March 2024

Empowering students to think critically and creatively since 1913

IN THE NEWS

SPRING BREAK

SPRING MUSICAL

CLASS OFFICER ELECTIONS

STORY ETHAN KWAK PHOTO KAITLYN LEE

SPHS’s 2024 independently organized TEDx event began at 10 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 in the Little Theater after months of preparation and with the dedication of around 100 student, parent, and teacher volunteers. Tickets were sold at lunch the previous week and at the door prior to the event. The TEDx presentations were primarily organized by SPHS teachers Diane Shires and Christopher Herrin, and this year’s theme of “Beyond Boundaries” was suggested by Tyler Doig.

“Each of our speakers chose their own topic and they chose something that was very important to them,” Shires said. “A lot of [the speeches] were about mental health and how they have learned strategies to become strong and to overcome challenges. One of the big takeaways is that everyone on campus needs to hear these stories.”

This is the first TEDx event that has been organized at SPHS since the pandemic. The 12 talks, split into three sections, included two 15-minute intermissions and the showings of TEDxGlobal 2012’s “Before I Die I Want To…” by Candy Chang and TED 2014’s “Color Blind or Color Brave?” by Mellody Hobson.

“It’s a very slow moving caravan, and getting it started is a lot of work but…once you build momentum it goes pretty quickly — that’s where we’ve been at [for] the last couple weeks. I think it’s an important event that has a rich history at this school and it gives students that don’t really have the opportunity to express themselves,” Herrin said. “The theme is ‘Beyond Boundaries,’ and we were hoping to generate discussion around boundaries in society: labels that people have for themselves or others [and] moving past those to redefine themselves.”

SPHS juniors Samuel Whitman and Jayel Bright served as the masters of ceremony, announcing facts about each speaker in between speeches and also helping to organize the event. Additionally, Bright designed the promotional poster for the event. The morning began with SPHS junior Jordan Cutler’s “Youth Sports Culture

Tiger

Reverberating

TEDx returns to SPHS with “Beyond Boundaries”

and Coaching Reform.” As a level 10 and nationally qualified gymnast, Cutler drew from personal experiences with abusive coaching and anxiety and called for athletes to seek positive coaching.

Junior Florence Jones shared her experience in a creative writing therapy group and the positive impacts of creativity on her mental health in “Finding Freedom Through Creative Expression.” The third speech, “Growing Up in a Cult” by junior Jay Chen, offered unfiltered insight from the perspective of a former cult member. Junior Julia Santos shared her personal experiences regarding the impact of technology on self esteem with “Unraveling the Impact of Social Media on Self Perception and Authenticity.” Closing out the beginning of the event, freshman Claire Mao’s “The Power of Body Language” emphasized the importance of interpreting and enacting the universal language of our bodies.

The audience returned to the second section with junior Elisa Argus’s “High Schooler’s Guide on How to Chill Out.” Junior Alexandra Gosset’s “Disability is Not a Bad Word” raised awareness for “invisible disabilities” such as Ehler-Danlos syndrome, which she was diagnosed with at age 12. She described common misconceptions and struggles, as well as a call for advocacy and change within the state legislature to support people with disabilities.

Drama enthusiast and junior Mia Tavera addressed the fear of judgment with “Overcoming Stage Fright,” and Junior Omar Soufi called for audience members to check on the men in their lives with “Redefining Strength: Unveiling the Hidden Struggles of Men’s Mental Health.”

After a second interlude, three speeches remained. Due to unforeseen circumstances, senior Jason Hong was unable to deliver his speech “Seven Breaths.” Junior Safiyah Majumdar’s “Ending Hunger: A Call To Action” followed. Closing out the event, senior Noble Jones spoke from his experience growing up in a Montessori school with “The Keys to a Successful Future.”

TEDx events at SPHS are planned for every other year, so the next edition will occur in 2026.

As technological developments increase, the amount of waste they produce ironically increases as well, creating the Jevons paradox. Tiger analyzes possible solutions to the vicious cycle.

Four SPHS seniors and varsity girls’ basketball players discuss their 12-year-long basketball journey together as graduation approaches.

SPUSD students and staff will go on a weeklong break from Friday, March 31 to Friday, April 5.

juniors, and seniors will vote for class office on Friday, April 26.

SPHS Drama will put on the spring musical, Bright Star, on the weekend of Friday, April 19.

THE RIGHT TO ABORTION ACCESS

examines the failure of abortion restrictions across the nation.

the anecdotes of tragedies across the country, the abortion debate must end, now.

JEVONS PARADOX

STORY SOLANA SINGER PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR

The finance team for WAGS, this year’s Varsity Virtual Enterprise company, placed first at their state competition on Friday, March 1. With this victory, the team — composed of juniors Ethan Kang, Eden Kim, Miles Woo, and Joel Kim — moves on to the national level.

“Our company is WAGS; we’re a pet product company [with the] sole purpose of fostering a difference in a world full of animal euthanization…because that’s a growing issue currently,” Kang said. “For the finance plan, we’re demonstrating our ability to comprehensively analyze companies’ financial information.”

Teacher Cathy Mason said the team’s work in financial analysis simulates a real-world work environment and will help effectively prepare its members for careers in related fields. Working with the raw financial data behind the company requires all kinds of applicable skill sets.

“[The team] had to do a finance plan with projected statements going out through the rest of the year,” Mason said. “They had to do the analysis of all of the financials that we’ve accumulated and projected out for the rest of the year.”

The team submitted eight written pages detailing their finance plan for the initial competition. After their written component secured them a spot in the state tournament, they had to prepare a five minute oral presentation, followed by a question and answer session with the judges.

WAGS finance places first at state Virtual Enterprise’s finance team for WAGS, a pet care company, advances to the national competition.

Their impressive performance at state now qualifies them for the national competition, in which they will have to update and edit their state presentations.

“Starting from freshman year, I think this experience was very special to me,” E. Kim said. “I feel like it provided me with plenty of opportunities to compete and challenge myself to learn more.”

Both Kang and E. Kim expressed desire to continue participating in Virtual Enterprise’s finance team next year, with the goal of once again taking home the gold medal at state.

Joining 30 teams across the country, the finance team will advance to the national tournament on April 11 in New York City.

Science Olympiad prepares for state competition

STORY CLAIRE MAO PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR

Science Olympiad’s state tournament will take place on April 6 at California Institute of Technology, or Caltech. This year, the state team consists of 15 members and four alternatives. South Pasadena High School will be one of the 30 teams that will attend.

At regionals, SPHS faced over 60 teams. In the end, their Obsidian Team placed fifth overall, qualifying them for

state. Before state, the team remotely participated in two in-person competitions and two satellite tournaments by virtually submitting videos and tests. Science Olympiad members competed in events ranging from physiology to microbe missions to building the lightest towers to withstand the most weight.

“Science Olympiad gives us all the wonderful opportunity to expose us to the many fields of the scientific world,” junior participant William Chang said. “All of our competitions have been great bonding experiences

Debate students qualify for state

STORY ABIGAIL KIM

Three SPHS Speech and Debate students qualified for the state debate competition, which will take place from Friday, April 12, to Sunday, April 15. Junior Samuel Whitman qualified in congressional debate, and juniors Emilio Lois and Paige Tang qualified together in parliamentary debate.

Whitman, Lois, and Tang all qualified at the state qualifying tournament, where they competed with various teams for limited spots at state. During the regional competition, only around the top 3 percent of all participants advanced. At the state competition, there will be around 40 schools attending the tournament at Clovis West High School in Fresno.

The regional qualifying tournament took place on Saturday, March 2 at La Cañada High School. To prepare for regionals, all three qualifiers have been practicing and participating in tournaments.

“For Congress, they get six bills a month ahead of time…a lot of them write a speech, affirming and negating all six bills, so that they’re prepared to argue either side because they won’t necessarily know what side they can speak for before the tournament,” Speech and Debate advisor Chris Herrin said. “And then [on] the day of the tournament for Congress, they find out.”

Parliamentary debate is much more low-prep. However, Lois and Tang were only able to get in one tournament and one practice before diving into the competition. They qualified in a partner event, and although they have only been partners since February, they went undefeated throughout their four rounds.

Lois and Tang were one of six pairs that advanced out of the 24 that competed, and they qualified automatically after

between team members, and we especially like to shout out Mr. Ku for being such a dedicated coach.”

The team strives to make it into the top 10 teams of the state tournament. They also hope to be better prepared for the tournament than previous years.

“I’d say that all of our members are very passionate about their respective subjects, and have a strong desire to learn,” Chang said. “I’m always thankful to be able to learn from them. Overall team dynamic is friendly, but competitive.”

Team members have been training since August 2023, and each participant is expected to spend two hours preparing for each event. Students typically participate in three to four events and prepare for six to eight hours each week.

“One of the hard things is that [many] students tend to be very active and very high performing, so the students have a lot of things on their plate, whether it’s sports or other like volunteering or their tutoring…It’s really tough for students to get together and practice together,” chemistry teacher and team coach Benjamin Ku said. Participants are expecting to compete with the best teams, and they will continue to prepare for the upcoming event.

“There are a few people who have new events, so they have to quickly prepare on a high level for the new events,” Ku said. “But I think that after a very busy February and a very tough regionals...people have been tired. So I think that this week [has] been a little bit of a slow week, but I expect the preparation to pick up in the next couple of weeks…I just want to see this team shine. I just want to see all the students have a good time with what they’re doing and that the things that they do [that] they prepare[d] for all year just shine.”

winning all of their debates. The pair was surprised that they were able to go undefeated and are excited for state.

“[There will be] a lot more regional diversity, so it’ll be exciting to see…the different coaching styles and different debating styles across the state,” Lois said.

Whitman was one of eight who advanced after being part of the 16 who made finals from the preliminary rounds.

“For the state tournament I’m really excited to meet fellow debaters from all over California. I have to prepare a lot for this tournament,” Whitman said.

“First I had to write up my own mock Congress bill to be submitted for voting. Right now I’m in the process of voting on over 45 bills to argue on. Once the votedon bills are released, I’ll start writing up [a] speech for each bill.”

