would also provide continuity and consistent support for students. VICCI Center volunteers only work on specific weekdays, making it difficult for students to follow up. Though the volunteers contact each other when a student has a pressing issue, having one person who can track a student’s progress would be more beneficial. The same issue is faced by the VICCI Center’s Plan of Action for Challenging Times (PACT) educational advisor, Simone Andrade, who is only at Lowell two days a week. She is also required to prioritize students who are in or eligible for PACT, which primarily serves low-income students who See COUNSELORS on pg. 19

In Loving Memory

Jenna Rose Fiorello The Lowell staff 2009-2013 Features Editor Reporter Editors-in-Chief

Andrew Pearce • Sam Tick-Raker Samantha Wilcox • Michelle Wong News Whitney C. Lim, Michelle Wong Sports Amber Ly, Andrew Pearce, Sam Tick-Raker Features Luke Haubenstock Opinion Madelyn Chen, Samantha Wilcox Reporters Lisa Cheung, Celena Chang, Ophir Cohen-Simayof, Josephine Dang, Aiko Delos Reyes, Jade Fong, Danielle Flores, Caleb Hilladakis, Adrian Hung, JoyAnne Ibay, Luke Haubenstock, Joseph Kim, Cynthia Leung, Stephanie Li, Rayming Liang, Jacqueline Nguyen, Amber Ly, Tyler Perkins, Paula Quon, Arthur Register, Rachael Schmidt, Noreen Shaikh, Olivia Starr, Emily Teng, Clarissa Wan, Sophia Wu, Luming Yuan, Jennifer Zhang, Kellen Zheng Illustrators Emily Teng, Stephan Xie Photo Editor Zoe Kaiser Photographers Kelley Grade, Karina Huft, Aida Irving, Zoe Kaiser, Amber Ly Multimedia Editor Ariel Yuan Art Manager Emily Tang Business Managers Jason Li, Carissa Ng, Gabe Schumm Web Managers Srinand Paruthiyil, Ivy La

v The Lowell April 2015

Adviser

Samuel Williams

2014 NSPA Online Pacemaker 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

Published by the journalism classes of Lowell High School, Room S108, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco, CA 94132 Phone: (415) 759-2730 Internet: thelowellnews@gmail.com, thelowellads@ yahoo.com; http://www.thelowell.org. All contents copyright Lowell High School journalism classes. All rights reserved. The Lowell strives 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.

COMMENTS From The Lowell’s Facebook page:

Re: “GSA proposes new gender-nuetral restrooms for students.” 3/31 “I’m a very big advocate of having at least one of these at every high school, if not more for convenience. High school is rough as all hell as it is for students, but that experience is magnified for trans and non-binary youth. I know that Lowell is, for the most part, a safe and respectful community, but there’s always the risk that someone isn’t, and about a subject like gender (and sexuality), I would expect it. Gender neutral bathrooms aren’t even that big of a deal to install. I’ve been to a couple concert venues with only them and there has been absolutely no problem.” -Kellen Liao Re: “Brunch on a student budget? Here’s where to find it.” 3/25 “on a RICH student’s budget! Not only are those restaurants extremely well known, they’re also pricey. And here I thought I would learn about some obscure, out-of-the-way spots where you could find a cheap breakfast/brunch!” -Thomas Martin

Stephan Xie

Senior imparts college admissions advice Dear Editor: As it is now April, I have heard back from all of the colleges that I applied to and although I have tried my best in school, I have been accepted into none of them. Now I’m not the first person this has happened to, nor will I be the last, but in a way, I am glad I wasn’t accepted. Not only will it be significantly cheaper by going to community college; California Community Colleges offer a Transfer Admission Guarantee program where six UC campuses guarantee admission for students who meet a minimum G.P.A requirement, ranging from a

2.8 to a 3.4 depnding on the school. Although I am not bitter towards colleges, the application process or financial aid, I believe some points should be changed. I feel that if I pay 50-80 dollars, I deserve to have a letter sent to my house with the result of their enrollment decision, even if it isn’t an admission. The FAFSA in my opinion is all about numbers. According to my FAFSA application I am expected to pay around $34,000 for tuition.Now on paper, my family should have this money, but because of unfortunate situations, we have nothing close to

$34,000. There isn’t a place on the FAFSA to explain extreme situations The UC/CSU system is in some serious trouble with overpopulation, skyrocketing tuition and increased competition with no end in sight In my opinion, UC president Janet Napolitano is out of touch with the general public. There are also a few points I wish the Lowell community would keep in mind: · One’s safety school is another person’s reach.Try not and act like a college won’t be hard to get into (even if it is easy for you) because someone else will struggle to get

LETTERS

admitted into that college. · Posts on social networks. Imagine someone seeing your post saying you got admitted into a college while they got rejected. Seniors, we made it. Four years ago we walked into the doors at Lowell and in just a month, we will be graduating. I’m excited for this opportunity to learn and achieve even more next year and hopefully I’ll see some of you in just a few years. Congratulations Class of 2015 With Love Anthony Gianni REG 1513

MORE LETTERS ONLINE

• Anonymous ‘Lowell Confessions’ admins respond to opinion • Senior proves Lowell lacks in etiquette through chivalrous deed The Lowell April 2015

CLUB

? r ? t s a i e l h t u c athei e s st?

