The Union - Milpitas High School - June 2023

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School to install bathroom air quality sensors

By Stephen Huang

Air quality sensors will be installed in every MHS bathroom by the start of the 2023-2024 school year, according to Superintendent Cheryl Jordan.

The sensors are being installed in an effort to discourage behaviors in the bathrooms that threaten student and staff safety, according to Assistant Principal Jennifer Hutchison, one of the lead administrators for the project. These behaviors include physical conflicts, loud noises, vandalism, fire hazards, and vape use, she said.

“It’s really, really difficult for security to be in all the bathrooms at the same time,” social studies teacher and department co-lead Paul Harrison said.

“These sensors seem to be an alternative way that we could monitor smoking and vaping and other illicit activities in the bathrooms because we know it’s been a problem.”

The school is partnering with Verkada, a security systems company, to install their SV23 air quality sensors, which are capable of detecting temperature, carbon dioxide, tampering, relative humidity, air quality index, fine particulate matter, total volatile organic compound, vape pollutant, motion, and noise, Hutchison said.

“If something’s going on in the bathroom, and the sensor detects it, it’ll notify us,” Hutchison said.

“It goes to select staff members’ cell phones as an alert so that we can go investigate what’s going on.”

The sensor observes the room’s condition, not the people in it, Hutchison said. For example, noise is measured in terms of spikes in decibel levels, but no audio is recorded, she said.

Wohlman to take on role as new principal in 2023-24 school year, hopes to offer visibility, build relationships

By Adrian Pamintuan

Greg Wohlman will be the next MHS principal, Superintendent Cheryl Jordan said at the April 18 School Board Meeting.

Slated to begin his term as principal for the 2023-24 school year, he hopes to deliver an education that students feel motivated to stay committed to, Wohlman said. That experience largely starts with a principal who is seen as much as possible, he said.

“I think it starts with saying, ‘I want to hear their voice,’” Wohlman said. “People say, ‘How can you do that with 3,000 students?’ and maybe that’s about being more visible than people are used to. Part of my motto in education has always been ‘Every classroom, every day.’”

In addition to visibility, another important factor for next year is his belief in the power of relationships amongst students, staff, and the community, Wohlman said.

“Your relationships are the platform of everything you do,”

Wohlman said. “Anybody can say we need to raise test scores, we need to do this and that, but you can’t do any of that without your relationships. Otherwise, you’re going to have one person trying to make a huge effect, and everybody ends up working as individuals.”

Wohlman imagines that he will take charge of the role by leading new solutions for the campus, but that starts with listening to what the members from the community actually need, Wohlman said. “A common flaw is to walk into a system and implement change right away,” Wohlman said. “Sure, I could make those guesses, but I’m going to break relationships or put up barriers for relationships before I even have a conversation with people. Part of the plan is to hear your voice,” he said.

Wohlman’s career in education has spanned many parts of the country — he started in Minnesota as a teacher and then moved into administrative roles at schools in Nevada, Alaska, and California, Wohlman said.

Science Olympiad caps off season with sixth place at states

By Tiffany Lieu

The MHS Science Olympiad team placed sixth at the Northern California State Finals after qualifying by placing third at the regional competition, Science Olympiad coach and science teacher Letta Meyer said. Meyer coaches Science Olympiad with science teachers Roberto Alvelais and Sharon Diep, Meyer said in an email.

The state competition took place on April 22, Alvelais said in an email. The MHS team earned medals in 11 out of 22 scored events, he said. Noteworthy placements included junior Ava Woodhams and senior Shrey Chaudhary winning first place in the forestry event, and junior Andrew Ton and Science Olympiad co-captain and senior Abhishek Tyagi winning first place in Dynamic Planet, Alvelais added. It was notable to qualify for states because MHS’ region is particu-

larly competitive, he said.

“It’s actually harder than competing in state,” Alvelais said.

“That’s kind of like your coach making practice a lot harder than an actual meet.”

Qualifying for the state competition at regionals was unexpected, Tyagi said. The last time MHS qualified for the state competition was in 2019, and adjusting to online competitions during the pandemic was challenging, he added. Returning to in-person competitions this year with little experience competing faceto-face posed the teams with a challenge, and he didn’t go into regionals with any expectations.

“Our team kind of described it (the regionals award ceremony) as ‘straight out of a movie,’” Tyagi said. “They said, ‘Third place goes to Milpitas.’ So we were like, ‘Wait, what? This actually just happened?’ We were all cheering; we were all screaming or crying.”

Thirty-six teams competed at

regionals and the top four qualified for the state competition, Meyer said. Despite the MHS students needing to help set up and clean up the gym on the day of the regional competition, it still didn’t detract from their focus on the competition itself, she added. This year’s regional competition was held at MHS for the first time, Meyer said. On short notice and with little time to prepare, MHS was chosen as the new site primarily because of the large campus, she added.

“We lost our traditional site at the last minute,” Meyer said. “Once we were confirmed that we were hosting, we had about three weeks.”

At competitions, teams of 15 students from different schools compete against each other in 23 different events, Meyer said.

“The events are categorized in four categories,” Meyer said.

SEE PAGE 16

“He told me he sometimes travels about 300 miles one way in order to get to a school site,” Jordan said. “Even though he has that great distance that he has to travel, he is still very visible.”

French teacher Lisa Topping is curious as to how he will navigate his new environment next year, Topping said.

“We (teachers) always worry that, coming from a small school to a big school, how that’s going to work?” Topping said. “Are they ready for our huge school and our diverse population?”

Topping’s 31 years at MHS has shown her that visibility by administration is key, and that extends to developing good relationships with teachers, Topping said.

“I want a principal that knows the teachers’ strengths and weaknesses so that they can mentor, encourage, and develop leaders in the staff,” Topping said. “I’m hoping that he’s the coach of our team.”

While decisions by school ad-

Decrease in COVID funding may reduce health clerk positions

By Kevin Ting

MUSD health clerks are at risk of being laid off due to a lack of district funding, according to health clerk Lea Labrador. During the pandemic, the school district was granted a one-time sum of money in order to help combat the pandemic. Now that the funding has been nearly used up, the school district could likely revert to its pre-pandemic operating methods by reducing the number of health clerks to one per two schools, Labrador said.

Ultimately, the decision to lay off these health clerks lies with the individual schools and their management, School Board President Chris Norwood said.

“Schools have the discretion to decide what they want, like saying, ‘Hey, instead of this position, we want a health personnel, or a counselor.’ They can decide the makeup of their campus,” Norwood said.

Before the pandemic, generally, one health clerk was assigned per two schools within the district, Labrador said.

Due to additional funding to combat the spread of the pandemic, the school district was able to hire more medical staff throughout the pandemic, including health clerks, CSEA Milpitas President Suzette Bromagem said at a MUSD board meeting on April 18th.

“All schools were provided funding for additional services and resources during the pandemic,” Norwood said. “It encompassed masks, additional cleaning supplies, and the ability to hire additional staffing to support students.”

This was not a continuous flow of funding though, but instead a large fund all at once, Norwood said.

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Eye on Campus: School

hosts Senior Awards Night

STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL

SEE PAGE 16

ADRIAN PAMINUTAN | THE UNION

New principal Wohlman (left) shakes hands with social studies teacher Paul Harrison (right) on May 17.

Courtesy of Vaibhavi Kulkarni

From left to right, Gustavo Martinez Guzman, Diego Atwell, and Diego Mackie recieved the Kiwanis Turnaround Scholarship on May 17. They are pictured with Milpitas Kiwanis Club President Joe Lowry (far right).

Tip to support service workers, show appreciation

Tipping is a long-standing tradition, and yet there is still debate on whether people should tip at places like restaurants, cafes, and bars. Some argue tipping is unnecessary and should not be expected, but I believe that tipping at places is necessary because it not only benefits the service industry workers, but also promotes a culture of gratitude and generosity.

First and foremost, tipping is a way to show appreciation for the service provided. Service industry workers such as waitstaff, bartenders, and baristas work long hours and deal with all sorts of customers, some of whom can be quite difficult. Customers who are rude, get frustrated over the slightest inconveniences, fail to follow rules. When someone tips, it shows servers that their hard work and effort are appreciated, serving as a morale boost. Most service people’s jobs are not as easy as they seem; they stand for hours with little breaks, ensuring that costumers are served and the place is kept clean, all while keeping their frustration hidden despite the circumstances. Tipping is a way to demonstrate that people value the work of those serving them and are willing to pitch a little extra to show their appreciation.

Many service industry workers are also paid low hourly wag -

es, and tipping can help to alleviate this situation by providing them with additional income so that can live more comfortably. While some may say that the minimum wage should be increased, according to Investopedia, raising minimum wages can have several consequences including inflation, making companies less competitive and a loss of jobs.

In addition to the benefits for service industry workers, tipping can also enhance the overall experience for the customer.

Not only does it promote gratitude, it can also make a positive contribution toward someone’s life. One can feel good about themselves knowing that they have made this positive contribution.

In terms of affordability, tipping does not have to be based on percentages if one is unable to spend that amount of money on a certain service.

According to Real-Simple, it is customary to tip anywhere from fifteen to twenty percent; however even a dollar or two can go a long way, especially for bartenders and baristas.

Tipping is a good practice because it promotes a culture of generosity andhelps service industry workers earn a fair wage. While tipping may not be required, it is a small act of kindness that can go a long way in making someone’s day a little bit brighter.

CON

The cashier turns the screen towards you as soon as you remove your debit card, displaying the tipping options: 10%, 25%, 40%, and so on and so forth. You glance at the frozen yogurt bowl that you made yourself, and then up at the minimum-wage employee, wondering how much of a tip is truly appropriate.

The tipping system has grown unreasonably complex and burdensome. Leaving a tip feels all but mandatory, which makes customers feel guilty no matter the quality of the service received.

Tipping, once referred to as “The Legacy of Slavery” by the TIME magazine, has a troubling and racist beginning in the United States. Tipping started in feudal Europe as a system between master and serf and was brought to the United States by educated European immigrants, according to TIME magazine. Following the Civil War, during the Reconstruction Era, the practice spread across the country as companies, mostly in the hotel business, sought methods to avoid paying previously enslaved labor, and tips were used as sympathies by white customers for the people of color working.

Companies now rely on tips to contribute to paying employees. In California, tips are typically distributed among non-management employees and are added on top of a city-specific min -

Admissions appeal process benefits students

As seniors wrap up the second semester of their final year of high school, they are often met with disappointment after being rejected from colleges despite their best efforts. However, all students have the opportunity to appeal these decisions up until the first day of college. While not all colleges accept appeals, such as major private schools like Stanford, all students should take advantage of the appeal process when given a chance to prove their growth and commitment since their first application. The college admissions appeal process must be put to better use by students who feel as though they were not able to fully express themselves in their original applications. Many students believe that this process should only be used in specific instances, such as overcoming extreme circumstances in their lives. Yet, the college admissions

appeal process has no specified requirements, varying from school to school. Instead, the individual applicant decides if they deserve a second chance at applying to their desired college. Student appeals are accepted by most colleges up until the beginning of the semester, depending on the school and the policies in place. Certain awards, certificates, and other forms of local or national recognition are good reasons to appeal to colleges and universities as well, as many schools take these achievements into consideration when comparing students who are competing for admission. If an individual’s academic records or transcripts are clearly not the reason behind their rejection, then perhaps their personal statements weren’t detailed enough, or

ANGELINA BARNES

they didn’t get a chance to fully expand on their passions and interests. Many colleges look for characteristics of a well-rounded applicant, and these personal statements can easily be rewritten during the appeal process. Although the college admissions appeal process can be used by students who feel as though their original applications did not include vital information, it should not be used as an avenue for students who are simply unhappy with their rejection without proper consideration of why and if they should appeal. This being said, students should consider using the appeal process to their advantage, as this process is known to help a select number of students get a second chance at atteding the college of their dreams.

Tik Tok ban displays hypocritical, political play

On March 23, 2023, Tiktok CEO Shou Chew testified before Congress regarding the United States’ proposed ban on the social media platform nationwide. Ethical issues surrounding social media platforms, especially ones based in China, have been widely discussed, with concerns regarding privacy, content, and even the safety of children, taking center stage. There are many proponents of the ban or heavy restrictions on such platforms, but banning does not fully address these issues.

profitability. It is an issue that will be perpetuated even with Tiktok’s absence because nothing on the internet can be considered truly private.To truly fix this, regulations have to be made to all social media platforms as a whole, which has been attempted but not succeeded in the past.

well, which the ban does not target.

imum wage. However, tips are included in the minimum wage in the majority of states, resulting in a countrywide minimum wage of only $2.13 when tips are not taken into account, according to the US Department of Labor. This system is problematic for both clients, who are under increasing pressure to tip, and service staff, who rely on tips to make minimum wage. Customers now essentially pay a lot more for the same service as a result: once for the cost of the service itself and once more to meet the expectation of a tip.

In addition, a gratuity fee, a pre-selected tip, usually about 18%-20%, is often already added to the bill of parties with six or more members, at restaurants. Although this fee guarantees the compensation of workers when serving larger groups, it completely nullifies the incentive and encouragement for servers to provide extraordinary service as they know they will receive a large tip regardless, often leaving customers with mediocre service and no special attention, obligated to pay a large tip.