This will be the last competition of the year for advanced Speech and Debate members. Newer members will have a final competition on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4.

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD aims to place within the top 10 teams at their state competition.

Perspectives on digital student monitoring

With the implementation of the 5-Star system into SPHS, new student, teacher, and administration perspectives are important to gauge the potential impacts and drawbacks of digitized student monitoring. While digital student monitoring is not new, with Lightspeed being a useful tool according to teachers, 5-Star is less covert.

STORY ZOE CHEN, SONYA SHIMPOCK, & SOLANA SINGER PAGE DESIGN SOLANA SINGER ILLUSTRATION ISOLE KIM

Monitoring via Lightspeed

In the digital age, while the monitoring of student computer screens by teachers aims to ensure safety and enhance learning, it raises significant concerns about privacy, autonomy, and the potential stifling of creativity. To address monitoring, these concerns necessitate a balanced approach that respects student rights while also fulfilling educational objectives and safety responsibilities.

SPUSD mainly uses the system Lightspeed, a classroom management software, to monitor students’ school-issued Chromebook screens. The software allows teachers real-time visibility of student activity and control over their device workspace, allowing them to push out vetted URLs, close distracting tabs, block predetermined inappropriate websites, and enable screen sharing.

While, in principle, the approach may seem like a good one, some students are not fond of it.

Teachers around SPHS generally seem to be in favor of the new bathroom pass system. Teachers have said that it helps keep bathroom trips much more organized, while also maintaining the structure of class time.

World language department chair and French teacher Erin Kanner generally expressed support for the digitized system.

“For me personally, it does keep [the classroom] a little bit more streamlined,” Kanner said. “This [system] just helps everybody…be present and keep in mind that they have the pass for a certain amount of time and then someone else can use it too.”

“Personally, I would say that monitoring Chromebook screens is an invasion of privacy. I would not be too happy if a private email that I sent to one of my teachers was being read by another one of my teachers. I feel like monitoring Chromebook screens is a really invasive way of trying to keep students from getting sidetracked. I would just prefer that any private or personal info I choose to share only gets seen by the authorized recipient,” a sophomore student said.

The SPHS administration does have a legal obligation to comply with all laws and regulations regarding child safety online, and must also ensure that school issued Chromebooks provide a safe online environment, which includes protecting students from inappropriate content and cyberbullying.

“I think that it’s good and bad, but it’s kind of an invasion. However, it’s a little bit necessary because many students don’t do their actual work during class and they play video games. It’s also up to the student to make their own decisions and it’s their choice to play video games rather than doing work,” a freshman student commented.

Kanner emphasized the safety advantages of the system, saying that having a digital database to keep track of students coming and going helps with teachers’ responsibility to know where their students are at all times during class. She believes it is too early in the system’s development to know if it will introduce any problems into the classroom, and she is interested to see where it leads.

“It’s more efficient…than the old way and it’s…a better way to gather data,” math teacher Shane Mills said. “I have taught classes in the past where [bathroom passes are] abused and people stay out a really long time. I think [the new system] helps manage that…a little bit better.”

Though screen monitoring is not viewed favorably by the student body, it is a tradeoff made in order to ensure that students are staying focused.

“Honestly I think it’s just unnecessary for teachers to view our screens, but it also isn’t unjustified to view screens if someone is offtask. I just don’t think enough people cheat or go off task for them to be viewing our screens,” another sophomore student said.

A possible alternative could involve students in the creation of monitoring policies to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed. Clear policies should be developed that balance the need for safety and security with respect for student privacy.

“It’s an invasion of privacy,” a junior student added. “We’re about to be adults.”

Alternative strategies to heavy monitoring, such as digital literacy education, open discussions about internet safety, and building a culture of trust and responsibility in the classroom could also be further cultivated.

Mills mentioned that he specifically likes three things about the new system: the audible chime, because it helps him keep better track of when students are out; the automatic enforcement of the 20/20 rule; and the fact that it eliminates the “cumbersome” need to sign out by hand.

Mills said that he has no apprehensions about the system so far. Other teachers seem to share similar views.

The school will have a better idea of what the system truly entails when it is officially installed next year. As of now, it appears to be going smoothly from most teachers’ perspectives.

SPHS began the full transition to the 5-Star pass system after a few weeks of piloting. The system requires students to sign out via computer before leaving the classroom for any purpose, and it gives students a certain time frame to be back within depending on the location the student is going.

Assistant Principals Chad Bryant and Vanessa Blackwood found the system through other administrators from local high schools who had already made the transition. After attending an informational seminar, they shared their learnings with SPHS faculty.

Eldred expressed hopes that the new system will make students more aware of the instruction they miss while out and about on campus during class time.

“[Kids] are being tracked all day long, with everything they do, every time they move with their phone or they open up TikTok. When they walk around this campus, there’s about 80 cameras on campus that are tracking their every move… we’re a very data driven school. And this just gives us one more way to look at what’s happening on campus,” Principal John Eldred said. “I think [5-Star] will eventually become something that people don’t really even think about anymore…it just becomes a part of the routine of being a student at South Pasadena High School.”

1913

CSPA SILVER CROWN 2021

CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2019

CSPA SILVER CROWN 2018

CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2017

CSPA CROWN AWARD 2016

CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2015

CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2014

CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2013

CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2011

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HANNA BAE

MANAGING EDITORS

ELLIE NAKAMURA, Print

BENJAMIN REGAN, Online NEWS

ETHAN KWAK, Editor OPINION

LINDA YUN, Editor and Online Associate

FEATURE MORGAN SUN, Editor

SPORTS ROSE VANDEVELDE, Editor

DESIGN EMIKO ESSMILLER, Editor ISOLE KIM, Editor

PHOTOGRAPHY

SAMANTHA SHIROISHI, Editor

COPY

CLEMENTINE EVANS, Editor

BUSINESS AND ADS

ADA BORREDON, Editor KATE LIU, Staff Ads Manager

STAFF WRITERS

ZOE CHEN, Copy Associate

ABIGAIL KIM, Copy Associate

CLAIRE MAO, News/Sports Associate

SONYA SHIMPOCK, Opinion/Feature Associate

SOLANA SINGER

PHOTOGRAPHERS

ZOE CHEN, Photography Associate

SHIN-HYE (RACHEL) CHOI

SUNHYE (SUNNY) CHOI

EMIKO ESSMILLER KAITLYN LEE

LINDA YUN

ILLUSTRATORS

SUNHYE (SUNNY) CHOI

HEEJOON (JOON) LEE

ISABELLE WONG

PAGE DESIGNERS

OLIVIA CHIN, Design Associate

SOPHIE MERTZEL

SOLANA SINGER

FACULTY ADVISOR KAREN HAMES

VOL. 110 NO. 6 DISTRIBUTED

The worst people are still human

Serial killers are not the geniuses nor the monsters society paints them to be.

Aspen, CO, 1977. Freshly arrested Ted Bundy has requested to represent himself in a preliminary trial for the murder of a young woman. During a recess, Bundy requests to visit the library for research purposes, and when the guard steps out, he escapes out the window. He was on the run for six days before being recaptured.

Bundy’s case is emblematic of the problems created by treating serial killers as above-human. As a society, it allows overestimation and dehumanization. This killer combination upon further analysis has continuity issues. In the same breath, it allows the police to excuse their inability to catch them due to the killer’s “brilliance,” and use their crimes to argue they are animalistic and undeserving of due process.

The Northwest was caught up in a tailspin of terror, fearful that their loved ones might be the next victim. After the close to absurd success of his escape attempts, there were conflicting ideas about how this managed to pay off. One side is that he was too smart, too quick, too good, to be caught. Many theorized that his enhanced ability and meticulous plans allowed him to commit at least 20 murders in a single decade.

Alternatively, the exact opposite may be true. Bundy was no super genius, no escape artist extraordinaire. He was, remarkably just as effectively, a charismatic middle class white man who no one could believe would be able to commit such heinous crimes. It is thanks to this assumption that he was so successful. Not due to his own abilities but due to the incompetence of the police, and the particular image they and the country, held of who a murderer truly is.

Before the case became sensational, many of Bundy’s cases received little to no investigation. Missing female college students were of no interest to police officers, despite evidence of forced removals. Lynda Healy disappeared from her bedroom, leaving behind a bed entirely soaked with blood. This was dismissed as her period. Although these were far-fetched excuses, it did not matter to anyone. Without further thought, Bundy comes off as a genius, rather than the beneficiary of ineptitude.

Many feel that the “rights” of serial killers are irrelevant. Are they not the most deserving of punishment for their crimes?

Despite the horror of what they have done, like all citizens of the United States, they deserve due process, and allowing that right to slip away allows the protection for the falsely accused to slip away as well. Putting aside how society treats the serial killers themselves, this attitude allows people to distance themselves from their actions. If serial killers are not human, then they are not comparable to humans in society. They cannot have similar motivations, or sympathetic stories. No matter how comical it may seem, anyone from classmates to strangers on the street is capable of murder.

Distancing oneself from murder is a perfectly reasonable reaction. For the purpose of self-preservation and protecting oneself from constant fear, it is necessary to not assume that every interaction is with a possible murderer. It is, however, a human action to kill, no matter how we try to cast it as inhuman and unnatural. This is, to be blunt, something people do.

“Is Ted Bundy, of all people, not the most deserving of the term ‘monster’?” an anonymous SPHS student said.

That is exactly the point. The worst of the worst, the people who have committed the most horrifying and inexcusable actions, are not monsters. Serial killers, and violent criminals as a whole, are not monsters. They are human beings and, crucially, they continue to be so even after committing unthinkable and terrible crimes. Doing something bad, something objectively wrong, does not remove a person from the human race. Rather than strip them of their humanity, society might need to reconsider the construct as a whole.

The term “monster” is dehumanizing and serves a disservice to everyone. The Western treats serial killers as non-human. The label “monster” is an easy way to put serial killers in a box and close the lid. “Monster” is a conversation ender. It stops further analysis. Why did someone do this? Why were they not caught? Fundamentally, serial killers are people. They should be both punished for their actions and understood to have human motivations and commit human actions.

