The Union - Milpitas High School - September 2016

UN I O N THE

SEPTEMBER 2016 Volume XXVIII Issue I

MHSTHEUNION.COM For the latest updates

STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL

New Principal Philip Morales settles into lead position at MHS

BY GURSHAAN BARIANA MIHIR HANSALIA

Principal Philip Morales was officially announced as principal for the 2016-2017 school year this summer, according to Morales. He was put into the position after Former Principal Cheryl Lawton resigned, Morales said.

According to Morales, his transition into principal at MHS was a smooth one. At the moment, he is in the phase of introducing himself to everyone and strengthening rapport with all the people at MHS, Morales stated.

“The transition into MHS has been great so far,” Morales said. “At the moment, I’m just trying to build relationships with teachers, parents, staff, and the students. I’m not big on coming into a school and changing a lot of stuff around.”

Despite coming from Newark Memorial High School, which has approximately 1,700 students enrolled, to MHS with over 3,200 students enrolled, Morales said there are many similarities between the two schools that will help ease his way into this school year. “[Newark] was a one-high-school district. A lot of the same types of programs that Newark has we have here, so I’m pretty familiar with that,” Morales stated. “What I’m finding here is we have a lot of students that are motivated in their education and are very driven, particularly with our AP program.”

This 2016-2017 year is Morales’ introductory year into MUSD, so he wishes to take a more laid-back approach, he said. He wishes to spend some time observing and not make any hurried changes or decisions, he continued. “[Currently], I’m in the stage of observing and writing a lot of stuff down—things that at some point this semester we will start to look at as we gear up for next year,” Morales said.

“It takes a while to look at big school programs like curriculum, so I don’t know what is working and what is not.”

Although he does not want to make any drastic changes in his first year of tenure, Morales explained there are several minor changes that he believes would greatly benefit the school and its atmosphere, including better communication with parents of MHS students, as well as better interactions between faculty members.

“I would probably just have better communication with the parents.

I don’t know what that would look like, but just more open, direct communication with parents,” Morales said. “We also need to build some relationships among the faculty and give some opportunities so faculty can collaborate and get to know each other. [The faculty should] have fun and not come into school so serious, but enjoy what you’re doing. In terms of big changes, that’s not something I would be taking on right now.”

Justin Nguyen| THE UNION

Ro Khanna (left) speaks with MHS students from 1st to 4th period, on Monday, Sep. 19 in the cafeteria about his ideas on education for his campaign. Students (right) takes notes and asks Khanna about his views on controversial issues.

Khanna visits MHS as close election nears its end

BY JUSTIN TSO

Ro Khanna, one of the 2016 Democratic candidates for the position of U.S. Representative for California’s 17th congressional district, spoke to about four hundred MHS students on Sept. 19, Social Studies Teacher Michael Cummins said. This is the third time Khanna has spoken on campus, and it comes during the final stage of the campaigning process, Cummins said.

Khanna, who won the District 17 Primary in June against Incumbent Mike Honda according to the 2016 California Statement of Vote, explained his platform, emphasizing the value of education and the importance of local issues, such as the expansion of the Newby Island Land-

Community service rules change with new coordinator

BY NOEMI CRISANTO

MHS has revised its community service requirements, and students no longer have to obtain pre-approval for their community service forms, according to Assistant Principal Cheryl Rivera. Students have the choice to complete their required 20 hours on school grounds if they wish to, Rivera said.

All community service performed will be reviewed by New Community Service Coordinator Maura Brown, whose room is in P-19, and will be accepted as long as it is in compliance with the four pillars established by the Community Service Committee, Rivera said.

“The four pillars are that [the service performed] has to have a sense of purpose in meaning to the student, is a service to others in the

community, promotes responsibility, and is recognized and valued,” Rivera said. “So that’s pretty open to interpretation, and we wanted to make sure that it wasn’t restrictive.”

The four pillars were developed out of the desire to make sure the hours that the students completed adhered to straightforward and inspiring guidelines, according to the Director of Secondary Education Greg Barnes.

Another change to the form is that students no longer need to obtain pre-approval, Barnes said.

“Historically, [the form] served two purposes,” Bares said. “One, it helped facilitate the communication between the parents and the students, and secondly, it would give the students an understanding that what they were hoping to do was approved by the community service

N EWS IN BR IEF

Eye on Campus: CLOG Rush

Homecoming Week 10/3 Monday: Class Color Day 10/4 Tuesday: Safari Tourist Day 10/5 Wednesday: Nautica Day 10/6 Thursday: Card Court Day 10/7 Friday: Blue and Gold Day 10/8 Saturday: House of Villains Homecoming Dance

Upcoming standardized test dates The next dates to take the SAT are Oct. 1, Nov. 5, and Dec. 3. Upcoming ACT dates are on Oct. 22 and Dec. 10. The PSAT will be able to be taken on both Saturday, Oct. 15, and Wednesday, Oct. 19.

College Week College Week will take place from Monday Sep. 26 through Friday Sep. 30. Outside of College Week, UCSD will be visiting on Monday, Oct. 10 and UCSB on Monday, Oct. 31.

teacher. When we created those four pillars we felt we no longer needed the approval of the teacher because the students could ask themselves if the service met the standards.”

The deadlines to turn in community service hours are also different this year, according to Rivera. Seniors should turn in their 20 hours in no later than the first Friday in April , and seniors who want the Maroon Cord to show up on their transcripts need to turn in their hours by the end of the second week of October.

Those who wish to just receive the Maroon Cord need to turn in their hours by the third week of April, according to Rivera. More information regarding the new community service changes and newly developed guidelines can be found online on mhs.musd.org.

Sherry Lam | THE UNION

Senior Jennie Nguyen and Juniors Michelle LI and Isaac Chang (left to right) enthusiastically promote their respective clubs during CLOG Rush on the Green.

fill and the traffic on Highway 237.

“One of my biggest platform issues is to make college affordable, making college something everyone can afford,” Khanna said. “For colleges themselves, we’ve got to make sure that California students get priority at the UCs. Right now, the number of overseas or out-of-state students is way off, at 30 or 35 percent.”

Khanna addressed the differences between himself and competitor Honda, citing Honda’s experience for the job, but also stating that Honda accepts special interest money, which makes him less suited to stand up to corporations.

“Honda’s had a mixed record. For a long time, he’s done a good job, but lately he’s been out of touch and has had ethics problems,” Khanna said.

“I don’t take special interest money; I don’t take money from corporations, PACs, or lobbyists — only individuals.”

After Khanna explained his platform to the students, he opened himself up to questions from the AP Government students and other interested students. Khanna answered questions on issues such as gun rights, immigration, and funding various programs in school, before inviting students to join his Fellowship Program for those who want to get involved in his campaign.

