The Union - Milpitas High School - February 2015

Page 1

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Teen Suicide

EDITORIAL PAGE 3

Gender Equality SPREAD PAGES 8-9

Valentine Dedications PAGES 10-11

T HE

FEBRUARY 2015 Volume XXVI Issue IV

UN I N

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STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL

Schedule revisions debated; seven period day considered BY RISHIKA DUGYALA

Aysha Rehman | THE UNION

Junior Vincent Academia (left) and Senior Austin Tumacder perform “Grenade” by Bruno Mars with their band, The Rivals, as part of the annual talent show. Other members are Juniors Juan Topete, Daryl Evangelista, Max Huss, and Khang Nguyen.

Annual talent show highlights exceptional students BY AYSHA REHMAN

Milpitas High School hosted its annual talent show on the nights of Feb. 5 and Feb. 6. This year’s theme was “Swinging into the Spotlight,” put together by A.S.B. To prepare for the show, A.S.B. had to set up the equipment, decorate the theater , and run-through the performances, according to Backstage Hand Brian Dinh. “We started planning for the show a week or so before winter break,” Co-coordinator Vy-Han Ngo said. Compared to last year there was a wider variety of acts including the

N EWS IN BR IEF ASB Applications Available Applications to join the ASB class for the 2015-2016 school year will be made available starting on Monday, Feb. 13. Application packets will be due on Friday, Mar. 20. Spring Play The annual Spring Play will be held on Mar. 19, Mar. 20, and Mar. 21. The play, Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” will be directed by John Ribovich and produced by Kaila Schwartz. Upcoming SAT and ACT testing dates ACT Testing will be occurring on Apr. 18, and the last day to register without paying a late fee is Mar. 13. SAT Testing will be occurring on Mar. 14, and the last day to register without paying a late fee is Feb. 13. School not in session School will not be in session from Feb. 16 to Feb. 20 due to February Break. School will resume on Monday, Feb. 23. School will be closed from Mar. 30 to Apr.3 due to Spring Break. School will resume on Monday, Apr. 6 Grading period ending The six week grading period will end on Friday, Feb. 13. Trojan Olympics The annual Trojan Olympics competition will be held on Fri, Mar. 27 from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

spoken word, solo acts, and the bands, Ngo said. “We had microphone problems during Thursday night’s show, but we got back on our feet,” Dinh said. “On Friday, everything went well and ran smoothly.” The Rivals, a student-made band, performed for the talent show both nights. “We’ve never done past talent shows,” Junior Max Huss said. “Getting to perform in front of people at school alongside the other acts is an honor, and a wonderful experience.” Seniors Lea Acuna and her partner Andreas Sedillo won first place on

the first night of the show. They sang a duet of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Judges based their scores for acts off of a rubric split into five parts. These five categories were props/attire, eye contact, respect towards the audience, mistakes, and whether the judges would like to see them perform again, according to Ngo. “I thought the talent show went really well! The transitions between the different acts were really smooth,” Ngo said. “Performing in this year’s talent show was one for the books,” Acuna said.

Serra High to reimburse MHS BY RUTH PARK

Junipero Serra High School (Serra) forfeited a consolation game against MHS during the football Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, Athletic Director Jeffrey Lamb said. Consequently, Serra has been banned from competing in the playoffs for the next two seasons, according to Lamb. The rules were sent out to each team before the consolation games, according to Lamb. If Serra had withdrawn from the playoffs before any games started, it would not have had to face any consequences, Lamb said. “There are sanctions, and they knew that they would be prohibited from the playoffs for at least one season,” Lamb said. “But they got a lot more than they anticipated, so they tried to appeal, but it was denied.” A fee of over $6,000 has been charged onto Serra’s athletic department, according to an article in the San Jose Mercury News. Serra has also agreed to pay MHS whatever money was spent for the game, according to Lamb. “We already had everything set up. ASB had made decorations; we had to find staff for tickets, concessions, and security. Sheri Hankins went shopping for two days for the concession stand,” Lamb said. “It’s already a lot of work to set up, but canceling makes everything harder.” At the time, Serra called Lamb,

Head Football Coach Kelly King, and Principal Cheryl Lawton to announce the forfeit without a clear reason, Lamb said. Recently, it has come out that the Serra coach was concerned for the welfare and safety of the players, according to Lamb. “They felt that they did not have enough players: some of their seniors went off to play other winter sports, and one was injured,” Lamb said. “It

Staff and department meetings are being held to consider possible changes to the current MHS bell schedule, according to Principal Cheryl Lawton. The proposal to change the current bell schedule will be put to a vote by April and must be approved by two-thirds of the teachers to pass, Lawton said. There are four options for the bell schedule, Lawton added. MHS could continue the regular six-period schedule, adopt a seven-period bell schedule with the seventh period being optional, adopt a six-period block schedule, or adopt a seven-period block schedule. “This month was just going to get the feeling about the seven-period day,” Lawton said. “Students would be asked when they register for classes if they prefer a 1-6 or 2-7 schedule. Whatever schedule we propose, first period would start between 7:40 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and seventh period would get out somewhere between 3:00 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.” Other proposed ideas include extending lunch by five minutes, removing SSR altogether, and having a teacher collaboration period within the seven-period schedule, Lawton continued. Teachers will still have five classes and one preparation period, but the extra period will give them a chance to meet with their professional learning communities, Lawton said. “We just don’t have enough time in the regular day to do any of that,” Lawton said. “We only have two days a month, two of the Wednesdays a month we can actually require them to talk to each other.” “[The collaboration period] will still fit in [the teachers’] day, in their window,” Lawton said. “Right now their current teacher workday is seven hours and 26 minutes if you look at the way the contract is set up. So our

goal would be to keep it within that window.” The time in the collaboration period can be used to focus on the students specifically instead of on going to more staff meetings, Photography Teacher Ian Danielson said. “I think the seven periods for students is beneficial,” Social Studies Teacher Danilo Escobar said. “The collaboration I’m not sure if that’s necessarily needed to be implemented in, but the seven periods for students is essential because a lot of students that are in different programs like AVID and some academies can’t take all of the required A-G requirements on top of the ones that they need for their specific program.” There’s not enough time for teachers to talk to each other and not enough access for students to participate in the many special programs on campus, Lawton stressed. Finding some sort of alternative to the schedule we have now will help resolve those issues, according to Lawton. “We have no actual concrete information is one of the problems, so we’re being asked to vote on something before we know what it actually says,” Social Studies Teacher Michael Cummins said. “And teachers are incredibly against change, as just a rule. Implementing a change from a pen to a pencil system would require an uproar.” “I’m just worried about more of the logistics of it all and that it hasn’t been brought up enough or discussed enough,” Danielson said regarding the entire proposal to change the bell schedule. “I think there should be a research team,” Danielson continued. “I would love to see some research based on a school, of this size, that is as successful as we already are, and see their reasoning and structure and how they changed it and why. So I think that would take at least a year with some discussion after that.”

Bolden, Scrempos sign for colleges

“It’s already a lot of work to set up [everything for the game], but cancelling everything makes everything harder.” jeffrey lamb wasn’t really fair to us because we had practiced for the game and the seniors were expecting to play for the last time.” The MHS varsity football players, however, make commitments to the whole season, according to Lamb. For example, freshmen at the varsity level can decide between Varsity football and no winter sport, or JV football and a winter sport, Lamb said. “Each team has the responsibility to fulfill the schedule,” Lamb said. “I still have work from their forfeit. It has not been a fun process.”

Simeon Alojipan | THE UNION

Pictured left, Senior Jason Scrempos signs his contract to play football for the University of Washington at Seattle. Pictured right, Senior Sarina Bolden signs her contract to play soccer for Loyola Marymount University. Both athletes received full-ride scholarships to play for their respective universities.

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NEWS

FEBRUARY 2015

Newby Island Dump expanding BY ANDREW LUU

The City of Milpitas is opposing the application for an expansion of the Newby Island Landfill, according to City Attorney Mike Orgaz. Republic Services, the operator of the landfill, has turned in two permit applications for land use and solid waste operations to San Jose, Orgaz said in an email interview. Numerous unanswered questions and an undisputed odor problem is the main reason Milpitas opposed this expansion, Orgaz said. Although the landfill’s mailing address is in Milpitas, Newby Island Dump is located in San Jose; as a consequence, San Jose approves or rejects the applications, according to Acting Public Works Director/City Engineer Steven Machida. “The City of Milpitas has no authority to stop the expansion or conditions of the landfill to mitigate the odors,” Machida said via email. Currently, the application submitted by Republic Services to the City of San Jose and CalRecycle plans to expand the height of the landfill by 95 feet, Machida said.

“The current capacity of the landfill will be full sometime between 2018 and 2025,” Machida said. “They expect that the expansion will increase the landfill’s life to approximately 2041.” The Milpitas City Council and other staff members have taken many measures to voice concerns such as writing letters, attending meetings, and talking with landfill regulators, Machida continued. “We are hoping these efforts will bring relief but the City of San Jose is still the authority that decides if the landfill may expand,” Machida said. The City of Milpitas wants the landfill to be good neighbors, according to Machida. “The odors have not only impacted our community but we have received complaints from residents in the cities of San Jose, Fremont, Newark, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. We are concerned that the odors will continue and get far worse with the expansion of the landfill.” “The application for the landfill expansion is currently under review,” Machida said.

On Thursday, Jan. 22, Assistant Principal Ethan Stocks and a few other teachers met to discuss security procedures on campus, Stocks said. The meeting went over what is being done correctly, what needs to be improved, and future drills, Stocks said. The meeting was held by the Security Council, which is comprised of Activities Director Joanna Butcher, Athletic Director Jeffrey Lamb, Social Studies Teacher Jennifer Loomis, English Teacher Thu Ngo, English Teacher Sanjit Roy, and Staff Member Jennifer Ting along with Stocks. Members were invited by Stocks at the beginning of the year. One of the first changes discussed was making drills more efficient. In drills beforehand, the system was for teachers to evacuate to specific areas, and assigned staff would check in and ensure everyone was there. If not, then the assigned member would alert administration, Stocks said. The issue with this system was that not everyone could be found in the chaos, so the council drafted up maps that showed where teachers were supposed to take their classes in order to make the system more efficient. After, the “intruder at an inconvenient time drill” was addressed, Stocks said. It was previously scheduled to take place in November, but it did not happen, Stocks said, for reasons that were not disclosed. Due to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process happening, it is not scheduled to take place until after it ends, in about March, Stocks said. This is true for most of the drills that need to be completed, Stocks

Lunar Show ‘exceeded expectations’ BY AKSHAT DAS

Security protocols updated BY NEAL BANSAL

Rishika Dugyala | THE UNION

From Left to Right: Audrey Marzan (Grade 11), Vivi Nguyen (12), Emily Hsieh (11), Erin Bui (12), Kimmy Dinh (11), Tiffany Hau (12) perform as part of the Iris act in the daytime Lunar Show, which was a preview of the night show.

said. The meeting ended with a discussion of the new protocol enacted by the district. The new protocol is exactly like the one fire departments use because it distributes specific responsibilities to different people, including who is responsible for what, Stocks said. The new protocol brings increased organization to the current system used, and increases communication amongst staff within schools, and communication amongst schools within the district. For example, one person is in charge of the buildings after an incident, as in, whether or not they are safe, and what structural damage occurred. Also added is someone in charge of communication with outside sources, such as news outlets, Stocks said. This is important because while the fire department takes over after a fire, and the police department after a violent incident, there is no one in charge in case a different disaster occurs, according to Stocks. One such disaster could be an earthquake, where the school would be left to its own devices to handle the student body, potentially without the support of emergency responders who will be in other places, unless an emergency occurs on campus. Also added are emergency backpacks which are essentially glorified backpacks, according to Stocks. They hope to implement these new designs during the triage drill which will take place soon. According to the California Education Code, “school evacuation drills to prepare pupils and school personnel for fire incidents” are required.

