2.12.19

the

Arrow 100 Lakeview Canyon Rd. Westlake Village, CA 91362 Volume XLI | Issue 4 | February 12, 2019

Christian Yelich from WHS to MVP Page 20

Class of 2010 Students lead strawless movement Page 5

Valentine’s Day: dating on a budget Pages 10–11

ASMR trend popular among students Page 16

2

EDITORIAL

Arrow staff

the

STAFF POLL AGREE:

editors-in-chief

29 1 3

caelyn pender & milla wu

managing editor megan king

web masters-in-chief sona bhargava & connie shi

web managing editor prarthana kaygee

news section editor sydney schlesinger

dISAGREE:

As individuals, we should take responsibility and work to preserve the health of Earth’s environment. Many of these changes come at little to no cost, and even minor lifestyle changes have the potential for large abstain: impact. Without action to stop the current trends of environmental harm, the earth’s climate will continue to deteriorate.

news editor avery pak

feature section editors marc andrew choi & jamie lee

feature editors jeff mendoza, brittney nial, lauren pak, amber parrish, sophie robson & abby thompson

arts & entertainment section editor katie reul

arts & entertainment editors

thomas brickman, angel lee, songhee lee & faith yellin

opinion section editor

alex li

opinion editors

kyra berg, quinn moss, lindsey romano & bob xia

featured columnist amanda ju

sports section editors sports editor

akhil gutta & melanie zhang taylor chen

business manager & photo editor michelle hang

graphics editor adviser

elliot kim karie lynch

The Arrow is written, designed and run by the students of the Advanced Journalism and Journalism 1CP classes at Westlake High School. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Westlake High School administration, faculty or student body. We welcome feedback. Letters must be signed by the writer.

www.westlakearrow.net westlakearrow@gmail.com @westlakearrow 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 (805) 497-6711 ext. 4225

Cover photo courtesy of Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club

Based on current trends, scientists have predicted that climate change will continue to increase. In fact, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, not only is climate change beginning to affect our world, but “scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal.”

In the coming years, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch will continue to grow, expanding throughout the Pacific Ocean, and animals will continue to go extinct due to drastic changes in their ecosystems.

However, there are many actions that ordinary people (like us) can take to do their part. Our individual responsibility to preserve Earth involves simple, everyday tasks. To help save planet Earth, we don’t need to make drastic lifestyle changes (but you totally can if you want to). Easy changes to daily actions can make a difference, especially if multiplied by many people.

You may have heard of the recent trend to go strawless.

People are replacing disposable plastic straws with metal or glass alternatives, or are even just ditching them all together. California even passed a new law stating that restaurants cannot just give patrons straws — rather, the customer must ask for one. And while these trends are a great start, simply turning down straws does not have a large enough impact on the environment. People need to make bigger or more changes in their everyday lives.

Instead of using a single–use paper bag for lunch, try using a reusable lunch box, and put food in reusable plastic containers instead of plastic bags. And, as opposed to plastic utensils, invest in a set of reusable utensils (which cost about $10 on Amazon for a fork, knife, spoon, two straws, straw cleaner, chopsticks and carrying case). In the long run, you will save money by not having to buy packs of disposable utensils while helping the environment.

According to research published in Environmental Research Letters from Lund University, individuals can reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions through four main actions.

“We found there are four actions that could result in substantial decreases in an individual’s carbon footprint: eating a plant–based diet, avoiding air travel, living car free and having smaller families,” said lead author Seth Wynes. “For example, living car–free saves about [2.65 tons] of CO2 equivalent per year, while eating a plant– based diet saves [0.88 tons] of CO2 equivalent a year.”

Climate Accountability Institute founder Richard Heede argues that the average household can become more energy efficient through simple tasks, some of them even free.

“We can easily cut [the average household footprint of CO2] in half if we invest in energy efficiency,” said Heede. “A lot of things are free to do: we don’t have to brush our teeth or shave

with hot water running, or take very long showers. Turning off unneeded light, air–drying clothes in the summer — those kinds of things are free, and they save several hundred pounds [in CO2 emissions] per year.”

At this rate of emissions, there is a sixty–six percent chance that the earth’s “carbon budget ... will be used up [in] four years,” according to reporter David Roberts for Vox. As we wrote in our October issue, a temperature change of more than 1.5 degrees degrees Celsius “means more heat waves, more crop losses, more water shortages, more inundated coastal cities, more disease and conflict [and] millions more suffering.”

And sorry to disappoint the sci–fi enthusiasts, but we realistically won’t be able to colonize Mars in time. Even if we could, it’d be obtuse to destroy another planet without changing our habits.

Additionally, there are many economic benefits — both for an individual and for the economy — in trying to be more environmentally conscious.

Individually, using less (water, electricity, products, etc.) saves you money. For example, you can use a rain barrel to catch rain runoff from your gutter, and use that water to water your garden or lawn. Drying laundry outside when it’s sunny (which, when is it not in SoCal?) can help you save on your electricity bill.

Also, simply turning off lights and faucets when they are not in use is extremely helpful.

Furthermore, becoming more sustainable can even save businesses money. According to CNBC, a Health Care Research Collaborative study led by director Susan Kaplan, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Health, “found that hospitals that reduce energy consumption and waste could save $15 billion over a decade.”

In terms of the economy as a whole, economic growth relies on the resources the environment provides. By preserving and protecting our natural resources, we ensure that businesses will continue to have resources to fuel their growth.

“Poor environmental quality in turn affects economic growth and well–being by lowering the quantity and quality of resources or due to health impacts, etc,” stated the Global Forum on Environment and Economic Growth. “In this context, environmental policies can curb the negative feedbacks from the economy on the environment (and vice–versa). But how effective they are and whether they generate a net benefit or a net cost to society is the subject of much debate and depends on the way they are designed and implemented.”

Compiled by Prarthana Kaygee, Megan King, Caelyn Pender & Milla Wu

3

NEWS

Government funded until Feb. 15

by sydney schlesinger

anatomy talent show

news section editor The recent partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22, 2018 due to the inability to allocate funds for the border wall. The previous record of the longest shutdown was 21 days and occurred during former President Bill Clinton’s administration. The most recent shutdown surpassed that at 35 days.

A government shutdown happens when Congress does not pass federal funding bills and can not come to a resolution. During a shutdown, nonessential parts of government close and federal workers work without pay. The past shutdown caused the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percent since December.

Cheryl Blum, a contract defense lawyer for Spanish–speaking clients in federal court in Arizona, met with Associated Press to talk about how her life as a federal worker was impacted by the shutdown. She listed her property on Airbnb as her source of income and considered working for driving companies such as Uber or Lyft.

“It can’t make up for the income [I lost], but it provide[d] money for necessities like paying bills and buying groceries,” said Blum.

Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Service Administration are both essential to the government, so these administrations were not shut down, but federal workers were not paid on time. This pay delay caused many workers to refuse to work.

According to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, about 53,000 TSA employees worked without pay.

However, many refused to work without their regular pay.

“About one in 10 TSA agents nationwide called out sick over the holiday weekend,” according to Time.

With this loss of employees, lines and delays at major aiports throughout the nation were increased. One of the longer wait times during the shutdown occurred at Hartfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport where TSA lines were estimated to be around 90 minutes.

In response to the struggle federal workers endured, Lara Trump, President Donald Trump’s daughter–in–law and one of his campaign advisors, talked to Bold TV. “It’s not fair to you, and we all get that, but this is so much bigger than any one person,” said Lara Trump. “It is a little bit of pain, but Sources: cnbc.com & washingtonpost.com “Sadly, given the security concerns it’s going to be for the future of our country, and their children and their grandchildren and and unless government reopens this week, I generations after them will thank them for their suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has sacrifice right now.”

In hopes of ending the shutdown, the re–opened for this address or for you to Senate met to vote on two funding proposals on consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to Thurs., Jan. 24.

Congress on Jan. One proposal t is a little bit of pain, but the 29,” said Pelosi to was to allocate $5.7 it’s going to be for the Trump. billion towards border Trump agreed security. The other future of our country, to give the address was to temporarily and their children and their when the shutdown fund the government grandchildren and generations ends, complying with through Feb. 8, and no money would be after them will thank them for their Pelosi’s postponement.

“I will do the available in order to sacrifice right now.” Address when the fund the border wall.

A total of seven –Lara Trump Shutdown is over,” tweeted Trump. “I senators voted am not looking for an against their party line. Six Republicans voted for the Democratic alternative venue for the SOTU Address because bill and one Democrat, West Virginia Senator there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Joe Manchin, voted for border wall funding.

Donald Trump was planning on giving the Chamber. I look forward to giving a ‘great’ State State of the Union address on Jan. 29; however, of the Union Address in the near future!”

On Fri. Jan. 25, Trump announced House Speaker Nancy Pelosi postponed this he would reopen the government while address until the government reopened.

“I

In brief The annual Advanced Anatomy talent show is right around the corner. On Fri., Feb. 22, the anatomy students will showcase their talents from 7–10 p.m. It will be held in the Carpenter Theatre.

Tickets cost $10, and they can be bought through anatomy members or at the door.

There will be a raffle ($10 a ticket) for an all–inclusive El Dorado, Mexico trip to raise money for the Advanced Anatomy journal.

There will be different group performances ranging from skits to musical displays.

“I’m very excited for the show,” said Nina Ferrer ‘19, co–president of Advanced Anatomy. “We have lots of great acts planned and amazing musical talent. This show is going to be so fun, and I believe it will turn out to be amazing.”

college fair As seniors are receiving their college decisions, it is not too late to explore what various schools have to offer.

On Feb. 26, over 36 colleges and universities are visiting WHS during lunchtime (from 12–1 p.m.) in the quad. The fair is presenting out–of–state universities, including University of Oregon, Arizona State University, University of Maryland and Syracuse University. Regional admissions counselors will be available for discussion.

senior showcase The senior showcase interest meeting was on Jan. 24. The auditions began on Feb. 11 and will go through Feb. 14. The auditions will be hosted in the Mezzanine during lunch. After auditions, mandatory rehersals are hosted in the Carpenter Theatre from 2–5 p.m.

The showcase is on March 7 and 8 in the Carpenter Theater. The show begins at 7 p.m. and ticket prices have not been decided as of Feb. 11.

choir show

GRAPHIC BY CAELYN PENDER

continuing to discuss funding for the border wall. However, the government will only remain open until Feb. 15.

He made it known that if negotiations between Republicans and Democrats were not met by Feb. 15, either he will declare the United States to be in a state of national emergency or the government will return to a shutdown.

The State of the Union address, Trump’s second address as president, took place on Tues. Feb. 5. Pelosi extended the invitation on Mon., Jan. 28 after the shutdown ended. The State of the Union address is intended to set out the president’s intentions for his third year in office.

Trump delivered the address but made no mention of the 35 day shutdown other than to acknowledge the Feb. 15 deadline for Congress.

“Congress has 10 days left to pass a bill that will fund our government, protect our homeland and secure our very dangerous southern border,” said Trump. “Now is the time for Congress to show the world that America is committed to ending illegal immigration and putting the ruthless coyotes, cartels, drug dealers and human traffickers out of business.”

The upcoming choir show, “Jump, Jive and Wail,” is on Feb. 28 & March 1–2 in the Carpenter Theatre. The show is from 7–10 p.m. Women’s Chorale’s theme is “Sunshine,” Vocal Ensemble’s theme is “Moonlight,” Mixed Chorale’s theme is a Mamma Mia medley, Men’s Ensemble’s theme is Newsies and Freshman Choir’s theme is a You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown medley.

Tickets go on sale Feb. 15 and are available for purchase at westlakechoir.org. Tickets cost $5 for students and $10 for adults.

“We have been preparing since December and are all very excited,” said Vince Daurio ‘19, president of the choir department.

class registration Future sophomore, junior and senior registration for next year’s classes begins in February and lasts through March.

Students going into registration should have their class request form filled out for their counselor.

Students have assigned days with their English classes to sign up for next year’s classes with their counselor. Future seniors register Feb. 11–14, future juniors register March 4–8 and future sophomores register March 18–22.

Compiled by Megan King, Sydney Schlesinger & Milla Wu

4

NEWS

Students hold gun control forum by caelyn pender & melanie zhang co–editor–in–chief & co–sports section editor

PHOTO BY AVERY PAK

Students from Never Again SoCal and the WHS branch of United Nations Association USA held the Forum on Gun Control at the Carpenter Family Theatre on Sun., Feb. 3. The forum included speeches by elected officials, those affected by gun violence and several local students.

The forum began with a vigil for the Borderline victims where six students read the names and biographies of each of those killed in the Nov. 7 shooting, followed by a moment of silence.

The first speaker was Susan Orfanos, whose son Telemachus was killed at Borderline.

Her speech touched on the pain she has felt since losing her son, reflecting on the emotions — sadness, anger and exhaustion — she and her family have felt over the past three months.

“I’m not a public speaker,” said Orfanos.

“I’m with you today as a grieving mother, and I’m going to tell you what I think. I’m going to use expletives. If you think those are offensive — my son’s death was offensive.”

After Orfanos, State Senator Henry Stern took to the stage, emphasizing how “anger is a gift” that will help people with polarized points of view come together to build a bridge.

“I truly believe that ... anger can actually stitch our wounded hearts back together somehow,” said Stern. “It may look invisible, but that bridge is there, and it will be built piece by piece through the moments that each of you have out there in the community.”

A MOTHER’S GRIEF: Susan Orfanos, mother of Telemachus Orfanos, a 27–year–old survivor of the Las Vegas shooting who was killed in the Borderline shooting, speaks at the Forum on Gun Control at the WHS Carpenter Family Theatre and remembers her son with photos of past memories. “I am not a gun expert, I am not a legal or Constitutional expert, I am a 58–year–old woman, married, two sons,” said Orfanos. “I am a mother, who in her rage, an hour after learning my son was not coming home, yelled at a television crew. … Our rage has not abated, not one little bit.”

In her speech, Congresswoman Julia Brownley reflected on her experiences in the community after Borderline. Brownley described the changes that Congress achieved after the Parkland shooting — it passed legislation improving the National Criminal Background Check system to “require better compliance from all states,” helping schools identify threats and “allow[ing] the Center for Disease Control to research the causes of gun violence, albeit without any funding.” She also delved into other phenomenons in which gun

violence has affected the country, such as domestic violence, while noting the actions that are being taken in the House of Representatives.

