The Union - Milpitas High School - May 2015 by MHS The Union

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Colleges , Mosts, Wills PAGES 8-13

Senior Athletes SPORTS PAGE 19

Overview of the Year EDITORIAL PAGE 3

T HE

MAY 2015

Volume XXVI Issue VI

UN I N

MHSTHEUNION.COM For the latest updates

STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL

Do football players at MHS receive special privileges? BY AYSHA REHMAN AA ABIGAIL ECAL

According to a recent survey by The Union, there seems to be a perception among students and teachers that the MHS football players receive preferential treatment due to the fact that they play a particular sport. Part of the perception is the belief that athletes, specifically football players, are given access to resources that other students may not have access to, History Teacher Paul Harrison said. One of the issues pertaining to football players is that during unit tests in academic subjects, the players ask to go the special education room for testing despite being ineligible for the program, according to English Teacher Ginger Roy. She has had two football players ask her to go test in a special education room, Roy said. “I have students who test with special ed teachers who have modifications. I’m not counting them, because they have a right to do that,” Roy said. “But these other students have no modifications, and have no, you know, legitimate reason to go to test somewhere else.” According to Roy, allowing the students take a test somewhere else may lead to a several issues including test security. This leads to speculations of cheating and overall disorganization with test-taking, Roy said “If we start saying that students can test with whatever teacher they want to test with, then it would be very chaotic in general,” Roy said. “If it’s a stu-

dent in my class, then I’m giving the test, I’m grading the test, and I should be supervising the test.” This opinion echoes what Social Studies Teachers Danilo Escobar and Paul Cao have also said regarding the issue. Both Escobar and Cao have had at least one student each who was a football player ask them to take a test in the special education testing room. According to Cao and Escobar, both of the students were not eligible for the program, and both of their requests were turned down. “One [student] asked about it, but I shot it down right away,” Cao said. “It’s awful, it creates a situation where . . . if that’s the case, if students are receiving privileges, even if it’s the perception of it, it needs to stop,” Cao added. When approached about the issue, Special Education Teacher Suzanne Moffett stated that she does have football players in her study skills class, and that a number of them do come in to take tests or receive extra help. She does not, however, encourage students to come and take tests in her class without teacher approval. “I absolutely advocate for any students that ask me to help, and it tends to be the football players,” Moffett said. “I’m advocating to say, ‘Hey, you need to get this work done, let’s go talk to this teacher,’ and yes, I will go with them because a lot of the time, kids aren’t going to talk for themselves. They need someone they feel SEE ATHLETES ON PAGE 2

SURVEY RESULTS ON PAGE 2

Eye on Campus: 2015 Art Show

Courtesy of Aldrich Quijano

Farhana Haque (center) shakes PTSA member Yolie Garcia’s hand at Senior Awards night on May 20. Haque was recognized as the 2015 Salutatorian, and received the gold and maroon cord, Golden State Seal, and President’s Education Award.

Awards night honors exemplary seniors BY WEE JIN KOH

Roughly 300 seniors were honored for their high school achievements during Senior Awards Night, which was held on the evening of May 20 in the large gym. The ceremony was held to recognize all of the seniors who have received any kind of award, scholarship, or recognition from the community, Counselor Cory Nakamoto said. The ceremony is a chance for these exemplary seniors to be in the company of the parents and friends, Assistant Principal Ethan Stocks said. The ceremony also provides a sense of individuality that cannot be fulfilled during the graduation ceremony at the end of the year, Stocks continued. “[Senior Awards Night] gave individualized attention to students because our graduation ceremony is so massive and there isn’t a kind of personalized feeling,” Stocks said. “It’s almost like a mini graduation ahead of the big day.”

Awards that were presented during Senior Awards Night include gold cords, maroon cords, and individual scholarships that seniors won, Nakamoto said. There are also scholarships from the seniors’ universities that they received, Nakamoto added. “We try to include pretty much everything [during Senior Awards Night],” Nakamoto said. “Around $90,000 to $100,000 in scholarship money were awarded to seniors.” “There are a whole slew of awards,” Stocks said. “Students will be acknowledged if they have an unweighted 10th to 12th grade GPA of 3.25 or more and will receive a gold cord. Students who have done at least 150 hours of community service will get a maroon cord.” One hundred eight seniors received gold cords, while 155 seniors received maroon cords, Stocks said. Both are awards that are given out by the school. “There are various other acknowl-

Cap and gown policy revised; MHS to loan attire for free BY RISHIKA DUGYALA

Ivan Huang | THE UNION

The annual MHS Art Show was held from Tues, May 19 to Thurs, May 21. Top: Assistant Principal Ethan Stocks looks at the photography class display. Bottom: Senior Bich Hoang (center) holds a live painting demonstration.

Administration will work on changing the current cap and gown policy after the school year finishes so that students will be provided with caps and gowns, Assistant Principal Cheryl Rivera said. The policy is being changed due to the new ruling that the California Department of Education (CDE) handed out, Rivera continued. Since the California Supreme Court has found a graduation ceremony to be an “educational activity,” students cannot be charged for buying caps and gowns to attend it, according to an addendum issued by the CDE. The CDE recommended that “a district that requires students to wear a cap and gown at the ceremony inform students that: (1) the district will provide caps and gowns for graduating seniors for use during the ceremony, and (2) students also have the option to purchase an appropriate cap and

gown from a vendor.” Students were required to wear a cap and gown to attend the graduation ceremony, according to Rivera. The MHS cap and gown policy required students to purchase a cap and gown unless they couldn’t afford to. “I’ve been able to provide those who can’t afford cap and gowns with some,” Rivera said. “The guy who sells them to students gives me some, but people don’t return them after the ceremony, so my supply goes down each year. I have enough for kids who asked this year so they only have to buy tassels.” “Right now, they do make it seem like you can only rent if you absolutely can’t pay,” Senior Shivani Prabala, who bought her own cap and gown, said. “This is sort of not fair, but at the same time, I understand that if there’s limited gowns to rent that they should save those for the people who SEE CAP AND GOWN ON PAGE 2

edgements that the school gives for the valedictorians and the salutatorians,” Stocks said. “Some of the seniors got numerous scholarships, while some only got one award.” “I received the gold cord, maroon cord, the Golden State Seal, and the President’s Education Award,” Senior Justin Cheng said. “I think that we have all worked pretty hard these past four years, and it is nice to be recognized for all of our hard work.” “I won the $10,000 Minnis Scholarship,” Senior Ryan De Lemos said. “I had a hard time in school, and I worked hard to achieve this award with the help of parents, teachers, and friends.” One of the awards he won was the $20,000 Minnis Scholarship, Senior Denny Bao said. “For the Minnis and PTSA scholarships, I had to submit my transcript and a list of high school activities that I did,” Bao said. “Getting these scholarships is like a symbol of my high school achievements.”

N EWS IN BR IEF Grading period ending The final six week grading period of the year will end on June 4, which his also the last day of finals. 1st and 2nd period finals will be on June 2, 3rd and 4th period finals will be on June 3, and 5th and 6th period finals will be on June 4. Upcoming SAT and ACT testing dates ACT Testing will be occurring on Jun. 13. SAT Testing will be occurring on Jun. 6. Leo B. Murphy Awards to be held 6:00 p.m. on May 28 MHS athletes will be honored for their achievements. The ceremony will take place in the large gym. Graduation scheduled to be at football field Seniors will graduate on the football field on Saturday, June 6 at 9:00 a.m. School year to conclude on June 4 Enjoy your summer! Congratulations to the graduating senior Class of 2015. School will resume Thursday, Aug. 13.

NEWS

T HE U NION

MAY 2015

Online classes no longer offered BY KRUPA PATEL

Connections Academy, an online learning center that allows students to take classes for graduation credit or to get ahead for college, will not be offered next year, according to Assistant Principal Amanda Gross. MHS and the Milpitas Unified School District have decided not to offer any online classes next year, Gross continued. The classes that students are currently taking online at MHS include Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science, AP Environmental Science, AP Japanese, and Sign Language, according to Faculty Member Aldine Dimmick. The most popular class is AP Computer Science, Dimmick said. “There was a very limited number of students that could take the online classes,” Gross said. “We had 20 spots, maybe, and we contracted with the company so we paid them money per class. We decided this was not a good use of our funds for such few students,” Gross continued. The only other online classes that support MHS are done through the counseling office, according to Gross. “I feel like it is quite outrageous that the class [AP Computer Science] isn’t being offered anymore. Every other school in the Bay Area has a solid accelerated computer science course taught by an actual teacher offered to

students,” Junior Sajel Shah said. “It’s a shame that we are in the Silicon Valley and all our school has to offer is a computer science course that teaches you rudimentary coding that isn’t really applicable to the computer science field,” Shah continued. “There are other options for students to take that [AP Computer Science] through our community colleges,” Gross said. This year, the class also offered other students additional resources and opportunities not otherwise offered through the class curriculum at MHS, according to Senior Zahra Surani. “I wanted to take [AP Environmental Science] because I am interested in science,” Surani said. “I am primarily interested in biology, and I was curious about the intersection between the environment and biology.” Furthermore, the administration has also been working on making the master schedule for next year, Gross said. The administration is still not sure if there will be zero period classes next year, Gross continued. “It just depends on which students would like to take the courses, when those courses would be offered, if we needed to do a zero period or not,” Gross said. “If we do anything right now, my understanding is it would be zero period. I don’t think we’ve talked about a seventh period option,” Gross said.

Cap and gowns to be provided FROM PAGE 1

really need it.” Senior David Hoang did not buy his own cap and gown and was searching for a set without knowing that Rivera was providing students with them, according to Hoang. “The policy, in a way, made it seem like people needed to purchase their own cap and gown. I think it makes students uncomfortable, so they need to purchase it,” Hoang said. The addendum says that “no student should be required to self-identify as indigent [poor] in order to receive a cap and gown from the district.” The policy will change so every-

one is provided with a gown, which will eliminate self-identification. “We need a plan of action,” Rivera said. “If we are going to start providing the caps and gowns, who will be the vender? The school would need to fund it all. The good thing is that we are not pioneers in changing the policy, as several schools have done so already.” “I’ve heard many students complain about how senior year is very expensive,” Prabala said, “So I think it would be one less thing students would have to worry about and that would be nice.”

Abigail Ecal | THE UNION

Of 144 randomly surveyed students, 110 students believed that the football players received special privileges from teachers and administration, and 34 students believed that they do not receive special treatment. Of 19 randomly surveyed teachers, 10 believed that football players received special treatment, 9 teachers did not.