Tiger’s cheers and jeers for the month of March

BRAVOS BOOS

BOO to leaders who don’t shake Putin’s hands. It’s always “what’s Putin doing,” but nobody asks “how’s Putin doing.”

BOO to the “reply all” button. It’s the digital equivalent of setting off the fire alarm.

BOO to the faceless man in my dreams. Come home, the kids miss you.

BOO to my second grade leprechaun. You’ve been three chocolate coins in debt to me for the past 10 years.

BOO to students with academia aesthetics. Just say you’re a humanities major.

BRAVO to chemistry. Never have I ever been so violently humbled.

BRAVO to secondhand embarrassment. I knew I was an empath!

BRAVO to people who hobby horse. I didn’t know you WERE your zodiac.

BRAVO to Kate Middleton. I, too, would disappear if I was married to him.

BRAVO to Beyonce. America thanks you for inventing country music.

Saving tigers, killing people: tourism’s irony

As ecotourism permeates environmental preservation, one group is often excluded.

STORY LINDA YUN & ELLIE NAKAMURA PHOTO SUNHYE (SUNNY) CHOI

With the growing prevalence of sustainable practices among all sectors, ecotourism has become a favored option for governments to profit. Ecotourism, a seemingly innocent term coined in the 1980s, involves responsible traveling to fragile, pristine, and mostly protected areas for the purpose of education. However, this practice is not without thorns. In order to preserve the beauty and resource-rich appeal of the country, previously occupied land must first be converted into

“protected areas” forcing their inhabitants’ removal. The government’s eviction in favor of profiting off land often comes at the expense of their forgotten residents: the natives to these lands.

Human livelihood is, without question, more valuable than the profitability and environmental preservation of protected areas. Thus, the native inhabitants of land cannot be abused for the sake of protecting biodiversity.

The eviction of native people on land they have inhabited for years is especially prevalent in third-world countries.

For example, the Maasai pastoralists have a history of being pushed off ancestral lands to make room for socalled protected areas. In 2023, the Tanzanian government ordered the removal of over 100,000 indigenous folk from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The people are not guaranteed rights to the land, and while governments may seek to protect biodiversity, it is often at the expense of their inhabitants’ livelihoods.

While this practice is done in the name of protecting biodiversity, its proponents often ignore a much better way of preserving biodiversity: Native inhabitants themselves.

For example, a study from the University of British Columbia revealed that Indigenous lands in Australia, Brazil, and Canada were richer in invertebrate species than government-funded protected areas, which serves to prove that existing methods of environmental protection are already functional — and that saving tigers does not require killing people.

South Pasadena is not void of native erasure. The Hahamongna tribe of the Tongva Native Americans, who have been historically forced to adhere to the customs of the Spanish missionaries, inhabited the land for at least 7,000 years until the late 1770s.

There are no remaining monuments to the Tongva nation nor the Hahamongna tribe in South Pas with their indigenous names, instead forced to carry the history through their given Spanish colonial names. In order to move forward from the abuses that settlers have dealt to the native land that they inhabit, it is pivotal to first recognize the humanity of Indigenous people.

Heritage months are inherently flawed

STORY ABIGAIL KIM ILLUSTRATION QUINCY SAKAI, CONTRIBUTOR

The origin of heritage months can be traced back to the early 1900s, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson established the first draft of what would become Black History Month — which, at the time, was not a month but rather a week-long celebration of African American culture. Since then, many months have been dedicated towards certain cultures and the people they represent. Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, Latinx Heritage Month, and Native American Heritage Month are just a few that are celebrated throughout the country, and around the world. However, the commemoration of these months raise questions regarding whether or not they are truly ethical .

The original objectives of heritage months are undoubtedly well-intended, as they aim towards bringing awareness to marginalized groups. However, their modern-day execution is what ultimately contributes to their downfall. The way they are portrayed paints a picture that the respective groups being celebrated during the month only deserve and receive respect during that time. While the month does bring awareness to certain cultures and groups, the awareness is cut short once one month ends and the next begins. This is a repeated cycle that trails month by month, and although groups are recognized, their recognition is short and subsequently forgotten.

This also perpetuates a system where once next month comes along, the media does not recognize those groups. For example, companies may promote a certain culture during their respective month, yet abruptly stop once the new month starts. During pride month, many prominent social media accounts will change their logos in support of the LGBTQ+ community. However, once July 1 comes along, companies notoriously change their profiles back

Baes and Nays

HANNA BAE

Always “chalant”

Anyone who’s held a conversation with me knows I overshare. It’s my fatal flaw; my Achilles’ heel if you will. You’ll walk away knowing things about me you definitely didn’t need to know, and I walk away (un) bothered, having shared things I definitely shouldn’t have shared. Even so, I’ve developed a want to be mysterious and nonchalant, two things I’m very much not good at. I’m a bit of an open book, and no matter how much I try, I will forever be “chalant”

This definitely hasn’t fared well for me in the past, and it will absolutely come back to bite me. That

to their old ones. This has been heavily acknowledged and even became a common meme, with many various memes make fun of corporations and often depict July 1 as companies “washing away” or “erasing” the rainbow. Additionally, on social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, creators may spotlight specific historical figures, yet their acknowledgement should not be limited to just a month.

Heritage months exist primarily in Western countries, and while most countries share similar months that receive recognition, their dates are often inconsistent with one another. For example, in the United States and Canada, Black History Month is celebrated in February — contradictory of the United Kingdom and Ireland’s observance in October. Similarly, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month is in May in the U.S., but in the U.K., South Asian Heritage Month takes place through July and August, while East Asian and Southeast Asian Heritage Month takes place in September. Having the same heritage months during different times devalues the month, as they are not consistent with one another.

Having a singular month put towards a certain group also does not adequately suffice for their entire history. Years of historical insight simply cannot be unpacked in just a month, and many aspects of peoples’ cultures are pushed aside. These months are labeled as ones to recognize all of a certain group’s culture, yet surface-level history is the only history that truly appears to be recognized.

Heritage months should not just exist to serve as a symbol of change, because the change will not come unless acted upon. The purpose of these months is to bring awareness and acknowledge the many people who have not been able to be acknowledged in the past. Yet, many see its existence as just a token of respect, and ignore the culture itself.

doesn’t stop me, though. This, as some may dub it “yapping,” has made me realize that I find it extremely uncomfortable that people perceive me at all. Hearing hearsay that someone knows who I am, or has said something about my character, or has just generally seen me on campus is bizarre to me.

I used to be a generally more private person. I thought it was really weird to talk about myself and had trouble opening up and trusting people, especially people who I wasn’t already friends with. In that regard, I’ve grown a lot. I’ve surrounded myself with people who will listen and who I can fully trust.

I’ve always hated talking about myself. I was surrounded by people and things that made me think that talking about myself in any capacity was selfish and unnecessary. Especially during college application season, it made me incredibly uncomfortable talking about my wants and desires and how incredible of a person I am. It was weird and unnatural, and if I’m being completely honest, I felt awful throughout the whole process. It felt like I was being narcissistic and overtly egotistical. But Tiger and the people on it have taught me that that is far from the case. I’ve come out of my shell quite a bit.

The intended purpose of heritage months is undeniably leaning towards the right direction. Bringing awareness to groups who were historically oppressed does positively benefit society, but heritage months are simply not the right way to do this. Everyone, regardless of who they are, must be respected all the time. Their cultures, history, and stories can not and should not be confined to a singular month. One way to encourage this is supporting leaders who will encourage it. As election season approaches, voting for candidates who support all people will break the cycle.

I’ve realized I’ve found that here on Tiger. Now, I don’t want to get too ahead of myself and be all sappy about my time on Tiger, but I can’t help but feel a little sentimental. We had a senior night, and I couldn’t bring myself to say anything in front of the rest of the class. And, while I may have possibly been holding back tears the entire night, I think that comes from this sense of hesitancy to be truly vulnerable.

I’ve learned that people do know me and that, honestly, maybe that’s for the best. I love people, and to think that I struggled and restrained myself from expressing that kind of love for other people does make me emotional to some degree. I’ve become comfortable talking about myself and not feeling like I’m being selfish or taking away from someone else. It’s a healthy balance, one that I continue to navigate. As I continue to navigate this delicate equilibrium, I find myself grateful for the journey, for the lessons learned, and for the opportunity to grow in authenticity and self-awareness. No matter how hard I try, I will never be mysterious and nonchalant, but that’s just not me. Oversharing and being overly vulnerable has become my new default, and perhaps that’s for the better.

Access to abortion is fundamental

Imposing bans on reproductive healthcare has a devastating effect and restricts freedom.

STORY SONYA SHIMPOCK ILLUSTRATION SUNHYE (SUNNY) CHOI

As of June 24, 2022, bodily autonomy and the ability to make personal decisions about healthcare has been robbed from around 25 million women in the United States.

Anti-abortion laws do not solely affect women. Transgender men, cisgender women, nonbinary individuals, and intersex individuals all face drastic repercussions from abortion bans. However, it is clear that a large part of restricting the bodily autonomy of individuals with a uterus is motivated at least in part by misogyny. This article will use the term “women,” but the effects are not limited to that gender.

When the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and reversed Roe v. Wade, which ended the federal constitutional right to abortion in the United States, reproductive freedom was set back by nearly half a century. If a woman’s pregnancy posed a threat to her health, would it truly be amiss for her to receive an abortion? What if the fetus was diagnosed with a fatal condition? What if the woman — or in many situations, girl — was a victim of rape, sexual abuse, or incest?

In the fall of 2022, a 12-year-old girl was raped and impregnated by a complete stranger in a yard outside of her home. In her home state of Mississippi, abortion is banned in almost all circumstances. With no abortion providers left in the state and no funds to flee to a state that could perform the procedure, she was forced to have the child, against her will, as many women and girls have been forced to. She has not even entered the seventh grade.