The out-of-control and ever-changing tipping culture is a result of an ambiguous policy that transfers financial responsibility from the employer to the customer and results in employers ignoring their obligations. Tipping must change in order to ensure that workers are fairly compensated.

Like most social media applications, Tiktok has a variety of ways to access users’ personal information, from algorithm searches to the information users have inputted into the app itself, like their date of birth and address. However, these privacy issues are not exclusive to Tiktok, as they are also issues on Facebook, Snapchat, or even Youtube. All social media platforms have easy access to user data, and the selling of such information is a significant factor in their

It is likely true that the main reason for the Tiktok ban was targeted due to its ties to China, although Tiktok denies sharing its data to the Chinese government. By banning Tiktok, the US will set a new precedent for the way the government approaches social media platforms, or just internet platforms in general. Banning Tiktok blurs the line of the First Amendment. By banning a massive platform for people to express themselves, it will only grant the government even further control over the internet.

KEVIN TING

Proponents of the ban on Tiktok also argue that the platform is harmful to children, causing a variety of negative issues, such as body dysmorphia, misinformation, and much more. Yet again, this issue is again prevalent in all social media. Regulations surrounding the signing up of social media for children should be encouraged instead to solve this issue. Signing up for such platforms should be authorized by kids’ parents , which can provide an opportunity for parents to educate their children about such platforms and better regulate the content their children are exposed to.

Not to mention, much of the content on Tiktok is also posted on these other platforms as

Overall, Tiktok’s proposed ban cannot fully address the problems it presents, and other methods are better used to benefit society, such as better regulations for algorithms and sign-ups for the app.

Clubs must facilitate democratic officer elections

As the school year comes to an end, many clubs and organizations (CLOGs) have held officer elections for next year — if they can even be considered elections. Several CLOGs did not allow candidates to apply for certain officer positions to allow current officers to continue in their roles without an election or had an election model where candidates were interviewed and appointed by existing officers without voting from members. Both methods violate Associated Student Body (ASB) guidelines for deciding core officers unless there are special, pre-approved circumstances and clearly unfair to candidates, but many CLOGs have proceeded with them anyway. To prevent these unethical practices, MHS needs more communication and stricter enforcement from ASB, and CLOGs must be fair in their election processes.

ASB already checks each CLOG’s constitution during the CLOG chartering process to make sure that it states that the CLOG will conduct elections in which members vote for the core officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer), with exceptions granted in special circumstances. However, many CLOGs don’t follow their constitutions in practice, as I have observed through personal experience and officer application advertisements from various CLOGs on social media platforms.

things can easily be overlooked: CLOGs could falsify vote counts to avoid redoing elections; elections may be held in May instead of April, when meeting minutes aren’t required and thus can’t be checked; and even after ASB tells CLOGs to redo their elections, there may be a lack of enforcement.

SAVAN BOLLU

This year, ASB is also planning to check CLOGs’ April meeting minutes, due May 19, for a member vote count for each of the core positions and will require CLOGs to redo elections if there isn’t one. While this is a step in the right direction, a lot of

It may not seem like a big issue that high school clubs aren’t conducting elections democratically, but it has a big impact on aspiring candidates and a club’s integrity. If a CLOG prevents a student from running for a position, they are depriving students of their right to contest for a leadership role in the community. If the same election process happens in a real government, it’s labeled as

ANANNYA BHUSKAT

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 a dictatorship and condemned as people in power making decisions to stay in power — so how can the same practice be allowed to persist in our CLOG elections?

CLOGs that interview and appoint officers, because they lack enough members for a fair vote, should focus on improving member engagement for the future and have a diverse interview panel. In general, current officers should not be able to appoint themselves or new officers to the officer board because results can be based on favoritism or nepotism instead of candidate qualifications.

Another issue is that CLOGs often restrict who can apply for an officer position based on certain criteria like experience, which is reasonable, but these criteria can also easily be manipulated by officers to eliminate competition. Thus, a CLOG’s criteria for candidates should also be included in the constitution so they can be verified as reasonable.

portal where CLOGs must add their voting forms and choose a designated election period for all CLOG members to cast their votes, it can ensure equitable elections.

Elections lack transparency and the simplest solution is for ASB to standardize the election process. With each of the over 80 CLOGs on campus hosting their own elections on their own timelines, ASB can’t effectively monitor each CLOG’s individual elections. However, there is a

EDITORIAL: The Opinion of The Union

Students, teachers have responsibility to educate about slurs

Slurs are words meant to hurt someone, usually based on their race, religion, gender, or other parts of their identity. Most people have the common sense to avoid using these words because we know that they are weapons meant to emotionally harm others, make them feel inferior, and portray disgust for their identity. Still, whenever we encounter these words, it is our responsibility as students and staff to educate each other on their meanings and we should make sure that everyone knows about the history and connotation of slurs.

Sometimes, these slurs can be found in the school curriculum. “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Lord of the Flies,” “The Invisible Man,” and many other English texts contain the use of racial slurs. When these words are read out loud by teachers or students, it can make some students uncomfortable or sad. This is why some teachers have decided to skip these words entirely when reading the text, but that is not enough. Teachers have a responsibility to teach their students about the histories of these slurs and the context in

which they were written; such education will also discourage students from using the word as well.

When we read a book, we must learn about its historical context, and not acknowledging what these words meant in the time period is a disservice to students. Teachers lose an opportunity to educate when they skip over these words and assume high schoolers are aware of their context, history, and implications. Even a small discussion or lesson can create a much better understanding of the history of systemic racism and discrimination.

Even if a person says slurs privately or as a joke, slurs are still morally wrong to say because when we hear a specific word repeatedly, it loses its meaning and impact. This is called semantic satiation, according to the American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology. If left unchecked, slurs can lose their derogative charge and seep into our everyday vocabulary. As a result, we become desensitized to them. As hurtful words infiltrate our language, they become an ever increasing presence in our lives,

creating an environment where subtle discrimination is seen as normal.

So what if a friend uses slurs?

The first thing to do is call it out. It is important that we let our friends and family know that using these words is wrong, dangerous, and harmful. There is no reason for these words to be said, and we all have a moral responsibility to each other as classmates, friends, and colleagues to stop this kind of behavior.

It might be hard for many people to begin a serious argument with a loved one, especially about a sensitive topic. Make sure to have a calm and constructive conversation, and mention that the problem is not them, only some of the things they say. If people are talked to in a calm and passive way, they will not feel attacked and the conversation will be much easier.

It may sound obvious to say slurs are bad. But in a country where racism, sexism, misinformation, and religious intolerance are seemingly inescapable parts of our culture, we must educate against hate, beginning in the classroom.

EDITORIAL: The Opinion of The Union

Guidance counselors connect students with vital resources

A school guidance counselor undoubtedly plays one of the most important roles in a high schooler’s life. While working with them to plan academics and coursework, a school counselor is the person a student can always go to in order to get answers to all their questions. The Union recognizes the hard work of the counselors in their persistent efforts to keep students informed about what they need to ensure a path of academic and personal success.

Our guidance counselors are exceptional in regards to the long lasting relationships and hard work that they put in to ensuring the success of their students. From their first meetings freshmen, the counselors build connections by getting to know them, providing support for their socioemotional wellbeing, and helping them prepare in their academic pathways. Throughout the years, guidance counselors and other important advisors, such as the college and career advisor, repeatedly communicate with their students, either online or by visiting classrooms.These recurring interactions ensure students can voice their concerns about graduation, community service, course planning, and feel more comfortable and con -

CLOGs are trusted institutions that have immense impact on the community — take it from someone who has seen CLOGs fundraise thousands of dollars, handle recycling for the entire MHS campus, or manage hundreds of elementary school students in an in-person tutoring program. CLOGs must preserve the integrity of their elections to find the best student leaders possible and benefit both the CLOG and the community. fident in school.

The four-year plan that counselors establish at the beginning of freshman year is quite helpful and a useful resource for MHS students to refer back to while deciding courses and career pathways. Even with students’ changing interests about courses, subjects, and other academic classes, the counselors are usually very flexible with deciding classes and adjusting the course pathways to fit the changing needs of the students.

In addition, our counselors have become increasingly proactive by delivering news of requirements, deadlines, and in general graduation requirements to both juniors and seniors in classroom visits. In junior year, the counselors come into English classes to talk to students about how many courses they need and what credits they need to complete in order to graduate, also providing space to ask questions about the college applications process and financial aid information. By providing an open forum and valuable resources early on, the counselors ensure that students are getting all the credits they need so that they can walk the stage at graduation. If certain credits are not met, the counselors encourage students to set

up meetings and offer alternate options such as taking summer courses or attending night school. In addition, the counselors also come together to have senior meetings with their students to talk about senior attendance, pledges, and graduation procedures.

Meetings like these create great positive impact upon the student population. The checkins and reassurances provided by the counselors allow the students to feel more comfortable and confident in their schoolwork and pathway, while allowing them to also evaluate how they are doing and if they are meeting the requirements. Workshops on FAFSA and college also provide helpful recourses to make college planning less stressful. Compared to other schools where frequent counselor check-ins do not occur, we can experience a better outcome in terms of our college and career pathway and process.

We, The Union, would like to commend the guidance counselors for their hard work and dedication to the success of the students. We appreciate the time and effort they put into each student’s academic and high school path, and recognize them as imprtant contributors to student success at MHS.

Those who would like to advertise in The Union can contact the Ad Manager at milpitashightheunion@ gmail.com. Ads are available in full page, half page, quarter page, and business card sizes. Inserts are also accepted. Upon request, The Union staff will customize and design your advertisement.

STAFF

Riya Vyas • E ditor -in -C hi E f

Anannya Bhuskat • News Editor

Stephen Huang • Asst. News Editor

Satvika Iyer • Op-Ed Editor Deeksha Venkateswaran • Asst. Op-Ed Editor

Tiffany Lieu • Features Editor

Savan Bollu • Asst. Features Editor

Sidhant Burela • Sports Editor

Erick Johnson• A sst. Sports Editor

Zaynah Turabi • Lifestyle Editor

Albert Fung • Asst. Lifestyle Editor

David Rendon • Entertainment Editor Varun Ravuri • Asst. Entertainment Editor

Sanvi Durbha • Spread Editor

Ruby Bui • Asst. Spread Editor

Angelina Barnes • Copy Editor

Sanvi Parvatikar • Web Editor

Adrian Pamintuan • Photo Editor

Kevin Ting • Business/Ad Manager

Sanjit Roy Journalism Advisor

WANT TO REPRESENT THE STUDENTS?

Shannahan retires, reflects on education, travel, teaching

By Savan Bollu

Most people have only ever read about trekking across a mountain range or going on a safari across Africa in novels, but English teacher Heidi Shannahan has already done that — and plans on continuing her adventures after retiring at the end of the 2022-23 school year, she said. Shannahan has taught at MHS for 35 years and first joined MUSD because it was a visionary school district, she added.

After retirement, Shannahan plans to volunteer, spend time on hobbies like hiking, sailing, and gardening, and travel as she had

in the past, she said.

“We (my husband and I) backpacked through China, we trekked through Nepal, we took a freighter around the tip of South America,” Shannahan said. “So we just want to be able to enjoy our later years having those adventures.”

Growing up, Shannahan attended Lynbrook High School in San Jose, where she participated in cheerleading, clubs, and student government, she said. After high school, Shannahan attended De Anza College, where she joined the dance company and spent about six hours a day dancing, she said. She does not take

dance lessons anymore, but dances on certain occasions, she said.

“I had been taking dance classes since I was five years old — ballet, tap, jazz, modern dance, everything,” Shannahan said. “I just loved dancing.”

After a year at De Anza College, Shannahan transferred to the UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) as an intended dance major, she said. At UCSB, however, Shannahan decided to pursue an English major after attending life-changing classes, she said.

“We’d have these tiny little classes of 15 kids, and we’d sit around and talk about a poem or a book,” Shannahan said. “I felt like I was not only learning about my world, but I was learning about myself, and I was learning how to write, and I was learning how to process everything that was happening around me.”

Shannahan vividly recalled English professor Homer Swander. In his class, she auditioned for and performed Shakfespeare’s “Merchants of Venice” play in front of an audience, she said.

“He had this long hair, and he wore this beret, and he had an earring, and he was the Shakespeare guy,” Shannahan said. “I took a class with him and absolutely loved it. He would act out scenes in front of the class, and we’d have to read the plays in great depth.”

Shannahan received her teaching credential for English at San Francisco State University, taught for three years at Rancho Milpitas Middle School, and spent the rest of her career at MHS, where she was also the English department chair for 14 non-consecutive years, she said.

Non-native speakers pursue advanced language classes, explore new cultures

By Adrian Pamintuan

World language courses have long been a common way for students to broaden their reading, writing, and communication abilities beyond English. A smaller group of students passionate to take their language education above and beyond, take Honors level and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. An even smaller handful take high-level language courses, but are non-native speakers, meaning they’re speaking a language which they aren’t native to.

Native speakers have their identities empowered by being exposed to their language at school, said AP Spanish Language and Culture teacher Monica Rivero. However, these courses are also designed to build empathy in non-native speakers towards different cultures that they’ve never explored before, she added.