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believ er? apa the ist? Philosophy and Theology Club president senior Soli Alpert started his club after he realized that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there are clubs at school for religious institutions, but not a lot of places where people can be openly non-religious.â&#x20AC;?

ZOE KAISER

Whatever you believe, this club wants you to talk about it.

“

By Emily Teng

RE FAITH, hope and trust good?”

A group of students huddle around a computer, their voices overlapping. One voice rises above the rest. Club President senior Soli Alpert stands up as he gives his opinion on the matter. “Faith is belief without evidence, whereas trust is belief with evidence, and hope is just wanting something to happen,” he says. “Hope is good, and trust is good, but there isn’t anything intrinsically good about faith.” He barely finishes his statement before several other club members jump in, all eager to disagree. These highly opinionated discussions are a common occurrence in the Philosophy and Theology Club, the school’s only club dedicated solely to religious debate. Many of the club members, including Alpert, are open agnostics, who do not have any religious affiliation and are neutral toward belief in God’s existence, or atheists, who believe that God does not exist.

At the club’s first meeting, the members considered naming the club Godless Order of Secularists and Humanists, or GOSH for short, according to vice president Zoe Kaiser. However, the idea was scrapped, and Philosophy and Theology Club was born. Alpert, tired of being invalidated whenever he shared his views on religion, decided to create an environment where students could openly express their opinions on theology, the study of religion, without fear of being judged because of their religious affiliations. “Being an atheist is difficult because people often say that non-religious people lack any sort of faith,” Alpert said. “They’re usually depicted negatively in the media, and no one really pays it any mind. But this club is a safe space for kids to display their lack of religion.” Every week, club members participate in detailed conversations about theology and its impact on modern life, according to senior member Sarah Pollock. In addition, they research and learn about world religions like Zoroastrianism and play theology-themed games. “A couple weeks ago, we played a game kind of like Heads Up!, where you have a name on your head and you try to guess what it is based on clues other people give you,” Alpert said. “To add our club’s twist on it, our topic was religious figures, so we had to guess people like Jesus and Abraham.” The members have had several meaningful discussions about theology’s role in society in their previous meetings. From debating whether or not faith is inherently good or bad to conferring if religion is beneficial to society and how it affects the individual, club members always have something substantial to think about. “One of our early discussions was about how religion affects both society and individuals,” Alpert said. “We came to the conclusion that religion is inherently bad for society at this point in time, but it isn’t so for the individual who practices it. Religion in the past has been a positive thing, because it culminated a community and prevented conflict. However, in the modern era, there are ways to accomplish

the same things through our government for the public good. They’ve sort of supplanted religion, which is now this older practice that’s no longer necessary.” The club is for both non-religious and religious students alike, despite its name. The more the students’ views differ, the more interesting their discussions are, according to Alpert. Pollock agrees, as she identifies as Jewish and often disagrees with agnostic members. “I’m not an atheist or agnostic, but I’m here because I think that open debate about religion is very important,” Pollock said. “We don’t always agree, but we never fail to find a compromise, and that’s one of the great parts of the club.” Even the non-religious members of the club have a wide range of diverse opinions and viewpoints, according to senior member Sarah Thornburg. Many of the members come from religious backgrounds, even if they currently identify as atheist or agnostic. “Both sides of my family are Jewish, but I never really connected with the religion,” Alpert said. “Starting in middle school, I started identifying myself as an atheist.” Regardless of their religious identity, all the club members broaden their horizons by researching online and exploring the perspectives of everyone from complete atheists to followers of large world religions such as Islam. “Getting exposed to the different religions and views here really helped me feel more comfortable in my own identity as an agnostic,” Thornburg said. “It’s really wonderful to be surrounded by people who are upfront about religion and open minded to other views outside of atheism as well.” Alpert came up with the idea for the club at the end of last summer, after being inspired by clubs such as Jew Crew and Agape Club, which is named after the Christian love of God. “There are clubs at school for religious institutions, but there aren’t a lot of places where people can be openly non-religious in a supportive community,” Alpert said. “This club is different because we’re very open-minded to all opinions, and we know that we have the potential to be wrong.” v

The Lowell April 2015

Summer Programs

2015

It’s hard to focus when there are a million things going on at once. That’s why summer is the best time to prepare for the SAT when students are free from the obligations of school clubs, teams, and homework. Elite has a variety of programs, schedules, and locations to give students and their families the flexibility to select the program that best meets their needs. Summer is just around the corner, so don’t let today go by without reserving a spot in an Elite summer program.

Elite SAT Summer Programs • SAT Boot Camp - Morning Boot Camp (5 days a week) - Afternoon Boot Camp (4 days a week) • Special 2100 Program - 1850 diagnostic score or 185 PSAT score required • SAT Essential - Weekday Program (3 days a week) - Weekend Program (2 days a week)

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1410 Irving Street San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 665-5888 sanfrancisco@eliteprep.com The Lowell April 2015

G E N D E Freshman Isi Vรกsquez identifies as agender and would prefer a gender-neutral bathroom.