This story is not an anomaly. Women across the country are struggling under abortion restrictions that strip them of their bodily autonomy, futures, and lives. Anti-abortionists and anti-abortion politicians are not restricting their own freedom through these bans: the only people who are affected by bans restricting reproductive freedoms are the ones hurt by them.

Ending the right to abortions does not end the need for one. Nearly a fourth of women in America will have an abortion by age 45, and countries that restrict access to safe and legal abortion services often see higher rates of unsafe abortions, which can lead to serious health complications (including death). The World Health Organization highlights that

access to safe abortion services is crucial for protecting women’s health and reducing maternal mortality, which is still frighteningly high in the United States (when compared to similarly high-income countries). Legal and safe abortions carried out under the guidance of medical professionals significantly reduce the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, especially in cases where continuing the pregnancy poses a threat to the woman’s health or life.

This loss of reproductive rights is also only further exacerbating failures of the health care and economic systems to provide Black, Indigenous, Latino, and low income communities access to high-quality and affordable health care. Systemic racism appears in maternal mortality statistics; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that Black and Indigenous people are two to four times as likely as white people to die during pregnancy or around the time of childbirth. This statistic would be drastically furthered if a nationwide abortion ban is imposed, increasing maternal mortality by 21 percent overall and by 33 percent among Black Americans. Black and Indigenous people also face disproportionate health risks

when they become pregnant — and it is nearly impossible to receive or provide the healthcare these women need to protect their life, safety, or family in the places where these health risks are the highest.

The limited access to abortion affects high schoolers as well. Teenage pregnancies can completely change the course of one’s life. Deciding whether or not to receive an abortion is an extremely intimate and personal decision, but it needs to remain available to anyone, everywhere. Fighting for abortion rights not only protects countless women and girls, but also fellow peers and students and SPHS. High school students have the power to help fight to protect the right to an abortion, and they should exercise this influence in any way that they can.

Abortions are a human right that save lives. Safe and accessible reproductive health care is supported by science, medicine, and a respect for human dignity. Women must remain in control of their bodily autonomy, because denying the access to reproductive healthcare means denying the freedom of women.

Best friends are not forever: a personal memoir

STORY ELLIE NAKAMURA ILLUSTRATION ISABELLE WONG

Social interaction is a biological necessity for emotional development. The relationships we develop during infancy and adolescence provide the foundation for what we seek from others and how we handle future relationships. From childhood, we bond with others based upon shared values, trust, proximity, reciprocation, but these relationships ultimately continue on end with the inclusion of intimacy and provision of support in our evolving social identities. While it is ideal for individuals to grow together, the unavoidable change we go through in developmental years can cause disharmony within relationships. In truth, we are not who we were. Not acknowledging the ever-evolving identities of peers is a disillusionment; We must seek to disconnect their imposed value from who these individuals were from who they are now.

As goes with relationships that start with proximal friendships, I craved reciprocation. Without regard to who they were, it felt like I constantly needed a “ride or

die” person that was mutually reliant. Realistically, even if a “forever” person is real, I’m not going to find them within the first 18 or even 20 years of my life. Childhood is riddled with uncontrollable factors, from families moving away to home situations evolving, and our identities change with them.

This year marked a perceptible change in not only myself, but others as well. During the summer, my old best friend and I were basically merged together; We would often call ourselves the same person, just separated by different physical beings. After school started and I began to sit with a different group, we drifted apart and it was apparent that our priorities, both socially and generally, were too conflicting for us to call ourselves best friends. It was the first time I had outright lost someone without leaving them first, in the sense that we quickly became barely friends at all. I remember being told that I was “not the same Ellie I became friends with,” and it made me question my entire identity. It was true, I was not the same. I hated myself for my mean-spirited humor, the way I had neglected her, and the possibility that my confidence had turned me into a bad person. I do not think I ever got

over that loss, and I ruined any chance of reconnection because of my immaturity among mutual interactions. She had realized that I was a different person, one that was no longer compatible with her, and her ending the relationship was one of the most mature, knowledgeable things anyone had ever done for themselves.

In contrast to the feeling of weightlessness and joy I always associated with the most recently departed from my life, I eventually spent too much time feeling like I was on eggshells, constantly doing something wrong, that once I was cut off it felt like respite. Again, I was confronted with the idea that I had changed for the worse, without knowing exactly why.

The sole reason, which I found out months later, was because of an action I hadn’t even done. The judgment of my character that brought upon my severance from the group was discussed and promptly decided without considering my nature, and it brought upon the questioning of my identity and a strange combination of betrayal, hurt, and self-hatred. The only way I ended up finding closure was the understanding that these people had assumed the worst of me without basis or sympathy and that I would not prosper in the company of people that wouldn’t accept my capacity to change.

I often wonder if the temporary nature of my friendships, from the girls I called my best friends in elementary school consecutively moving away without ways to contact them to the people I call at least every week, has left a destructive mark on my expectations and ability to conduct all relationships.

At this point, all relationships seem transactional to an extent. Whether it’s exchanging emotional support or tangible actions, reciprocity between friends must culminate in both’s satisfaction eventually, or else the relationship is toxic. Dramatized relationships on social media and TV never seemed to accurately reflect the safety, but interpreted mundaneness of regular interactions, and I chased excitement and entertainment when I should have been content with less extreme dynamics.

In a social landscape where the only constant seems the aspect of change, navigating relationships and understanding how they should be conducted is a seemingly impossible feat. Thus, we must observe the evolving identities of those around us and consider that they don’t always have to withstand the test of time.

Tiger’s 2024 political

The 2024 presidential election has been marred by the political landscape of polarization.

The gravity of the presidential primary

STORY HANNA BAE

Incumbent President Joe Biden swept the Democratic presidential primary while former President Donald Trump reigned victorious in the Republican race in California, according to Associated Press estimates following Super Tuesday, March 5.

This outcome raises questions of what this means for California voters and the significance of the primary for the general election in November.

For presidential candidates, California operates on a closed primary system, where voters are required to vote for presidential candidates within their registered political party.

However, an exception exists as three parties allow for “crossover” voting, enabling a degree of participation from voters outside their party. This arrangement means that while the primaries are technically closed,

they embody elements of an open primary system.

The purpose of the primary is for voters to express their preference for who they would like to see as their party’s nominee for president.

Each presidential candidate is awarded a number of delegates proportional to the share of votes they received once the primary votes are tallied.

These delegates play a symbolic yet crucial role; they represent the candidates at their respective party’s National Convention held during the summer, where the candidate with the most votes by the delegates is declared the official party nominee for president.

It is at this convention that the delegates’ representation becomes symbolic, as they collectively announce the official nominees from their party for the presidential election. Typically, the nominees from the two major political parties, Democratic and Republican, emerge with significant leverage for the upcoming presidential race in November.

In addition to primaries, some states utilize caucuses as a method of selecting a party’s presidential nominee. Unlike primaries, which are state-run, caucuses are organized directly by the parties themselves. California, however, does not use caucuses and instead relies on the state-conducted primary system.

This distinction is important because it reflects the varied approaches across the United States in the early stages of the presidential election process.

Victories in early primaries and major states like California can create a sense of inevitability around a candidate, boosting their campaign through increased media attention, donor support, and voter confidence. This momentum can be pivotal in securing the nomination and positioning for the general election.

Presidential fitness in the 2024 election

STORY SONYA SHIMPOCK

Joe Biden, at 81 years old, is the oldest president the United States has ever elected — a fact that the media and public has never let his administration forget. Biden’s age is one of the most commonly voiced concerns about his reelection in the 2024 presidential race; by the next Inauguration Day in January 2025, he will be 82 years old.

Should he win the 2024 presidential election, he would be 86 by the end of a second term, nearly a decade older than the second-oldest president ever, Ronald Reagan.

Biden’s (admittedly advanced) age has been called into question about its potential hindrance on his ability to lead. The United States has had physically disadvantaged but effective presidents in the past.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, for example, instigated policies that lifted the United States out of the Great Depression (establishing the modern social safety net) and successfully guided the country through World War II; but he suffered from polio and was unable to walk unaided.

It is neither fair nor accurate to presuppose that age or physical condition is a limiting factor on the ability to perform at the presidential level with an older presidential candidate. Advanced age does not necessarily lead to reduced competence.

There is a warped idea of what the president should be, particularly on the Democratic side. There is a perception that the president should be the epitome of moral perfection and soaring rhetoric; but there has never been and never will be a president who is simply capable of sitting down and solo-authoring a State of the Union.

A large part of the presidency is executive delegation — being able to hire people to create a functional and

The primary process is the first opportunity for voters to formally competent administration in order to aid the president in leading the nation.

Gauging fitness based on leadership capability rather than physical condition depends on what the assumption of an ideal president is.

If an ideal president is expected to contort their positions and policies to align with public opinion, regardless of personal beliefs, then failure to do so would render them unfit for office.

Conversely, if the ideal president is viewed as someone who makes decisions based on their own convictions, irrespective of public sentiment, then a politically expedient president would be deemed unfit.

As long as the concept of an “ideal” president remains subjective, so too does the definition of presidential fitness.

The 2024 election is one that should be centered more on beliefs and character than age. Biden and expected Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump are the oldest presidential candidates who have ever vied for office. Trump is merely four years younger than Biden at 77 years old. But, his advanced age is not what makes him unfit to be president.

Rather, his unfitness stems from his actions — he has been impeached twice, and has only served a single term. And if one is to judge presidential fitness based solely on public speaking ability, Trump should also be held accountable for his errors.

Yet, he has managed to largely evade many of the accusations frequently leveled at Biden for flubbed speeches or misspeaks.

Trump’s vocal errors include stating that he had defeated Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton in

express their preferences for the next president. It is a litmus test among their party members for the candidates’ policies, charisma, and campaign strategies, providing insights into what voters are looking for in their next leader.

Especially for newly eligible voters, engaging in a primary can help young voters clarify their political beliefs and affiliations by comparing their views with those of the various candidates.

Young voters have the opportunity to support candidates who prioritize issues important to younger generations, potentially influencing future policies on climate change, education, and job opportunities.

the 2016 election, and confusing Nikki Haley, former Republican presidential candiate, with Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House.