“It’s beautiful to see a student who is not a native speaker have so much passion and love for my language,” Rivero said. “Some of those students just feel like honorary Latinos.”

Rivero currently teaches Spanish II and AP Spanish, but has taught the language for more than 20 years at MHS, she said. She sees a variety of students who are immigrants, native speakers, and non-native speakers who take her class, and the coursework has always been accepting of those new to the culture, she said.

“There is so much that you can learn from just being in a classroom with another student who is a native speaker or where there’s a variety of levels and speaking,” Rivero said.

Senior Cindy Nguyen, a Vietnamese student, is enrolled in AP Spanish this year and experienced challenges with the language since she was a non-native speaker, she said. Eventually, she came to appreciate Rivero’s con-

Her favorite part of teaching is when she sees a student reach an epiphany about a concept or book, she said.

“You get goosebumps; you get this big smile on your face, and you’re like, ‘Yeah! They’ve gotten it,’” Shannahan said.

“The Catcher in the Rye” is one of Shannahan’s favorite books in the English curriculum because it is relatable and well-written, but she also recommends “All the Light We Cannot See” for personal reading, she said. On a school day, Shannahan typically wakes up at 4:30 a.m., comes to school at around 7 a.m. to prepare for the day and talk to students, teaches, and goes home to spend time with her husband, she said.

“After class, you can go and ask her anything about the book and start up a conversation with her,” said junior Natasha Tiwari, who has been Shannahan’s student for two years. “There have been so many days during class where we would go over time … because we would just be analyzing the book so much.”

Shannahan’s class is judgment-free, and Shannahan has helped Tiwari love literature, Tiwari said. Over the summer, Tiwari even exchanged postcards and emails with Shannahan discussing books, she said.

“I really wish I would have gotten her for a third year, and, even if not as a teacher, somebody I can go and talk to,” Tiwari said.

“At the same time, I think she deserves it (retirement). She’s helped so many people here, and she’s been here for so long that I think she deserves a break now.”

In addition to teaching, Shannahan is an advisor to clubs like

The Arras Periodical and has mentored other teachers, Shannahan said.

Shannahan was English teacher Audrey Yang’s mentor during her first year of teaching in the 2019-20 school year, Yang said. Shannahan was a voice of reason and a confidence booster when Yang felt overwhelmed by her long to-do list, Yang said. She admires Shannahan for being an emotionally capable, put-together person, Yang added.

“Her hair is always perfect,” Yang said. “From a literature perspective, her hair is a symbol of how she runs her life — perfect, in-line, put together.”

Shannahan prepares students to face the challenges of life after high school, Yang said.

“With a career like teaching, it’s easy to get stuck,” Yang said. “The job is so demanding that, oftentimes, one of the ways to make the job manageable is to keep using the same things every year and never change it up. But Mrs. Shannahan has always been super open to new ideas … It’s been very inspiring to see, as a teacher who’s starting out her career, a teacher who’s finishing up her career that still holds that interest and that hunger and that desire to try new things.”

Shannahan will most miss interacting with her students after retiring, she said.

“I’m going to miss my room. I’m going to miss the kids. I’m going to miss the great teachers that are here that I’ve spent a lot of time with,” Shannahan said. “So it hasn’t been an easy decision. I know that it’s time, but it’s always sad to see something come to an end.”

structive teaching style, she added.

“On the first day of Spanish, I almost cried because I couldn’t understand everyone that well,” Cindy Nguyen said. “Some people are stronger at speaking; some people are stronger in reading and writing, but in that class, it’s very supportive.”

Junior Nhuhao Nguyen, who is ethnically Vietnamese and currently enrolled in Korean III, is used to learning new languages and cultures, she said. She learned English upon moving to the United States from Vietnam, she added.

“Just being able to learn another language and being able to put it to use really helps us grow our communication with other people,” Nhuhao Nguyen said. “There are some words that aren’t captured well enough in English, but it’s nice to know that there’s a word for it in Korean.”

Encouraging students to stick with a language beyond the twoyear MHS recommendation has long been important to Rivero’s work at MHS, Rivero said.

“AP can be a little scary whether you’re a native speaker or not,” Rivero said. “They (students) are very driven. I’ll plant that little seed. I’ll say, ‘You’re going to take Spanish III right?’ because I want to see them in AP later on, and I will see them later on.”

While grateful for the education she has received thus far, Cindy Nguyen knows her conversational skills can see some improvement, she said.

“Personally, I don’t feel that I’m at the level where I want to be in my language journey,” Cindy Nguyen said. “Once I go more into the world, especially for college, there’s going to be more opportunities for me to be more exposed.”

Seeing her students’ progress throughout the school year is one of the many beautiful things about her job, Rivero said.

“This young girl I was just speaking to, she was telling me she was doing her senior survey, and that she wrote about how this (AP Spanish) was one of the best classes that she took,” Rivero said. “It teaches students how to be empathetic, how to learn about other cultures and know that it’s not just Mexico — there’s so much about our Spanish-speaking world.”

Though Vietnamese, Nhuhao Nguyen has long been interested in Korean culture, including through Korean Pop (K-pop) and Korean Dramas (K-dramas), she said.

“I also go to Korean restaurants sometimes, so I end up practicing reading their menus,” Nhuhao Nguyen said. “I’m a little shy to actually try ordering in Korean, but when I have to, I would say ‘thank you’ in Korean as I leave.”

Being a non-native speaker in a class with peers who are native speakers has never made Nhuhao Nguyen feel inferior and instead empowered her to go above and beyond with the language, she said.

“I like the environment, and I like the culture as well; it’s (the class) actually encouraged me to travel to Korea one day,” Nhuhao Nguyen said. “I want to be able to actually become fluent now and really hone the skills that I’ve developed over the years to put it to use in my future career.”

While learning a new language is hard, growth is bound to happen, Rivero said. Seeing students open up to the new culture is rewarding for her, she added.

“When I had my students come in August, I could see that they were going to need some focus,” Rivero said. “When I saw them in January, and they gave a presentation, they could sustain conversation in some really difficult topics and academic language — it’s just the most amazing thing in the world for me to see.”

Dance class rounds off year with recital

By Erick Johnson

After months of practice, the MHS dance class pulled back the curtains and unveiled their annual Dance Recital on May 2, according to dance teacher Mandalynn Cottengim. 67 dancers performed in 27 different choreographed pieces, she said.

The style of these performances ranged from ballet to hip-hop and was mostly choreographed by the participating students, she said.

“They volunteered to choreograph, came up with their choreography, and then showed it to the class,” Cottengim said.

Once everyone had picked their choice of dances, Cottengim and the choreographers selected who would be in each dance, taking into account the dancer’s individual skills, their chemistry with each other, and what they wanted to work on, Cottengim said.

Practice for the big class numbers began around February, and all practice for student-choreographed dances began on January, she added.

“We practiced every day leading up to it,” dancer and junior Ash Ames said. “We only took a small break when we had the rally and needed to practice for it (the rally).”

Because students performed in multiple dances, they had to be prepared while backstage, Cot-

tengim said.

“It was very intense due to so many quick changes during the show,” senior dancer and choreographer Julie Anne Masangcay said. “We had so many people getting nervous.”

For Masangcay, dancing is about passion, feeling the music within you, and showing how your skills have improved over time, she added. She faced challenges while teaching her routine, she said.

“There were times when my dancers would goof around,” she said. “As someone who’s choreographed dances a lot and taught a lot of dancers before, I’m firm when it comes to teaching it and making sure everyone knows what they’re doing.”

The first public performance the dance class had this year was at the Trojan Olympics rally on March 31, Cottengim said.

“A lot of them were really nervous for that, and then, once they performed, they were like, ‘Oh, this is really fun. I want to try it. I want to get ready for the recital now,’” Cottengim said.

It was hard to keep students on schedule, Cottengim said.

“The best part was seeing the kids work so hard,” Cottengim said. “Seeing them go from August of 2022, scared, nervous to even dance in front of their peers to be able to dance and put together a whole show.”

Courtesy of Heidi Shannahan Shannahan, pictured here sailing in Bora Bora, looks forward to travel.

Students performed in the May 2 recital after preparing since January.

Erick Johnson | THE UNION

Associate Principal Draeger returns to teaching

By Satvika Iyer

The first thing you see upon entering Associate Principal Skyler Draeger’s office is the large, colorful quilt that repurposes various class and Trojan Olympics T-shirts from the past 28 years. The quilt reminds Draeger of his commitment to MHS, he said.

“I was 23 years old when I started on this campus,” Draeger said. “I’m 51 now, so I’ve spent the better part of my adult life working with this school. What drew me here is what keeps me here: I love the students. There’s something different about Milpitas; it’s what gives me the energy to continue to do what I love.”

After student-teaching at MHS for two years, Draeger began teaching full time, serving as English department lead for several years before becoming an assistant principal. In the 2022-23 school year he was the associate principal, he said. Draeger will be leaving administration next year to return teaching Read 180 and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) next year, both specialized English classes, he said.

“I like the challenge and diversity of the administrative job,” Draeger said. “At the time that I made the shift from teacher to administration, I knew I needed to challenge myself, try something different. But I’ve sorely missed the classroom and having a depth of connection with students.”

With Draeger serving as acting principal when the interim

principals weren’t able to due to their retirement status, Draeger provided stability to the school in a unique year, Interim Principal Charles Gary said.

Since Gary is retired, he is limited to coming to school for only two days each for the last three months of the school year, he said. For the rest of the school days, the responsibility of being the face of the school and acting principal fell to Draeger.

“The only constant in all this chaos of change has been Mr. Draeger,” Gary said. “Coming to the end of the year, I had to work less days to keep my pension, and that’s where he stepped in. No one has spent more time on the job in a week, period.”

Draeger’s overflowing compassion and ambition for education is what stands out in his work ethic, Gary said.

“I was full-time principal when Draeger was a teacher, and he was a passionate, involved, and hardworking teacher,” Gary said.

When Draeger was a teacher, he misunderstood the all-consuming aspect of administration, he said.

“I thought that, as an administrator, I have more control over my time, but I found that I have less because I wasn’t prepared for all of the surprises that could drop,” Draeger said.

English department co-lead

Tonichi Lorenzana began teaching at MHS in 2013 when Draeger was the English department lead. To this day, he uses the curriculum that he and Draeger devel-

Student pilots soar to new heights in pursuit of their aviation dreams

By Stephen Huang

When students think about getting their licenses, most of them visualize the driver’s permit test or recall frantically finding a time slot at the local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). However, a few envision a license they can use far above the roads, thousands of feet up in the sky.

Junior Osborn Wang’s interest in flying started at a young age when he began watching YouTube documentaries about planes, he said. His interest was further piqued during his journey of achieving his Boy Scout Aviation Merit Badge.

“My scoutmaster is the manager of Reid Hillview Airport, so I was able to get a private tour there,” Wang said. “On multiple occasions, he would let me fly with him as a copilot on his own private plane.”

There are three types of pilot licenses: private, which can fly two to three passengers; commercial, which is required to be hired by airlines; and cargo, which is needed to transport freight and haul, Wang said. He plans to obtain a private pilot certificate but has paused his progress to focus on

oped for the support reading class Read 180. Draeger’s perspective coming back into the classroom is like zooming in on the broader picture, Lorenzana said.

“It’s like if someone knew all the theory and now they had to apply it in practice,” Lorenzana said. “Draeger is always open to learning, so I know the adjustment will be just fine.”

What stood out the most to Lorenzana about Draeger was his versatility in teaching, he said.

“There were times when Draeger taught classes that required him to create a new curriculum from scratch because no one else wanted to,” Lorenzana said. “That dedication of ‘I’m going to take on this new challenge’ is what I think when I think about Draeger’s impact at MHS.”

Draeger’s family was also a huge deciding factor in his decision to move back from administration to teaching, Draeger said.

“My daughter is a sophomore here, and I’m their ride (home),” Draeger said. “So, if I’m in a meeting until 9 p.m. on a school night, they are here too. As a single parent, it really put into perspective just how many hours I took from family time to do my job.”

When Draeger developed a sense of resentment towards his family for getting in the way of his work, Draeger knew he had to set boundaries, he said.

“I found that I wasn’t getting time for myself, and, sadly, this is something I know a lot of high schoolers can relate to,” Draeger said. “I love to mountain bike and spend time in coffee shops. I have a life outside of school.”

Draeger and his daughter are also in a close group of mothers and their children that camp and travel together, he said.

“In reality, a lot of my life has been spent at MHS, and I knew I would get more control of my time as a teacher,” Draeger said.

Focusing on family and doing what he loves is a conscious and much-needed step away from an action-packed seven years as an administrator, Draeger said.

“I’ve always been a department lead, a site leader, admin, the teacher running AVID or Read 180 for my entire career,” Draeger said. “I got into those things right from the start. This will be the first year where I don’t have a specific role, and I’m excited to find my niche wherever I can make the most impact.”

certain flight patterns and maneuvers, as well as different scenarios you may encounter during your flight,” Ramkumar said.

By Riya Vyas

After presenting a list of her ideas to the Milpitas Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Commission during one of their monthly meetings, chair of the Milpitas Youth Advisory Commission (YAC) and junior Rachel Plummer was invited to apply to the Milpitas Youth Advisory Commission (YAC) as a freshman, Plummer said.