Athletes receiving special privileges? FROM PAGE 1

close to, and that’s just kind of human nature.” To truly combat any misinformation regarding practices of football players being allowed to take tests in rooms other than those of the teachers administering the test, there definitely needs to be more transparency with administration, Harrison said. Social Studies Teacher Caitlin Bellotti allows football players to serve detention in her room, only if the administration approves, so they can receive academic help, according to Bellotti. Despite this, she does not believe that the perception of football players receiving special privileges is true, Bellotti said. “I do help [football players] maintain grades, and I run study hall for them after school during the week,” Bellotti said. “The tutoring I do is [also] available to all students not just athletes. Very often I do have many other students in there before school or after school as well.” Roy had never been informed of any option that students can go to any teacher for help and count as their detention, she said. “In my nine years of working here, I have never heard that from anyone,” Roy said. “I have never heard it being an option because I have students where I would stay after school and work with, but they can’t because they have detention and I have never heard that it was an option to work with me and do their detention with me.” Detention counts for students as long as they are supervised and are getting academic help, Assistant Principal Hillary Brittan said. “I’d rather have a kid do that than sit someplace for an hour and not work on their academics,” Brittan said. As long as there is clearance from

administration and the teacher, the student is allowed to complete his detention in the said teacher’s room, Assistant Principal Cheryl Rivera confirmed. “When teachers aren’t allowed to know information, that makes it difficult because we don’t know what’s going on either, and I can’t say with any confidence what is or isn’t happening,” Roy said. “If everyone was told all that they could be told, and you have all the transparency possible, then it would help dispel some of the rumors in the faculty going around.” Junior Toa Lafeta, who is a football player, spoke about how others see football players on campus. “I feel like, our attention is overdrawn,” Lafeta said. “Honestly, that’s the only thing I see for it to be. I feel like there are some teachers that hate our guts, and there are teachers that are down for us. They love us, and they’re really here to help us out. I wouldn’t say we’re all treated equally . . . we’re equal in our own ways. [But] there really are teachers that I feel like . . . they strongly dislike football players at this school. That’s just me, that’s how I see things.” Junior John Macaulay, who is also on the football team, believes that football players do not receive special privileges. He instead sees teachers as mentors and does not feel any prejudice, Macaulay said. “I see Ms. Moffett and Ms. Belotti as very caring for the football players and are very welcoming for them to stay out of trouble and for them to be in their room to stay out of trouble, so they’re not out there doing something dumb,” Macaulay said. “It does sometimes look like the football players do get special treatment by some teachers,” Macaulay added. “But it’s just more that some do need a little more help and sometimes struggle in school and some-

times struggle getting through different classes.” Varsity Football Coach Kelly King said he doesn’t necessarily know what others perceive, but expressed that football players are held to higher standards being student athletes. When they do something wrong, they can be penalized up to three times. The first is through administration, the second as student athletes, and third as football players, unlike regular students who normally only go through administration, King said. Regarding academics, they are just like any other kid, King said. When they ask to test in the special education room, they are simply reaching out for help, according to King. “They might be reaching out for help,” King said. “The teacher can say no. I mean I’ve had other teachers have kids test in here with me. Depending on the situation, year, whatever.” “The main thing is they have to get an education,” King added. “We have study hall where they have to go through during the season that we take away from our practice time to make sure that they have to go on and sit there. Not everyone is great at the game of school, so we have to work with things.” Brittan makes it clear that student-athletes have a responsibility to uphold, as well as high expectations to be fulfilled. “Anybody who’s a student-athlete on campus has to know that they’re representing something bigger than themselves and that all eyes are on them,” Brittan said. “But that’s really the expectations of what we have for our student-athletes, and so, they need to conduct themselves and need to be better than everybody else in their behavior because everybody is watching them.”

Theater to be renovated to host larger events BY ASHLEY RICKS

Ivan Huang | THE UNION

The top 10 students were announced at the 2015 Senior Rally. Pictured above, the Class of 2015 officers lead the seniors to the football field.

Construction for a new Visual Performing Arts Center is currently being planned, according to Superintendent Cary Matsuoka. Because the current theater at MHS struggles to accomodate the frequency and size of events that the campus holds, the need for this new building is great and thus is a high priority in the future master facility plan for the high school, Matsuoka added. The new building will be on campus and would house a theater, along with spaces for dance classes, art galleries, band, and orchestra, Art Teacher Irene Hentschke said. She is currently working on a building design and floor plan. “What I had in mind when I drew the plans for it is that it would not be some ugly-looking mission box [...] that has no imagination and it’s like going into a jail,” Hentschke said. “That’s what I’m trying to avoid here, so when I drew this plan up for the designers, it’s a two-story with a mezzanine level, looking over the

theater.” Her plans emphasize making the building as modern as possible and is modeled after Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural style, Hentschke said. There should also be a stress and exploration of beauty, functionality, and being able to meet multiple needs, she added. “[There could be] solar panels on the roofing, and then landscaping; in the front there would be drought-tolerant succulents,” Hentschke said. “That way it makes it so much more attractive for the people in the community, to have pride when they come and use these facilities.” The building would not solely be limited to the use of theater, art, and band, however; the new center can also be opened up for the larger clubs on campus to host communal events, such as charity dinners, conferences, and shows, Hentschke said. MHS alumni who participated in theater and band have been present at facilities meetings, which is where these plans are discussed, according to Hentschke.

“Before [the building] can come to fruition, [the district must] raise the funds. They have to design the building first; this is only a teacher’s vision of it. So it’s not what they’re going to do, but [...] if they can see my vision, then they can work around something like this,” Hentschke said. “We want something beautiful that will inspire us.” Construction for the building is not projected to be until 2017, according to Matsuoka. The fate of the current D building is also being discussed, as it is not possible to renovate it into what can be considered a “modern performing arts venue for a high school,” Matsuoka said. “The funding source for all of this is: we will go out to our tax payers, and ask them to support another facility bond in June 2016,” Matsuoka said. “We really need the input of our students, because you guys live with that facility every day; you guys know all the spots that are old and tired and not very good, so we look forward to getting student input as well.”

THE UNION Top Ten

WTF! Moments From This Year 10 Tampon Costume Girl 9 F building classroom break-in 8 Winter Flash Flood Apocalypse! 7 First Semester Lunch Fight Armageddon! 6 WASC review ¯\_(‘~ ’)_/¯ 5 “Don’t send nudies!” assembly 4 The lockdown. *shudders*

3 Most Likely to Die a Virgin™ 2 Bomb threat prankmergency 1:

Farewell Words to Seniors “An old man once told me ‘Life is uncertain, eat your dessert first.’ Don’t be afraid to do remarkable, daring things. My advice to is make the next four years worth telling to your grandchildren.” - Jennifer Smith, Class of 2018 “Don’t be stupid. Don’t get into debt. You’re not entitled to anything. Love your parents. Date lots and taste the rainbow. Study. Party. Sleep. Repeat. Be safe.” - Sharona Aborhor, Class of 2018 “Don’t get pregnant, and don’t get anybody pregnant. Children ruin lives. Just look at your parents.” Amanda Cullen, Class of 2017 “The stars are looking out for you from above, because it’s time for you to shine. Don’t be scared. Shine.” Chris Lopez, Class of 2016

“Keep your head up no matter what life throws at you. Enjoy this freedom and focus on your classes and get somewhere. Meet people and make connections and it’ll pay off in the end.” - Gavin Bains, Class of 2016 “I really don’t want to say goodbye to any of you awesome people, so I’ll just say: ‘See ya later, alligators!’” Alexis Tran, Class of 2016 “I love you guys, and all of you have made a huge impact on MHS and my first year here. Thanks, y’all, for being so cool and chill, and don’t forget about the little people here. “ - Kalina Aragon, Class of 2018 “Explore the world and yourself! Follow your passion. Stay open to new possibilities. Take advantage when opportunity knocks; it may not knock again.” - Kaila Schwartz, English and Theatre Department

“Bye.” - Abigail Ecal, Class of 2016

Your identity isn’t tied to college “I only have a 3.5 GPA, no UC is go- go to a state college and be equally as ing to accept me.” This is a common successful. mentality that students have when Don’t choose a college for its status talking about college. For the past few or prestige. Instead, choose a college years, college admissions that best fits your needs. have become increasingly Community colleges, state difficult as students raise colleges, and universities the bar for college staneach fit the different needs dards. of every student. It has been engraved Going to college may be in students’ minds that the norm, but it doesn’t going to college leads to mean that it’s your only a successful life. There is path to success. Kanye also the notion that getWest went to Chicago State ting into college requires University only to realize at least a 4.0 GPA, 100 that college wasn’t for him. CRYSTAL hours of community serHe later dropped out and TRAN vice, a good SAT score, released a music album. and a whole list of extraSince then, he has won 21 curricular activities (such Grammy awards and was as being an officer for a club, being named one of the wealthiest men on involved in a sport, playing an instru- the planet by Forbes. ment in band, etc.). I’m not saying that dropping out of If you don’t get into college, you school and releasing a music album are deemed a failure by your parents, will automatically make you sucpeers, and yourself. The more presti- cessful, but you honestly never know. gious the college you get accepted to, There are also many alternatives inthe smarter you are supposed to be. stead of going to college, such as voBut this isn’t entirely true. It does cational school, or enlisting into the not necessarily matter what college military. Do your research if you are you go to, what really matters is what contemplating whether college is the you make of it: hard work is what will right fit for you. bring success. You shouldn’t beat yourself up over You are the person that ensures college acceptance or rejection. You your success, not your college. You are no less of a person if you don’t get don’t need to automatically get into accepted. You are no less of a person a four year university. You can go to a if you don’t go to college. Test scores community college, work your hard- and school acceptance letters do not est, transfer into university, and still define your self-worth or how smart become very successful. You can also you are.

OPINIONS

MAY 2015

Seriousness lacking in nude photo scandal assembly Due to the discovery that nude photos were shared among MHS students this year, one would hope that the topic would be properly discussed with the entire student body. Unfortunately, the discussion fell short of what was necessary to seriously educate teenagers about the perils of distributing nude photos. I do commend administration for having an assembly that covered depression and cyber bullying. But I attended the senior assembly, and a majority of it was focused on graduation and life after high school, so I do not believe we had the opportunity to truly delve into the aforementioned topics. Having a separate assembly to cover graduation might have been a better option. That way, the assemblies could be shorter and more focused than the single assembly that seniors experienced during testing. The lack of education that seniors received regarding nude photos does not solely lie with the way in which the assembly was organized. It also lies with the police officer who was discussed the topic with the seniors. Maybe the other classes had a better and more in-depth discussion than the seniors did, since they did not have to worry about graduation, but that should not have been the case. Seniors are especially in danger of having to register as sex offenders if they’re caught with a nude photo of a minor because seniors are more likely to be at least 18 years old. But alas, the police officer forgot to mention

the consequence of registering as a this case it seemed as if the majority sex offender until some time after the of the senior class did not pay attentopic had been closed; he only briefly tion. Many of them had no idea that a mentioned it while the counselors situation with nude photos occurred were in the middle of a different slideat MHS. The situation itself caught a show. lot of attention, but when In general, the police ofthe details and the conseficer tried to joke about the quences were not fully exsituation and relationships plained, people slowly lost gone wrong. While a few interest. Students could laughs may have been prohave been asked to share duced, I strongly believe their thoughts or interact that the legal and social with each other in order consequences of sending to engage them better. and distributing nude phoThe situation at MHS, in tos should have been talkwhich a group of students ed about in greater detail with varying relationships RISHIKA or more seriously. to one another shared DUGYALA Also, it should have been pictures of girls and even stressed that this is not just coerced girls for those picabout relationships gone tures, could have been exwrong. Nude photo “scandals” occur pounded upon. between friends and between boys My overall suggestion would be who coerces pictures from random to ensure that all grades have time girls, and vice versa. There are many to discuss each topic in length, othpossible ways one can find him or erwise the desired effect of the disherself in a “scandal.” cussion will be lost. It would also be Throughout the discussion, I heard more memorable if the discussion comments from students such as, was more of a conversation that in“Please, like anyone is going to stop volved the students, rather than just sending nudes,” or “I send nudes all an assembly. the time.” Some students were jokIn regards to the nude photos toping, and others seemed like they were ic, focusing on the MHS incident and not. The fact is, many people were the seriousness of the consequences not respectful and that is because the in more detail would definitely help discussion did not sound like it was keep interest high. With nude photo important. situations, scaring the students with That being said, there will always the dangers seems to be more effecbe students who do not pay attentive than using humor to try to relate tion to serious discussions, but in to the student body.

Mandatory community service counterintuitive I applaud the school for putting up in our institution, hear about helping a presentation on suicide awareness, others? as well as the counselors, The first and only thing teachers, and staff members that comes to mind is community service. that look after the well-being of students. I have no Twenty hours of comdoubt that, year after year, munity service is required for graduation. help has been sought, help 150 hours is required for has been given, and that the a maroon cord. Anything need for help has been satmore is required to look isfied. samaritan-worthy for a However, I do not applaud college application. the illusion. But what is the motivaHelping other people PATRICK tion behind doing comwhy do we do it? I suppose LY munity service? it depends on who you ask. It seems to me like it’s It’s no doubt that many staff here have a desire to help foster the out of social pressure, not out of social growth of the next generation - they cause, not from the heart. The result are after all, outnumbered by them is an illusion: that we as students help almost everyday. But when you ask others because it is self-helping, not students, many hollow and apathet- self-fulfilling. Self-helping is practical. Success ic answers may bother you. But is it necessarily our fault? When do we, in our society is meant to be compe-

tition-based, so why not help oneself and get the upper hand? It is, after all, your future, and your future alone. Does telling the teacher when you notice a student in the classroom looks extremely sad help you on your college application? Will standing up for someone being bullied give you hours of community service, a potential scholarship, a cord of approval? How many injustices go in our school with our faces looked the other way, unnoticed because standing against it offers no reward? You can’t make it an obligation. Kindness of the heart demands a different light; it demands empathy, observation, and the feeling that it is okay if what you do to help may not contribute to the success of your future later on.It demands is a different look on why we should better society, and essentially, ourselves.