This mistake did Haley absolutely no favors with the Republican electorate. However, these instances are often not cited as evidence of mental decline.

It is crucial to determine presidential fitness by critically evaluating candidates based on their leadership qualities and their ability to serve the interests of the nation as the 2024 election approaches.

Ultimately, the essence of presidential fitness lies in leadership capabilities and the capacity to navigate the complexities of governance, regardless of age or physical health status.

political playbook

polarization. Tiger investigates the problems of presidency with a guide for voting seniors.

Senior class voting statistics

67 percent of the seniors have a pessimistic view of the state of politics in the U.S., while 30 percent are moderate, and only 4 percent of the senior population is positive.

Seniors chose their top controversial issues in the survey, and abortion came out on top with 26 percent of the student population.

Climate change is another top contender, and foreign policy and gun policy are tied for third with 13 percent each. With the current war in Gaza and mass shootings covering the news, it is understandable that these issues are fresh on seniors’ minds when it comes time to vote.

A small but significant percentage of seniors do not plan on voting in the general election or future elections even if they are eligible.

Voting boycotts typically include a population of voters abstaining from voting to express disapproval or to force acceptance of certain conditions.

However, civic duty or not, it is dangerous to throw away the opportunity to participate in elections.

“Young voters and voters in general have every reason in the world to not feel optimistic about the current state of the United States, but to withdraw your vote and potentially jeopardize the rights and freedoms of innocent people living within our country while thinking you’re doing the most morally right thing you could do is naive,” one anonymous SPHS senior said.

15.4%

64.1% 20.5%

NO NOT YET YES

:Areyouregistered or preregisteredto vote?

Political Leanings at SPHS

“It seems like there’s no longer power to the people and that we must continue voting for the lesser of two evils.”

- Alyssa Rocca, 12th grade

Polarization of political opinions is another noteworthy issue, with a majority of responses including grievances citing the extremist landscape as a part of their attitude.

Partisanship is not the only issue faced by the voting class, but according to survey responses, it is by far to blame for the state of U.S. politics. Without an extreme upheaval to the current system, it seems the youth voters will only grow more disheartened.

Q: On a scale of 1-5, how optimistic do you feel about the current state of politics in the U.S.?

Personality over party over policy

The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology published a study in 2016 with evidence to suggest that voters tend to favor candidates who seem to match their own personalities. However, this may be a direct result of underlying partisan preference.

A study published by the American Political Science Review found that just 3.5 percent of voters would vote against their party’s interests to uphold the core principles of a democracy — equality, control over the abuse of power, and rule of law — with the other 90 percent of voters willing to excuse undemocratic behavior in order to vote in favor of their partisan preference. Bipartisan agreement exists on certain issues, such as the reality of climate change and its human causes, but party allegiance often dictates public support for policies.

exclusively upon the stated position of one’s political party. In the same Perspectives of Political Science study, voters claimed not to be susceptible to influence from their own party, but believed that other voters would be more susceptible than they actually were.

It remains to be seen to what extent voters in the 2024 election will be influenced by candidates’ parties and personas. Even if many students cannot vote yet, they can begin to become more aware of what factors affect their endorsements of candidates. The personalization of politics, while a compelling facet of modern campaigns, should not overshadow the critical evaluation of candidates’ potential to govern effectively and uphold democratic values.

agree with the candidate’s ideology to actually vote. Ada Statler-Throckmorton of Stanford Politics refers to this as “inspiring turnout through targeted rhetoric and a carefully crafted persona.” 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush was criticized for being “boring” and “unenergetic” before dropping out of the race. In contrast, Bernie Sanders cultivated an approachable persona and was tagged as the “lovable, fiery grandpa”; his campaign focused on his “pure ideology” and optimism towards change, with little mention of his plans to actually carry out proposed solutions. This is known as the “personalization of politics,” where a candidate’s individual traits are played up instead of their actions and ability to carry out policies. Candidates taking center stage, appearing approachable, and worrying more about their image than ability to govern are all major aspects of this phenomenon.

“If I proposed something that was literally word for word in the Republican Party platform, it would be immediately opposed by 80-90 percent of the Republican voters,” Democrat and former President Barack Obama once said. “And the reason is not that they’ve evaluated what I said. It’s that I said it.”

Climate issues became more closely associated with the Democratic party as the nation entered the years of Donald Trump’s presidency, and Republican agreement with the same policies proposed a few years prior decreased; Trump’s claims that climate change is a hoax brought many of his supporters along with the idea. Attitudes towards social policy depended almost

FEATURE

The dilemma of pirating

Piracy

steals the work of others, but decline is evident as sites are removed.

STORY CLAIRE MAO ILLUSTRATION ISOLE KIM

Bootlegged media is getting harder to find. To pirate a work means to reproduce another’s work without authorization. As technology continues to advance, the varieties of pirating have grown to include books, movies, comics, video games, DVDs, articles, and more.

The consequences of pirating pertain to both sides of the spectrum, affecting both the creators and consumers. While pirating undermines the creativity and time that artists, filmmakers, and developers put into their works, it also limits the consumer’s imagination and creative thought process by using others’ works to replace the mind. Although the consequences of pirating are clear, many people — including students — continue to pirate.

Many people will pirate, but there are measures to protect one’s work of pirating. Protection could include encrypting media so the customers will have to unscramble it — logging in and filling out your identity can reduce some pirating on media. However, encrypting a work can be time consuming, so authors may not turn to encryption.

Pirating movies and shows are overall easy. People have the capability to just play the media and hit record. A driving force of pirating is financial struggle. Unable to find a way to earn money, individuals resort to pirating to get the money they need.

Although some may argue that corporations with ample resources and money will not be affected by pirating, it is important to recognize that pirating, in any shape or form, is stealing someone’s hard earned credit and income.

Another reason why individuals may pirate is the need for resources; this especially pertains to students.

Many academic assignments require students to read specific materials; for instance, The New York Times’ articles. However, such articles require subscription fees, and other websites may have paywalls. The inability to afford these resources ends up pushing hundreds of individuals to find forms of piracy.

Piracy can additionally stem from a want of convenience. People may not be willing to buy a subscription to a platform for only one show they want to watch. Some people may be willing to pay their favorite author money, but if the website makes it hard to even get resources, they will turn to pirating.

Piracy sites also go beyond people within the United States; regions in other parts of the world can use piracy sites to access movies without using a VPN. In these cases, Movie Web was a popular site for watching movies for free — though it has recently come under fire.

Movie Web has been shut down since Saturday, Feb. 24 and is now facing legal actions from companies such as Warner Brothers, Netflix, Paramount, Universal, and Disney. Movie Web contained hundreds of pirated movies that were free for anyone to watch. Other pirate sites that have been shut down include The Pirate Bay, RARBG, LimeTorrents, and more.

Addressing the issue of piracy is incredibly important. There is no excuse for stealing another’s work, but there needs to be something done for those who simply cannot afford the resources they need. Websites should strive to provide people with the resources they need, yet they should also respect the original author’s credit and copyrights.

Financial hardships and limited access drive people to pirate. However, it is important to understand the consequences of pirating. Instead of condoning those who have pirated, the web needs to find ways to share free information with all.

Charlotte’s Web

CHARLOTTE DEKLE

Last year during Women’s History Month, I discussed how misunderstood The Great Gatsby’s resident vehicular homicidal ingenue Daisy Buchanan was. This year, I want to unpack the virtues of my favorite movie of 2023 — and in the running for my favorite movie of all time — Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, more concretely the protagonist Bella Baxter.

Immediately after leaving the theater, I found it impossible to truly articulate my opinions on this movie. I could only really express a series of grunts and excited moans. The whole experience was life-changing.

For the uninitiated, Poor Things details a young woman, brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, on a personal odyssey for self-definition. Through her reanimation, she is re-introduced to the world, unmarred by societal conditioning.

The film, to me, was liberatory. In contrast to another “girl power” film of 2023, Barbie, Poor Things was completely unconcerned with the behaviors of men. Baxter does not take men’s opinions into account when she makes decisions. Barbie, on the other hand, spends the last 20 minutes of the movie consoling Ken to placate his feelings even though he turned all of the Barbies into mindless servants.

A crucial tenet of Poor Things is the concept of female pleasure, rarely explored within film. There are many sex scenes, which may detract for some viewers, but they are almost exclusively focused on fleshing out what Bella Baxter finds pleasurable.

My favorite part of the movie is when Baxter uses fruit as a mode of masturbation. Her society castigates her for her sexuality, but she refuses to conform. When she joins a brothel, she is appreciative when she realizes that she could make money by engaging in an activity she enjoys.

Most films depict prostitution as a disgusting subset of employment. My view is that if everyone involved is consenting and happy, and the industry should be regulated like any other industry, how is sex work different from any other form of employment? It’s money in exchange for a service.

Therein lies the power of Poor Things. When Baxter returns to London after her foray into modern society, she decides that she wants to marry a doctor that once cared for her. When she explains how she engaged in prostitution, he responded “It is your body, Bella Baxter. Yours to use freely.” Of course, it is discouraging that a man had to wield the feminist liberatory slogan, but I applaud its inclusion.

The entirety of the movie is not only a terrific analysis of gender roles and women’s sexual liberation, but also a plea to “experience everything. Not just the good, but degradation, horror, sadness. This makes us whole, makes us people of substance.”

As I am approaching my final quarter of high school, I want to embody the enigma of a woman unencumbered by societal norms and experience everything, barring prostitution. Not just the buoyant, orgasmic wonders of life but also the morose, despondent moments that must be felt in equal measure. That is what makes us whole, people of substance, and that knowledge is far from a poor thing.

Canceling queer media has consequences

The high standards set for queer shows perpetuates the idea of a “palatable” kind of queer person.

STORY SOPHIE MERTZEL ILLUSTRATION HEEJOON (JOON) LEE

The cancellation of the romantic comedy Our Flag Means Death was announced by creator David Jenkins on Tuesday, Jan. 9. After the dramatic and hopeful ending to the second season on Oct. 26, fans were tentatively enthusiastic for the prospect of the renewal of a third season. The unplanned ending to Our Flag Means Death follows a disappointing, unsurprising trend from modern television: the cancellation of queer shows.