YAC was created in 1996 to give young adults a greater role in public policy by advising the city council, according to the City of Milpitas government website.

“As a person under 18, you can only vote on a commision if you’re on the Youth Advisory Commission,” Plummer said. “Other commissions have non-voting positions because you can give feedback and insight, but you’re not an actual member. … I wanted to be able to really vote and have more of a voice than just giving my thoughts for other people to decide.”

The Commission has seven members and two alternates, who can vote if a regular member is absent, according to the Commission bylaws.

This year, the Commission organized the annual YAC Spelling Bee for elementary students, planted a shrub for Earth Day, and planned a coding competition that did not happen due to a lack of participation, YAC vice chair and freshman Crystal Huang said.

“I got the opportunity to emcee both divisions of the (spelling bee) competition,” commissioner and freshman Nia Gupte said. “I’m a little bit more on the shy side, and it just gave me time to overcome that fear of stage fright.”

In December 2022, YAC organized a charity coat drive to donate coats to a women’s shelter, YAC commissioner and senior

Commission

Natalie Chen said.

“The process kind of opened my eyes on the intricacies within government,” Chen said, “Even though it’s on a city level, it’s still made me see that it’s definitely complicated to get decisions passed.”

Part of the reason Plummer joined YAC is because she has a lot of ideas and is a passionate advocate for disability rights, accessibility, and inclusion of the queer community, she said. She believed working with the city would allow her to join a group of similarly passionate people that would help her ideas come to fruition, she added.

“We don’t want anyone who’s part of our community to feel like they’re not part of it,” Plummer said. “Organizing events and getting people involved — I think that’s a way to really give people a sense of purpose.”

Commissioners can renew their terms each year until they graduate from high school by filling out a form indicating their intention to renew, Gupte said.

According to the City of Milpitas website, positions are open to seventh to 12th-grade students.

“They should go ahead and do it (apply) if they feel like they want to voice their opinion,” YAC commissioner and MHS junior Vanessa Lam said. “Whether it be that they want to work on their own personal communication or just learn more about how the city works or organize events, Youth Commission is really good for that.”

Plummer advises applicants to show they are passionate about being involved in their communities and demonstrate a strong community service basis, Plummer said.

“There will always be people who will never be reached by us,” Plummer said. “We can still help some people. And that’s worth doing.”

school.

“I really enjoy the thrill of navigating through turbulence and witnessing incredible views above the clouds,” Wang said.

“However, I see flying more as a hobby than a career. I’m more interested in learning how these machines and vehicles work, and my goal is to become an astronautical engineer.”

After years of on-and-off training, Senior Akhil Ramkumar Ramkumar obtained his private piloting license in the summer of 2022, he said. Still, he is only about twenty-five percent of the way toward his main goal of becoming a commercial pilot.

“The next step for me is to fly alongside an instructor,” Ramkumar said. “Once I have my instructor certificate, I’ll start to gain hours until I reach the 1500 hours flight time requirement. After that, I need to pass the written test to be able to apply for airlines.”

Flight training is relatively time-flexible, Ramkumar said. It is not difficult balancing school and training, since the time spent on the airfield ranges from two to five hours per week.

“During training, you practice

Ramkumar plans to attend Florida Institute of Technology’s flight school, where he will be majoring in aviation management, he said. Afterward, he would like to work for United Airlines at San Francisco International Airport.

“In the long run, I hope to transition careers from the pilot field to commercial airline management so that I can start having some stability in my life as opposed to having a hectic schedule from flying all the time,” Ramkumar said.

Junior Thomas Woneis, who is also working towards a commercial license, was one of five winners of the Upwind Summer Scholarship in December 2022, he said. This nonprofit organization gives free flight training to juniors all across the Bay Area.

“They looked at my grades, my interest in aviation, and I also had to make a video about myself detailing why I think I’d benefit from the scholarship,” Woneis said. “After I got accepted, I still had another round of interviews at the San Carlos Flight Center, where a whole panel from their organization tests and judges your aviation knowledge before they make their final decision.”

The most challenging part

about obtaining a license is not actually flying, but doing the studying required in ground school, Woneis said.

“You’re doing hundreds of practice questions every week to memorize everything from how to navigate using a map to how to calculate the amount of fuel you need for a trip,” Woneis said.“It’s just like an AP class. There’s so much background knowledge that is just rote memorization that many people find challenging, and finding the time, especially as a high schooler, to learn more outside of school is certainly difficult.”

There are many different paths to becoming a pilot, Woneis said. He is choosing to opt out of college and directly attend the United Aviate Program because it is

the cheapest and fastest route, he explained.

“United and Southwest Airlines are my two top priorities to work as a commercial pilot in the future,” Woneis said. “Working there and being able to take people from place to place while visiting different destinations across the globe is a joy of mine.”

It takes a lot more than just having an interest in planes to be solid at flying, Woneis said.

“I think that’s what makes a good pilot is that they are fully into it,” Woneis said. “As soon as they get into their first flight, they just fall in love with the craft. They’re not scared of flying at all and that’s exactly how I am; I just feel comfortable in airplanes because I know how safe it is when I’m in control.”

Students contribute to government in city’s Youth Advisory

Courtesy of Upwind Summer Scholarship Program

Woneis sits in the cockpit of his training plane at the San Carlos Flight Center for the Upwind Summer Scholarship ceremony in July 2022.

Satvika Iyer | THE UNION Draeger stands in front of his patchwork quilt of Trojan merchandise.

Congratulations,

Laura Nguyen

Philip Nguyen

Preston Nguyen

Tam Nguyen

Tatum Reyes

Amritpal Gill

Peter Haro

Madilyn Kim

Arya Manjili

Dylan Mua

Justin Parrish

Arav Musale

Aaryahi Vaidya

Amy Zheng

Savannah Martinez

Gabrielle De Silva

Letizia Lee

Annalise Ho

Gabriel Carreon

Abdul Raufi

Tyler Trapsi

Thomas Nguyen

Tramanh

Hannah Nguyen

Ileana Perez

Jordyn Quiro

Gabrielle Rebalde

Ethan Rivera

William Shrum

Emily Simmons

Bipanjot Singh

Evan Singharath-Kim

Natalia Soto Guerrero

Ashley Tang

Audris Tang

Alyssa Tran

Fiona Tran

Nathan Tran

Zaynah Turabi

Angel Vargas

Kory Vu

Zexian Wenv

Zi Bin Zheng

Gabriel Farias

Ayah Abou-Jeyab

Aiden-Zachary Agustin

Kyle Alfar

Alirdha Almamori

Felicity Alvarado

Isaiah Asuncion

Ramachandra Bhagavathula

Matthew Blanco

Spencer Canio

Daniel Chang

Patricia Chang

Chester Cusi

Melyssa Ferrer

Phil Jonathan Fornoles

Isaiah Fortes

Landen Hermosura

Katlynn Ho

Mya Ho

Bill Huy

Christian-Josh Ison

Luc Juneau

Jimmy Kong

Jimmy Kong

Jimmy Le

Kahlen Le

Eris Magana

Iris Chung

Adithyasai Balasadi

Taija Warren

Sienna Cisneros

Ethan Pascua

Kohaku Sumida

Naomi Coriell

Arllete Alinea

Juzsh Mclaren Angeles

Marianne Antiporta

Helena Antolin

Bless Asuncion

Mikaela Asuncion

Diego Atwell

Zanroe Castro

Yadhira Gomez Alvarez

Aliyah Hendrix

Pauline Nguyen

Ariana Basco-Quinto

Ethan Bautista

Allysa Rose Benoza

Nathan Borcelis

Ryan Cao

Josue Casillas

Janelle Chen

Kara Chou

Alexis Comuyog

Ian Dang

Krizzy Deguzman

Matthew Diez

Mimi Huynh

Lyly Nguyen

Tanya Tran

Venus Zamora

Ashlyn Morales

Francine Samson

Ethan Do

Isaac Faria

Justin Hoang

Kaden Hoang

Andy Hua

Sebastian Kwong

Tammy Le

Tuyet Le

Justin Lee

Ansel Lim

Ming-Hui Lin

Benjamin Liou

Haotian Liu

Jada Loc

Nicholas Lu

Krizza Lugtu

Bao Ly

Diego Mackie

Huy Mai

Julie Anne Masangcay

Caleb Matheson

Alven Miao

Raquel Mier

Aileen Ngo

Charlie Ngo

Danny Nguyen

Dylan Nguyen

Evy Nguyen

Joanna Nguyen

Anita Matheson

Estrella Sophia Mayo

Gidalti Medina

Darin Nguyen

Lilanie Nguyen

Thi Nguyen

Trinity Nguyen

Jessica Phan

Daniel Reyes

Luna Robledo

Jaden Bono San Pedro

Elena Santillan

Angelique Sarantopulos

Arabelle Suba

Reagan Tran

Jelena Vogel

Joleen Ybarra

Anna Alekseyev

Maryam Ansari

Amberlynn Todd Portia Do

Stephen Huang

Tatyana Altman

Shreya Dhiman

Sierra Florez

Adrianna Gonzalez

Hanna Lam

Ketong Liu

Luis Magana

Kaliyah Mendoza

Uyen Nh Tang

Peter Wong

Crisanto Madeline (Linh) Le

Randy Aguilar

Madeline Toeller

Desiree Martin

Keira Barbieri

Akhil Ramkumar

Caitlin Nguyen

Sanvi Durbha

Immerse in nature around Bay Area hiking trails this summer

By Adrian Pamintuan

Hiking is a popular activity for both individuals and families. Here in the Bay Area, we’re gifted with some of the best nature trails in the state. While many students are familiar with local trails such as Mission Peak in Milpitas, or Alum Rock in San Jose, there are plenty of other hiking trails to visit this summer with varying ranges of scenery and difficulty.

One of the more familiar trails, Mission Peak combines the conve nience of proximity with a medi um-difficulty trek. I have hiked to the peak a couple of times in the past few years, once in the summertime and once in the fall. The weather is always an important factor when hiking no matter the location, but a good rule of thumb is to go early in the morning. Mission Peak during the summertime is not the most enjoyable hike due to the lack of shade; it’s particularly disappointing for those with heat intolerance, and because of the overall lack of major viewing points until you reach the end. With the trail being strictly uphill and the scenery being nothing beyond rolling hills, the trail is one-dimensional. Compared to many other trails that run through forests or are situated nearby streams or lakes, Mission Peak, in spite of its locality, is not the most dynamic option.

Alum Rock provides both a flat landing area in the forest for recreation, volleyball, and picnic areas, as well as waterfalls scattered across the mountainous terrain that surrounds the

landing zone. Due to the sheer amount of activities, it’s a great location to spend your summer if you’re looking to pair your morning hike with an after noon full of activities. Alum Rock ranks slightly above Mission Peak because of how much more greenery and shade there is, in addition to its dynamic loca tion that pairs both hiking conditions with strolls and leisure.

Alviso Marina County Park in San Jose has a popular trail to walk through, with the yellow-framed door being a notable attraction point for photos. The nine mile long trail spans across the Bay Area wetlands, marshes, and ponds paired with views of the mountains that provide a backdrop of Milpitas. Though the trail is mostly flat terrain, there are many bends in the path and calming views of the still water all around you. This trail is definitely on my list for this summer, especially for viewing sunsets. Moving farther down the South Bay, Castle Rock in Los Gatos is a hiking spot not for the weary, but provides some of the best mountain views and forest sceneries out of the locations on this list. The last time I hiked here was in 2019, and yet I can still remember how the cool forest air brushed my face as I balanced on a log. In addition, Castle Rock offers plenty of different routes ; the one that I chose provided quite a bit of forest shade throughout the trail, and the end of the trail offered a panoramic view of the Santa Cruz mountain range. For people looking to hike this summer, look no further than local trails.

Stay fresh with summer fashion trends

By Stephen Huang

After enduring months of re cord-breaking rain, wind, and cold, it’s time to enjoy the sun and get ready for the toasting Bay Area heat. But how should you dress for the warm er weather? Instead of settling for the lazy combination of a T-shirt with basketball shorts, take this time to experiment with different pieces that’ll spice up your wardrobe this summer.

Many people think the heat pre vents them from putting together a good outfit, but it’s actually an op portunity to try out different textures and materials that are better suited to warm weather. Experiment with piec es that offer a pop of color or texture through unique stitching, pockets, and materials like linen, chambray, and denim. Bamboo textile shirts, for example, offer an interesting wrinkle throughout the fabric that keeps the upper body cool and breathable while adding another dimension to your look.

One particular piece that I love is “jorts” or jean shorts. Instead of resort ing to sporty-looking typical summer shorts, this revived trend from the 90s and 2000s brings about a comfortable and laid-back rustic appearance, especially the baggy ones. The denim material gives the jorts a nice texture that

will keep your lower half from looking stale. Experiment with different seam lengths to find the specific measurement that suits your proportions. I prefer an inch below the knee.

When it comes to footwear, socks, and shoes can make or break your outfit. Without long pants that cover your socks in the winter months, shorts expose your shoes and socks to the world, making it crucial to your overall look. Invest in pairs with interesting patterns or colors to add another dimension to your outfit. High-top shoes are a good choice to balance out the proportions of your outfit. Classic options like Adidas Sambas, New Balance 550s, or Birkenstock Boston Clogs offer a more neutral-toned look than traditional Nike running shoes and Crocs.