Coachella’s cultural appropriation insensitive, not cute As the summer begins and the festivals spring up, it’s really important to make sure you have everything packed on your music festival checklist. Selfie stick? Yep. Sunscreen? Got it. Native American headdress and Hindu Bindi? Please don’t. While events such as Coachella and Bonnaroo usually inspire very unique and new fashion trends, there’s nothing trendy about using the cultures of minorities to gain likes on Instagram. You might argue that wearing headdresses and Native American war paint on your face is simply a way to celebrate the culture; however, there’s a big difference between appreciating a culture and appropriating it. Bindis and head dresses come from a place of spiritual meaning in their original culture. It’s not a good idea to wear someone’s cultural attire if the only “knowledge” you have about Native Americans comes from “Colors of the Wind.” I know what you’re thinking: “What’s the big deal? I want to look cute and bohemian just like Vanessa

Hudgens at Coachella, and it’s a free festival has banned them completely. country.” The truth is that cultural appropriThe “boho” look you’re trying to ation is a thin line. It’s easy to stray achieve shouldn’t require spiritual into the land of ethnic ignorance statement pieces from without really meaning to other religions. The Nado so. Fortunately, eating tive American headdress Dim Sum doesn’t lessen exists to represent a tribe’s the significance of Chinese individual bravery and culture when you eat it, culture. In the Hindu reand watching Bollywood ligion, the Bindi originally movies isn’t an insult to represented female comthe Indian culture either. mitment in marriage, and It’s also the same when sometimes it’s even seen listening to music from as a religious third eye for Germany or appreciating spiritual sight. Russian artwork. TERRA When these items are In these cases, it’s not WALLS worn at festivals as accescultural appropriation sories, the true meaning — it’s simply cultural exbehind them is often turned into change. The significance of their way something materialistic that gets igof life isn’t lessened, because they arnored. en’t being used for commercial use. Some festivals are even making Appropriation comes from a place of bold moves to prevent appropriaunawareness, which often results in tion on site. United Kingdom’s fivedisrespect. Not every culture is open day Glastonbury festival has banned to Western interpretation, and some the sale of headdresses on festival traditional garb should remain with grounds, and Canada’s Bass Coast the culture it belongs to.

EDITORIAL

MAY 2015

THE UNION

U NION

Water & Cell Phones

Should seniors be allowed to carry them at graduation?

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

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

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With the atmosphere of a turbulent year now behind us, student input must be expanded, communications fixed We, The Union, firmly believe that the well-being of students at MHS is hindered by (1) The lack of their input in policy-making and (2) The lack of a transparent administration. In order to address the myraid of issues on campus, students must be given more opportunities to speak their mind, and administration must be more open to the questions and concerns of students and staff. These two issues were brought to attention by the unfortunate series of events that occured near the end of this year, including the bomb threat, lockdown, and end-of-the-year assemblies.The end result of these all gave the impression that communication - especially in the case of the bomb threat and lockdown - are sloppy and in need of dire repair. Communication must be improved in order to prepare our staff and students for any future disasters, as well as to establish a more grounded understanding between administration, staff, and students. What do we mean by â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;communicationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? Well, to put it simply, administration should not immediately clamp down on key details of events. This year has been one of monologue, not dialogue, in regards to the way administration addresses key issues. One example of this was Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now-infamous bomb threat incident. Many questions were left unanswered: Why werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t students immediately notified that a bomb threat was called in? Why wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there a student-staff meeting addressing ways evacuation procedures could be reformed? Had such a discussion been created, perhaps evacuations procedures could have been improved with the help of students. Other events parallel the same lack of communication and student input. What if students had a greater hand in these issues? What would the current atmosphere feel like? It is no secret that many students were left disatisfied with the way MHS has been run this year. Would we be happier now, had first semesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s series of lunch fights been addressed by the administration in a clear and specific way, instead of circumventing numerous details with an air of secrecy? Would we be happier now, had issues of clothing been clarified to the number of girls and boys forced to redress under an inconsistent system of dress code enforcement, instead of those affected being told that their concerns were invalid? Would we be feel more safe and knowledgeable now, had the presentation on nude photo sharing and mental health been created by first outlining and surveying student opinion, instead of carelessly brushing over important issues by unprepared speakers? Would we feel more secure and prepared now, had the flaws noted by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) been utilized to immediately launch MHS in a campus-wide movement to improve the state of education we provide? The answer is yes, to all of the above. A partnership must be forged between administrators and students. Students must have greater input in the policies that govern their school, especially after events that affect the entire campus. Instead of the top-down discussion handed out in all of these cases, instead of the attitude of control and neglect, administration must respect the desires and concerns of their students. Perhaps if students were offered a bigger voice, maybe then could misconceptions been dispelled, maybe understanding could be achieved, and maybe MHS could return to a more peaceful state felt in years past. Principal Lawton is not unfamiliar to the style of democratic policy-making. She has called for student input on potential campus renovations, as well as for the type of schedule our school should be using. Though we laud those efforts, we wish that this method must be extended to other areas, such as the classes students feel should be offered; the type of assemblies and presentations students receive; the ways they can get help if they want to combat depression and loneliness; If this were the norm, we would have more caring, effective administration and staff members, as well as a more eager, engaged student body. When the interests of students are put first, one finds that they suddenly care more about what is happening around them. When next year comes, we hope that students will have more say at what goes on at MHS, and that administration reforms their communication practices to become more transparent and open to the concerns of students and staff. If not, it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a surprise to see the same issues remaining stagnant, the same atmosphere of apathy and carelessness permeating through the lives of our friends, classmates, and teachers. We, The Union, wish you all a relaxing Summer and a bright future. It has truly been a year worth remembering, and a year that has given MHS many opportunities for improvement.

â&#x20AC;&#x153; W hat was your fa vor ite memor y f rom this yea r? â&#x20AC;?

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S TA F F Rishika Dugyala Editor-in-Chief É ?G<5HÉ 5GÉ Ć&#x20AC;É News Editor =A9CBÉ @C>=D5BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Op-Ed Editor =7<9@@9É I5B;É Ć&#x20AC;É Features Editor IH<É 5F?É Ć&#x20AC;É Sports Editor AMÉ ;IM9BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Lifestyle Editor 9BBMÉ 5CÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Entertainment Editor 6=;5=@É 75@É Ć&#x20AC;É Spread Editor A5B85É ;IM9BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Co Copy Editor BH<CBMÉ G9B;É Ć&#x20AC;É Co Copy Editor MG<5É 9<A5BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Web Editor JMÉ ;IM9BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Photo Editor 99É =BÉ C<É Ć&#x20AC;É Business Manager FMGH5@É F5BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Ad Manager =JM9G<É <CH5=É Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. News Editor B8F9KÉ IIÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Features Editor J5BÉ I5B;É Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Sports Editor

I@=5É ;IM9BÉ Ć&#x20AC;É É Asst. Lifestyle Editor 9FF5É 5@@GÉ Ć&#x20AC;É É Asst. Entertainment Editor 5HF=7?É MÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Spread Editor G<@9MÉ =7?GÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Copy Editor <F=GH=B5É ICÉ Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Photo Editor FID5É 5H9@É Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Business Manager 5J=9FÉ 5@G65I;<É Ć&#x20AC;É Asst. Ad Manager 95@É 5BG5@É Ć&#x20AC;É Reporter Jeff Colburn

Journalism Advisor

L E T T E R S TO T H E E DI TOR What Theatre Represents: Confidence, Community, and Courage Theater is one of the most underappreciated parts of the high school experience. No matter where you look, everyone loves being entertained, which is why the concept of theater is so great - it gives people an outlet to be entertaining. The MHS theater program provides this sort of creative outlet for many students. I was recently in the MHS production of Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Tempest. Now, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m no social genius, but going out on stage and performing in front of hundreds of people is a task that even the most confident people could find intimidating. However, that being said, after I joined the cast of The Tempest, I found a great community of students who had a love for the fine arts being brought together by a common desire to entertain others. It was incredible to see just what each individual

could bring to the table, and how each person could impact the overall performance. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really what theater does, it brings people together, which is another reason why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so loved. The level of community and group support made going in front of people not something to fear, but instead a chance to put on an incredible show with my fellow peers. Seeing how important theater is to students, and just how much it can educate and help students, I think improving the theater program should definitely be a high priority for the administrators of MHS. Theater leads to an improved community, and educates studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culturally, and should definitely be on the top of the list of priorities for MHS. - Willie Chandler, Class of 2015

The Hidden Poor (RE: Players prompted to sell candy)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Xanadu, because I made amazing friends and had the experience of a lifetime!â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153; W hen my friends and I were dancing like and singing like idiots during Trojan Olymics!â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A tie bet ween Prom and Trojan Olympics, when the juniors beat the seniors! JUNIORS!â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senior Picnic, because we got to skip school and had no homework to worry about. Seeing old friends was fun!â&#x20AC;?

Laura Hare Class of 2018

Rachel Fussell Class of 2017

Tony Le Class of 2016

Jennifer Osugi Class of 2015

In response to the article, I would like to share the experience of my friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children. When they were living in another city, in an upper-scale neighborhood, selling candy was not a problem. When they moved to a low income neighborhood, selling was a big problem. The children did not tell their teachers or coach their situation to

get out of fundraising because poverty is embarrassing and shameful. Because of this, they ran laps, or did not participate. Some people say â&#x20AC;&#x153;they have cell phones, they can pay.â&#x20AC;? But not all students have cell phones. My friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children were part of the hidden poor. - Joanne Mollot, French Instructor

MAY 2015

THE UNION

FEATURES

MAY 2015

English teachers leave MHS to pursue interests in theater BY RUTH PARK

Graduation is traditionally viewed as a ceremony for teenagers and young adults. However, MHS will be celebrating the end of high school for more than just the senior class, according to Principal Cheryl Lawton. English Teachers John Ribovich and Lillian Bogovich are examples of teachers who will be “graduating” along with the class of 2015. Both hope to spend their newfound time acting, travelling, and reading, among many other things. Bogovich mainly decided to retire from teaching for the sake of her acting career, Bogovich said. While she loves teaching, the time it takes to commute and grade papers is not desirable, according to Bogovich. “I’d rather devote that time to acting,” Bogovich said. “If I get the parts, hopefully I’ll get a little more acting to do. I took a voice-over class to voice over commercials, video games, things like that.” One significant reason Ribovich decided to retire is that he would earn more money by retiring than from teaching, Ribovich said. “The caveat there is that I love teaching and working with kids, but I’m definitely going to be working with student teachers at Santa Clara University,” Ribovich said. “I’ll probably also do one show, but I’m not sure with which company.” Ribovich may also finish writing another book of poetry, compose a song or rap album with his friends, or simply spend more time with his family, he said. While many teachers retire after their children are grown, Ribovich still has children in middle school and high school, according to

Ribovich. “Before I started teaching AP, College Board existed for 24 years. I have taught AP for 33 years,” Ribovich said. “I’ve been here the longest, continuously, besides [Spanish Teacher Carol] Feige.” Other pros of retiring include not having to deal with restrictions and meetings, according to Ribovich. The commute between MHS and his house, though only 17 miles, is also quite unbearable, Ribovich said. “I’ve commuted from Berkeley to Milpitas, from Oakland to Milpitas, and from Pleasanton to Milpitas, and I have gone about 300,000 miles,” Ribovich said. “I calculated that and it’s about one-and-a-half years of 24-hour-days of commuting.” “One of the pleasures of not working full time is choosing your company,” Ribovich said. “All my friends are either 10 years older and retired, or 10 or 15 years younger.” For many years, Ribovich has been in charge of community service at MHS. Though he could not disclose much information, he is confident the community service office will move out of P10, Ribovich said. Bogovich has been teaching at MHS for 25 years, and 33.5 years overall. She was first hired due to a scheduling error, Bogovich said. “I’ll miss being the part of lives of people. It’s really energizing to me,” Bogovich said. “My favorite part is being around 17 and 18 year olds and being able to discuss great literature.” “I feel like I’m graduating, not retiring,” Bogovich said. “I’m going off into the world just like the seniors are. It’s exactly 50 years since I graduated high school, and I feel like I’m graduating again.”