“I believe that there should be an increase in funding, at least to the level of the sports—theater arts programs should probably get more SEE CAMPAIGN ON BACK PAGE

Stocks resigns, finds new position

BY CA-ZAO BUI JUSTIN NGUYEN

Former Assistant Principal Ethan Stocks resigned from his position at MHS on Sept. 12. He has found work in southern California and will continue to be involved with school districts, Stocks said.

Stocks will be working as a curriculum coordinator with the Temple City Unified School District, a small district east of Pasadena, he said. The job not only serves Stocks as a career advancement, but it also serves as a means to strengthen his personal relationships, he continued.

“I’m moving there, one, because it’s kind of a promotion for me,” Stocks said, “and also because of some personal things related to love--I have a girlfriend down there who I’ll be very close to. ” A few of Stocks’ responsibilities will be distributed among the remaining administrators, he said. The new assistant principal will replace him in his daily responsibilities, such as working with Ms. Cler, he added.

“I’m in charge of facilities; that’s one of my responsibilities this year.

That’s going to get passed off to Ms. Draeger, most likely,” Stocks said. “Of course, they’re going to hire another assistant principal, and that person would take on some responsibilities, but I think that there’s kind of going to be a shuffling among all the assistant principals, because you want to play to the strengths of the team.”

Stocks regards his time at MHS as having been a good experience, both in terms of building relationships with people and learning how to do the job, he said. His coworkers had to get used to him just as he had to get used to them, he continued.

“This is the beginning of my third year, so I’ve been been here two full years. It’s been good--it’s been a good learning experience for me,” Stocks

said. “I kind of had to prove myself to people and had to learn to build relationships with people, and not just kind of take it for granted that they knew who I was. So that’s definitely something that I will take with me into this new thing.”

When Stocks leaves, he will miss many of his coworkers with whom he worked every day, he said. He will also miss the students, since his new job will not have much student interaction, he added.

“The staff members that I worked with most closely, like Ms. Gross, Ms. Rivera, Mr. Morales, Ms. Canez, and some of the folks here in the front office on a daily basis—I’ll definitely miss them,” Stocks said. “One of the elements of my new job is that I’m at a district office; I’m not going to have that kind of interaction with kids coming in to interview me and other things like that that I enjoy.”

New Assistant Principal Jennifer Hutchison appeared on campus for the first time on Sep. 13, having undergone a series of interviews, according to Stocks. Stocks’ last day was Sep. 12.

“I’d like to think that this school is better off than when it was when I came here,” Stocks said. “I think that’s what everyone tries to do when they work at a school, [...] but it’s a work in progress—it always is—and there’s still work to be done.”

Principal Philip Morales looks forward to working with Hutchison and says she has a mindset similar to his regarding educational approach, Morales said. The two of them wish to concentrate on the students, he continued. “[Hutchison’s] educational philosophy is very much similar to mine, which is focus on students, focus on student needs, provide interventions, and give support,” Morales said. “Our biggest clients are our students. She’s in line with the way I think, in that.”

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THE UNION

OPINION

SEPTEMBER 2016

SEPTEMBER 2016

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Scheduling errors demonstrate incompetence Although scheduling errors are common—routine mistakes that occur at the beginning of each school year at MHS—the overwhelming number of scheduling errors that have occurred this year represents a dramatic and alarming increase. Every day at break and lunch, we saw a line of students stretching from the counseling office window to the base of the library stairs trying to correct their scheduling errors; this goes to show that the substantial amount of scheduling errors made this year have been unsuccessfully dealt with by the administration in charge of scheduling.

Analogous to the beginning of every school year, the introduction to this year was hectic—so hectic that certain scheduling errors were not allowed to be solved until a full week after the school year began.

Although many scheduling changes were made successfully, numerous students still missed a portion of classroom instruction as a consequence of the lack of efficacy in administration. In addition, students who have their requests to change their schedules rejected are stuck in undesired classes for an entire school year. Is it not a school’s purpose to provide education relevant to students’ interests so they can discover and succeed in the fields they demonstrate interest or success in? How are these students supposed to find their passions or succeed in them in the future if academic content and educational experiences are not provided for them?

AP class policies at MHS also seem to contradict their purposes. This year, as a result of scheduling errors, many students were placed in AP classes they did not desire. Desperate to drop, students scheduled appointments with their counselors only to find that they could not drop out of AP classes unless they were failing by the six-week mark, which earns them a withdraw fail. The alternative is to earn failing grades by the three-week mark, which eliminates the withdraw fail. Hence, students strive to fail the classes: how ironic. Students hope to succeed in school, but they have to fail to be placed in classes they desire. On the off chance that students do succeed in dropping the AP classes from their schedules, they still miss out on large portions of instructional material from the classes they transfer into.

The polar opposite issue is also prevalent this year;

many students signed up for certain AP classes but were not placed in the classes. Hence, these students line up during break and lunch, arranging counselor appointments only to find that there is no room in the classes they would like to join. Why were students not notified of the crowded classes in advance?

They have to wait until the three-week and six-week marks, when students drop out of the classes, to join the classes. The new students in the classes are then overwhelmed with three weeks or even six weeks of instructional material they were unable to receive because of mistakes made in scheduling.

Although counselors and administrators have worked to correct a large portion of scheduling errors, students’ individual preferences, which are often neglected, for classes should have been properly considered in the scheduling process. Unfortunately, many students may have not been assigned to their desired classes, and the substantial number of mistakes indicate that not only were inevitable mistakes made, but also preventable ones; these mistakes should not have been made as they are great inconveniences to students, counselors, and even parents.

As consequences of these mistakes, students spend large amounts of time in classes they do not care for, schedule appointments to discuss the issues with their counselors, and occasionally involve parents in the issues. Overall, these occurrences serve as inconveniences and obstacles to the proper education of students.

Scheduling improvements should unquestionably be made in the future to avoid interfering with student education and conflicts between students and counselors. In addition, policies that contradict educational values should not be implemented. Most importantly, student education should not be obstructed because of mistakes made by the administration. Improvements should also be made with efficacy; the lines at both the appointment window and the office doors have been extensive. Additionally, schedules should be made more accurately so the mistakes would not exist as a problem to begin with. Adjustments in such areas are imperative to help MHS fit the primary objective of schools: to help students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the future.

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Teachers’ qualities impact student performance We, The Union, acknowledge that MHS, at its core, is run by its teachers. Administration comes and goes (at least recently), while students graduate every four years, lost in the nonstop current of a growing Milpitas population. And yet it is the teachers who have become a part of MHS for twenty years or more, and it is the teachers who shape every student’s experience here. Too often, we get caught up in test scores, efficiency, and logistics of this campus, ignoring what has always been there—the educators, teaching their classes every year, like clockwork.