Finally, accessories can take your summer outfit to the next level; they’re the cherry on top of all the hard work you spent building your outfit. From headphones to messenger bags, you have the opportunity to show off your accessories and make a statement. Bonnie and Clyde have amazing eyewear options. Mapleco and Etsy offer an extensive range of unique homemade jewelry from Mapleco.

Now that you have the A to Z on building the perfect summer outfit, don’t be afraid to experiment and put your personality into your clothes. You are sure to beat the heat -- in style.

Ultimate bucket list for graduating seniors’ summer after high school

By Albert Fung

Seniors, as your time in high school slowly comes to an end, many of you have probably asked yourselves, “What am I going to do after I grad uate?” Fear not, for before your adult life begins, you have the entire summer to do whatever you want. Here is a bucket list of six differ ent ways to spend your summer.

1. Travel to Cancun

Number two on USA Today’s most popular summer travel destina tions for two consecutive years, Can-

cun is a vibrant Mexican city known for its gorgeous blue seas and beautiful white beaches. A must-see for newcomers traveling to Cancun has to be the Chichén Itzá archeological site, which is a sacred Mayan site with over 1,000 years of history. If history’s not your thing, feel free to bask in the hot sun and brisk winds of the Playa Forum beach, a popular tourist attraction.

2. Take a walk through your local forest

“Being able to smell the fresh air and disconnect from the news and your

phone—there’s nothing like it,” said American Naturalist Jason Ward. The rapid technological advancement of society throughout the twenty-first century has sparked a phenomenon, a digital deluge, among teens across the globe. It’s easy to lose ourselves in the midst of all the overwhelming amounts of information easily accessible to us on our phones, but as recent high school graduates, you must remember to enjoy the greater beauties of life, namely in mother nature.

3. Work at an Ice Cream Shop

You scream, we scream, we all scream for — ice cream? That’s right. What could be better on a hot summer day than having access to dozens of delecta ble ice-cream flavors? Not only do you get paid to serve some scoops, but your unlimited access to the sweet treat will be sure to make all your dreams come true this summer. In addition, working at an ice cream shop can build your work resume early and can even help you network with your future po tential co-workers.

4. Take a personal finance class

Particularly for students that will be heading off to college or vocational school in the fall, the thought of financing all of that might be mind-boggling to you. Thankfully, the summer af-

ter high school is a great time to start learning all the basics of basic personal finance, saving, credit and debt, and maybe even investing are all great tools to begin your journey to financial security.

5. Learn the Ukulele

Learning the Ukulele is a fun and rewarding challenge that only requires a few hours a week. Before you know it, you will be able to play classics in no time from renowned pieces such as “Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole and “Let it Be” by The Beatles. Particularly for graduates who did not get the chance to learn an instrument in their younger years, learning the ukulele can be a great introduction to the wonders of making music.

6. Volunteer at your local nursing

As full-time adults, some students will soon be overloaded with the tons of responsibilities that come with adulting. But until then, your short break before college is a great way to learn to be more compassionate and kind to the community in which you grew up. Try volunteering at your local nursing home or community center for a change.

With that being said, that’s it folks these are six different ways to spend your summer.

A view of the Santa Cruz Mountains from a trail checkpoint in Castle Rock, Los Gatos.

Sunburn no more: Wear sunscreen to relax, enjoy worry-free fun in sun

By Tiffany Lieu

Sunburns and skin damage shouldn’t be barriers to enjoying time under the sun this summer. You can have fun while taking care of your skin by applying sunscreen with a higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) — a value that indicates the level of protection against sunburns, according to the Food and Drug Administration article titled “Sun Protection Factor (SPF).” The amount of options for sunscreen can be overwhelming at times, so I’m taking a close look at a few of them to make your shopping decisions easier.

1. Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance SPF 30 Lotion Sunscreen$12.89 at Target

This sunscreen is the best value on this list, but also has merits beyond that. Each bottle of sunscreen touts its cruelty-free and vegan classifications. As for the sunscreen itself, the vaguely tropical smell is appealing and the

smooth texture allows it to be applied and blended in very easily. Being a chemical sunscreen, the formula isn’t too thick and works by absorbing UV rays, according to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in an article titled “Mineral or chemical sunscreen: Which should you choose?” While the sunscreen has no apparent white cast, it does contain glittery bits of a mineral composite called mica meant to make your skin shine. Glittering under the summer sun is appealing at first, but quickly sours when you realize how difficult the glitter is to scrub off.

2. Cocokind SPF 32 Daily Sunscreen$24.99 at Target

Packed in a small bright yellow tube, Cocokind’s mineral sunscreen is the most expensive one on this list. Much like some of the oth er sunscreens on this list, the sunscreen is advertised as cruelty-free and vegan. Its

high price tag can be attributed to the company’s emphasis on sustainability — the tube, for instance, is made from sugarcane materials — but it can still be difficult to justify the price. Luckily, the sunscreen isn’t too difficult to spread even though it is a bit thick, so a little will go a long way.

“Mineral or chemical sunscreen: Which should you choose?” also states that mineral sunscreens create a physical barrier against UV rays, making them more effective than chemical sunscreens. However, this cre ation of a “physical barrier” does give this sunscreen a bit of a white cast.

3. Sun Bum SPF 30

Mineral Sunscreen Lotion - $17.49 at Target

Similar to Hawaiian Tropic, Sun Bum’s mineral sunscreen also advertises its cruelty-free and vegan status.

Being a mineral sunscreen, this sunscreen does leave a bit of a white cast — about the same level as cocokind’s sunscreen. Overall, it’s still easy to spread and contains a slight but

pleasant coconut smell. It is a fairly neutral option and could be a good first mineral sunscreen to try out.

4. Up & Up SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion - $11.79 at Target

As a part of Target’s generic brand, the cost of this bottle was comparatively low for a mineral sunscreen. However, there were clear failures in the formula. While the texture was relatively smooth, this sunscreen was difficult to blend in and left a very obvious white cast which may not be ideal for those with darker skin. Even after scrubbing at the sunscreen, it still took several days for it to fully fade.

Shake it up this summer with no-churn, homemade, simple-ingredient ice cream

By Savan Bollu

We all remember that sixth-grade science experiment where we shook a freezing cold Ziploc bag filled with ice, salt, and milk, hoping it would magically churn out ice cream — and most of the time, we ended up with a pile of mush. I decided to give this method another try with slightly different ingredients and spiced it up with toppings in hopes of producing a better-quality homemade ice cream perfect for summer.

Ingredients

1 cup half-and-half

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons sugar

3 cups ice

1/3 cup salt

Optional: desired toppings (e.g. chocolate chips)

Recipe (modified from Delish’s “Ice Cream In A Bag” recipe)

In a small, resealable plastic bag, mix half-and-half, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar. Remove excess air and seal. Make sure the bag is high quality, or you’ll end up with leaks and milk dripping all over your table like I did.

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine ice and salt. Salt will lower the freezing point of the ice so it stays cold as you shake the bag.

Place the small bag in the large bag. Shake vigorously for 5 minutes until the ice cream starts to harden. I recommend wearing gloves or switching back and forth with someone to protect your hands from the cold.

Optional: Open the bags and add desired toppings to the ice cream. I added pieces of chocolate chip cookies.

Reseal both bags and keep shaking until the ice cream has hardened. You should have enough ice cream to serve two or three people.

Note: If the ice cream doesn’t form, put the bag in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to cool the ingredients and resume shaking the bag afterward.

Review

The process of shaking the ice cream itself was laborious and painful because of the cold, even after taking turns with my sister, and it took much longer than expected for the ice cream to firm up. Even after about 20 minutes of shaking, the ice cream looked and tasted like

foamy, flavored milk. I ended up putting the mixture in the freezer overnight, and it was completely frozen in the morning, but still had a better texture than the night before.

Once I allowed the ice cream to thaw, it was much more creamy and smooth than store-bought ice cream. However, the cookie pieces that I added dissolved in the ice cream, so I’d recommend adding bigger toppings with more texture to cut through the otherwise silky texture of the ice cream. Also, get creative with the toppings! Customizing them instead of buying pre-made flavors from a store is one of the biggest advantages of making ice cream yourself. I love Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, so that’s next on my toppings-to-try list.

I had hoped that adding heavy whipping cream instead of just half-andhalf, which is typically what the school science experiments call for, would improve the consistency of the ice cream. However, it didn’t make a noticeable difference, so I recommend saving your money and just using half-and-half.

If you’re looking for a fun recipe to try this summer to make with ingredients already at home, get shaking!

Savan

Loving Hut presents lovable vegan takeout

By Sanvi Parvatikar

Rating: 4.5/5

When looking for a new takeout place for dinner, I stumbled upon a vegan Taiwanese restaurant called Loving Hut, located in the Milpitas Square shopping center. I was intrigued by the menu items, which provided alternatives to shrimp, beef, pork, and other meats using tofu, so I decided to give the restaurant a try.

I was impressed by the easy phone and online ordering processes. The website was easy to access as well, with an assortment of visually appealing foods and ingredients listed. However, the restaurant remains a bit on the pricey side so, if you’re looking for cheap takeout, Loving Hut is not the restaurant for you. My family and I decided to order bun hue ($13.95), a spicy noodle soup; pad Thai noodles ($13.95); “healthy brown rice” ($13.95), and an appetizer called spicy cha cha ($15.95), which included spicy vegan shrimp with an additional dipping sauce. Service was quick, with the order being completed for pick-up within 15 minutes.

I first tried the spicy cha cha with the dipping sauce it came with. It had a crispy texture, but I couldn’t quite feel the spice. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it with the sauce that added a cool flavor, almost similar to a ranch. There were eight pieces, and the vegan shrimp itself was a little filling, making for a good appetizer. The crunchy texture of the shrimp made up for the low spice levels. Later, upon revisiting the website, I realized that there is an option to decide the level of spice you would prefer, and because

I had not used this option, all of my foods were given the default spice levels because their default is mild. If I had to choose, I would have chosen the medium spice level, as someone who enjoys spicy food but has to consider the needs of other family members.

I especially enjoyed eating the bun hue noodle soup and the pad thai. Both dishes were uniquely flavored with equal parts of saltiness and spice. The vegan meat alternatives were slightly spongy, almost tasteless, but did not take away from the overall taste of the foods. The noodles were plain, and I was surprised that they came separately from the soup. What I ended up doing was pouring the soup and then the noodles into a large bowl and serving it to the rest of the family. The rice was less flavorful than the other foods, but the pineapples added a good touch.

I am glad I tried out the vegan-oriented restaurant Loving Hut, as it provides a variety of vegan options. The employee I had called over the phone was hospitable, even giving us the option to add pineapples to our fried rice for free. The fact that this restaurant was vegan did not detract from the taste and quality the restaurant held. As a vegetarian, I am used to looking for vegetarian restaurants, or at least restaurants with an accommodating menu, and this restaurant acted accordingly. While I would have preferred more spiciness in the foods, the overall texture and quality of the food made up for it. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a vegan-friendly restaurant to try out Loving Hut’s cuisine.

Aha Indian Cuisine serves underwhelming menu

By Riya Vyas

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

I first noticed the restaurant while driving down South Main Street. It was both jarring and intriguing. Although Main Street is no stranger to restaurant businesses popping up, I decided to give Aha Indian Cuisine a try.

Walking in, I was greeted with dim, warm lights that accentuated the bright orange restaurant walls and balloons resting against a ceiling decorated with flashing neon LED lights. It wasn’t the typical ambiance of an Indian restaurant, but the classical music and metal-engraved portraits on the walls made for an overall welcoming atmosphere, which I appreciated.

One of the first aspects that caught my attention were the mini plastic water bottles that sat on each table instead of the usual cups, which I attributed to the business still being new. However, as the waiter passed out unstapled paper menus, paper plates, and plastic utensils to members of my party, I began doubting their professionalism, wondering if the restaurant specialized in making

food for take-out and delivery. As a vegetarian, I appreciated that their menu was divided into vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and had a good amount of each. However, only a few marked items on the menu were actually available to order, which further diminished the restaurant’s professionalism.

We ordered cut mirchi ($8.99) as an appetizer and paneer tikka masala ($13.99), egg masala ($13.99), garlic naan ($2.50), and vegetable biryani for the entreé. The mirchi, a hot green pepper surrounded by a thick layer of flavored dough that was cut and fried, arrived pretty quickly. The dough was well-flavored and crispy with a soft interior, and the pepper itself was very spicy. Although the rich mix of flavors in the appetizer made me hopeful the rest of the food would be similarly tasty, it fell short of my expectations. The best order was the garlic naan, which had a delightfully crispy texture and strong garlic flavor. Unfortunately, when it came to the paneer tikka masala, the paneer-to-gravy ratio was poor, with too much gravy, a few

pieces of tough paneer, and more pieces of green and red bell peppers. The gravy was far too sweet and a bit too thin for my taste, and although the bell peppers were a nontraditional addition to the dish, they provided a welcome variation in the dish’s texture and flavor. The egg masala was a brand new dish to me, but it was bland and unpleasantly saturated with oil. The vegetable biryani never arrived, and the server said they hadn’t written it down, making it the last in a series of disappointments.