Courtesy of Neil Laxamana

The MHS JV Football Team gathers at the school football field (top). The picture is one of the many sports-related photos in Laxamana's collection. Also pictured (bottom) is a scene depicting the busy streets of San Francisco.

Laxamana photographs sporting events

BY DENNY BAO

If you've been to a school event this year, then you most likely have seen a guy with an expensive camera walking around and snapping photos. This photographer is Senior Neil Laxamana. Laxamana was introduced to photography by his cousin, Jeffrey Tanhueco, according to Laxamana. He was around 12 or 13 years old when he got his first point-and-shoot camera,

Laxamana added. “It was like a cheap Canon PowerShot. It was pretty sick; I took it everywhere,” Laxamana said. Laxamana has come a long way. He currently uses a Nikon D750 fullframe camera, Laxamana said. “I use a 70-200 f/2.8 lens and a 35 millimeter 1.8 lens," Laxamana said. By watching Jared Polin’s videos on YouTube, Laxamana was able to improve and learn how to shoot photos, according to Laxamana. Polin’s web-

site can be found at froknowsphotos. com, Laxamana said. Laxamana enjoys taking photos of sports, especially football, Laxamana said. However, a nice camera is not completely necessary for good photos, according to Laxamana. “Bring your camera everywhere. The best camera is the one you always have on with you,” Laxamana explained. You can view Laxamana’s photos at flickr.com/photos/neillaxamana.

MAY 2015

FEATURES

THE UNION

Students cosplay at local anime convention BY CHRISTINA LUO

Fanime is an anime convention that promotes Japanese culture, according to Senior Tiffany Nguyen. It is a place where people who enjoy anime can come together and not be judged, T. Nguyen said. Fanime took place at the San Jose Convention Center from May 22 to May 25, according to Senior Christina Nguyen. Each day the convention started at 9:00 a.m. and ended around 9:00 p.m. or later, C. Nguyen added. “You can interact with new people there and buy [merchandise],” Sophomore Carey Tran said. “The anime merchandise sold there includes artwork, bags, and key chains.” “I am planning to cosplay as Popstar Caitlyn from 'League of Legends' on half of the days, and Jibril from

'No Game No Life,'” C. Nguyen said. “[I used] fabrics, insulation foam, and lots of paint." For early registration, the price was $55 for a four day pass, but the price rose to $75 by May 1, according to Senior Brandon Do. For one day passes, Friday was $45, Saturday and Sunday were $50, and Monday was $40. “I like seeing all the different and cool cosplays,” Sophomore Sandy Le said. “I get to meet new people and talk about their work or what they like.” Le cosplayed as Misa Amane from "Death Note" on two of the four days she went to, according to Le. “[At Fanime], you can see other cosplayers and take pictures,” Do said. “There are certain events or panels set up where you can see famous people."

Do used PVC sheets to create his weapon for his cosplay of Neptune Vasilias from “RWBY." Do's other cosplay is Yato from “Noragami,” Do said. Creating a costume usually requires a year of preparation, although a two month preparation could also work, Do added. Tran cosplayed as Chiyo Sakura from "Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, according to Tran. “I spent a lot of money on makeup and fabric which was around 60 or more dollars,” Tran said. “For cosplaying, people usually appreciate it when others ask to take pictures with them,” Le said. “I really appreciate having a large convention that is close by." “It is a really fun experience,” Tran said. “You should do it if you like Anime.”

Carter incorporates 3-D printing in classroom curriculum BY ANDREW LUU

There has been a recent push towards technology and modernization at MHS over the years. From Chromebooks to Wifi, the entire school district has been involved in this transition. Following this trend, Economics Teacher David Carter has integrated 3-D printing into his curriculum, according to Carter. This is Carter's first year at MHS, but he has taught for 14 years at other schools, Carter said. “I have spent the last couple of years working with the district to develop a continuum of electronic skills students need to succeed,” Carter said.

3-D printing has not only been incorporated into Carter's classroom curriculum; it also serves as a venue for different disciplines to utilize technology and demonstrate rapid prototype design, Carter said. “In the economics class we formed companies around patented products that were CAD (Computer-based Design) designed,” Carter said. “We’ve attempted to market and sell [the CAD-designed products] here on MHS for cash money that is used exclusively for the material to produce more," Carter added. Company Plan is where a group of students get together, patent a product, and market the product, according to Carter. Investors come from other classes to get the company

started, Carter said. It was originally intended to be a buy-in program where students had to invest some money and gain back money based on their success, according to Carter. The notion was shut down, however, after being deemed as gambling by the district county, Carter said. Carter hopes to teach Geography next year and to incorporate 3-D printing as a way to create topographic lines and concentric circles of landforms like mountains and valleys, Carter said. Tinkercad is a free online entry-level CAD program where people don’t have to start from scratch and can mix and edit polygons, according to Carter.

Lu specializes in oil paintings and graphite sketches; paints portraits of Kanye West BY ANTHONY TSENG

Sports and books can be therapeutic, serving as outlets for all the stress that students have. For Senior Jian “Jacky” Lu, art is both his chosen outlet and passion. Lu’s involvement with art began in his early childhood, when he used to draw on the walls as a kid, according to Lu. Ever since then, art has become an enjoyable way for him to relax, Lu added. “I’ve done art like as far back as I remember. I just did it as something fun, and yeah, here I am now,” Lu said. “It’s a great way to sort of just to get my mind off things. Like I’ve had some really great thoughts like while I was just painting because your mind sort of just wanders," Lu said. Lu focuses primarily on oil paintings and graphite sketches, according to Lu. He particularly enjoys doing portraits and portraying human bodies, Lu continued. “I think about a year or two ago, I decided that, ‘Oh, I need to really learn how to do the human body be-

cause that’s really important,’” Lu said. “Since then, I’ve particularly enjoyed capturing characteristics, I guess, in both the body and face," Lu said. Finishing a piece can take anywhere from one hour to 24 hours, depending on how structured Lu wants the piece to look, Lu said. Lu tries to do as much art as possible, especially when he has free time, according to Lu. “There are times where I spend like six hours every week in a studio, and there are other weeks where I’m just too busy and don’t have much time for it,” Lu said. “I try to get some art in like whenever I have free time. Or like I said, [when] I feel like painting, I guess I just paint," Lu continued. Different sources, such as mainstream media and other AP Studio Art students’ pieces, have served as inspiration for Lu. The internet has also allowed him to discover other artists, Lu said. “Like I remember last year being

in AP Art, seeing a lot of the other AP artists’ art; that sort of served as an inspiration,” Lu said. “Just various media [serve as inspirations too], I guess. I did a couple of portraits on Kanye West, because Kanye’s like a G," Lu added. Although Lu does not actively search for art competitions, he has participated in a few competitive events, according to Lu. He received first prize in the International Youth Fine Arts Competition, and the grand prize in a competition held by the Northern California Chinese Culture Athletic Federation, Lu stated. Art is something that Lu hopes to continue doing in the future. He aims to incorporate elements of art into whatever he chooses to pursue in the future, Lu said. “I definitely want to do something creative in the future and a big part of that will be using visual elements in whatever I want to do with my work.” Lu said. “So that could take in the form of like graphic design or other stuff.”

Kiwanis Club hosts annual Special Games event BY KRUPA PATEL

The 37th annual Special Games was held on Friday, May 15, at De Anza College by the Kiwanis Club, according to Physical Education (P.E.) Teacher Kristina Edwards. Kiwanis Club was the main sponsor of the event, Edwards said. These games are attended by most of the special education county programs from Santa Clara County, including elementary, middle, and high school students, Edwards said. “There are so many people, it’s covered like wall to wall people, but I mean it’s mostly teachers, the aids,

my class,” Edwards said. “I took 29 of my students to watch and then there were a couple of parents that were walking around with their kids.” There were about 55 special education students from MHS who attended the Special Games, according to Edwards. There were a variety of games at the Special Games, including races, softball throws, frisbee throws, and obstacle courses, Edwards added. “They do an opening ceremony where everyone goes through a parade and gets their name announced, and then they just have a ton of games

set up for the kids,” Edwards said. “The kids get ribbons depending on how well they do: first, second, third," Edwards said. The students get an opportunity to compete in the different games as they rotate around, Edwards said. “It’s not part of a team, but they are able to participate in an environment where they get ribbons,” Edwards said. “They understand what’s going on and I mean they want the blue first place ribbon so it’s just an opportunity for them to go out and play and be with their friends and collect their little ribbons," Edwards said.

Courtesy of Jordan Li

Senior Jordan Li reloads a Daniel Defense DDM4A1on recreational property at Panoche Hills. Li fires at scrap metal scattered around the mountain range.

Li conveys passion for weaponry through historical reenactments BY IVY NGUYEN

While most students spend their free time avoiding school related subjects in any way possible, Senior Jordan Li immerses himself in his passion for history. Li channels his ardor for military weaponry through his artwork and spends much of his time seeking out new sources and participating in historical reenactments, according to Li. Li’s interest in military history was piqued as a result of his dad’s own involvement in the subject, according to Li. Exposed to the field at a young age, Li has grown up around model tanks and airplanes that his dad assembled, Li said. “I’ve been reading books on war since I was little,” Li said. “My dad used to take our family to museums and air shows and stuff; that’s probably what really kicked it all off.” Li mainly focuses on the history of warfare and the events that lead up to wars, Li said. He expresses great appreciation and awe for history in general, Li added. “I enjoy learning about the different trials and tribulations faced by people before us, and how they overcame them,” Li said. “There are also lots of stories of incredible people that fought on every side of every conflict, and reading of their exploits is inspiring," Li added. Much of his information is drawn from his large network of resources: professors, veterans, and his fellow reenactors in a historical reinactment club known as the Eagle Field Foundation, according to Li. Never one to shy away from an op-

portunity to befriend history professors and veterans, he often records their stories during their interactions, Li said. “As a historical reenactor, I’ve met some professors from UC Berkeley, Cal Poly, San Jose State University, and other colleges,” Li said. “Professors and veterans are some of the best resources that I’ve ever come across.” Li also relies on existing documentation of wars in history, Li said. More recent wars have better references, Li explained. “In terms of expertise, I’m probably the most well-read in World War Two, just because there’s so much reference that’s been published on it since its end 70 years ago in 1945,” Li said. Li often attends air shows with his club, and he has represented the club on several occasions, according to Li. “In August there’s the Spirit of ‘45 celebration at History Park in San Jose where our group went to do weapon demos and take part in the parade,” Li said. “I represented the club in taking part in a Vietnam War pilot rescue demonstration at the California Capitol Airshow." Li's vast knowledge of weapons is reflected in his collection of various guns and military uniforms. His interests mostly lie in uncommon weapons that are less well-known, according to Li. “My favorite two, can’t decide on either, are the German G3 or the Israeli Galil,” Li commented. “At the height of my collecting, [I] had 14 guns from all different historical eras. I currently only have about six, ever since I started being more detailed and specific with my impressions and the time periods that I reenact.”