N E U T R A KARINA HUFT

The GSA proposes a new unisex bathroom for students By Tyler Perkins

HE GENDER SEXUALITY ALLIANCE (GSA) is proposing the creation of a genderneutral bathroom at Lowell to alleviate the stress of students who do not identify with a specific gender. The proposal would convert the single-toilet bathroom in the math wing, currently for faculty women, into a gender-neutral facility. Using a gender-specific restroom can be an unpleasant experience for someone who does not identify with a specific gender. “It’s pretty awkward walking into the girls’ bathroom or the boys’ bathroom because it’s kind of like I’m sitting there and I’m not a girl, or I’m not a boy,” freshman Isi Vásquez said. “I’m agender—I don’t identify with a gender.” Vásquez would prefer a gender-neutral bathroom to one of the current options. “I’d feel more comfortable and safer in my own skin,” they (Vasquez’s prefered pronoun) said. “And it would really improve a lot of students’ self esteem, and make them feel comfortable in their own community and like they belong and have a place.” The bathroom would provide a safe space for people to do their business, according to GSA co-president Samara Meyer. “Any student who is either transgender or doesn’t identify with anything on the gender binary will have a space that they feel comfortable in,” she said. “Imagine everyday having to force yourself to walk into a bathroom that you don’t feel comfortable in, that you don’t see yourself represented in, that you possibly feel afraid in. It’s certainly a tremendous amount of stress for people to go through. It’s really about supporting mental health.” Though many students may not relate to the issue, Meyer believes this change would have a big impact on the students that it does benefit. “Even though it might be a small portion of our student population that takes issue with the fact that there are only two gender bathrooms, it’s important to make sure everyone is comfortable because it’s school and you spend a lot of time here and you want to be able to pee in peace.” One concern is that students who do not need a See BATHROOM on pg. 19

The Lowell April 2015

Tonight, Tonight The 2015 Spring Musical: West Side Story

(Left) Sophomore Kate Adler and Senior Srinand Paruthiyil as Maria and Tony, the romantic leads. (Top) The Puerto Rican women dance in “America.” (Right middle) Junior Josh Horwitz as Riff leads the Jets. (Right bottom) The Sharks, a rival gang led by John Ray Guevarra, prepare to fight. (Middle) Senior Kate McCarthy and Senior Jackson Murphy played Maria and Tony in the Friday and Sunday cast. KELLEY GRADE

KELLEY GRADE

KARINA HUFT

AIDA IRVING

ZOE KAISER

SPORTS

v The Lowell April 2015

Karina Huft

ACE.

Senior fireballer Craig Colen has high expectations after historic season By Johann Leffler

HIS SEASON, ALL EYES WILL BE on Lowell senior pitcher Craig Colen. He put up a dominant stat line for the Cardinals last season, producing a 1.16 ERA over 66 innings pitched. After impressing scouts while playing for the Northern California team, comprised of top junior players in the region, that won the California Baseball Coaches Association Junior Showcase Title last year, he committed to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, which is ranked 12 in the nation by Sporting News. Louisville Slugger named him Second - Team All American before the start of this season. “I would describe last sea-

son as incredibly difficult and enormously exciting. It helped me get the success I’ve worked so hard to get my whole life,” Colen said. Colen transferred to Lowell from Lincoln after his sophomore season. He has the look of a big time pitcher, being 6’ 3” and long limbed, and coaches immediately were impressed. “Craig came in here from Lincoln with the framework to be something really special. He has solid mechanics and a competitive edge — he doesn’t take loss or failure well, and to a degree I think that is paramount in the development of a young athlete; it keeps him hungry,” assistant coach Emil DeAndreis said. Colen credits the Lowell staff for helping him improve as a player. “The coaches have helped me not only improve my game but also my physical and mental strength. They’ve given me new motivation that I can use to push myself forward,” Colen said. Teammates admire Colen’s prowess as a pitcher. “He has a lot of great pitches that he can throw for strikes and he is always incredibly focused and has great composure on the mound,” senior first baseman Nick Rolph said. Colen can bring the heat, reaching 88 miles per hour when he throws, but his control sets him apart from other pitchers. According to DeAndreis, he also has two excellent off-speed pitches, the slider and curveball, which he can also pitch for strikes. Colen is also continuing to work on developing another pitch, the change-up. The average high school pitcher pitches a fastball around 80 mph, an average college pitcher 88 mph, and an average MLB pitcher 92 mph. “My strength is exercising effective control over the strike zone and my pitch repertoire,” Colen said. Colen is looking forward to building upon last season in his senior year as he prepares for college. “My main goal this season is to gain a lot of muscle. Going into college baseball, I want to get off to a good start in the weight room. See COLEN on pg. 19