Following these speeches, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and Sheriff Bill Ayub had a conversation about gun violence restraining orders, which are processes “where immediate family or law enforcement can request a judicial order to … ban someone temporarily from possessing a firearm or ammunition,” according to Irwin. They also touched on new legislation

being implemented at the state level.

Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks spoke on the issue of mental health, discussing how she is working to start a mental health “triage” task force in the county.

“My goal is to make sure that we can deal with people who are in mental health crises so they don’t have access to a gun, and to me it’s … something I think everyone can agree on,” said Parks to The Arrow.

Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett spoke on the gun shows hosted at the Ventura County fairgrounds, which he would like to garner political support to ban.

Aside from the elected officials, the forum featured a presentation by Mahyar Mirzazadeh, a graduate of California Lutheran University, who spoke about CLU’s production of columbinus, a play about the Columbine massacre. Two high school students and Katie Atkins, a Lang Ranch Elementary School teacher, discussed the negative effects active shooter drills have on students. Gracie Pekrul, who created portraits of the Parkland victims in 2018, spoke about her inspiration for activism through art.

Overall, the student organizers of the event were satisfied with the forum. A video of the forum is posted on the Indivisible Conejo Facebook page.

“When you actually see 300 people in a theater actually care about what’s going on on stage on an event you planned, it hits home pretty hard because this is an issue the entire country needs to face, and it starts somewhere,” said Nate Brenner ‘19, UNA–USA vice president and student planner. “If it’s going to start here, then good for us for putting it on for people who want to get involved.”

New California laws implemented in 2019 by megan king & avery pak managing editor & news editor On Jan. 1, 2019, hundreds of new laws regulating issues such as gun control, road safety and the environment took effect in California.

After a slew of mass shootings in 2018, such as Parkland and Borderline, many pieces of legislation now focus on regulating access to firearms. In 2019, as of Feb. 11, there have been 5711 shooting incidents in the United States according Gun Violence Archive.

Several gun–related laws took effect in 2017 and 2018, including Assembly Bill 2103, which requires at least eight hours of training for applicants for a license to carry concealed weapons, and Senate Bill 1346, prohibiting the “manufacture, importation, sale, transfer or possession of any multiburst trigger activator.” The activator, when attached to a firearm, helps speed up the rate of fire.

Many laws taking effect in 2019 are modifications of already existing laws.

Largely influenced by the rise in school mass shootings, Senate Bill 1100 prevents anyone under 21 from obtaining a firearm through sale or transfer from a licensed dealer unless specifically exempted — an active peace officer, federal officer or authorized law enforcement agent — whereas the existing law only prohibited those under 18 years of age. Existing law also prohibits such sale or transfer of handguns to anyone under 21 years of age.

Assembly Bill 1525 ensures more precaution and awareness by mandating “a specified statement relating to the risks of firearms and the laws regulating firearms to be included in the warnings on the packaging of firearms” in addition to already requiring “prescribed warnings on the packaging of any firearm and descriptive materials that accompany a firearm,” according to AB 1525.

Existing law prevents anyone convicted of a felony or specified misdemeanor from possessing a firearm. The updated Assembly Bill 3129 prohibits anyone convicted on or after Jan. 1, 2019 of willful “corporal injury upon a spouse, cohabitant or other specified person” from having a firearm. Any violation of

this bill will result in punishment of a misdemeanor or felony.

According to the Los Angeles Times, there is a correlation between mass shootings and mental illnesses.

“At least fifty–nine percent of the 185 mass shootings that took place in the United States from 1900 through 2017 were carried out by people … with a mental disorder or … signs of serious mental illness prior to the attack.”

Assembly Bill 1968 deals with gun control in relation to mental health by prohibiting anyone “taken into custody, assessed and admitted to a designated facility because he or she is a danger to himself, herself or others, as a result of a mental health disorder” from possessing a firearm for the remainder of his or her life.

This law intends to decrease the frequency of mass shootings conducted by people diagnosed with or demonstrating signs of mental illnesses.

While gun control laws dominate a large spectrum of the new laws, many others directly impact high schoolers and young adults.

Assembly Bill 3077 makes changes to an existing helmet law for minors.

Before AB 3077 went into effect in January, law required minors to wear helmets when riding bikes or other similar vehicles. Under the old law, violators of the law (more specifically, their guardians) were required to pay a fine. If the charge was the violator’s first charge under the provision, the charges would be dropped but remain on record.

AB 3077 requires charges for breaking the old law to be absolved if, within 120 days of the incident, the offender can provide proof of owning an acceptable helmet and taking a safety course. It also allows charges to be dropped for other reasons and to not remain on record. In addition, the law deals with dropping violations.

“AB 3077 will allow a person under the age of 18 to correct a violation of not wearing a properly fitted and fastened helmet if the parent or guardian can deliver specific proof to the agency that issued the ticket that the minor has a helmet and has attended a bike safety course,” states AB 3077. “Following these steps, no record will be brought to the court and the fee will be waived.”

Ultimately, AB 3077 aims to “increase bicycle safety for

California’s children and help protect parents from high bicycle helmet citations if their child is cited for not wearing a bicycle helmet,” according to a press release from the California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health.

Assembly Bill 2800 updates the training requirements for school sports coaches to include heat illness training.

According to the law, AB 2800 expands training to “include a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of heat illness, as defined, and the appropriate response to heat illness within that description of training. The bill would also authorize heat illness training to be fulfilled through entities offering free, online or other types of training courses.”

“Seeing in the news, the number of heat–related deaths with kids has increased,” said Principal Jason Branham. “I think we’ve had two or three in the state of California this year, and our coaches have to get trained on a lot of things [like] CPR, first aid, concussions, child abuse, ... so this is another part of their training component.”

Several new progressive gender–related bills became law in January as well.

Senate Bill 179 loosens restrictions for changing one’s gender on his or her birth certificate and declaring gender on DMV forms.

“On Jan. 1, 2019, the DMV began allowing individuals to self–certify and choose a gender category of male, female or nonbinary on their DL/ID card,” according to the California DMV. “Applicants wishing to change their gender are encouraged to schedule an appointment.”

Another law, Assembly Bill 2504, requiring California to “develop and implement a course of training regarding sexual orientation and gender identity minority groups in this state,” has sparked recent discussion at CVUSD board meetings concerning the need for such training among teachers and administrators.

AB 2504 requires this course to become a part of law enforcement officer and dispatcher training as well. The course will include topics such as “the terminology used to identify and describe sexual orientation and gender identity and how to create an inclusive workplace within law enforcement for sexual orientation and gender identity minorities.”

NEWS

STRAWLESS:

WHS Environmental Field Study students strive to create a straw–free campus for their sustainability project.

In response to the new bill, WHS’s Environmental Field Studies students took the challenge by beginning in the WHS cafeteria.

They soon planned to enact their ideas feature editor & opinion editor throughout WHS and all CVUSD schools.

As of January 2019, Assembly Bill “My group started this project with the 1884 went into effect in California. The bill goal of reducing one–use plastics at WHS,” officially bans restaurants from providing said Jamee Lary ‘19, group leader of this Field single–use plastic straws to consumers unless Studies project. they request one.

Because the cafeteria uses a wide variety “‘Single–use plastic straw’ means a single– of plastic products, the students first assessed use, disposable tube made predominantly of plastic WHS in order to identify a main source of derived from either petroleum or a biologically plastic in the school. Through this, they hoped based polymer, such as to find a favorable, cost– corn or other plant sources,” ost [plastic effective solution. according to the California “At first, we were straws] end going to replace the plastic Legislative Information.

The bill is a response up in our utensils in the cafeteria with to findings on the negative oceans, polluting the water biodegradable alternatives, impact plastic has on the but we decided that and killing marine life, completely cutting plastic earth’s environment. Due to a continued increase of [and] by the year 2050, straws would be more plastic usage, less necessary there will be more plastic beneficial,” said Lary. “This items such as plastic straws way, we wouldn’t need in the ocean than fish.” extensive funding and could and bags are the target in fixing this issue.

–For a Strawless Ocean just cut out plastic straws “In [the United States] completely.” alone, 500 million straws After designing this are used every single day,” stated an article by plan, the students spoke with Virginia Beck, One Million Women, an organization combating the Director of Child Nutrition Services of the effects of climate change. “We use straws CVUSD. She approved of their plan and is now for around twenty minutes before we toss them eliminating straws as a test run until spring away, which is an astonishingly quick lifespan for break in all CVUSD schools. an item that will be on the planet forever. Straws “If our project goes well, Beck will help also contain BPA and can’t be recycled.” us remove all plastic straws from all CVUSD The bill was an eye–opener for environmental schools,” said Lary. science teacher Jennifer Boyd, who saw it as an Lary’s group decided to keep straws in the opportunity to challenge her students to remove cafeteria for those with special needs. However, similar harmful plastics in the school. instead of plastic straws, straw alternatives will

by lauren pak & lindsey romano

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T I O D T

now be available to this limited group.

These straw alternatives are an additional reason that the plastic straw ban was passed.

“Many retailers today stock glass, stainless steel and bamboo straws,” stated an article by One Million Women. “Biome has a huge reusable straw range that you can check out.”

Additionally, since plastic straws are so lightweight, they are unable to pass through the recycling sorter, combining with other flimsy materials and heading straight into the ocean.

“Most [plastic straws] end up in our oceans, polluting the water and killing marine life, [and] by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish,” according to For a Strawless Ocean, an organization working to share the dangers of plastic on the ocean.

As a result of plastic straws being non–eco– friendly, marine life is suffering. Because of such issues, Field Studies students have become very passionate about their project.

“Scientists at the the UGA New Materials Institute conducted a new study which discovered microplastics particles smaller than dust or powdered sugar inside baby sea turtles,” according to For a Strawless Ocean. “Of the turtles studied in this research, one–hundred percent were found to have eaten plastic.

These baby sea turtles were likely dying due to ingested plastic pollution, which threatens the species’ survival.”

Ian Calderon, a Democratic assemblyman who originally proposed AB 1884, explained that this bill is not just a ban on plastic straws, but also a prevention of future detrimental effects.

“It is a small step towards curbing our reliance on these convenience products,” said Calderon, “which will hopefully contribute to a change in consumer attitudes and usage.”

GRAPHIC BY MEGAN KING Sources: nbcnews.com, newyorkpost.com & strawlessocean.org

Outdoor school finds new home

by michelle hang & connie shi business manager/photo editor & co–web master–in–chief

PHOTO BY STONE SHI

For the past 30 years, Camp Bloomfield has been the home of CVUSD’s Outdoor School.

But this year, Outdoor School has moved to Camp Ramah in Ojai.

A middle school tradition, Outdoor School is a one week trip that sixth graders take to learn about nature, astronomy and team building.

In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire burned about 97,000 acres, decimating Ventura County and Malibu and, along with it, Camp Bloomfield.

“It’s a very sad thing ... because [outdoor school is] a tradition that most kids have been through,” said Rebecca Mertel, College and Career Center Director. “It’s an opportunity for exploring, and it’s educational ... It’s just a once in a lifetime experience that we’re lucky enough in this district to provide for our students.”

Camp Bloomfield, which opened in 1958, was the site of both Outdoor School and camps provided by Wayfinder Family Service for the blind and vision–impaired.

“It was definitely sad because I know it’s

DECADES OF HISTORY: Camp Bloomfield has served as the location of both Outdoor School and camps for the blind and vision–impaired since 1958. The site was lost to the Woolsey Fire in 2018.

not just Outdoor School kids that go there,” said 2018 camp counselor Caroline Dority ‘19. “It’s a bigger camp for the blind as well.”

Directly after the fire, due to expenses and lack of open campsites, Outdoor School was originally revamped into a three–day field trip at Los Robles Trailhead, Castaic Lake and Malibu Lagoon or Sepulveda Basin.

On Jan. 16, CVUSD announced that

Outdoor School was back on, now at Camp Ramah in Ojai. Camp Ramah is typically home to traditional Jewish camps. According to the Acorn, the campsite is said to be 10 times the size of Camp Bloomfield.

Outdoor School, starting the week of Feb. 11 and running through the week of April 8, consists of a four day, three night stay for each student. Junior and senior

5

CVUSD high school students will continue to volunteer as camp counselors for sixth graders from Colina, Los Cerritos, Redwood and Sycamore Canyon middle schools.

“It’s a really neat experience, and it kind of takes you back to middle school days,” said Dority. “To see that childhood innocence again was really cool to be a part of because there’s no [phone] service where we were, so we were fully invested in making sure that the kids had a good time.”

The duties of the camp counselors include watching and caring for the sixth graders in their respective cabins, leading them in group activities and ensuring a fun and comfortable experience for the middle schoolers to remember.

Many juniors and seniors attended Camp Bloomfield for their own Outdoor School many years ago. A unique sixth grade experience, many counselors endeavor to give the students a memorable week in nature.

“Part of the program is that juniors and seniors at the high schools give back to the kids because, when they were sixth graders, there were high school kids that were their counselors,” said Mertel. “They’ve been through the program, they appreciated the benefits of it and they can give back what they learned and more to the future sixth graders.”

6

FEATURE

Lunar New Year, based on cycles of the moon, has been celebrated for thousands of years. Although it is often labeled as “Chinese New Year,” it is celebrated by many different countries in Asia. In honor of the year of the pig, several countries host traditional festivities.