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THE UNION

MAY 2015

SENIOR COLLEGES

2015 seniors BUtte College Oroville, CA

Victor Rodriguez

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA July Aung Katelyn Bui Natasha Gangal David Hoang Sakhi Kulkarni Amanda Lee Jordan Li Cheryl Tain Julie Nguyen

california maritime academy Vallejo, CA

Austin Nguyen

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO Chico, CA

Michelle Nguyen

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, dominguez hills Carson, CA

Francesca Scimeca

CalIFORNIA State UNIVERSITY , East Bay Hayward, CA

Araceli Crisanto Kyra Birks Kimberly Duong Jacob DeMayo Echon Richard Kieu Gabriel Lara Marhiel Antoinette Laya Kevin Le Andrew Luu Matthew Timothy Pascua Taylor Sjouwke Jayen Eri Vicedo Jette Villanueva

California State University, Fullerton Fullerton, CA

Anusha Bhardwaj Christine Francis Padua Wan Zheng

California State University, long beach Long Beach, CA Michael Chen Christopher Dangvu Amy Hori Guinevere Huey Peter Le Wesley Lin Cassandra Ngo Daniel Yang

California State University, Monterey bay Seaside, CA

Denzel Chris Ramos

Chabot college Hayward, CA

Christian Ancheta

Chapman University Orange, CA Jonathan To

cogswell Polytechnical college Sunnyvale, CA Alexis Marquez Brenda Tennyson Julian Watan

College of san mateo San Mateo, CA

Taivon Baker Johnson John Keller Uate Mataele Christian Rita

De Anza college Cupertino, CA

Edheleen Joy Adres Charlene Myrnelle Adriano Tawny May Alviola Ralph Angelo Balaoing Brittany Barry Shawn Berbena David Blackburn Kimberly Noreen Braga Jessica Cao Hin Wai Chan Jacklyn Chau Melissa Chau Willie Chow Kristine Mae Dauz Austin Dinh Jerry Duong Jared Fernando Dana Joanne Gabriel Jasmin Gil Alexandra Gonzalez Kaytlin Gordon Ellis Yishan Guo Sean Ho Emily Huynh Jessica Jhutty Gavin Legaspi Liwen Li Yuanxiong Li Miao Liu Chi Ly Jason Ly Kyle Machura Andrew Jay Madrid Patricia Rae Manzo Analise Martinez Lizeth Venegas Mata Francis Joefreson Mayo Alfer J Jahmeel Miguel Michelle Najorda Aaron Ng Alex Nguyen Dustin Nguyen Emily Nguyen Hoang Thao Nguyen Kevin Nguyen Serena Nguyen Jocelyn Olivarez Daisee Pangilinan Jennifer Ann Peregrino Efren Armanta Perez Gabrielle Perez Chris Pham Jimmy Pham Michael Pham Quynh Pham Calvin Phan Tina Phan Leslie Phung Kurdt Raval Stephanie Rodriguez Angelo Rosario Bhagdeep Sandhu Sidney Santiago Vinesh Sharma Gurkirat Singh Shaayan Syed Hour Tan Steven Tang Shannon Te Jessica Than Gema Topete Darlene Torres Anh Dao Tran Austin Tran David Tran

Erik Dan Tran Vy Tran Neil Trivedi Thien Truong Joshua Uy Abigail May Valera Minh Vu

evergreen valley college San Jose, CA

Cinthia Robles Salud Ricardo Aguilar Kelsie Aviles Yamilet Fierro Zalaika Hill

foothill college Los Altos Hills, CA

Laura Salgado Alejandres Noribel Balili Jennry Bustos Charline Hoang Monique May Tan Nguyen Hatixhe Peku Kellie Pham Shaheer Randall Billy Russell Taylor Sanchez Kyler L. J. Tanciangco Andrew Tani Shirley Thai Thy Tran Edward Vo

Fremont College Cerritos, CA

Gene Ryan Delara

gavilAn College Gilroy, CA

Tieyon Loysanoy Estrella Raquel Rosas

Las positas College Livermore, CA Kevin Tyler Pica

Loyola marymount university Los Angeles, CA Sarina Bolden Peter Phong Rafe

Mission College Santa Clara, CA

Alfonzo Luiz Alger Jan Cedric Anoneuvo Jhamaica Marie Balza Prisila Barba Dora Beltran Danielle Briggs Miguel Buenrostro Corey Chhem Christine Rogem Cruz Huy Dang Khanh Trang Dao Ryan Jeremiah De Lemos Alyne Estrada Markus Leon Estrada Jugen Fornoles Giselle Gogue Brenda Ortiz Gonzalez Bianca Hankins Ahmer Helweh Julie Anstadt Hernandez My Huynh Kevin Kim Julie Le Iris Li Cameron Mateo Aliza Muhammad Albert Kimo Nakagawa Elizabeth Nguyen Ngoc Nguyen Thinh Nguyen Vandam Nguyen Kathleen Mae Orbon

DISCLAIMER This list was compiled using student responses to a survey and consequently may not be fully accurate or complete. Tommy Tuan Phan-Nguyen Mark Tyler Ramirez Michael Rodriguez Rei Geena Romano Brad Saechao Samuel Sagrado Erin Janelle Salud Georgette San Juan

Ohlone College Fremont, CA

Ceillea Acuna Patrick Jeanwill Albores Jenny Lynne Balangue Edrick Ryan Binauhan Kyle Bobay Kasandra Marie Brioso Allen Butt Matthew Ceasar Caronongan Nestor Cuesta Julie Dang Athena Amz Echon Janet Flores Sergio Franco Scott Hall Beatriz Hernandez Shubham Kumar Dareon Lopez Annalyn Mallari Jacob Mananquil Sophia Noory Esmeralda Orozco Marcos Ortiz Chavez Maria Paquette Chloe Paulsen Tyler Phan Jocelyn Phommachit Nurul Roslan Priscilla Jade Rullamas Alejandro Santillan Raghav Sharma Kairel Solorzano Betanco Esa Soudbakhsh Miguel Tolentino

san diego state university San Diego, CA

Sidney Navales Bryan Phan John Vincent Rafanan Mithalee Thakkar

san francisco state university San Francisco, CA

Brianna Atayan Jessa Bergado Stella Chan Shih Ting Chao Alex Hardy Kenneth Christian Harp Catherine Liou Eric Luong Patrick Ly AJ Matias Yesenia Mejia Kym Ngo Alan Nguyen Jenny Nguyen Megan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Eric Parathara Austin U Tai Vo Tanya Wong

san Jose City College San Jose, CA

Bernisha Roundtree-Wilson

San Jose State University San Jose, CA

Randel Louie Adao Nebat Ali Alyssa Almogela Antony Christian Ancheta Ethan Morales Arauzo Michelle Atud Lynette Berger Arlene Bongco Kim Bui Trang Bui Julia Christina Canasa Mark Kenneth Casapao Anthony Cerezo Kiana Cleveland Alexander Dao Yanbin Deng Jessiella Anne Devera Anthony Dinh Brendan Do Dennis Ha Quan Ha Tiffany Hau Alvin Ho Sandy Ho Ming Shi Hui Wendy Huynh Myla La Bine Neil Randall Laxamana Danielle Le Justin Le Yue Tong Lee Xin Li Luan Luu Julie Ma Anthony Nguyen Huy David Nguyen John Nguyen Khang Nguyen Lina Nguyen Molly Nguyen Vincent Nguyen Vivi Nguyen Tiffany Pham Abdullah Qtaish Jordan Renteria Lovejot Singh Toral Suthar Christiana Sy Phong Ta Alex Te Cory Thich Hao Brian Tran Hung Tran Phuoc Tran Tiffany Tran Angeline Vu Austin Wang Vera Wong Todd Yao Wendy Yin

Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, CA Nathan Bond

san ta Clara University Santa Clara, CA

Karen Frances Carreon Sara Mattias Michelle Tran

Santa Monica community college San Diego, CA Peyton Carswell

MAY 2015

THE UNION

SENIOR COLLEGES

colleges list Sonoma state university

University of California , San Diego

Rohnert Park, CA

San Diego, CA

Jorgina Cruz Geraldo Salazar

Stanford University Palo Alto, CA Star Huynh

University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA

Manasi Aranake Alexander Bang Justin Cheng Akshat Das Sahil Hansalia Michelle Huang Prachi Jha Jian Lu Kyle Nguyen Shivani Prabala Charles David Olivar

University of California, DAvis Davis, CA

I-Ching Chen Kai An Chu Alefia Kothambawala Mary Le Jaskeerat Mahi Amy Nguyen Audrey Nguyen Bao Chau Nguyen Quang Nguyen Nicole Ooi Stephanie Tseng

University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA

Natasha Amonkar Germain Louie Andrew Luu Sydney Nguyen

University of California , Merced Merced, CA

James Duckworth Mimi Len Taylor Phan

University of California , Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Isabel Chu Farhana Haque Nihar Tamhankar Angela Wang

Neal Bansal Denny Bao Sophia Chang Tommy Dang Xiaohan Liu Naomi McCracken Ivy Nguyen Ruth Park Peter Phan Franz Aldrich Quijano Gagandeep Singh Neel Srejan Phap Sammy Tran Anthony Tseng Linh Vu Kate Wong Gloria Zhang

University of California, Santa barbara Santa Barbara, CA Christina Hoang Ou Yee Lam Jiaqi Luo Tiffany Nguyen Tina Van Nguyen Bill Truong Raymond Vo

University of California, Santa cruz Santa Cruz, CA

Tiffany Desiree Alcantara Justin Mel Cortez Peter Dang Angad Dhadda Khoa Hoang Kevin Le Michelle Nguyen Andrew Quan Andrew Tsai Edmund Yu

University of California , Riverside Riverside, CA Jesus Chagolla Brian Dinh Alyssa Gaw Christina Luo Phu Nguyen Jordan To Michael Truong

University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA Kristen Buchanan

University of Southern california Los Angeles, CA Zahra Surani

University of The Pacific Stockton, CA Rubaba Haque Tiffany Kwan Vy-Han Ngo Jenny Nguyen Thao Nguyen Robert Palvolgyi Cynthia Trinh

Unitek College Krissia Kayle Cosico

West Los Angeles college Los Angeles, CA Jacob Escusar Jordan King Modesty Nguyen Jessica Punzalan James Santos Kelly Tam Andrew Williams

HAWAII

University of Hawaii Honolulu, HI

Ilaisaane Mendoza

Hawaii Pacific university Honolulu, HI

Madeline De Dios

Kapiolani Community College Honolulu, HI

Alondra Vazquez

OREGON

Portland State university Portland, OR

Camisha Briggs Klees Connor McGarry

Reed College Portland, OR Arce Edsel

WASHINGTON

arizona Grand canyon university Phoneix, AZ

Kadmiel Bragado

NEVADA

Shari Thompson

Syracuse university

Syracuse, NY Leanne Aban

Las Vegas, NV

arcadia university

David Musika

UTAH

University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Kristin Lingle

COLORADO Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO Harrison Cross

IDAHO

Boise State University Boise, ID

Matthew Conti

North dakota Dickinson State university Dickinson, ND Brenda Cruz

illinois

Knox College Galesburg, IL Zachary Barnes

Northwestern university Evanston, IL

Rishika Dugyala

indiana Purdue University

University of puget sound

West Lafayette, IN

Sean Barnes

New York City, NY

Pennsylvania

Seattle, WA

Tacoma, WA

St John's University

university of Las Vegas

Seattle Central Community college Kristy Lam

New york

Raymond Dong

Michigan Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Kesha Patel

Glenside, PA

Katherine Kwong

rhode island Johnson & Wales University Providence, RI Manuel Gamboa

Armed forces U.s. Air Force

Berlyn Dizon Michael Gonzales Eligio Ladringan Jason Vincent Villaruz Noah Villaruz

U.S. Army

Justin Lin Justin Luu Michael Joshua Manalang Thomas Xu

U.S. navy

Matthew Sosongco

U.S. Marines

Angel Alvarez Jose Alvarez Daniel Nguyen Christopher Nguyen Fernando Valdovinos-Castaneda Donovan Woods

Senior Class By the numbers Number of Responses: 482 % continuing education: 93 % enlisting in military: 3 % Undecided/ Not Applicable: 4 % By region: Western (AZ,CA,HI,NV,OR,WA): 90 Midwest/East (Co,ID,Il, IN,MI, ND, UT): 1 Eastern (NY,PA,RI):1

THE UNION

SENIOR MOSTS

MAY 2015

“TFW YOUR CLASSMATES THINK YOU’RE ISIS.” - JORDAN LI “I’D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME WIN. THIS IS FOR YOU.” - CATALINA HERNANDEZ

JORDAN LI CATALINA HERNANDEZ

MOST LIKELY TO START WORLD WAR III “I’M AMUSED THAT PEOPLE HAVE MISPLACED FAITH IN ME BECAUSE ALL I WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE IS BECOME A PROFESSIONAL POKER PLAYER.” - SAHIL HANSALIA “I FEEL HONORED THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE I COULD FIND THE CURE FOR CANCER.” - ZAHRA SURANI