The Lowell April 2015

v 13

AIDA IRVING

Swimmers prep for state meet with tighter teamwork By Olivia Starr

v The Lowell April 2015

SPLA W

ITH CHANGES IN THEIR coaching staff, the swim team dives into this season with a fresh attitude, focusing on creating a positive community of motivated swimmers. Seniors Amanda Bui and Matthew Kim are making efforts to create a supportive environment in and out of the water after seeing a need for change. “Last season there was some exclusion and it definitely created a bit of drama,” Kim said. “I feel like a lot of swimmers were discouraged because they weren’t included. A lot of people didn’t come back this year and we’re trying to change that.” “Swimming can get repetitive and socializing is an incentive to come to practice. If someone feels like they’re not included they won’t want to come,” Kim said.“If someone isn’t feeling well one day, we try to just give them some positive encouragement and help them to enjoy the sport more and have fun with it.” Outside of practice, the captains plan gatherings to bring the team together, such as meeting at the beach or holding barbecues. Several new coaches are also joining the team this season. New assistant coach Roselin Sretpisalsilp joins returning assistant coach Stanton Huang. Head coach Cory Vo replaces former head coach Jonathan Riley after being an assistant coach the previous season. “[Riley] was there when we first started so it felt like losing a parent,” Bui said. “But I think we’ve adjusted well. [Vo] has gotten into the groove and he definitely has his own way of running things.” According to Kim, Vo pushes the team to work harder for this year’s statewide swimming competition, which is a challenging first-time op-

ASH portunity the team hopes to qualify for. “Basically, every year we have our San Francisco city meets where the top swimmers compete and place for medals,” Kim said. “This year, going off of that, the top winners of each event will be going [to State]. There are 10 different districts in California and they’re taking the average of all 8th place swimmers and making that the qualifying time [to place.]” In order to prepare for the state competition and other meets, the swimmers are going back to basics. “We want the new swimmers to build their foundation in endurance and strength,” Bui said. “Technique is also so important. I try to focus on it throughout the entire practice by picking a different thing to focus on during each set, like breathing patterns, underwater work, rotation and overall smoothness. Practice is also the time to play around with new technique to see what works and what doesn’t.” Luckily, the team is already well-rounded. “We have a lot of swimmers who are good in different events,” Bui said. “We have distance swimmers, sprinters and specialty strokes. A lot of other swimmers don’t have that well-roundedness, and it makes us a better competitor overall.” In addition, strength in numbers is a key part of the team’s success. “Since our team is so big, everyday we are always competing against each other and that helps us get better, whereas in other teams there aren’t as many people to practice against,” Kim said. The Cardinals’ next meet will be the AAA Sprint at King Pool at 4 p.m. on April 17. As of March 27, both girls and boys JV and varsity have undefeated records.

“Since our team is so big, everyday we are always competing against each other and that helps us get better.”

The Lowell April 2015

v 15

it's our time WHY SAN FRANCISCO SHOULD LOWER THE VOTING AGE TO 16 16 v

The Lowell April 2015

OPINION

STEPHAN XIE

AVE YOU EVER WANTED to do something so bad but couldn’t because you were too young? That’s what it feels like for youth who want to make a change in their community, but can’t vote until they’re 18. This year in San Francisco, there is a chance to give these young people a voice, with a new campaign, Vote16SF (vote16sf.wordpress.com), led by the SF Youth Commission. In January, the Commission submitted a resolution to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, urging them to change the law to allow 16and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal and school district elections. The proposal insists that if 16-year-olds can drive, pay taxes, work, and have adult criminal charges against them, then they should also have the right to vote on topics that directly affect them. The Commission argues that voting will encourage teenagers to become more involved in local government, giving them practice for lifelong voting skills. In support of the campaign, Supervisor John Avalos proposed the city charter amendment to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors on Mar. 17. The first public hearing for Vote16SF is in May, with Avalos aim-

ing to put the issue to a vote during elections in November or next year. Changing the legal voting age is not far from possible, as it has been done in the past. During the Vietnam War, student activists of America protested the law that drafted 18-year-olds into the Army, but prohibited them from voting. In response to the opposition, in 1971, the 26th Amendment was ratified to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. Some believe younger people may not be well-informed or mature enough to take on this responsibility. However, the Vote16SF proposal cites a study from the Annals of the American Academy of Social Science that shows 16- and 17-year-olds can have the same level of political understanding as 21 year-olds. “I think most of the critics who would say 16- and 17-year-olds are too immature don't hang out with a lot of young people,” Youth Commission Vice Chair Sophie Edelhart said. “Young people are civically and socially engaged and they do have conversations about things going on in politics and society.” San Francisco would not be the first U.S. city to allow teenagers to vote. In May 2013, the town of Takoma Park in Maryland changed See VOTE on pg. 18