As students, we frequently see the teacher as that untouchable being at the head of the room: one that is capable of humiliating you, ruining your life with backbreaking homework assignments, and destroying your future with tests. At the very least, every student is guilty of associating the teacher with the grade, or even as the obstacle to that grade- keep your head down, avoid making eye contact, get your credits, and get out. It’s a wall that we students build up with every class, and with every bad school experience.

We ask those students to look up at their teachers once in a while and just notice the things that students just seem to expect from them. When your teacher cracks a joke and makes the class light up, you’ll see a little clearer. When you have to ask your teacher a question, and he or she responds to you without judgment and with genuine desire to help, that window will open up a little more. When you find yourself looking forward to class, returning a teacher’s smile in the hallway, or just striking up a conversation about nothing in particular, you’ll understand that teachers are people too, and often good ones at that. In our everyday lives at this school, we learn to tune out the simple things and lose appreciation for the teachers who do their jobs.

Simply being a teacher, however, isn’t enough to warrant praise. The students of MHS will most definitely see through the bad teachers on this campusand in a school of this size, teachers like that definitely exist, as many students can attest to. So many of us are familiar with the teacher who doesn’t teach and leaves his or her students helpless, either during the class or after the class, having learned nothing.

THE UNION

EDITORIAL

We remember the teachers who never bother to remember our names and see us as a faceless crowd, or associate us by our grades and nothing more. We have seen the teachers who judge us and don’t trust us from the start and punish the students for their own teaching inabilities. In whispers are the teachers who struggle with their own curriculum and search through students’ belongings. Most demonized of all are the ruthless and illogical ones, taking away points whenever the wind blows or the date ends in six. The greatest injustice is that as classes are dropped and grades plummet, teaching incompetence is disguised as student inability.

And yet, to make up for those awful teachers, there exist those special individuals who just seem to get it. Whether it’s the ability to make the subjects they are teaching seem not so dreary, or their senses of humor, or the overwhelming effort they put into their crafts, these teachers have “good” qualities that students appreciate, but most importantly, they also possess relatability with students that is crucial in a learning environment. The feeling that we exist to our teachers as individuals—that among the multitude of students, we matter—is something that so many of us simply take for granted. To those teachers who are reading, you are the reason we bear it.

You are the ones we go to advice for, the ones we entrust our college applications with, and the ones we look up to. You are the ones who inspire us to go on to bigger, better things, and stay with us for the rest of our lives- when students come back to you, year after year, it is no coincidence. For all our lives, we’ve been raised with the notion that teachers deserve our respect arbitrarily, but to those teachers who bring out the best in each of us, we can confidently say that you have earned it.

So to everyone at MHS—administration, students, and teachers alike—as our campus settles into its routine, six weeks in, put a little thought into the people you see every day. For all the teachers who drive students away from learning, MHS has strived, and will continue to strive despite them, towards a higher standard. And to those who make up for those bad teachers and then some, thanks are in order: you are the best of us.

THE

U NION S T U D E N T V O I C E O F M I L P I TA S H I G H

The Union is published by the Journalism class of Milpitas High School.

The views in The Union are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the school, students, administration, or Milpitas Unified School District.

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C O N TAC T U S 1285 Escuela Pkwy, Room E-17 Milpitas, CA 95035 General Info: (408) 635-2800 Business Manager: (408) 786-8395 Ad Manager: (408) 786-8395 Fax: (408) 635-2848 Email: mhstheunion16@gmail.com

S TA F F Ca-Zao Bui Kevin Zhang Editors-in-Chief Brooke Tran • News Editor Katherine Hubeny • Asst. News Editor Justin tso • Op-Ed editor Harriet Do • Asst. Op-Ed Editor Sherry Lam • Features Editor Shreeya Aranake • Asst. Features Editor Brandon Wettenstein • Lifestyle Editor Darrion Nguyen • Asst. Lifestyle Editor Helen Huynh • Spread Editor Kelly Lue • Asst. Spread Editor Justin Nguyen • Entertainment Editor Emmy Yu • Asst. Entertainment Editor Mihir Hansalia • Sports Editor Gurshaan Bariana • Asst. Sports Editor Hope Do • Co-Copy Editor Helen Pham • Co-Copy Editor Tuong-Vi Nguyen • Asst. Copy Editor Grace Chang • Photo Editor Jerald Mendoza • Asst. Photo Editor David Ngo • Web Editor Suhas Shekar • Asst. Web Editor Eric Yu • Business Manager Arvind Kumar • Asst. Business Manager Noemi Crisanto • Ad Manager Saba Khorasani • Asst. Ad Manager Ananya Donapati • Reporter Wafa Malik • Reporter Elakya Thirumoorthy • Reporter Derek Vo • Reporter Nicholas Wan • Reporter Henry Xiong • Reporter Jeff Colburn Advisor

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THE UNION

SEPTEMBER 2016

FEATURES

Morales unveils his life story: bread to cop to MHS principal

BY CA-ZAO BUI

BY CA-ZAO BUI

Sherry Lam | THE UNION

Painting students color new building letters

BY SHERRY LAM

Building letters on the MHS campus were painted in the spring, according to Art Teacher Irene Hentschke. Students in her painting class were commissioned by the Director of Facilities and Modernization, Joe Flatley, to create the beautiful designs on the new building letters, Hentschke said.

The Painting students started to plan these letter designs after Christmas, according to Hentschke.

Each letter was painted differently depending on the strengths of the respective painter.

“We wanted to make sure that each letter looked really good,” Hentschke said. “I might nudge them with the ideas, but we mainly went with whatever the kids like doing.”

Senior Jasmine Tran was one of

the two students who painted one of the E building letters, according to Tran. The overall theme of her letter is a star-filled beach with lots of dark, vibrant colors. It’s like going to the beach with your friends at night for an adventure, Tran said.

“The process was extremely tedious because we had start over the letter completely at one point,” Tran said.

Tran is proud of the work that she has done for her school buildings, according to Tran.

“I feel really proud,” Tran said.

“Whenever I walk past the E building with my friends, I always feel the need to point my letter out to them.

I was able to do something I love and share it with the whole school, so I am extremely pleased.”

Senior Cindy Lam was one of the two students who painted the F building letter with the tropical birds and

sky, according to Lam. She decided to paint a letter because she hoped to get a memorable experience out of it, according to Lam. “It was actually on a whim because everyone was painting a letter, and I decided that I wanted one of my art pieces to be hung up at the school,” Lam said.

There were a lot of techniques that the students applied to their paintings, such as blending and layering different highlights and shadowing, Lam said.

“It feels amazing to think that you don’t have to know how to paint because that was me until I took painting for one year and look where I am now,” Lam said.