The Lunar Show was held in the theater on Saturday, Jan. 31. The show was hosted by the Chinese Club, according to Chinese Club Advisor Elijah Liao. This year’s show was the third Lunar Show that Liao has been in charge of, he said. While he is there to help out, most of the preparation and scheduling of the show is done entirely by students, Liao added. “The show turned out well, and since the students are working on the show within the parameters of school, our expectations aren’t Hollywood or Broadway level,” Liao said. Sophomore Andy Nguyen was a part of the BEAT! act during the Lunar Show. He created BEAT! and has been performing at charity events and school shows for a while. “BEAT! is a color guard group I formed with a few friends,” Nguyen said. “I started choreographing the song [for the Lunar Show] the first week of December and I taught it throughout December and January and practiced from then until the day of the show.” Freshman Kaitlin Martinez performed with the Hip-Hop Club. Although this was her first Lunar Show, it was definitely enjoyable and a lot of fun, she said. “I have been practicing for the show for two weeks, and my favorite part of the show was being able to bond with my club members backstage, and putting our hearts in our performance onstage,” Martinez said. “I hope to keep continuing performing in [the Lunar Show] until I graduate.” Hip-Hop Club Co-President Patrick Ly, felt that Hip-Hop Club’s performance was a bit uncoordinated, Ly said. The errors in the performance could be attributed to a lack of preparation, Ly added. “Due to miscommunication and confusion among [Hip-Hop Club] cabinet [members], practices were

not scheduled till two weeks before the actual performance. We had to practice everyday in those two weeks to pull it off,” Ly said. “We were definitely lenient on allowing people to be in the piece regardless of their skill level. Point was to help people get over stage fright.” Senior Tommy Dang participated in the Fashion Show this year, after serving as an usher for last year’s Lunar Show, Dang said. The outcome and the turnout for the show exceeded his expectations, Dang added. “I practiced very little [for the fashion show], and the most I had to do was practice my poses and time my walking,” Dang said. “I was surprised that so many people turned up, since I felt like we hadn’t advertised as much as we had in previous years.” Senior Tiffany Pham was a participant in the Fashion Show for her first ever Lunar Show, she said. The entire experience was a memorable and enjoyable experience, Pham added.

“The traditional along with the modern dances were fun to watch, the MC’s were entertaining, the singing acts sounded amazing, and the list goes on,” Pham said. “So much effort was put into this show and it was a success! The cabinet members of Chinese Club worked hard especially. I’m happy for them.” The Chinese Club officers and members deserve a lot of credit for the way the show turned out, Liao said. The amount of effort and time the club put into the show really paid off, Liao added. “As an advisor, I feel like it’s a student show as they put in the work, and I want people to recognize the time and effort the students put in,” Liao said. “I only work from the edges and don’t do as much of the hard work as they do.” “The show had a great turnout, there was a full house, and people seemed pretty happy with the show,” Liao added.

Christina Luo | THE UNION

Senior Eva Yip (left) and Junior Patricia Ta (right) perform their Water Sleeves dancing act during the daytime Lunar Show held on Fri. 1/30.

Tardy policy revamped, now accumulative and involves parents sooner BY ABIGAIL ECAL

There is a new tardy policy for students at MHS, according to Principal Cheryl Lawton. The policy was put in use since the beginning of the second semester, Lawton said. The main difference is that tardies are now cumulative for all six periods, instead of having first period separated, according to Lawton. Tardies and cuts start over every six weeks instead of accumulating until the end of the semester, Lawton said. “[The new tardy policy] gives students a chance to make things better and redeem themselves,” Lawton said. “I don’t want be having conse-

quences for attendance. We need to figure out a way to get people to go to class.” According to the MHS Student Handbook, three tardies will result

“[The new tardy policy] gives students a chance to make things better and redeem themselves. I don’t want to be having consequences for attendance.” Cheryl Lawton in a ParentLink warning, ten tardies will result in detention, 16 tardies will

result in Saturday School, and 22 tardies result in Saturday School, a parent meeting and signing a contract with the administration. “The main reason for having new policy is a way to deal with things earlier,” Lawton said. “The new policy hopes to involve parents in their children’s tardy habit sooner, Lawton said. The main flaw of the old tardy policy was the amount of paperwork handled by the office staff for students who were tardy or had cut class, according to Lawton. The staff should not be dealing with these things on a daily basis, Lawton said. “It was a ridiculous amount of time

for the office people to deal with the amount of paperwork,” Lawton said. “Everybody [in the attendance center] had 20 to 30 to 40 people each day to call in. It was a paperwork nightmare and that’s the main reason why we have a new tardy policy.” The school gets money by having students attend class, according to Lawton. The school loses money for every day and period a student cuts, Lawton said. “My only concern is whether or not the consequences are consistent and that we play fairly with everybody and that there are no exceptions,” said Social Studies Teacher Gregory Ducote. “I just think that we have parent in-

volvement with the tardy policy and to let people know that their students have a chronic problem.” Since administrators want more students to go to class, it does make sense for them to make it easier to become tardy, according to Senior Alexandra Carucci. “I hate it,” said Junior Patricia Uychoco. “What if a student becomes absent everyday during first period because of traffic and he or she has to attend Saturday School? It isn’t fair.” The tardy policy is great, according to Junior Kian Ghaemmaghami. It is easier to deal with students for whom tardiness a habit, Ghaemmaghami said.

FEBRUARY 2015

EDITORIAL

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Students leave high school not prepared for life, scheduling requires more flexibility for options We, The Union,  believe that MHS does not provide an adequate selection of classes, nor the scheduling flexibility that will prepare students for college and real life careers. Students are offered only Life Management. Along with these are an amalgam of options, such as academies and the Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) program, but these options are space limited and do not appeal to everyone. Students are already restricted with the need to fulfill the A-G requirements, and with the mandatory elective classes, there is not much space to work with. The current problem with scheduling is the lack of space and flexibility. These are needed for students to be able to take any electives that they want to, while meeting college and graduation requirements. Programs such as the SVCTE program provide students with A-G requirement fulfillment, however they take up three periods. This severely limits the student’s ability to take an elective or other class just as vital to development as their core classes/ programs. Similarly, academies provide an excellent opportunity to students willing to take all the classes that go along with their academic focus. However, academy exclusive classes are not open to those who are

not in the academy, yet students are crowded into academy classes because there is no space in regular classes. Switching out of unwanted classes is nearly impossible with strict policies, and surprise schedule changes are yet another obstacle for students. Our current schedule further deters students from taking classes that would benefit them  such as Life Management, or in some cases, AVID. If there was either a greater selection of practical life training classes, or even the space to take the ones already offered, then students would be better suited to take care of themselves in the real world when they are done with schooling. Filing taxes and paperwork is learned through outside experience and not at school. Some economics teachers however, do take the time to teach students how to write a check. What we urge the administration to do, is to consider adding a seventh period, and perhaps considering the addition of more life-management courses. Block scheduling may become a reality for MHS in the future, which would be a great opportunity to revisit class requirement policies and potentially expand on current elective options. With more scheduling flexibility students would no longer be deterred from taking classes that only would benefit them in life but not school. Academics should not have to be a hassle.

Aysha rehman | THE UNION

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Preventing suicide should be more proactive; administration currently not taking right steps We, The Union, are speaking on a issue in which the school district has failed to act upon this year: raising suicide awareness. According to KidsData, a program that promotes the health and well being of children in California, suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24 nationwide. This statistic, and the fact that Milpitas High has witnessed multiple suicides in the past few years, is significant enough to bring the topic of suicide awareness to the attention of our student body. CASSY (Counseling and Support Services for Youth) is a counseling program provided in Milpitas High School. CASSY counselors come to every sophomore class and offer mental health services once a year. In addition, our school also provides us a two page document addressing the grief of suicide, that can only be found in the archives of the news or counseling center of our school website. The document shows parents how to identify symptoms of suicidal behavior in their kids and how to take preventive measures. Contact information for grief support systems and a counseling center are provided at the bottom of the document. The school isn’t taking the right approach and isn’t doing enough. In order to take proactive measures, it is important to note that suicidal youths are most likely not going to seek help directly. A day should be taken out of class for all grade levels to inform youths about suicide. What are the symptoms of suicidal behavior? What can I do if I see a person undergoing these symptoms? What if I am experiencing these symptoms, but don’t feel comfortable telling anyone? It is highly unlikely for students to scroll under the archives of the news page or under counseling center on the school website on their own time. Why not bring the services and topic to the classroom?

We understand that school budgets are limited, and that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to appoint trained experts on campus to combat this issue. The school needs to be more assertive in letting students know that they can reach out to them. More counselors should be hired. At the moment the average counselor to student ratio in the nation is 447 to 1 compared to California’s ratio of 945 to 1. Some students, who may not be comfortable reaching out to a counselor but are willing to talk to a teacher, can’t due to the teacher not being certified to give them advice. Teachers should be certified and be able to be a support service to students. This however, should not prevent things like signs in every classroom or buildings that show suicide hot lines, mental health services, or ways to take proactive measures as a student. The fact that talking about suicide in the classroom is generally deemed as an uncomfortable topic to discuss shows us how much of a recurring problem it is. When this taboo is present, how can it be possible for a student to find consolation directly with someone? Spreading awareness for is not the only proactive measure. Where are the programs that can combat bullying? Where are the programs that advocate gender equality? What about the histories behind racial and social hierarchy? There are countless social conditions that create unrest among youths that simply cannot be brushed aside. The duration of school is six hours – not including transportation time, homework time, and after school activities. This is over one-fourth of a student’s day. If there is not a simple way for a student who wants, or needs, help to receive it, there is a problem. CONTINUING WEB SERIES: MHSTHEUNION.COM

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L E T T E R TO T H E E DI TOR Bathrooms unclean; lack of effort by students to clean after themselves It’s been almost a full four years since I first set foot on this campus and I’m sad to say the cleanliness of our restrooms is still dismal. By third period, the floors are slippery wet with whatever-that-stuff-is-I-really-don’t-want-to-know, and the stench is starting to come in from the stalls thanks to your peers who refuse to flush toilets after laying logs. Our restrooms are flat-out disgusting. No, it’s not the fault of the custodians on campus for not doing their job. It’s the fault of sloppy students who aren’t capable of cleaning after their own excrement. “Oh, I’m not leaving a mess. I’m just giving the janitors a job; something to do.� Is an actual explanation I’ve gotten from some pimply snapback-toting-SUPREME-sweater-wearing-Nike Elite sock-waddling kid after asking him why he was flooding the E building bathroom urinals with paper towels. I had some choice words for him, but didn’t want to stick around after he started rolling a blunt on the sink. He didn’t wash his hands either, so if you know anyone that matches that description—yeah don’t give him a high-five. Another common phenomenon is urine and fecal matter all over the floors, sometimes

feet away from urinals and toilets. They really ought to bring marksmanship back into the PE curriculum. But really now, missing the toilet entirely? Leaving a steamy pile of poop in the corner of a stall? Unbelievable. Kids our age were dropping bombs from Flying Fortresses in 1945. If they had the same aerial bombardment skill as some of our peers do, we’d probably be speaking German or Japanese today. Just some food for thought. Now, it’s been a couple years since I’ve set foot in a girl’s bathroom (long story but there happened to be two girls smoking weed in the lower L building restrooms, you may remember the story if you followed the silly MHS Confessions page in 20122013), but I’ve been told that they’re not much better. We need to start thinking about the janitors that are tasked with cleaning after our messes. If you wouldn’t leave a disgusting trail of feces behind at home for your parents to wipe up, please don’t do it at school. It’s disgusting to look at, smells terrible, and if you actually get enjoyment from it, you need to rethink your life and re-evaluate your choices as a human being.