The Losar Festival is Tibet’s Lunar New Year celebration. Losar is a 15 day celebration, and people prepare by getting rid of old possessions and People in China prepare for the new year by buying new ones. The traditional Losar feast includes cleaning houses in order to sweep away bad spirits. guthuk (small dumplings made from meat, rice, sweet Traditionally, China’s hard–working peasants were potatoes and yak cheese). People in Tibet often visit encouraged to rest by shopping. Elders give children red monasteries to hold family praying ceremonies. envelopes with money. Red symbolizes good luck and wealth, Tibetans pray for good harvests and good so red decorations are commonly seen throughout the streets. luck in the coming year by hanging During the 15 day celebration, there are a series of traditions prayer flags of various colors Seollal, or Korean Lunar Year, is a holiday that to commemorate gods and ancestors. One of the more (white, blue, yellow, marks the first day of the Lunar New Year calendar. prominent customs is celebrating the Lantern Festival green, red), which are Seollal is a three–day celebration, starting on the day before on the 15th day and lighting lanterns, symbolizing believed to bring the new year. Many businesses close and workers receive reunions and freedom. During Chinese New Year, Tet Nguyen Dan, or Tet, is the most peace, compassion paid leave for travel. Koreans prepare traditional foods like you can see dragon dances and fireworks. There are important and popular holiday in Vietnam. People and wisdom. ddeokguk (rice cake soup) and japchae (stir–fried glass noodles many superstitions associated with Chinese New prepare for Tet by cooking special foods like bánh Year, such as how wearing black on New Year’s and vegetables). Eating ddeokguk symbolizes a person’s lunar chưng and bánh dầy (rice cakes) and Mut (candied Day will bring bad luck for the rest of year and calendar birthday, so kids are especially excited. Traditionally, fruits). In order to honor their ancestors, people place sharp objects like scissors should be avoided Koreans bow to their elders, wishing them a happy new year a tray of five different fruits called Ngũ Quả (five fruits entirely. Although people prepare for the and good health. They receive new year’s money, also type) on their altars. People’s behavior on the dawn new year by cleaning, sweeping on known as sebaetdon. After, families play Yut Nori, a of Tet determines their fate for the rest of the year, New Year’s Day could “sweep all traditional Korean board game that consists of four so people will always behave well in hopes for luck away.” sticks being thrown to determine the amount a better year. Traditional greetings include of spaces to move pawns as players race “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” (happy new year) around the board. and “Cung Chúc Tân Xuân” (gracious wishes of the new spring).

Compiled by Michelle Hang, Prarthana Kaygee, Jamie Lee & Songhee Lee

Michelle’s Wonton Soup For the soup: 3 thin slices of ginger 4 cups chicken broth 2 cloves of garlic Green leafy vegetables (bok choi or spinach) 2 tsp. soy sauce 1/2 tsp. sesame oil Shiitake mushrooms Thin egg noodles (optional)

For the soup, start by combining chicken broth, ginger, garlic, thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms and leafy green vegetables into a large pot. Bring to a boil, and add soy sauce and sesame oil into the soup. Once boiling, add the wontons and cook for two to three minutes. **Add sugar if it is too salty.** If you want to add thin egg noodles to the soup, cook them in a separate pot by boiling water and cooking the noodles according to the original package directions.

To plate, add the noodles (if you want) on the bottom and the wontons and vegetables on the top in a large bowl. Finally, ladle the soup over the ingredients and enjoy this Asian– inspired meal.

Recipe by Michelle Hang

GRAPHIC BY ELLIOT KIM

Mince the shrimp until it is a paste– like consistency. Put the shrimp in a large bowl with the pork. Then, grate the garlic and ginger into the bowl and add soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper. Mix all the ingredients together. **Important: make sure to mix all the ingredients in one direction in the large bowl** Take a wonton wrapper and lay it flat, lightly brush the wrapper with water. Put a teaspoon of the mixture in the center of the wrapper. To form the wonton, take every side of the wrapper and pull it into the center. Then twist the excess at the top of the wonton.

Continue to shape the wontons until the mixture is completely finished.

PHOTO BY MICHELLE HANG

For the wontons: 1/4 lb. ground pork 1/4 lb. shrimp 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. garlic 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil 1/4 tsp. white pepper A package of wonton wrappers

FEATURE

Inclusivity: the new “in” by angel lee a & e editor Representation has paved the way for inclusivity for all people.

From Hollywood and music to workplaces and Congress, the inclusion of different races, gender and sexual orientations have recently increased representation more than ever.

Despite scattered instances of inclusivity in Hollywood, diversity is getting the spotlight it has been missing for years.

“It was definitely a great year for diversity in 2018 with movies like Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians,” said Arjun Gutta ‘21.

“As long as Hollywood keeps advocating for content

like that, the different races, sexualities and genders will keep getting more representation.”

In Hollywood, films like Ocean’s 8 represent women and advocate feminism with a strong female team of thieves. Notably, Love, Simon followed the life of a gay teenage boy attempting to identify the anonymous boy Blue who writes to him about his homosexual experiences.

In the music industry, artists coincide with Hollywood’s representation by openly expressing political views, different sexual orietntations and races.

“I feel like this representation makes me and this

generation as a whole more seen,” said Reyna James ‘20. “Our differences, whether it’s mental health, political views, sexuality or race are normal and even something to be celebrated.”

Rapper Logic tackled the topic of mental health in his 2017 album titled Everybody, opening up about his own mental issues in hopes of relating to his audience and contributing to breaking the mental health stigma. These stigmas are also often associated with those who suffer from mental disabilities.

“Including people with intellectual disabilities in the workplace allows for [the] negative mental stigma to fade in s o c i e t y ,” said Niki Golchini ‘ 2 0 .

“People will understand the falseness of the stigmas and [will] give them a chance to build relationships, further integrating those with intellectual disabilities into society. People [will] become more accustomed and accepting of diversity in the workplace, whether that be in terms of race, ethnicity or disabilities.”

For example, Russell O’Grady, who suffers from down syndrome, worked for over 30 years at McDonald’s after receiving training from JobSupport, an organization that helps the mentally disabled find jobs.

“This inclusion [has] a positive effect on American workplaces because it allows those with and without intellectual disabilities to work

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alongside one another,” said Golchini.

A number of firsts were also encountered in the 2018 midterm election, bringing diversity in ethnicity, gender and sexuality into Congress. A record number of 277 women were candidates for a spot in government, and 90 were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to serve in Washington, D.C. “Having people who understand what it’s like to be a woman and understand that there are still issues with not only the culture but the way women are treated in America is important,” said Emmy Klem ‘20.

“More diversity and inclusiveness means that the future will be more diverse and generally better.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN

YouTube under attack by taylor chen & akhil gutta sports & co–sports section editor In an age filled with endless content accessible to anyone, the biggest platform for video media, YouTube, has received backlash for censoring content to appeal to advertisers and abide by their guidelines.

From July to September 2018, Google took more than 58 million videos off and deleted 224 million comments from the platform, according to engadget.com.

Since its start, YouTube has promoted user–generated content, which excused it from having to regulate most of its videos. Despite this content, the company sometimes limits the type of videos it allows on its site, blocking topics ranging from Middle Eastern terrorist clips to strongly–worded speeches supporting a multitude of causes.

Starting as an open platform, political activists quickly utilized YouTube to show corruption in their countries. By 2008, more than half a dozen countries blocked the platform and by 2018, 26 countries blocked it.

For now, YouTube has not publically disclosed the method and algorithm it uses for content control, leading to further outrage as some people question that the algorithm might be flagging content that does not violate the company’s guidelines.

“If we find that these videos don’t violate our policies but contain controversial religious or supremacist content, they will have some features removed,” said a YouTube press release.

“The videos will remain on YouTube behind an interstitial, won’t be recommended, won’t be monetized and won’t have key features including comments, suggested videos and likes.”

Some YouTubers who have had features removed from their videos by the platform include Milo Yiannopoulos and other political commentators, conspiracy theorists and alternative news outlets, as well as LGBT+ content creators such as Tyler Oakley.

In response to the controversy, Youtube has brought in third–party institutions such as the Anti–Defamation League, No Hate Speech Movement and Southern Poverty Law Center to assist in determining appropriate or inappropriate content.

“Decisions about which videos fall into that category are often complicated and may involve difficult, subjective judgment calls,” wrote Google’s lawyers.

In March 2018, Prager University filed an injunction against YouTube. In the lawsuit, Prager’s company argued that YouTube professes viewpoint neutrality but censors conservatives by putting restrictions on certain videos that they deem offensive.

Prager’s lawyers had to be able to show that YouTube has become a “public forum” that is run by a “state actor,” but Judge Lucy Koh decided that Youtube was not violating free speech because it is a private entity and thus can “make decisions about whether and how to regulate content that has been uploaded on the website,” according to the official court decision.

For many popular YouTubers with millions of followers, YouTube bans are easily reversed when they ask their followers to pressure the company. However, there are many smaller accounts that do not have the following to fight the platform.

Although censorship of terrorist recruitment and other illegal content could be considered important, the public has scrutinized YouTube’s restrictive actions.

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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS Over the course of the past 40 years, the WHS campus was the setting for movies, music videos and commercials five notable times. With its layout and location near the mountains, WHS is a picture– perfect setting for a film.

How it Works

WHS was added to a scouting map in the early 1990s. When a production is interested in using WHS’s campus, they begin by scouting the location.

“They first talk to us, and I always ask ... what type of event are we doing … because obviously we’re not going to be involved in commercials or music videos or things ... that don’t support the vision of the school,” said Principal Jason Branham.

The district charges a rental fee for productions to film at schools, and the proceeds go into a fund which WHS can “tap into” to help make major repairs to the campus.

Death of a Cheerleader

Based on the real–life murder of a high school cheerleader by a classmate in 1984, Death of a Cheerleader (1994) follows high school sophomore Angela Delvecchio as she aspires to be perfect at everything in high school. Aside from featuring well–known classrooms and hallways, students in the movie wore official WHS spirit wear and uniforms.

“When you look at [the movie], all the apparel the [students and cheerleaders] wear, … it’s all our colors,” said Branham. “It’s blue and orange, and they took some names off.”

Additionally, the movie captures the school as it looked 25 years ago. Lockers at WHS previously had orange Native American heads painted on the sides, which can be seen in the movie.

“Josie” Music Video

Opening with the recognizable teacher’s parking lot and bridge, Blink–182’s “Josie” music video was filmed entirely on campus in 1998 and features many of the familiar sites on campus. “[For] people that have graduated here, [that have] been in this community, when you see the Westlake bridge, that’s iconic,” said Branham.

The video includes scenes from WHS’s quad, track and cafeteria, which existed before the Carpenter Family Theatre was built. “[Part of the video] was actually shot in the bathroom of the boys locker room [and] down in that area,” said Branham.

While Blink–182 band member Mark Hoppus pines for a cheerleader in the video, students of today can walk in the same path as the rock band did 20 years ago.

Gridiron Gang

“Untouchable” Commercial

Both the campus and sports teams of WHS were used in a Dick’s Sporting Goods commercial (2011). The campaign, called “Untouchable,” focused on encouraging athletes to work hard and

“Colors” Music Video

The most recent production filmed at WHS is the music video for pop artist Halsey’s song “Colors” (2016). The video follows Halsey throughout a fictional life set in the 1950s. She plays tennis at a country club, takes photos with a Polaroid camera and supposedly longs for the male counterpart, played by actor Tyler Posey.

The scenes where Halsey is in a classroom is sign language teacher Tina Carlisle’s classroom, 42P. “I think [the video] looks great,” said Carlisle.

“I think it’s nice our school can be utilized in that way when we’re not using it in the evening.”

The “Colors” music video was shot after school, and despite how recent the filming was, most students did not know it was happening.

“We try not to announce it [to the students] because, when filming stuff, there are sound issues [and] lighting issues, so you don’t want people around and trying to get involved,” said Branham. “We’re trying to respect [the production team], so we do try to keep it under wraps when that stuff happens, just out of respect both ways.”

Death of a Cheerleader movie (1994)

“josie” by blink-182 music video (1997)

features: classrooms, hallways, gym, lockers, theater. quad and uniforms

features: the bridge, quad, classrooms, cafeteria, boys’ locker room and bathroom and football field

Gridiron gang movie (2006) features: the football field and stadium

dick’s sporting goods “untouchable” commercial (2011) features: gym, football field, soccer team, basketball team, baseball team and football team

“colors” by Halsey music video (2016) features: classrooms, hallways, lockers, football field, bathroom and principal’s garden

Compiled by Caelyn Pender & Melanie Zhang

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN

Based on a documentary of the same name from 1993, Gridiron Gang (2006), a movie about the creation of a football team for the Kilpatrick juvenile center in Los Angeles, features Dwayne Johnson as Sean Porter. In the film, Porter attempts to make a competitive football team, bringing together delinquents of rival gangs.

The WHS field hosted one of the football games played in the movie.

“There were big parts of that movie where you can see our entire [football] field,” said Branham. “They did a scene at the top of the stadium, at the top of the stairs [with] the Rock and the coach [Xzibit].”

continue to persevere in their sports.

“It was shot over the course of four days, actually while school was in session,” said Branham. “Most people don’t know about it because ... it took place in the athletic facilities, so no one really knew it was going on.”

The commercial features WHS’s football, soccer, baseball and basketball teams.

“Our baseball team and our soccer team actually went to a different location down in L.A. where they shot that stuff,” said Branham. “Our basketball players were used in the gym. They brought in some extras [to fill the stands] as well.”

The “Untouchable” campaign was the largest recent production, spanning several locations on campus.

“We had all of the extras help fill the stands for the basketball scenes, [we] had the different outfits and dressing room stuff that came to it, [we] had catering and [we had] all the assistants and cameramen,” said Branham. “That took a lot of coordination between our PE department.”

Since the “Untouchable” commercial was part of a national campaign, there were posters featuring WHS players and campus hung at stores all over the country.

“We were literally on the front of their doors,” said Branham. “It was really cool.”

FEATURE

Lil Rappers, Big Problems

by jeff mendoza

feature editor

From iconic stars of previous generations such as Kurt Cobain and Michael Jackson to more recent deaths such as Lil Peep, the culture of the music scene seems to be heavily steeped in the use of narcotics.

In 2018, the music industry was thriving.

Digital apps such as Spotify and other streaming services grew significantly last year. Major breakthroughs occurred, such as Kendrick Lamar winning the Pulitzer Prize (a feat never accomplished by a hip–hop artist and by few other African Americans) and artists earning more than ever before thanks to the digital distribution of their music. However, while the industry has continued to prosper, a dark cloud has persisted in the music industry: drug use.

The appearance of drug use in hit music lyrics is incessant. Lyrics such as rap artist Drake’s line, “I did half a Xan, thirteen hours ‘til I land had me out like a light, ayy, yeah like a light, ayy, yeah,” display the ongoing use of narcotics reaching to the top artists of this generation.

However, the drug culture does not seem to be held in a negative light. For instance, Snoop Dogg’s entire image is centralized around the use of marijuana; also, Lil Xan’s addiction to Xanax and his heavy reference of the psychotropic prescription aided his rise to the charts.

