GOODBYE TO GABLE-FERGUSON (5)
UNWARRANTED BIAS AGAINST CAL HILLS (3)
COLLEGE DECISIONS (6-7)
MUSIC SPREAD (8-9)
SOFTBALL SMASHES REGULAR SEASON (14)
THE
JUNE 2022 VOLUME XXXIIII ISSUE VI
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STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL
Newly elected ASB core officers plan changes for next year By Ryan Teoh
Sharon Talaia | THE UNION
ASB announces junior prom royalty on the dance floor at the Tech Interactive as onlookers cheer.
ASB puts on first prom in two years By Sharon Talaia
After a two-year absence, prom was once again hosted for the senior and junior classes of 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to an email sent via StudentSquare by activities director Jerell Maneja. The event was held at The Tech Interactive in San Jose from 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, and had a masquerade theme. There were also multiple photo booths near the dance floor. One was a private booth that cost money, but the other two were free, with one for multiple groups and the other for a flipbook. Food was on the ground floor, and the IMAX theater and balcony were on the second floor. The prom court winners were announced around 10 p.m. with confetti poppers. The court was not segregated by gender, but it was split by grade with the winners being the
top two of each grade’s popular vote. The winners were Mikaela Asuncion and Ethan Rivera for the juniors and Audrey Tran and Ayen Victa for the seniors. “It was decent for food,” senior Jackie Chiang said. “The experience was fun; however, I don’t think it was worth the price because of what was given.” All liquids and outside food were not allowed in the dance, but snacks and drinks were provided. There was also a coat check, an IMAX theater, and a vote for prom court at the event. The venue also had slippers available for students to wear, as shoes were required on the escalators. Around half of the exhibits at the museum were closed, mainly the ones that needed supervision, and although many students got tickets to the IMAX theater, it was closed for reasons unknown. “My friends and I checked twice,” Chiang said. “Both times
it was not open even though they said it was.” The experience was more important than the venue, according to junior Gavin Heraldo. He did not have any strong feelings about the venue, and it was more like a place for everyone to hang out, he said. “Prom was a pretty plain experience unless you go out of your way to do something interesting, like bring a poker set,” senior Kevin Nguyen said. “A lot of people thought it was boring because all they did was talk and take pictures.” Although the dance had a masquerade theme and had free masks for students to wear, very few students followed the theme and even less were wearing masks—despite them being recommended. Very little of the music also aligned with the theme, all in all making the theme practically nonexistent.
English department to offer Honors II class to sophomores next school year By Anannya Bhuskat
Next year, MHS will be replacing the English IIA course with a English II Honors class, English teacher Heidi Shannahan said. The class will be taught by current English IIA teachers Mrs. Shannahan and Mrs. Elizabeth Ellmore, along with English teacher Mr. Tonichi Lorenzana, she added. The main reason for pushing for an English II Honors class was that the teachers have always known that the English IIA curriculum was very rigorous and challenging, Shannahan said. When they started thinking about possibly changing that class to an honors class, they examined the curriculum for English Honors that the UC board puts out; they realized that the material that we were teaching in English IIA was similar and, in a lot of cases, it was even more challenging, Shannahan said. The teachers believed that those who chose to take the class deserve a GPA boost for their work,
she added. “Mrs. Roy and I were the department leads, and we had presented to the administrators our proposal for creating this class,” Shannahan said. “After some discussion, they agreed with us that we should move forward. Then we started the application process in 2021. We wrote the proposal in 2022 … and got it approved in March of 2022. Ms. Amanda Gross … helped us with all the paperwork.” Students in the English II Honors class will be taught how to properly construct a thesis statement, how to put together a persuasive body paragraph with evidence, and how to write a conclusion, Shannahan said. They will come out as really good writers because they will be doing various types of writing, including quotation explications, argumentative essays, journals, and more, Shannahan added. “[The new course presents] some very good literature, and the depth that we cover in the material is more intense,” Shan-
nahan said. “It’s challenging for the kids. We have also a really good writing program where the kids will come out of the class prepared for the next honors English class that they take as well as the AP class that they take as seniors.” Although the course will focus more in-depth on such skills, there will be no major curriculum differences between English IIA and the new Honors English II class, and most of the books that are currently taught there will continue to be taught, Shannahan said. The difference is that there will be a summer reading assignment and a project associated with it that will be due at the beginning of the year, she said. There is also no teacher recommendation process in place anymore, Shannahan said. The class is offered to all students, and anyone can sign up for it, she said. “I’m just really excited that we’re finally having this class because I’ve been teaching [En-
The newly elected ASB core officers plan to improve organizational and communication structure to better plan events promoting school spirit in the upcoming 2022-23 school year, according to President-elect Victoria Ly. According to Ly, the main goal of ASB next year is to deliver on their slogan, which is “Embrace as individuals, together as Trojans,” and they want to do so by first improving ASB. The core wants to instill those values in everyone, by both creating events such as intramurals and multicultural rallies and also doing events like Trojan Olympics and Homecoming to bring people together as a school, Ly said. “One of the goals in mind is actually establishing a better system within ASB because we have three periods, and so the communication across them is [hard]; it’s not so easy to spread the word,” Vice President-elect Gavin Heraldo said. “So I would like to create a better communication system, as well as a better help system, if that makes sense, because we all help each other with the events
that we run. We just need better planning on how to help.” They also want to change the roles of the ASB commissioners, who handle spirit-related activities and planning, Heraldo added. “We’re gearing them toward a different direction, so that it’ll hopefully do a better job of public outreach because we do tend to see a disengagement on our campus,” Heraldo said. “One of my ideas is a split between a spirit point collector and a person that I call the spiriter. The collector focuses more on the technical aspects, like assigning the appropriate amount of committee members to each event and implementing points into the 5-star system, and then the spiriter focuses on implementing spirit through the decorations and supporting other committee events, as well as the athletic games because I feel like our involvement in athletics is minimal.” Treasurer Katherine Hoang will be responsible for maintaining the ASB budget, Hoang said. “One of my very first treasurer-specific tasks is going to be looking at our expenses and profits for this year, and then SEE PAGE 16
Milpitas Robotics makes it to Worlds By Fardin Haque
The Milpitas Xtreme Robotics (MXR) team competed at the VEX Robotics World Championship High School State Championship in Dallas, Texas, from May 5-8, 2022, and advanced to the quarterfinals, placing 13 out of 80 teams. Seniors Kathan Sheth, Chenghao Li, Eugene Ng, and freshman Eusern Ng were part of the VEX robotics team that represented MHS. The team’s main goal was just to have fun and learn from the experience since it was their first time
traveling out of state to compete, team captain Eugene Ng said. “It’s a good experience for everyone because last year we didn’t really have very many competitions,” Ng said. “We didn’t have too many expectations; we just wanted to do our best.” The teams that won the World’s Competition include PiBotics from Kentucky and Cheesy Poofs from Bellarmine in San Jose, according to Ng. “One of the teams that won were really old, and they also did SEE PAGE 16
Eye on Campus: End of the Year Rally
Arsh Ali | THE UNION
SEE PAGE 16
Milpitas Masti performs on the football field at the end of the year rally.
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OPINIONS
THE UNION
Technology stresses students
PRO College industry necessary, guides students through admissions According to Independent student’s score by 30 points on E duc at ion a l C on su lt a nt s, average, and revealed that some Americans spend roughly $500 selective colleges stated that a million a year on college coun- small increase in standardized selors who can help guide them test scores could make a differthrough the overwhelming col- ence in their admission decilege application process. With sion. If one’s score is below their applications to top colleges and desired college’s 75th percentile universities reaching an all- of admitted students’ standardtime high, more students have ized score, they should consider enrolled themselves in test enrolling in an SAT or ACT prepreparatory courses, college paratory course. counseling, and extracurricuAdditionally, pre-college lar activities. While these re- programs offered by many unisources may cost over $10,000, I versities help students discovbelieve the investment in these er their interests by providing resources is worth the expense, programs in a variety of subbecause they help jects, from 3D Artwork students get an adto International law. vantage in the colThe prestige and seleclege admission protivity of a college have cess, guide students little to no connection through the college to the actual program process, and help offered by the instituthem understa nd tion itself. Such protheir interests. grams do not necessarA lt houg h ma ny ily boost an applicant’s colleges have dechances of admission, cided to go test-opbut can help students MUSKAAN tional, standardized experience college life MAHAJAN tests are still an by requiring them to important part of live in dorm rooms and the application. Acgiving students the opcording to Allen Grove, a writ- portunity to earn college credit. er for Thought Co, “For highly While these programs can cost selective colleges and universi- over $6000 for two weeks, some ties, high SAT or ACT scores are of these programs can substantypically an important piece of tially increase one’s chances of the admissions equation. They getting admitted to their top tend to rank right below your choice. academic record in terms of Lastly, college counseling importance.” The necessity of helps guide students through coaching for standardized tests the college admissions process. has become increasingly im- According to the U.S. Departportant in a growing academic ment of Education, public high world. A study conducted by the school students in the U.S. reNational Association of College ceive an average of just 38 minAdmission Counseling found utes of college counseling per that SAT Prep Courses raised a year. Unlike high school coun-
selors, college consultants are able to give their sole attention and advice to a group of 20-25 high school students. Consultants help students understand their chances of admission at different institutions and assist them in completing their applications in a way that makes them stand out. While a session with a college counselor may cost $90 per hour, these costs do not compare to choosing the wrong college. College counselors take the time to get to know the student’s interests and goals to give them the best possible chance of getting into their dream college. Getting a college counselor also depends on the cost of higher education. According to Barbara Booth, a writer for CNBC, “investing $10,000 is worth it when you’re talking about a $200,000 education. My daughter’s grades were on the cusp, but our planner was very good at analyzing stats, so she was able to make some strategic decisions.” College Counseling can be expensive for a lot of families, but there are resources available promoting low-income students to receive a college degree, such as Questbridge, iMentor, OneGoal, and College Possible. In a world of increasingly competitive and cluttered college choices, students and families need help understanding what to do and how. The different aspects of the college-prep industry, such as test-prep, summer programs, and college counselors, are crucial for helping college applicants be more competitive and understand their college decision better.
CON College industry expensive, perpetuates educational inequality College is a topic that conWhile some may argue that sumes ema ils, adver tising these resources can provide campaigns, and the minds of benefits, they are unnecessary high school students. A college and can easily mislead students. degree is increasingly seen as For instance, college summer essential, and, as a result, cut- programs generate profit by throat college admissions have relying on myths about their spawned Scholastic Assessment efficacy. In reality, as Valerie Test (SAT) preparation classes, Strauss wrote in The Washingsummer programs, and more. ton Post article “If you think This “get-into-college” industry these ‘elite’ summer programs capitalizes off of eager students will get your kid into college, and perpetuates sog uess again,” particcial inequalities. ipating in a summer The most glaring program does not necissue w ith these essarily make a student businesses is lack a competitive candidate of accessibility. Colon their college applicalege summer protion. Besides, students grams can charge can pursue their interstudents thousands ests in other ways during of dol la rs. The the summer. They can summer prog ram enhance their learning for high school stuby taking free classes TIFFANY dents at Stanford from local community LIEU University, for excolleges or get paid while ample, has a startparticipating in interning cost of $4,926, and that’s ships. Further, it is not necesonly for those attending as sary to pay for SAT preparation commuters. For students look- when Khan Academy provides ing to live on campus, costs can free SAT practice in collaborabe more than triple that price. tion with the College Board. The Various organizations have platform provides a customized also found ways to profit off of study plan approved by the orsomething entrenched in the ganization that administers the college applications system: the SAT, in contrast to independent SAT. SAT preparation classes SAT preparation courses that can be found all over the coun- have developed their own curtry, boasting about the scores riculum. As much as these busithey can help students achieve. nesses want students to believe These courses seem great if that buying their product is esyou have hundreds of dollars to sential to crafting a compelling spare. Undeniably, these high college application, it is not. prices create a high barrier to Most egregiously, this indusentry and limit participants in try continues cycles of socioto families with a significant economic and racial inequaliamount of disposable income. ties. Access to many resources
JUNE 2022
come with high costs, putting lower-income students at a disadvantage. And while there have been efforts to make such resources more accessible, a high-quality education should be accessible to everyone. The wealth inequalities that this system exacerbates are also associated with racial inequality. According to the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances by the Federal Reserve Board, white families had a greater mean and median family wealth than any other race. Further, according to the Association of Public & Land Grant Universities, there was a 3.5 times lower poverty rate for those with bachelor’s degrees compared to those with only high school degrees. The “get-into-college” industry makes college admissions more inaccessible to lower-income individuals, generally people of color, and not getting a bachelor degree is tied to poverty. Thus, expensive resources for college admissions have far-reaching effects and can trap individuals in cycles of inequity. Yet, it is important to understand that students and parents are not at fault for buying into these programs and classes. Targeted advertising and the stresses of an increasingly competitive world have led them to look for help wherever they can find it. While the “get-into-college” industry thrives directly off of determined students, it is the product of a society that has put excessive emphasis on orthodox pathways towards arbitrary success.