Jordan Li Class of 2015

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Humans have transitioned well itizes books. These public domain from board games to video games and documents can be legally downloadfrom CD’s to digital music. Why? It is ed for free and kept because of exbecause new product forms offer add- pired copyrights. ed capabilities. E-books have become In addition to convenience, e-books increasingly popular due to the large offer different functions that allow numbers of personal elecfor personal reading extronic devices in use today. periences. Font and text E-book users enjoy sizes can be changed to the increased functionensure eye comfort, while ality and convenience of background colors can reading on an electronic be adjusted. Line spacscreen. E-books are also ings and margins can also environmentally friendly be manipulated at one’s ways of conveying inforwill. Many e-readers have mation. the capability of defining One of the attractive words that appear in the aspects of e-books is condigital text, so hard words WEE JIN venience. The size of an can be defined on the spot. KOH e-book is measured in Another perk of e-readbytes and not square inching is that e-reader apps es, so it does not take up physical and devices also allow readers to start space and weighs next to nothing. reading an e-book on one device and In addition, no paper is needed to finish it on another device. The condistribute e-books, which saves trees venience of continuing a book on any and pleases the nature lovers. They device on hand is a perk that many can be loaded onto smartphones and readers will appreciate. tablets, offering a wide range of readWhile most established writers sell ing mediums that can be readily ac- the majority of their titles in print, up cessed at anytime. and coming authors can make a name E-books are also readily available in for themselves in the e-book domain. a variety of online locations. Amazon Publishing works of writing online is offers e-books that can be bought and easier than finding a publisher that is downloaded at one’s convenience. willing to publish works by unknown Many libraries offer online e-books writers. that can be borrowed and read on the As we step further into the techno“Overdrive” app. The app even auto- logical age, we can use technology to matically returns e-books on their improve our lives. E-books offer an due dates. environmentally friendly and conBut why borrow titles when you can venient way of reading your favorite own them for free? Project Guten- titles. As such, try using e-books the berg, the world’s oldest digital library, next time you have a hankering for is an organization that edits and dig- reading!

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Paper books more convenient, e-books step in wrong direction In our society today, almost ev- accident while you left it unattended. erything has been digitized or made The choice is obvious on which medielectronic, be it music, databases, um is more versatile. or the Library of Congress. Books Traditional books are also prefhave been no exception to this trend. erable to e-books because they can However, as in the case of the cinna- make it seem one is at the very least mon challenge, following a trend may intellectual, if not intelligent. Even if not be so great. Despite what one may one was wearing sweats and covered think in the digital age, traditional in crumbs, people may still assume books are still superior to the e-book. you to have some sense of culture if One major reason for this is that you had a copy of “The Divine Comnot every book you want to read or edy” with you. Shelves also look a lot own is available in e-book format. better and give better impressions Rare books and autographed books if they are filled with conventional cannot be in e-book form without books rather than an e-book. Books losing the traits that make them de- have always been a status symbol in sirable. Unless someone autographs society. With an e-book, your level your Kindle, you won’t treaof education, whatevsure an autographed e-book er it may be, does not as much you would an autoappear any better, nor graphed hardcover. This is appear intellectual. also true in the case of rare Regular books are books. also much easier to Anyone with a basic unshare than e-books as derstanding of supply and well. One can easily demand realizes that if rare lend someone a book books were made digital and from a collection. With available as e-books, they an e-book, one usualwould drop sharply in value, ly has to do a mental IVAN making the possession of a background check of HUANG rare book highly pointless. the person borrowing After all, there’s a reason why it to make sure they can some things aren’t widely available be trusted with an expensive device. to the masses. Normal books allow for an easier Another aspect in which conven- exchange of information compared tional books are better is in terms with e-books. Thus, it is evident that of their versatility. You don’t need to regular books are better suited for charge your paperback or hardcover, sharing. nor do you have to scramble to find a Essentially, e-books try to sell you charger so you can keep reading and what has been provided for centuries find out Dumbledore dies. If you drop in the forms of conventional books. a book, you don’t have to pray to your This is analogous to someone trying maker that there isn’t a crack on the to get you to run on a treadmill when screen as you would for an e-book. you can run outside. The numerous With the conventional book, you restrictions and lack of any true bendon’t have to worry about battery efit justifying its faults prove that, life, cracked screens, or a child pur- overall, e-books are not better than chasing the Fifty Shades trilogy by conventional paper books.

OPINIONS

FEBRUARY 2015

P.E. requirement redundant for student athletes Being a student athlete at MHS comes with a multitude of struggles: balancing your games and schoolwork, hardly ever seeing your sixth period in-season, defying the physically impossible by squeezing your sports bag through the crowded walkways, climbing (crawling) up L-building stairs after a particularly rough practice, and tan lines. Everywhere. One subject that administration should begin to look at in light of a student athlete’s perspective is the requirement of Physical Education (P.E.). Currently, MHS students must earn 20 credits, or four semesters, worth of P.E. in order to graduate. It is a misconception that student athletes are good at P.E., and that they even enjoy it. A varsity swimmer should not have to struggle through the basketball unit, and a track athlete should not have to be distraught by her table tennis incompetence. Why is an entire class period dedicated to fitness forced upon athletes who already train at least thirteen hours a week? P.E. is effective at exposing students to different sports and encouraging the pursuit of healthy lifestyles. However, student athletes are likely

already aware of the nutritional and their own season. social benefits that being active enCertain high schools, such as tails. They should be free to spend Homestead High of Fremont Union those two extra courses delving into High School District, approach this classes they are curious or passionate issue in ways I feel should be mirabout, rather than throwing horse- rored in the MHS curriculum. Acshoes around for an hour. cording to their Physical With that said, opening Education Handbook, up the prospect of forgoHomestead also requires ing P.E. for an interschotwenty credits of P.E., but lastic sport may encourage offers athletes five credits students to try a sport they for each sport season they normally would not be participate in throughout motivated to partake in. the school year. This appeal could potenThis means that an athtially stimulate a wealth lete can be on a school of interest in our athletic team for all four seasons programs. of their high school career ASHLEY Although I have never while simultaneously fully RICKS found P.E. to be particumeeting the P.E. requirelarly grueling (with the ments Homestead imposexception of a weights/ es. Additionally, this polcardio class that resulted in medi- icy is extended towards students in cine-ball-induced emotional trau- marching band, upon Music and P.E. ma), in some instances, the physical Department approval. impact of P.E. can affect athletic There are some individuals who performance. One of my teammates love P.E., but for the rest of us who struggled in a track meet due to pain- would be grateful for an extra class ful shin splints, which were worsened or two not spent scraping ankles in by her jogging final. Intense competi- a mandatory game of street hockey, tion in rugball has led to a significant there should be alternatives offered amount of athletes injured during by MHS.

Teachers should be more aware of child psychology Teachers, especially those who dle school and even into high school, teach at elementary schools, should they may lack self-esteem and feel be more aware of child psychology. unconfident with their actions. ChilWhile at Anthony Spangler Ele- dren should be able to leave elemenmentary School, I witnessed teachers tary school with pleasant memories yell and easily express deep frustra- of their past instructors. tion at their students. This is absoAccording to renowned Psychololutely unacceptable. The gist Jean Piaget’s Cognifact that teachers expect tive Development Theory, their younger students to children in the preoperaknow what is right or wrong tional stage (around the and assert their own reages of two to seven years sponsibility at such an early old) are egocentric, meanage is unreasonable. ing that they have difficulA friend of mine once ty taking the viewpoint of told me that when she others. was in second grade, her So, if a child does a certeacher got frustrated at a tain action because in student for not completing their eyes it seems right ABIGAIL his homework on time to but not to a teacher, the ECAL the point where she threw student will eventually a chair across the room. punished without exactly What kind of discipline is knowing what he or she this? Since this was occurring in a did wrong. room of second graders, of course I have once been victimized by my everybody was passive about it and first grade teacher when she asked astonishingly stunned at what just her students to describe her daughter happened. These types of teachers in one word. Apparently, calling her create a learning environment where “fat” will only get you berated by the students feel afraid to speak up teacher in front of the whole class for during class or ask their teacher for a good ten minutes. As a six year old, help without being scorned. I felt traumatized by the whole situAs these same children enter mid- ation with having a teacher confront

me in front of the entire class. Afterwards, I began to feel inferior the rest of the year because I was afraid to be in the same situation again. I did not know at the time that calling someone fat was necessarily disrespectful, but I was just being honest (although I have to admit that the whole situation was hilarious). Teachers, especially who have children during these ages, should be aware of how their thought processing works because they do not realize how their students’ behavior affects them as they grow up and move on to middle school and to high school. They are completely oblivious of what goes on in a child’s mind and think that it is completely fine to treat them like a teenager who understands their responsibilities. Ultimately, I believe that teachers who expect their students to possess self-responsibility should teach at a high school, not at an elementary school. Elementary school need teachers who not only enjoy interacting with children, but also those who understand their cognitive thinking and perhaps the reasons of why they do the things they do and how certain situations impact them.