“I was painfully addicted to Xans for, like, on the same social media account, a post about two years of my life,” Lil Xan told Genius in an the rapper leaving the drug went unnoticed in episode of its Verified series. “Anyone trying to terms of the viral status he enjoyed with his tell me I’m a poser can shut up. I know what it’s celebration video.

Pop icons such as Drake and Lil Pump like to be addicted to that. I was lucky enough have what seem to be a cult following of teen to get off that.”

Yet, when artists such as Lil Xan speak out listeners in Spotify’s annual Year in Review, against drug use such as this, it does not seem to which categorized listeners by age with teens and 20–year olds listening to music classified as reach their listeners.

Take Xan’s interview for instance, earning “Lit,” referring to more hip–hop and pop music.

As ranked by Billboard, of the top 10 hip– six million views, in which he tells fans the true meaning of his song “Betrayed” and about the hop songs of 2018, all 10 had drug references dangers of benzodiazepines such as Xanax. While with Drake’s “Nice For What” having the least amount with only two references. those six million views are not to be overlooked, The fact that these 10 songs the song, which heavily references the use of combined make up more than 3.5 billion Xanax, has over three hundred million streams streams on Spotify alone reveals the on Spotify alone. potential influence that top songs can Examples of rappers trying to spread have on kids and young adults, raising the message on the dangers of drug abuse the cause for concern. only to be left in the dark are never Since the 1980s and ending. Again, Lil Pump, an the explosion of rap artist who has produced culture, while teen use platinum records, celebrated of cigarettes has gone hitting one million followers down, the use of drugs on Instagram by eating a such as marijuana has cake decorated to look like a risen and coincided Xanax pill, a clear promotion with the growth of the of the prescription drug. rap industry, particularly This trended on Twitter in more recent years. and Instagram, two of While not necessarily the biggest social media correlated, it is easy to platforms on the globe.

Yet again, when posting PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN see how artists such as

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Eazy–E, one of the most prominent members of ‘80s platinum group N.W.A. and who, prior to music, reportedly made over $250,000 dealing narcotics, could possibly have a negative impact on teens and young adults.

More recently, however, with the legalization of marijuana, the reaction of the rap industry has suggested almost an embrace of the drug culture.

Namely, Snoop Dogg began his own marijuana company, further promoting drug use.

Additionally, despite rappers such as Drake, Logic, Kendrick Lamar and many others taking a firm stance on the fight against drugs, their actions seem to go unnoticed.

Moreover, with the substantial growth of the music industry in recent decades, the influence artists’ lifestyles have on listeners may potentially threaten their safety and welfare.

Evidence of this can be seen by looking back to the viral “In My Feelings Challenge,” in which participants would dance to rapper Drake’s song, In My Feelings, in different dance combinations and scenarios.

However, to ‘start’ the challenge, persons involved usually jumped out of a moving car, leading to multiple injuries and prompted as many as three different countries including the United States, Abu Dhabi and Spain to take action to counter balance the influence of the song.

This scenario is a primary example of the danger that rappers can unknowingly create and evinces why songs with repeated drug references could potentially have an impact on youth listeners.

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FEAT

CelebratingV

Many people fall into the trap in the air on that love–themed Fe commentary by abby thompson feature editor Ah, Valentine’s Day. The day of love — or not, if you’re single.

It can be a pretty disappointing 24 hours without someone to share the day with, but that doesn’t mean we have to wallow in self– pity and pretend that it doesn’t exist.

Valentine’s Day is the day of love. If you love your family and friends, this day is for you too.

Valentine’s Day is a reminder to really appreciate those most dear to you. You can show your love for others by treating them with respect and showing them that you care.

The saying “it’s the thought that counts” really does apply to Valentine’s Day.

Sure, we may not get diamond earrings or boxes of chocolates shoved into our faces when we wake

V–Day Dateson a Budget 1.

The free date

Nature hike & sunrise

Go for an early morning hike and watch the sunrise with that special someone.

A great local spot is Wildwood Regional Park. Climb to the top of Lizard Rock, then reward yourselves with Dunkin Donuts as you watch the sunrise over the hills. If you and your date want to further explore Wildwood, there are plenty of options. Wildwood boasts two waterfalls and, while you may not be able to swim in them, it is a perfect moment to enjoy nature’s beauty with one you love most.

Wildwood 14 trails and 11 listed hikes on their website: cosf.org/trails/wildwood. Be sure to get there early because parking fills up fast.

Wildwood Regional Park is located at 928 W. Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.

2. The $5–$10 date A picnic at the beach

For a romantic and cost–free date, spend some quality time on the beach with your significant other. Walk by the water, watch the sunset and pack a picnic basket.

It’s simple, romantic and beautiful. If you’re a morning person, head out early to watch the sunrise and hear the birds chirp.

Try visiting El Matador State Beach. Located right off the Pacific Coast Highway and a few miles from Leo Carillo, it is a gorgeous escape from the daily grind.

There is a parking fee of $8, but you and your valentine can easily avoid that by parking on PCH right across from the beach.

El Matador State Beach is located at 32350 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 90265.

3.The $10–$20 date Takeout & card games

If you and your significant other don’t feel like leaving the house this Valentine’s Day, have food delivered to your house.

You can share a meal over a game of cards for a fun, competitive, homey date, and if you want to spice things up a little, do a blind taste test with your partner.

Uber Eats, DoorDash and Postmates provide plenty of options where you can order any food and have it convinently delievered to your door. However, this luxury comes with a $5 delivery fee, but that can easily be waived with the numerous discount codes online.

Play Spit, Blackjack, Gin or Go Fish. If card games aren’t your style, play board games instead. To increase the stakes, start a small betting pool with anything you have at your disposal: extra food, pennies or even chores. The loser does the dishes!

TURE

Valentine’s Day

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p of thinking Valentine’s Day is only for the taken, but there is definitely more than one type of love ebruary day. Feb. 14 is the perfect opportunity to show appreciation for family and friends as well. up that ominous February morning. Our room may not be bedecked with rose petals, and no may be singing romantic ballads against the hum of a ukelele, but the consideration and kindness of others is worth more than all of that.

And come on, we could all do without the romantic ballads.

Growing up, young girls are often brainwashed to believe that a “strong prince” is the solution to everything.

Watching Disney movies, the princesses are often rescued by a gallant hero who swoops in at the end of the movie to “save” the day.

Do all fairytales have to end with a prince?

Of course not.

In the movie Frozen, Elsa has to learn to love and accept herself before she can open up to her sister Anna. Once she finds the strength to love herself, her love for her family comes rushing in, and she is able to melt the ice that has frozen the kingdom.

Elsa and Anna’s sisterly love for each other saves the day, not some mysterious, handsome prince.

Being single does not mean a total lack of love; it just means you don’t have a significant other. This creates the perfect opportunity to focus on friends and family and appreciate all that they do for you.

When you think about it, it’s what we have been trained to do since elementary school.

In second grade, every single person brought Valentine’s Day cards for each student in class. Those cards and pieces of candy (if we were lucky) would end up in a handmade mailbox created by each student.

We did not have romantic feelings towards every single kid in our second grade class. We passed out those Valentine’s Day cards for one reason: we wanted to show our appreciation for the people we were growing up with.

Now, the idea that Valentine’s Day is only for the taken seems to have been stuffed into our brains by media outlets and advertisers. But there are several

ways to show appreciation for others without the intention of romance.

To family, a simple “I love you” is the greatest gift of all, providing reminders of security and acceptance.

Friends may appreciate homemade treats. Thinking through what would truly make that specific person happy makes for a more meaningful relationship.

Overall, Feb. 14 doesn’t have to be a cursed day. It is actually the perfect excuse to make the world a bit brighter through actions as little as holding the door open for someone or as large as paying for his or her lunch.

The steps to the perfect day are as follows: one, be kind to others; two, show love for family and friends; and three, be appreciative of what you have. Always.

This next Valentine’s Day, a new type of love will be in the air.

I can feel it.

4.The $25–$35 date 5.The $40–$60 date 6. The $75+ date Flea market & lunch

For a unique date, shake things up with a visit to a nearby flea market. The Ventura Flea Market is open every day from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Check out unique goods, barter a little and score a good deal. If you want to make it interesting, make a competition out of it. Split up and try to find the best deal on a pair of jeans, the strangest item and the coolest gift. While you’re at it, you can also keep your eye out for a unique and special item for your valentine.

The prize? A free lunch, courtesy of the loser. Try Cafe Nouveau, a trendy restaurant filled with Mexican, French and American fusion style dishes.

Ventura Flea Market is located at 10 E. Harbor Blvd., and Cafe Nouveau is located at 1497 E. Thompson Blvd.

Paint, bake & create

Show off your artistic side by taking a fun trip to Color Me Mine or Duff ’s Cake Mix. You and your loved one can paint and design a multitude of items for yourself or for one another such as mugs, plates, bowls and figurines, or you can decorate a delicious fondant cake together to enjoy at home along with a movie. Baking together makes for a very cozy, intimate and romantic day.

It will also allow you to learn more about each other (does your significant other prefer peanut butter or chocolate?)

There is a $10 fee per painter and item for Color Me Mine and a $12 studio fee per baker for Duff ’s Cake Mix. You also must buy your pot or cake at both place.

Color Me Mine is located at 3707 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Duff ’s Cake Mix is located at 18734 Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana.

Amusement park

Visit amusement parks with your significant other such as Disneyland ($129), Universal Studios ($109) or Six Flags ($90). From churros to butter beer, you and your date can enjoy the day riding exhilarating rollercoasters such as The Mummy (Universal Studios), Tatsu (Magic Mountain) and Space Mountain (Disneyland), and if you’re in the mood for something more mellow yet enjoyable, try The Haunted Mansion or the Buccaneer. After a jam–packed day of fun, wind down at Disneyland’s famous Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Another affordable option is spending the day at Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park. The park offers unlimited ride wristbands for $30, a variety of carnival games and delicious food joints. After a long a day at the pier, you and your lover can take a stroll on the beach at sunset.

Compiled by Brittney Nial, Lauren Pak & Abby Thompson

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

virtu a l rea lity: gaming’s final frontier by elliot kim graphics editor In the last decade, technology advanced exponentially. With these improvements, the entertainment experiences that consumer technology can provide have evolved at a rapid pace, especially in the field of virtual reality.

VR is not new; in fact, the Sensorama, one of the earliest examples of virtual reality technology, was created in 1960. Nintendo even released a very basic VR gaming console in 1995 called the Virtual Boy which failed and was discontinued in 1996. Until recently, though, high quality, realistic VR experiences have not been available to consumers due to the high cost involved with the devices.

Originally, VR headsets required very powerful computers to run simulations and games due to how graphic–intensive they were.

However, with how far computing technology has advanced, VR is now much more accessible to the average consumer.

The headsets themselves have also become more economical. The HTC Vive, one of the most popular VR headsets on the market, costs $499, a drastic decrease compared to its $799 price tag upon its release in 2016.

The Oculus Rift, a competitor to the Vive and one of the pioneers of consumer VR devices, is selling for even less, at $349.

What, then, does the widespread availability of this technology mean for consumers? Above all else, it means that the community can expect a lot of VR content in the future.

Many games are being transformed into immersive experiences, such as Tetris Effect, a 3D spin on the classic game of Tetris that adds a story mode with various stages the player traverses.

Additionally, brand new game titles specifically tailored towards VR are being released, including Beat Saber, a Guitar Hero– esque rhythm game in which the player uses lightsabers to break blocks in a musical fashion, and Zero Caliber, a military first–person shooter that incorporates extremely realistic weaponry.

Aside from gaming, mainstream media is also finding its way into the trend. Although no actual major movies have been released in the VR platform yet, several short films, including The Invisible Man, a drama about drug traffickers, and The Conjuring 2 – Experience Enfield, which gives the viewer a tour of the home in The Conjuring 2, indicate that a 360 degree, full–length film may be on its way.

However, VR’s accessibility has not just come in the form of a price decrease. Many common platforms are adopting VR, which broadens its user demographic. The Google Cardboard, for example, is a pair of goggles made out of cardboard and a pair of lenses that transforms a smartphone into a basic VR

Sources: cnet.com & vrs.org

GRAPHIC BY THOMAS BRICKMAN

headset. Anyone with a smartphone and $10 can now dive into a virtual world and experience the technology for themselves.

Many experiences have appeared as a result of the popularity of VR. In the VOID, at Disneyland, visitors enter the world of Star Wars or Wreck–It Ralph and interact with the characters.

According to the VOID website, the adventure incorporates “state–of–the–art virtual reality technology, physical stages and multi–

sensory effects — including touch and smell.”

Businesses are taking advantage of the newfound popularity of VR, as shown by the many VR puzzle rooms and gaming centers that have popped up all over Los Angeles.

Virtual Room, a Virtual Reality escape room, allows multiple people to be in one virtual space, an experience much different than the single–player VR experiences that regular consumer devices offer.

Kingdom Hearts III exceeds expectation review by thomas brickman a & e editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN

One of the biggest running gags in the gaming industry was the Kingdom Hearts series.

After the release of Kingdom Hearts II on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, the series ventured off into different spin–offs to help develop the world.

Some of these games were great, and some were mind–numbingly dull. In 2017, the series took a step in the right direction with the announcement of Kingdom Hearts III. Disney seized public attention with a teaser image showing Kingdom Hearts characters interacting with characters from the animated film Big Hero 6.

Speculation quickly developed after the announcement. What Disney worlds will we explore? What Final Fantasy characters will make an appearance? Will the plot be straightforward?

KHIII was slated for a 2018 release and proceeded to not come out at any time in 2018, which was a bit anticlimactic. But the game is out now, so the only thing people are wondering about presently is its quality.

My biggest concern when it came to KHIII was the story. Previous games had stories ranging from confusing to utterly incomprehensible.

While all the writing hallmarks of previous games are present, including constant discussion over hearts, the repeated use of the word “darkness” until it loses all meaning and so much mention of “light” you’d think you were at a lamp convention, the story in and of itself is pretty simple.

Following Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, main character Sora has lost most of his powers after failing a “Mark of Mastery Exam” and teams up with Donald Duck and Goofy to explore various worlds based on Disney films, to develop his powers and to unlock the “power of waking” to free seven powerful warriors who will help the heroes defeat the major villain of the series, Xehanort.