Our Flag Means Death was a workplace comedy with an inventive twist: it takes place on the pirate ship known as The Revenge. It is based on the real 18th century pirate Stede Bonnet, who went from a lavish lifestyle to pirate captaincy. The show follows Stede and his crew’s journey with caring for each other and surviving their new, dangerous lifestyle.

Relationships become more complicated after Stede meets Blackbeard, and they grow feelings for each other. This show also makes the explicit choice to break stereotypes of aggressive and violent masculinity within pirate communities. Early in the show, Stede says to his crew, “Piracy is traditionally a culture of abuse. My question is, why?” calling out both pirate culture and the audience’s assumptions.

Stede consistently prioritizes his crew’s wellbeing, even reading Pinocchio as a bedtime story. Outsiders often refer to the crew of The Revenge as “soft,” and they wear it as a badge of honor.

The pre-streaming standard for cancellation was based on viewership, as it directly correlated to ad revenue. Streaming services make the majority of their income through subscriptions. Although subscriptions can spike for a hit show, the majority of “successful” shows will not have that result, and could have a wide range of viewership numbers.

Streaming services do not have to give a reason for ending a show early, and while it is not always antiqueer, there is a pattern in which they continue. In years past, queer people were only shown in doomed relationships, if shown at all. Acceptance for LGBTQ+ media has grown, but that does not stop a box from being placed around what kind of queer people get to stay on screen.

Heartstopper and Young Royals are two multiseason queer shows on Netflix. While these are high quality, beloved shows that deserve to exist, it is noticeable that they, and multiple others, tell very similar types of queer stories: two gay teen boys discovering their sexuality and coming out.

Heartstopper also includes characters with different identities, but they are still relegated to side plots. Movies from recent years such as Red, White, and Royal Blue and Love, Simon follow a similar story telling pattern.

It seems that only a specific kind of queerness is allowed to center a story. Our Flag Means Death is also a queer story about two men, though it has a more radical perspective and centers the characters a bit more than sexuality. Media about identity and coming out are welcome, but it is far from inclusive for them to be the only queer content.

Lesbian stories are infrequently told, so much so that examples where queerness is more than implied are few and far between. When they do get off the ground, they either end in tragedy or are quick to be canceled. First Kill and I Am Not Okay With This were two supernatural

lesbian stories released by Netflix that were then canceled after only one season.

Mere diverse queer shows that do get made are held to the highest of standards. Our Flag Means Death has 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and was the third most popular show on Max. Even while its critic ratings are slightly worse, at 7.8 on IMDb, by the numbers Our Flag Means Death should meet all standards. Streaming services are now in a place where they can pick and choose what is worth it, and diverse queer shows are not making the cut.

Queer people belong in stories that are not solely about their identities and traumas. Queer people exist in this world and belong in all television. Not only that, but shows with casts of multiple queer characters are considered to be only valuable for representation, despite everything the show is about.

Like all people, queer people have lives. The pirates may all be gay, but not all the gays are out at sea. This community is deserving of more diverse storytelling. Our Flag Means Death was a fun, heartfelt world that will be sorely missed.

Jevons Paradox and the age of wasteful technology

STORY ELLIE NAKAMURA

PHOTO SHIN-HYE (RACHEL) CHOI

The Jevons Paradox is a contradiction in which increased efficiency in resource use leads to higher, not lower, consumption. While various technologies have developed with the purpose of prolonging dwindling resources, palpable reduction is a rarity as increased efficiency enables society to expend more, resulting in the same amount of damage.

Though technological advancements have the potential to solve many of humanity’s problems, they can also exacerbate consumption and environmental degradation.

The paradox was first observed with the invention and increased efficiency of steam engines, in which Britain’s coal reservoir was further depleted rather than the expected reduction in demand.

Namesake and British economist William Stanley Jevons references this inconsistency to explain that despite increased efficiency, humans will always increase their resource demand to the same expense as prior to these technological advancements.

Rather than remaining at the same rate of resource usage, humanity consumes more because of implied reservation which in turn offsets their effect, wasting energy that could have been saved.

Therefore, increasing efficiency cannot effectively solve the issue of diminishing resources. A major modern embodiment of this paradox is the Las Vegas sphere. While LED lights were invented with the intention of limiting electricity usage in comparison to incandescent lighting, the sphere uses an overwhelming 1.2 million LED lights.

The Las Vegas Sphere was constructed in September 2023, boasting 2.3 billion dollars worth of construction and wrapped in 580,000 square feet of 16K resolution LED panels on the exterior alone.

The internal structure immerses guests in 270 degree screens and over 16,000 speakers, with 150,000 square feet of the same LED panels covering the interior.

While Sphere Entertainment claims it was designed to minimize environmental impact by utilizing renewable solar energy, the plan is not set to be operational until

2027 and would only account for 70 percent of 28 megawatts of energy at its peak energy usage.

To put it into perspective, an electrical grid in California uses one megawatt to power 750 homes at once. In addition, Sphere’s continuous external activity, from a giant eyeball to a sunny, expressive emoji, contributes to light pollution which interrupts the migration of birds and other wildlife.

Sphere has proven to be one of the most innovative pieces of architecture. From submersive music to projected digital art, it has redefined audiovisual entertainment.

The advertisement space Sphere and other electronicbased media presents new ways for businesses and organizations to reach the public, continuing to feed into higher consumption.

It is one of many forms of technology that have a broader and often negative impact on the environment, economy, and society. The production of electronic devices and increasingly advanced infrastructure requires significant natural resources.

The depletion of electricity, natural resources, and manual labor increases demand, exacerbated by Jevons Paradox, thus increasing the cost of materials for regular individuals and raising the cost of living.

These developments give prominence to the disparity between technological extravagance and global issues of poverty and environmental justice.

There is a stark contrast between the exorbitant Sphere and homelessness rates within Las Vegas, bringing into question whether the construction of these technologies truly aid in the progression of humanity if the majority is being neglected.

Jevons Paradox, despite advancements that are meant to limit environmental destruction, explains why individuals continue to fuel it.

Though it seems as if humanity is unavoidably plummeting towards total resource exhaustion, technological innovation can aid in sustainability if advancements are efficient enough.

Rather than focusing on the development of increasing efficiency of existing resources, as Jevons Paradox offsets, finding alternative renewable energy sources and creating energy efficient technology that excludes the opportunity to expend more than what is needed should be a more effective solution.

The alternative resources must be competitive and comparably priced in order for it to truly be an adjacent option. Governments can offer industries subsidies and provide funding for institutions to research sustainable, renewable resources and create better processes for waste management to mitigate destruction.

Educating the public to establish a global consciousness towards sustainability and developing technology aids in diminishing the effects of Jevons Paradox.

Promoting standard knowledge regarding the responsible use of technology is critical in preventing resource overconsumption before its effects are irreversible.

Avatar: an ambivalent live action remake

The

newest adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender leaves audiences with mixed second-rate reviews.

STORY MORGAN SUN ILLUSTRATION ISABELLE WONG

The Avatar: The Last Airbender live action adaptation series came out on Netflix on Thursday, Feb. 22, only one day after the 19-year anniversary of the original animated series from Nickelodeon of the same name. The new series opens with eight episodes in its first season, compared to 20 episodes in the first season of the animated series.

The story is set in a war-torn world inspired by various Asian and Indigenous Americans cultures where certain people can “bend” one of the four classical elements: water, earth, fire, or air. Aang — the “Avatar” and the last living Airbender, played by Gordon Cormier — is the bridge between the mortal and spirit worlds, and the only person capable of bending all four of the elements. The Avatar maintains the balance of the world and nature to bring peace, but Aang is faced with the responsibility of ending the Hundred-Year War.

The adaptation was first announced in September 2018, and fans were excited for the original creators of the animated show, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, to be a part of the live action adaptation as executive producers and showrunners. However, in June 2020, both DiMartino and Konietzko departed from production over creative differences.

The show has been released with a series of mixed reviews. Though the production team originally stated that they wanted to make a mature show for adults rather than children, it seems as if the new adaptation oversimplifies characters to the point of trivialization. The dialogue between characters feels stale due to the sheer amount of exposition dumped in every sentence. While it is understandable due to the time constraints of the series, it contributes to the rushed dynamic of the storyline, deviating from the longer episodic portrayal of the animated show. It is hard to get invested in the characters when a majority of their exigence is rooted in the dialogue rather than their actions. The “show, don’t tell” rule, a tried-and-true method of storytelling, is broken in all aspects of this show, where the characters explicitly say their motivations instead of allowing the viewer to acclimate and interpret the narrative.

Some characters are also flat compared to their twodimensional animated counterparts. Aang is focused on his mission to stop the war, whereas his main motivation

in the animated series was his love of fun, which fueled his character arc from naive kid to strong hero. The adventurous side of his personality was taken away in favor of advancing the plot, making for a rather uninteresting protagonist without room to mature.

Katara, played by Kiawentiio Tarbell, and her brother Sokka, played by Ian Ousley, form a group with Aang to save the world. Katara is the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, while Sokka is the only nonbender of the trio. His main character arc in the animated show focused on his sexism, while the adaptation took away this motivation. He keeps his stubbornness and focus on leadership that provided growth for his character, but his depth with Suki, played by Maria Zhang, and his sister Katara has nowhere to go without the conflict of Sokka’s biases.

A couple characters had distinctly more depth than their predecessors. Firelord Ozai, played by Daniel Dae Kim, is the leader of the Fire Nation and mastermind behind the war. The relationship between him and his son, Zuko,

played by Dallas Liu, is far less estranged, imitating a twisted, abusive relationship. Parts of the adaptation make Ozai feel more human rather than a caricature of an evil villain — but the show is also not afraid to reveal the damage Ozai has caused with his actions. It shows his cruelty in its fullest form, refusing to hide his brutality while painting a more tragically human tale of immorality.