Student eating habits unhealthy, larger array available I eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now, this seems super obvious, but I would like to ask you: do you eat three balanced meals every day? People react weirdly when they see me eat foods like bell pepper, sweet potatoes, or tofu sandwiches. They think I am crazy for not liking pearl milk tea or Doritos. 30.4 percent of Californian adolescents are either overweight or obese, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Roughly ten percent of the same population has diabetes. I see too many of my friends and peers neglect the importance of a healthy diet. This is worrisome, especially because the obesity rate in America seems to be growing by the second. The first flaw in many students’ health is their diets. Junk foods such as Hot Cheetos, pearl milk tea, and pizza fill the stomachs of MHS students. These types of foods have little nutrition and are high in sodium, sugar, fat, and calories. Enjoying junk foods once in a while is not detrimental. However,

if your diet is always consisted of unhealthy foods, you should change your eating habits. Do not assume your body will always seem fit and fine. Another trend I see in high school students is the lack of structured meal times. Many people I have asked said that they skip breakfast and lunch. They simply go home after school and eat one mega meal. The problem with eating one meal a day lies in our metabolism. Our bodies RUTH constantly PARK need energy to function. By skipping meals, your body becomes more easily fatigued and can also result into a slower metabolism rate, which in turn can make you fatter. Eating one meal a day also will more likely result in binge eating, which is one of the most common

eating disorders among adolescents. Depression, anger, and fatigue often correlate with eating disorders. I do not mean to sound morbid, but be aware of the risks of skipping meals. Staying hydrated is another huge issue in the general population. Our bodies typically need about two liters of water a day, according to the official website of Authority Nutrition. I hardly see any MHS students drink water. If you do not like water, there are many alternatives to make sure your body stays hydrated. You can drink unsweetened tea or add various fruits, like berries, to flavor your water. Drinking juice and sports drinks are also acceptable; however, they contain a lot of sugar. Overall, there is a lack of health awareness on our campus. Sure, we are young and do not have major problems right now. However, if we continue to neglect our health, symptoms like diabetes or obesity will catch up to us. So please, eat more nutritious foods and do not skip meals for the convenience of time or work.

FEBRUARY 2015

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FEBRUARY 2015

Day custodians divulge thoughts BY ASHLEY RICKS

Michael Fullbright How long have you worked for the school? For the district, 24 [years], and the high school, eight [years]. What is your favorite part about working on a school campus? Just kids; just being there for the kids. Seeing them smile when I do something to help them out.

Victor Alvarez How long have you worked for the school? I've been in the school district for 13 years, and three years at the high school. What is your favorite part about working on a school campus? I like to work with the kids, and I have fun joking with them.

What is a typical day like for you? Get here at 5:40 in the morning — hot, cold, rainy, don't matter. Open up every door around here, check the campus out. [Here until] 2:30.

What is a typical day like for you? When we come in the morning we dis-alarm the building and we start opening all the gates. Then we deliver all the boxes and we clean some rooms and the small gym. We deliver lunch and breakfast for the kitchen.

If you could tell everyone at school one thing, what would it be? A quote that I always did tell my kids coming up: the more you know, the further you go. The more you learn, the more you earn. Stay in school.

If you could tell everyone at school one thing, what would it be? If we treat the students nice, it's going to be nicer, because that's the way they're going to think. We need to teach them to be good in the future, for them, because they are the future.

Ashley Ricks | THE UNION

Ashley Ricks | THE UNION

Rishika Dugyala | THE UNION

MHS Masti performs for the first time at Dil Se, a cultural charity show featuring multiple Bollywood dance teams from different schools in the Bay Area. The event took place at Irvington High School on Jan. 10, earlier this year.

Masti debuts at Bollywood cultural show BY IVY NGUYEN

Many clubs on campus offer outlets for cultural exposure. However, what makes MHS Masti special is the fact that it really isn’t a club: there’s no adviser and it isn’t chartered by ASB. Masti is a spin-off of Indian Club, run by a group of dedicated students with a passion for Bollywood dancing, according to Senior Gunjan Pasi. The idea for starting a Bollywood dance team on campus arose when Pasi heard of such groups being formed at other schools, according to Pasi. “In my junior year, I really wanted our school to have a dance team," Pasi said. “We needed some members, so we asked some people from Indian Club if they wanted to join. "

With a solid foundation from the previous year, the dance team set out to recruit new members this year, Freshman Saket Metrani said. The admission process for the team involves an audition where other team members evaluate the applicant’s skill level, according to Junior Naga Canagaraj. “We do have a few beginners on the team, but we treat them just like the other, more experienced dancers,” Canagaraj said. The choreographers for the routines make sure everyone is equally represented on the team, Senior Neel Srejan said. “Everyone has about the same stage time as well as time in the front line," Srejan said. "The performance isn’t centered around any one individual,"

Srejan continued. Practices are usually once a week on Fridays, according to Pasi. "When we near shows or competitions, we amp it up to practices twice a week on Wednesday and Friday," Pasi said. The team debuted this year at Dil Se, a cultural charity show consisting of various dance groups from other schools, Pasi said. The performance was a huge success, according to Pasi. “As newcomers to the dance scene, we didn’t qualify for a lot of the competitions and shows last year,” Pasi said. “Dil Se was a really big deal, since it’s one of the more well-known shows in the Bay Area." "We’re waiting to hear back if we made it past auditions for a competition in Dougherty Valley High School," Pasi said.

FEBRUARY 2015

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Tsang discusses teaching experiences; compares academic setting in Hong Kong BY AYSHA REHMAN

As she busily arranges loose supplies and helps students with their questions, Math Teacher Wai Lan Tsang warmly recounts her teaching experiences in Hong Kong. Tsang received her Bachelor’s degree at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she majored in Pure Mathematics and minored in Computer Science, according to Tsang. “Back in year 1991, I taught high school math and computer science in Hong Kong,” Tsang said. The academic atmosphere in Hong Kong differs from that of the United States, according to Tsang. The students are different, and there seems to be a stronger focus on discipline, Tsang said. “Students in Hong Kong are all Asian students. They get used to fol-

lowing the instructions pretty well,” Tsang said. “The training that we provide for elementary students in math is stronger. [However,] In Hong Kong the students are less creative, not as creative as U.S. students," Tsang said. Before coming to MHS, Tsang worked as a student teacher in Union City last year, according to Tsang. She was a substitute teacher until this semester, Tsang said. This is Tsang's first year teaching at MHS, Tsang continued. Tsang teaches both Math II and Algebra II, according to Tsang. She teaches all classes except for periods three and six, including zero-period in the morning, Tsang said. Tsang wasn’t always a teacher, however. “I was a software engineer in the Bay Area for 15 years,” Tsang said. “I worked in the telecommunications industry, and I was an application

engineer." Tsang finds the math department very welcoming and feels that the other teachers provide her with the help she needs, according to Tsang. Despite her degree in Computer Science, Tsang chose to teach math because it provides students the analytical and critical thinking skills they need for other subjects, according to Tsang. “If a student wants to learn computer science, they can do it themselves,” Tsang said. “They need strong analytical skills. They get it from math training.” Overall, Tsang enjoys teaching, and likes the environment at MHS. This includes both the teachers and the students, according to Tsang. “Compared to other school districts, this is pretty nice,” Tsang said. “In general, I think the students here are pretty good also.

Operation Equality drafts gender equality curriculum BY TERRA WALLS

Club Operation Equality is designing a class that covers gender equality and human sexuality, according to Club President Simeon Alojipan. A big part of designing the class is gathering student interest, according to Alojipan. “We’re getting signatures of students who support the class and maybe would like to take it." The class is being designed democratically, with everyone giving input and voting on what they want, according to Alojipan. “What we really want is this organic class, where the kids who are interested in the subject will learn what they want to learn," Alojipan said. The class will focus on sexuality in the sense of homosexuality, trans-

sexuality, inner sexuality, and gender and sex in various areas of society, Sociology Teacher Lauren Byler said. Byler has been a guiding force for the club, according to Byler. “It’s important that we represent the different groups on campus. We want to give students the choice to address issues that are seen as maybe more mature and controversial," Byler said. The class may not be available until 2017, according to Byler. “We’ve missed most of the deadlines to be a course for next year," Byler said. "The topics are also very sensitive, and not everyone wants their kids to take a sex ed, let alone this course," Byler said. The class will also center around teaching students about the stereo-

types of gender roles of masculinity and femininity, along with bullying and LGBQT issues, Operation Equality Vice President Catherine McIntosh said via Facebook. It’s also important that students apply what they’ve learned in the class to real life, McIntosh said. "We want to explore the different types of genders, in addition to the way gender roles are portrayed in the media," McIntosh said. “I would definitely take a gender studies class on campus; it really sounds like something I’d be happy to study for," Junior Jennifer Bunnell said. “I think a class like that would be really important to have here on campus, to make sure everyone has an open mind," Bunnell continued.

Michelle Huang | THE UNION

The displayed artworks include Impressionist paintings, Day of the Dead pieces, landscapes drawn with oil pastels, photographs, and works featuring different mediums. Ceramic vases were also displayed on library shelves.

New Learning Commons Center exhibits student art BY CHRISTINA LUO

To commemorate the opening of the Learning Commons Center, teachers in the Art Department contributed their students' works for display, according to Assistant Principal Hilary Brittan. There are many artists on campus who put an immense amount of time into their work, and it deserves to be showcased, Brittan said. “[The artworks from each class] came from the most current or finished projects,” Art Department Chair Irene Hentschke said. The organization for all the artwork is based off of an organic arrangement, according to Hentschke. Each art class contributed around 30 piec-

es, Hentschke said. “Anytime you have a lounge or learning environment, artwork on the walls helps with that learning environment,” Photography Teacher Ian Danielson said. “The artwork is almost a key component to the vibe in the learning environment," Danielson said. The artwork can inspire people to want to learn how to recreate it, according to Danielson. The pieces can also be inspirational for anything that a student participates in, even if it is unrelated to art, Danielson added. “We don’t always pick the best [pieces] in the class because we want everyone to be represented,” Hentschke said. “[The artworks] are more [about] skills and techniques

than journal-like.” Students feel proud of their work when they see it being shown to other people, Junior Nguyen Nguyen said. Nguyen's artwork is often inspired by others' works, according to Nguyen. The display allows other students to enjoy their classmates' art pieces, Nguyen said. After looking at all of the artworks, someone could start to have interest in Photography, Senior Sophia Raymundo said. The photos taken show how much hard work was put into them, Raymundo added. “I’ve never had anything put up before so I think it is pretty amazing,” Raymundo said. “People will like the fact that we get to use the Dark Room.”

Courtesy of Jordan Li

Junior Sean McDonald tests the durability of his bridge at the Tracy High School Invitational. McDonald and his partner placed first in their event.

Science Olympiad competes; team prepares for Regionals BY KRUPA PATEL

Science Olympiad participated in Invitationals at Mira Loma High School in Sacramento on Jan. 10. The team also competed at Tracy High School on Jan. 24, according to Science Olympiad Co-President Andrew Luu. “As of this year and last year, newly formed Invitationals have sprung up and we’ve eagerly taken the opportunities to gain extra, valuable competing experience before Regionals,” Luu said via Facebook. Science Olympiad members work on various projects beginning in the middle of September, according to Luu. There are after-school late days on Fridays, and Saturday School nearly every week, according to Luu. “We also have intense crunchweeks preceding any and every competition, in which we work after school every day for the entire week,” Luu said. The members are then placed in three teams according to how well they are doing in their events, according to Luu. In particular, Team Blue is composed of mostly returning members and promising underclassmen, Luu said. Team Blue and Team Gold competed at Mira Loma, and Team Blue and Team White competed at the Tracy competition, according to Luu. “Science Olympiad, as a competition, is divided into multiple events," Luu said. “Examples of events are forensics, in which partners will have to identify certain powders, strands of hair, and fingerprints,” Luu said.