“It was really gratifying to be commissioned by the school district and to know that my students could perform the work at a very professional level, so that was very neat,” Hentschke said.

We’ve all seen him around, eyeing him with suspicion, the newcomer who seems a little too smiley. They say he’s our leader, but how can we be expected to live and school under the reign of someone whom we barely know? Who exactly is this man, and what’s his story? From L.A. cop to seminary worker to counselor to bartender to principal, Philip Felix (like the cat, he says) Morales had his share of life’s excitement, and now he continues his journey as head of MHS. After high school in 1990, Morales found himself clad in the uniform of an Los Angeles police officer, caught amidst the mayhem of the Rodney King riots. Protecting himself, protecting citizens, and protecting the law, he witnessed injury, death, and chaos. For four years, Morales put his life on the line in the bustling streets of L.A. “I saw a lot of things, yeah. It’s Los Angeles,” Morales said. “I saw domestic violence, and I took rape cases and suicide cases and anything you can think of. I learned a lot. I learned a lot about myself, and I learned a lot about people, but I knew it wasn’t my career. It just wasn’t what I wanted to do.”

Realizing this hectic and violent lifestyle wasn’t quite the fit for him, Morales turned to seminary work about a year after leaving the L.A. police force. He spent his time at a chapel at O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, working in the ER and giving people their last rites. He acted as a grief counselor for those in mourning, and he also did ministry in high schools, introducing him to the educational environment.

“That was dealing with a whole other group of people, and I did that for about ten years,” Morales said. “I decided I wanted to get married, because if you’re Catholic and a Catholic priest, you can’t get married, and I decided to leave the religious life.”

Rancho Santa Margarita, Cornelia Connelly, Terra Nova, Pacifica, Newark Memorial High: these are all high schools fortunate enough to have been graced by the presence of our principal before he found himself at the top of the MHS food chain. Drawn to the high school setting he encountered as a seminary worker, Morales made his way into the heart of the school districts. He taught philosophy, social justice, world religions, and soon became a counselor. From there, Morales kept climbing up the ladder to become dean of students, assistant principal, principal of Newark Memorial High, and now principal of MHS. On the side, Morales held other little jobs to keep him busy through the transitions from job to job. He has a bartender’s license, worked for the post office picking up mail, and even dressed up as a loaf of bread as his first real job, promoting Wonder Bread.

“I put on this loaf of bread, and I had these little loaves that I would give out to people; that was my first job in high school,” Morales said.

He is now happily married to the love of his life and takes care of his beautiful one-year-old twins, all the while learning to lead his newly adopted 3000 kids. From piece of bread to principal, you can definitely say that Mr. Morales has been places; let’s wait and see where he takes us next.

noemi crisanto | THE UNION

SEPTEMBER 2016

LIFESTYLE

Survive the year with six tips for six weeks

BY JUSTIN TSO

It’s been six weeks, and the first hurdle has been cleared (or for some people, crashed through): we’re all settling into our routines after those chaotic six weeks. Unsurprisingly, for a lot of students, school gets really dull really quickly. Take it from a senior who’s survived three years of this—with these six simple tips, you can set yourself up for the present and develop good habits for the future—and maybe, along the way, you can enjoy yourself a little too.

1. Manage your time.

These first weeks, people develop bad habits. Make it a point to avoid procrastination and get your sleep.

When assignments start piling up from multiple classes, good time management can be the difference between stress-crying in the bathroom the night before a project is due and laughing at your friends scramble as you spend the night without a thought in your head.

2. Explore your interests.

When your friends are wondering

what all their extracurriculars are for their barren college apps, you’ll thank me. The beginning of school is the best time to find worthy areas to invest your precious time in.

Whether it’s finding a job, joining a club, or finding volunteer opportunities, there are tons of ways to find something you really enjoy and devote yourself to something greater than just school. And hey, if it looks good on college apps, it couldn’t hurt.

3.Meet new people.

One of the redeeming qualities about school is that it brings people together. Sure, a lot of the people in your classes and around campus are people you’ll never be able to connect with, but all friendships have to start somewhere. Take the time to interact with people in your classes, and you can create friendships that might make those 53 minutes—if not the rest of your school life—more fun.

4. Make space for leisure You don’t always have to be curing cancer to do worthwhile things

outside of school. The most helpful things to supplement your school year are the things that matter to you. It can be as easy as watching a show that makes you smile everyday. If it doesn’t make you happy, it’s not right for you.

5. Know your teachers If you haven’t found out already, the MHS teachers are pretty interesting people. More often than not, one will have the same quirks you do: they might like the same artist or support the same sports team. Yeah, it might help you in school too, but having teachers that know you as a person is something that you take with you long after the class is over.

6. Keep going!

The truth is that school, like it or not, will get tough. There will a;ways be rough patches in the future where it’ll just seem like it’s too much. Just know that everyone goes through it, and as long as they don’t give up, they make it through in the end. Get past those obstacles, and at the end of your four year ride, you’ll might almost miss them.

iPhone 7 Features

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THE UNION

FAS H I O N Spotlight

BY JUSTIN NGUYEN

Junior JACKET from Levi’s

SHIRT thrifted

BELT thrifted

Changes from previous iPhones:

Apple A10 Processor A9 from the iPhone 6s/ Plus and iphone SE 3D Touch Homebutton Previous iPhones had non3D touch homebuttons No Headphone jack All previous iPhones had audio jacks

JEANS from Levi’s

SHOES

from Timberland

Dust and water resistence Previous iPhones were not water or dust resistant 7 Plus has 3GB of RAM iPhone 6s had 2GB Capacities are doubled (32 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB) iPhone 6s has 16 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB

His Fashion Inspir ation: “My fashion inspiraions are A$AP Rocky, Kid Cudi, and James Dean”

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THE UNION

SEPTEMBER 2016

ENTERTAINMENT

“Don’t Breathe” fills its audiences with suspense RATING (Out of 5 Apples):

has $300,000 sitting untouched in his run-down house. After staking out the house, the trio of burglars

BY CA-ZAO BUI find out something that makes To preface this review, for all the job easy: the man is blind. of you haters of horror movies, What they couldn’t have possibly “Don’t Breathe” does not fall into learned from their stakeout, howthe category of mindless, forever, is that the Blind Man mulaic jump scares. If you (Stephen Lang) is hardened are intrigued by the notion of by his personal tragedy and a thrilling, intense movie and has a house full of firearms. want to give the film a shot, They also fail to learn that MOVIE read on. he has ears that make up for REVIEW “Don’t Breathe” tells the his eyes, and that he doesn’t story of three friends: Rocky intend on letting the three of (Jane Levy), a teenager struggling them leave the house, afraid that with the effects of a neglectful they might take with them the sehome life for her and her youngcret hidden under his roof. er sister; Money (Daniel Zovatto), Incredibly thought out and inRocky’s thuggish boyfriend; and telligently told, “Don’t Breathe” Alex (Dylan Minnette), the classic, makes for an amazing movie exfriend-zoned nice guy who wants perience. The plot is relatively nothing more than to be with the simple, but the way that the story leading lady. The three have made a twists and turns through the main hobby of breaking into houses and characters’ eyes takes a seemselling the items they steal. Money ingly mundane plot and turned it receives a tip that an army veteran into suspense, thrills, and cries

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of exasperation from audience members. Talented and looking the part, Levy and Lang manage to convey the polarizing differences between their characters and the life choices each has made to get to where they are. It’s incredibly difficult to choose who to root for: the petty girl who steals for a better life for her younger sister, or the poor blind guy, who turns out not to be as pitiful as you thought.