There’s practically no way to extremist pipelines. This polarbe a part of society nowadays ization becomes heightened by without using the internet. We misinformation only meant to use it to communicate and en- fearmonger. tertain ourselves — and that’s all It’s never been a bad idea to very important — but the inter- analyze issues in our society net also brings with it a sense of and try to fix them, but there is impending doom. There is a con- an unhealthy obsession on the stant awareness of everything internet where people try their going wrong in the hardest to rip someworld that is sure to thing to shreds. As a fill you with dread. result, many of the It’s no wonder that nuances surroundpeople are calling ing complex issues for others to “touch are lost in the intergrass.” If you’re unnet frenzy. People familiar with the on the internet are saying, it’s essentialconst a nt ly f ig htly telling someone to ing every fight and go outside and get off taking a stance on the internet because every issue, no matDAVID it ’s clearly doing ter how little they RENDON them no favors. The know about it, and phrase is meant to be it is damaging to an insult, but maybe their mental health. people should take it as genuine When all you hear is negativity advice. in the world, you will become It’s no secret that teens spend miserable. If you are constantly a lot of time on their phones. A amending and trying to become report by Common Sense Media the perfect infallible being who said that nearly 62% of teenag- never makes a single mistake, ers spent at least four hours a you’ll burn out. This will lead day on a screen in 2019. With to bottled-up anxiety and stress all the apps like Twitter, Ins- which can be detrimental to tagram, YouTube, TikTok, and your physical health. It often many more, it’s no wonder why. feels like you can never take a You can always rely on the in- break from being online, and ternet to provide you with some you must be aware of every situsort of outlet to escape. There is ation in the world or else you’re always someone to talk to, some “what’s wrong.” But that’s simvideo to watch, or some new ply not true. scandal that needs reviewing. People need to remember that The internet is filled with end- they are allowed to log off and less wonder and possibilities, so take breaks. It is good and necwhy wouldn’t you spend every essary to stay informed, but by second on it? constantly fighting and trying But what happens when some- to save the world, you are hurtone spends so much time on- ing yourself. You can easily beline? There have been count- come disconnected from reality, less studies about how social and this will take its toll on you. media sites are damaging to The solution is to go out into the teens, with apps like Instagram real world and do something to warping body image and setting ground yourself. Touching grass unattainable beauty standards could be a genuinely good idea. and sites like Twitter that are Go out into the wilderness and feeding people a stream of con- see some of the wonders of the stant negative discourse. The natural world. While you dive internet leads to polarization through the internet, remember and it’s not aided by Youtube al- that you’re allowed to come up gorithms that take people down for air and take a breath.
Littering causes more than eyesores The sight of littering is not educational mindset and learnuncommon on the MHS cam- ing approach. With litter and pus. From food waste the odor of garbage collecting along the collecting across the walkways to the abuncampus, the educadance of brown paper tional environment lunch trays tossed evis not providing a er y where, improper decent home for disposal of garbage students to improve has led our campus to their skills, as it feel unclean and unleaves the student welcoming. While litcommunity feeling tering causes a detricluttered and out of mental environmental place, not to mention ARCHANAA crisis, it also impacts RAMAKRISHNAN teaches bad habits other ways of living, to young adults. For ref lecting our school this reason, littering community’s carelessness about prevents the student communienvironmental issues and set- ty from fulfilling its academic ting the student body up to be potential, and the simple act of unaware of how small actions picking up one’s own garbage lead to enormous consequences. could accomplish great things A school campus is meant to for the sake of the student body. hone and inspire students and While littering is a devasfuture global citizens to be tation to the world and the aware of the world around them school, it also promotes the and what they can do to make wrong mindset when it comes a change in the issues dwelling to the awareness of the enviupon society. One of the largest ronment. The young adults in problems society faces today is the school campus should be environmental degradation and learning about the importance the consequences future gener- of upkeeping the responsibilations must live with. Through ities of a future global citizen simple actions, such as picking and understanding the needs up one’s own trash, students and the consequences of one’s can make a positive change for degrading actions. Littering is the environment and the school merely the tip of the iceberg of campus can fulfill its part in other detrimental habits that nurturing the growing students’ prevent students from blosminds. A student’s environment soming into the best versions of is one of the most important themselves. A school’s responfactors when it comes to one’s sibility is not only to deliver edCONTINUED ON PAGE 3
JUNE 2022 FROM PAGE 2
ucation to students, but to teach them vital life skills and habits that shape them for the future as well as generations to come. Littering leaves a campus looking down-trodden and filthy,
but what is worse is how such an act can impact humans and their mindsets as well. The easy solution is to do oneself part in keeping the campus clean. Think twice before throwing food away, since food waste collects and odor arises.
EDITORIAL Or perhaps save the food for later. As for trash, the campus has done its part in installing trash bins around the school for convenience, so it is up to the students to put the bins to use and promote a healthier environment for the student body.
THE UNION
U NION The
S T U D E N T V O I C E O F M I L P I TA S H I G H
The Union is published by the Journalism class of Milpitas High School. The views in The Union are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the school, students, administration, or Milpitas Unified School District.
EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union
Leadership, ASB events inspire school spirit As we look back on this school year, we’re going to remember happy memories like spirit days, Homecoming, and Trojan Olympics. These events were all organized by the Leadership class and the Associated Student Body (ASB) who work hard every school year to raise school spirit and make the campus as exciting and welcoming as possible. Leadership and ASB try to ensure that every student at MHS feels like they belong and that we are a community of Trojans. Leadership and ASB had a difficult task ahead of them at the beginning of the school year. They had to deal with the effects of the pandemic and recover all of the spirit and sense of community lost in the previous two years, and they succeeded. They faced obstacles like spikes in absences due to COVID-19 and limitations on how many students could attend events. They adapted and overcame, and we, The Union, would like to recognize Leadership, ASB, and activities director Jerell Maneja for their efforts to create a welcoming environment this year. Leadership and ASB filled the year with phenomenal spirit
days that succeeded in raising school spirit. Leadership and ASB are constantly engaging the student body by giving fun and accessible themes for spirit days like cozy days, blue and gold days, and class color days. One standout was the “dress up or dress down” day which encouraged students to dress outside the norm by being fancy or comfortable. Leadership and ASB are constantly promoting and hyping up students who take part in spirit days by posting the students on their Instagram and reposting stories. Homecoming in a standard year is meant to be a welcome back for former students and make freshmen and other new students feel at home. However, after last year, Leadership and ASB had an even bigger task ahead of them: homecoming had to make every student feel like they belonged. Not to mention Leadership and ASB also had to face the difficulty of planning a dance while dealing with COVID and making a safe dance. The dances restrictions were that you wore your mask unless you were eating or drinking and that the dance be held in the open air. It’s safe to say that Leadership
and ASB knocked it out of the park. They greeted MHS students with lively and creative decorations in the sophomore lane, planned an exciting spirit week, and topped it all off with a great dance. Leadership and ASB know that decorating campus is key to getting students excited and invested in campus events. Many students had no idea what Trojan Olympics was before this year, but it’s easy to say they’ll never forget. Leadership and ASB put up even more incredible decorations to create a vibrant campus filled with energy. The entire week was filled with engaging activities for students to do, like various noontimes, that really made MHS feel like a community. The rally on the day of Trojan Olympics will definitely be one of the most memorable events of the year. Leadership and ASB organized a fantastic event where you could practically feel the school spirit in the air. A great school year involves plenty of exciting school events and captivating activities. This school year was fantastic, all thanks to the school’s unsung heroes: Leadership and ASB.
EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union
Biases against CHHS inequitable, harm students If you hear the name “Cal Hills” mentioned around MHS, chances are that it is included in a conversation about criminality, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, low GPAs, or students who don’t graduate. Calaveras Hills High School (CHHS) is a California Model Continuation School which students attend to recover credits and graduate. It has a lower student-to-faculty ratio, which gives students more support and a greater say in school decisions. At CHHS, students have more ways to earn credits, including through work experience and athletics. We believe that the MHS attitude toward CHHS is rooted in racism and classism—discrimination based on economic class—and must shift to create a more equitable community environment. First, the racial demographic differences between MHS and CHHS provide insight into many of the biases many MHS students hold. CHHS is 53% Hispanic, 14% Black, and 25% Asian, which is drastically different from MHS, which is 19% Hispanic, 2% Black, and 68% Asian, according to Great Schools. With these differences, it’s hardly likely that the stereotypes about CHHS merely coincide with racial stereotypes, such as Black and Hispanic people being less intelligent than their Asian counterparts, who face the model minority myth— the idea that people of Asian descent are more innately intelligent and able to achieve higher socioeconomic status than other minority races. Additionally, 55% of CHHS students are from low-income families, as opposed to 31% of MHS students, according to Great Schools. Biases against CHHS
fail to account for the environmental circumstances that afford low-income students fewer opportunities and resources than their middle-income peers. “I’ve heard people say that Cal Hills is full of bad students, delinquents … but really, we’re just there to get our credits back, and I don’t think we should be looked at that way just because we go to an alternative school,” CHHS senior Evanna Franco said in an interview. CHHS provides many resources to students that MHS does not, including substance abuse counseling; advisors for each student; free enrollment for children of students in Calaveras Montessori School; and a program called Fresh Lifelines for Youth, which attempts to break cycles of violence and incarceration. Instead of scorning a school that provides such resources for free, students should recognize it as providing necessary services, which are often available to MHS students because of socioeconomic level. “What a lot of people don’t consider is why students don’t pass their classes,” CHHS social sciences teacher Lauren Sandoval said. “There might have been family, mental health, personal choice struggles that lead to not passing classes.” Lilian Banh, senior at CHHS, said the school opened her mind to opportunities such as college and graduating high school, benchmarks she hadn’t previously considered. The school’s size also creates a closer sense of community, as everyone knows everyone, Banh said. Stereotypes about CHHS being an inferior school aren’t only spread by students, but perpetuated by teachers and the dis-
trict itself. Banh said that her middle school teacher would try and convince students to do work by telling them they would be failures and end up at CHHS if they did not. The district also does not do anything to actively dismantle these biases. “[These biases] definitely make us feel unworthy,” Franco said. “I’ve had classmates that have talked about how we’re viewed at MHS and how it negatively impacts them.” Students also try to hide the fact that they go to CHHS, often telling people from different cities that they go to MHS, Banh said. “The biases against Cal Hills keep students and families from transferring to us when that could actually provide them with a more productive environment for their learning needs,” Sandoval said. While a small amount of rivalry between schools in the same district is to be expected, the attitudes exhibited by MHS students go far beyond that—they’re rooted in leveraging racial stereotypes and economic inequality for the ego of the privileged—and they must be addressed if our school is to produce positive, productive members of society. Clearly, MHS needs to confront the classist attitudes of its student body by increasing interaction with CHHS. A few years ago, CHHS held recruitment meetings at MHS, a practice that could help reduce biases, Sandoval said. The more students of each school are isolated from one another, the more prejudiced they will become. Collaborative activities could humanize students, increase empathy, and decrease bias.
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Choates writes children’s book By Anannya Bhuskat
MHS alumna Nyla Choates wrote and published her first-ever book titled “My Roots are Rich” on February 1, 2022. Choates, who graduated in 2021, currently attends Spelman College as an economics major with a double minor in Asian studies and entrepreneurship. The book is based on her personal experiences as a young Black girl, Choates said in a Zoom interview, and it tells a story about “little Nyla” when she was in school and did not see anyone else who looked like her. When little Nyla opened her textbooks and didn’t see any representation, it led her to feel isolated and different from everyone else at the time, she said. On the way home, however, she saw a friendly butterfly, who ended up showing her that her roots are in fact rich and that they’re older than time, Choates added. The book is trying to portray that little Nyla and all those that look like her are descendants of kings and queens, she said. She wants to tell others that it is okay not to have representation right in front of them, but to still know that they come from a beautiful, long line of history they should be proud of, Choates said. “It’s definitely an empowering book. ... I think I’d characterize it as joyful and educational as well,” Choates said. “I think that this book has shown little Black boys and girls and has shown little kids of color that it’s okay to stand out. It’s okay to be the only one in the classroom that looks like you.” Although published as a children’s book, it really was meant for people of all ages, Choates
said. Because many people of color share the same experiences, this book provides representation and insight that people of all ages can relate to, she added. It is hard to get representation regardless of age, so this book goes beyond just helping out only children, she said. “What really inspired me to write this book was I always had a love for poetry and always enjoyed English,” Choates said. “I also went through a lot of experiences, even during high school, where I didn’t believe that my roots were rich. I was in AP classes being told that Africa was only known for poverty and malnutrition and being poor, and it truly made me feel sad, so I put it upon myself to do what I could to prove that the education system is flawed and that [Black] history is a lot more than what is currently shown.” She also had teachers at MHS who inspired her and helped her feel accepted for who she was and wanted in their classrooms for the first time in her life, Choates said. “I am so grateful for teachers like Ms. Parada, my U.S. History teacher, who always made sure that my history was accurately presented in the classroom. I’m just so grateful to have that support and representation from people like her,” Choates added. In the future, Choates can see herself as a full-time author, but it’s not just the writing part she enjoys, she said. It’s going to different schools and telling her stories and inspiring others that is extremely rewarding to her, she said. “I really want to tell my story, empower, inspire and educate people,” Choates said.
Seniors share event expenditures By Vyomi Seth
For the class of 2022, the long-awaited senior year is coming to an end. The end of the school year is jam-packed with exciting events: dances, commemorations, and souvenirs to memorialize the final stretch of high school. However, for some, the price tag might be a deterrent from enjoying their senior year to the fullest. I talked to high school seniors about the growing expenses of senior year. Senior Ruben Garcia had no qualms about the events he attended and the money he spent, he said. He estimated he spent $300 on prom and $200 on a cap and gown package. “I think the money was worth the experience, but they should make prom more fun next year for how much it cost,” he said. His greatest cost was his tuxedo and prom tickets. On the other hand, senior Angelina Mai, who was more involved in school activities, felt strained by trying to finance all of the festivities she participated in. She spent $20 on homecoming, $300 on prom, $50 for graduation robes, and $100 each for a yearbook and senior portraits, for a total of $570. She also spent additional money on Trojan Olympics and MHS merchandise. “Personally, my own savings were drained from senior events, but my parents cover everything else,” Mai said. “I feel bad for asking for so much money, but it’s just my senior year that I’m doing this. … I would’ve gone to Grad Night too, but I don’t have money left. … My college savings are dwindling, so I need to get a job. Not to mention just going-out costs, like getting food and gas money. This doesn’t even count my academic costs, like college applications and AP tests. [These
costs] are just for the fun things. Only sometimes was the money worth the experience.” Senior Joan Angela San Luis Abidog was less active in school events. She bought the yearbook and grad night tickets, for a total of $175. “Senior year is expensive, but with the memories and experiences that come with it, it’s a reasonable price,” Abidog said. Aiden Carbonell, ASB Senior Class Commissioner, enjoyed his senior year to its fullest, but it came with a hefty cost. He purchased the yearbook for $100, a cap and gown for $35, a homecoming ticket for $15, a grad night ticket for $100, a Trojan Olympics shirt for $20, a senior class shirt for $15, food from fundraisers for $30, senior portraits for $100, and $500 for prom for a total of $915. He added that there were many other costs other than the ones listed above, and they were funded by his savings, mostly birthday money that he collected over the years. “The thing that bites me the most is gas. It just keeps adding up … A lot of the [events] that we [ASB] do come from outside sources, so I don’t think the school can do anything to make it less expensive. [However,] there should be an emphasis on financial aid for those who can’t afford senior events. Some students miss out on these important events because their families can’t afford them. The money is worth the experience because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a high school senior,” Carbonell said. “Unless you flunk.” Participating in senior activities is completely optional, so choose for yourself whether you think the experience will be worth the cost. Whether you spend a lot of money or not, make the most out of your senior year.