The Lowell April 2015

v 17

Why we need the right to vote at 16 From VOTE on pg. 17 its laws to allow their 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in the November municipal elections. Some criticized this change by saying that teenagers only voted for wedge issues, like legalizing marijuana, and that they would not care for less compelling issues on the ballot. However, interest in wedge issues could lead teenagers to research other issues in the ballot, gaining voting experience and becoming better versed in politics. Teenagers should have the right to vote for issues that affect them, like education. This includes budget priorities and spending, and selecting school board members and superintendents who will create proposals that will change the school curriculum. In February, SFUSD required that all ninth-grade students take Algebra 1, regardless of whether or not they took the course in middle school. This change was approved without consulting those directly affected by it: the students. After the widespread popularity of three petitions against the proposal, SFUSD changed the program back to its original form. This proves that students are willing and able to organize for change,

and therefore the citizens San Francisco should allow teenagers to advocate for themselves. In a city and country that champions the ideals of democracy, the US, if not San Francisco, should have been the first to extend voting rights to younger voters. However, other countries beat us to it. Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Germany, Norway and Scotland have all given their teenagers the vote in municipal and even presidential elections. For Vote16SF to become a reality, many people need to agree and believe in it. The Mayor and Board of Supervisors need to approve said proposal, but not before the people do. “In the end, it is completely up to the voters of San Francisco, and ironically, 16- and 17-year-olds will not be able to vote in that election,” Youth Commission Chair Michel Li, a senior at Lowell, said. “However, the number of allies and amount of support we have received has been overwhelming. Hopefully, it will become a reality.” Skeptics and concerned parents don’t need to be afraid of the outcome, and should vote to make Vote16SF real, because with the power of voting in their hands, teenagers can make a big change for themselves. v

“It was approved without consulting those directly affected: the students.”

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Proposal for gender-neutral bathrooms From BATHROOM on pg. 9 gender-neutral bathroom might use it, creating lines for those who actually need it, according to Schmidt. There was talk of the school posting a security guard in the hallway by the bathroom, but it would be impossible to check the genders of students using it. Before the new bathroom could be opened, they would need to remove the deadbolt from the inside, according to assistant principal of administration Michael Yi. The restroom would still lock from the inside, but staff members would have a key to prevent students from locking themselves in. The Union Building Committee discussed the proposal and in general members support it, according to co-representative and science teacher Katherine Melvin. “There is a tremendous amount of work being done all over to support people who are in a gender questioning situation and I absolutely support that,” she said. “I would hope that we can come to an agreement that teachers would support because teachers in general support teaching and learning and students.” Though most teachers support the idea of a gender-neutral bathroom, there have been some concerns over the location proposed,

according to Yi. Some teachers have suggested instead using the faculty men’s bathroom in the math wing, at the top of the stairs leading out to Rolph Nicol Park, which is underused and does not have a deadbolt on the door. Yi also added that there will be further discussion about the proposal to try to come up with a plan that suits everyone. Lowell is not the only high school that might open a gender-neutral facility. Wallenberg is discussing the idea of opening one, according to their GSA sponsor Marloes Sijstermans. The Wallenberg administration is more or less accepting of the idea, but the actual implementation of it is the sticking point right now. GSA is also taking other steps to create a community that is more accepting towards people who are LGBTQ, according to Schmidt. They recently redecorated the wall outside of room 220 by putting up rainbow colors and posters that show support for the LGBT community. They will participate in a transgender awareness day later this semester that has yet to be scheduled. They also plan to reschedule the Day of Silence — a day in which students are encouraged to remain silent in recognition of LGBT people who have been silenced by society — which was rained out last semester. v

“Imagine everyday having to force yourself to walk into a bathroom that you don’t feel comfortable in, that you don’t see yourself represented in, that you possibly feel afraid in.”

Support for college counselor From COUNSELORS on pg. 2 would be the first in their family to attend college, especially during the busy fall season. If Lowell hires a college counselor, he or she will be able to focus on seniors applying in the fall. Lincoln senior Rose Lu appreciated the time and help her school college counselor gave her. “I definitely would have struggled more if I didn’t have a college counselor as a go-to person for advice while filling out my college application, since it’s so lengthy and difficult,” she said. They can also guide underclassmen in their college search. To reach all his students, Washington’s college counselor Chatree Touch works with freshmen using classroom presentations, emails, his webpage, evening events and oneon-one advising. “I inform all students and their

parents about their post-secondary options, along with the requirements and tips on how to be competitive,” he said. There are many benefits to hiring a college counselor at Lowell and even few financial barriers, as long as “the timing is right,” Lowell’s PTSA president Missy Mastel said. Lowell does its hiring and replacement decisions and budgeting for the next school year in April. If the school decides to employ a college counselor, then the hire will be added to the budget. “If the PTSA decides to fund it, and the school does not have it in their budget, then we would cover it in our budget,” Mastel said. Hopefully the school and PTSA will see that a college counselor would be an invaluable resource for all students. v

Star pitcher shines on top of the mound From COLEN on pg. 13 I also want to just work hard and have fun,” Colen said. According to Donohue, Colen is one of the best players to ever come out of Lowell. “It’s no surprise for a kid like that to sign in the early signing period to a nationally ranked baseball team and get named an All American. But when that kid came from an inner city public school, and pretty much built himself from the ground up, it’s historic,” DeAndreis said. v

The Lowell April 2015

Thank you to Thank you! ¡gracias our Lowell fund donors! 感謝您!