“Don’t Breathe,” at its core, is a story of the consequences of troubled life and the human struggle to cope: a young girl desperate for a better life and willing to do anything to get it, and an old man twisted by personal tragedy. The film is not supposed to scare you, and it doesn’t. It’s driven by suspense and anxiety and unease, but it’s an incredibly raw and thrilling experience. Go see it, and remember to take a breath every once in a while; you’re not the one on screen who will die for doing so.

Courtesy of theverge.com

(From left to right) Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) cower in shock as they witness the creature that had taken their friend and caused tension to rise in the town.

“Stranger Things” one of Netflix’s best additions

RATING (Out of 5 Apples):

Me.” The show perfectly blends the science fiction story from “E.T.” while

BY BRANDON WETENSTEIN also including the friendship and coming-of-age elements from “Stand Netflix’s newest original series,

By Me.” The result is a riveting sci“Stranger Things,” is another fantasence fiction and story of growing up. tic entry in the company’s growing list Additionally, the young actors deserve an enormous amount of of acclaimed shows. The show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, praise for their portrayals. The have created an enthralling standout from the young cast piece of television that is worthy is Millie Bobby Brown as Elevof the acclaim and popularity TV-SERIES en. Though Brown doesn’t have that it is garnering.

REVIEW many lines, she is able to inau“Stranger Things” takes place dibly portray a character who is in the 1980s and follows the disreeling from abuse and yearning for affection. appearance of a young boy, Will, and a telekinetic girl, Eleven, who helps Furthermore, Winona Ryder and David Harbour deserve kudos for Will’s friends in their search to find him. At the same time, Will’s moththeir portrayals of Joyce and Jim, respectively. From the first episode, Ryer, Joyce, and the town’s police chief, der was tasked with depicting a mothJim, conduct their own search that leads to startling discoveries. er who’s dealing with different forms The show’s story and themes are of fear, anger, and confusion, and she managed to perfectly balance and heavily inspired by Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.” and Stephen King’s “Stand By utilize these emotions in every scene



that she’s in. Harbour does a great job portraying someone who is carrying emotional baggage from something that occurred in the past, while trying to protect the people in his town.

Moreover, the Duffers do a great job of pacing their show by utilizing all eight episodes to flesh out their characters. Prioritizing the show’s characters over its story pays off because, by the end of the season, almost every character is fully developed.

On the other hand, the show’s villain, Dr. Martin Brenner, is barely in the show. Matthew Modine portrays Brenner and does the best with what he is given, but he isn’t given much besides a couple of lines and a flashback or two.

“Stranger Things” manages to tell a thrilling story with fleshed-out characters in just eight episodes. The show is easily one of the best television shows of the year as well as one of the best shows Netflix has produced.

“Mob Psycho 100” packs in great humor and charm RATING (Out of 5 Apples):

named Reigen who is, in Mob’s eyes, a psychic of unparallel ability. The

BY JUSTIN NGUYEN relationship between Reigen and Mob makes for most of the show’s At the forefront of every anime charm and hilarity.

The latter half of the season is season lies one anime that stands where Mob Psycho begins to disout from the rest of the bunch as play its brilliance. Viewers are uniquely memorable and endearing. Last year, we had “One Punch treated to superb character development in just the first ten epiMan,” about a superhero with an sodes, getting glimpses into Mob’s identity crisis; this year, we have character nuances as well as with “Mob Psycho 100,” about a prodigious psychic who just wants several other characters in the character archive. In the secto be popular.

“Mob Psycho” follows psyond arc of the season, Mob’s doting younger brother Ritsu chic middle schooler Kageyama Shigeo, nicknamed TV-SERIES is shown to be struggling with REVIEW living under Mob’s shadow.

Mob, as he navigates as an outcast at Salt Middle School The manga of “Mob Psycho,” from which it is adapted, is serialand works under a con-psychic.

Season one allows viewers just to ized by the same artist responsible for “One Punch Man” under the get their feet wet. The first half is to get viewers acquainted with pseudonym ONE. Its art style fluctuates between mundane “Bob’s Mob and his quirky charm, peering into his pursuits of popularity as he Burgers”-esque characters and settings to explosively brilliant joins the body improvement club. fight-scene animation. Although Mob also trains under a con artist



“Mob Psycho’s” animation studio is different from OPM’s Madhouse, the animation follows a similar formula with hilarious transitions between cartoonish to hyperrealistic drawing.

The best thing about “Mob Psycho” is its seeming simplicity. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and allows viewers time to get acquainted with its characters and setting with excellent pacing, for the most part. While every episode has its fair share of laughs, some feel slow and even unnecessary.

Nonetheless, the show’s creativity and charm establish “Mob Psycho” as a seasonal favorite.

With its dry humor and almost caricatural art style, “Mob Psycho 100” is amazing, to say the least. Its themes of navigating through adolescence are relatably hilarious.

The characters and art style have a certain charm to them that make the show memorable and are sure to establish its longevity.

beyonce’s breathing eleven’s wig long lunch line tardy sweep songs bad apple

BIRDS IN THE TRAP SING MCKNIGHT

by Travis Scott Genre: Hip-hop/Rap RATING (Out of 5 Apples):

TORY LANEZ

by French Montana Genre: Hip-hop/Rap RATING (Out of 5 Apples):

BY GURSHAAN BARIANA

BY MIHIR HANSALIA

Houston native and rising rapper Travis Scott recently released his heavily anticipated second album “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight” (BITTSM) on Sept. 2. The album includes 14 tracks including top hits “Pick Up the Phone” and “Wonderful,” featuring his infamous auto-tuned voice as he tells stories of the drugs, women, and power that surrounds his lifestyle.

At a first glance, the album sets high expectations for listeners, with many A-list feature artists such as Kid Cudi, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd. At the same time, the album introduces many upand-coming artists, such as NAV, a Toronto producer who raps in “Beibs In The Trap,” one of the best songs in BITTSM. Unfortunately, the star power gets the best of Scott, as it sometimes seems as if he were the one being featured on the track, and not vice versa. The other rappers overpower Scott and often have the best verses in the songs, with Scott merely singing the chorus.