MOST LIKELY TO FIND A CURE FOR CANCER... AND THEN LOSE IT “TRY HARD FOR THINGS YOU LOVE.” - BRIAN PHU NGUYEN

SAHIL HANSALIA ZARAH SURANI

“Y’ALL PLAY TOO MUCH, I WASN’T SERIOUS WHEN I SAID TO VOTE FOR ME LOL.” - ALIZA MUHAMMAD

BRIAN PHU NGUYEN ALIZA MUHAMMAD

MOST LIKELY TO PROMOTE THEIR MIXTAPE AT GRADUATION

MAY 2015

SENIOR MOSTS

THE UNION

“I FEEL VERY HONORED THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT I AM SUCH A KIND PERSON, AND I AM GLAD THAT I AM ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE DOWN. - ALEJANDRO SANTILLIAN

“I’M FLATTERED PEOPLE VOTED FOR ME! IT’S NICE TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE THINK OF ME THAT WAY.” - VIVI NGUYEN

ALEJANDRO SANTILLIAN VIVI NGUYEN

MOST LIKELY TO OFFER A KIND WORD WHEN YOU ARE DOWN “ME DYING IN THE HUNGER GAMES? WELL, IT WOULDN’T BE THE FIRST TIME I WAS PENETRATED WITH A SPEAR.” - SIMEON ALOJIPAN “SAD! BECAUSE I AM DEAD! AHAHAHA” - JENNY NGO

MOST LIKELY TO DIE FIRST IN THE HUNGER GAMES “I FEEL RESPECTED KNOWING THAT OUR SENIOR CLASS BELIEVES I HAVE THE FIERCE ATTITUDE AND POTENTIAL TO BE AN ADMINISTRATOR.” - GERMAIN LOUIE

SIMEON ALOJIPAN JENNY NGO

“I DON’T REALLY MIND BEING VOTED MOST LIKELY TO BE ADMINISTRATION AT MHS.” - NATASHA GANGAL

GERMAIN LOUIE NATASHA GANGAL

MOST LIKELY TO BECOME AN ADMINISTRATOR AT MHS

LIFESTYLE

THE UNION

MAY 2015

FASHION SPOTLIGHT BY DENNY BAO

Leticia Melara Senior

Collar Shirt from Savers Sweater from Cotton On Coat thrifted

Cardigan from Savers Backpack from Ross Skirt (not pictured) from Forever 21 Tights from Target Boots from Savers

Her Fashion Inspir ation: “I get my inspiration from old cat ladies.”

Andes U Senior

The North Face Backpack from The North Face Jacket from Abercrombie & Fitch Button-up from J. Crew

Watch from Daniel Washington Jeans from Uniqlo

Boat Shoes from Sperry Top-Sider

His Fashion Inspir ation: “I get my fashion inspiration from urban American prep.”

Terra Walls | THE UNION

Whispers Cafe creates a crepe stuffed with sliced bananas, strawberries, and nutella. It is topped off with sliced bananas and strawberries drizzled in chocolate syrup and topped off with powdered sugar. This crepe is the à la mode option.

Good eats: chocolate treats, ice cream sweets BY TERRA WALLS

As the school year draws to an end, it’ll become unnecessary to spend your last few bucks on Chromebook charger replacements and binder paper. With those out of the way, it’s easier to spend money on what really matters in life: dessert. 1. Whispers Cafe & Creperie This restaurant chain boasts precisely what its name describes, and more: crepes and great ones at that. Although the selection of dessert crepes may be a tad small, Whispers makes up for it with a large amount of flavor. The “Half-Moon” crepe is packed with peaches, cinnamon, brown sugar, and honey orange glaze. If that’s too off the beaten path, try the “Whispers” crepe with recognizable favorites like strawberries, banana, and Nutella. Crepes come with an à

la mode option, which gives you a scoop of ice cream. 2. Icebox Icebox has a larger variety of delicious treats than Whispers, and its highlight is large macaron and cookie ice cream sandwiches. The first step in ordering is picking out the shell of your sandwich. Chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, and birthday cake macarons are just a few of the options available for creating the perfect treat. There are about 10 different ice cream flavors to choose from for the middle of the sandwich. The macaron sandwiches aren’t overwhelmingly big, and they’re enough to satisfy any sweet tooth. The prices here are extremely reasonable, and unlike CREAM, the sandwiches aren’t too big to bite. 3. Honeyberry Located close to MHS, the very

environment of Honeyberry is inviting alone. A shelf stacked with board games suggests that the quaint little restaurant has more than just good food to offer. The menu can be slightly overwhelming, because there’s so much to try. Some of the smaller options include roti buns and simple cups of frozen yogurt. If that’s not enough dessert for you, try and tackle a snowcup. Snowcups come in three different flavors: green tea, chocolate, and vanilla. The ice cream sits on top of a mound of shaved ice, fruit, and cereal. Although it sounds like a horrible mix, these are the perfect ways to satisfy a craving. It’s best to order and share with friends, because it’s difficult to finish desserts by yourself. Fairly inexpensive and conveniently located, beat the heat with Honeyberry’s desserts.

LIFESTYLE

MAY 2015

Blind taste test: Taiwanese popcorn chicken BY IVY NGUYEN

From the overwhelming popularity milk tea has over MHS students these days arises a hunger for a new favorite snack: Taiwanese popcorn chicken. Like milk tea, it originates from Taiwan and is often sold alongside the popular drink in most boba stores. Here at The Union, we attempted to single out several of the best places to buy these crispy pillows of chicken-y goodness. Of all the franchises in the Milpitas/Fremont area, we tried chicken from: Tapioca Express, Verona Pin Tea, T4, and Verde Tea Expresso Bar. A blind taste test was conducted in which five subjects ranked the the chicken in terms of its crispiness, oil content, overall taste, the perceived freshness of the chicken, and the aroma. In terms of overall taste, Tapioca Express, although mocked for its mediocre milk teas blew its competition out of the water. There was a unanimous decision among the taste-testers that Tapex undisputedly had the best tasting chicken. As for oiliness, T4, Verona Pin Tea, and Tapex received relatively low scores. The chicken from Verde took the top spot for greasy chicken

BLIND TASTE TEST RESULTS Most Crispy Tapioca Express Most Oily Verde tea Espresso Bar Most Tasty Tapioca Express Most aromatic Tapioca Express Best quality Chicken Tapioca Express

DIY: THANK YOU CARDS BY AMY NGUYEN

Thank you notes are perfect for anyone and everyone. A simple note will brighten up someone’s day especially when he sees that a lot of effort was put into it. If you’re feeling like giving thanks to a teacher, a friend, or a colleague, follow these simple steps to create your own thank you card. Materials: - cardstock - pencil - eraser - ruler - X-acto knife - glue - cutting board - paper cutter (optional)

Ruler

Cardstock

pencil

glue

Amy Nguyen | THE UNION

and was unsurprisingly the least crispy. Verde continued to receive low scores across the board and was voted to have the worst quality chicken out of all four franchises. One tester persisted to comment that the chicken was mushy and looked processed.

THE UNION

Overall, the decisions were generally consistent for all five testers, although there was often disagreement in the rankings of T4’s chicken. While some participants were adamant in their belief that T4 chicken tasted like salted cardboard, others insisted that it had one of the best tastes.

Eraser PAPER CUTTER (OPTIONAL)

Cutting board

x-acto knife

Lay out your supplies, and choose card colors. When choosing cardstock colors, a color background and a white design is my personal favorite, but any two contrasting colors will work.

Straying from blue gown norm at graduation BY ABIGAIL ECAL

Congratulations, MHS Class of 2015! Now that your high school years are coming to an end, the only event that you are looking forward to is graduation. Although the common tradition of decorating your cap and gown is prohibited, there are other ways to be noticed in a group of approximately 800 seniors. Look ready for the occasion. Prepare your hair and wear makeup that complements you well. Although everybody else cannot see the clothes you wear underneath your gown, dress up anyway! Wear a ridiculous amount of neck

candy. A common accessory to wear is a lei. Different types of leis include ones that are made out of dollar bills, candy, and your typical Hawaiian leis. You don’t want your leis to completely cover your other senior awards, though. Wear your Gold and Maroon Cords with pride, and layer all of your well-earned stoles. There is nothing better than seeing your four years of hard work in a tangible form, and people that see your awards will remember what you have done for MHS. Use the stage as your limelight. After waiting hear your name called and finally walk across the stage,

you probably do not want to create a one or two second impression and abruptly leave. Linger on the stage for a little. Hug the teacher that is reading your name, do a little dance, or even strut your way off stage. Have your family and friends act as your cheerleaders. Loud screams and cheers will leave an impression that you are loved and perhaps come from a very enthusiastic family. Creativity is the key. After graduation, it is your time to shine, but it will be a pain looking for your family in a crowd of a hundred families. Have your supporters create enormous posters and bring you a variety of balloons.

OPTIO

OPTION 2

Cut the cardstock. The paper used for the card itself should be cut 6.25x9’’ and fold it hamburger style. The paper used for the design should be cut 4x5.75’’. Card size may be varied, but I have found that this size is the easiest to work with. You can use a paper cutter, or you can use a ruler and an X-acto knife.

Essentials for warmer weather, sunnier skies BY JULIA NGUYEN

Personal style does not have to be dictated by trends. Here are some popular pieces that have been worn by students on campus as the weather gets warmer and spring transitions to summer.

Women's 3. Baseball Caps

1. SHIRT DRESS

Julia Nguyen | THE UNION

Who wants to wear pants (or anything) in the summer? Just pop on a shirt dress and avoid the hassle of having to decide what top to pair with your bottoms. Shirt dresses are breathable and baggy, making them the perfect defense against the oppressive heat.

2. White Sneakers Julia Nguyen | THE UNION

Julia Nguyen | THE UNION

White sneakers complement lighter colors in your outfit and are wearable because of their familiar shape and design. A popular style like adidas Supsterstar has been worn by many, but you can achieve a similar look with the Vans Sk8 Hi or Converse High Tops.

Caps shade your face and add an effortless, carefree summer vibe to any outfit. If you don’t want to dish out money on a printed hat from American Apparel, hit up your local thrift store or rummage through your own closet to find old hats with cool logos printed on them.

Design your card with pencil. Remember to keep a one 0.25’’ border around the edge and make sure the parts of your design touch the edges. Using your X-acto knife, carefully cut out the unwanted parts.

men's 3. wayfarers

1. Bucket Hats

2. Boat Shoes

Julia Nguyen | THE UNION

Bucket hats are becoming popular again. The fact that they come in cool patterns and have a different shape than snapbacks makes them more appealing for those who are looking to wear something that’s less overdone.

Whether you’re sipping sparkling cider on your expensive yacht or trekking from the L building to the J building, boat shoes are a great option. Because boat shoes features a low top, they look more polished and preppy.

Whether or not they’re from Ray Ban or the flea market, the classic wayfarer frame is flattering on almost anybody. The simplicity and versatility of these shades makes them the perfect summer wardrobe essential.

Before you glue the design onto the card, erase all pencil lines. It will be more difficult to erase after it is glued. That’s it! You can now write anything you want inside your card and give it to someone special.

THE UNION

WIN TWO WARPED TOUR TICKETS!

Email the correct answers to the trivia questions below to mhstheunion14@gmail.com. All answers can be found in this edition of The Union. The first person who sends the correct answers after 3:00 p.m. today, May 28, wins the tickets! Include your name and phone number. Only one winner. 1. How many games did Varsity Badminton win this season? 2. Which college is the entertainment editor of The Union attending next year? 3. What are Senior Jordan Li’s two most favorite guns? 4. How many years has English Teacher John Ribovich taught AP English for?

FEATURED ARTIST David Nguyen Senior | Videographer

BY DENNY BAO

How did you get into making videos? I began to notice that I love capturing moments with friends and family exploring life or having fun.

If you could shoot anything, what would that be? I would want to go to a concert in a different county and capture a breathtaking moment for both the performers and participants.