CARDINAL CIRCLE Allen and Denise Tom Alison Jones Andy Coblentz and Dr. Shari Libicki Caroline Louie Danny Briskin and Marci Schleifer Briskin Judy Tick and Steven Ganz Lindsey Criswell and John Fricke Millie DiGennaro Paul and Beth O’Leary Tamar Pachter

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Alison Jones and Richard Southwick Ayman Mobarak and Jennifer Inman Beatrice Burgess Bernstein/Daccarett Family Bill Tamayo and Debbie Lee Carol Murphy Christian Vaisse Dale Boutiette and Alla Gershberg David Morgan and Marianne Nilsson Dean Blackketter and Kathleen Wydler Dena Gardi Dorothy Gin Edna and Clifford Lee Emily Newman and Gregory Katz Evan Vondommelen-Gonzalez Gary Hauser Irina Berman Jo Ellen Green and David Aram Kaiser Jodi and Burt Magen John Fricke and Lindsey Criswell Joseph and Anne Crawford Joyce Tom and Leonard Moon Kim Ellis and Campbell Judge Kirin Parmar Leff Lefferts Lilian Tsi Stielstra Lilly J. Chiang and John B. Wong Lucy and Shek Lee Maria and Julian Hermosura Maury Zeff Pamela Cory Robert Bhisitkul, MD and Sara MacPherson Sandra Braverman and William Weiss Sean Tucker and Frances Chang Stephen and Elena Finestone Steve Rudman and Sandy Carlson The Abeyta Family Tom and Kathy Scott Victor and Tonette Wong Warren H. Branzburg

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The Lowell April 2015

Donors from July 1, 2014 thru March 24, 2015 FRIEND Amy Cheung and Mike Solow Bengamin Chin Bill Kwan and Cecelia Ng Bill Zolan Cynthia Lee Darling Denny Nguyen and Tam Trinh Don Krause and Shino Nomiya Dorothy Gin Elizabeth and James Chang Graeme Merry Gregg and Debbie Montarano Jaffa Dayan-Hall and Stephen Hall Jerome Stroumza Joanne Tang Josh Baskin Julia Fong and Daniel Payne Julie Lu Kendrick Wong Kevin Kozminski Leslie and Timothy Smartt Lijuan Li and Ben Gu Yu MaryAlice and Tim Colen Meg Scott Nancy and Reece Williams-Baron Pat and Jayne Lee Peter and Zaiton Leffler Rabbi Sydney Mintz Robert Aranda Shanxia and James Bolton Sherman Chen Stacy Moore and Eric Walstad Suzanne Szostak and Bryce Skolfield Tam Nguyen and Tammy Minh Thi Nguyen-Hoang The Roonan Family Tina Low-Lee Tomas and Irene Aragon Warren H Branzburg Yu Zhou and Hao Zou

BENEFACTOR Alan Cohen Albert and Marian Ko Alexander Petrossian Bing Bing Family Day Care Catherine Woods Chilee and Kin Ng Corinna Lee and Norman Shek Dawn Silbertstein and Steven Linder Deborah Fedorchuk and Christopher Parsons Denny Nguyen and Tam Trinh Edmund and Hilary Billings Elaine Zheng Ellen and Bill Conaway Eric Rasmussen and Barbara Koo George and Linda de Bruin Hans Art Hong Gao and Lingli Ouyang Huei C. Chi Jae Chung James and Nancy Keeton James Ruppert and Marta Kosinski Jason and Amparo Mitchell Jeff Kaliss and Louise Whitlock Jenny and Andy Miner Jenny Stanley Jimmy Wong Josephine Fong Julie Lu Justin and Terilyn Luk Larrisa Wong

Laura and Michael Springer Leslie Smartt Lillian and Gregory Fong Lillian and Joseph Murphy Lily King Lisa Park Lorraine Parker Luisa Devera Maggie Yee Michael Chambers and Elizabeth Fung Michael Montgomery and Robin Bowman Michael Shek Wong and Carol Boyd Mike Rafferty Ofelia and Florante dela Cruz On behalf of Zoe Kaiser Parthena Konstantinidis and Hal Epstein Patrick Kitano Paula McCabe and Larry Habegger Raymond Lim Raymond Young Rebecca Tan and Wenzhong Lin Richard and Peggy Lam Robert and Lulu Kong Robin McClarren Roy and Lori Digneo Sandra P. Seto Sandra and Henry Wong Scott Porter Sharon and Johann Zimmern Sherman Chen Stephanie Lowe and Tom Vo Susie and Jack Choi Terry Chu The Roonan Family Therese Wong Tina Ta and Paul Ma William and Gayle Chan Wonson Choe

SUPPORTER Ai Jian and Jackson Tse Ailing Zhang and On Lee Alan and Jackie Fox Alan and Karen Liu Albert and Wendy Yee Alex and Anna Chang Alma and Teofilo Pena Anacynona Gimena and Jesus Gimena Andrea Yang Andrew Ishibashi Andy Tang Angela Rouede Ann Comoglio and Matthew Lefkowitz Annie Wong Annie Zhao and Peter Liu Anton Kast and Carole Morrell Arceli Tabuena Ariana Hirsh Arleen Arellano Audrey and Howard Jai Aurora A. Cenina Bertha and Alvaro Martinez Bessy Wong Bill Kwan and Cecelia Ng Brian Kyono Carol Lei Carol Murphy Carolina Stankiewich Celia Wu Chad and Kathy Balch Chadwick Huang Christina and Kenneth Yiu Christine and Matt Garward