Bridges constitute another event, according to Luu. “A bridge must be built to span a certain length over a gap and carry as much weight as possible," Luu said. At the Mira Loma competition, the MHS Science Olympiad team placed tenth out of 28 high schools, according to Science Olympiad Membership Coordinator Tony Zhao. The Mira Loma competition included state champions from Washington, Southern California, and Northern California, according to Zhao. The Tracy competition included many local schools, Zhao said. “Over the past three or four seasons, our school has done very well in competitions, including the Mira Loma Invitational last year,” Luu said. The team was disappointed with the outcome at Mira Loma this year, according to Luu. "It became a sobering moment for all of us signaling that we needed to step up our game,” Luu said. The team redeemed itself, however, in the Tracy Invitational by taking first place, according to Luu. “It would suffice to say we drowned in medal placements in Tracy,” Luu said. The next competition is Regionals on March 14, according to Luu. The team is also determined to qualify for states, Luu said. “I would say every competition is its own complete experience," according to Luu. "The urgency of heading to your individual events on time, the pride and joy of seeing your teammates earn medals in their events, and the satisfied feeling of a day well spent at the end of the day,” Luu said.

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“Gender equality is not only a women’s issue, it is a human rights

Gender roles and how they have changed BY CHRISTINA LUO

Jobs Girls tend to have a lower interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), according to Research Associate Andresse St. Rose from Association of American Colleges and Universities. She states that girls believe that STEM fields correlate with “male fields,” and they tend to assess their abilities lower than boys due to social attitudes. Women who want to become gamers are often undermined, according to English Teacher Lillian Bogovich. It is still very difficult for women to be successful in the computer industry, Bogovich said. “[Gender roles] used to define people a lot more,” Psychology Teacher Michael Cummins said. “If you come from a traditional family, there are some things you don’t think you can do as a woman, or things you are only supposed to do as a man.” Boys tend to tinker with computers at a younger age compared to girls, which leads to careers involving technology, Cummins said. More women are trying to major in engineering despite it being a male dominated major which is a vital

improvement, Cummins added. “In education, people get excited when more men become elementary school teachers,” Bogovich said. “In theater, there will be 50 women for every two men, and the plays are mostly about men.” Traditional Roles Children learn about gender roles from an early age through their parents, family, religion, culture, and media, according to Planned Parenthood. Previously, male figures would be in charge of taking care of the family, according to Freshman Connie Tran. Freshmen girls Destiny Cabales Villarreal and Daisy Nguyen voiced similar opinions on how women used to just stay at home and clean. “Men are now sometimes stayat-home husbands, while women go out to work,” Senior Kelly Kwong said. “[Women] are not restrained by society’s roles anymore.” Women can get the same jobs as men in modern society, Junior Patrick Levita said. They can also be strong single mothers, Levita added. “[People] will act the way society thinks they should act instead of the way they want to act which affects their behavior and the way they think,” Sophomore Mark Tran said.

“California is a lot about equality, but if you go out of California, you see a lot more [gender] stereotypes.” Schools On a national level, the percentage of male students who attend public universities is 43.6 and for female students it is 56.4, according to a Forbes article. “The way schools are set up where we sit in rows and stay still for 50 minutes at a time is easier for women than for men,” Cummins said. “There is an argument for having classrooms for only male and only female since there can be completely different learning styles for both of them,” Cummins said. “The people who go or teach at an all male school and all female school believe in that model. ” Sports have not become completely co-ed, Tran said. There is not a female football team or a male volleyball team at this school, Tran added. “There aren’t any gender roles at school since we learn to pull our own weight,” Kwong said. “If people believe in that stereotype so much that they end up being the stereotype, they are basically imposing it on themselves.”

Abigail Ecal| THE UNION

Only 276 out of 500 surveys were received. The majority of students felt pressure to behave more as male or female.

Out of the 500 surveys sent out, 276 were received. The following survey que

A timeline of women’s equality progress in the US and world is stemmed out and it shows that gender equality has seen improvements in the last two centuries, from the first Seneca Falls Conv

OPINION: Definition of masculinity unclear unaware of depression. Growing up, boys are taught to not “Dad, what does it mean to be a show sensitivity or vulnerability. In man?” doing so, the ability to release their Tread carefully, Dad. What you say emotions in a non-violent, peaceful next will contribute to the way decreases. Slanderous embodied ideals of maswords and phrases such culinity. as “pussy” or “grow some The suicide rate among balls” are prevalent in socimen is four times higher ety today, as a way to push than that among women, males towards an ideal of according to the Ameriinvulnerability. can Foundation for Sui“Traditionally re-encide Prevention’s website. forced American male culThis study rings truth ture is a set of unspoken and relevance to MHS: rules and behaviors that inthe last three suicides in clude things such as being PATRICK the school were all male, tough or independent but LY according to the school can ultimately hurt male database. students in the long run,” Many researchers are Assistant Principal Hilary in agreement that there is one factor Brittan commented on masculinity that contributes to the 4:1 suicide raculture. tio - masculinity. “Some of the ways we see this beNormative male alexithymia, ing manifested in high school are coined by Psychologist Ronald Lemale students not asking clarifying vant, is a magical term that describes questions in their classes that will how a male can be out of touch with help them succeed academically or his emotions to to point where he is not asking for emotional or mental BY PATRICK LY

health support when feeling depressed or overwhelmed,” Brittan said. “Ultimately this hurts male students’ potential at success.” The roles of both sexes have radically changed over the course of a century. Speaking in the 21st century, what are the traits of a man? “A man is someone who holds fear. Not fear for doing things, but a fear of hurting others,” Senior Toral Suthar said. “A man does whatever he can to make sure that the ones around him don’t get hurt and that they are safe, comfortable, and happy.” “Handling your responsibilities with being a sole provider is an important aspect,” Photography Teacher Ian Danielson said. “I don’t think it needs to be a dominating aspect. I think you can have equal providers in the family.” Although culture has blurred the definition of what it means to be a man, the negative and positive connotations of the word still remain prevalent in today’s society. And although we may never find the answer, it doesn’t hurt to try.

Abigail Ecal| THE UNION

Out of the 500 surveys sent out, only 276 were received. Students were asked about whether they identified themselelves as other than male or female.

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s issue that requires my participation.” -

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Emma Watson, HeForShe Campaign

OPINION: Music sterotypes gender roles It’s Feb. 14th, and the sun is just Valentine’s Day are being challenged starting to set. He looks into her with an increasingly louder voice. In eyes, takes a deep breath, and shakterms of achieving equality, there is ily starts to strum a few scratchy both a lot accomplished and a lot to guitar chords. She encourages him do. One of the concrete manifestawith a small smile and he begins to tions of this sociological battle has sing, “Been around the world, don’t been through pop music. speak the language/ But Although some dismiss your booty don’t need exthe notion that popular plaining. . .” songs are any indicator While this is horrific and of progressivity (or lack I hope that no one would thereof ), critically examever decide to serenade ining chart-toppers can his or her significant other provide us with a considwith “Talk Dirty To Me” by erable amount of insight the ever-so-poignant Jaas to what ideas are being son Derulo, it illustrates absorbed, adopted, and an even more upsetting embodied. issue that tightly interOver the past year, there ASHLEY twines with our society has been an immense spike RICKS today. in the presence of female The chivalrous love artists asserting themsong, while not completeselves and lyrically taking ly rubbed out of pop music thanks to back ownership of their sexuality. the Ed Sheerans and Sam Smiths of 2014 was the first year in which the the world, is dying. For the most part, top five spots in Billboard’s Hot 100 today’s “top 40” music proclaims were held by women for six consecthat it is easier to compliment a girl’s utive weeks. Pop Artists Meghan butt than her personality. What is Trainor, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Areven more troubling is that it sugiana Grande, and Nicki Minaj ungests that a woman’s sense of identity apologetically advocated female emlies within what men are telling her. powerment through anthems with Despite this, the gender norms that feminist overtones. so deeply characterize things like Even though this looks promising

Abigail Ecal| THE UNION

estions ask students their personal stance regarding gender equality.

and optimistic and has largely contributed to the strides made towards gender equality, there is still an overwhelming amount of casual sexism present in the songs spewed from every pop radio station out there. Whether it’s Rapper Kid Ink telling a girl to stop talking because he can read her body language well enough (“Body Language”) or Maroon 5 Lead Singer Adam Levine romantically hunting down his choice of female prey (“Animals”), there is a recurring issue here: the lyrics abundant in pop songs today are reflective of a society that will tolerate blatantly misogynistic ideas as long as they are wrapped up in shiny, catchy beats. Yes, pop songs are typically frivolous and meant to be taken lightly, but when the degrading and offensive trend of sexism saturates every other song on the radio, these unhealthy attitudes towards women begin to be normalized. Heightened progress towards gender equality is definitely happening, but there is so much more on the road ahead of us. Until pop music —which is undeniably one of the driving forces of mainstream thought— is challenged by our dissent, nothing is going to change about it.

Abigail Ecal| THE UNION

Only 276 surveys were received out of 500. The majority of students believe media affect their veiws on gender.

Julia Nguyen| THE UNION

vention to the UN’s HeForShe campaign. However, the struggle continues, privilege and oppression remain. Sources include www.brynmawr.edu, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu, www.heforshe.org.

Walker’s class door art promotes feminism BY AMANDA NGUYEN

Amanda Nguyen| THE UNION

Drawing Teacher Fiona Walker’s unfisnished door depicts Batwoman as the central image of a woman who is empowering in the comicbook world.

Drawing Teacher Fiona Walker has been preparing her door to be painted with an image of Batwoman capturing the Joker with a caption reading “Feminism: Back by popular demand.” Walker has taken to sketching and painting the door herself. She explained that the design stemmed from the lack of comic book depictions of women in empowering positions, Walker said. “Showing women as heroines, completely capable of taking care of business on their own, is super important.” Walker said. “Especially in an environment full of teenage girls who are constantly inundated by negative media portrayals of women.” The door has not yet been painted and has only been sketched thus far. Students have been reacting positively to the comic book design, Walker said. “Once [the door] is done, and you can actually read the captions, we’ll see [about the student’s reactions],”

Walker said. “[The door] is basically a message for all the young women at Milpitas High School,” Walker continued. “You are strong, smart, and capable. You don’t need anyone else. Nothing and no one can stop you from achieving your goals.” Feminism is a term that can be misinterpreted. The negative connotation that is sometimes associated with it can come from misinformation, according to Walker. “Feminism is empowerment. It’s about the fight for equality and the protection of our rights. Feminism is not about hating men,” Walker said, “I would say that anyone who has a problem with [feminism] is simply misinformed, or is not aware of what’s going on in the world.” Feminism has never ceased to be in demand; instead, the caption refers to the process of each generation’s need to reclaim it, Walker said. “Each generation has to discover it and take up the fight. I remember when I was in high school; it was the Riot Grrrl punk movement of the ear-

ly 90s that first inspired me. But now it’s your generation’s turn,” Walker said. “Feminism has always been about the fight for equality between the sexes. If the feminist movement has changed, it’s because the fight has changed. We’ve come a long way, but we still have a huge struggle ahead of us. Even now, the progress we’ve made is in danger.” Feminism has become more openly discussed over time because of all the current events that emphasize a need for it, according to Walker. “I think it is being more commonly discussed because inequality between the sexes is still so prevalent. Recent court decisions have chipped away at our rights. Even the Sony hack gave us proof of unequal pay.” Walker said. The caption and feminism as a whole is, and will always be, relevant, Walker said. “Feminism endures because we need it to,” Walker said. “There is a need for feminism everywhere, whether people realize it yet or not.”