The main story isn’t spectacular, but it creates a nice connecting element for all the worlds. Subplots range from playing adorable mini–games with Winnie the Pooh in Hundred Acre Woods to stopping Xehanort’s evil group of followers, Organization XIII, who are causing trouble in all of the Disney–themed worlds.

These subplots keep things from becoming

boring, but the true entertainment of the game lies in in its gameplay.

Despite Sora being weakened, this is probably the most powerful version of the character to date. Every major gameplay mechanic is back in full force: the ability to summon various Disney characters for support, physical swings of Sora’s weapon, the Keyblade, teamwork attacks with Donald, Goofy and other party members and “shotlocks” in which Sora releases lots of projectiles.

New to the series are “attractions” where Sora can hit a green ring that appears around her enemies. They enable her to perform super attacks based on Disneyland rides (from utilizing giant tea cups to a massive pendulum pirate ship) alongside Donald and Goofy.

With all these techniques at the player’s disposal, KHIII can be rather trivial. I went to an area in which I was about four levels lower than the recommendation, but, because of these tools, I breezed through it. Things can get tense in the boss fights, but gamers should still have no problem getting through the game.

Combat is designed more to entertain players with its flashiness and visual spectacle than to be challenging.

The graphics are stunning. Characters are extremely expressive and endowed with so much cartoon charm in their movements that it hurts. The lighting of the game also breaks boundaries as the imaginative worlds have so much life to them.

Aiding the visual masterpiece is an energetic score written by returning composer Yoko Shimomurato, featuring some of the best songs in the whole series. Special mention has to be made to the battle theme inside the Toy Story world.

On both gameplay and presentation, the game fires on all cylinders. Unfortunately, I feel as though I can only recommend it to those who have kept up with a majority of the series.

Without having the context from previous games, players may struggle to keep going.

This game is the finale to a nearly 11 game long storyline, and if players are unwilling to either research or play through the prior games, then they may miss out on some important moments. However, for those who either don’t care or are familiar with the series, I can easily recommend this game as one of, if not the, best entries in the series.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Fincher returns

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by faith yellin a & e editor

The Arrow’s top streaming originals

To All the Boys I’ve The Marvelous Mrs. In the year 2019, it seems almost unusual Daredevil Loved Before Maisel to turn on your cable TV, use the remote to “It’s really funny and well “I liked [this movie] because “The plot is very complex, the made, the plot isn’t ever of its storyline. I’ve always production design is really change to a specific channel and watch an ad stagnant and it displays really enjoyed very heartfelt detailed and the acting is for the latest version of Dove deodorant during the 50s and women’s role and happy movies, which this amazing.” the commercial breaks of The Big Bang Theory in society.” movie fully delivers on.”

– Quinn Moss ‘20 reruns. This is no longer the reality for millions – Lindsey Romano ‘21 – Melanie Zhang ‘19 Opinion editor across the world. With the creation of streaming Opinion editor Co–sports section editor platforms catered to watching your favorite shows, movies and videos, a more traditional form of media­— cable — is running out of business. As streaming services take over, cable providers are seeing a decline in consumers each year.

Beginning in the late 1940s, broadcast cable TV planted its first roots in rural society only for it to grow throughout the 60s and 70s, rapidly becoming a staple for a mass spread of information and entertainment. What began as a center for comedy specials and live entertainment eventually expanded into the Alias Grace Memories of the realm of satellites, channels and networks.

“It’s a one–season Margaret Atwood Alhambra The arrival of the 21st century marked a adaptation that’s an amazing “It’s a show about augmented reality psychological thriller and period video games with a love story, so new beginning in the way entertainment would drama all in one. It’s beautifully shot I think it’s really unique and the be consumed since cable first made waves in the and scored, plus, Zachary Levi is visuals are really captivating.”

1960s. Cable companies began experimenting with there.” new technology, such as internet services, pay–per– – Alex Li ‘19 Opinion section editor – Amanda Ju ‘19 Featured columnist views and DVRs, in an effort to gain viewership Compiled by Connie Shi & Faith Yellin and subscribers to their network. This paved the way for new advancements in both multi–channel offers on its explore page, which is why millions As the quality and quantity of satellites and video–sharing platforms. have chosen the cord–cutting route and have entertainment increases, so do the number of A new generation of consumers are eager transferred to a world of video–streaming. consumers. Millenials are at the front line for to watch their favorite shows and movies with “Amazon Prime doubled its subscribers to change in the entertainment industry as newer the convenience of merely looking up the title more than 80 million accounts [in the United generations crave a faster and easier way to in the search bubble. It seems as if Netflix has States],” according to a 2017 article by John stream. Streaming services, like Netflix, often always been as simple as looking up an episode Pullen from Time. “Netflix, meanwhile, has meet their demands of providing movies and of The Office and clicking the play button, but it more than 50 million accounts [in the United shows that transcend all age barriers. has only been this way for 12 years.

States] … those numbers are impressive, In December of 2018, viewers noticed a Starting out as a DVD rental service in especially since there are currently 48 million notification that Friends would remain on the 1998, Netflix paved the way for online streaming pay TV subscribers in the United States.” platform only until the first of January 2019. worldwide. However, some doubted switching The rise of streaming is also taking Old and new fans of the show took to social over to streaming in fear of losing access to Hollywood by a storm as the quality of media to address their sadness and outrage over watching entertainment live, but platforms like entertainment improves with the rapid increase the announcement. Netflix heard their cries and YouTube have revolutionized the idea of watching in popularity. Services such as Netflix and allowed the show to run throughout 2019 along live entertainment.

Amazon Prime are providing viewers with by paying $100 million to continue licensing the “For years, it was original TV shows and show. This situation led some to question the thought that live sports movies accompanied by A– amount of impact cable networks still have on mazon Prime List celebrities, directors, entertainment and consumers. would keep many doubled its producers and writers who subscribers from ditching “Sixty–three percent of U.S. households cable ... both broadcast subscribers make their way to prestigious subscribe to a traditional cable, satellite or networks and ESPN are award ceremonies. telco service, down from seventy–four percent to more than 80 million available through services Academy Award winner in 2016,” according to Deloitte’s 2018 Digital accounts [in the United Sandra Bullock blew up Media Trends Survey. “Pay TV’s decline is including Sling and Hulu,” according to David Morris States].” on social media with her especially pronounced among Gen Z (ages 14– from Fortune. “And a portrayal as Malorie Hayes 20), millennials (ages 21–34) and Generation –Time magazine in the Netflix original movie, X (ages 35–51). Indeed, twenty–two percent of standalone ESPN streaming service, ESPN+, launched Bird Box. Also, Amazon millennials say they have never subscribed to a [in April of 2018], at a stunningly low $4.99 a Prime’s original show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, pay–TV service.” month rate that seems likely to deepen cable’s is racking up nominations and awards for its Cable providers continue to evolve and losses further.” comedic story of a late 1950s wife making her way create new ways to appeal to consumers and Throughout the years, there has been a in life as she balances being a stand–up comedian to compete with streaming giants. There’s no noticeable increase in the variety of streaming and the struggles life throws at her after her denying that cable is still a prominent source services. From Netflix to HBO NOW and husband leaves her. of entertainment as it allows viewers to have Amazon Prime to a new Disney–branded service “[Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime] access to live broadcasts like, award shows currently in the works, there are many other received a combined 161 nominations [at the or sports. Streaming platforms produce and providers in the development process trying 2018 Emmys], up thirty–one percent from add content every day, meeting the demand of to meet the high demand for instantaneous a year ago,” according to an article by David new types of entertainment for past and present content. Most consumers enjoy having the Bloom from Forbes. “Netflix also broke HBO’s generations. Streaming services are leading the opportunity to pick and choose which platform 17–year streak as the most–nominated network, entertainment industry into a transformation to use depending on the options each platform with 112 [nominations].” from TV screens to laptop tabs.

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by katie reul a & e section editor Three words and I’m yours: love, death and robots. No seriously, when it comes to David Fincher, there’s no messing around.

Always a supporter of a hearty psychological thriller, Fincher’s intoxicatingly alluring and elaborate mysteries, complete with twists and turns up until the very end, leave me speechless time and time again. Recognized for his work on films such as Gone Girl, Seven and Silence of the Lambs, Fincher’s reputation lives up to the critical acclaim as a cinematic mastermind of modern horror, concocting a terrifying tale without the needless gore of your average James Wan flick (shhh, that wasn’t shade, I promise).

All this being said, it came as a shock to most when Netflix dropped word that Fincher, in collaboration with Deadpool and Terminator director Tim Miller, would be an executive producer of an 18– part animated anthology series entitled Love, Death and Robots.

Each episode runs about five to 15 minutes, totaling approximately 185 minutes.

Having proved commercial success with his Netflix debut House of Cards and most recently Mindhunters, Fincher’s pursuit of further partnership with the company was expected, but the medium differs drastically from his traditional work.

But, art style aside, Fincher won’t be straying too far from his roots. The series spans a wide variety of genres from sci– fi to horror to dark comedy, according to entertainment source Deadline Hollywood magazine. The series also is aimed strictly at adult audiences despite the more kid–friendly art style that is being used, blazing the trail to expand more mature content–based animation into mainstream media.

A [Netflix] statement teases a range of bizarre and intriguing characters and scenarios: “sentient dairy products, werewolf soldiers, robots gone wild, garbage monsters, cyborg bounty hunters, alien spiders and bloodthirsty demons from hell,” said Rolling Stone magazine.

The series is based around a diverse fantasy realm of objects and landscapes.

According to geek.com, the project is of importance to Miller as it functions as a way to transition the creative stories of comic books and fiction from “the fringe culture of geeks” into pop–culture.

Akin to the diverse cast of characters, the crew behind the making of the series ranges from different teams across the world for each episode, utilizing a variety of animation styles from traditional 2D to 3D CGI. No further news has been released yet on the specifics of the creative crew or the release date, but the series has received an excited response from the public.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

With a newfound commitment to shorter broadcast schedules, earlier air dates and the creation of a new award category, the 91st Academy Awards on Feb. 24 will usher in a brand–new age for the Oscar ceremony. Below, three members of The Arrow — Thomas Brickman, Amanda Ju and Katie Reul — pitch their Oscar nominations.

Best Animated Feature

Best Picture

Katie’s Pick: The Favourite

Katie’s Pick: Spider–Man: Into the Spider–Verse

Amanda’s Pick: The Favourite

Amanda’s Pick: Spider–Man: Into the Spider–Verse

Thomas’ Pick: The Favourite

Thomas’ Pick: Spider–Man: Into the Spider–Verse

Explanation: Don’t be put off by the petticoats and puffy sleeves — Yorgos Lanthimos’ darkly delicious period “dramedy” The Favourite might be a costume piece, but at its core, it’s a beautifully edited, perfectly paced and, above all, strikingly modern masterpiece of cinematic farce that breaks boundaries in its outrageous depiction of social hierarchy in the early 18th century. In a story of obsession, The Favourite stands out from other Oscar contenders in its complete rejection of patriarchal society and contrasting focus on the power–hungry nature of women.

Explanation: While Pixar movies generally take the prize for most realistic animation style, Sony’s newest Spider– Man flick is sure to snub the win for its beautifully chaotic graphic design akin to the glitchy, dimension–crossing nature of the film itself. Accompanied by a catchy soundtrack and tasteful homages to the original comics, the film weaves a heartwarming story about how anybody can be a hero. An expertly crafted, beautifully animated work of art, Spider– Man: Into the Spider–Verse is a more than worthy feature film for the Ultimate Spider–Man, Miles Morales.

Best Supporting Actor

Katie’s Pick: Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)

Explanation: Although African–American Ron Stallworth claims the role of protagonist in the film BlacKkKlansman, Adam Driver’s role as Flip Zimmerman is no less important.

Whereas Ron’s voice evades the KKK, Driver’s ironic portrayal as a Jewish police officer posing as a klansman leaves you on the edge of your seat in fear and brings comedic effect to the table. Driver’s unsettling and hilarious performance would make his first Oscar rightly earned.

Amanda’s Pick: Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Explanation: The camera loves Mahershala Ali’s uppercrust yet refreshingly comic, poignantly human camera presence as African–American pianist Dr. Don Shirley in Green Book.

Thomas’ Pick: Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Explanation: Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a film about flawed people, but none in the film capture that flawed sense of self quite as much as Grant’s character, Jack, as his irreverence for the world around him makes him endearing and sympathetic, humorous and all too human.

Thomas

Katie

Amanda Best Supporting Actress

Katie’s Pick: Emma Stone (The Favourite)

Amanda’s Pick: Emma Stone (The Favourite) Explanation: Emma Stone exhibits a double–faceted strength in her role as Abigail Hill in The Favourite, playing a displaced noblewoman who rises to the top of Queen Anne’s court through subversion, deception and covert sexual affairs. With a kindhearted outward appearance coating her cynical ulterior motives, Abigail is undoubtedly one of Stone’s best performances, making the film’s theme of manipulation painfully apparent.

Thomas’ Pick: Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) Explanation: The Favourite is filled with great performances, but the one who has to juggle the most may be Rachel Weisz as Lady Sarah, the first handmaid to Queen Anne of England. A balance of class, intimidation and romantic passion encapsulate the performance, and Weisz executes it perfectly.

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Katie’s Pick: Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)

Amanda’s Pick: Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)

Best Director

Katie’s Pick: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)

Amanda’s Pick: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Thomas’ Pick: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Explanation: Alfonso Cuarón has long since earned his place as a fixture in cinematic direction, but Roma’s stunningly autobiographical storyline reveals a heartachingly raw slice of life that perfectly encapsulates the essence of human emotion. Complete with arrestingly beautiful visuals, Cuarón reveals a masterful story through his camera work alone, making Roma one of his best works yet.

Explanation: Bohemian Rhapsody’s Golden Globe win certainly stirred up controversy, but there’s no denying the unmistakable charm of Rami Malek’s depiction of Freddie Mercury. From his heart–poundingly effervescent persona behind the microphone to the more genuine loneliness portrayed through Mercury’s personal hardships, Malek’s performance is achingly human and will rock you to your core.