The environment and setting of the show is far more realistic than the previous live action movie attempt. The bending is beautiful, exhibiting the true magic behind a world where the elements themselves are not beyond the limits of humanity. The nature and animals of the universe come to life in the new live action, showing every bit of its $120 million budget. The live-action adaptation will never surpass the legacy of the original animated show, but it is able to stand on its own two feet outside of comparison. As of Wednesday, March 6, Netflix announced an Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action season two and three renewal, and fans hope to see criticism of the show taken into consideration.

March photo gallery: the arrival of spring

PHOTO EMIKO ESSMILLER

PHOTO SUNHYE (SUNNY) CHOI

PHOTO SHIN-HYE (RACHEL) CHOI

PHOTO ZOE CHEN

PHOTO KAITLYN LEE

PHOTO SAMANTHA SHIROISHI

TAAGLAA: Fairfax Farmers Market

TIGER’S AWESOME ADVENTURES IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA

STORY LINDA YUN PHOTOS ZOE CHEN

“Meet me at Third and Fairfax,” read the sign in front of the entrance at the Fairfax Farmers Market in the heart of Los Angeles. Doing as the sign suggested, Solana took one last longing glance at her beloved Container Store, situated around the block, and stepped into the market.

The Fairfax Farmers Market has a history that traces back over 100 years. In the summer of 1934, at what was then known as Gilmore Ranch, a dozen farmers and another dozen vendors parked their trucks around the corner and began selling produce and other goods from the tailgate of their vehicles. Today, vendors no longer rely on old vans, instead enjoying the comfort of permanent fixtures around the historic site.

It was a cool Saturday afternoon when Zoe, Solana, and I embarked on our adventure. On the car ride to Fairfax, Solana presented us with the first challenge of the day — the quagmire known as New York Times’ full crossword. As I scratched my head for a full 40 minutes, thoroughly humbled by the realization that perhaps my vocabulary was not as good as I thought, a quick turn and a rather aggressive speed bump led us to a bustling plaza. To our left: the allure of the Container Store. And to our right: the sight of the iconic clock-tower that read “Farmers Market” — we were there.

It is predictably on brand for Los Angeles to love its farmers markets. However, Fairfax stands out among the other markets that we know and love. While South Pasadena’s quaintly attractive farmers market features vendors that display their items on folding tables, shops in Fairfax are all situated in permanent stands that return year after year. While North Hollywood’s Grand Central

Market features mostly pre-made food and dessert, Fairfax boasts a great variety of fresh produce, fruits, and snacks. On top of that, Fairfax is connected to The Grove, a high-end shopping mall to its east.

Overwhelmed by options, we devised a plan: First, we would browse the farmers market, and if we had time left over, we would check out the big brand stores at the mall. Like an aspiring plant mom, I immediately gravitated to the plant shop, but Zoe and Solana reminded me that there were bigger fish to fry. We rounded the corner of the rainbow candy shop that marked the entrance into the concave market, and were transported to a bustling exposition.

The ambiance of the marketplace was laid back but still adequately prim. Whimsical storefronts had smiling cashiers and customers, but visitors were still dressed to impress. I felt underdressed in my jeans and simple black top as groups of girls walked past, decked in flowing maxi skirts.

Still, wrong attire aside, we forged on to Zoe’s happy place — the sticker store. Sticker Planet is exactly what its name suggests, home to thousands of stickers. Launched into orbit in 1992, Sticker Planet has been family-run ever since, putting a smile on the faces of every child that walks past.

A few vendors across from Sticker Planet, a ring of chocolates and dried fruit galore looked delightful. These snacks are from The Magic Nut & Candy Company, one of the first tenants of the Fairfax Market. This vendor has occupied the same two stalls in the market for over 70 years.

The French Crepes was the star of the Farmers Market. Dozens of people stood in line to try their sweet

and savory crepes, from the beloved Chocolate and Strawberry Crepes to the eccentric Seafood Crepes. The Banana Breads was another popular store, featuring pintfulls of banana puddings and fresh-baked bread. Solana pointed out the adorable pair of banana slippers that sat just above their display counter. Before we left, I took a mental note of a Zoltar fortune teller machine that stole the show amongst a more superstitious crowd.

After making our rounds in the quaint marketplace, we headed over to The Grove for a change in scenery before Zoe’s dad came to pick us up. Like we expected, the grand mall had a completely different feel to the vintage aesthetic of the smaller storefronts. If the market vendors were small shops in Venice, The Grove would be an industrial powerhouse trying to buy them out. The crowd at The Grove strolled with the purpose and aura of Americanism. Speaking of Americans, the Apple Store called to us as we basked in the afternoon sun. As we fumbled with the laptop camera, trying to find the most bizarre filter, a group of middle schoolers approached us. They were decked head-to-toe in orange highlighter, and they hyped up the bravest one, who tapped me on my shoulder and asked for our Snapchats. We left the store as quickly as we came in, bursting with laughter at the confidence of men that we fortunately lack.

Finally, with minutes left to spare, I returned to consult the Zoltar machine about my future. Will I get into college? Will I succeed (or survive) in my career? Will I finally have the bravery to text that special someone? With the sincerest robotic voice it can conjure, Zoltar told me to “look ahead to better times.”

The Fairfax Farmers Market was a trip worth making. Between the delicious food, old-school feel, and the delightful escape from school work, it is a must-try for any local in Los Angeles.

A FAVORITE AMONG LOCALS, the Fairfax Farmers Market features various cuisines, shops, and over 100 grocers.

Dribbling teammates since kindergarden

Four lifelong basketball teammates gain new life perspectives through their sport.

STORY CLAIRE MAO

PHOTO KAITLYN LEE

SPHS girls’ varsity basketball teammates senior scorekeeper Olivia Alfonso, senior guard and shooting guard Ava Chang, and senior captains Jaime Rain Kim and Dylan Tse have been playing basketball together since kindergarten. The four first met in the Asian Basketball League and have now been playing together for 12 years.

Alfonso, Chang, Kim, and Tse all started playing basketball as a result of family or friends playing.

“I just looked up to my brothers...and also my brother was on the same team as Dylan’s older brother, so I met her through that,” Kim said.

Similar to Kim, Chang found herself playing with the guidance of her parents. As the four continued their basketball journey, friendships encouraged them to continue playing.

“My parents really wanted me to play a sport, [and] basketball stuck with me…there’s a lot of times when I really wanted to quit, but I didn’t because I’ve met some of my best friends through basketball, so they made me want to keep playing,” Chang said.

From playing in the Asian League to playing for SPHS’s varsity team, the girls have spent much time together.

Within the SPHS team, players practice every weekday and start off each practice with a 30-minute warm up. They then practice scrimaging, playing against each other, and conditioning (running). The frequent practices helped the four grow to support each other even more. Chang was often the team’s voice of excitement, and Alfonso was often the comic relief.

“I remember, in this one tournament, I kept shooting and I couldn’t make a single shot. I remember each player coming up to me at some point in the game and saying that the next one [is] going to go in,” Kim said. “Even though [it] didn’t happen, [it] was really helpful to me in my mental game.”

Alfonso, Chang, Kim, and Tse all had basketball experience that helped them gain insight on the development of

teamwork and patience. They have deepened their relationships from the Asian Basketball League all the way to SPHS’s varsity team.

“The stakes are higher because [of the] atmosphere [and] the energy [of] the crowd, especially just because [with] games you win some you lose some…at the end of the season… there’s a lot more pressure,” Alfonso said.

The girls have gone on trips together and have bonded while staying together in a hotel room, playing in other cities such as Las Vegas and San Diego, and overall spending time with each other.

“I have a lot of fun memories traveling [with the] team. We played some tournaments and games that are local, but especially growing up with these girls…we would go to [places] like Las Vegas and San Diego and play in tournaments far away,” Alfonso said. “Having that time in the hotel and eating meals together [made] a lot of good memories.”

Senior night for the girls was a bittersweet evening. It highlighted the love, support, and energy that the coach and fellow teammates had for the graduating seniors.

“Senior night was super memorable. I think it really showed how much love there is for each other…as the underclassmen were making their speeches, you can see all of us bawling…it was really sad,” Chang said. “I’m really going to miss our team a lot.”

Alfonso, Chang, Kim, and Tse will miss their teammate bonds as they graduate high school, and they hope the supportive atmosphere of South Pasadena’s team will persist in the future. The four girls will continue to spend time with each other, value the high school moments they have left, and hope for the best future.

“I’m excited to leave high school and go to college. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me and my teammates,” Chang said. “I can’t wait to see what the team is going to be able to accomplish next year.”

The downsides of gambling in sports

STORY SONYA SHIMPOCK ILLUSTRATION HEEJOON (JOON) LEE

The American Gaming Association reported that a total of $16 billion was wagered for the 2024 Super Bowl, a staggering amount that more than doubled the $7.6 billion recorded for the 2023 Super Bowl. The online sports betting market has recently reached unprecedented growth: in 2023, legal sports betting generated $10.92 billion in revenue, a 44.5 percent increase over 2022. Gambling has begun to seamlessly integrate itself into mainstream sports culture, a development that has concerning results for many Americans.

The Supreme Court loosened restrictions on gambling in 2018, which made gambling on sports legal for adults over 21 in 37 states and Washington D.C. A study by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) showed that some 25.5 million adults have since taken up sports and internet gambling. It is challenging to quantify how much sports betting impacts these participants; their “losses” reflect not only their direct financial losses, but also the broader impact on their lives, which includes job loss, mental health issues, bankruptcy, and any added strain on relationships.

People in their early 20s are the fastest-growing group of gamblers, with many children starting younger than that. Nearly two-thirds of adolescents (aged 12 to 18) have gambled or played gambling-like games since bans were loosened. Psychologist Shane Kraus, director of the Behavioral Addictions Lab at the University of Nevada, noted that vulnerability is especially high in boys, men, and individuals with low incomes who have more to

gain with a big win. Men outnumber women at a pool ratio of about two to one among people with gambling addictions, although there is a growing number of women who are afflicted by the disorder.