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THE UNI♡N

VALENTINE’S DAY DEDICATIONS

“But when I’m way up here, it’s crystal clear FEBRUARY 2015

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in the following messages are not the views and opinions held by The Union, unless otherwise stated.

From: Brian To: Neal Bansal Hi Neal!

From: A Das kshat To: You Shcahvletz special p e a my hearlace in t <3

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From: Sim To: Teameon Tem est Oh, hop I love thee allw! ^ -^

From: Stephen Tang To: MHS UNICEF keep believing in zero From: Aaron To: Angelo & Kryssie You two are the best! From: Y Sub ctour To: Joje Mit deimhn Ly W n des Ka er ist ildle welt is Bewegt ue .

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From: AN (initials) To: Kevin Kim My dearest Kevin Kim, a day hasn’t gone by where I haven’t thought of you and your alluring eyes. Please notice me, Kevinsenpai!! <3

From: L Nguyeniem To: Shuv B agatam Sup Bho i, D ask on’t

From: Edgar Xiong To: Unexpecting Female Aviation Enthusiast Pilots don’t need pick-up lines. Just saying the words “I’m a pilot” is enough.

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From: Literally Everybody To: Connor McGarry Thanks for lending me this dollar. Love you lots!

From: AKSHIT dAS To: Anthony Tseng I enjoy smoking your underwear. Love me back

From: Ivan Huang To: Union Junior Girls I sit in the back to admire your luscious hair <3 F To:rom: J How Cha oey you ndler doin ?

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From From: Lety To: Tommy To P:i Sims ckle Thanks for Pick:le just re s are putting up with me, love you! cucumb gretful ers -S :D!!!

From: MHS Students ion To: The Unuse Only beca you were sell desperate to these.

From: Soph To: Friends who drive + Jay & Aili Come visit me...pls. 717 south......this isn’t safe. ily <3 F DEVErNoIm: To: ShaRr IOS ona Yo in spiruit’r,e here our mor and in cca mint to ea. n

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From: Your 1 Love To: Anna Weins How does a tree get online? He logs in.

From : Spen cer on To: VW ivi Ngg u VALEHNAPPY yen DAY. Y TINE’S o coolu. are

From: Ivan Huang To: Aysha Rehman I will no longer rebuff your advances

From: KOH (aq) To: Bae I think yo should geu t yourself checked.

From: Akshat Das To: Charles Schletzbaum Schletz, you make the hairs on my chest tingle.

From: Wu To: Das Dear Das, Hi hun Wuv, Wu ;)

(aq) From: KyOBHAE To: M ow we I love he after embracove you, school.bLed.

From: Angelo Lucero To: Kryssie Nguyen Hi, love. Happy Valentine’s Day. Have a spontaneous day, derp!

From: Punz To: Paulie #crushinit

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From: AKSHIT dAS ansal To: Neal B ew n a t I go ak it re B , ss mattre ? in with me ;)

From: G-Money To: Annie Ey girl, wanna calculate the spring constant of my mattress?

From: M rcia To: Jaa Sure, Jan n.

From: J To: DUSames TRUO TIN I love yNoG u!

From: To: Kimbert Chou I really like you and think that you’re nice to talk to.

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VALENTINE’S DAY DEDICATIONS

11

That now I’m in a whole new world with you” FEBRUARY 2015

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From: Dragonboat To: Sonja Chew Fix the Sonja Scale!!! From: Liem Nguyen os To: Aren Santas k ’t on LoL Hi, D

From: Ivan Huang To: Crystal Tran u da realest <3

From: Sonja n To: Julie Nguye uch I love you so mng ha t’s Le Julie! out more! <3

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From: Audrey To: James Tang Hey, I love you BRO!

From: Everyone Else To: Connor McGarry Thanks for paying for own Valentine’s day dedication

From: Ra que isa To: BHia lly Russ ell

From: N Ban l eal To: Asyash Rehman a You e the spicesatro curry! < my 3

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THE UNI♡N

From: Lambo To: Ryan Wang Who am I? You’re Lambo. Who are you? I’m Lambo.

From: Fa k u boi To: TW he w Sigh orld

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THE UNI♡N

LIFESTYLE

FEBRUARY 2015

Keeping up with the resolutions BY AMY NGUYEN

It’s been a little over a month into the year, and I’m sure more than half of us have forgotten that we made a New Year’s Resolution. Here is a list of some of the most common resolutions and how to keep up with them. 1. Get Fit Everyone wants to get that perfect body, right? There are many things you can do to get into shape, and remember that the change is gradual. Try going on jogs to the neighborhood park, or take a hike at one of the many beautiful local hiking trails. Consider getting a gym membership. After paying a monthly fee, you will be compelled to get your money’s worth and hit the gym once or twice a week.

2. Eat Healthier Eating healthier will help you get fit faster, too. Take a look at the “Steps towards a healthier diet and lifestyle” article in this issue of The Union on page 13 for a list of tips. 3. Volunteer More MHS requires 20 hours of community service for graduation, and there are many service clubs and organizations at MHS that can help you reach that minimum. Club meetings are usually during lunch, and if you do not have anywhere to go, the theater usually has club meetings, so go check it out! 4. Get Better Grades Keeping a planner will make you more organized and stay on top of tests and assignments. Study for tests and quizzes at least two days before. Cramming in information the night before the

test will not help much. Sleeping early will also give you more energy to stay alert and pay attention to notes in class. Doing a combination of these things will not only help you get better grades but become more organized, too. 5. Do Something New If you are looking for something new and exciting to do and do not have the means to go far, try doing something here in the Bay Area. You and some friends can dress up and have a photo shoot at one of the locations mentioned in the “Local hot spots for Instagram worthy photos” article in this issue of The Union on page 12. Whatever your resolution is, nothing is impossible. It said that it takes 21 days to make a habit, so give it some time. If things don’t work out this year, try again next year!

Enjoy Valentine’s Day as a single pringle BY ASHLEY RICKS

Rishika Dugyala | THE UNION

The Birchbox box (top) and ipsy bag for January both contain five products that subscribers can try. Members receive items that are matched with their tastes.

Makeup sites provide affordable, trusted cosmetics for customers BY RISHIKA DUGYALA

Recently makeup has been treated more and more as an art form. Beauty lines have been popping up, competing with pre-existing ones to create products catered to various skin types and colors. With the thousands of products and makeup brands, it’s hard to know where to start and what to buy. That’s where companies like ipsy and Birchbox come in. If you subscribe to a site, for $10 a month (or $110 a year, depending on how committed you are from the get-go) you get a bag filled with $40 worth of deluxe samples to try. Should you like any of your samples, you can order the full size product directly from ipsy or Birchbox. I subscribed to both sites to see which one would suit me best. Personally, I think I’m going to stick with ipsy. Birchbox sends home a generic samples box, and the only way to personalize your box is by earning points. You can, however, earn points when you buy some of the

deals it offers and use these points to select what samples you want. Similarly, ipsy has a points system in which you can use the points you earned by buying products from the site to personalize your box further. If you don’t want to engage in anything other than receiving a monthly box, the creators make sure the box is still tailored to your interests. Before subscribing to ipsy, you take a quiz in which you indicate what products and brands you’d like to try, your skin and hair color, and your level of makeup experience. The quiz ensures your monthly bags contain samples you want. I don’t regret subscribing to either site, and I think the value in receiving bags from both lies in the variety of products you try each month. I unsubscribed from Birchbox, because I didn’t want to spend $20 each month on two subscriptions. There are other websites that group together samples from dependable makeup lines; you just have to look for them. Subscribing to one of these sites is definitely the way to go in terms of discovering the products that work best for you.

It’s valentines season, and along with the obscene amounts of heartshaped everythings and unending trails of pink and red are the single individuals who want to vomit at the sight of it all. If you’ve found yourself with a lackluster love life on this “day of love,” don’t be discouraged! There are ways to not only tolerate Valentine’s Day but also enjoy it too: Get off of Instagram for the day. And the rest of social media, for that matter. Having to scroll through 50 heart-eyes emojis is not going to do you any good, and it will only drain you of your energy and waste your time. Unplugging for a while is always beneficial; it is easy to forget that there is a whole world outside of the tiny screen we have become so fixated on. You have no expectations to live up to today! There’s no need to im-

press anyone! You are allowed to rock fuzzy socks and messy hair! Embrace it! On the other hand, you are definitely entitled to get dressed up and decked out if you want to. You don’t need a reason, or a person, to get spiffied up for. You are free to do whatever you feel like doing on a whim; that’s one of the luxuries of being single, right? Food is your best friend. This goes for everyone, in every season, single or not. Whether it’s take out, cooking for yourself, going out with friends, or pouring yourself a bowl of Cheerios, do it. Show some love to your parents today. It can be something as simple as telling them that you’re grateful, or offering to watch your siblings so they can have the night out—regardless, do something to express your appreciation. Have an unashamedly cheesy

movie marathon with some friends, or even on your own. The transition from singing along to every ballad in “High School Musical” to crying during every minute of “The Fault in Our Stars” is surprisingly smooth. Exchange valentines with your single friends. Why did this tradition have to stop in elementary school? Buy all the Scooby Doo 12-pack valentines with the temporary tattoos! Be kind to yourself. On a day that claims to be so saturated in love, we often end up either spreading ourselves thin in order to meet the expectations placed on us, or throwing pity parties for ourselves because we don’t have people to tell us we are their #wcw or #mcm. Every day is a good day to recognize how truly awesome you are, but on this day especially, make sure you know that you are super wonderful. Because you are.

Valentine’s gifts on a budget BY IVY NGUYEN

Valentine’s Day is two days away! For those of you who have been slacking on giving your loved ones some lovin’, here are several quick and easy gifts you can slap together in no time. 1. Note-filled mason jar Rapidly gaining popularity among less financially stable couples, like teenagers such as ourselves, are those cute little mason jars filled with cavity-inducing notes. Write several hundred of those babies, stuff them in a jar, and you’ll have your man or woman swooning all over you. 2. Mixtapes Make your significant other a mixtape and let your inner songbird soar! Your angsty teenage heart deserves to be heard, Romeo. Fancy yourself a musician if only for the hour you spend burning that CD.

3. Candy Buy some candy for your eye candy ;). If you really want to wow your significant other, go all out and make a chocolate fountain with Hershey’s chocolate kisses. You will melt his or her heart. 4. Bath bombs Rather than go out and watch the night sky—who needs fresh air, am I right?—why not share a “Shoot for the Stars” bath bomb and relax under your own private underwater night show while bathing with your underage lover? 5. Wing it Buy him or her some chicken wings and share a romantic candle-lit dinner. 6. Flowers Make her smile bloom with a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Top it off with a sweet note that will surely make your sweetheart keel over with happiness. If all else fails, you always have Pinterest.