Thomas’ Pick: Christian Bale (Vice) Explanation: Christian Bale IS Dick Cheney. He disappears into the role of the former vice president, and his mannerisms, tone–of–voice and delivery make him the best actor of 2018.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Katie’s Pick: Olivia Colman (The Favourite)

Amanda’s Pick: Olivia Colman (The Favourite) Explanation: Olivia Colman delivers a delightfully manic performance as Queen Anne in The Favourite. Sweeping from weary and taciturn to childishly giddy to extraordinarily vulnerable, Colman is distinctive in her versatile mastery of human emotion. The English actress is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Thomas’ Pick: Glenn Close (The Wife) Explanation: While all eyes are on The Favourite for the decision regarding best actress, Glenn Close is the best. For a large part of The Wife, Close plays a subtle character silently judging but conveying feeling through body language, so the scenes where she is allowed to go to extremes are all the more powerful.

Best Original Screenplay

Katie’s Pick: The Favourite

Amanda’s Pick: The Favourite Explanation: At once a historical tribute and an original cinematic narrative, The Favourite’s viciously dysfunctional humor and intensely dark drama set it apart as a razor–sharp examination of vice, obsession and gender politics. The film takes a sardonic stance on the hypocrisy of social class and exposes the overt sexuality plaguing the nobility in a grossly corrupt backdrop of 18th–century England.

Thomas’ Pick: Roma Explanation: While there were some beautifully written films this year, upon reflection, Roma’s screenplay is the best. Many films over 2018 were powerful and performance driven, but Roma tells the most human story, and that raw, quiet, humanity can often be harder to capture than the showier aspects of typical “Oscar bait” films.

Photos by Michelle Hang Compiled by Angel Lee & Songhee Lee

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Art is universal. In every society everywhere, dating way back to the beginnings of humanity, there was art.

From cave paintings to African masks to Native American mythology, art is part of what makes us human.

It brings us together, in the stained glass of churches and the colorful patterns in mosques. It challenges prejudice, in music and photos and novels like To Kill A Mockingbird.

It unites us, rallied together in the heart of WHS to watch our own peers showcase something beautiful.

But as much as art is universal, it is also personal. Different art speaks to different people, and it speaks in different ways. Some people prefer photography to painting. Others prefer music over murals. And still, others crave words.

It is because of the various mediums of artistic expression that the school district accepts more than one type of art credit. Singing, drawing, ceramics, photography: you name it. CVUSD accepts everything.

Everything except creative writing.

It’s ridiculous. Creative writing is just as much of an art as ceramics or drawing. A research paper published in the Wiley Online Library compared the neural basis in creative writing and drawing. It found similar activation in the parts of the brain

that control language, phonological word choice, the processing of visual sensory input and motor movement.

In addition, neuropsychologist Jenni Ogden calls creative writing “one of the clearest examples” of the right and left hemispheres of the brain working together. She goes on to say that the right hemisphere of the brain is actively involved in the process of creating a story, writing a rough draft and using visual imagery. The left hemisphere is involved in language and proper syntax.

Similar to creative writing, singing is known to use both the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

In an article in Chorus America, researcher A n i r u d d h Patel states that singers use the left hemisphere for language and pronunciation and the right hemisphere for melody.

Compared to creative writing, singing challenges nearly identical parts of the mind for nearly identical purposes.

Since creative writing activates

similar regions of the brain as two accepted arts, it should be accepted by the school board.

Colleges, however, accept creative writing. A simple search of “MFA degree” defines a master of fine arts as a diverse study that includes everything from photography to creative writing.

University of California colleges accept screenwriting, a form of creative writing, as a high school fine art credit. If colleges consider it to be a fine art, why doesn’t WHS? It’s not like schools don’t teach writing. Students write several essays a year on classic fictional novels in which their sole purpose is to find the deeper meaning of the work. It is important to note that these essays focus on b o t h fictional w o r k a n d deeper meaning.

Some of the most influential pieces of writing have been fiction. Just look at the Harry Potter series or The Odyssey, which

is still being read despite being over a thousand years old.

Schools have us read and analyze classic works of fiction because underneath the made–up characters and made–up events, novels carry strong messages. They draw readers in with the promise of intriguing danger and clever words, but they weave in lessons along the way. The beauty of art is its ability to be alluring, moving and meaningful all at the same time.

What if instead of just analyzing these works over and over, we students were able to learn how to create them ourselves? We could make something that changes the way people think.

Creative writing focuses not only on telling a story, but also on how to make the words themselves appealing. In a world that relies so heavily on communication and individual voices, this is one of the best lessons to learn. Social media has created an overwhelming sea of information, and it is easy to get lost in the midst. Your voice becomes one of the many forgotten in the chaos. You fall beneath the waves. Unheard.

Whether you want to write a revolutionary novel or not, everyone wants to be heard. When you learn how to use words in a way that makes people listen, you become visible. You can’t make an impact if you have no one’s attention.

To socialize or not to socialize: that is the question by kyra berg & sophie robson opinion & feature editors Anxiously waiting for the grade they got on a challenging test, going to bed at midnight at the earliest, canceling plans with their friends so they can study for a difficult class and being unable to do the sport that they love because their grades will suffer: these are just some of the many struggles that students face.

Your entire life surrounds it: school.

Many students’ lives completely revolve around school, which causes overwhelming stress, takes away free time for extracurriculars and eliminates their social life. Some solutions to this problem are to decrease the amount of homework and for teachers to understand that students are also balancing four to six other classes.

One of the biggest negative effects school causes is that many high–achieving students experience a staggering amount of stress. Due to demanding classes, such as honors, AP and CP classes, students may spend many hours on homework and preparing for assessments each night.

According to the American Psychological Association, when teens were surveyed during the school year, many reported “feeling overwhelmed and depressed (thirty–

one percent) or sad (thirty percent) out with their friends because it helps as a result of stress. More than one– them escape the stress of school. A third of teens report fatigue or feeling person’s health and mental stability tired (thirty–six percent) and nearly can be improved by socializing. one–quarter of teens (twenty–three “Interacting with others boosts percent) report skipping a meal due feelings of well–being and decreases to stress.” feelings of depression,” according to Additionally, when many Psychology Today. students are sick, while their primary This is rarely possible for most concern should be improving their students. It is hard to make friends health, they are concerned about a priority when there is little time to missing school. see them. Dividing Another nteracting with one’s time between unfavorable others boosts social life and school impact is that feelings of well– work is a delicate many students being and decreases balancing act that is are unable to to achieve. feelings of depression.” difficult participate in School often –Psychology Today causes extracurriculars. students This is because to focus on the school takes up many students’ end result rather than on how they free time due to a large amount get there. Even if a student learns of homework or studying for something that interests them, they tests. When students take on an may dislike it if their grade does not extracurricular activity, their grades match how they feel they should have may suffer because it is challenging to done. This causes students to rely divide their time and exceed in both. on validation from their scores; for Furthermore, many students example, an unsatisfactory grade may whose lives circulate around disappoint them and make them feel succeeding in school also want as though that is all they are worth. extracurriculars for their college Sometimes, students do not applications to make them look like value the effort they put in when more well–rounded students. This is comparing themselves to others. For a paradoxical situation as students instance, if one student studies for an are expected to do both but cannot assessment for two hours and another accomplish either due to a lack of time. student does not study at all, it can be Many students enjoy hanging frustrating if the student who prepares

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the most receives a lower score.

Some may argue that school prepares students for the real world because students learn how to manage their time and reach tough deadlines, which relates to a job because of work deadlines and goals which workers want to reach.

School also teaches students how to work with other people through group projects which is a valuable life lesson that can relate to many jobs, such as playing for a professional sports teams or being a surgeon.

While these life lessons may be significant, the harsh reality of school has a far greater impact on students than acquired skills, which can be learned elsewhere.

Decreasing the amount of homework students get assigned and understanding that classes aren’t a student’s only commitment are simple ways teachers can help solve this problem. Additionally, students can take matters into their own hands to relieve stress by listening to relaxing music, meditating and ensuring that they set aside time to unwind.

The struggles that students face can greatly hinder the course of their lives, so everyone’s circumstances should be taken into account. At the end of the day, students will reminisce on the memories they created in high school, not the grade they got on their chemistry final.

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by brittney nial feature editor

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Creative writing: the neglected art

Amandatory Reading

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Food for thought by amanda ju featured columnist I’m not old enough to write a will yet, so if anything happens to me before I get to that part, I want to be buried at Souplantation.

I want to be interred inside the buffet counter so that my spirit can enjoy farm–fresh soups and stews made from scratch every hour well into the afterlife. I want my body to be anointed in fat–free Italian dressing from the salad bar so that I can Discover Fresh™ even from beyond the grave.

The other day, though, the cashier asked me if I wanted to purchase an artisanally crafted bottle of superfood–infused filtered water for the low, low price of $2.99, while holding up a glass bottle of water with a single cucumber slice, a wilting mint leaf and the word “fresh” printed in minimalist font on the tag.

I’m a loyal customer to say the least, but, I mean, who would spend three dollars on water just for two slices of leftover produce?

I did some research, though, and infused water is actually wildly successful in the health scene. My personal favorites are Hint, which also comes in oxybenzone–and– paraben–free sunscreen form, and Sway, which, according to the official website, “[puts] positive words on the outside of the bottle to help put a little positive energy into the water”.

I’m all for positivity — and, although I have no idea what oxybenzones and parabens are, I definitely don’t want them in my sunscreen — but I think this new fad is really revealing about what it means to be healthy today. Eating better and working out has somehow morphed into closing out the day with a new post humblebragging about how juice cleansing has “changed your life” and three more acquaintances muting you on Instagram.

Health becoming less of a lifestyle and more of a performance, though, pushes everyone to treat their bodies according to one rigid dietary and beauty scheme, or else be seen as physically and mentally incompetent. But, if they follow the model, they’re shallow and obsessed, so everyone loses no matter what.

If my trips to Souplantation have taught me anything, though, it’s that your self, your happiness and your physical and mental health come way before what anyone else thinks of you. And if that means slathering your baked potato with enough bacon and cheese to give Guy Fieri a heart attack, then, by all means, bon appetít.

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OPINION

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Mahjong magic by alex li opinion section editor There are many signs of aging: gray hair, aching joints or whining about millenials. After my trip to Asia over winter break, it pains me to announce that I, Alex Li, am an old man.

I used to enjoy the long flights to Asia, but in my 17th year on this planet, I walked off the plane with sore legs, an aching back and a sleep–deprived brain. As a kid, the personal entertainment systems and the acres of leg room on long–haul flights amazed me. I definitely enjoyed the flight more than the trip itself. Even the food was tolerable. Unlimited soda? Young Alex might’ve had one cup of ginger ale too many...

Since my last trip, however, I grew 10 inches, refined my taste palette and desperately needed more sleep. Enduring the 14 hour plane ride to Hong Kong next to a crying baby definitely didn’t aid in my sleep endeavors. I would get up to go to the lavatory just to stretch my legs — oh, how it hurts to reach old age.

However, the biggest sign that I was aging was that I finally appreciated visiting my parents’ hometown. Touching, I know.

As a child, I despised learning Chinese, as I thought I would never use it. I never spoke to my parents in Chinese, but as I visited China stumbling through sentences with a hybrid of Chinese and English, I wished I was fluent. Sure, I could order at a restaurant and engage in casual conversation, but once my grandparents started to ask me how school was going, I couldn’t go beyond a simple, â€œĺžˆ ĺĽ˝ă€‚ćˆ‘ĺ–œćŹ˘ĺŒ–ĺ­Ś.â€? “Very well. I enjoy chemistry.â€?

First of all, that’s a lie. Chemistry hurts my head on the daily, and come on, Alex, you can do better than that, right?

My older brother, Kevin, couldn’t do much better than me, but he had a secret weapon. He had lovingly handcrafted walking canes for both our grandmothers as a project for a mechanical design course at Stanford. I guess we can’t all be the favorite grandson.

At least I could indulge in Mahjong games in the evening with my grandparents.

Their daily pastime turned into a bonding activity, as they taught us the rules and even let us win a couple games before dismantling us and brutally crushing our dreams with monstrous winning hands. Love you, Gramps.

Even though my aching muscles and sleepless plane trips were terrible, I genuinely enjoyed my time in China for the first time in a long while. My grandparents are getting older, and, even though we couldn’t ever verbally connect on a level that other kids have with their grandparents, language doesn’t matter so much to us.

I even hustled a street vendor in Hong Kong for a fake Supreme hat for my grandpa.

Beat that, Kevin.

I’ve written for The Arrow since freshman year, and I think I’m ready to come out with one of my deepest, darkest secrets: I love ASMR, and I watch it almost every single day.

For those who aren’t aware of this amazing genre of videos, ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, which is the tingling sensation in the scalp or neck that is triggered by particular stimuli. This phenomenon spiked in popularity within the last three years with a large community on Reddit and YouTube.

The standard ASMR video is typically a thirty–minute video with an ASMRist in front of the camera performing basic actions like brushing the microphone or cutting paper. As mundane as this seems, there’s a whole genre on YouTube for ASMR, and popular ASMR channels have millions of subscribers.

Because everyone has different triggers, there are countless categories of ASMR such as roleplays, tapping, papercutting, squishing slime and Mukbang, a video where the ASMRist eats a large meal and interacts with his/her audience.

I primarily listen to ASMR to combat my stress, which makes it hard for me to fall asleep.

ASMRists repeatedly tapping everyday items helps calm down my nerves and allows me to slowly fade into a deep slumber.

Although scientists have yet to pinpoint the exact science behind ASMR, there have been multiple studies attempting to explain it. According to journals.plos.org, those who experience ASMR feel a relaxed sensation, decreased heart rate and increased skin conductivity levels.

These results can improve mental health, and ASMR is ideal to listen to while studying, sleeping or relaxing. This increased relaxation can result in an improved social life, academic performance and more sleep (three things that

Source: sleep.org

all high schoolers aspire to achieve).

While perusing through Instagram and Snapchat stories, I’ve noticed that there is a huge increase in Mukbang content. As much as I like ASMR, listening to people chew their food isn’t my cup of tea. I strongly dislike people chewing their food with their mouth open, and Mukbang just purposely simulates this feeling (if you do like it, though, I’m not here to judge).

As passionate as I am about ASMR, there are a lot of other people who strongly dislike it, so I’m inviting you to sit down, relax, put some headphones on and imagine me whispering the rest of this article.

When I asked some friends why they dislike ASMR, they say watching a stranger whisper on camera for 30 minutes is creepy.

Although I understand this argument, there are so many different types of ASMR that aren’t as upfront, like rain pattering on a window.