What type of videos do you make? I mainly make inspirational videos. I put music over a compilation of clips of me, my friends, and my family.

How have you improved since you started? I have improved some of my techniques by trying to do something crazy or out of the norm every time I make a video.

Where can we find your videos? You can find my 15 second videos on Instagram by following me at “daveenguyen.” There is a link to my most recent video in my description.

What’s next for you? I hope that I can work as a videographer or photographer for a famous DJ; if that doesn’t work out, then I’ll focus on becoming a police officer or a forensic scientist.

ENTERTAINMENT

MAY 2015

‘Punk Rock Jesus’ pits Christians against punks BY PATRICK LY

When religion, reality television, atheism, and punk rock mix into a giant melting pot, you get Sean Murphy’s “Punk Rock Jesus.” Set in the near future, the DNA of Jesus Christ has been used to create a clone who is held on an island and stars in a reality television show with 3,000,000,000 viewers. That’s right: the clone of Jesus Christ was made not from deeply devoted followers but from a company that is interested in making big bucks. Obviously, interfering with a religious icon is dangerous ground. Many Christians are not happy with what the show is doing to their faith, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to take this clone down. Through the pressures of the world, issues within the island, and

self-internal problems, the clone, would one go about righting their Chris, eventually finds salwrongs? What uses does relivation from nothing other gion provide for people? than punk rock music. If you “Punk Rock Jesus” explores thought the Christians in the these questions further, as story were mad about a clone, you will find characters that BOOK wait until you see how they reREVIEW will use religion for personacted to this. al power, religious zeal, and Faith will clash against athe- redemption from horrific pasts. ism, Christians will pit themselves You will see how humans, just like against punks, corruption will coin- you and me, are driven to commit cide with truthfulness, and no one is extreme acts in order to protect an willing to back down and lose. Who idea. is then, in fact right? This is not just This book will make your heart a comic on ideas; it is a comic on hu- beat through its exhilarating, dieman emotion, pride, and zeal. hard scenes and most importantly, While it is apparent that this is it will make you think.I find that an intense read, it’s more than just this book is not made to end off faa simple thriller. The comic raises voring one side. Instead, the book serious moral questions that have ends by leaving questions that been prevalent in human history. will be answered and debated and To what extent can you push your fought over during the duration of beliefs onto other people? How the human history.

‘Pitch Perfect 2’ something to sing about A-

BY MICHELLE HUANG

Although less brilliant than the original, “Pitch Perfect 2” is still an excellent comeback for the popular, comedic film. For those unfamiliar with the series, “Pitch Perfect” revolves around the life of Beca Mitchell, a college student at Barden University who finds herself entangled in an all-girls a cappella group against her wishes. Over time she grows attached and finds herself enjoying college despite her initial pessimistic attitude. The sequel carries the same general idea, with the opening scene featuring a live musical performance, just like the original film. After Fat Amy flashes the U.S.

President with a wardrobe malfunction, the Bellas are banned from performing TV-SERIES in the a cappella circuit. Once again, the Bellas REVIEW find themselves striving to fix their tarnished reputations, so the girls decide to enter an international competition in Copenhagen that no American group has ever had the luxury of winning. Compared to the original, “Pitch Perfect 2” features a greater variety of musical styles. However, the songs are less catchy than their all-American predecessors and a few sound rather bland. While the original movie incorporates a side strand involving Beca’s relationship with her eventual boyfriend, Jesse, the sequel raises

questions regarding Beca’s career and plans for the future. “Pitch Perfect 2” has managed to recapture the humor and personality of the original characters who were responsible for much of the film’s rising popularity. Overall, “Pitch Perfect 2” is a slightly less appealing replica of the original film. Despite having similar storylines, the sequel contains enough surprises to distinguish itself from its predecessor and mask the parallels in the two plots. Although “Pitch Perfect 2” falls short of the expectations generated by the first movie, it shines on its own as a truly hilarious, entertaining piece made even better by the likeable characters and the novel mash-ups of popular tunes.

MAY 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

THE UNION

Five music festivals to attend before you die BY DENNY BAO

Are you finally 18 years old and want to have an unforgettable experience? If you have money lying around, I recommend that you put it to good use by listening to music and making new friends at one of these music festivals. 1. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2016 If you enjoy a variety of genres, Coachella is the ideal festival for you. It will take place next year from April 9 to April 11 and April 16 to April 18 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, which is located in the Inland Empire. This year, some of the festival’s most notable performers were Chet Faker, Drake, and Kaskade. 2. Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas 2015 If you religiously listen to elec-

tronic dance music (EDM), this is the festival for you. Taking place from June 19 to June 25 this yea The cheapest tickets go for approximately $430. With seven different stages playing music, carnival rides, art, and many other types of performers, you will not run out of stuff to do during your three-day experience. Most of the famous EDM producers perform at EDC every year; some performers are Alesso, Arty, and Calvin Harris. 3. The Warped Tour Labeled as the “largest traveling music festival in the United States,” the Warped Tour is catered to those who prefer alternative and punk rock music. The festival travels to Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA on June 20. Silverstein, Never Shout Never, and Pvris are slated to perform at the Mountain View show.

4. Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival 2015 If you don’t want to travel too far, you can go to Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. The festival is scheduled from August 7 to August 9. Some of the more popular artists performing this year are Mumford & Sons, Porter Robinson, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Smith, and Axwell & Ingrosso. 5. Nocturnal Wonderland 2015 If you can’t get tickets for EDC Las Vegas, Nocturnal Wonderland isn’t much of a downgrade. It is scheduled from September 4 to September 6, 2015 in San Bernardino, California. Spend your Labor Day weekend camping and listening to a ton of EDM. The full lineup has not been announced yet, but it already looks promising with Armin van Buuren, Bassnectar, and Galantis scheduled to perform.

Abigail Ecal | THE UNION

MUSIC REVIEWS

TRUE COLORS by Zedd House

BY DIVYESH CHOTAI

Courtesy of Moviepilot.com

Above is a promotional poster for “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” The Avengers, composed of Thor, The Hulk, Ironman, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Captain America, fight Ultron’s army. They are joined by Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

‘Age of Ultron’ a worthy sequel to ‘Avengers’ A

BY AKSHAT DAS

“Avengers: The Age of Ultron,” recently debuted to the global office. “Age of Ultron” is the direct sequel to “The Avengers,” and features all of the main Avengers from the first film, as well as Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen, who starred as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch respectively. Part of the beauty of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is in the fact that all of the movies and TV shows are intricately linked into each other. As such, Avengers 2 is able to begin with a bang from the get-go, instead of having to lead into the introduction of the cast. For the casual fan, “Age of Ultron” is a bit hard to follow along with, because Director Joss Whedon created the movie to cater to

the die-hard fans who have been tempting to obtain world peace in keeping up with the MCU. his own fashion, yet it is unclear It is difficult to single out a cen- how he develops these ideals. There tral plot from all of the storylines is no consistency in his motivations, presented in the movie, but per- and his resolve to end the Avengers haps the main plot revolves around seems to fluctuate as well. Tony Stark’s continuing emotional However, Whedon still deserves repercussions from the alien fall- massive amounts of credit because out at the end of the first Avengers of the way in which he manages to movie. Stark’s wariness of a second bring all the characters together possible alien invasion leads to and function so well in a way that him using the stone in Loki’s scep- only Whedon can. Based on the ter to create artificial intelligence quality of Avengers 2 and the way to bring peace to the world. it performed at the box office, However, this artificial intelliit is evident that the MCU has gence, named Ultron, literally no plans of slowing down its ends up developing a mind of growth. If the future MOVIE massive its own, and attempts to obmovies in the MCU continue REVIEW to be of such a high quality, tain world peace by eliminating the Avengers. and there is no indication that In my opinion, Ultron does not they won’t, there is no doubt that live up to his full potential as the people will continue churning out central villain. He claims to be at- in bunches to watch the movies.

‘Grace and Frankie’ a heartwarming show B+ BY ANTHONY TSENG

“Grace and Frankie,” another Netflix original, has an interesting premise: Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) find out their husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston) respectively, are having a secret affair and plan to get married. Grace and Frankie must deal with the aftermath of this revelation and the subsequent divorces. These two women are not on the best of terms, but this experience brings them closer together. This journey follows the lives of all four characters along with their children as they deal with this shocking affair. Yet, the show tackles these complex issues — infidelity, homosex-

uality, family, and friendship tion and doubt the validity — in a more light-hearted manof it. The children are pillars ner due to the comedic nature of support for their mothers, of the show. At its heart, “Grace TV-SERIES though, and they gradually REVIEW come to support their fathers and Frankie” is about family and the intricate relationships too. between each family member. Since the show is a comedy, it The relationship between Robert is expected to be funny — and it and Sol is also portrayed very well. was. I laughed a lot while watching After having to hide their affair for this show. Grace and Frankie have years, the two men are finally free amazing chemistry together, and to move in together. They find out, their friendship is a source of a lot however, that love is not perfect; of a laughs. Their obvious differtheir romanticized idea of what ences and clashing personalities their lives would be like is ultimate- further emphasize how unlikely ly untrue. their friendship is, but it somehow The children are unable to fully still works. comprehend how this whole thing All in all, I am excited to see what is possible: their fathers are in love direction the show will take in the with each other. The children do second season. The cast works well not just blindly accept their fathers’ together, and it is a genuinely funny relationship; instead, they ques- and heartwarming show.

B-

Zedd’s “True Colors” is his second full-length release album. Although many considered him to be a pioneer in progressive house, mainly due to the immense success of past singles such as “Clarity” and “Stay the Night,” it seems that Zedd’s formula for success is starting to languish. In other words, his technique becomes predictable as one advances through the album. Nearly each song is filled with tedious aggressive builds contrived with vocals from a wide assortment of guest singers until an aural apogee is reached. The tone is repeatedly the same, regardless of whether the lyrics are romantic or desolate. Nevertheless, the first “True Colors” single, “I Want You to Know” featuring Selena Gomez, scores Zedd a hit to keep his chart success running. Amidst his fading colors, Zedd manages to whip up tracks like “Transmission” with rapper Logic and “Beautiful Now” with singer Jon Bellion to spur nonstop adrenaline rushes that pays off. Overall, Zedd’s sophomore slump shouldn’t discourage you from listening to this album. Zedd does a splendid job of combining his influences from pop and electronic music, as well as an all-star cast to fill in the gaps of hiccups from unvaried tracks. Along with other dance music released this season, expect songs from “True Colors” to permeate airwaves this summer.

KINDRED

by Passion Pit Indie Pop BY TERRA WALLS

Passion Pit’s third studio album, “Kindred,” is a disappointment. It may have been frontman Michael Angelakos’s intent to lace this album with more personal reflection about his bipolar disorder and his loved ones, but the creativity of the previous albums, “Gossamer” and “Manners,” seems left behind. Almost every track on this album sounds similar to the one before. Angelakos attempts to pay a kind musical tribute to his wife with “Lifted Up (1985)” and “Whole Life Story.” Although both songs are heartfelt efforts, the true meaning behind both songs are easily overlooked because of their fast paces. The only unique and bearable track is “Where the Sky Hangs,” a song that gives off good vibes using upbeat melodies and personal lyrics about Angelako’s experiences with the upsides of his disorder. The lengthy title of the song “My Brother Taught Me How To Swim” might demonstrate how the song is longer than the average attention span of the listener. There’s no need to hear more than 20 seconds of the song because the weight of the powerful lyrics is soon overpowered, turning the track into a jumbled shrill sounding mess. As a whole, “Kindred” shoved heavy lyrics and fast paced jingles, missing the original aim of the intimate writing. It would be an understatement to say that there is way too much going on in each song.