All the food was served in plastic takeout containers which took away from the restaurant dining experience. Although a few families came in during the time I was there to eat, the stacks of boxes in plastic bags near the back of the restaurant further indicated that the restaurant centered around takeout, which made me want to return to eat there even less.

Overall, the food and the dining experience were nothing special, and I would instead recommend sticking with your go-to local Indian restaurant if you’re looking for a hearty meal.

Tastiest summer ice cream places in Milpitas

By Sanvi Durbha

As we bid spring farewell and welcome in a hot summer, getting the scoop on the best places for a cold, refreshing treat is essential. I visited several ice cream shops around Milpitas on a mission to find the perfect place for a bite on a scorching day.

The first stop on my sugary tour around the city was Foster’s Freeze. Serving cones, sundaes, and much more since 1963, Foster’s Freeze is a classic Milpitas location that proves its prowess. There was ample outdoor seating with enough shade to enjoy a quick snack. Now onto the main event: I opted for a simple vanilla soft serve cone dipped in chocolate, which cost $2.39. The chocolate shell had a nice crunch and paired well with the light vanilla ice cream. The ice cream wasn’t overly sweet or rich, and I easily finished the small cone. The only thing to be aware of is how fast the ice cream melts. Within seconds of receiving it from the employee, it had already begun to drip. Overall, I give Foster’s Freeze a 8/10; it’s a great place to cool off with friends during the summer.

The next place I visited was Yogurtland. Yogurtland offers vanilla and chocolate soft serve ice cream

along with numerous rotational frozen yogurt flavors. I decided to keep it simple by filling my cup up with a generous swirl of vanilla ice cream and topping it with fresh strawberries, mango, and a chocolate-filled, rolled wafer cookie. The total amounted to roughly $8, but prices depend on weight and differ for every order. I took a seat inside and dug into my sweet treat. The ice cream was creamy and denser than their yogurt options with just enough sweetness. Compared to Foster’s Freeze, it melted slower and retained its thicker texture while I was eating. The ice cream has a classic vanilla flavor that will appeal to vanilla lovers or those looking for a neutral flavor to customize with toppings. Having the option to pair the ice cream with fruit was perfect in order to cut through the richness of the ice cream. Yogurtland gets a 8/10 and is perfect for those looking for ice cream or a lighter alternative.

Third on my list was La Dolce Vita Gelato in the Great Mall. Since this spot is located in a mall, it didn’t have its own seating area and is more ideal for shoppers looking for something to snack on while walking around. The location offered a wide variety of flavors from pistachio to “Super

Black Chocolate.” I chose to get one scoop of mint chocolate chip and was surprised by the hefty portion size. The gelato itself was decadent and creamy, but slightly on the sweeter side. The mint flavor was strong and the chocolate chips added a delicious variation of texture. It was a bit inconvenient to eat due to the lack of seating or tables which knocked my rating down a few points. Overall, La Dolce Vita Gelato gets 6/10 and is a good spot for avid mall shoppers.

My last destination was Sugar Mama Desserts. I was excited to try a new spot that I hadn’t heard of before, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Compared to the previous locations I tried, Sugar Mama Desserts offered a more unique flavor selection such as durian and vanilla pistachio crunch. After sampling a few flavors, I chose a scoop of black sesame brittle ice cream. The ice cream itself was rich with an earthy sesame flavor. The chunks of sesame brittle were a bit overbearing on their own, but were small enough to allow the ice cream to remain the star of the scoop. Sugar Mama Desserts was greatly enjoyable at a 9/10 and is the perfect location for those looking for a unique flavor to cool off with on a hot day.

Riya Vyas | THE UNION

Fosters Freeze’s soft serve ice cream dipped in creamy chocolate costs $2.39 and is not overly sweet or rich.

Sanvi Durbha | THE UNION

Courtesy of Loving Hut Pad

served with vegan meat, rice noodles, and vegetables.

Aha Indian presented a tasty garlic naan but bland egg and paneer masalas.

Rom-com ‘Rye Lane’ romances audiences

“Rye Lane,” director Raine Allen-Miller’s 2023 feature debut, is a charming romantic comedy-drama set in South London. The film follows two strangers, Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah), as they meet through a mutual friend and begin to fall for each other over the course of a day-long adventure. Dom is still devastated by the messy end to his long-term relationship while Yas attempts to hold her head up high as she navigates her own complicated breakup. The story of a chance encounter turning into a loving relationship is certainly not original, but the film still stands out with its bright color palette and unique execution of the cliched concept.

MOVIE

REVIEW

one-dimensional. Dom is a caricature of a person post-breakup, breaking into tears at random intervals. Yas on the other hand falls into the manic-pixie-dream-girl trope, with her cool demeanor and attempts to make Dom shake off his slump. However, their characters do become more nuanced as the movie goes on. For instance, Yas is able to reveal some vulnerability underneath her careless attitude.Nonetheless, the simplistic characterizations early on make many of their actions, including Yas’ vulnerability, predictable.

Album ‘Never Enough’ impresses with steady vocals, pleasant listen

RATING: 4 out of 5

By Sanvi Durbha

I was quickly struck by how playful the film is. The film is full of dry humor that draws unexpected, genuine laughs out of its audience. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s what seems to make the punchlines land.

The actors are able to seamlessly transition between being strangers and being in love in the span of a day, despite the two main characters being near-opposites. Jonsson and Oparah play off each other well and make the near-instant love feel entirely natural. However, the characters can still feel somewhat stereotypical and

Accompanying the wholesome script is a world of color. Nearly every scene in this movie, including the opening scene of Dom crying in a bathroom stall, is spectacularly colorful. The costume designers and set designers doused the film and its characters in flashy shades, but in a way that masterfully makes it all work together. The color choices don’t add to the depth of the film, but they certainly make it more engaging.

Additionally, music is important to Dom and Yas, and seemingly to the creators of “Rye Lane” as well, because the soundtrack is fantastic. Songs like “Rollerblades” by Kwes or “Memories” by Blue Lab Beats and other more obscure artists fit perfectly with the quirky, indie feel of the film. The only downside to the music is that the song playing during the end credits is unreleased, and thus very difficult to find.

On a more impactful note, the film is able to do justice to its diverse cast. “Rye Lane” is often cheesy and cliche, but it gives people of color — who are not often represented, especially in genres like these — a chance to experience all those campy tropes. Beyond that, the film avoids tokenizing or stereotyping its actors; the film is able to expertly and skillfully balance between not mentioning race and not making race the center of the plot. For instance, hip-hop pops up throughout the film and, with its themes surrounding racism and oppression, the music connects many of the Black characters without any of them needing to talk about those topics explicitly. In the universe that the writers have created, race gives context and color and depth to the world, but the characters are not bound by it.

“Rye Lane” is by no means profound or entirely unique, but it’s an undeniably fun watch that no one will regret seeing. Besides, who doesn’t like the guaranteed happy endings that romantic comedies provide?

Prior to listening to “Never Enough” by Canadian singer Daniel Caesar, I was only familiar with the singer’s 2017 smash hit “Best Part” featuring H.E.R, so I went into the singer’s third studio album expecting to hear the same laid-back, smooth sound.

I wasn’t disappointed, as the album opens with Caesar’s falsetto gently singing to barely-there synths on “Ocho Rios.”

As the track progresses, a simple drum pattern kicks in along with an acoustic guitar and a light chorus of background vocals while Caesar dips into a deeper voice.

Next on the tracklist is “Valentina,” one of my personal favorites. Caesar’s voice dances over an effortless, stripped-back R&B instrumental in a great follow-up to the intro. The song has a steady pace that was fast enough to pique my interest after a very slow start to the album, but not so fast as to divert from the relaxing tone set by “Ocho Rios.” A dreamy synth slowly pulsates in the back, complimenting Caesar’s slow, airy vocals and the gentle rolling bass. At two minutes and 34 seconds, the track is the perfect length, as any shorter would’ve left me wanting more while a longer song could’ve quickly become drawn out.

The next few tracks are enjoyable and include songs like “Let Me Go” that showcases Caesar’s stronger vocals paired with background vocals that melds into the instrumental.

A steady “ooh” adlib becomes one with the simple, reverberated guitar melody and is reminiscent of a lullaby in the best way possible. Short interjections of a chirpy vocal punctuate each stream of “oohs”’ and provide a slight upbeat vibe to the track.

Songs like “Shot My Baby” and “Buyer’s Remorse” seem like an attempt at experimenting outside of the signature sound of “Never Enough” with mixed results. “Buyer’s Remorse” opens with stylistically autotuned vocals over an extremely plain instrumental and similar dreamy background vocals to previous tracks. Unfortunately, the beat comes in too late, making the song feel anticlimactic with a feature from Omar Apollo that doesn’t add anything to the track. On “Shot My Baby,” however, stronger percussion, vocals, and guitar creates a darker sound with more power behind it that isn’t displayed in many other tracks. A few tracks feel like filler songs with similar sounds and bland production that never managed to grab my attention. They don’t take away from the album enough to greatly affect my rating, but slightly narrowing down the tracklist would’ve bumped the project to a five out of five. Overall, “Never Enough” is a great introduction to Daniel Caesar and a well-rounded album. The general tone of the album is simple and acoustic, making it perfect for studying or going on long car rides. Transporting me to a relaxed state of mind with only a few shortcomings, “Never Enough” is easy-listening almost at its peak.

NDom (David Jonsson), left, and Yas (Vivian Oparah), right, walk, talk and foster their budding romance.

Aster makes brilliant return with ‘Beau is Afraid’

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

By Riya Vyas

Ari

Aster, writer

horror films

and

“Hereditary”

director of the

and “Midsommar,” takes a break from the horror genre to weave a more anxiety-inducing story in his latest surrealist film, “Beau is Afraid,” which was released on April 21.

The movie centers around the guilt-ridden, blubbering protagonist Beau Wasserman (Joaquin Phoenix) as he struggles through unbelievable, nightmarish scenarios on his way to his abusive mother’s funeral. Beau narrowly avoids death at every turn and witnesses countless atrocities while grappling with his emotions and memories of his childhood. The film is about guilt and the impact of abuse.

From the opening scene, a childbrth filmed from the disturbing point of view of the baby being born, it’s clear that sound plays an instrumental role in telling the story. The beginning of the movie takes place in a city riddled with senseless violence, and there is a ceaseless, muffled shouting offscreen that places the view-

er in Beau’s position to feel his anxiety and see his errant world perceptions. The effect is chilling and ominous, creating a constant dreadful anticipation that is made all the worse by the horrific scenarios that take place. Beau is afraid, and so are you.

The constant bombardment of noise makes the silences all the more impactful. For instance, when Beau is on the phone with his mother, the periods of extended silence are even more excruciating to witness than some of the bloody, gory scenes in the movie.

The camera stays still for most of the movie instead of following the characters’ movements, drawing attention to the movie’s many absurd and terrifying settings.

Wasserman, Beau’s mother, gives a stunning performance. Back straight, lips pursed, and voice venomous, LuPone turns into the epitome of an abusive mother. Her monologues are entrancing, making the viewer both sympathize with and despise her.

The movie’s writing finds the right balance between being absurd and surrealist without venturing into artsy pretentiousness. The plot is a comprehensible, if somewhat convoluted and long-winded, allegory for grappling with guilt and seeking truth. Each time I thought the tables would turn in Beau’s favor, the plot only spiraled further downward, becoming more absurd and horrifying. There are moments of reprieve and wry humor, but they are mostly overshadowed by the darkness that permeates the film.

Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) looks at the latest nightmarish threat with the terrible anxiety that characterizes his character for much of the movie.

Phoenix delivers a phenomenal performance as the mumbling, hand-wringing, wretched Beau. His face seems etched in a permanent sorrowful state with eyebrows furrowed and mouth barely opening to speak. His tone of voice is soft and unsure, accentuating the character’s pathetic and insecure nature that simultaneously shows the harrowing effects of his mother’s abuse and makes him difficult to root for.

Patti LuPone as Mona

In its essence, beneath all of its outlandishness, “Beau is Afraid” is a deeply human film. It is about a man stuck in boyhood, grappling with loneliness, and struggling to forgive himself for guilt unfairly imposed upon him. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a thought-provoking, imaginative movie.

RATING: 4 out of 5

By Tiffany Lieu

Courtesy of Vox

Thespian showcase bites off more than audience can chew in original ‘Lemons’

By Satvika Iyer

“Lemons,” a collection of ten short, sour, and satirical pieces written, directed, and performed by the Milpitas Thespian Troupe, debuted on April 27. The showcase tied fantastical, humorous pieces that tackled themes of capitalist greed and racism together with the recurring motif of lemons. While the reason for lemons as the centerpiece was unclear, it was engaging to have a strand of continuity between the pieces.

The showcase was both impressive and disorganized. The show began 20 minutes late, but the sincere, albeit awkward, acting made up for it.

Kenneth Tsau, Ally Klaydman, and Eden Onalfo were standout performers. In “Loman’s Lemons,” written by Alina Ly, the gag comedy was key, with Loman (Eden Onalfo) biting into full lemons and drinking pure lemon juice throughout the piece to keep the audience engaged with puckered faces.