Despite the several flaws in the album, Travis Scott still manages to make a few stand-out tracks that will inevitably find their ways onto the top charts. Kendrick Lamar has a nice flow, as he somehow manages to revive “Goosebumps” at the end of the song with one of the best verses in the entire selection. BITTSM is definitely a step up from Travis Scott’s debut album, which gives fans like myself something to look forward to as we wait for what the future holds for Scott.

Tory Lanez released his debut album “I Told You” on Aug. 19 under Interscope Records. The album, which came after Lanez’s recent entrance into the mainstream with hit singles “Say It” and “Luv,” features 14 songs and 14 optional skits as separate tracks on the playlist.

Tory Lanez has just come off his ride in the limelight, enjoying huge success with his single “Say It.” Instead of the typical sound that many artists settle for in their debut, Lanez sticks to what he knows best—a work with a harmonious balance of singing and rapping, with proficient production that sonically wraps it up quite nicely. The album, mainly through the 14 skits, tells the story of Tory and his rise from poverty into the man that he is today. His rapping side comes out in songs like “I Told You/ Another One” and “Dirty Money,” where he takes the typical braggadocio rap style and puts a unique twist to it by tying the song into the album’s central theme. In contrast, songs like “Guns and Roses” and “High” are for the calm listeners who wish to learn about the personal problems that all artists go through.

One major underside of “I Told You” is the repetitiveness in certain songs and skits. “I Told You” seems convoluted and hastily pieced together in certain parts. Lanez’s attempt to put out a convincing debut with many tracks results in an unnecessary stretch with some filler songs that bore listeners and distract them from the riveting parts of the album.

Overall, “I Told You” is a solid piece of work from an artist who only has room to improve and refine his musical style.

September 2016

THE UNION

SPORTS

7

Cross Country breezes past competition

by Mihir hansalia

Courtesy of Kanak Jha

Junior Kanak Jha practices his serve at a training center in Sweden in preparation for future table tennis tournaments.

Jha serves for the U.S. Olympic Team in Rio by kevin zhang

Former MHS Student Kanak Jha is the first American Olympian born in the 2000s, the youngest at Rio. Despite being only 16 years old, a junior in high school, Jha competed in table tennis for Team USA in the Rio Olympics this year, according to Jha. Jha did not earn a medal this year. Losing is his primary source of motivation; attending tournaments and watching advanced players compete motivates him to train harder to prepare for coming opportunities. He plans to train and play in the Olympics in 2020, according to Jha. In addition, Jha was not fazed or intimidated as the youngest competitor, but instead, he was inspired. His main goal this year was to qualify for the Rio Olympics and finish in the main draw, top 64, but that goal was not fulfilled, he stated.

“All of the athletes I met were amazing people, and I didn't think about being the youngest that much,” Jha said. “It was intimidating sometimes, [such as] when I was in the same elevator with a gold medalist, but also very inspiring at the same time. My goal going in

was to make the main draw, which unfortunately didn’t happen.”

Despite not meeting his goals, he still gained a truly amazing experience, inside and outside of the competitive table tennis events, Jha said. According to Jha, the most inspiring moment for him was the opening ceremony. Competing with high-level players and experiencing the Olympics has inspired him to train harder for future competitions, according to Jha. “I think the most memorable moment was the opening ceremony,” Jha said. “It was truly inspiring and humbling to meet the best athletes of America and walk into the huge stadium as teammates. The energy in the stadium was electric [with] thousands of screaming people.”

To be at where he is today, Jha persists through rigorous training and is mentally driven. He is focused and open to suggestions for improvement. To improve, he sets practical objectives for himself and strives towards his goals through determination, Jha said.

“Reaching where I am today is a lot of [work put in] through the years,” Jha said, “but I think the most important [thing] to improve is to

Water Polo keeps its head afloat, hopes to improve upon its season

by Brandon WeTtenstein

The water polo season has officially begun, and the boys and girls teams are hoping to have both a successful and enjoyable season.

According to Coach Jennifer Loomis, the team has set a goal this season to win a game. Loomis also aims for the team members to take more chances and to strengthen their communication.

“The team has set a goal that we want to win at least one game this year, [because] last year we won zero games,” Loomis said. “My goals this year are to have us communicating better and have us taking more risks as a team.”

Practices last around two and a half hours and consist of constant drills to build up endurance, Loomis said.

The team also runs through plays and ball handling, according to Loomis. "[Practices] are about two and a half hours long and the first half hour is just simply swimming and sprints," Loomis said. "It's only been a couple of weeks, so we're still building up our endurance, but it's getting there and getting a lot better. " According to Loomis, the biggest difference between this year’s season and last year’s is that she and the team have more experience with the sport and understand it more.

Having players on the team who are experienced is a huge advantage, Loomis said.

“Just having people that have actually played before is a huge advantage from last year,” Loomis said. “I've got more experience and so [do] the players, which helps [because] we've got players who can

[help] teach now.”

Additionally, Loomis says that the team mentality has been positive this year. The team helps and supports those that are new to the sport and struggling, according to Loomis.

“I've noticed that the team, especially the captains, are really taking on the role of helping those people who are struggling, or maybe they're new to the sport,” Loomis said. “They're actually talking to them on the side and teaching them some of the skills.”

According to Varsity Girls Water Polo Captain CJ Andrea Molo, she wants to be able to help people find their passion for the sport. According to Molo, the best part about joining water polo is being a part of something new and interacting with all the team members, both new and returning.

“I’ve been captain for the two first years of water polo being a sport at MHS, and it’s been really fun to be able to be part of something new and being involved in helping this new team get on its feet,” Molo said. “I just want to be able to see people finding passion for the sport and getting better at its as years go by.”

Varsity Boys Water Polo Captain Harvey Nguyen is proud of the team and what it's accomplished. Despite its losses, the team learns from each game and bonds with each other as well, Nguyen said.

“While we lose a lot on the outside, on the inside we win a lot because we're making major improvements to our mental game and game plan,” Nguyen said. “I’m proud of the team, and I think we’re all a family because we all practice together, we all work hard together, and we bond."

work hard and be mentally focused to always stay motivated.”

Despite his loss, he will continue to train rigorously and stay motivated, according to Jha. With four more years ahead of him to prepare for the 2020 Olympics, Jha will continue to concentrate and better himself, he said.

“Going to a tournament and watching players [at] a higher level than the one I'm at makes me motivated to train harder when I go back,” Jha said.