Gamblers are often never disconnected from their bets with the aid of modern technology. According to The Washington Post, apps like DraftKings and PointsBet employ VIP hosts who develop personal relationships with gamblers and give out thousands of dollars of credits to help customers get going again after a losing streak. This helps to prevent users from getting discouraged and stopping the practice entirely, which can subsequently exacerbate spendings and losses. Apps can even measure personal data and habits, such as when users gamble and how they react to wins and losses, in order to create nudges that extend monetary usage.

Other similarly high-income countries do not seem to struggle nearly as much with the prevalence of gambling issues exhibited in the United States. Britain, for example, has had a national Gambling Commission with considerable powers in place since 1968. They have also recently prohibited the use of credit cards in both online and offline gambling, and they have banned celebrities and social media influencers from lending their cachet to gambling advertisements.

Pro sports leagues previously acted as a powerful check on the rise of sports betting in the U.S. They feared any possible scandals, and they were extremely vocal opponents of legalized betting. Now, however, pro leagues frequently establish lucrative sponsorships and partnerships with sportsbooks. The NFL has entered into partnerships with several sportsbook

operators, including DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Entertainment. In September 2020, the NFL announced a multi-year partnership with DraftKings, making DraftKings the league’s official daily fantasy sports partner. The NBA has also been at the forefront of embracing sports betting partnerships. It has agreements with multiple sportsbook operators, including MGM Resorts International, FanDuel, and DraftKings. In 2018, the NBA became the first major U.S. sports league to partner with a sportsbook when it struck a deal with MGM Resorts International.

Gambling has completely changed the way sports are marketed and consumed. Advertising for sports is often supported by monetary incentives, which trigger consumption among at-risk and problem gamblers and drastically alter the way the sport is perceived.

There have been scandals in the sports world related to sports betting since as early as 1919. In the 1919 baseball World Series, one of the earliest and most infamous sports betting scandals took place. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were accused of conspiring with gamblers to intentionally lose the series to the Cincinnati Reds, and all received lifetime bans in the sport.

Allowing gambling to consume sports damages their integrity and viewer’s enjoyment. Measures to mitigate the negative impacts of gambling in sports, such as stricter regulations, better consumer protections, and education programs, should be introduced into the sports betting world. The practice of gambling does not have to end — it just needs to become more regulated and less prevalent.

SPHS's favorite pre-game foods

Tiger surveyed over 70 athletes on what food they consume before competition. A variety of grades and sports responded about their favorite meal and snack. Tiger explores the effects of nutrition on performance.

STORY ABIGAIL KIM & ROSE VANDEVELDE GRAPHICS HEEJOON (JOON) LEE & SUNHYE (SUNNY) CHOI

Survey results

Nutrition is a vital part of an athlete’s performance, and hundreds of SPHS students participate in at least one of the many athletic teams offered on campus. To find out the most popular pre-game meals around SPHS, Tiger sent out a survey asking students what they eat before games and gathered 74 responses. The results were collected from Thursday, Feb. 29 until Monday, March 11. Out of all of the responses, results were relatively split between the grades: 28.8 percent of respondents were freshmen; 32.9 percent were sophomores; 15.1 percent were juniors; and 23.2 percent were seniors. The sports surveyed included students on SPHS’s basketball, baseball, volleyball, football, dance, tennis, soccer, swim, softball, track and field, cross country, and colorguard teams.

Two prompts were given asking for both athletes’ favorite pre-game snacks and what they liked to eat for dinner the night before a game or meet. Overall, many of the responses included bananas and protein bars as a snack and chicken, rice, or pasta as a dinner option. For dinner the night before an event, the most common response was some sort of carbohydrate; notably pasta, with 32.8 percent of athletes responding with a type of carb. Although 10.4 percent of athletes listed protein as a dinner option, 17.9 percent listed protein with a type of carbohydrate, such as chicken and rice, or pasta with chicken. A notable 17.9 percent did not have a preference for a pre-game dinner, stating that anything would be a good option.

Common snack items included oranges, sandwiches, and sweets. 8 percent of students named oranges as a snack, while 9 percent put down sandwiches. 6 percent put down sweets, and 11 percent put other various snack items. Similarly, 17 percent of students agreed that they did not enjoy eating right before a game or meet and listed their response as “nothing.” 1.5 percent put down fruit, and another 1.5 percent put down sweets. Fruits mentioned included bananas, oranges, and apples. Finally, 19.4 percent of students put miscellaneous foods.

The importance of a balanced intake for athletes

Athletes push themselves to the very brink of what the human body is capable of. They test the limits of what is physically possible, and push themselves constantly.

Powered by the human body, athletes can do the unthinkable. From scaling the highest mountains to running so fast it is akin to flight, this activity is powered by what is put into the body; food.

The need for fuel has controlled humans since the very beginning of time. Society has developed as food became more accessible and the need for scavenging diminished. Humans obviously still share that primal need. However, instead of animals or plants, people hunt for sales at the grocery store.

For competing athletes, the necessity of fuel is heightened. Pre-game meals can make or break an athlete’s performance, and finding the right combination to propel an athlete to be their best possible is an important factor.

Fuel needs change drastically from person to person, and from sport to sport. For example, the fuel needs of a marathon runner are completely different from a track athlete sprinting in a 100 meter race. Marathon runners often start picking the best meals for performance days before the race, using the strategy of “carb loading” in the days leading up to the race. In contrast, 100 meter sprinters may simply pick foods they are familiar with on race day.

Not only do fuel requirements vary considerably between sports, they also vary from person to person. An athlete who has double practices per day, or a longer training regime will take into account how much more energy they need, supplementing with snacks and generally making sure their body has adequate fuel for all their activity. Despite these differences, all still share the same goals: providing an athlete with enough energy and strength to be able to perform to the best of their ability.

One of the most important meals is the one most prior to the anticipated competition. For many, the meal consumed the night before and morning of is where they will get the energy they need to make it through their competition.

Lack of proper fuel has many adverse and lasting effects on an athlete's health, and powerful ones on an athlete’s performance. If insufficient fuel is consumed before performance, it can lead to muscle being broken down for fuel, depending on the length and intensity of a workout.

The circumstances and needs surrounding fueling for consumption are varied, but the necessity, and positive impact that food can have on performance is undeniable. Athletes at all levels, from professional and olympic athletes to local South Pasadena High School players rely on the benefits that nutrition bring in their daily lives, and competitions.

SPORTS

Boys’ volleyball beats La Cañada in three sets

THE TIGERS WON THEIR SECOND LEAGUE MATCH IN THREE CLOSE SETS. They are now tied for first in the Rio Hondo League.

STORY ZOE CHEN PHOTO SHIN-HYE (RACHEL) CHOI

T he Tigers faced the La Cañada Spartans in a home match on Thursday, March 14. Three very close sets ultimately ended the match in the Tigers’ favor.

Neither team was ever more than three points behind the other in the first set. Junior outside hitter Martin Walsh kicked off the game with a powerful serve. A block by junior middle blocker Jacob Chuang gained the Tigers the first point of the game, 1-0. The scores tied at 8-8 when junior middle blocker James Dowd served an ace. A kill followed by a block from sophomore middle blocker Kyle Kirchen brought the Tigers into the lead again, 11-10. After falling behind slightly, an ace from senior libero Ryan Estanislao and a kill from Dowd brought the Tigers back up.

A timeout was taken by La Cañada at 18-17. The scores continued to stay neck-and-neck as each team neared 25 — Tiger fumbles gained the Spartans points, and outof-bounds Spartan kills gained the Tigers points. Backto-back kills from Walsh and junior opposite hitter Jack Pellerin — the first successful kills in a while — tied the scores at 23-23. When two of La Cañada’s hits landed out, South Pasadena won the set 25-23.

The second set again started out close, but the Tigers ultimately managed to take the set with more breathing room than before. A kill by Pellerin that was blocked out by the Spartans tied the teams at 3-3. However, a South Pasadena net foul, two out of bounds attacks, and a blocked hit gave La Cañada the upper hand, 3-7. Strategic kills by Pellerin helped the Tigers back onto their feet.

When the Spartans set the ball slightly too close to the net, Walsh reached over and tipped the ball down onto the unprepared players. Two more kills from Walsh tied the scores 10-10. A kill and block by Pellerin continued to gain the Tigers points, and the Spartans fell further and further behind.

The Tigers kept the serve for six straight rallies, 1711, before blocking the ball out. Two more kills from Pellerin prompted the Spartans to take a worried timeout. The Spartans upped their game following the timeout, forcing the Tigers into defensive play and planting kill after kill onto the Tigers’ court.

La Cañada’s score rose from 24-17 to 24-21. Still, the Tigers only needed a final point to take the set. A kill from Walsh closed the set 25-21 in the Tigers’ favor.

The third set was, again, extremely close; more than 15 ties occurred during the set in total. Similar to the first set, the third set never saw a team more than three points ahead of the other. A well-timed block from Chuang tied the scores at 1-1. Kills by Dowd tied at 2-2 and 3-3, and two Spartan blocks tied at 4-4 and 5-5. Ties occurred again at 6-6, 8-8, 9-9, and 10-10.

The set continued on, and Tiger blockers became better at predicting where the Spartan kills would land, and hence better at blocking Spartan kills. Still, an increased number of Tiger fumbles kept the scores close. Two kills by Walsh brought the scores to 20-18, and La Cañada called a timeout.

Another kill from Chuang followed by a block by Dowd tied the scores at 23-23. The stakes were high. Returning from the timeout, La Cañada failed to get the ball over the net in three contacts, and the score changed to 2423. The Spartans called another timeout.

Senior setter Nigel Mundara’s serve began the last rally. The Spartans set the ball in preparation for a kill, but their spiker failed to make contact with the ball. When the ball fell onto La Cañada’s court, the Tigers won the set 25-23 and the match 3-0.

“We played super well today. We crushed it,” Walsh said. “The rest of the season, I hope we continue winning and feeling good about how we play.”

The Tigers will next face the Temple City Rams in a home match on Thursaday, March 21 at 4 p.m.