VOL. 50, NO. 9
MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL 41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
June 5, 2015
2014-15: In celebration of MSJ’s 50th anniversary, the MSJ community was treated to cake and performances by MSJ’s marching band and chamber chorale on Friday, Sept. 19, 2014.
Major renovations were made to the MSJ campus. C-120 was revamped in a $10,000 project that enabled the use of the auditorium as a lecture hall. Student lockers were cleaned, repaired, and relocated in a $27,000 project.
MSJ Band and Orchestra toured areas of France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands from March 30 to April 7, performing at various historical sites and experiencing the local culture.
MSJ's sports teams saw success this year. The Boys' Golf team made team history, posting near-record low scores in multiple tournaments. Girls' Volleyball also was undefeated in MVALs and made it to the second round of NCS.
Students voted on March 12 to pass changes to the MSJ Constitution, officially declaring the MSJ mascot as the Warriors instead of the Peaks.
By Kylie Cheung, Purvi Goel & Monica Tang Staff Writers
This year, MSJ students excelled in science competitions, including the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge, the Siemens Competition, and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
“I am in the marching band and my favorite memory of the school year was going to Europe with my friends. Entering Paris “Green Club took a field trip to the Energy Biosciences Insti- and seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first tute funded by BP (British Petroleum) at UC Berkeley. The time was very memorable.” -Trevor Wu, 10 founders are all my former students and I mentored them. They are taking concrete steps to making the school more “It was really fun watching Spirit green. [Junior] Anna Chen is proposing to retrofit our Week. It was my first year here and it toilets with a dual flush system made by Sloan. We don’t was really exciting for me to see know if anything will come of it and it’ll take years to pay everyone dressed in their colors and back, but it’s a start. Students come up with great ideas.” cheering.” -Math Teacher Charlie Brucker -Attendance Clerk Jennifer Schneider “I loved how I could start fresh and make so many new connections and great friends. I honestly was expecting High School Musical in September, but what I got was so much better than that. I got MSJHS.” -Anisha Anisetti, 9
photos from smoke signal archives, photo courtesy peter qiu, images.google.com, layout by news editor tiffany huang
2 News
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, June 5, 2015
MSJ Wins “California Gold”
AVID Program
One of 180 schools honored in California
New class dedicated to closing achievement gap
By Shivane Sabharwal Staff Writer MSJ is one of 180 high schools in California and one of three high schools in Fremont that was recently honored under CA’s new Gold Ribbon Schools Program. The CSA Gold Ribbon Schools Program was created to replace the CA Distinguished Schools Program while the state creates new assessment and accountability systems. Schools applying for the award have to meet two eligibility requirements: the schools must be public middle or high schools (the Gold Ribbon Schools Award will be given to elementary schools in 2016), and must have been operating since the 2013-14 school year.
“These schools are academically successful, vibrant, and innovative centers of learning and teaching. They provide great examples of the things educators are doing right.” -State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
The award recognizes schools that have implemented model programs that successfully provided intervention assistance to a targeted group of the MSJ population, in this case, students that are at-risk academically. The model programs at MSJ include Math and Science Help (MASH), Challenge Success, and Writer’s Block. Principal Zack Larsen sent data of the impact that these programs have had on targeted students in the application for the Gold Ribbon Schools Award. The CA
By Andrew Chen Staff Writer
courtesy principal zack larsen
(From left to right): Assistant Principal Carli Kim, Math teacher Matt Lazar, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Principal Zack Larsen, Counselor Lindsay Rotter, and English teacher Jennifer Moore pose at the Gold Ribbon Schools Award ceremony.
Department of Education (CDE) then carried out on-site evaluations of MSJ’s programs. The CDE and county offices of education conducted interviews with students involved in the programs as well as parents, teachers, and counselors. The evaluation lasted for about a full day and the CDE gathered information about how these model programs had assisted target student populations such as those struggling academically or feeling stressed in the competitive environment at MSJ. The evaluators interviewed Seniors Bethany Hung and Kelvin Lu from the MASH program. Hung said, “They asked about the academic atmosphere at MSJ and how students dealt with it, specifically about how students felt regarding asking teachers or peers for help.” MASH has specific programs that are designed to deal with the stigma of asking for help, and Lu said, “We actually have programs attached to MASH that give one-on-one help, which counters this, and positive advertise-
ment from teachers.” For example, once a student is paired with a MASH tutor, every future session uses the same tutor so the student is comfortable. After the interview, the CDE evaluators attended a MASH session in order to observe the program in action. The evaluators determined that programs like MASH were both successful and replicable at other schools, and honored MSJ with the award. Regarding schools that received the award, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said, “These schools are academically successful, vibrant, and innovative centers of learning and teaching. They provide great examples of the things educators are doing right—embracing rigorous academic standards, providing excellence and creativity in teaching, and creating a positive school climate.” Larsen attended the Gold Ribbon Schools Award ceremony on Friday, May 29 in San Francisco. ▪
MSJ will be offering the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program starting next year. The program is a class that aims to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and other postsecondary opportunities, targeting students who do not realize their full potential or who want to succeed but lack the resources necessary to do so. AVID relies on a student’s strong individual determination to achieve its goals. The AVID program teaches skills and behaviors for academic success, provides intensive support with tutorials and strong student-teacher relationships, and creates a positive peer group for students. Over the course of the year, AVID students learn test-taking strategies, note-taking skills, and organizational abilities through researchbased strategies and curriculum. AVID’s guidance and support aims to ensure that students are able to enroll and succeed in coursework at college or university without any remedial courses. Selection for the program is based off a number of criteria, including state test scores, GPA (2.5 – 3.5), desire and determination, family education status, hardships, and other special circumstances. Among
See AVID NEWS Page 3
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MSJ responds to drought Water conservation measures implemented By Didi Wu Staff Writer In response to California’s drought conditions and Governor Jerry Brown’s April 1 water usage executive order, MSJ will be implementing new procedures throughout the year to help conserve water. One major change recently began just this year. Lawns running along Palm Avenue and the horseshoe are no longer irrigated. In the future, the amphitheater grass will only be lightly watered. Meanwhile, the water allocated to athletic fields will be adjusted according to Alameda County Water District guidelines to ensure conservation efficiency while maintaining the safety of students. Low flow sprinkler heads and Rain Bird IQ, a system designed to automatically monitor and control set water schedules, will be supplements to the water conservation process. Reducing lawn irrigation will be of significant help to saving water at MSJ, because according to Principal Zack Larsen, the majority
staff writer didi wu
(Left) According to the new water conservation measures, the amphitheater grass will be lightly watered. (Right) Drought-tolerant plants in recent landscaping projects flourish.