ASMR also gets a bad reputation because

GRAPHIC BY SONA BHARGAVA & ANGEL LEE

of a new subgenre of ASMR called ASMRotica.

Because people associate the M in ASMR (meridian) with climax or pleasure, they sometimes generalize those who watch ASMR to be creepy people who want sexual stimuli.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and ASMRotica makes up only a tiny piece of the ASMR community. The majority of ASMR videos are some of the most innocent videos on the internet. A lot of ASMR videos are merely people cutting soap or water slowly trickling into a cup.

With all this said, these positive effects only work if a person responds to ASMR. The inability to identify what factors contribute to who can feel ASMR adds to the complexity of pinpointing the science behind it.

I implore everyone to at least give ASMR an honest try. I’m not saying ASMR will drastically revolutionize life, but it may be the little something that helps you get through a rough week of school.

Living with green text messages by connie shi co–web master–in–chief The only Apple product I have ever owned is a small iPod Shuffle that fifth grade me downloaded nine songs onto. It still sits in my room, a reminder of my dad’s anti–Apple policy, hence my Apple–free house and computer covered by an Apple sticker (that we got for free) with a line crossing it out.

The sad truth is that I do not have an iPhone unlike most of the world. I can’t bask in the glory of portrait mode or check my screen usage in Settings. I can’t use my fingerprint scanner to unlock my phone without nearly touching the camera (conveniently positioned just 0.3 cm to the left of it), and I can’t even scan the QR code from yearbook with my camera to access the senior survey. But such is the life of a non–iPhone user.

After seventeen and a half years without an iPhone in our household, just good old Androids, Samsungs and PCs, I have gained a unique perspective. Without access to anything Apple or anything compatible with it, for that matter, the lack of Apple products in my life cuts me off from a whole other world — one filled with Macs, AirPods and those cool iMessage games you can challenge your friends to.

As one who has not hopped onto the Apple bandwagon yet, many products are out of my reach. Without compatibility to my Samsung Galaxy S8, I could not get an Apple Watch to replace my outdated running watch last fall, and I settled for a Garmin instead. I can’t FaceTime my friends, and I don’t have the help of Siri in my daily life.

Don’t get me started on when I had to watch from a distance while my summer program suitemates AirDropped random photos to everyone while we sneaked behind the dorms on the fire escape. And people don’t add me to group chats because I turn them green or something, making it so people can’t leave (looking at you, Physics 2).

The problem doesn’t end there. Being the mom friend that I am, I find myself unable to easily provide the basics for my iPhone–owning friends — chargers, earbuds, love. Apple has left me helpless, and with no solution but one — to join them or forever hold my Samsung.

Secluded and cut off from this world, I have realized that the underlying problem is the cult of Apple — an exclusivity and a ploy to draw customers in and keep ahold of them.

While many Samsung and Android devices (such as Android Wear and Samsung smartwatches) are compatible with both Android phones and iPhones, Apple does not

integrate its technology with other operating systems. Google is universal to all phones and app stores, but the Apple interface is exclusive to iPhones and other Apple products, a purposeful tactic on its part to force undying devotion to its technology.

Without making its products compatible, Apple is isolating non–iPhone users, forcing them to convert or be barred from entering into its world without purchasing an expensive iPhone — one that, when outdated, fails to update correctly, forcing purchase of the latest device (or so I’ve heard), one that finally inducts them into a whole new world, one that allows them to join the already existing over 700 million iPhone users worldwide.

As Apple continues to grow, the hopes of becoming connected to this vast Apple network through introduction of Android compatibility become less and less imaginable.

I still hope I live to see the day when all operating systems can be shared and are interchangeable, but in the meantime, constant reminders of my denied entry into the gateways of Apple surround me.

So when messages that read “Liked ‘[words in the text]’� pop up in the group chats I am privileged to be a part of, let them serve as a reminder of Apple’s exclusivity, and that I am not yet a part of the cult that it has become.

OPINION

U.S. healthcare falling behind

by quinn moss

Healthcare

opinion editor As the 2020 presidential election draws near, it’s becoming clear that one of the major issues will be the candidates’ stances on healthcare. A new Gallup poll found that seventy–eight percent of Americans are concerned about the current state of healthcare. Among those who have announced their 2020 candidacies are Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D–NY), Elizabeth Warren (DMA) and Kamala Harris (D–CA), all of whom support universal healthcare.

America currently utilizes the private insurer system. Unless they meet certain requirements, individuals either pay for their insurance themselves, are covered by their employers or simply go without coverage under this system. This is in stark contrast to the single and multi–payer models used in every other developed nation, where every citizen is guaranteed healthcare in some form under a universal healthcare plan.

A country can provide universal healthcare in multiple forms, but the most popular among developed countries today is single–payer healthcare. In this system, the government acts as the “single–payer,” using tax revenue to pay for all citizens’ doctor and hospital bills. In many single–payer systems, the government owns most healthcare providers and is responsible for paying them.

Private providers are usually still able to compete by offering coverage for services that the government–provided healthcare might not, such as dental or chiropractic treatment.

Medicare in the United States is the closest the country has come to providing universal healthcare, since it’s guaranteed to all Americans

by the numbers

percent of Americans are concerned about the current state of healthcare

million Americans cannot afford or access needed medical care

percent of the U.S. gross domestic product is spent on healthcare services

times more money is spent

by U.S. doctors interacting with healthcare payers than doctors in Canada

Americans die annually because they lack the proper health insurance to meet their medical needs

percent of qualifying Americans are currently covered by Medicare

Sources: ajph.org

over the age of 65. Fifty eight million qualifying Americans are currently covered by Medicare or the Veterans Health Administration. That leaves 267.7 million Americans to whom healthcare is not guaranteed. Since the United Nations declared medical care a human right in 1948, healthcare should be a guarantee to everyone, not a privilege extended only to those who can pay. The United States is the only developed country that can’t seem to recognize this.

A major misconception regarding single– payer healthcare is that long wait times are unavoidable. Though long wait times are a problem with the Canadian single–payer system, it is actually easier to get a same day

GRAPHIC BY LINDSEY ROMANO

appointment in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and New Zealand than it is in the U.S, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

But here’s the thing — that doesn’t even take into account the 40 million Americans who, according to the Center for Disease Control, cannot afford or access needed medical care. These people’s wait times last essentially until the day they can afford the care that they need, which could very well never come.

A single–payer healthcare approach would also save Americans money. The United States spends seventeen percent of its gross domestic product on healthcare services, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation

17

and Development. That’s almost twice the percentage of GDP that the U.K. spends.

This is partly because a single–payer system gives the government much more bargaining power when negotiating prices with doctors and hospitals, resulting in lower prices. A single– payer system in the United States would not, therefore, require high tax increases because the government wouldn’t be paying prices as high as those that currently exist. More people being covered also means that less medical treatments will be needed, since the treatment of one health problem can lower the probability of suffering from another, and thus, the total cost of related health issues.

Just because doctors are paid less for their services, however, does not necessarily mean that they make less money. A study in the 2011 Health Affairs Journal estimated that American doctors spend four times as much money interacting with healthcare payers as their Canadian counterparts.

This is because U.S. doctors currently have to devote an enormous amount of time to figuring out who actually owes them money.

America’s healthcare system needs to change. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that 45,000 Americans die annually because they lack the proper health insurance to meet their medical needs. That number is way too high for one of the world’s most developed nations. Establishing a single– payer system would set a higher standard for the conditions our citizens are forced to endure.

In 2020, we have to ask ourselves if we want to continue subscribing to the Social Darwinist ideology behind our current healthcare system.

We are one of the wealthiest nations in the world — we can’t find it in our hearts or wallets to ensure that all of our citizens have access to essential medical care?

Ditching the price tag: college education loses worth

representative. According to Stephen Rose, researcher at George Washington University, co–editor–in–chief “in the 1950s, sales representatives may not have Public colleges, like K–12 public education, had a high school diploma … By 1980, about should be tuition–free. There are three main parts forty percent of workers in these jobs had only of this argument: first, a bachelor’s degree has [a high school] diploma, and they earned close become (in terms of salary) closer to the value of a to the wages of those with bachelor’s degrees high school diploma in previous decades; second, … Today, most workers in these fields have inflation has grown faster than wages, making baccalaureate degrees, … while the salaries of it harder to raise enough money for tuition; those [who don’t] trail badly.” third, funding higher education is an important If college degrees are now needed for jobs that investment for society. previously may not have required a high school The role of college in American society has diploma, the 21st century comparison to high changed. In the 20th century, it was substantially school in the 1900s is free public college today. easier to be employed with a high school diploma Second, because inflation is outgrowing because college wasn’t seen as a necessary wages, it’s increasingly difficult to pay for prerequisite for well–paying jobs but more as a tuition with the minimum wage jobs many high place where upper–class students could explore schoolers currently hold. academic subjects for their amusement.

In 1978, someone working one summer at “For centuries, it functioned as a social rite “minimum wage [of $2.65] for 13 weeks, and 40 of passage ... — a place where young, well–to–do hours per week” would earn twice the amount men … discovered their passions and had a little of the average year’s tuition for an in–state fun,” wrote Vauhini Vara for The New Yorker. student attending a public university, according “[Then,] in the second to Politifact, which used half of the 20th century, ... statistics from the National t only took seven because of outsourcing and Center for Education. weeks to earn tuition automation, … a bachelor’s Using the same degree became … a from minimum wage statistics, the average tuition prerequisite to earning a job in 1978, yet in 2016, it for a four–year public good, middle–class living.” university was $8,804 for would’ve taken 30 weeks. the 2016–2017 school year.

In 1940, only five percent of people over age It only took seven weeks to 25 had finished at least four years of college, earn tuition from a minimum wage job in 1978, according to Vara. But now, a college degree is yet in 2016, it would’ve taken 30 weeks. As a result, increasingly compulsory for jobs. more Americans are taking on student loan debt.

An example of this job is a sales According to Bloomberg and The Washington

by milla wu

I

Post, Americans have $1.3 trillion in student loan creating a well–educated workforce invests in debt, more than credit card or auto–loan debt. society. The Washington Post reported that an Students who come from wealthier families have “internal study [in the Pentagon] exposed $125 an unfair advantage of being able to pay tuition billion in administrative waste in its business with less debt. According operations,” and that to The New York Times, he debate “America already spends “about four in 10 students far more on its military surrounding the than any other country” from the top 0.1 percent [based on parents’ income] cost of free public with a military budget of attend an Ivy League or college is really a problem of $716 billion for 2019. elite university,” whereas a In comparison, “in priorities. fiscal year 2014 … four– majority of students in the bottom twenty percent don’t year public institutions attend college at all. While low–income students collected $58 billion in tuition,” according to can qualify for more financial aid, students from NPR. Redirecting wasted funds would more low–income families or first–generation students than cover tuition revenue. often have less access to college counselors or Raising corporate taxes and closing tax services that help them understand scholarship/ loopholes, ideas heard in the 2018 midterms, is financial aid applications. Middle class students another solution. The debate surrounding the that neither qualify for robust financial aid nor can cost of free public college is really a problem of afford to pay for tuition without loans suffer too. priorities. Investing in an educated workforce is “Between 1992 and 2004, the percentage ultimately beneficial for the economy. of low–income students enrolled in a four–year “Overwhelmingly, high–wage states college decreased from fifty–four to forty percent are states with a well–educated workforce,” and ... middle–income students decreased from according to the Economic Policy Institute. fifty–nine to fifty–three percent,” according to “There is a ... strong correlation between the Marianne Cooper from Salon. “[A Pell grant for educational attainment of a state’s workforce low–income students] now covers only about and median wages in the state … Investing in a third of the costs of a college education, as education is also good for state budgets in the compared to around three–quarters in the 1970s.” long run, since workers with higher incomes The cost of college burdens future contribute more through taxes.” generations for access to a necessary education.

Therefore, investing in public education Opponents argue free public college is has benefits to society. Now, K–12 education is unaffordable and their tax dollars will be spent no longer enough to ensure economic prosperity paying for others’ education. But, not only are for all students. It’s time that college no longer there solutions to make this plan affordable, be an institution for only privileged families.

T

18

SPORTS

Black Mamba takes over Sports Academy by taylor chen & marc andrew choi sports editor & co–feature section editor Sports Academy announced its new partnership with Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant on Dec. 3, 2018, re­–branding the facility to MAMBA Sports Academy.

Since retiring from the Lakers in 2016 after playing 20 years in the NBA and winning five NBA championships, Bryant has entered the business world with the same “Mamba Mentality” that he built his professional sports career upon.“Mamba Mentality” is the mental state where athletes constantly try to be the best version of themselves.

Originally, Sports Academy was opened in Newbury Park in 2016 by CEO and Founder Chad Faulkner who had a vision to create an all–inclusive sport and fitness facility with a more holistic atheltic appraoch. Bryant hopes to bring this famous “Mamba Mentality” to the team and facility, re–energizing the facility with a new type of focus.

Sports Academy is a 100,000 square foot area, equipped with basketball courts, volleyball courts, beach volleyball courts, a comprehensive sports medicine practice for medical therapy and rehabilitation, a biomechanics lab, a

cognitive training lab and even an e–sports training ground.

In line with the “Mamba Mentality,” Bryant does not invest in businesses just to put his name on companies.

If he invests in a business, he will put all of his effort into making it the best representation of his character and success.

“I wasn’t interested in [just rebranding],” said Faulkner. “[Bryant] w a s n ’ t interested in that. If Kobe puts his name on something, it’s because he believes in it and intends to be involved.”

Recently, Sports Academy gained national recognition for training some of the most elite athletes, such as NBA rising stars Trae Young and De’Aaron Fox. “MAMBA Sports Academy is a natural

expansion of my commitment to educating and empowering the next generation of kids through sports,” said Bryant. “As a basketball coach to young girls, my team trained at Sports Academy, which is when I first experienced the superior level of services and attention to detail [its] experts d e l i v e re d to our team. At MAMBA Sp or t s Academy, we will focus on offering a premium experience on proper training for young athletes, and infuse a little ‘Mamba Mentality’ into [its] programs.”

Bryant joined forces with the previously known Sports Academy because “Sports Academy has perfected the art and science of athletic training, from elite players to young kids getting started.”

Despite rebranding the facility, Bryant and Sports Academy agreed to only make minimalistic changes. Although MAMBA Sports Academy has now received national attention, attracting professional athletes, it still aims to primarily train youth to further cultivate their enjoyment for their craft.