Julia Nguyen | THE UNION

Courtesy of Judy Huynh

Courtesy of Jaison Franco

Above are pictures taken by MHS students and an MHS alumni at Ed Levin County Park (left), Alviso Marina County Park (middle), and Downtown San Jose. All places feature unique landscapes which provide a variety of photo opportunities.

Local hot spots for Instagram worthy photos BY JULIA NGUYEN

With students using applications and websites like Flickr and Instagram, it is evident that photography is a popular hobby on campus. Photography can seem overwhelming at first, but with this list of popular and picturesque locations in the area, capturing the perfect shot will be much easier. CLOSE TO HOME: Ed Levin County Park- Located only four miles from MHS, Ed Levin County Park proves to be the most convenient and accessible location. The park consists of various trails leading from the roads up the hill sides, providing a view of the lush, green landscape. The park has many shorter trails

as opposed to one or two longer ones. This proves to be an advantage as it offers a lot more options in terms of scenery and means that each trail is vacant, reducing the chances of somebody walking through your perfect photo op. SCENIC ROUTE: Alviso Marina County Park- featuring both dirt trails and boardwalks, Alviso Marina County Park provides an unmatched view of the bay. Because the park offers many activities and is very close to a wildlife reserve, you won’t run out of subjects to take pictures of. The park is also known for having a house-like structure at the end of one of the boardwalks which serves as an interesting and unique background and is another feature that

makes this park worth a visit. CITY SCAPE: Downtown San Jose- From impressive skyscrapers to graffitied electrical boxes, Downtown San Jose is full of amazing art and architecture. South First Street is filled with bright, painted walls and murals which can serve as backdrops for your #ootd. Other examples of stunning architecture include the San Jose Museum of Art and the Plaza De Cesar Chavez. A number of art galleries including Anno Domini Gallery and San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art are also in the area. These galleries are great for shooting still-lifes. Along with trash, Downtown San Jose is also littered with cafes and bakeries that serve ‘Instagram worthy’ pastries and drinks.

FEBRUARY 2015

LIFESTYLE

Steps towards a healthier diet and lifestyle BY ANTHONY TSENG

People often think healthy eating means starving yourself and saying goodbye to all your favorite foods forever, when it is really about being conscious of what you are eating and feeling good. Here are some tips for healthy eating: 1. It is a gradual process It always goes like this: you promise yourself you’ll start making changes, and you follow through for a few days, but you ultimately quit, because you have no willpower. If you’re used to a lifestyle of fast food, then a drastic change will take time. Cutting out the unhealthier options all at once may be hard, so take it slow. By gradually adding healthier options into your diet, it will be easier to adjust and stay on track. 2. Don’t overeat When you’re presented with delicious food, you tend to stuff yourself until you want to explode. However, try to moderate how much food you eat; you should only eat the amount of food your body needs. Moderation can start with simply using

smaller plates. By having smaller plates, you tend to take less food. Try ending the meal with some vegetables or fruit instead of ice cream. Balance out your meals so that you have enough nutrients. A diet completely comprised of steaks is not healthy. Occasional nachos or french fries will probably be okay, but eat unhealthy foods in moderation. 3. Eat fruits and vegetables You’ve probably heard your mom say this a million times. Most people don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrition that you should not skip out on. There are numerous ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet. When you’re hungry or looking for a snack, eat celery sticks instead of chips or a banana instead of cookies. Make a delicious fruit smoothie, and you can even add some vegetables like spinach and carrots into it; the vegetable taste will not be as noticeable when combined with fruits.

4. Cook your own meals Cooking your own food allows you to be in complete control. You know exactly what ingredients will be going into the dish and in what amounts. You can limit the amount of oil and salt, or add flax seed powder to your soups. If you lack fiber, you can make stir-fried vegetables. Instead of eating the Bosco sticks at school, bring your own homemade sandwich. You can also adjust the food to your tastes. 5. Limit sugar and salt intake Many Americans consume soda like it is water and include too much salt in their diets. Drinking an excessive amount of sugary beverages and eating cake everyday can lead to many weight problems. Sugar is also often hidden in plain sight. Common foods like ketchup can contain a lot of sugar. When you’re ordering milk tea, go for the zero or 25 percent sugar option. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. Avoid frozen television dinners or pre-packaged food which often have a lot of sodium.

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THE UNI♡N

FASHION SPOTLIGHT BY AMANDA NGUYEN

KELLIE PHAM Senior

Necklace gifted Top from Kohl’s Coat thrifted

Pants from American Apparel

Boots from DSW

Her Fashion Inspir ation: “I get my inspiration from looking at what my mom wore when she was my age.”

Amy Nguyen | THE UNION

Three Powermat Ring chargers are offered at select Starbucks: the 3.0 USB charger (leftmost), the iPhone 30-pin charger (middle), and the iPhone lightning charger. Phones charge when the ring is matched with the circle on the table.

Wireless phone chargers offered at Starbucks BY DIVYESH CHOTAI

If you’ve been to a Starbucks in the Bay Area lately, chances are you’ve seen the new Duracell Powermat wireless chargers. They began rolling out in November last year. Currently available for public use in nearly 200 locations scattered around Silicon Valley, the Powermat chargers offer a cure for dead battery anxiety. The stores are equipped with Powermat Spots, which are designated areas on tables where customers can wirelessly charge their mobile devices. Customers can attach a Duracell Powermat “Ring” to

their mobile devices and place them on the designated tabletop to begin charging. Starbucks stores are offering the Duracell Powermat “Rings,” which can be used to upgrade any phone to wireless charging compatibility, for in-store purchase at $9.99. Alternatively, you can borrow the accessory for the duration of your visit and return it before you leave. The rings currently support Android devices as well as Apple devices. Powermat Spots comply with the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) standard, so any PMA-certified device will charge simply by being placed on the tabletop. Sever-

al companies including HTC, LG, Samsung, and other smartphone makers have joined the PMA—the fastest growing standard and ecosystem for wireless power. Many companies have also begun manufacturing PMA-certified smartphone cases and portable batteries. AT&T announced that many of its new smartphones will ship with PMA wireless charging technology this year. This rapidly developing technology will soon be spreading to Huawei, Microsoft, Qualcomm, TI, and ZTE devices, resulting in a vast universe of devices and accessories that will charge seamlessly in Starbucks.

Tuan Nguyen Junior

Denim Jacket from Foreign Exchange Top from H&M

Making the most of your February break BY DENNY BAO

February break is fast approaching, and you have a whole week to do what you want. If you don’t have any plans, here are a few things you can do: 1. Make a list of things you need to get done Use your free time to clean your room or finish your homework. Get these hassles over with first, so you can spend the rest of your break having fun. You will enjoy your break much more knowing that you don’t have anything to do. It is extremely difficult to not procrastinate, but the hardest step is the first one. 2. Apply for scholarships For college-bound seniors who will have to pay for college, applying for scholarships is a great way to spend your leisure time. Make an account on the “Cappex”

website to receive emails regarding scholarships that you can apply for. Most of them only require personal information and a few essays. 3. Pick up a new hobby New hobbies should be productive and out of your comfort zone. I suggest playing a new sport, learning how to cook, or unleashing your inner artist. 5. Go out with your crush Valentine’s Day is right before February Break. What a better way to spend it than by telling your long-time crush, “Hey, I wanted to ask you this every day for the past 3 years, but want to go out with me over break?” Do something fun like going on a shopping trip to cooking your own dinner, learning how to paint, or making your own mix-tape. 8. Day trip Spend some quality time with your loved ones and go on a day trip.

Since it’s a little late to plan a trip far away, you can go on a day trip to the beach or to San Francisco. There are countless things you can do at San Francisco, including visiting the Pier, various museums, and Chinatown. 9. Look for a job Although it’s break, looking for some extra cash won’t hurt. You can get a job to get valuable experience and earn money to spend on activities during the summer. 10. Be happy that you’re not at school. Let’s face it, school gets dull. After weeks of routine homework and tests, take a moment to sit back and think about everything that you don’t have to be doing at the moment. Take advantage of the break and get some much needed rest. Fix your sleep schedule in order to stay healthy and relieve some stress.

Jeans from H&M

Shoes from adidas

His Fashion Inspir ation: “I get my fashion inspiration from K-Pop.”

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FEBRUARY 2015

MUSIC REVIEWS

Mobile app ‘Trivia Crack’ addicting, deserves hype them off in a challenge and steal their characters! The game consists of two game BY ABIGAIL ECAL modes. The first type is called the Trivia Crack is a mobile game “classic” mode, where you play that pits friends against friends (or against another individual one-onstrangers) in different categories one. You then spin the wheel and to see who has the most trivia see what category you get. If knowledge. Each of the six catyou land on a crown, you can egories (Entertainment, Art, either answer one question for Sports, History, Science, and character, or challenge the GAME one Geography) has a correspondopponents for theirs. You win ing character, and the game REVIEW a challenge if you can answer is won by being the first to obtain more questions than your opponent from a set of questions. all six. The app has 100,000 trivia The second game mode is the questions that are uploaded by its “challenge” mode where you can users. simultaneuously go against more Trivia Crack is a game of strategy. than one person. You may earn coins after beating an “Trivia Crack” is the most accuopponent, which allow you to skip rate name for this app. If you don’t questions, eliminate 2 out of the already know, trivia is a bunch of 4 answer choices, or receive more random facts of various things and time to answer a question. Another events while crack is a highly addicstrategy that may leave your opponents holding a grudge is to face tive drug that harms your health. RATING

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This game does both. Trivia Crack is useful in a way that it exercises your brain to obtain information about specific events that school will probably never have the schedule to teach you. For instance, without Trivia Crack, how are people supposed to know about the Emu War in Australia, the history of the National Football League, or the fact that West Papua’s flag has indeed one star? Overall, I recommend trying this game out when “socializing” with friends, acquaintances, and perhaps your date. Be prepared for the broken friendships that will probably come with this game which may tarnish your relationships permanently. What I don’t recommend is playing this game during class, before going to sleep, and when studying. You’ll be constantly checking your phone for notifications—trust me.

AMERICAN BEAUTY/AMERICAN PSYCHO

‘Empire’ conquers with complex plot, addresses music industry RATING

LLLL BY ANTHONY TSENG

With just a few episodes so far, “Empire” has established a strong foundation and built a world filled with vibrant characters. “Empire” takes a more modern approach on family conflict by also focusing on the hip-hop world. More specifically, the show is centered on Lucious Lyon’s family and his entertainment company, Empire Enterprises. Lucious has just discovered he has ALS, leaving him with only three years to live. Consequently, he will be picking a successor for the company out of his three sons: Andre, Jamal, and Hakeem. The company

was started with drug money, and Music is heavily incorporated into Cookie, Lucious’ ex-wife, took the the show. Hakeem and Jamal frequently perform their own songs. fall for the drugs. However, she has When Hakeem is rapping and Jajust returned from seventeen years mal is singing, you can see they are in prison, further complicating the pouring their emotions into their family dynamic as she wastes no music. Their performances further time in trying to get back the company and what she lost. help accent the mood of specific Through these complex charscenes. I think the music aspect of acters, “Empire” highlights many this show helps it stand out, and I relevant issues like homophobia personally enjoy the music so far. and obsession with fame. It also At the end of the day, I think explores the cutthroat nature and “Empire” is definitely a show that politics of the entertainment inis worth watching. I would even dustry. Lucious supports Hakeem, watch it for Cookie alone since she while Cookie supports Jamal; is such an entertaining character. The music and the increasthis race to produce the better ing rivalry between the brothmusician only worsens the rift ers also leave you captivated, that is developing within the family and may drive the two TV-SERIES despite the plot occasionally REVIEW falling flat. brothers apart forever.