Christopher Cheuk Christopher Doyle Christopher Kallenburg and Margaret Hudson Cindy Fong Clare Moran Claudia and Matthew Chamberlain Corazon and Eutemio Espina Darcy Mercord and Jefferey Weiss David Haller David Quan Dawn Silberstein and Steven Linder Deborah Kwan and Erik Cosselmon Denise Lawson Diana and Ilan Bunimovitz Diana and Ronnie Monterola Edson Shimizu Elie Rothschild and Ana Maria Otero Elizabeth Fung and Michael Chambers Elzbieta and Rafal Krajewski Eos de Feminis Eric Wolfe and Susan Freinkel Fabienne Blanc, John Quarterman and Claire Quarterman Feng Xing Chen Fion Chan Fu You Xie and Weiliang Kuang Gerry Knezevich and Peggy Chang Giuseppe Trogu Gloria and Theodore Shiff Hao Qiu Hazel Kong Heather Carr Heidi Hohener Henry Tam Hong Gao and Lingli Ouyang In Honor of Eric Yup In honor of Kate Lazarus and Matthew Armstrong Irina and Boris Berman Isabelle and Eric Carman Ivy Yung and George Tom Jack Chin and Hedy Chang Jackson Chin Jael Diaz Jairo Archila James Ruppert and Marta Kosinski Jane McIntyre Jason and Amparo Mitchell Jeffrey and Vivian Eng Jennifer and Jim Berg Jennifer and Michael Green Jinhua Li Joan Kerr Jodi Reid and Bruce Livingston John Bechelli John Sanger Johnny Nguyen Josephine Iselin and Kenneth Pearce Josie Iselin Jovie and Edgar Villegas Julian Chu Jun and Michelle Li Justyna To Karen Aotaki Karen Gyulbudaghyan Karen Ling Kate Reber and Laura Mae Alpert Katherine Tick and Fred Raker Katie O’Rourke Ken and Ulli Seidman Kenneth and Gloria Chu Kevin and Candy Lee

Lowell PTSA Board is deeply grateful to our Lowell community for their wonderful generosity to our school. As of March 24, 2015, we have raised $194,000+

Kevin and Mary Leong Kevin Siegel and Cheryl Drake Kim Loan Thi Nguyen Kin L. Lei Kitty Tang Kokolay Kan and Theingi Hla Pe Kou Chio Choi Kurt and Stacy Fuchs Lana Jaber Laura Tung Laura Zander Laurie Moore and Robert Brownstone Leann Yu and Mike Cheung Lenore Yu and Tony Toy Leon Wong and Elaine Yuan Leonel V. Dickey Li Wang and Xiaodong Zhu Lijuan Li Lillian Fong Lily and Peter Yang-Vaernet Lily King Lin Family Lorena and Ernesto Chavarria Lorina and Wayland Gee Lorraine Parker Loubna Saleh and Mohamed Ahmed Lyn Bradshaw Marcia Jarmel Margaret and Heeloo Chung Margie Yu and Yat Kit Lui Marianne Nilsson Marina Chacon Mario and Bethmarie Yumul Mark Lee and Jennifer Kan Martha and Jonathan Tyson Maureen M. McKenna Meixue Tao and Yi Jia Sun Melissa Comito-Aakre Melissa Ng Miaohong Huang and Hao Ou Michael Lee Michael Mai Michael Rolph Michael Wong Michael Yamada Michelle Smith Min Li Minh Ly Min Qi Yu and Zhen Qin Deng Missy Mastel Miu Kam Wan and Chong Fat Lo Moya Verzhhbinsky Nancy and Reece Williams-Baron Nancy Johnson and Peter Fish Nancy Kinoshita and Jeffrey Iwamasa Nancy Liu Nancy Showen and Shelley Adler Nelia B Nacor-Canosa Nelson and Liliana Yee Oi Kwan Ho and Chun Kuen Cheung Olga Mirzoeva and Ruslan Grishanin Parthena Konstantinidis and Hal Epstein Paul and Ariel Okamoto Paul and Jean Liang Lui Pauline Cheng Peter and Lorena Alperin Peter and Yolanda Martinez Qiao Shi Zhao and Kwok Leung Wong Qing Wen Xi and Samuel Wang Rafael Comesana Raymond and Teresa Tom Raymond Lim Rene Ramos