FEATURES
JUNE 2022
Shine reflects on teaching experiences before setting out By David Rendon
E19 has one of the most peculiar doors on campus. It has a vivid, brightly colored background with a cherry blossom and shrimps dancing across it. Large letters declare “Welcome to ShrimpCon.” It is without a doubt one of the most eye-catching doors on campus. According to the room’s occupant, English teacher Annie Shine, it was made to commemorate the Gustatory Appreciation Society she oversaw. The club would go to Red Lobster and compete to see who could eat the most shrimp, and each shrimp on the door is meant to represent each original attendee. Shine is an English teacher who didn’t originally want to be an English teacher, though she’s been a teacher since 2011, she said. “I really wanted something I could do with an English degree,” Shine said. “And I actually don’t think I fell in love with teaching until maybe year five or six. I like the aspect of constant problem solving and optimization. You’re always trying to figure out, ‘How can I fix this kid’s problem?’ or ‘How can I get this group to perform at a higher level?’ … You have a good year, and then you get to do it all over again, but the kids always change. So it’s always a different problem to solve, and you just never get bored.” Shine is no stranger to adventure, as she likes to fill her free time, as limited as it may be, with hobbies. “In my free time, I like to do rock climbing,” Shine said. “I’ve done ballroom dance. I like cooking, going into coffee shops and just talking to strangers. I just like to find things to do that are active but not mentally taxing.” Shine studied French for seven years and has wanted to go to
David Rendon | THE UNION
Shine reads through her copy of “The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler,” which is a play that she taught to her AP Literature class.
France, but the plans keep getting pushed back. But if Shine craves adventure, she doesn’t even need to travel from MHS to find odd experiences. “[The oddest experience] has been teaching because kids are a bunch of weirdos,” Shine said. “I had this kid named Vincent, who did a bunch of weird stuff. He washed out a tube of toothpaste and used it as a water bottle. He printed literally thousands of pictures of Adam Sandler and posted them all over campus. He used to bring his own American flags and would stand on the tables at lunch and wave them just alone. Dealing with Vincent for a couple of years was probably one of the most surreal experiences of my teaching career.” Shine said she addresses issues students face and advises them to figure out their priorities, because if they keep everything as the number one priority, they’ll burn themselves out. Though she often gives students advice and guidance, she finds that she needs
help on occasion too. The best advice Shine received came from her therapist. “My therapist told me that we can’t expect more from people than they’re capable of giving,” Shine said. “I think that it’s easy to go out and get disappointed in the world, by other people, by situations and whatever, but I think it’s really important to keep our expectations realistic and to anticipate the challenges that we may experience so that we can kind of modulate our reactions to those setbacks.” The thing Shine will miss about MHS will be her students, she said. And if there was something they could know about her, it’s that she cared about them throughout her journey as a teacher. “I joke around a lot,” Shine said. “And I’d like to hope that they know this, but I would state it for the record anyway, that I do care about them, not just their academic progress, but holistically I care about their well-being.”
Students rise with global temperatures: Activists organize Silicon Valley Sunrise strike in San José By Riya Vyas
From a distance, the crowd looked like a chanting mass of green and yellow, distinct flower-shaped signs standing high above the crowd, advertising the Green Party. As I approached, the sign held by two people standing on the Plaza de César Chávez platform became clear: “The Seas Are Rising, But So Are We.” On April 22, also known as Earth Day, Sunrise Silicon Valley, a hub of the national Sunrise Movement, held a climate strike in downtown San José. They marched from San José City Hall to the Plaza de César Chávez, where they held a rally with speeches by political figures and social justice activists, booths of sponsoring organizations, and a food truck. The first speech was by Valetin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and Native American Advisor to the University of California. He started his speech by saying that the “natural beauty” of California was actually cultivated by his indigenous ancestors, who took care of the environment. He emphasized the importance of indigenous stewardship of land. “[There’s people who] value the dollar more than they do taking care of Mother Earth,” he said. “We can’t have that.” The second speaker was California State Senator Dave Cortese, who spoke about bills in Sacramento that would require building materials to be carbon-negative, apartments to have electric vehicle hookups, and climate literacy to be taught in schools. The third speaker was Aditi
Anand, a high school sophomore and hub coordinator for Silicon Valley Sunrise, who talked about the Delano grape strike, led by Cesar Chavez, and organizers of the past, such as Martin Luther King Jr., who set the stage for their climate strike to take place in the first place. “To the local government, we want carpool and public transit incentives. We want to build social housing … We want to implement adaptations against the increasingly intense wildfires and climate disasters caused by climate change … We want to ensure that people get stable housing near jobs and resources. We want to address that everyone has access to clean water. We want to address food insecurity and food waste,” the political team lead for Sunrise Silicon Valley said in a speech. Other demands included protection for Juristac, a sacred site of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band located in Santa Clara County; fast, reliable public transit; recognition of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, since it is not yet federally recognized; prioritizing local agriculture; and single-payer healthcare. Another speaker was Basil Saleh, co-founder of Afro UPRIS, a Black democratic club, who spoke about the importance of physical, tangible action. Allie Hughes, president of Silicon Valley Young Democrats, emphasized the importance of youth activism, organization, mobilization, and voter participation. The crowd was lively, cheering in support of the speakers and holding signs that read, “Human need, not corporate greed,” “No Planet B,” and “US Military: a World Leader in Pollution,”
among others. Many of the participants were high-school and college students, although there were plenty of middle-aged and older adults—many of them political campaigners. After the rally, people dispersed to explore the various sponsor booths set up around the plaza. Representatives from non-profits, political parties, and organizations advocated for protection of indigenous lands, housing security, and more accessible public transportation, among other causes, exemplifying that the strike addressed the intersections of the climate crisis with economic and racial inequalities. One such booth collected signatures to protect Jurastic from an open-pit sand and gravel mining operation proposed by the property owner, the Debt Acquisition Company of America. The South Bay Community Land Trust (CLT), which buys properties to keep them off the market and prevent the displacement of low-income residents, also sponsored the strike. They distributed flyers about the housing crisis in the Bay Area, CLTs in general, and the history of the South Bay CLT. Milpitas Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) spoke at their booth about the necessity of a fast, reliable personal transit system in Milpitas at their booth. Such a system would be beneficial for young people who can’t drive, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cost less than Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). Overall, the strike illustrated the powers of student-led activism, community organization, and passion for an important cause.
JUNE 2022
FEATURES
THE UNION
5
Nguyen cuts hair to support wrestling dreams By Archanaa Ramakrishnan
Schools are a place to foster the creative and intellectual growth of its student body. In room G3, senior Elijah Nguyen has taken up a part-time career in hairstyling to earn money for his wrestling competition in June. Nguyen sets up his work area in the teacher Lori Anderson Day’s foods classroom, a friend’s garage, or even the trunks of cars, he said in an interview. “Everyone needs a haircut, I get to do something that everybody needs, like a service. And every two weeks I can get twenty bucks or a hundred bucks depending on who I am with or how good [the haircut] is,” Nguyen said. Nguyen added that he does not charge for his haircuts, and often his money comes from the amount of tips his customers give him. As long as he can gain the experience needed to do more haircuts, he does not require his customers to pay him for the service, Nguyen said. Nguyen said he usually gives haircuts to male juniors and seniors. “I just do whatever fits their hair as long as it looks good. And if I mess up, I just keep pushing [the fade] up until it fades,” he said. Senior Sitaram Ranjit Kumar said he was Nguyen’s first customer and has had touch-ups multiple times since his first haircut with Nguyen. “He just comes to my house and we hang out for a bit and go into the garage where I just sit down
Anannya Bhuskat | THE UNION Courtesy of Elijah Nguyen
Nguyen cuts a student’s hair in G3 for free using his razor from home.
and he cuts my hair. … He tries giving a fade, but mostly he just shaves it because he cannot fade yet,” Kumar said. Nguyen’s style of work was presentable but not professional, Kumar said. Nguyen is still new at styling hair, through experience, he is rapidly learning and getting better at his work, Kumar added. Various other students on the MHS campus have received haircuts from Nguyen and most of them encounter his business in Anderson-Day’s classroom in G3, where Nguyen’s salon is set up in one of the corners, Nguyen said. During lunch the classroom is full of students entertained by watching Nguyen do his work. Regarding Nguyen’s hairstyling endeavors, Anderson-Day said she feels “everyone has a personal expression that they can make for the world. And this is his personal expression. It’s like he is an artist. And I feel you shouldn’t
starve artists, to put it that way. And again, it’s not something that I’m saying like, ‘You can borrow my room to do this.’ But I said, ‘If that’s your personal expression, I think that it should not be stunted.’” Anderson-Day also said that Nguyen’s work never hindered on the cleanliness or order of the classroom and that his art invited many different students to come together in the classroom, converse, and watch Nguyen work. Nguyen’s work in hairstyling, though originally originated in an attempt to raise money for his national wrestling competition, blossomed into a career, bringing students together to watch and enjoy his styling endeavors. If you are interested in supporting Nguyen’s efforts, you can donate money to him through his gofundme link: https://www. gofundme.com/f/fargo-for-elijah-nguyen.
Stephen Huang | THE UNION
Gable-Ferguson tells a story to her sixith period AP Psychology class.
School says goodbye to Gable-Ferguson By Anannya Bhuskat
At the end of this school year, MHS will say goodbye to one of its most beloved, dedicated, and caring teachers, Mrs. Liza Gable-Ferguson. Gable-Ferguson has taught for a total of 31 years throughout her career, 12 of those at MHS, in a variety of subjects including United States History, World History, Psychology, as well as AP Psychology, she said. Gable-Ferguson grew up and attended high school in Virginia, and then attended Stony Brook University in New York. After going to college, Gable-Ferguson worked in a variety of jobs, primarily in human resources, she said. Gable-Ferguson said that she had always been opposed to teaching as a career. Because her grandmother, mother, aunt, and sister-in-law were all teachers, she concluded teaching was a “woman’s job,” and she wanted to do something different. However, after reading Richard Nelson Bolles’s “What Color is Your Parachute?” – a thought-provoking book about self-reflection – Gable-Ferguson said she was inspired to learn more about herself. “I found that I like to be chief among chiefs, which means I like to be a boss in my own space,” she said. After exploring a variety of job offers, she decided to try teaching highscool, she stated. Teaching at MHS has been an extremely rewarding experience because of the very kind and open student population — one that is always willing to accept all of
their diversity, she said. However, she would like to see more involvement and contribution from more of the staff and students in the overall success of the school, she added. “I teach AP Psychology, but what I’m really teaching is how to be a good learner, how to take what you need to learn and apply it to your subjects,” Gable-Ferguson said. “I would say seeing students achieve what they weren’t sure they could, and watching them shine at that moment is really, really rewarding.” In her retirement, Gable-Ferguson plans on traveling overseas with her husband for the next few years, and eventually moving down to the Central Coast to live near the ocean, she said. In her free time, she also enjoys gardening and running, as well as dining and cooking. In terms of advice, Gable-Ferguson would like to tell her students to find joy in the little things in life, and focus on those instead of worrying about their grades and school all the time, she said. “What I will think of when I leave Milpitas High School is what a great student population there is,” she said. “There’s a sense of immortality that makes people think and do things that they wouldn’t otherwise do, which can be very good. And there is also a desire to make a change, and I think that’s really important, so I’ll miss that very much. But it’s time for me to go. It’s been wonderful. But I also see the other side of not having to worry about everybody so much.”
From left to right, teachers Audrey Yang, Heidi Shannahan, and Charles Schletzbaum display what they wear.
Teachers show off their tastes in fashion
Yee moonlights as freelance musician
By Stephen Huang
By Ryan Teoh
Fashion is constantly changing. It seems like every few weeks, a new trend emerges, and everyone gets caught up in the current trend. But over time, as one learns to acquire a taste and personal preference in fashion, they can find their own sense of style. Here at MHS, teachers have developed their own unique wardrobes throughout their careers. English IIA and Honors English teacher Heidi Shannahan began her career wearing suits, yet switched to a more casual and comfortable—but still professional—look over her years here at MHS. “I have always liked clothes that are kind of preppy and nautical,” Shannahan said in an interview. “My daughter helps me out a lot with my style since she likes fashion; she’ll show me things she likes in magazines and she’ll tell me, ‘No, Mom, you can’t do that! It looks terrible,’ if the outfit isn’t necessarily good.” Shannahan said that buying expensive luxury brand items does not necessarily mean quality and comfort. The clothes are mostly expensive for nothing, she said. She could buy something just as suitable for work from Macy’s or
Nordstrom, she added. “When I was in college, everything had to have a [brand] name on it, whether it was my shirt or my jeans,” Shannahan said. “Now I try to avoid everything that has a name on it.” Physics teacher Charles Schletzbaum catches the eye of students and teachers alike with his colorful, laidback style. According to Scheltzbaum, he usually pairs his Hawaiian button-up shirt with a matching mask with graphic print designs, while wearing high knee socks and some comfortable sneakers, usually from Sketchers. Schletzbaum said he picked up his style from a couple of teachers that he had taught with. “The science department used to do a dress-casual-Hawaiian-Friday thing,” Schletzbaum said. “It just felt so comfortable [that] I started doing it all the time. Hawaiian shirts for a person my age and size are [like] yoga pants.” According to Schleztbaum, tight knee-high socks are not only for show. He wears them because of his high blood pressure. “You know how fighter pilots wear suits that can inflate and push in to keep their blood in their head?” Scheltzbaum said.