In “The Ups and Downs,” which was written by Andrew Zhu and directed by Rachel Plummer and Aaliyah Onalfo, the already strained marriage between Ricardo (Kenneth Tsau) and Emilio Limun (Nitin Ramesh) is further complicated by the unethical practices of Ricardo’s lemon corporation, Emilio’s obligation as a human rights advocate, and the failing of the Citrus Bank. The well-researched and business-jargon-filled script was hard to follow and lacked payoff, but was an informative perspective on the role of corporations in bank collapses and a formidable attempt to fit a complex storyline with a nod to current events in just ten minutes.

The highlight of the collection was the final act, “Lemon Quest,” in which Sofia Williams starred as a one-woman-epic as Tina, Bea, the Dark Lord, Dragon, and Snake. In a skit prior to the final act,It was clear that the entire production was well-loved by the cast and crew, with student directors passionately introducing

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each piece and giving insight into making of the production. Set design was prevalent in the shorter acts, like the functional lemonade stand in unique musical and ensemble piece “A Lemon a Day Makes the Boy Go Away” by Aaliyah Onalfo. Another unique addition to this showcase was the online skit “Writing is a Lemon,” filmed and edited by Iris Chung. The YouTube iMovie skit format was much smoother than the live performances, but also put the advantages of in-person theater into perspective. The acting in the YouTube skit reminded me of a school project, and came off as an afterthought of the production.

Writing, and performing a collection of this caliber is difficult, and the relative success is a testament to the troupe’s passion. While the show started 20 minutes late, and the performance had its share of dialogue lost in delivery, the “Lemons” collection was a step in the right direction, away from the past, repetitive productions.

‘Renfield’ explores lost character

By Sidhant Burela

Set in present-day New Orleans, “Renfield” follows the story of an often unknown character in the “Dracula” universe, Robert Montague Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), and his complicated relationship with his master, Dracula (Nicolas Cage).

‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ recalls childhood memories

By Ruby Bui

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” released on April 5, sparked feelings of comfort and nostalgia in audiences, including myself, by incorporating various elements of the Super Mario games, which many played during their childhood. The movie captures video game characters that we all know and love, including Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy).

The film begins with the Mario brothers seeking recognition as plumbers while they grow exhausted from being belittled. Shortly after discovering an opportunity to gain praise and gratitude from the city by fixing a water main, they enter the sewers and eventually get sucked into an alternate world where King Bowser seeks to overthrow Princess Peach’s kingdom to gain her love. Ultimately, it is up to the Mario brothers to help save this alternate world.

As the trend of casting celebrities as animated characters grows in the film industry, we continue to see more big names

in animated movies, as we do in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Several characters are voiced by celebrities, such as Jack Black as Bowser and Chris Pratt as Mario. Some have criticized Pratt’s voice acting, claiming that it doesn’t suit the Mario character. Although I didn’t have much of an issue with it because the movie was overall enjoyable, I’d have to agree that Pratt’s voice for Mario takes away from the character. Everyone knows Mario has a strong Italian accent and a distinct voice, which we don’t see in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” I was slightly thrown off by this at the beginning of the movie, but the voice acting didn’t bother me as it progressed.

Seeing how directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic put together different aspects of the Super Mario video games was impressive. The scene with various lucky blocks influencing the outcome of Mario’s fight against Donkey Kong was not only entertaining but also hilarious, considering that he transformed into Lucky Cat Mario—cute yet deadly. Overall, watching these aspects come alive was a rollercoaster of bittersweet nostalgia, making me miss the simplicity of my childhood.

Undeniably, the graphics and animation done by Illumination Studios Paris were astounding. The detailed shadows and vibrant colors throughout the movie exceeded my expectations and created not only an exciting watching experience but an aesthetically pleasing sight for the eyes as well.

However, I had one slight letdown—the abrupt ending. The plot definitely could have been fleshed out, considering how much work was put into meticulously adding details from the Super Mario video games, such as the kart racing scene inspired by Mario Kart. The jump from intense fighting and obstacles to a sudden happy ending felt unfulfilling, and I would have preferred a consistently gradual progression.

Overall, I left the theater impressed and satisfied. The film had nearly every aspect of what I consider to be a great movie, including evoking emotions in the audience, beautiful visuals, and a creative plot, despite the ending lacking interest slightly. While watching, I was reminded of how I grew up playing the video games reflected in the movie that are now considered old. This movie is a must-watch for those who grew up playing the Super Mario games.

In traditional stories, Renfield is simply known as Dracula’s servant, doing the dirty work for Dracula and essentially following all of Dracula’s orders, unable to express his own needs. The theme of freeing yourself is a recurring topic for the movie, with Renfield trying to take back his own life and free himself of his codependent relationship with Dracula by distancing himself.

throwback to Dracula’s classic look with a cape and top hat. Cage’s portrayal of Dracula created a sense of anxiety every time he was on the screen. From his snakish movements to his manipulative monologues, Cage showed a version of Dracula that was completely different to previous depictions of the character, such as Bela Lugosi who played Dracula in the classic “Dracula.”

MOVIE REVIEW

The visual effects were incredible. From Count Dracula turning into a swarm of bats and smoke to the unrealistic but gory violence, the movie took every opportunity it had to show off its visuals.

Aside from the visual effects, I found myself equally impressed with the costume designs. The detail and physicals of Dracula were spot on. Dracula’s skin complexion was pale white due to his inability to come in contact with sunlight, and the costume itself was a

While the movie does have a lot of enjoyable aspects, I did not appreciate the disconnected plotlines. The movie also follows a police officer, Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), and her desire to bring the killers of her father, the Lobo Mob, to justice. While this side plot does contribute to the larger story, I found myself unable to connect with Quincy in the same way I connected with Renfield. This led to Quincy’s and Renfield’s eventual meet up in the movie to feel incredibly abrupt, as the the two seem to kick it off almost immediately without then spending much time on the screen together. “Renfield” provides a fresh perspective on the classic universe of Dracula. Although the plot is disconnected at times, I still found myself drawn in with the visuals and acting and would recommend this film to anyone wanting a good chuckle.

Renfield (right) nurses Dracula to health (left) by bringing

Mario and Princess Peach wander through the mushroom forest on their journey to find the Kong army.

Ricardo (Kenneth Tsau) and Emilio Limun (Nitin Ramesh) contemplate their marriage after the Citrus Bank collapse in “The Ups and Downs.”

Satvika Iyer | THE UNION

Varsity softball team reflects on inseparable bond that helps them strike away competition

By Ruby Bui

The MHS varsity softball team’s winning record is 21-4 as of May 11 and they are currently on a six-game winning streak, according to MaxPreps.

The team consists of many players who have played travel softball together for years, varsity softball player junior Priyah Quinonez said. This prior knowledge of playing softball makes the team more experienced than others, she added.

“A lot of us are seniors now, so this is the last year where we really know we can win something and make a name for ourselves,” Quinonez said. “A lot of our team has grown up together in travel ball. We’ve spent about seven years together all around plus the years of high school, so I think that we all know each other extremely well and have that same goal in the long run.”

Each player is skilled individually, which has played a role in the team’s success throughout the season, varsity softball player senior Jayden Vai said. Despite good and bad moments, they are still able to work well together, she added.

“Trusting each other is a big part of it because you have to have trust in your teammates in order for you all to do well,” Vai said. “We do all trust each other,

no matter what the circumstances are.”

What makes the team unique from other schools and teams is the strong bond and chemistry between each player, which is shown in their efforts to have fun together and not center every moment together around softball, Vai said.

“I think we’re doing pretty well,” Vai said. “Because our chemistry is so strong and we’ve had the same team since last year, we didn’t really skip a beat. “

This year’s new freshman players contribute greatly to the strength of the team, and there are many more players now than there were last year, varsity softball player senior America Irineo said. These new players include Chloe Cabrera, Kaelyn Cunanan, and Dominique Walker, she added.

“The elements are in our favor,” Irineo said. “There are certain people that weren’t here before that make the team more powerful — not only physically but emotionally too. We’re all very into it and we’re determined.”

Some of the most enjoyable aspects of playing softball at MHS are the diversity and the uplifting and positive atmosphere, Irineo said.

“Usually, when we go to different schools, they (the students) don’t really look like us,” Irineo

said. “We have a lot of diversity in our team, which isn’t something you usually see.”

During the season, the players’ biggest hardship was overcoming the fear of not performing to their expectations, Quinonez said. It is a given that not every game will be perfect, she added.

“Our coach put on a documentary and the biggest quote we learned was, ‘If your fear is being scared of striking out, then you can’t ever overcome it without overcoming the fact that you’re not going to be perfect all the time,’” Quinonez said.

However, Irineo feels that there haven’t been any major obstacles during the season since the team was connected from the start, she said.

“If there are any obstacles that we have faced, we’ve always overcome them within the day that it happens,” Irineo said. “There’s never really been something that has been weighing down on our shoulders.”

The team has various shared goals written in their dugout, which they will review at the end of the season to see if they have been met, Quinonez said.

“Our team goal for this year is to go back-to-back for league champs,” Quinonez said. “Right now, we’re on the roll for that. We have to just keep consistently winning.”

Girls flag football to arrive in fall of upcoming school year

By David Rendon

On Feb. 3, 2023, California officially made flag football a girls’ high school sport for the 20232024 school year, ABC news reported.

MHS plans to have flag football next year in some capacity, Athletics Director Joanna Butcher said. Despite the addition of girls flag football, football will remain a co-ed sport, she added.

“Our plan and intent is to offer it in the fall and put information out and see what comes back,” Butcher said. “We just don’t know if there’s going to be an official league or if it’s going to be considered an exhibition.”

To get the funding, the athletics department would either need to look for grants or ask the district for additional funding, Butcher said.

“It’s seven-on-seven; they’re suggesting 15 people, which is why I felt like we could field the team,” Butcher said. “They don’t play the full 100 yards. They’ve got some no-run zones and different things like that,” she added.

The team would likely practice on the soccer field after school, Butcher said. It is currently being discussed if the games would be at nighttime or if they would be right after school, she added. The sport currently has a lot of outside support, Butcher said.

“We know that the 49ers are definitely behind this movement; Nike’s behind it and said that they want to support schools and bring flag football into the school,” she said.

It would be a great idea to have flag football, freshman Kaelyn Cunanan said. Cunanan, who

played powerpuff this year, would love to play flag football as an official sport at MHS, she said.

“I think our school as girls are very athletic, and I feel like it would be a great way for every class to bond,” Cunanan said. “I know that the football team attracts a lot of audiences, and I think it should be the same for girls.”

Part of the appeal for Cunanan is that flag football isn’t a contact sport, unlike football, Cunanan said. She also likes that it allows girls to try playing a sport that’s perceived as being for boys, she said.

The last girl to play football on the varsity team was Alexis Ranger, Butcher said. According to Maxpreps, Alexis Ranger-Dunbar last played on the MHS varsity football team as the kicker in the 2018-2019 season.

Junior Jasleen Dhaliwal, who also played powerpuff this year, believes that students would be interested in seeing flag football offered as an official sport at MHS, she said.

“It (powerpuff) was a lot of fun because I was playing with my friends, and it was nice just because it was a different type of sport,” Dhaliwal said. “If I had time in my schedule for it (flag football), I would definitely sign up just because I had so much fun.”

Dhaliwal said she felt it was a little insulting that flag football is limited to just girls.

“I know some girls would play football,” Dhaliwal said. “Having flag football be soft, it’s just kind of reciprocating society’s thoughts on how girls are softer than boys.”

Sibling athletes support, challenge each other

For some, sports can be a hobby, as many students utilize sports as learning experiences and ways to pursue their passions. This experience can be amplified by having a sibling involved in the same sport, as shared experiences can serve as a way to grow and improve through the support and encouragement of a family member.

Senior Phu Le and sophomore Tuongvi Le both participate in wrestling, but their two-year difference gave the younger of the two a slight advantage, Phu Le said.

“I think they (our experiences) have been similar even though I started earlier in the sport,” Phu Le said. “I kind of started her off, while I kind of had to go through a learning curve on my own, but I got to teach her a lot of the initial process.”

The younger of the two described her wrestling experience over the last two years as constantly improving, and she is grateful to have been continuously coached by her older brother, Tuongvi Le said.

“(Wrestling) can be really difficult and challenging

at times, and the progress is never linear,” Tuongvi said.

One of the fondest memories that the siblings shared together occurred towards the end of this year’s season, when both of them won their matches, Phu Le said.

“We were at CCS (Central Coast Section) championships in Watsonville, and our matches to qualify for state were right after each other, so we couldn’t really watch each other because she was on the other side of the gym,” Phu Le said. “She qualified first, and then a few seconds later I won my match and we both got the tickets to go to state.”

Another pair of siblings, senior Alex Althouse and junior Jordan Althouse, are brothers who are on both the track and field and cross country teams, and their experiences together have been beneficial, Alex Althouse said.

“I wanted to try something new with running, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Alex Althouse said.

As a result of the grade gap between the two brothers, Jordan was heavily influenced by Alex’s decision to participate in the cross country and track and

field team and joined shortly after he started attending high school, Jordan Althouse said.