‘50 Shades’ tied down by misconceptions, not just sex RATING

LLL BY AMY NGUYEN

What I thought was as an innocent “Twilight” fan fiction quickly turned into a poorly written kinky fantasy story. I have to say “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James, although very interesting and difficult to put down, is not anything that should be considered great or on the New York Bestsellers list. There is nothing wrong with erotic fiction, but quite frankly, James is not a great writer. Her approach for a fan fiction is problematic—there was minimal plot, a lot of sex (the bondage and discipline, sadism and masochism (BDSM) kind), and the language was all too trite. Although there are a lot of kinky

sex scenes, they are not what course the sex adds to why made me want to continue this book is so popular, but reading this book. The most many women read this book appealing parts of the book to follow Ana on her journey BOOK are the journeys that the two figure out what she wants REVIEW to main characters, Christian for herself. Grey and Anastasia (Ana) Steele Others may enjoy this book for undergo. the erotica. Let’s be honest, the Christian, a wealthy 27-year-old fantasy of a handsome, young, and entrepreneur, meets Ana when she successful man who provides a lot comes into his office and interviews in bed and makes you feel protecthim. They eventually have a sexual ed is not one that most would be relationship. Christian is always disgusted by. The writing is horrid, but the controlling of Ana but never wants to hurt her. He is confused about characters and plot will make you his role as the dominant one. You want to keep reading. With all the will want to keep turning the pages commotion about the upcoming to find out what happens when he rated R movie version of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” you should defislowly falls in love with her. Ana goes from being a virgin to nitely pick up a copy and see what participating in BDSM with one the buzz is all about before you go of the kinkiest men of all time. Of to see the movie.

FOR THE RECENTLY FOUND INNOCENT

by Fall Out Boy Pop Punk RATING

by White Fence Rock RATING

BY AKSHAT DAS

BY JULIA NGUYEN

In their sixth album “American Beauty/American Psycho,” Fall Out Boy (FOB) has undergone somewhat of a transformation from their earlier days in order to cater to the current era of listeners. FOB released two singles before the album. “Centuries” went on to become a blockbuster, while “Immortals” became the title track of Disney’s movie “Big Hero 6” and is a hit in its own right. “Centuries” is the epitome of FOB’s versatility, mixing melodramatic piano lines and comic hip hop drum breaks. The scary thing is, those two songs aren’t even the best songs in the album. The 11 song album finishes on a high with “Twin Skeletons (Hotel in NYC),” which provides a mild yet completely exhilarating ending to one of their best albums. If you wanted a FOB album which highlights all of their strengths, this one is definitely what you are looking for.

White Fence, the stage name of Musician Tim Presley, has been constantly releasing albums since its birth in 2008. “For The Recently Found Innocent,” White Fence’s sixth full album release, strays from the typical lo-fi bedroom recordings of previous albums and makes use of high quality studio recordings. It is also very well executed. The first single, “Like That” is arguably the star track of the entire album. Featuring the most pop-esque melody, this track shows that White Fence is capable of releasing tracks that slightly deviate from the mellow psychedelic-rock they are known for. Overall, the album serves as a perfect contrast to previous White Fence albums in terms of production and really shows off Presley’s versatility and diversity. However, the album still manages to incorporate the signature retro and nostalgic elements of earlier pieces.

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FEATURED ARTIST

Courtesy of Everydayshouldbesaturday.com

Lucious Lyon (top) protects his girlfriend Anika Calhoun (bottom) from a drive-by shooting at a restaurant. They were planning to meet with the agent of renowned rapper Titan in hopes of securing a recording contract with him.

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ENTERTAINMENT

FEbrUary 2015

Michelle Sager Senior | Kendama Art

BY TERRA WALLS

What is a kendama, and how do you relate it to art? A kendama is a Japanese skill toy; people who play with it are able to find balance and get their mind off of other things. People think it’s pretty easy, but no one can actually master kendama. You can never truly master art. How did you end up drawing on kendamas? I used one at the mall and the people at the kendama stand saw my work and they said “hey that’s pretty cool, can you draw for us?”

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When and why did you begin drawing? I began being interested in the 7th grade. I was inspired by my friend that also liked to draw. My sister also inspires me; she draws as well. How did you learn to draw? I’m completely self taught. I just follow the shapes that come from my head or see on the paper. I specifically like to draw with pen, and I hide shapes or words in my drawings. What do you like about drawing? It’s a way for me to keep calm. It’s not an escape from the outer world, but a way for me to express myself.

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SPORTS

FEBRUARY 2015

How to be active without a gym BY RISHIKA DUGYALA

courtesy of Stephen Balsbaugh

Senior Sydney Nguyen (top) wrestles against a student from Westmoor High School in the 111 pounds weight division. Nguyen placed fourth overall at CCS and the MHS Varsity Girls Team scored in the top eight out of 30 teams.

Nguyen reflects on wrestling career; places 4th at CCS BY DENNY BAO

Many people attribute contact sports to males. Senior Sydney Nguyen, however, decided to disregard this stereotype when she joined the MHS wrestling team, she said. Nguyen started wrestling during her sophomore year, according to Nguyen. She joined the team because she wanted to do something different and did not want to be in an all girls sport, she said. “Like every other beginner, it was intimidating for me at the time,” Nguyen said. “The concept of females challenging the norm and participating in a brutal, male-dominated sport intrigued me and was something I

wanted to be a part of.” “In the last few years, we lost a lot of experienced wrestlers, but I am confident that our new beginners will grow to be a strong, undefeatable team in the next few seasons,” Nguyen said. “Their learning curve is great and I see them improving more and more everyday.” On Feb. 6 and 7, Nguyen participated in the Central Coast Section (CCS) girl’s tournament, she said. Her goal was to be the CCS champion this year in her weight class. She also wanted to go to states again and place in the top eight, Nguyen said. According to Nguyen, only the top three wrestlers advance to the state championships. She admits that she

has learned a lot from wrestling, from maintaining a good diet to learning that she is capable of doing things that she thought wasn’t possible before. “There isn’t one specific part that’s really ‘most difficult’ in wrestling,” Nguyen said. “For me, it was staying mentally tough and making weight for tournaments. Most days, I had to weigh how much food and water I consumed per day.” “High-school wrestling participates in Folkstyle wrestling, and I’m considering trying different styles such as Freestyle or Greco-Roman this spring,” Nguyen said. “I’m also considering wrestling on the women’s team at Pacific University Oregon.”

Exercising is important, but it no longer seems like a good idea when you’re in an environment where you feel uncomfortable or bored. There are many ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle, though. Here are some unique ideas you can try without ever having to step foot in a traditional gym. 1. Dancing Pop in a Zumba DVD or stream a cardio class at home. There’s no one around you, so there is no need to worry about how you look. You can try out classes if dancing really works for you. 2. Walking Don a pair of comfortable shoes and grab a backpack with your essentials before heading out into the city. San Francisco is a great place to explore with its popular streets and piers. 3. Indoor Rock Climbing You can head up to City Beach in Fremont where there’s a pretty great rock climbing arena available for peo-

ple of all levels. Most beginners stick with a day pass, which is around $18. 4. Skating Many people have a pair of inline skates at home already, and it’s just a matter of heading out the nearest park. You can also try ice-skating at the Sharks Ice rink in Fremont or the Cupertino Ice Rink. 5. Hiking People are always posting pictures of themselves at the top of Mission Peak. If hiking is what you like to do, then go every weekend, not just once a month or whenever you can find time. 6. Competing Form teams among your family, pick a sport, and hold your own practices in preparation for a series of games between the teams. All of these activities should be done on a regular basis. Find ways to stay motivated while paying attention to your food intake. But don’t stop eating. Your goal shouldn’t be to become anyone but a healthy version of yourself.

Silva plays on US national team; aspires to compete for UCLA BY RUTH PARK

The jerseys athletes wear showcase more than just the individuals that wear them. They also uphold the pride of their respective teams. Most student athletes thus represent their schools. Junior Cesar Rafael Silva, however, is a representative of our nation. Silva currently plays for the U-17 Men’s National Soccer Team. The U-17 team consists of players under or at the age of 17. “I’ve played ever since I was like three years old,” Silva said. “My parents kind of forced me to because my dad had a team and he was the coach, so I couldn’t say no.” At age three, Silva was more interested in pursuing baseball than soccer. His passion for soccer sparked when he was about nine years old, Silva said. “Right now, I am a center back for the U-17 team, which is defense,” Silva said. “I courtesy of cesar silva played for the school my freshman year on the varsity team, but I don’t anymore.” Silva decided to sacrifice his par-

ticipation in the MHS Varsity Boys’ Soccer Team to play on the national team, Silva said. Doing so would increase his chance of getting scouted by college coaches, according to Silva. “There’s more chances to get noticed by colleges where I am right now,” Silva said. “There’s a college scout at almost every practice. My goal is to get noticed and get into college.” Silva was offered to play on the national team in Mexico. However, he rejected the offer to play at an American college. He hopes to play for the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Soccer Team.

“UCLA has one of the best soccer programs,” Silva said. “They always make the playoffs, it’s only eight hours away, and the school is real good.” After college, Silva plans to play for the official National USA Team, which practices in Florida. His team currently trains in San Francisco or at Chabot College.

Jha ranks number one in Table Tennis BY IVY NGUYEN

While most of us spent our finals week poring over notes and textbooks, Senior Prachi Jha was busy competing at the Table Tennis Nationals this past December. Jha is now ranked number one in her age group, according to Jha. Her parents played a large role in encouraging her to engage in the sport, according to Jha. She has been perfecting her game and technique for nearly a decade and has participated in over 100 tournaments. “Ping pong has been a huge influence in shaping who I am today,” Jha said. “I complain a lot about the setbacks table tennis has spawned in my life, but it’s okay because it is the best thing that could’ve happened to me.” Often times, the competitive nature of the sport clashes with the school year, according to Jha. What seems like a blessing to most students, getting to skip school, is a curse for Jha, multiplying her school-induced stress, she said.

“There have been times where I missed days or even worse, weeks of school to go compete,” Jha said. “I really couldn’t have done it without the support I’ve received from my teachers; how they deal with my absences is really admirable and gracious.” One benefit of being an internationally ranked player is having the opportunity to visit places most could only dream of, Jha said. Holland is one of the most memorable places she has visited because it was her first international competition, according to Jha. “I was so excited to see the top players in the world in person instead of just watching them on a tiny screen,” she explained. “India really stuck to me as well, since I performed pretty well and the people were really nice.” Next year, when she is moved up to a separate age group for women under 21, Jha aspires to fight for a spot on the 2016 Olympic team. Playing on the national team since 2011, Jha remains optimistic about her prospects for qualifying for the Olympics.

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