“Socks act the same way. They provide continuous pressure that supports circulation … for a long time, I felt weird wearing them, but I eventually got used to them and started saying, ‘You know what, I don’t care what anybody else thinks.’” English teacher Audrey Yang spends time searching in thrift stores like Goodwill to find vintage pieces that would mix and match her style. Fashion bloggers and content creators on Youtube or TikTok help provide inspiration, Yang said. Following fashion trends is all part of the process of finding your own dressing sense, she said. After all, fashion recycles, but the important thing is the certain aspects you incorporate into your personal taste at the end of each trend, she added. “When I was growing up, there was always this sort of impression that fashion is superfluous and vapid; it’s not something substantial to be interested in,” Yang said. “But I think fashion is a great way for people to have a personal expression of themselves and to practice projecting their identity, to try on what fits or not for them literally and figuratively. And as long as you have fun with it, you don’t have to figure out what your style is.”
D Yee, a long-term substitute band teacher at MHS, discussed his career, both in and out of music, and the various professions he has held throughout his life. Yee studied at Northwestern and UCLA as an undergraduate before going to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for graduate school, specifically for the flute and piccolo. He now works as a freelance musician, including such gigs as performing at Golden Gate Bandshell Concerts in San Francisco during the summer. “You never know what you’re gonna get, but sometimes you get a phone call, an email, and they’ll call and say, ‘Are you available?’” Yee said. “I tried to play fairly regularly. I used to chase a job to play in a professional orchestra which pays a living wage; it’s nearly impossible.” According to Yee, there are two parts to landing a professional orchestra job. First, one must prepare for the audition, which requires practicing a provided list of pieces for one or two months and then traveling to the audition place—which could be across the country – at your own expense. Then the actual audition takes place, and sometimes judges do
not pick anyone. Even after being selected, the orchestra still can decide if they want you to, so you have to earn tenure, Yee said. Yee has worked in many genres of music, ranging from opera, choral music, and orchestra to soloists, he said. “Oftentimes, I get to do interesting projects, like I got to play at a fundraiser,” Yee said. “It was ethnic music, Mesopotamian. They call themselves the Early Persian People’s Mesopotamian Symphony. So it’s quite a hodgepodge. You never know what you’re gonna get.” Most of his gigs are at night, so during the day, in order to make a living, he works as a substitute teacher, Yee said. “I think there’s so many more music teacher positions available than a flute position in the orchestra,” Yee said. “If there’s a professional orchestra, there’s principal flute, second flute, assistant or associate principal flute and piccolo and usually, those positions are tied up for many, many years. For example, the San Francisco Symphony just had a principal flute audition, and I believe people came from all over the country, and one even came from Leipzig, Germany, to take the audition.”
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COLLEGE DECISIONS
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JUNE 2022
Disclaimer: This list was compiled using student responses to a s
De Silva, Abigail Hope
Peregoy, Ethan James
Bains, Jasmeen Kaur
Kim, Jinho Lulu, Justin Suba Nguyen, Adrian Tuankhuong Nguyen, Christine Pasma, Kevin Deep Qureshi, Zain Aamer Thomas, Colby Daniel Villalpando, Naomi Leal Vo, Thanh Xuan Yabes, Ethan John Lakilak
Bezema, Sarah Madeline Owens, Trevor Evan
Truong, Nathan
Nguyen, Johnny Duong Tseng, Megan F Wong, Faith Noelle Wong, Karina Xian, Connie
Joshi, Ronit Le, Ann Nguyen, Huy Troy Trong Tran, Huy Minh Vu, Kenneth Khanh Cong Peregoy, Ethan James
Garcia, Rosetlyn Lim, Emily Leakena Nguyen, Thomas
Pham, Mia Le
Diep, Kaylen Anhchi
Edusada, Sheila Mae Espinosa Quesada, Ronalie Marie Velasco
Bognot, Shania Anne Borlagdan Castillo, Mikylla Ramos Dacoco, Jared Jay Garo Ettinger, Ethan Aaron Finuliar, Jazmine Isabella Gorospe, Nathan John Malonzo Helwig, Xyla Naomi Le, Dylan Hien Nguyen, Sarah Quach Tadeo, Jaiden Richard Tuwarish, Fatima Adel
Ghevaria, Samyak A Yu, Yi Chen Zheng, Emily
Mahajan, Muskaan
Berena, Jenna Marie Bautista Bray, Haille Anne Chow, Amber Katrina Del Toro Ortiz, Damaris Sarai Delgado Vasquez, Odette Nohemi Dillon, Lucas Elliott Enriquez Garcia, Caroline Margarita Khan, Ibrahim Faisal Ledezma, Ulysses McLaughlin, Ian Jakob Morales Ortiz, Victoria Alexandra Perez, Jeronimo Guerrero Rakkar, Harman Serrano Alvarez, Valentina Tamarit, Manuel Joaquin Thai, Jacky
Bui, Chrissam Nguyen Gulati, Ayaan Sukheja Ha, Sean Hieu Ngoc Jain, Ipsita Johnson, Skye Dushonna Alicia Mohammad, Aishah Sharmeen Pendap, Ishan Suresh Phillips, Leah Rae-Ann Raghavendra, Dakshata Ramirez, Arna Thea Joi De Guzman Tran, Steven Vinh Valle, Marco Wong, Joyce Choiyee
Tran, Antonio, Christian Jacob Fabela, Tyler Bui
Khuc, Ley
Alvarado, Dominic Jayden Andaya, Kyle Villanos Antonio, Alexis Mae Dayrit Balasubramanian, Janani Biju, Abhinav Bugay, Abigail Cao, An My Castaneda, Ethan Alexander Castro, Vania Talitha Bunuan Clayton, Anton Wu-Fan Cortez, Nelson Tiu Dela Cruz, Erik Tayag Difuntorum, Simon Karl Angeles Espiritu, Kirsten Louise Masilungan Guardado, Alejandra Elizabeth Haque, Fardin Hou, Evan Huynh, Kathy Dang Huynh, Kiley Diu-Han Jagota, Aarnav Jaro, Cristen Joyce Abutin Lalu, Lance Estoque Le, Thao Phuoc Phuong Lei, Heather Ly, Nathan Maruyama, Ethan Diego Ng, Esien Nguyen, Andrew Nguyen, Cao Kieu Tien Nguyen, Chloe Phuong-Thao Nguyen, Elvis Nguyen, Lila Kim-Ngan Nguyen, Ryan Nguyen, Thao Phuong Hoang Norwood, John Isaiah Oberoi, Nishit S. Patel, Hena Pecot, Brandon Pham, NgocTrang Le Phan, Ryan Primicias, Nikolas Ryan Quebengco, Andre Balingit Rivero, Cairo Adam Rodriguez, Jocelyn Saito, Ayane Shah, Kairavi Prashant Shpits, Yannis Valentine Singh, Nikhil Sinha, Akshay Kumar Tran, Matthew Bui Trinh, Derrick Van Truong, Ngoc Minh Chau Tyagi, Anvesha Ung, Daniel Haidang Yiu, Naomi Yan Kei Young, Lauren Hue Zaidi, Noor Fatima
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Bhana Bi, Brev Rodrig Ch Dobh Guo, T Hoan Huyn Iq Ja Lam, K Li Nguyen, Nguyen, E Ngu Nguyen Perugupa Shah
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Nguyen, Baohan Ngoc Yeap, Chloe Qian Yu
Ali, Arsh Nasir
Chapla, Renee Hoang, Maianh Kaki, Nidhi Reddy Kuo, Ivan Minhtri Lin, Julia Yen Ling Patel, Rushil Mukesh
Li, Andrew Dingsun Shah, Achal J
Cosner, Serena Naniloa Estrel, Kathleen Cortez Heramia, Math Zabala Kang, Mehtab Singh Nguyen, Anh-Vy Bich Vivian Pascual, Jaden Ocray
Brahmbhatt, Kush Ashish Dosanjh, Sarahjeet Kaur Graham, Rayner Tran Gupta, Aryan Hoang, Sydney Huang, Alice Joey Iyer, Aditya Shriram Lee, Lina JingLing Nguyen, Kevin Trong Dang Khoa Panth, Saloni Patel, Krish Jignesh Teoh, Ryan Zelan Yadav, Disha Yen, Rachel L
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Tho
JUNE 2022
COLLEGE DECISIONS
THE UNION
survey and consequently may not be fully accurate or complete.
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Jaffery, Aishah Sajjad
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Truong, Meghan Tuyet Tram
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Chiang, Jackie Jia-Chi Fung, Catherine Xiao Qi Huang, Fengyi Khan, Aisha Imran Mehendale, Nikita Vineet Mehta, Rakesh Vinod Nguyen, Matthew Truong Patra, Suhasini Singal, Kaashvi Soo, Jenelle Yee Sundar, Divya Tang, Darren Jake Tran, Colin Pham Tran, Ngoc Trinh Do Udatha, Chiru Haas Wolf, Kevin Khoa
Chen, Corey D Panigrahy, Ayush Kumar Yuan, Marissa Sage Patel, Aarsh Pathik Seeberger, Thea Isabelle
Pandey, Sobhan Sheth, Kathan Darshan
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Loi, Linda
Bao, Zehua Dang, Thien Ngoc Huang, Ashlyn Haley Krishnakumar, Rishitha Kuchibhotla, Surya Kiran Lakkapragada, Akanksha Naranja, Kirsten Marie Nguyen, Ryan Phi Rabadon, France Laurenza Leones Shah, Raghav Jignesh Warusawithana, Gagana Hansana Wong, Nathan Nok-him
Fernando, Samantha Niroshi Jain, Aaryaman Kale, Ishaan Vaishali Luo, Margaret Shaohua Mai, Angelina Uyen Nhi Metrani, Saatchi Samyeer Nguyen, Quoc Bao Ngoc Srivastava, Somya Tran, Austin Quan Quang Khac Truong, Vera Jacqueline
Becite, Kyler Lopez Carbonell, Aiden Cepillo Dela Cruz, Kylize Maleah Mayo Lieu, Julie Kim
Agrawal, Dia Shanmugam, Sarvesh Zhu, Matthew Yung Desai, Dhruve
Al-Mohandes, Khaled Ibrahim Avila Islas, Kevin Balsbaugh, Mason Phillip Balza, Normandy Chad Domaoan Bhatnagar, Kanishk Campana, Alyssa Kaylee Castrence, Daniella Dadhania, Harsh Minaxi Dang, My Linh Flores, Brianna Myla Franco-Enriquez, Evelyn Michelle Garfinkel, Abdul Haseeb Majid Ha, Vinh Nhat Kha Hodang, Christopher Daniel Hraimel Dolovitz, Jacob Huang, JiaHua Ibale, Mary Angeline Amores Jiang, Kelvin Hua Kwong, Hayden Lalli, Azel Lam, Gino Lam, Jason Weng Latifi, Aman Wakil Le, Christina Minh Le, Dang Hai Lee, Clarence Chun Hin Li, Keilani Nicole Cacal Liban, Cassandra Teodoro Lien, Mark Tuan Linsangan, Jadielyn Cortez Liou, Katherine Loria, Edward John Aguilar Miguelino, Alexis Simone Ngo, Nelson Nguyen, Catherine Phan Nguyen, Charlene Nguyen, Duc-Thong Tommy Tran Nguyen, Jasmine Thy Nguyen, Khanh Bao Nguyen, Kyle Nguyen, Nathan Tien Nguyen, Tai Chi Nguyen, Thu Thanh Nogal, Mariahfaye Elaine Pak, Michelle T. Park, Caleb Sae Hyun Radoc, Jomalynne Kamea Guanzon Ramirez, Trixibelle Jhonlei Ponce Shah, Aayushi Pranav Siu, Ethan Tan, Camille Alvarez Tran, Anthony Tran, Helene Mary Trieu, Nicole Florence Trinh, Minh Duc Truong, Quyen Thao Van, Nathan Vasquez-Rios, Jonathan Ivan Victa, Ayen Isabelle Wang, Dylan Michael James Washington, Kristian Denay Yu, Brian Foly Zarate, Mark Daniel Peralta
Kurcina, Emma Thy
Jere, Mrunmayee Abhijit Nimbalkar, Aditya Pavaskar, Sohum
Huss, Gina Marie
Gonzales, Jaymie Fajota
Alo, Kaiya Maria Caday, Tyler Julian Edquid, Lorence Callao Nguyen, Alan Hoang
Devera, John Kyle Enriquez, Achish Tan Nguyen, Felice Thien-Thanh
Adres, Jan Avegail Tauro Arinez, Maverick John Arquero, Ranel Pica Beekzad, Emon Mohammed Butler, Leilina Frances Ellen Cinco, Jude Angelo Suico Dang, Nhu Hoang de Guzman, Michael Alvaro Mari Mendoza Doan, Dominic Quan Fiedler, Melissa Lois Gadda, Ariana Elena Hamilton, Michael Christopher Hoang, Kent Jennings, Kaydenn Jeremiah A'ulelei Le, Sang Anh Liev, Henry Zhu Lucero, Samantha Ariana Miranda, Nicole Anne Ngo, Jenna An Nguyen, Annie Ngoc Nguyen, Dan Anh Doan Nguyen, Ethan Nguyen, Thien Trung Rodas, David Alexander Said, Zidhne Syed, Meriam Mohammad Ta, Nguyen Bao Tran, Daniel Huy Tran, Khue Dinh Tran, Nhi Thi Yen Ulanimo, Je-Ann Bey Borlas Vu, Chau Hoang Ngoc Nguyen, Trisha Pham, Peter Vinh Rabara, Kiara Marielle Bondoc
Tobias, Kristine Odette Rigor
Agrawal, Ria
Merino Sanchez, Celia
Pasi, Aakarsh Talaia, Sharon Fan Vo, Annie Le
Ravindra, Aditi
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JUNE 2022
Anjaria breaks boundaries with national anthem performance By Sharon Talaia
“I didn’t get to meet [the coordinator Junior Shravya Anjaria performed and the manager] in person … until I the national anthem at a San Jose was selected for the top three,” Anjaria Sharks hockey game on April 19, mak- said. Besides singing the national anthem, ing her the second Indian American, as well as the first Indian American Anjaria said she has been doing cultural teenager to ever perform at a National events her whole life, like singing Hindustani classical Hockey League, she music. Singing said in an interview. Anjaria learned “Always take the opportunities the national anthem at events how to sing at a very was actually not young age—around 5 presented to you.” years old—and has a -Shravya Anjaria something she actively pursued mother who is a muin the past. It was sic teacher, Anjaria more like an opsaid. She was introduced to the more commercial side of portunity that opened up to her, Anthe music industry through a family jaria said. “Always take the opportunities prefriend who manages an entertainment sented to you,” Anjaria said. “I mean, company. “I’ve been involved with that compa- you never know where it could lead you. ny for a long time,” Anjaria said. “So [the I definitely didn’t think that it would company owner] is the one who entered lead to this positive of a response, and I’m very glad it did.” my name to the Sharks.” Moving forward, she has her eye on The Sharks then contacted her for an online audition, Anjaria said. They possibly performing at some of the Naalso asked her to send in a video of her tional Baseball League’s games, Ansinging in front of a large crowd, and jaria said. Although music is a big part she chose the video of her singing the of her life and she is very thankful and national anthem for her eighth grade humbled to be able to perform at such graduation, she added. Anjaria stated events, music has always been more like she had a short time to prepare, but she a hobby for her, and she is looking into does daily vocal exercises to make sure the medical field and pediatrics for her future profession, Anjaria said. her voice does not fall out of use.