“I started in my freshman year just because Alex was doing it, and I decided that I liked it when I realized that I actually had potential in the sport,” Jordan Althouse said.

Both brothers believe that their relationship has helped teach them to train harder and achieve continuous progress, Jordan Althouse said.

“I do think that being related and living in the same home has helped us push each other mentally and physically,” Jordan Althouse said.

Alex Althouse believes that his and Jordan’s shared experiences have trained them to push each other to do better, and they have taken advantage of similar opportunities and attended a majority of the same competitions. he said.

“Me and Jordan go pretty much everywhere together, and the opportunities to run are the same as well,” Alex Althouse said. “If one of us goes to a new level in the sport, we both know that the other is not far behind in making that same jump.”

Girls Varsity softball team gathers to pose in uniform on the MHS field as Destiny Solis holds their trophy.

Courtesy of Stan Szeto

Courtesy of MHSTrojans Juniors compete with sophomores in a September powerpuff game.

Courtesy of Tuongvi Le

Tuongvi Le (left) and Phu Le (right) pose in their wrestling uniforms.

By Angelina Barnes

Varsity boys swim to CCS, explore team dynamics

By Satvika Iyer

For the second year in a row, the boys varsity swim team qualified for the annual California Interscholastic Federation Central Coast Section (CIF-CCS) Championship, according to team captain senior Howard Chen. Qualifying for both the men’s 200 medley relay and men’s 200 freestyle relay, the team ended their season in 55th place out of the 60 teams at the section preliminaries, according to swimcloud.com.

The qualifying relayers were team captain senior Howard Chen, senior Tao Chong, senior Aaron Nguyen, junior Andre Garcia-De Leon, and sophomore Kai

Pham, Nguyen said.

The team followed a regimen that spanned the entire season and led up to the league finals in order to earn their qualification, Chen said.

“We were experimenting throughout all the meets to see who had the fastest time, and then we tested our best bet for qualification at leagues,” Chen said. “At that point, we tapered, lessening our swim amounts and getting a little bit more rest to swim our best at leagues. We shaved and wore tech suits to be the fastest we could, and just threw the fastest guys on the team to the relay and hoped we would get the time.”

While getting the right time

is an individual battle, the relay with three other hardworking swimmers reminds Nguyen that it’s a team effort, Nguyen said.

“The connection with the team felt stronger because we were all striving to get that CCS time,” Garcia-De Leon said. “This year, we could actually try for two events and everybody really worked hard for that qualification.”

This season, the morale was high and the goals were clear, Chong said.

“Qualifying for and swimming at CCS has always been one of the greatest goals I’ve set for myself in high school, so being able to finally make it in my final year

has been such a rewarding experience,” Chong said. “I finally get a sense of accomplishment and feel that the work I put in has paid off.

Unlike last year, the team learned the importance of navigating the mental game of swimming with help from teammates, Nguyen said. Nguyen made a conscious effort to praise everyone, especially underclassmen, he said.

“When we make sure people are always having fun, we can be more sure of success,” Nguyen said. “I wanted to swim in the first place because I saw my brother making friends and improving his technique, and I really wanted the swim team to feel like a place

we all were improving.”

After qualifying for CCS, the team was realistic about their odds for qualifying for the finals and decided to enjoy their time at the championship by giving everyone a chance to swim, Chen said.

“Since only 16 out of 60 teams can qualify for day two of CCS, we already knew that we were just there to have fun and represent the school,” Chen said. “Our coach let whoever didn’t get to swim at leagues swim at CCS, so everyone had fun. In the future, the team can start aiming higher and trying to qualify for the top 16. They are capable.”

Chen and Garcia-De Leon were a part of the CCS relay team last year and decided to allow underclassmen to take their spot and swim at the preliminaries, Chen said. Since one day’s times can be the difference between being a part of the CCS relay or not, Chen and Garcia-De Leon decided to take it into their hands to recognize their teammates’ hard work.

“We chose the swimmers for the event with the computers’ fastest times on one day,” Garcia-De Leon said. “But honestly, that sophomore (Nakul Warrier) that I gave it to, I felt like he was working harder than I was, and I just got it because I had a faster time on the computer once.”

For Chen, it was an obvious choice to give his spot to Justin Lee, a freshman, who he wanted to recognize for his consistent, hard work, he said.

“Last year, I got to see the two seniors I’ve been swimming with since I was a freshman just end off their whole career on a high note at CCS, and I think that qualification meant more to me,” Chen said. “This year, qualifying felt like a reaffirmation as a swimmer, but I knew I wanted to give opportunities to other people.”

Courtesy of Kristina Lam

Senior Aaron Nguyen, senior Howard Chen, sophomore Kai Pham, and junior Andre Garcia De Leon rest with the team after swimming a relay.

Science Olympiad ends season at state competition

FROM PAGE 1

“There’s knowledge events that are just straight tests. There’s hybrid events that have a build and a test. There are build events where they build something and then take it to the competition, and then there are lab events — hands-on lab events, where they have to do a lab at the competition as part of their test.”

All 23 events are split among the 15 students on each team, Meyer said. The specific teams can vary in each competition; MHS sent three teams to compete at regionals, but only the top team was able to qualify for the state competition, she added.

“They start in the summer when their events are released,” Meyer said. “The students practice on Saturdays and after school and work like crazy,” she said.

The final level of competition

after the state competition is nationals, but only the top team from each state advances to this stage, co-public relations officer and junior Jaina Gandhi said.

“California is such a big state, it’s actually split into two,” Gandhi said. “From states to Nationals, only one team from NorCal and one team from SoCal would go.”

Persevering through online competitions was a major challenge, Gandhi said. Because these competitions were accessible nationally, it was difficult to place in events and it could become discouraging, she added. However, placing well at in-person competitions, such as Bird Science Olympiad (BirdSO), became a highlight of the season, she added.

“Our first trophy this season was going to BirdSO,” Gandhi said. “At the time, it was the first trophy we’d gotten in a while, and also it was the first travel compe-

tition that we’d been to in a bit, so that was a really special moment.”

The Science Olympiad team was very motivated and their sense of camaraderie helped drive them, Tyagi said.

“What kept me in SciOly was definitely that sense of belonging,” Tyagi said. “Something that we take pride in is trying to make everyone feel welcomed and accepted and trying to give everyone a chance to explore the events that they find enjoyable and feel included in our community,” he said.

The students in Science Olympiad worked together well and always showed their support for each other, Alvelais said.

“They’re a very special group,” Alvelais said. “They worked really hard; they set a goal and went after it. They’re just kind of a special, magical group.”

Bathrooms to get air sensors

FROM PAGE 1

“The bathrooms are supervised at times to make sure students are safe and behaving appropriately,” Hutchison said. “But it is a private location as it should be. So this (sensor) just gives us an extra level of peace of mind knowing that we are doing our due diligence to ensure student safety.”

Many bathrooms have been locked during certain times of the day due to vandalism, Hutchison said. Her hope is that the installation of these sensors will be the next step to keeping bathrooms open again, she said.

“It’s sad to me that a few of our students make decisions to prank and vandalize things in the bathrooms without understanding the full magnitude of what happens as a result,” Hutchison said. “The financial cost to the school has been very significant, which takes money away from other areas that could be actually benefiting students more.”

Hutchison and Assistant Principal Jonathan Mach, who are working with Jordan to govern student safety, announced the project during the School Leadership Team (SLT) meeting in April, Harrison said. As a co-department lead, Harrison was one of the first staff members to be informed of the sensors, he said.

“I previously put a fire out in our bathroom,” Harrison said. “Students used to let the paper towel hang down the dispenser, and they would light it on fire there or they would light it and throw it in the garbage can, which is why we don’t have paper towels

Kulkarni secures $5K in grant money for new water bottle refill station on campus

By Albert Fung

Senior Vaibhavi Kulkarni was recognized for securing a $5000 grant for a new refrigerated water bottle refill station at MHS at the April 18th MUSD board meeting.

The idea of the project first came to her from the role she held on the Valley Water Youth Commission, Kulkarni said. In her role, Vaibhavi worked on a variety of projects including a campaign to educate the youth on the importance of water conservation, she added.

Kulkarni started the process of applying for a grant in her sophomore year. During this time, the school was completely virtual due to the pandemic, and as a result, establishing communication between the organization and the district was difficult, Kulkarni said.

“It was really hard to link those two organizations, and forge that bridge between them,” Kulkarni said. “But once the communication was established, and both the parties knew about the project, my application was submitted,” she added.

Challenges relating to the various staff changes at both MUSD and Valley Water prolonged the project’s progress, Kulkarni said. The new bottle station did not get built until her senior year, Kulkarni added.

“I really wanted this process to happen earlier during COVID so that it didn’t really disrupt any student’s activities,” Kulkarni said. “But it did happen this year, and I’m grateful for that.”

MUSD Maintenance Operations and Transit (MOT) supervisor Abner Ames said that the MOT team works closely with school officials in the purchasing and installation of these water bottle stations for the district.

The district-wide project of installing refrigerated water bottle

stations across the elementary, middle, and high schools began right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ames said.

“We started with a couple of elementary schools, and we got very positive feedback because the kids had access to a cool, cold source of water for the bottles,” Ames said. “Based on the recycling program that we have in place, we decided that it was a good thing for us to provide bottle filling stations rather than continue to have the kids bring their own plastic bottles.”

Students at MHS have reacted positively to the water bottle station recently installed in the vending machine complex next to the E building, Kulkarni said.

“The last time I visited, there’s this little screen on this station that says how many bottles, and I was so proud to see about 1000

bottles have been saved over the span of two months that the station has been installed,” Kulkarni said. “I think the student body has taken this really positively; they’re actually using the station.”

The water bottle stations around MHS have been convenient to junior Arjun Pai, especially since he participates in track and field, Pai said.

In the future, Kulkarni believes the school will invest more money into these water bottle stations, she said. Promoting the use of reusable water bottles will save a lot of plastic, she added.

“Overall our campus would be more beautiful, and it would contribute more to the environment,” Kulkarni said. “I think it’s definitely a great idea if we have more stations in the future,” she added.

anymore.”

Other schools in the district have already installed the sensors and found them very effective in improving safety on campus, Hutchison said.

“I imagine the rationale behind it (the sensors) is fear of being under surveillance,” Harrison said. “If students go into the bathroom and they know that the sensors are there and working, it’ll discourage them from committing a crime in the bathroom.”

Senior Miguelangel Padilla is doubtful the sensors will be an effective deterrent to smoking and vaping.

“They (smokers and vapers) would just move out of the bathrooms and onto campus,” Padilla said. “Especially since MHS can get pretty windy, you wouldn’t really be able to smell it outside. Or if you can, it’s pretty dispersed, so you won’t know where it’s coming from. Plus, I’ve seen people smoke before on the edges of campus.”

Youth smoking is chronic and has no permanent solutions, Harrison said. The more serious issue is that the secondhand smoke enclosed in tight spaces risks respiratory health and may be laced with fentanyl or other lethal drugs, he said.

“If kids are going elsewhere on campus into an open area, the secondhand smoke will not be as impactful or harmful,” Harrison said. “I don’t think kids are intentionally trying to use fentanyl. You hear about all these accidental overdoses because an illegal drug has been laced and cross-contaminated by fentanyl. God, that scares me a lot.”

Wohlman named next principal

FROM PAGE 1

ministrators can’t always be popular amongst all people, a solid administration and student body relationship ensures that trust isn’t lost whenever there’s disagreement, Wohlman said.

“Every decision, somebody is going to disagree,” Wohlman said. “Part of the relationship is collecting as much information as possible to make the best decision possible.”

Although Wohlman is not from Milpitas, he embodies the goals of the district, made evident by his accomplishments at schools he led before, Jordan said.

“The high school that he was principal at burned down, and the way that he was able to get school going again is kind of similar to MUSD when the COVID shutdown occurred,” Jordan said.

“Within three days of the high

school burning down, they were able to figure out a way to have high school kids complete their high school education.”

Wohlman looks forward to leading the district’s future facility, the Innovation Campus, Wohlman said. It offers diverse options which are crucial for students to stay engaged, he added.

“It comes down to supporting students on their journey — that’s the biggest achievement to me — knowing that we created a safe place, a place that’s relevant, a place where there are pathways to pick and choose from.”

Progress towards more enhanced, relevant, and safe education is something that Milpitas is leading the way on, Wohlman said.

“My hope is that you will feel that Culture of We that is still real the moment you park your car, or get off a bus,” Wohlman said.

District health clerk positions may decrease

FROM PAGE 1

“When the one-time dollars go away, whatever services that we may potentially have offered may go away as well,” Norwood said. For MHS, one additional health clerk was hired during the COVID pandemic, but that position will be open next year, as the clerk will transfer to a different position within the district, Labrador said.

Overall, MUSD wants to prioritize students and their needs, Norwood said.

“School districts are designed to provide education first, then the maintenance of their campuses upon which education is being held, which includes healthcare services,” Norwood said.

Junior Sarthak Pradhan refills his water bottle at newly installed water bottle station next to the E-building.

ALBERT FUNG | THE UNION

Courtesy of Jaina Gandhi

The Science Olympiad team celebrates their success with medals after the Northern California State Finals.