As Jha is a high school student, he still has school work in addition to his rigorous training. To train for something he loves, Jha moved to Sweden and began online schooling since he had moved there, which was last year, and will continue training in Sweden, Jha said. Progressing in academics and training is a difficult task, but Jha is striving to juggle the two, according to Jha. “I am continuing online schooling this year as I am still staying in Sweden,” Jha said. “It is quite hard to keep up with school work as I am training quite a lot here in Sweden, so I try to find a balance and not get [too] far behind.”

The MHS Cross Country season has started for the 2016-2017 school year, and the team is off to an excellent start, according to Head Coach Bridget Hall.

“The season has been really great so far,” Hall said. “We have a great group of athletes that are dedicated and work hard. They are wonderful to work with and have great sportsmanship.”

This season has been similar to previous seasons, although there have been some changes this year, Hall said. One big difference was the increase in students, according to Hall.

“Not much has changed from last year to this year. We still have the same assistant and head coaches, but we have a lot more students this year,” Hall said. “The team started the season with 93 runners, which is 20 more kids than last season.”

In addition to the increase in athletes, the team itself has had some positive changes, according to Hall.

This year’s team has chemistry and a better attitude, Hall said.

“This year’s team has a better attitude and has built great chemistry with each other,” Hall said. "The upperclassmen have really stepped up and have hosted team bonding activities. There has also been more leadership throughout the team

across all grade levels.”

The team has had two meets this year: the Lynbrook Center Meet and the Lowell Invitational, according to the Milpitas Athletics Website. The team performed excellently at the Lynbrook Center Meet, Hall said.

“At the Lynbrook Meet, the freshmen boys and senior girls got first place,” Hall said. “All the runners ran extremely hard, and I’m excited for the upcoming meets.”

As for the upcoming schedule, there are not many meets until Oct. 1, Hall said. According to Hall, the ultimate goal of the season is to get both the boys and girls teams to compete in the Central Coast Section meet.

“Although we are only able to send seven boys and seven girls to the CCS meet, my goal is to get both teams to that level,” Hall said. “Our team has six of the seven boys who qualified for the meet last year and four of the seven girls who qualified, so we have a good chance to make CCS.” According to Senior Jonathan Trinh, who is in his third year of cross country, this year has had one of the best seasons he had competed in throughout high school. The team’s competitiveness has made cross country exciting, Trinh said.

“This year’s team has great chemistry, and we all get along really well,” Trinh said. "It’s really great that I’m able to end my cross country career at MHS on a high note.”

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Trojan Football starts off season strong

by Gurshaan bariana

The MHS varsity football team defeated Salinas on Sept. 16 with a final score of 9-3, continuing its undefeated streak to start off the year. The team currently has a 4-0 record, with hopes of continuing to add to the win column as the season progresses, according to the Head Coach Kelly King.

Over the course of the season, the Trojans look to consistently improve on their gameplay, according to King.

“So far, we’re getting better. We need to keep improving, though,” King said. “If you work hard, good things will happen. Success is often overshadowed by hard work.”

Several weeks prior to the Saratoga game was the most anticipated football game of the year against the Antioch Panthers. On the Panthers

team is running back Najee Harris, the number one recruit in the nation at his position. The Trojans looked to improve their defense against Harris, since they allowed him 396 rushing yards in one game when Antioch defeated Milpitas last season.

Favored to win the game, Antioch was not ready for what would be one of the best performances of the year from the MHS football team. Senior D’Vaughn Jones started the game off with a sack, followed by a touchdown on the offensive side on the very next drive. The Antioch Panthers answered shortly with a kickoff return and a two-point conversion as they took a 8-7 lead. Despite trailing early in the game, the Trojans quickly recovered and never looked back as they dominated the rest of the football game without allowing Antioch to take the lead again.

Gurshaan Bariana| THE UNION

Junior Fila Vea (8) attempts to tackle Antioch Running Back Najee Harris (2) in the Trojans' 49-28 win against the Antioch Panthers on Sept 2.

Junior TyRee Bracy emerged from the 49-28 victory over Antioch with 285 yards and five touchdowns, with an additional rushing touchdown.

Bracy was recognized for his outstanding performance, receiving the title of South Bay Athlete of the Week. Bracy also received high praises from King, who attributed his success to his work ethic.

Despite starting at quarterback his junior year, TyRee says his preparation coming into each game is key in order to shine under the Friday night lights.

“I really have to thank the offensive line and my coaches for taking the time to perfect my art. Without them, I wouldn’t be the player I am today,” Bracy said. "Our defense and the rest of the team really helped. It was just an overall team effort.”

The team chemistry from the MHS football team was something that stood out during the game against Antioch, as the ball was shared amongst multiple players who continued to encourage each other after each play. Bracy explained that the a common goal has helped the team come closer during the season,w with the ball being shared amongst multiple players.

“I think it’s because we know what it takes to get to the stage we want to play on,” Bracy said. “We want to win a CCS Championship, and we all know what that takes so that’s what bonds us together.”

In terms of the season, the team hopes to finish the season strong and hopefully emerge victorious.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time, so hopefully we will win and keep doing what we’re doing,” King said.

T HE U NION

8

SEPTEMBER 2016

NEWS

2016 ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCORES Subject Biology Calculus AB Calculus BC Chemistry

5 14 31 66 10

4

3

2

1

Total

30 30 13 14

31 24 9 18

21 16 1 8

0 21 1 1

96 122 90 51

Chinese Language and Culture * 11

0

0

0

0

11

Computer Science A * English Language and Composition * English Literature and Composition Music Theory Physics 1 Psychology Spanish Language and Culture Statistics Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio United States Government and Politics United States History World History Percent of Total Exams

2

0

2

0

0

4

0

1

4

0

0

5

10

17

19

8

1

55

3 5 52 16 42 6

8 18 54 11 33 10

7 14 31 1 18 2

3 19 13 0 3 0

1 10 8 0 1 0

22 66 158 28 97 18

17

13

13

12

6

61

2 15 28%

5 39 28%

15 55 25%

16 28 14%

10 2 6%

48 139

Kevin Zhang | THE UNION

The Advanced Placement (AP) scores for the previous school year are shown above. In total, MHS students took 1071 AP exams administered by College Board in May 2016. Students were able to view their scores online in July.

81% of MHS students received a passing (3 or higher) score on all the exams taken. Data was provided courtesy of Assistant Principal Ethan Stocks.

Five MHS students announced as National Merit semifinalists

BY NOEMI CRISANTO

Five students at MHS were recently named as National Merit Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Principal Phil Morales. said. These five high-achieving students are Seniors Kinbert Chou, Rahul Chandan Pearce, Brooke Tran, Justin Tso, and Allan Zhao, Morales continued. “[The students] are semifinalists in the competition,” Morales said. “It is a chance for a scholarship based on your PSAT scores, and if you score at a certain level in a group, they have all these different criteria that you are selected based on.”