COURTESY OF Shravya Anjaria Anjaria opens with the national anthem for a San Jose Sharks game on April 19, 2022.
For the
Learning piano within single week
Courtesy of Arsh Ali
Reco d. r
Arsh Ali practicing piano basics to prepare to play Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Für Elise.” By Arsh Ali
As someone with a few years of musical experience, I’ve always been interested in instruments and the different melodies that can be played. The piano has often been in the forefront of my mind as one of the more dynamic instruments, able to produce sounds that trigger several different emotions. So, thanks to my growing interest in the piano, I challenged myself to learn how to play the basics in five days, dedicating an hour or two each day. I set the goal to play a very simple version of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” and started to learn. I began my humble journey with a beginner-level piano book called “Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book, Book 1A.” This book included all the fundamentals: how notes are read, which keys are which, how hands should be placed on the keys, and more. It was not hard for me to figure these things out, having learned how to play the guitar. However, since I hadn’t played for a couple of years, it took a little longer than I expected to get acclimated to the groundwork of playing the piano. Another hurdle I had to overcome was using my left hand as much as I had to. Being right-handed, I grew accustomed to using it for most tasks, including when I played the guitar, using it to pluck notes and strum chords. While I’m still not the best at playing with my left hand, I improved a bit over the five-day period. On the first day, I started off playing single notes and familiarizing myself with the various notes. It got slightly boring and repetitive trying to learn these concepts, but it helped in the long run. By the end of day one, I had managed to play the simple “Old MacDonald.” It was satisfying to learn a song that I was familiar with, and I played it a few more times to soak in the feeling. I
started day two off by playing “Old MacDonald” without looking down at the piano and keeping my eyes on the book, looking at the notes I had to play. I began going through the rest of the book, learning a few more basic songs and note measures before calling it a day. The third day was probably the least productive day due to time constraints and my lack of motivation. However, I got through a few more songs in a onehour session, slowly but surely getting better at playing with both hands. On the fourth day, after getting through a decent amount of the lesson book, I started practicing “Für Elise.” First, I played notes with my right hand to familiarize myself with the song and to get easier notes out of the way. I learned most of the notes in the section I wanted to play by the time my two-hour session for the day was over. I was particularly proud of myself that day, getting through all those notes I thought I wouldn’t be able to play in a single day. On the fifth and final day, I dedicated myself to finishing learning “Für Elise.” It took nearly an hour for me to get used to the notes with my right hand before I started practicing the accompanying chords with my left hand. I had briefly tried out chords but never played them alongside notes, so I struggled to incorporate the chords with the notes I learned so far. Due to my troubles, I was not able to play “Für Elise” smoothly, but I was still proud of the progress I had made. Even though I didn’t meet the goal I set for myself, I learned a lot about the piano and enjoyed my time playing it. It was interesting to learn another instrument and expose myself to new techniques and sounds I wasn’t familiar with. In the end, this was a rewarding and enjoyable experience that I’ll never forget.
Students amplify underrated artists
Courtesy of Spotify The album covers of the students’ music selections (from top left to bottom right): “Ivory,” “Cirice,” “Standard Deviation,” “Saint Vincent,” as well as “Nobody Else but You.” By Thea Seeberger
When it comes to music, it’s common for some of our favorite artists and songs to be hidden behind popular artists and new, upcoming sounds. With so much diversity on campus, and so many genres of music to dabble in, the students of MHS have their own opinions on who deserves more recognition within the music industry. Junior Tyler Tran said that he’s been listening to a lot of indie and indie pop since the mellow vibes fit in with his academic and personal life. In general, his music taste varies from music in other languages such as Spanish and Vietnam-
ese pop to R&B and a lot of non-mainstream music. “One artist that I don’t hear enough about is Omar Apollo,” Tran said. “I really love his music, and he actually introduced me to not only indie pop, but also Spanish pop as well. He has a way with singing his words and singing his emotions. He actually released a new album, ‘Ivory,’ and I’ve been streaming it nonstop, and I like it a lot.” Contrasting with Tran’s taste, senior Aurora Pinkston said that the majority of the music she listens to is heavy metal, rock, classic rock, and a little bit of Broadway music. Pinkston mentioned enjoying the rock bands Ghost and
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JUNE 2022
Music exploration diversifies tastes By Brian Dinh
Moonlight Sonata (3rd Movement) Ludwig van Beethoven
Liebesleid (Love's Sorrow) - Fritz Kreisler
Spotify Selections:
Classical Picks
Nocturnes, Op. 9: No. 2 in E-Flat Major. Andante - Frédéric Chopin
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Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 - Camille Saint-Saëns
Vania Castro | THE UNION
Having listened to music all of my life, I have developed a taste for chamber pop, alternative rock, and modern hip-hop, and have my own personal favorites. However, at times, I do get tired of listening to the same genres, so I wanted to try expanding my musical horizons over a week and challenge myself to listen to different types of songs. To start off, I looked at the new releases on various streaming platforms, from Bandcamp to last.fm, and listened to whatever popped up. If you have a Spotify account, the process is much easier, because you can use websites like Obscurify that use an algorithm to automatically give you more diverse music suggestions based on your listening habits. Throughout my journey, I listened to 27 albums over a week, with each album being a different genre, such as Krautrock, AI-generated music, 1970s Thai pop, and experimental yodeling. Here are some of the standouts. Mona Evie - “Chó Ngoi Đáy Gieng” “Chó Ngoi Đáy Gieng” is an alt-pop mishmash of internet culture and rap from Mona Evie, a Vietnamese music collective based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Their internet sound takes many influences from Western hip-hop and hyperpop, including artists like Tyler the Creator and Sophie, which meshes together into a unique and fresh sound. Although the lyrics are a bit vapid and uninspired, the bouncy mood Mona Evie creates is strong enough to make the album a worthwhile listen. Semler - “Stages of a Breakdown” Semler is a nonbinary Christian artist based in Los Angeles, and on “Stages of a Breakdown,” they go deep into the nature of a broken friendship due to anti-queer religious sentiments. They utilize a mix of styles, from a soft, indie sound to melancholic electropop to express the sheer range of emotions they experienced in this break-up. The lyrics are also quite
. . .
well-written and ow well with the mel odies on this album, making it a pleasant listen. Tim Lyre - Worry Tim Lyer is an Afro-fusion producer and singer-songwriter from Nigeria, and on “ Worry ” <, he explores human values and expression through funky, genre-bending beats. The lyrics are a bit simplistic but have tons of meaning in each line, which makes for an amazing listening experience. The songs give a romantic vibe, and the album as a whole is just short enough so that you do not get bored of the melo dies after a few listens. The Wurst Nightmare - Paranot The Wurst Nightmare was more of an unexpected listen, mainly because their entire discography is a mish-mash of rock pop covers. According to their page, they are based in Mongolia, but it seems more like another piece to add to their facade more than anything, just like their album “Paranot.” With what seems to be keytars, a scued laptop microphone, and mued, babbling vocals, the album just pierced my ears for the entire listen. Apparently, someone pressed the tracks to vinyl, so it is possible to nd them physically, although I do not see any point in ever - lis tening to it again except for the novelty. Maxine Funke - Seance Maxine Funke is a singer-songwriter from New Zealand, and with S “ eance,” she delves into a haunting, sparse sound about the nature of memories. She goes into topics like Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance in New Zealand for all those who died in wars, and her own loss through break-ups with a heartbreaking yet sweet voice that guides the listener along the landscape of her mind. Funke describes how dicult it can be to do ba sic, daily actions, and dives into her own issues with shyness, which I can relate to. Overall, I thought this was the best album I listened to all week.
ANANNYA BHUSKAT | THE UNION
Halestorm. “I would say Ghost deserves more recognition,” Pinkston said . “It’s not really popular with younger generations. It’s more popular with the older ones, but I think it’s really good music… You guys should listen to ‘Cirice’ by Ghost.” Sophomore Kirti Sheelam said she typically enjoys indie music or classic rock. One artist she pointed out for being underrated or deserving of more recognition is St. Vincent. “Some of her music is hard rock while others are very mellow,’” Sheelam said. “I like how much variety she has in her music.” Continuing with the mellow aspects of music, senior Max Vo said he enjoys feel-good music or vibey songs with mellow lyrics. Typically listening to lofi,
Courtesy of Spotify Cover of the album, “The Glory Days” by artist Big Giant Circles.
pop, and R&B, Vo points out artists Khai Dreams and Demxntia for being great emerging artists. “Much of the songs I listen to have similar vibes,” Vo said in an interview. “I tend to be attracted to a song’s rhythm and the energy it has. ‘Nobody Else But You’ by Laica and ‘Raincoat’ by Kieron Lee rare two underrated songs.” Forensics and biology teacher Christopher Murphy described his taste in music as eclectic and said he doesn’t hone in on any particular genre. But he did emphasize enjoying jazz, folk, video game music, and songs that can be sung acapella. “There’s definitely a lot of little independent artists that could use more spreading around. One that’s really cool is Big Giant Circles, but I don’t know a ton of ones that I would say are super underrated,” Murphy said in an interview. “There is a soundtrack to something called ‘Road Quest’ which is very good, just in general. Most of the songs on that are quite enjoyable, including the main title.” Murphy also mentioned singer the Danny Schmidt, pointing out two of his songs, in particular, “Standard Deviation” and “Company of Friends.” Schmidt’s music tells a very clear story through its lyrics and could be relatable to modern-day dilemmas, Murphy added. If your playlists ever start to run dry, why not take a suggestion from one of the people around you? Who knows? Maybe one of their favorites could become one of yours too.
ABBEY ROAD The Beatles - 1969
UNKNOWN PLEASURES Joy Division - 1979
AFTER HOURS The Weeknd - 2020
BLOND Frank Ocean - 2016
FLOWER BOY Tyler, The Creator - 2017
1989 Taylor Swift - 2014
-THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON Pink Floyd - 1973
SELF-TITLED The Velvet Underground & Nico - 1966
DIE LIT Playboi Carti - 2018
Angelina Barnes | THE UNION
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ENTERTAINMENT
THE UNION
JUNE 2022
Theatre gives electric performance in ‘The Lighting Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical’ RATING: 4.5 out of 5
adaptation—it was even better. In the performance, after another expulsion, Percy Jackson (Noah By Tiffany Lieu Leabres) is sent off to Camp HalfBlood, a haven for demigods like The MHS Theatre Department him. There, he is claimed as the performed “The Lightning Thief: son of Poseidon and is sent on a The Percy Jackson Musical’’ quest with his best friend Grover (written by Joe Tracz with music (Paige Hutchison) and Annabeth and lyrics by Rob Rokicki), based Chase (Rachel Plummer). The on the novel “Percy Jackson & quest takes them across the counThe Olympians: The Lightning try and into the Underworld, and Thief” by Rick Riordan, on April 7 while the trio succeeds in their and 8. A third performance sched- quest, they suffer a betrayal by a uled for April 9 was canceled friend at the very end. The due to a COVID-19 exposure, play was adapted well for according to an email by Asthe theater format, and did sistant Principal Jennifer not get bogged down by elPLAY ements that were difficult Hutchison. Nonetheless, the REVIEW to translate. Plus, while the spring musical was a major step forward in wake of the play was based on the first COVID-19 pandemic; as direc- book in a series, it was still able to tor and producer Kaila Schwartz end satisfyingly without deviating mentioned when addressing the from the story it was based on. audience before the show, it was The play’s well-written script the first performance since 2019 was elevated by the performance in which performers did not have of the actors. The actors delivered to wear masks. Besides providing jokes naturally and had audience a delightful and heartwarming members laughing for much of the performance, MHS’s spring mu- show. And, despite knowing some sical also served as a symbol of of the actors personally, I found perseverance in the aftermath of it difficult to see them as anyone a pandemic. besides their characters during Having read the book the mu- the performance. The acting was sical was based on, I saw that the also accompanied by beautiful voshow was not a perfectly faithful cals from the actors and live mu-
sic performed by a band cleverly dubbed “The Apollo Cabin.” Meanwhile, the set design and visual effects were remarkable for a high school production. A singular wooden structure, built specifically for this production, was able to represent a variety of locations. While the set was solitary, it could be slightly altered by moving certain set pieces onstage. A standout example of this was the flashing DJ booth accompanied by fake dancing skeletons that was wheeled out from the wings while Percy, Annabeth, and Grover were ferried across the River Styx in the Underworld. Frankly, the flashing lights and custom logo etched into the prop equipment would have been impressive even without the limitations of high school theater program funding. MHS’s production of “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical”’ was nothing short of marvelous. Most of the effects were simple, but effective, and the actors’ performances left no room for complaint. Overall, the play was heartfelt without ever taking itself too seriously. The cast, crew, and everyone involved undoubtedly deserved the wave of applause they received at the conclusion of the performance.