Renee Strong Richard Dumas and Jampa Pharaphaen Richard Tom and May Yee Rita Estrada and Roberto Estrada Robin Xu Roger Liu Roland Lai Romeo and Ana Chiong Romina and Mohammed Mojabi Ronnie Lu Ruslan Grishanin Roy and Ann Chow Ruxin Liu and Chi Sun Tien S.A. Kushinka Salvador and Rachael Gorostiza Salvador Pirir Sam and Stephanie Lauter Sandra Seto Sang & David Lee September Jarrett and Eric Cuneo Shao Wen Zhou and Han Zhong Feng Shirley and Dantong Lin Shirley Johnson Siu Wai Yee Sonia Daccarett Sophie Abitbol and David Reiss Stanislav and Lyudmila Tsatskin Steven and Andrea Choy Suping Li and Jian Ying Zhao Suqiong Ma and Juntong He Susan and Charley Perkins Susan Freinkel Susan Mack Susan Schechter Tami Suzuki and Rich Eijima Tammi Goldstein Tammy Dawson and Victor Vasquez Tanya Berkovsky Tatiana Shiff Teresa Dal Santo and Benjamin Sarnoff Teresa Yim Terry Rolf Weber The Tyson Family Theresa DeRoma and Trifuna Tomagan Thomas Kanaley Thomas Moeser Tin Maung and Thida Win Tony Lee Tracy Lee Vic De Angelo Vicente Jr. and Maria Agustin Victoria and James Sutton Vincent W. Leong Vincent and Becky Wong Vivian and Jeffrey Eng Warren H. Branzburg Weera and Sangpen Kitpoonwong Weiwen Wang William Wong and Xiu Fen Liao Wing O. Chan Xiangming Zhang Xiangning Jiang and Jinwei Yuan Xiaojie Chen Xuanfa Zhou and Mei Lan Huang Xuemei Zhou and jinqi Zhang Yan Ping He Ying Tran Yinghua Zhang Yingwu Li Yinke Dioquino Yu Qing Lin and Kingman Kwan Yu Xiong Li Yunkai Qi

SPONSOR Aike Kam Albert Poon Alexander Gologorsky Alice Chin Alice Kam Anacynona Gimena and Jesus Gimena Andrea and Aaron Shuper Andy Neuschatz Anita Cabrera Anne Crawford Annie Zhen Anthony Lewis Aranya Apiwansri Augustine Bau Barbara Abrahams Barbara Koo Benjamin Leung and Trudy Leung Beth and Benjamin Pollock Billy Burger Brenda and Crichton Kittredge Brian Danforth Brigitte Kouamo Bronia and Emil Ng Carol Murphy Catherine Sparacino Cathy Poon Yee Charity Kahn Charlie Gregoratos Christopher Cheuk Claudia Eshoo Consuelo Vargas-George Delia and Donato Volante Donna Ames-Heldfond Dorothy Newell Duck Yuen Ng and Mandy Man Ci Wu Ellen and Dan Schumm Emily Murase Eric Kong Eszter Erdelyi and Carey White Ethel Craske Eugene Vrana Ferdinand Cruz and Jane Maniego Flordeliza and Eustaquio Espino Frederick Kung Gregory Collins Guadalupe Martinez Hai and Hoa Le Huynh Hanne O'Grady Heather Murdock and Paul Gardner Jack McCarthy Jacqueline Quach Jane Creed Janett Sarmiento Janice Manjuck and Michael Simmons Jeanne Burns Jeffrey Fox Jennifer and Daniel Levy Jimmy Cover Jinqiu Tan Joe Hutchison Johnny Nguyen Jonathan Harris and Courtney Beck Kam Oi Lam and Hong Kun Ieong Katherine Melvin Katherine Riggs Katie Tremper and Lee Trampleasure Kent Lau Kristin Rains Larry Warshaw and Cathy Innes Lauren and Richard Showen Laurie Baker-Flynn and Owen Baker-Flynn Li Sheng Zhong

Lily Tam Linda Ghnaim Lisa and Catherine Wayne Lisa Cisneros and Thomas Carey Lisa Lim and George Gee Lolita and Flor Santiago Luke Howard Lynda Pace Ma Teresa and Ruby Carl Dalmacio Maria T Rode Mary Donati Maymar Lim Mike Ambrose Mintong Chen Monty Worth Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Craske N. Poole Nancy and Edmund Wong Nancy Johnson and Peter Fish Nancy Wong Nathan and Karen Durrant On Behalf of Erika Holmgren Paul Chan Paul Handa Sr. Paul Yuen Peter Herzstein/Maximum Mobility Peter Rojo R Scott Durcanin and Maria Hilario-Fendert Rachel Meyer Rebecca Johnson Ricky Dang Robert W. Emerson Rowena Tong Ryan Louie Scott Gast Sean Schagane Shan Huang Shawn Rosenmoss Shirley Hwe Simmy Cover Skyler Albert Stanley Thai Stephanie Lee Sue Jang Suiming Liang and Li Sheng Zhong Suree Yu Susan Schechter Suzen Ma Sylvia S. Hom and William Lim Tan Van and Van Tu Lam Terence Abad Terry Weber Theodore Omachi Thomas Bier Thu Tran and Thach Le Thuy Nguyen and Tuan Pham Tuong Phan Vincent Leung Vicente Jr. and Maria Agustin Victoria Dou Wan Yi Li Wing Chan Winnifred Gin Xueren Feng Zhi Huang

The Lowell April 2015 v