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), there are 16,000 semifinalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship program. In California, the qualifying score was 1470. These talented seniors will have the chance to continue in the competition for around 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million, which will be given out in spring of 2017, according to the NMSC. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title, the NMSC announcements states. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S

high school seniors, according to the NMSC. The number of semifinalists in a state is also proportional to the state’s percentage of graduating seniors in comparison to the national total. To become a finalist, the semifinalist and his or her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received, the NMSC announcement states.

According to the NMSC, around 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the National Merit Scholarship test by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Because the pool was so large this past year, many of the students who were chosen feel quite honored and excited at the prospect of being able to qualify as a finalist.

“I mean, it’s pretty exciting,” Zhao said. “When I got my PSAT score last year, I really wasn’t expecting anything because I scored lower than I thought the cutoff would be. My converted score was actually lower than past scores so I thought I didn’t have a chance, so I was kind of surprised,” Zhao continued.

Other semifinalists are not as openly excited as Zhao is but are still feeling the pressure of what comes next.

“You don’t get any money for being a semifinalist so nothing is different,” Chou said over Facebook Messenger.

Jordan takes over as new supe

BY BROOKE TRAN JUSTIN TSO

Former Deputy Superintendent Cheryl Jordan has been made the MUSD interim superintendent, replacing Former MUSD Superintendent Cary Matsuoka, Jordan said.

She wishes to stay in the position, and there are no active plans for finding other candidates, Jordan continued.

Matsuoka is now the superintendent of Santa Barbara Unified School District after five years as the MUSD superintendent, Jordan stated. Jordan, who had been deputy superintendent for two years, recognizes the feeling of community in the school district and wants to build upon the Milpitas culture as superintendent, she continued.

“In the short-term, I want to strengthen our sense of MUSD as ‘family,’ which I am striving to do through a Culture of We,” Jordan stated. “We have the asset of newer families moving into Milpitas who bring with them the richness of their cultures and experiences. In building a Culture of We, we embrace all and work together for the success of every student in our schools.”

In the long-term, Jordan wants to continue the technology-driven path that MUSD has taken in recent years, she stated. Matsuoka’s time as superintendent has helped them realize what they can do when they decide to think beyond current experiences and ways of doing things, she added.

“I think the next evolution for us

is to build on what makes us unique in MUSD; we are a growing city and school district with a small town feel steeped in relationships that connect us to the past and the future.” Jordan explained. “We are at a pivotal point in this age of fast moving information and technology that provides us with the opportunity to take what we know about human development and create a personalized experience for every learner that makes it exciting to be a part of MUSD.” Jordan’s extensive background in the district includes time in both teaching and administrative positions at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels, Jordan stated. Now Jordan is excited to be the superintendent, because she can work in the community, making a difference for each student, she continued.

“I was the [Assistant Principal] at Rancho, then after having my son, I became the principal at Pomeroy,” Jordan explained. “After leaving Pomeroy I worked in Human Resources as the Director, then Assistant Superintendent, and the last two years served as Deputy Superintendent.”

Although there are no competitors for the position, Jordan remains the Interim Superintendent for six months, according to Principal Philip Morales. A formal application process will occur after the trial period, at which point Morales is confident that Jordan will get the job, he said.

CAMPAIGN: Ro Khanna speaks at MHS FROM PAGE 1 funding than football,” Khanna said.

“Liberal arts programs are important and should be cultivated.”

Meeting the people who are running for office is a great opportunity for students, Cummins said. An invitation was also sent to Honda, who visited MHS last year, but he has not yet responded to the request, Cummins added.

“I never met my own representative, and I never would have had a chance in high school,” Cummins said. “I just want students to see that he’s just a normal guy your parents’ age who knows stuff, like a lo-

cal businessman, and that he makes mistakes, just like any other normal human being.”

MHS Senior Leika Keys has participated in Ro Khanna’s campaign as an intern since April 2016, Keys said.

The experience has offered an avenue for political participation that is both rewarding and eye opening, she added.

“It really opens your eyes to how everything works; you wouldn’t expect it,” Keys explained. “You have to be really determined, though, and you have to want to know more. You have to get down into the grit.”

David Ngo| THE UNION

The MHS football field was renovated over the summer and has been repainted to have a new logo, lettering in the endzones, and lines on the field. The track, which surrounds the football field, is in the process of being resurfaced.

Football field closed in October to finish construction

BY DAVID NGO

The MHS football area may be unavailable to students during the last three weeks of October, Athletic Director Jeffrey Lamb said. This is due to continued renovations of the track, according to Lamb.

Construction will continue during October because football will have a bye and two away games, Lamb said.

If the track cannot be finished in October, the administration may need to wait until next summer, Lamb continued.

“They don’t want to wait until after football season because that can be the rainy season, and if it’s rainy then they can’t work on it,” Lamb said.

“And in that case, we have to wait until next summer, which means that we wouldn’t have a track for the track team, which doesn’t work very well.”

The availability of the field may change on certain days, according to Former Assistant Principal Ethan Stocks. Students would likely be unable to use the area during some of the time because of safety and chemical issues, Stocks said.

“They’re going to use that time to

do the second and third phases of the work on the field, which involves more painting and lines on the track,” Stocks said. “So there might be days, for example, where half the field can’t be used because it’s just had these chemicals put on it, and then the next day would be the other half for the track; the track would be off limits.

It’s going to vary.”

The process of resurfacing the track and the football field area should have been installed years ago, according to Lamb. Construction was extended because of issues having to do with the foundation of the track, Lamb said.

“They were planning on resurfacing the track,” Lamb said. “So what came to be found out when we put it in fourteen, fifteen years ago, they didn’t do it right. In other words, they’re supposed to compact; there’s supposed to be compressed dirt underneath the asphalt, and the asphalt’s supposed to be a certain thickness.”

The Athletic Booster Club also contributed $20,000 to $25,000 into the development of the football field, Lamb said. The money was fundraised from over the years through

things such as golf tournaments and snack bars, Lamb added.

“All the lettering in the football period, in the end-zone and the “M” in the middle of the field,” Lamb said.

“That was all paid by the Athletic Booster Club.”

The recent renovations are an improvement from the old field so far, Senior Anthony T. Nguyen said.

The field looks great and brand new, Nguyen continued.

“I think it’s better, nicer than the old one,” Nguyen said. “It’s a big improvement from last year.”

According to Stocks, his priority is for students to benefit academically and also have the school fit into their personal interests. The football field helps achieve that in the long term, Stocks said.

“It’s our job to serve all those people,” Stocks said. “The football field is used by many different groups and many different teams, marching band, et cetera, and those programs bring a lot of positive attention to this school. So if that ultimately is going to allow us to serve our students better in the long term, then the cost, in my mind, is worth it.”