Courtesy of Netflix
Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) gets even closer to Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) while they are out on a hunting party with the men.
‘Bridgerton’ season two brings new representation RATING: 3.5 out of 5
sheet writer, and her closest friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). The most By Anannya Bhuskat interesting conflict is between Eloise and Pen, the former of Season two of “Bridgerton” whom is disillusioned with sopremiered Friday, March 25, ciety and the latter who wish2022. In the lead roles are some es to fully participate in it. It familiar faces from the prior presents women in the time season, and some new charac- period in positions other than ters of different backgrounds being attractive and marrying, and ethnicities as well. Played resulting in one of the most enby Jonathan Bailey, Anthony gaging and intriguing subplots Bridgerton, the intriguing sib- in the entire show. “Bridgerton” wavers when ling and side character of season one, has evolved into the the storyline changes from the passionate male protagonist novel on which it is based. Kate in season two. Edwina Sharma and Anthony aren’t just a Brid(Charithra Chandran), a new- gerton pair; to many fans, they comer to the marriage market, are the Bridgerton couple; this and her older sister, Kate (Sim- change has enraged die-hard one Ashley), a free-spirited Bridgerton supporters. “The Viscount Who Loved Me,” bachelorette who makes Julia Quinn’s most famous no secret of her hatred for and well-known work, is Anthony, add to the comlargely regarded as her plexity of the plot. The anTV greatest and most popular imosity between Anthony REVIEW work. While there is one and Kate seemed real at fundamental cause for first, but viewers are left wondering what caused it. the huge plot twist, “Kathony” That’s right—not only does this fans are split on the season two season give us a complicated finale’s development. The book love triangle, but adds to the and screenplay differ greatly, tension with the enemies to with the changing of not only the main character’s ethnicity lovers trope. Anthony, as viscount, a and look, but as well as their high-ranking title in British plotlines and important monobility, and oldest son, is in ments. The presence of several desperate need of a wife, and only Edwina would be suitable characters of color is without for such a sophisticated gen- a doubt the most noticeable tleman. To have a man pursure shift in the second “Bridgera lady while gradually falling ton” novel. In the TV show, in love with another without Kate’s genesis tale is reversed. coming off as a jerk is a delicate She used to be an ordinary balancing act, and it’s one that white girl from the shire, but fails here. It’s easy to despise she, along with her half-sister Anthony since he’s a nasty Edwina and stepmother Mary cynic obsessed with rejecting (Shelley Conn), is now an Inthe notion of love—while also dian immigrant. The show’s longing for near-impossible raceblind casting technique, perfection for his future bride, which was condemned by critdespite Edwina being such a ics in season one for missing lovely young lady who is blind- depth and historical authened by her admiration for the ticity, is still being chastised, Viscount. Kate is the only one as Kate’s Indian culture hardwho could see right through ly makes an appearance in his deception, and I was cheer- the tale save to give fodder for ing for her to expose him and her unconventional heroine prevent her sister from falling trope. Meanwhile, the Sharma family’s participation demonfor it. The most compelling reason strates the show’s attempt to to keep watching the show was be subtle about Britain’s coloEloise Bridgerton’s (Claudia nial responsibilities in a narraJessie) search for Lady Whis- tive that could have used more tledown, the enigmatic gossip historical background.
Courtesy of IMDB
Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) boldly protects her husband (Ke Huy Quan) and daughter (Stephanie Hsu) from enemies.
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ presents original take on multiverse RATING: 4.5 out of 5
By Vania Castro
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a movie about an unlikely heroine who sets out to save the multiverse and the people she loves. The film includes elements of action, comedy, drama, and science fiction all in its two hour and 20 minute run. The movie begins with an average Asian family composed of a woman, her elderly father, her husband, and her daughter. Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang, the film’s protagonist, who takes on the stress from running the family laundromat, caring for her father, dealing with mountains of tax paperwork, and navigating a strained relationship with her husband, Waymond, and her daughter, Joy. Then, the plot takes a turn as Evelyn is thrust right in the middle of a multiversal conflict. She learns that each alternate reality stems from the different choices she could have made in life, and how there is one being that poses a threat to the entire multiverse. As Evelyn learns more about the
trouble looming over the multiThe film’s creativity is also imverse, she also learns that it is her pressive. The storyline is already duty to defeat this being. innovative enough; it’s science To be honest, I was just as con- fiction meets family drama with fused as Evelyn was, and I had to a side of action and crude humor. keep rewinding to fully process But smooth transitions as the the plotline and explanation for film jumps from one universe to the multiverse. However, as the another, as well as creativity with movie progressed, everythe hair, makeup, and outfits thing began to make more that some characters wear sense, and I was able to enjoy took it up another level. This the movie and also experimovie gets an A plus for visuMOVIE als. It’s one of the most origence themes I see in real life. REVIEW inal works I have seen, and First, there isn’t any major flaw in this film for me. I have truly never watched The film is complex enough that anything like it. I’ll probably need to rewatch it to Finally, the theme that hit me understand it further, but it’s not hard was the creative portrayal of at the level where nothing makes how parents push their children sense. However, I will say that I too far, and how this can continue audibly cringed or wondered what for generations. The generational was going on in some straight-up pressure is evident in Evelyn’s life ridiculous scenes. experiences as well as the way she Some highlights of the movie relates to her daughter, and the for me are the action scenes and directors were able to take this restunts, which are very well-cho- alistic, relevant topic and weave it reographed, especially for a movie with science fiction to create this that isn’t about martial arts. I en- marvel of a movie. joyed watching Michelle Yeoh and Watching “Everything EveryKe Huy Quan (Waymond) execute where All at Once” felt like a their fight scenes with such agil- pleasant fever dream that I canity, skill, and expertise. It’s even not fully put into words, so if scimore impressive that they did fi action dramedies pique your most of their stunts themselves, interest, I highly suggest you give according to a Variety article. this a watch.
RATING KEY Sunny-side up omelette scrambled boiled raw
JUNE 2022
ENTERTAINMENT
THE UNION
11
‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ brings novel psychedelic perspective to Marvel RATING: 4 out of 5
children in a different universe. The movie is full of psychoBy Angelina Barnes logical turmoil and takes on an interesting view of alternate Marvel’s newest movie, universes and how they are “Doctor Strange in the Multi- imagined to look. The visuals verse of Madness,” was recent- are engaging and well-craftly released in the first week of ed, giving the audience a view May. Doctor Strange, played inside the reality of alternate by Benedict Cumberbatch, universes. Compared to previfaces new challenges as he is ous films, this movie was able thrown into the multiverse to explore the ideas of magic and dive deeper into the with a new companion by connection between the his side who has the abilScarlet Witch and the ity to move between the Sorcerer Supreme’s powdifferent universes. The The surprising array characters and the events MOVIE ers. of new characters and the characters experience REVIEW potential spin-offs stemalong the way are drawn from previous Marvel movies ming from this movie added and Disney+ series. Readers to the amount of gasp-worthy should be aware of spoilers in moments, and the movie had more unexpected thrills and the paragraphs ahead. The plot of the movie itself is a gory feel compared to other full of twists and turns. What Marvel movies. However, critics of the movstarts off as a simple incident quickly turns into much more, ie say that the lack of creativwith Doctor Strange and a new ity, unimaginative dialogue, character, America Chavez and confusing events in the (Xochitl Gomez), facing out- movie seem to take away from side threats and betrayals in the original plot. Unlike oththeir own circle. The Scarlet er Marvel movies, which reWitch, also known as Wanda quire little to no background (Elizabeth Olsen), is deter- knowledge on the lives of mined to steal the young girl’s other characters in the Marpower to establish the life she vel universe, this movie does has always wanted with her require viewers to have some
knowledge about the partial backstory of the Scarlet Witch and her character, which was explored in the Disney+ series “WandaVision.” Although the movie brought to light her perspective and provided more insight regarding her powers, some viewers felt as though the film focused on her and her abilities rather than the protagonist Doctor Strange himself. I personally felt that the magic demonstrated by Doctor Strange seemed small and miniscule in comparison to the Scarlet Witch, and I wish that certain scenes could have better demonstrated the full scale of his abilities. I also wished that America Chavez was given a more thorough introduction so that we could fully understand her backstory, but I’m sure Marvel plans to include her in some sort of spin-off in the future. Despite these minor drawbacks, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is definitely worth the watch. Viewers that are somewhat aware of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and are interested in diving deeper into the multiverse and all of its potential will definitely be able to enjoy this movie.
Courtesy of Time
Ocean Vuong and his mother, Rose, go on a walk at Elizabeth Park in Hartford, Conn. in 1992. Rose died in November 2019 of cancer.
‘Time is a Mother’ explores living after motherly grief RATING: 5 out of 5
es clinking].” Vuong masterfully controls his rhythm from line to line, emphasizBy Brian Dinh ing the passion that coincides with the beauty of love, even Ocean Vuong, a Vietnam- if oppressed and marginalese-American immigrant poet ized. Vuong’s musings into his whose family fled to the United identity elevate this section States when he was 2 in 1990, and help bring more diverse released his second poetry themes to the work as a whole. collection, “Time is a Mother,” Vuong reflects upon his life, on April 4, 2022. In the the power of love, and collection, which is dividmemories in the third and ed into five parts, Vuong fourth sections of his podives into the intricacies etry collection. He beauof time in relation to his BOOK tifully explores his idenloss, fear, and the death REVIEW tity throughout his life so of his mother, along with far in “Künstlerroman,” how some hope must come af- writing from a third person ter this grief. perspective and mixing deVuong’s exploration into the tails of war with his own famduality of human connection ily situation and attempts to and pain serves as the basis deal with fame. Vuong’s sparse for the first section of the col- and eclectic style vividly delection. In “Snow Theory,” scribes his fear of the crushing Vuong discusses seeking grat- weight of time alongside how ification alongside his desire it can be stretched, maniputo be with his dead mother lated even, for the moments through a snow angel. Vuong’s he cares about the most. The description of his struggles everlasting effort of memories to keep his mother’s memory to bite back and remain is comalive in himself, with her abu- monly explored as well in posive yet loving nature, serve ems like “The Punctum” and to heighten the everlasting “Reasons for Staying,” which spirit to move prosperously give a somewhat sorrowful yet forward, even with so many embracing tone that brings the difficulties that come with life. reader into Vuong’s world. The Vuong emphasizes the theme most impactful poem, in my of relationships even further opinion, is “Dear Rose,” a letter with poems like “American to his deceased mother which Legend,” in which the narra- looks into how the past retor’s desire to connect with his mains evident in Vuong’s presemotionally distant father is ent life. This idea of freedom is met with a violent car crash, expanded upon in the final secemphasizing how link through tion with the last poem of the loss can be cathartic, even for collection, “Woodworking at a few moments. These poems the End of the World.” Vuong’s make for an engaging read and concise style ultimately brings build upon one another with a sense of relief to himself, as their overarching ideas, mak- he can finally free himself from ing me want to read the next his pains of the past and, as the poem. Vuong’s partially absurd rest of the collection emphametaphors and pushing of all sizes, live in the present. Albeit sensations in these poems may not a clear triumph, Vuong’s overwhelm the reader at times, partial control of his feelings but they allow Vuong to speak of the past serve as a clear refrom his heart and have his minder to the reader to keep purpose resonate within the flowing forward, which gives a reader. nice mood considering the, at In the second section, Vuong times, morbid and despondent leans more toward his own environment of the rest of the personal experiences with his poetry collection. identity as a gay Vietnamese Overall, even though some man while also keeping the poems challenged me in terms death of his mother close to his of understanding their strucheart. In “Not Even,” Vuong ture and meaning, I found contends with the commodi- “Time is a Mother” to be a fication and reductionism of worthwhile and relatable read. Asian trauma alongside his Each word Vuong puts on the own frustrations to free him- page is meticulously thought self from the torment of his out, and his sentences are just mother’s loss: “Once, at a par- a pure pleasure to read, even ty set on a rooftop in Brook- on my first reading. If you had lyn for an ‘artsy vibe,’ a young to try out a single poem from woman said, sipping her drink, this collection, I would recomYou’re so lucky. You’re gay plus mend “Nothing,” a deep look you get to write about war and into how a mere snow day can stuff. I’m just white. [Pause] I serve to be a beautiful moment got nothing. [Laughter, glass- of love and warmth.
&
Courtesy of Lionsgate
Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal) and Nicolas Cage (Nicolas Cage) go on a car ride while they both plot out how to kill one another. Gutierrez is a billionaire who has invited Cage to his birthday party as a guest of honor.
‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ delivers impressive acting performances RATING: 4 out of 5
Hadish and Ike Barinholtz) who confront Cage and tell him Gutierrez is actually a dangerous international arms dealer By Riya Vyas who has kidnapped a political “The Unbearable Weight of candidate’s daughter. The rest Massive Talent,” released in of the movie follows Cage as theaters on April 22, 2022, he forms a genuine friendship tells a story as humorous with Gutuirrez while siand self-aware as the title multaneously spying for suggests. It starts off folthe CIA. lowing a self-absorbed acThe first half of the movMOVIE ie elicits a chorus of laughs, tor, Nicolas Cage, played REVIEW with Cage’s dramatic reby Nicolas Cage, struggling to revive a stagnatenactments of past movie ing acting career and build a lines, an ill-fated impromptu relationship with his 16-year- song at his daughter’s birthday old daughter, Addy Cage (Lily party, and a CGI’d Cage repreMo Sheen). senting a younger version of After failing to secure a role himself shouting nonsense at in the movie of a lifetime, Cage his older counterpart. Cage’s travels to Spain to attend su- versatile voice, combined with perfan Javi Gutierrez’s (Pedro Pascal’s colorful facial expresPascal) birthday party for $1 sions, make them a formidable million. Upon arriving at the and hilarious duo. beautiful and scenic Spanish As the movie gradually villa, Cage quickly hits it off shifts gears to focus on the with Gutierrez, who shares arms-smuggling, CIA plotline, his taste in movies and wants the movie becomes more traCage to star in a screenplay ditionally action-packed with he wrote. Their fun is disrupt- gunfights, car chases, and plot ed by two CIA agents (Tiffany twists, but sacrifices much of
its character-centric appeal in the process. Character heartto-hearts, internal conflicts, and complex flaws disappear or are quickly resolved so Cage can wittily escape five guns pointed at him. While Cage’s friendship with Gutierrez is well-developed and heartwarming, the movie falls short in its attempt to explore Cage’s shortcomings in familial relationships. Although Cage’s main character arc is supposed to be about building a relationship with his daughter, the daughter in question receives minimal screen time and even less dialogue. As the movie progresses, the family relationships take a backseat to the action-movie storyline, making it difficult to care about what should be a heartwarming reconciliation at the end. Despite the movie’s meta nature, it is rather easy to follow, and many of its messages are accessible. It’s refreshing to see a movie that explores a variety of genres effectively.
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Rise of second-hand fashion trend: Best destinations for thrift shopping By Vyomi Seth
Just a few years ago, buying second-hand clothing or furniture was frowned upon. However, in recent years, thrifting has become a favorite pastime of many students who are looking to score a great deal on unique and environmentally-conscious clothing. While some are concerned about the gentrification of thrift stores and the practice of reselling second-hand items, they still remain an affordable and fashionable option for the average person to access a large variety of clothing and items. Here are some well-known and obscure consignment and thrift stores, near Milpitas, where you can find your next piece of thrifting gold. Second Hand Hustle - If you are looking for quality ‘80s and ‘90s clothing and accessories, visit Second Hand Hustle, a cozy vintage shop in San Jose, with another location in Berkeley. This store is the passion project of Jaypee Inguito, and every article on sale is carefully collected by him and his team. Customers can expect to be impressed with the carefully curated high-quality collection of rare vintage men’s clothing, which includes sports jerseys, sweaters, pants, and sneakers. Men’s thrift stores can be difficult to find, yet all genders can appreciate the stylistic value of Second Hand Hustle. A tip for anyone shopping for vintage clothing: the older garments usually run 4-6 sizes small-
er than today’s sizes. For example, if you are a size 6 today, you will most likely fit in a size 10-12 shirt from the 1960s. Goodwill of Silicon Valley Nested in the heart of Milpitas, Goodwill can be an accessible and convenient stop for your thrifting needs. While there are a lot of “misses,” you can often find some excellent pieces if you look long enough. However, make sure to check labels for reputable brands so you can ensure you are taking home long-lasting clothing, not discarded fast fashion. Unfortunately, due to the large size of their collection, it can be disorganized and cluttered at times. However, Goodwill is still a solid place to find inexpensive furniture, and their glassware collection is impressive. Even if you don’t find the perfect item, simply sifting through the racks can be a fun way to spend a couple of hours. You can also find brand new clothing and items since Target and other retailers donate unsold items in bulk. Goodwill is also a great place to drop off clothes or furniture you no longer use, so you can declutter while preventing waste. Classic Loot - This trendy and colorful San Jose second-hand store caters to young people wishing to pick up vintage clothing and the latest styles and even gives them the option to trade in their own items. The store has a very ‘90s, Y2K feel to it. Classic Loot
is stocked with clothes, shoes, locally made jewelry, vintage bags, ‘80s and ‘90s memorabilia, and houseplants. Many of their items are handmade, brand new, and bought from local small businesses and artists. The thrifting section is carefully curated to maintain the aesthetic of the store. The store is located in Japantown and is a perfect example of the Bay Area’s eclectic, chic culture. American Cancer Society Discovery Shop - This unconventionally named chain of thrift stores has locations in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Los Altos, and other cities across the country. While the clothing selection is quite limited in some stores, the jewelry, accessories, and furniture are outstanding. Like other charity thrift stores, this store has a wide variety of items provided by community donations, and most workers are volunteers. Profits from the store are donated to the American Cancer Society, a worldwide organization that works toward curing cancer, so you can leave this store with cool clothes and a cool conscience. As thrifting enters the mainstream, more and more stores will cater to this affordable, environmentally friendly lifestyle. You can find things you’d never see in a regular store. Next time you want to expand your wardrobe or redecorate your room, why not check out a thrift store?
How to create healthy sleeping habits
By Priya Thoren
At least seven hours—yes, seven, not two—is the ideal amount of time that you should sleep each night. With this much sleep each night, adults can achieve the best level of health and overall well-being, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Sleep Foundation found that 35.2% of adults in the U.S. have been found to sleep for less than seven hours each night. This number is over one third of the population of U.S. adults, meaning around 8,6100,000 people are not getting enough sleep. Stanford research indicated in 2015 that a national poll revealed that 87% of high school students do not get a healthy amount of sleep per night. Obviously lack of sleep is a problem—but why? First of all, the brain cannot function to its full potential when it is sleep-deprived. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep occurs when, you guessed it, your eyes move rapidly. It’s also a key factor in how your entire body functions.
REM sleep is vital to retaining memories and learning. With a lack of REM sleep comes drowsiness during the daytime and the inability to focus on the tasks at hand, thus impairing your performance at school, work, or wherever it may be. The thing is, most people are simply so busy with tasks during the day that they can’t help it when their work overflows into the nightly hours that should be reserved for sleeping. Time management is key to having a good sleep schedule, and it’s important to make sure that you can actually enjoy your daily tasks without feeling like you’re constantly fighting to stay awake. Staying up too late can even lead to excessive daytime napping, which won’t help your inability to sleep at night. Make sure you set limits for yourself—goals are great, but don’t overestimate your abilities to an extent that you find yourself constantly overwhelmed. Create a schedule—a daily one or a weekly one, whichever works best for
you—and stick to it; consistency and efficiency go hand-in-hand. Try your best to create a schedule that allows you to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day. If you’ve got the timing down but still can’t sleep, you may need a change of scenery. Remove your phone or any other potential distractions from your room. This includes any type of screens, such as phones and laptops. Blue light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that causes drowsiness, according to Harvard Health. Figure out what level of light makes you feel most relaxed and drowsy. Also, you should avoid eating or drinking alcohol right before you go to bed. Not only does more sleep mean more focus, it will also strengthen your immune system and keep your blood sugar in check. So no, two hours of sleep each night doesn’t cut it. Change things up a bit in a way that will benefit you way more than your current sleep schedule is doing for you.
JUNE 2022
PROM HIGHLIGHT: Amanuel Ayalew
Ray-Ban Shades Suede Suit Jacket Black Turtleneck Gold Chain Gold Watch Suit Pants Suede Shoes
Sharon Talaia | THE UNION
Bay Area activities for upcoming summer season By Angelina Barnes
With summer fast approaching, many students are excited to finally be nearing the last stretch of the school year. However, many are growing bored as a result of a lack of activities to fill the increased amount of free time. Unbeknownst to many students spending their summers indoors, the Bay Area offers many activities to students and those visiting the area. Downtown Berkeley - Although Berkeley is better known for the University of California, Berkeley, the town is also home to many places students can visit. Telegraph Avenue offers many affordable shops, including vintage record stores and thrift shops, as well as street vendors that sell jewelry and various goods. Cafes such as Crepevine, which serves delicious crepes and waffles, provide outdoor seating under umbrellas so visitors can enjoy the fresh air as they eat. The Berkeley Rose Garden is another good option for those that enjoy being outdoors, as it includes acres of roses and plants, an ornamental pool, and various hiking trails and picnic areas. Alameda - This location offers a mix of both indoor and outdoor activities for high school students. Mike’s Paddle, a popular option, has direct water access for students of all ages to participate in paddleboarding for a minimal fee. Alameda Point flat trails also allow visitors to bike or skate past the Crown Memorial State Beach. For those interested in vintage games, the Pacific Pinball Museum features numerous vintage games and machines to which students
can get unlimited access by paying a flat rate of $20. The Alameda Point Antiques Fair, open on the first Sunday of every month, is another good option for students who have an affinity for collector’s items. Santa Cruz - Known for its sunny weather and long stretches of beaches, this city is a hot spot for students and those who love the outdoors. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a popular site for teens to visit because of the carnival-like atmosphere and attractions that the boardwalk offers. Although this boardwalk can get somewhat crowded during the more popular months, it is also right next to the beach, meaning those who visit can easily switch gears and spend their time relaxing by the water. Students interested in surfing can also take a walk through the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, located on the West Cliff, completely free of charge. San Francisco - As one of the most well-known cities in California, San Francisco offers a multitude of activities for students to enjoy. In addition to the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, and other popular sites, the Japanese Tea Garden, located in Golden Gate Park, is a beautiful spot for picnics and strolls and includes large koi fish ponds. Haight Street is popular for teens who enjoy thrifting because it is packed full of great stores, including Amoeba Music, Relic Vintage, and Wasteland. Not only is San Francisco filled with activities, it is also easy to find transportation around the city with the city bikes available for rent and the famous cable cars that help visitors travel around.
Vyomi Seth | THE UNION
JUNE 2022
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JUNE 2022
Courtesy of Dominic Alvarado
Dominic Alvarado completes a diving tackle in game against Wilcox.
All-league athlete Alvarado wins Jeff Lamb Scholarship By Matthew Nguyen Courtesy of Deana Querubin
The varsity softball team throws up W’s after a narrow 2-1 victory against their league rivals, Los Gatos.
Softball knocks season out of ball park By Matthew Nguyen
The softball team had major success this year, earning a 11-1 league record, a 19-7-1 overall record, and the De Anza League championship. After their spectacular season, the Lady Trojans qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs and lost in a hard fought 1-0 game against Westmont High. Explaining the team’s success this year, varsity softball head coach Deana Querubin emphasized her players’ toughness. Her players are extremely skilled and talented, but it’s easy for good players to fall apart mentally, she said. Thus, Querubin and her coaching staff made sure to encourage their players and focus on building up their mental toughness, she said. “We have so many skilled players,” Querubin said. “But at the same time, it comes down to I look at every single one of my players and they all want to be there… When they’re behind in a game, they know how to come together and really grind it out. I think their mental toughness is much stronger than many teams that I have coached.” Another reason for their success is the players’ experience and chemistry, varsity softball player Madeline Le said. “We are young, but it feels like we’ve been playing together forever because most of us have played together outside of high school, like in travel,” Le said. “We just have really good chemistry
and everything feels the same. It doesn’t feel like there’s one person who’s outstanding. It’s just like, we work as a team, and it’s a team sport. It’s like everyone is together as one and we try to keep each other accountable every day, and it all just works out together.” Although the Lady Trojans have done well this season, the team had to overcome many obstacles to get to where they are now, Querubin said. Losing talented players due to academic ineligibility has always been the biggest challenge during her time coaching softball, she said. However, this year, the players have focused and stayed on top of their academics, Querubin said. “[Not losing players to grades] was a goal I set for myself last season at the end of last year,” Querubin said. “And so, we started checking grades even before the season started. I’ve been keeping an eye on [my players] and texting them, ‘Hey, how’s it going? How’s class going?’ So, we really kept an eye on the girls’ grades because we knew that if we lost anyone to grades, that would take a turn for our whole season.” According to Le, the COVID-19 pandemic was also a major challenge for the team. “Last year was tough because we had only 13 games or so, and the year before that, COVID-19 canceled the entire season,” Le said. “It’s great that we have the whole team back and both our varsity and JV teams back now. We also have 27 games and that
gives us a lot more time to figure out what we need to figure out.” Despite the challenges the team has faced in the past, everything has seemed to go right for the Lady Trojans this season, Querubin said. According to Querubin, the team was at risk of losing one of their best players, Madeline Le, to Valley Christian High School, but she luckily decided to stay at MHS. When the team’s catcher got injured, junior transfer Shyanne Rodriguez became eligible to play at the perfect time to fill the void and become the team’s new catcher, Querubin added. Also, many key players that did not play in the previous season were able to come back, including Jayden Vai, Denise Ralph, and Kaylee Vai who tore her ACL last season, Querubin said. “We’ve played like four games already where we came back in the last two innings and won the game,” Querubin said. “Everything is coming together, and it’s just magical. There’s all these pieces we didn’t have and now we have all the pieces we need.” At the beginning of the season, the team’s goals were to win league and make CCS, Le said. It looks like the team has done so well in league that they have clinched the playoffs, and now their main goal is to win CCS, Le added. “We are finally getting the respect we deserve,” Querubin said. “You can’t come and play Milpitas and think you can’t come with your best. You have to come with your best to play against us.”