There have not been any obvious changes “except a snake is plastered on every wall and piece of equipment,” said Ryan Lam ‘19, a regular who trains two times a week for tennis.

In addition to [its] facility, with Bryant’s aid, the academy hopes to enter schools and other areas in order to provide equal access to elite sports training.

According to reports, MAMBA Sports Academy anticipates opening additional facilities in Southern California in the near future. Including addition facilities, they hope to start after school programs in lesser– income areas.

“The academy’s unique proposition of holistic training has attracted athletes of all sports and skill levels to work with our team.

We’re extremely proud of the athlete community we’ve built in the Thousand Oaks area over the past two years,” said Faulkner. “We look forward to how Kobe’s involvement will move us forward in the areas of on–site training, digital cognitive training, content creation, investments and charitable endeavors.”

Breese leaves behind a powerful legacy by caelyn pender co-editor–in–chief

PHOTO BY BOB XIA

Shannon Breese, who coached the boys and girls swim teams for 17 years, recently left the WHS swim team to focus on other aspects of her life.

“Of course there are reservations about leaving, but the biggest is how much I’ll miss the kids,” said Breese. “As a coach, a big part of my job is helping people believe in themselves and to have perseverance to overcome anything. I love watching non–swimmers become swimmers.”

Breese began coaching JV at WHS in 2000 after she was approached by then–head coach Kurt White. She worked as the girls and boys head coach for the last eight of her 17 years working at WHS. “The team wouldn’t be as strong if it wasn’t for Shannon,” said varsity swimmer Arielle Hayon ‘21. “She even taught many of [the team members] how to swim, and they came so far because of her.”

Breese led her swimmers to many accomplishments because of her effective coaching and leadership.

“As a team, we’ve just gotten a lot faster with her as our coach,” said varsity captain Jeremy Marcin ‘19. “She’s really tried to improve us to the best we can be.”

Since 2012, both boys and girls varsity swim were Marmonte League Champions seven times. Since 2006, girls JV swim achieved 13 consecutive league championship titles and boys JV swim achieved eight consecutive league championship titles.

“My favorite memories are the ones where I look at my swimmers and know that they are happy with their performance by the smiles on

their faces,” said Breese. “It is a powerful feeling to succeed.”

Breese was able to lead the team to these achievements due to the effort she put into helping each of her students improve, pushing them to grow as swimmers.

“She’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” said Marcin. “She really gets on our case if we’re slacking or if we’re not performing to what she knows that we can do.”

Breese believes that one of her biggest accomplishments as coach was “creating an atmosphere of inclusion and learning.”

“A novice swimmer is just as important as a national swimmer,” said Breese. “It is about being the best ‘you’ you can be.”

Breese created a strong line of communication with her swimmers, explaining to them how to improve their skills and technique. Many of her swimmers said that her feedback was specific and targeted, which set her apart from other coaches.

“What I liked about her is she was very honest,” said Hayon. “If you didn’t swim well, she told you that, and she explained to you why, which was the only way to really grow as an athlete — to understand what you did wrong and how to improve on it.”

Breese’s direct coaching style fostered strong connections with team members that subsequently allowed the team to grow. Aside from giving specific critiques, Breese created training programs with purpose.

“She was really involved,” said Marcin.

“She liked to get really into our technique or our whole entire training process. She liked to explain what we’re doing, ... why we’re doing it [and] what benefits it has to us as swimmers and as people.”

A hallmark of Breese’s training program were her morning practices, which often began at 5 a.m.

DEVOTED COACH: Varsity and JV girls and boys swim coach Shannon Breese recently left WHS after 17 years of coaching. Breese is pictured here with a team after 2018 Marmonte League Championships Finals.

“As much as I hated morning practices, I think that they were definitely an experience,” said Hayon. “I think they did bring the team together … [They were] what set us apart and what made us stronger.”

Breese tried to help the students make the most of these early morning practices, turning on music as motivation.

“She usually just sort of gets some music on, [and] we all try to make it as enjoyable as possible at four in the morning,” said Marcin. “I mean, she tried her best. It didn’t stop us from complaining, but it’s all good.”

By balancing morning practices with afternoon practices, Breese was able to create a routine that tackled each part of the swimmers’ technique. Many swimmers attribute this practice to their success at meets.

“We always had a main set in morning

practice, and then in the afternoon we would work on drills and technique,” said varsity swimmer Isabella Launais ‘21. “Then we would put that all together for the races.”

Aside from her coaching style, Breese was known among her students as a helpful and steadying presence, helping them not only in the pool, but in other aspects of their lives.

“Anytime I talked with her, she’d give me at least one really helpful piece of information that I could either apply to school or my outside life or in the water,” said Marcin.

Though many swimmers are disappointed that Breese will no longer be their coach, she will have a lasting impact on the team. “[Because of her,] everyone will be supportive of each other and cheer on each other,” said Launais. “They will continue to work hard.”

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SPORTS

OUTSTANDING TEAMS: Winter Unstoppable JV basketball boys Sports Stat Box

by akhil gutta co–sports section editor

(for varsity teams; as of Feb. 11)

Basketball

“It’s a team where it’s not constantly one guy,” said Kegley. “There’s never one player every game.

It’s a group with strong starters and a bench.”

The ability to win consistently comes from the strategy and exceptional effort put together by the players and coaches during the game.

While players occasionally have off–nights, having various people contribute in different ways every game is a primary reason for the 24 wins the Warriors put together.

“We don’t have an individual star,” said Difabritis. “We all kind of mix together; our team meshes really well.”

With good coaching comes good

gameplanning, and the Warriors’ strategy served as one of the best. Running a variety of different offensive sets while also emphasizing different tendencies allowed them to have consistent play the whole season.

“When we get the ball, we just take it and go; we’re very fast–paced,” said Difabritis.

“When we need to, though, we can run slower half court plays, and we always focus on defense and turnovers.”

With the frosh–soph and JV teams all having successful seasons as well as a strong mix of underclassman, the future of the WHS basketball program looks bright.

The legendary “meme” team

boys

Basketball

Record: 12W–15L Next game: Season Over Location: N/A

S occer

Record: 3W–7T–7L Next game: Season Over Location: N/A

S occer

Record: 5W-9T-3L Next game: Season Over Location: N/A

MEME TEAM: The varsity girls water polo team shares their experiences through memes. Keeping their heads held with a strong record, they continue their streak of wins at CIF.

games; we, like, give up mentally,” said Watkins.

“We have to work on staying focused and staying in it.”

A major aspect of the team’s success is how close and connected they are out of the pool. As the self–proclaimed “Meme Team,” the girls bond over their group chat of self– made memes where anybody can contribute to the fun.

“The important thing about that is that all of the memes are team–made, and they’re usually inside jokes,” said Adams. “Even if it’s something bad that happened, laughing

about it later on and being able to joke about it and shake it off gives the team a more positive attitude.”

Despite losing in the quarterfinals of CIF, Watkins’ stellar play has bolstered the team to its current record. Scoring 86 goals, 42 assists, 93 steals and 28 blocks, her dominance combined with Adams’ athleticism and speed poised the Warriors to make a deep run in the playoffs.

“I’d like to be able to go far in CIF,” said Adams. “We have a strong group here and this would a great way to go out.”

boys

Wrestling

Record: N/A Next match: Season Over

Location: N/A

Water polo

girls

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE LIN

WHS girls water polo got off to a quick start in Marmonte play after rounding out an impressive non–conference slate with several big victories.

The team boasts a 19–8 record and formed a deep chemistry that has grown throughout non–conference and Marmonte matches.

Led by seniors Fiona Watkins ‘19 and Emma Adams ‘19, the girls used resilient veteran leadership to propel them as a frontrunner for the Marmonte title.

“We lost a lot of seniors last year,” said Adams. “We were kind of discouraged about this year, but we’re doing surprisingly well and I’m really happy about it.”

Watkins and Adams both play the utility position, which essentially means they contribute offensively and defensively the entire game. As teammates at Class Aquatics since sixth grade and current club teammates, the two share a special connection that makes them a deadly combo in the water.

“I play for Bruin [Water Polo Club],” said Watkins. “Emma and I have been playing together for five years and the farthest we’ve gotten in Junior Olympics is 11th.”

The team features several underclassman as well, such as goalie Kylie Chung ‘21, defender Caroline Oates ‘21 and utility Patricia Casaca ‘20, making it vital for the seniors to guide and bring the group together.

“Sometimes we break down in difficult

Location: N/A

girls

DREAM TEAM: The JV boys basketball team has come together to surpass expectations with 20 straight wins and only three losses this season. With many returning frosh–soph players from previous seasons, as well as the frosh–soph coach stepping up, the squad’s dynamic teamwork on the court allowed the team to reach new heights with a successful season.

Record: 9W–16L Next game: Season Over

boys

need a guys jv basketball team pic

girls

Who is taking photos for this page?

PHOTO COURTESY OF TROY DIFABRITIS

With all the hype surrounding varsity basketball, the JV boys basketball squad quietly had a remarkable season, rattling off a 24–3 record and winning the Marmonte League title. After a 2–3 start to the season, the team went on a hot streak and strung together 20 straight wins due to a combination of individual contributions and gameplanning.

“Before every game our coaching staff draws up a practice plan, and we always try to figure out tendencies and little things to execute on,” said basketball head coach Kyle Kegley.

With a successful frosh–soph team the year before, Kegley made the decision to move up previous frosh–soph coach Owen Ryan to JV, allowing him to continue to coach many of the same players.

“I think it was really helpful that [Coach Ryan] moved up with us,” said point guard Chris Buell ‘20. “I’ve had him for three years, and he really knows me well as a player, so that connection was already there.”

For previous frosh–soph players, Coach Ryan moving up with them has given them a familiar face in the locker room. This established bond between player and coach benefitted the team chemistry in enormous ways throughout the season. “[Coach Ryan] moving up to JV with a lot of players was a big deal for us,” said Kegley. “It really helps that he has a connection with a lot of them already.”

Buell, along with several other juniors, including Troy Difabritis ‘20 and Cosmo Rio ‘20, used their leadership and experience to help create a balanced and dynamic Warrior offense. Rather than giving credit to one individual player, it is the overall depth of the bench and starters that has carried the team to its win total.

Record: 19W–8L Next game: Season Over

Location: N/A

For the latest sports updates, stories and scores, visit the WHS athletics website at westlakeathletics.com.

Compiled by Taylor Chen

20

THEN

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

FORTUNE–TELLING (left): Senior Superlative photo — Yelich was voted “Most Likely to be Famous” in the WHS 2010 yearbook.

BAND OF BROTHERS (middle): 2008 photo — Yelich (far right figure) was a member of the WHS varsity baseball team all four years he attended WHS. CLASS OF 2010 (right): Yelich’s school photo in 2009 — Yelich was part of WHS’s graduating class in 2010.

N–TAH

AH’ KO Y OF W

010)

(2007-2

In June of 2010, Christian Yelich ‘10 was the first–round pick for the Miami Marlins before graduating WHS. 8.5 years later, Yelich is now the latest recipient of Major League Baseball’s National League MVP award after his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018. The Arrow recently had the honor of having a sit–down interview with him about his time at WHS, California Strong campaign and future plans in baseball.

S

URTE

OS CO PHOT

Christian Yelich

W O N

Compiled by Megan King & Melanie Zhang

interview by melanie zhang co–sports section editor What was your perspective in high school about baseball; did you always want to go pro?

“Originally, I just wanted to try to go to college, see if I could go to school, get a scholarship, use it as a way to get free education. I don’t think I knew I had a chance to go pro probably until senior year, right around there: junior, senior year. Because, you know, I was going to go to school unless I was drafted high enough where it was worth it to not go to college, which I ended up being, but I didn’t know I was going to have the possibility to do that until mid–way through my senior year.

And even then, I didn’t make the decision until the end of August, and so I almost really ended up going to college.”

Is there anything you’d tell your newly drafted, 18–year old self?

“Probably to just enjoy the process. I think you get just so caught up ... it happens in everybody’s life ... It goes by so quickly once you graduate. I’d probably try to enjoy it a lot more instead of being so worried or so stressed about certain aspects. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy it, because I really did.”

You started the campaign “California Strong” with your teammates [Ryan Braun and Mike Moustakas]. What was your initial thought in starting that campaign, and why did you think it was so necessary to do something major, like a campaign?

“I’m fortunate enough to be in a position to help and give back and use [my] platform for good, and I think once it all settled down, we all realized that we were fine. It turned immediately towards ‘how can we help out?’ We didn’t know how, or what we were going to do, and we ended up getting in touch with the YMCA, partnering

with them, and they allowed us to really turn this thing into what it is. I don’t think we envisioned starting this big charity. It started over a group text, and that’s really how it happened. ‘Hey, we should help out? Let’s do this softball game,’ and then it really is hard to do ... There [are] a lot of things that have to take place ... It ended up being great though. We raised a lot of money to help all those who are in need.”

After such a notable 2018 season, are you thinking about changing anything in 2019, or going at it the same way?

“I’m just looking forward to it. I’m excited to have fun. Obviously, we came up a game short of the World Series, lost to the Dodgers, something I’m not stoked about. Everybody is excited to get back after and see if we can take that next step. It was definitely fun playing against your hometown team with a chance to go to the World Series.

High school me would be pretty stoked about that. [I lived] so close to the Dodgers’ stadium ... Playing in that stadium and having grown up here, having gone there so many times as a kid, and then you’re playing in it during a playoff game and there are 55,000 people there, it’s pretty sweet ... You kind of take a step back sometimes, and you realize, who would’ve ever thought that some kid from Westlake could’ve been playing in a NLCS game against the Dodgers, so it was cool and hopefully we can get back to that.”

As someone who took an unconventional path in life, to do pro baseball, what is your advice for other people who want to go the non–traditional route?

“I think that if you have a dream, you should stick to it ... If you have the drive, if you’re passionate enough about it, why not go for it? ... Give it everything you have, and if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. That’s life too; not everything is going to go according to plan. If you believe in something strong enough, and [you’re] passionate enough about it, then I don’t see why you shouldn’t do it.”

To read the unabridged interview, visit westlakearrow.net PHOTO COURTESY OF MILWAUKEE BREWERS BASEBALL CLUB