THE UNION

MAY 2015

SPORTS

MAY 2015

THE UNION

Ho participates in gymnastics; intends to continue in college

Varsity Badminton Scores

Date 3/19/15

Opponent

Location

Los Gatos

Score

Milpitas

26-4

3/24/15

Wilcox

Milpitas

19-11

3/26/15

Santa Clara

27-3

4/16/15

Mountain View

20-10

4/21/15

Fremont

23-7

4/22/15

Homestead

16-14

4/23/15

Santa Clara

Milpitas

23-7

4/30/15

Los Gatos

22-8

5/5/15

Mountain View

20-10

5/7/15

Homestead

Milpitas

27-3

5/12/15 5/14/15

Fremont Wilcox

Milpitas Wilcox

26-4 10-20

BY ASHLEY RICKS

Junior Linh An Ho: Gymnastics When did you get started with gymnastics? I was a really active four year old, so my mom decided that gym classes would be a good way to let me let off my steam, so I started when I was four. How long is your typical season? My season runs from about the end of December to about the end of April, early May.

Ruth Park | THE UNION

The table above lists the MHS Varsity Badminton team score first. The team’s success can be attributed to the dedication of the members and the drop to the El Camino division, Varsity Badminton Coach Larry Chan said.

Juniors aspire to charter competitive Frisbee club BY AMANDA NGUYEN

Ultimate frisbee is a sport that requires minimal equipment and is relatively easy to learn. Juniors Mihir Thummar and Stephen Tang are chartering Milpitas Ultimate Frisbee (M.U.F.) as a club for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year. M.U.F. plans to welcome new members at the beginning of next year, according to Tang. However, the club has yet to find an advisor, Tang said. “All MHS students are encouraged to join,” Tang said. “The club will have practices and events year round.” “There will be plenty of events during breaks and weekends so even tri-sport athletes can attend,” Tang

said. “All we ask is that new members show up willing to practice hard and have fun.” Thummar appreciates the sport’s simplicity and focus on skill rather than athleticism, Thummar said. Thus, he brainstormed the idea of creating M.U.F. “I decided to make this club since I learned to enjoy the sport from playing it for hours in between debate rounds,” Thummar said, “It’s also a very inexpensive sport.” The club will be organized to consist of multiple teams, according to Tang. These teams will compete in tournaments, Tang said. “The club will be organized in a similar fashion to a sports team,”

Tang said. “There will be multiple teams based on ability that will meet certain times each week to practice and play.” M.U.F. intends to register for tournaments sometime in the middle of the year, according to Tang. This will happen after new members have had some time to adapt to the sport and practice as a team, Tang said. “We intend to host our own tournament for local teams, but we are not sure if this will be achieved by next year,” Tang said. “It will all depend on the popularity of the sport next year.” The club should have no problems in terms of membership, according to Tang.

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How many events do you participate in? We all work out on all four events, so that’s vault, bars, beam, and floor. And then we have a time set off for conditioning. What’s the toughest part about being a gymnast/student athlete in such a vigorous sport? Definitely being able to go through all the challenges, like injuries; sometimes you’re just like having a bad day, like you can’t do a certain skill. The hardest thing is to push through and not to give up. What is an aspect of the sport that you enjoy? I like going to the regional competitions, because it’s people from four other different states, and so you get to meet people — meet people you’ve gotten to know over the years, and then new people too. What is the most rewarding part? Achieving new skills, definitely accomplishing new things. Accomplishing your goals that you set, and

also being with girls that are as old as you, and helping them out too to get through school, if they’re having a tough day, and also being around the little kids, cause they’re really cute too. Where do you currently train for gymnastics? In Union City. It’s with a club: Pacific West Gymnastics. I used to start off with recreational at Pegasus, the one at the Great Mall, and then I transferred to a gym up in Fremont, for about five years, and then I recently moved to this gym about five years ago. So I’ve been moving. When did you realize that gymnastics was something you were passionate about, and not just something you did for fun as a child? Probably when I was eight or so, I had to choose between continuing ice skating or doing gymnastics, and so I was like, well, you know what, I kind of like being with people. Ice skating is more of an individual sport; I wanted to be with people, and so I liked gymnastics. Do you hope to pursue gymnastics in the future? I’m hoping to do it in college, at a collegiate level, the NCAA. Nowadays, I feel like gymnasts as young as thirteen year-olds, like in eighth grade they start already contacting colleges. And then, especially during high school, like sophomore to junior year, that’s when you start actually being able to contact the coaches. Do you have any additional comments ? The sport is tough but it’s taught me a lot.

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SPORTS

THE UNION JASON SCREMPOS: BASKETBALL

1. When did you first start playing Basketball? I would say eight years old around that age. I used to play for the Youth Basketball Association (YBA). 2. What about basketball do you love? The atmosphere. Also just being able to play in front of fans and making your school proud. 3. Who is your favorite basketball player? Stephen Curry.

5. What positions did you play at MHS? I played center only. 6. Why did you start playing basketball? My dad played basketball here in Milpitas High so ever since I was little; my dad took me out to shoot hoops.

7. What piece of advice would you give to aspiring basketball players? Stay hard workRachel Alvelais | THE UNION ing. Never give up even if you are not playing much, just keep working hard at it.

4. Are you going to play basketball competitively in college? I cannot since I am playing football in college.

Featured Senior Athletes BY AMY NGUYEN CHRISTINA LUO

We contacted Athletic Director Jeffrey Lamb to obtain a list of senior athletes various coaches believed were outstanding in their respective sports. Here are eight students that were chosen by their coaches to be featured in this issue. Though each athlete became involved with sports at different stages in their lives, all share a common ground: they are passionate about what they do.

SYDNEY NGUYEN: WRESTLING

8.What is your most memorable game? My favorite game was our last game of the season.

MAY 2015 MICHAEL CHEN: TRACK AND FIELD 1. What is your favorite thing about track? Setting new records, whether it be personal or school. 2. When did you join track and field? I started when I was in seventh grade, so six years at the end of this season.

5. Why did you decide to join track and field? I’m not going to lie, I joined the Rancho Middle School track team in seventh grade because it was the “cool thing” at the time and all my friends were joining.

6. What piece of advice would you give to aspiring 3. Do you want track and field to continue stars? running track I don’t care how and field in the cheesy it may future? be, but I always I do! I’m waittell this to my Courtesy of Cara Nguyen ing for all the team, especially new challenges the underclassat Long Beach State. men, which is to never give up. I try to set an example for my 4. What motivates to continue team that even when I feel like to try your hardest? I’m too tired, I keep on going The feeling of accomplishment and I hope I was able to show after all the hard work in practhem to never ever ever give tice is one of the best feelings! up.

Courtesy of Neil Laxamana

TAN NGUYEN: SWIMMING 1.What is your favorite stroke? Breaststroke. It has always been my best and it takes the least strokes to get across the pool. 2. Since when have you been swimming? I started learning to swim when I was around five or six.

5. If you had one piece of advice for aspiring swimmers, what would it be? Never give up! There’s going to be times when you plateau and it just seems like you’re never going to get any faster despite all the hours you put in, but it’ll all be worth it once you see your time drop again. 6. Who is your favorite professional swimmer? Nathan Adrian because he’s the most attractive swimmer by far.

3.When did you start swimming competitively? I started swimming competitively for a club team when I turned seven. I Courtesy of Vivi Nguyen 7. What will you stopped club swimming in miss most about eighth grade and only swam the MHS swim team? for the high school team after I’m definitely going to miss the that. team spirit. It wasn’t something that I saw much of while 4. What is your favorite thing I was swimming club. It’s great about the sport? seeing everyone gather up to There’s nothing better than cheer when we’re down to the being half-naked with all your last event of the meet. There’s friends all the time. nothing really quite like it by far.

1. Looking back, what is one thing you are proud of? I‘m proud to say that I’ve probably received more bruises and more bloody noses than you can count, and am now one of those girls. 2. When did you first start wrestling? Sadly, I only started wrestling my sophomore year. 3. What made you decide to join the team? It began when I was passing by the small gym and I saw this smelly, giant mob of athletes sprint by me with their crazy coach yelling at them. I passed by the next day and I saw them wrestle each other and noticed two girls in the giant group of guys. I saw how tough and fearless they were and wanted the exact same thing for myself.

4. What is your favorite thing about wrestling? My favorite thing about is that the sport truly challenges you to every limit you have. 5. What lessons have you learned as a wrestler? I learned to be fearless and extremely disciplined if you want to be successful, and that’s what I love about it. It taught me independence and how to overcome fear. 6. What are some challenges you have encountered while wrestling? Even if your muscles are burning tired, or you’re falling on the same bruises, you have to keep going if you want to win. Even if food is tempting, I learned to discipline myself to make weight for a tournament.

ELIJAH BUENROSTRO: WRESTLING

IVY NGUYEN: TENNIS 1. When did you first start playing tennis? I started seven years ago.

5. Who is your favorite tennis player? My favorite is Jenny Le because she’s hot.

2. If you had one piece of advice for aspiring tennis players, what would it be? Players should just strive to better their performance each time they play and not just focus on beating others.

6. What positions did you play during high school? I played doubles one in freshman and sophomore year. I played singles three for junior year and singles two for senior year.

3. Do you think you will continue to play tennis in the Ivy Nguyen | THE UNION future? Hopefully I’ll get uniforms. to play club tennis in college. 4. How did you get into the sport? I only started playing tennis because my cousin betted me that i would suck at tennis, and I don’t like sucking at things.

7. What is one thing you like about the sport? I like how girls look in the skimpy

8. If you could train with one professional player, who would it be and why? I would like to play with Serena Williams because she plays like a bear.

STEPHANIE DO: SWIMMING NEEL SREJAN: SOCCER 1. What lessons have you learned from playing soccer? You get what you put into the sport. If you respect the game and its beauty by playing as hard as you can there is nothing stopping you from excelling in the sport.

1. What is your favorite thing about swimming? I liked winning my events. I was also finally able to swim breaststroke instead of butterfly since butterfly was not my specialty.

it is an overall workout, but the enjoyment everyone gets out of scoring is amazing. 4. When did you first start playing soccer? I began playing soccer as a seven year old and have been playing continuously since then for over 10 years with many more to come.

2. Do you plan on playing soccer in college? I plan on playing soccer at UCSD by 5. What made walking on you decide to and trying my play soccer comluck there. petitively? Otherwise, I Courtesy of Sportswurlz I signed up after will definitely I saw a table at join the soccer clubs at the my local park advertising for school and play for recreational the league. I then attended my purposes. Soccer is the only first practice and have been thing that keeps me going. playing the “beautiful game” ever since. 3. What is your favorite aspect of the sport? 6. Who’s your favorite profesSoccer is a sport that goes sional soccer player? beyond the touchline. It is the My favorite professional soccer biggest sport in the world and player is and always will be people play not only because Ronaldinho.

Courtesy of Kent Mitchell

1. What is one thing about wrestling that you like? It’s an amazing sport that needs amazing people. It brings the best out of individuals and requires the best. 2. What lessons have you learned as a wrestler? Its a sport where if you work hard, that’s how well you’re going to do on the day of competition. 3. If you had one piece of advice for aspiring wrestlers, what would it be? If you push yourself and your body to its limit, it’s going to take that much effort to bring you down. 4. When did you first start wrestling? I first started to wrestle during my Junior year.

5. Why did you decide to join the wrestling team? I watched a practice and it caught my attention so I joined. 6. Do you think you will wrestle competitively in the future as well? I would like to compete on my own time at freestyle competitions, but it’s not part of my plan to do it in college. 7. What is one thing that is special about wrestling? Wrestling is a one of a kind of sport that helps to develop character. It takes a special kind of individual to make it through one season. 8. How do you think you were successful as a wrestler? The amount of effort and willpower you put into wrestling can be life changing.

2. When did you first start swimming? My mom put me in swim lessons when I was three years old. I took a long hiatus when I was five to eight years old. Then I learned how to swim again when I was nine where I joined the Central YMCA Mako Sharks.

5. Who is your favorite swimmer? Michael Phelps. 6. If you had one piece of advice for aspiring swimmers, what would it be? There will be some times where you will not be motivated, and you might not like your coach. However, if you truly love what you are doing then those factors won’t matter. 7. What events do you swim? I swim 100 breast and 200 IM as well as 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.

Courtesy of Pamela Nguyen

3. How long have you been swimming competitively at MHS? I have been in swimming since Freshman year. 4. Do you think you will you continue to swim competitively in the future? No, it’s way too competitive.

8. What lessons have you learned as a swimmer? If you feel like you are not improving, then you can practice outside of school. What you eat contributes to whether you improve or not as well.