This year’s Jeff Lamb Scholarship was awarded to senior Dominic Alvarado, a member of the football and track and field team. Coach Jeff Lamb was a teacher, a coach, and an athletic director at MHS during a career that spanned 41 years. In honor of Coach Lamb, the $500 Jeff Lamb Scholarship was created and is awarded to student athletes who have expressed an interest in becoming a teacher or coach and eventually attaining leadership in the athletic director role. “Not only is Dominic an excellent athlete, but he is also an outstanding leader on the team,” Athletic Director Joanna Butcher said in a statement about Alvarado. “He is someone who leads practices and has a great attitude and willingness to do anything for anyone. Bringing his prior experience from Boy Scouts and youth coaching into football and track participation, he has demonstrated his leadership by working with the younger athletes to improve their skill set. From studying the sports of football and track and field, he has learned different ways to improve himself and passionately helps other athletes.” In addition to the Jeff Lamb Scholarship, Alvarado has earned several athletic achievements during his time at MHS. This year, Alvarado was awarded the football team’s most valuable defensive player and was selected as a member of the all-league defensive second team. Before quarantine, Alvarado was brought up to join the 2019-2020 varsity football team after his JV season ended; as a sophomore he was part of the Trojan squad that won the California Interscholastic Federation
Football championship. “I would say my family has inspired me to get involved in sports,” Alvarado said. “My uncles all played football, and they all did wrestling and stuff like that. My mom was also a cheerleader as well. It was just kind of naturally something that I affiliated with when I was little and just stuck with.” Aside from being an athlete, Alvarado enjoys mentoring younger athletes. “I started coaching when I was a swim instructor for my summer job and that turned into something that I really liked to do,” Alvarado said. “I was also a football coach and had a group of little kids that I was teaching football to. That’s really when I wanted to start coaching and possibly become an athletic director.” Although Alvarado had never met Mr. Lamb before being awarded the Jeff Lamb Scholarship, Lamb’s passion for coaching and impact on student-athletes inspired him, Alvarado said. “I heard a lot about Coach Lamb and how long he’s been coaching and teaching before directly meeting him,” Alvarado said. “The number of sports and seasons he has coached is very impressive.” After high school, Alvarado intends to attend San Jose State University and major in kinesiology. During and after college, Alvarado is looking forward to possibly coaching youth athletics. “To the younger athletes out there, I would say just put everything out on the field because once your season’s over, you’re going to look back on everything and wish that you tried harder,” Alvarado said. “Knowing that you did not give it your all sucks, so always leave your all out on the court or field.”
Track star Jones jumps over competition By Vania Castro
Setting a school record of 34 feet and 3.5 inches in the triple jump event, freshman Mya Jones is a promising new member of the varsity track and field team. This year was Jones’ first year in track, as she did not do track and field in middle school due to COVID-19, she said in an interview. She competes in four events: the 4 by 100 meter relay, 100 meter dash, triple jump, and long jump, she said. For the triple jump event, Jones said she won first place at a few invitationals. “I’m definitely best in triple jump,” Jones said. “Triple jump is basically you doing three jumps: you’re jumping off your right [leg], then your left, then your right again.” Invitationals are track and field meets where about 50 schools attend and bring in about four students for each event to compete. Whoever has the farthest distance in triple jump and long jump wins,
Jones said. In the future, she hopes to attend the Stanford Invitational, she said. “[The Stanford Invitational] is a meet where the best schools go to, which we [MHS track team] almost could have qualified for, but we just didn’t have the funding for it this year,” she said. Jones joined the track team this year because her father had always wanted her to do so, she said. Her father, Marshall Jones, used to do track, and is currently one of the coaches for the track and field team, she said. “I didn’t think I was going to make the team,” she said. “I kind of just wanted to go to tryouts to have a feel for it, but ended up liking the team, and I liked being around the people in the track team.” Her favorite things about doing track and field were getting to hang out with her friends and winning events, while her least favorite thing was false starting, which is when an athlete can be
disqualified from a competition if they start too early, she said. Fortunately, she said she has never experienced a false start. To describe what a competition day would look like for her, she said, “It’s pretty hard to manage my time since the events are backto-back. So I do two events, and then I have a 15-minute break, and then I have two more, and then I’m done for the day.” Additionally, one major hardship Jones experienced was the pressure of being a freshman on the varsity team, since competing against girls who’ve had years of experience was intimidating, she explained in a text message. To overcome this pressure, she came to the realization that she was still a freshman and had time to improve her skills, she added. As Jones continues doing track at MHS, she hopes to break her record for triple jump, she said. She advises others to try out for track if they have a genuine interest in the sport and want to have fun.
Courtesy of Mya Jones
Mya Jones and her father, Coach Marshall Jones, pose in track & field gear. Jones competes in four events for the varsity track & field team.
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Badminton goes undefeated in regular season, wins CCS championships By Anannya Bhuskat
The MHS varsity badminton team won the DeAnza League Championship and the Central Coast Section Team (CCS) Championship, according to an email by Athletic Director Joanna Butcher. In addition, the team placed first at interleague finals and multiple players qualified and placed in the CCS and California Interstate Federation (CIF) championships, for the first time in school history. The team placed first at the interleague finals with a total score of 125.5 points at Monta Vista High School. Seniors Steffi Ling, Yash Malegoankar, Kristine Ngo, Esien Ng, Ryan Phan, junior Andrew Lu, and freshman Mia Hundely qualified for the CCS championship, which took place at Independence High School on May 14, 2022. At CCS, Malegoankar and Hundely won second place in the mixed doubles division, and Ngo placed second in the girls’ singles event. Phan and Lu placed fourth in boys’ doubles, and Ng and Ling placed fifth in girls’ doubles. For the first time in team history, MHS placed first in CCS team events. Furthermore, all of these players qualified for the CIF tournament. The CIF Championship took place on Saturday, May 21, at Newark High School. Ngo placed third in girls’ singles; Malegoankar and Hundley placed fourth in mixed doubles. “[CCS and CIF] are a little different than the regular season because they’re more intense,” Ngo said in an interview. “Once you reach league [championships], it’s all about yourself, or if you’re with your partner, it’s you and your partner. So it’s a little bit
Courtesy of Yash Malegoankar
Coach Tommy Nguyen, Mia Hundley, Kristine Ngo, Esien Ng, Steffi Ling, Yash Malegoankar, Ryan Phan, Andrew Lu, and Coach Jonny Ng celebrate winning first place at the interleague CCS finals on May 14, 2022. The badminton team had a grand total score of 125.5 at this competition.
more pressure, but the rewards are more satisfying. Yet, it feels amazing because I’m glad to know [these achievements] give us the opportunity to let the team be acknowledged in the school. Right now, it’s not very well-known, so I hope this will give us the chance and maybe it will popularize the sport.” What allowed the team to come this far and achieve an undefeated regular season was the balance and sheer talent of the team, team captain Malegoankar said in an interview. Because there were so many experienced players and
well-trained seniors, the team could strategize well and play to their full potential, leading them to become league champions, Malegoankar added. “I was kind of worried [when Head Coach Jerell Maneja left because he] has been there for a while, and he’s one of the reasons why our sportsmanship and team culture is the way it is,” Malegoankar said. “He’s the one who instilled the values in us captains and seniors, and we were able to pass that on [to the rest of the team]. I think it’s nice to see how much the team grew in skill and
unity.” Coach Tommy Nguyen also played an important role in helping the team reach its potential and become league champions, Malegoankar said. Whether it was driving the athletes to their tournaments, bringing them lunch, or practicing skills with them, Nguyen stepped into Maneja’s role and greatly supported the team on and off the court, he added. For the future badminton players and the rest of the team, it is important to start training during preseason, Malegoankar said. Not only does it help create bonds
with teammates, it also allows for tremendous improvement, growth, and refinement of playing skills, he said. “High school badminton was a lot of fun,” Ngo said. “I hope when people join the team, they just don’t worry too much and just bond with their teammates because that’s what made badminton fun for me. Especially because in badminton, you have so much opportunity to control how you yourself get better, and there’s just so many things you can do with it. I hope people will find more interest in that.”
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English provides new class FROM PAGE 1 glish IIA] for a very long time, and I always thought because of how, frankly, tough this class is… it should be an honors class. It’s
nice to finally see this happen. And the thing is, if a student really loves English and loves to read and can work independently and loves to talk about books, this is a great class [for them],” she said.
Huang named valedictorian for class of 2022 at Senior Awards By Stephen Huang
Courtesy of Tiffany Lieu
The newly elected ASB core (Tiffany Lieu, Gavin Heraldo, Victoria Ly, Katherine Hoang) celebrates their victory.
New ASB core hopes to revamp structure FROM PAGE 1 translating them into next year,” Hoang said. “So all of the things that need to be established within the events that we’re going to be holding for next year, looking at how expenses have been run in the past, and then translating it for next year.” Hoang also sees a lot of room for improvement on how the commissioners communicate to the committee members, she said. “Making sure that they’re going in the right place is something that I’m passionate about because I’ve seen all of the committees and how they’ve run throughout the past three years,” Hoang said. Being the first post-quarantine
year, it was hard for many ASB members, especially commissioners, to identify the goals they wanted to achieve—something they hope to clarify in the coming year, Hoang said. “One organizational [thing] we’re already working on, which is my main idea right now, is to have a big spreadsheet or just a running log of all the events that are happening, and events cannot happen unless they are on that log,” Secretary-elect Tiffany Lieu said. She is looking to better define the positions of various commissioners to separate them cleanly across class periods to ensure that cross-period communication is not needed, Lieu said.
“Of course, you’re still communicating between periods. But it’s not like you’re depending on people you never see in order to get things done,” Lieu added. She also wants to give students more input on events, implement the events students suggest, and make existing events more accessible, Lieu added. “As for accessibility, I know there are other organizations that we can partner with,” Lieu said. “There’s an organization that if we talked to them, they might be willing to provide free or reduced-price prom tickets to low-income students. [I want] to find more opportunities like that or organizations or partnerships.”
Senior Fengyi Huang received the title as the MHS Class of 2022 valedictorian, according to an announcement at Senior Awards night on May 25 at 6 p.m. Senior Chiru Haas Udatha and Aakarsh Pasi were named salutatorians, according to the announcement. Huang said he was pleasantly surprised when he was called to the office where he was told that he had been named valedictorian. He did not expect to get the position because he received B’s on his report card, he said. “When I was in elementary and middle school, I was always told that the valedictorian is just the person with the highest GPA,” Huang said. “But I had thought that this doesn’t really define the person you are. Of course, a strong academic core is what we aim for, but I think being the valedictorian is about representing your community.” The only prerequisite to be considered for valedictorian is being a student at MHS for at least seven semesters because students who moved from other schools may have their GPAs scored differently, Mach said. Furthermore, it would be irrational to award this title to someone who did not grow up in Milpitas, he said. “We have to take into consideration the full student; we want someone that would be representative of Milpitas High School and the educational community as a whole,” Mach said. “Everybody should try to do the best in school and be the best version of you because that’s who we want.” According to Huang, his total GPA throughout high school was 4.54; his SAT superscore was 1560, and his ACT score was 35. The AP courses and exams he took include Calc BC, Chinese, Chemistry, Statistics, US History, CSA, CSP, Physics 1, Physics 2,
Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Environmental Science, and Literature, he said. “GPA only gets you in the pool,” Mach said. “But being the valedictorian is more than just the pool, more than just the grade. It’s going to be everything that you’ve done up to this point in your life.” Huang is also the president of the Math Club at MHS and ranked as an Eagle Scout, he said. On top of that, he serves as the chair for the Milpitas Youth Advisory Commission, where they advise the council on matters pertaining the youth of the city, as well as volunteering at events. “People often assume that being valedictorian means that you are a nerd, but I definitely do take a lot of time to enjoy myself and I feel like a lot of underclassmen should take time for themselves rather than focusing it all on school,” Huang said. There is a confidential group of MUSD officials that decide who the valedictorian is through a series of interviews, disciplinary checks, and background research, according to Mach. “We have students that are neck-to-neck with each other, with GPAs less than 0.005 apart,” Mach said. “My staff and I do background checks to find out what they’ve done, what’s going on, etc., but I can’t tell you the exact process of what we look for because I don’t want people to use it as a formula.” Huang is planning to study Computer Science at UC Berkeley, he said. Applied Mathematics, Economics, or Business is also in his consideration, he said. “We are all equally deserving of the title as valedictorian,” Huang said. “We all went through four years of high school, we all worked hard, and we all have the potential to be something greater,” he said.
Courtesy of Kent Ng
The MHS Xtreme Robotics Team showcase their winning robot at the VEX Robotics state competition.
Xtreme Robotics compete internationally FROM PAGE 1 a lot of other competitions, and so I think the experience of the people on the team and the mentors they had also contributed to how well they did,” Li said. “So, we probably need to work on getting our members to become more experienced and knowledgeable about how the stuff works.” The World Championship was a new experience for all of them and a much larger-scale competition than they were accustomed to, according to Ng. “The largest competition we went to this year had a total of 76 teams before we went to the [World] Championship,” Ng said. “Our division itself, had 80 teams and 10 divisions total, so 800 teams total,” The new experience brought many new challenges to the team, Ng said. “We had to deal with other issues like traveling, working in
a smaller area, having to walk a much larger distance from their competition field and our pits area, and just having to be able to talk to other people and see robots we haven’t seen before,” Ng said. “In local competitions, it’s like the same people over and over again, but these people, we haven’t seen a lot of them before. They come from different states, regions, and some even different countries, so it’s just a new experience.” To qualify for the World Championship, the robotics team won the VEX Robotics State Competition on March 5, 2022 in Redding, California. Sheth said they prepared for the state competition by practicing on the weekends and working with other teams in scrimmages. “So the school provides us a small lab, but we can’t fit our 12 by 12 size full field there, so the only way we can practice is by meeting on weekends at Eugene’s house.
That’s where we usually have a half or full field setup. Or we can go to other teams’ houses, which Eugene outreaches to, and then we can do scrimmages against them to see what the robots can do and also to practice driving and stuff,” Sheth said. Moving into the future, the team hopes to keep the competitive spirit in MXR strong, making sure to train the members who will take their positions, Sheth says. “Our main focus right now is we’re training our current members,” Sheth said. “We’re finishing the training for our members, we’re teaching them fundamental robotics, preparing them and training them for competing in VEX tournaments. So a typical meeting will usually be us bringing parts to the school, and then they do exercises using the parts, just building parts of the robot like the drivetrain and stuff like that.”
Brian Dinh | THE UNION