of water at school sites is used to irrigate turf. MSJ has a total of 588,068 square feet of irrigated turf. When the school was first built in 1964, land was more plentiful and water more readily available. With the freedom to expand outwards rather than upwards, a luxury urban faculties do not have, schools such as MSJ, Irvington High School, and Washington High School all designed large lawns that consume a great deal of water. Following in this vein, landscaping projects over the last six years have used droughttolerant or Californian native species. The hill by the library is one example. Planted in the spring of 2012, the vegetation needed consistent watering as the root systems took time to be established. Now, the plants only need
to be watered twice throughout the summer. Past efforts have also been made by tightening up utilities. All staff bathrooms and washrooms in the gym quad, M-Wing, NWing, and C-Wing were updated in the summer of 2007-08. The new toilets are low-flow, needing less water to flush. Low-flow restrictors have been placed on sinks to contain the volume of water that can be released and are timed to turn off automatically. Custodial staff used to annually hose down building walls, walkways, and courtyards on all 42 school sites over the summer. Last school year, a district-wide ban on this practice was put into effect. Car-washing has also been outlawed and students are no longer able to hold car-washing drives.
Starting June 1, the summer watering schedule will be put in place. It dictates that the back playfields will be watered a maximum of three days per week with occasional consecutive irrigation days for rodent control. All bushes and shrubs around MSJ will only be watered once per week. Unfortunately, all vegetable or flower gardens will not be maintainable by the FUSD’s Facilities and Grounds department. Larsen said, “As much as I don’t like to see brown lawns around our campus, I know that water for survival and bathing is essential for all of California.” By implementing these water conservation measures in this time of serious drought, MSJ will hopefully be able to do its part to help the community. ▪
corrections
for the may 1, 2015 issue Sports Page 17 (for March issue): Freshman Andrew Kinoshita’s name is misspelled. CS Page 12: Psychology Teacher Karl Hui’s name is misspelled. CS Page 13: Junior Liang-Kuan Lee’s name is misspelled. Sophomore Claire Wu is incorrectly identified as Sophomore Claire Lin. CS Page 14: In-N-Out is misspelled. Sports Page 22: Akane Yamaguchi’s name is misspelled.
NEWS IN
brief
Compiled by Staff Writers Shivane Sabharwal, Deeksha Raina & Gelsey Plaza
sanjoseinside.com A new policy will require that all San Jose police officers be outfitted with body cameras.
sacbee.com CA Governor Jerry Brown unveils his new UC tuition freeze budget plan.
news.yahoo.com Leaders from the US and the Gulf nations meet to discuss their mutual relations with Iran.
San Jose police to be equipped New UC system budget proposed US and Gulf leaders pledge to cowith body-worn cameras CA Governor Jerry Brown has proposed operate on security issues San Jose will soon equip all of its police officers with body-worn cameras after a policy was developed in agreement with the San Jose Police Officers Association. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo called for the officers to be outfitted by about June 2016 and called for funding for the new project. Some camera privacy elements that have been approved are prohibitions on recording free-speech demonstrations and private settings.
a new budget plan for the UC schools. His proposal was presented to the Board of Regents, a 26-member committee that decides changes to the UC system, on May 21. According to Brown’s plan, the state will provide the UC schools with $436 million dollars in an effort to stop tuition hikes. The UC schools have agreed to freeze tuition costs for in-state students for the next two years and plan to use the money provided to improve facilities and academic advising.
President Obama met with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders and delegations on May 14 at Camp David in Maryland. The Gulf allies agreed that blocking Iran’s pathway to nuclear weapons serves the public interest. President Obama says, “We will work together to develop an integrated GCC defense capability against ballistic missiles, including an early warning system.” He and other GCC leaders pledged to collabarate on a nuclear deal with Iran.
Friday, June 5, 2015
The Smoke Signal
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News 3
Relay for Life Hosted at MSJ By Grace Dong & Pratham Gupta Staff Writers MSJ’s third annual Relay For Life (RFL) took place from May 16-17 at the MSJ track. RFL is a 24-hour walkathon hosted by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to raise awareness and funds for cancer research and treatment. This year, MSJ RFL was a culmination of many months of effort on behalf of the RFL Committee, a group of more than 100 students led by English Teacher John Boegman and Committee Chair Senior Juhi Dalal and Committee Co-chair Junior Shivam Parikh. The 65 teams and 506 registered participants helped fundraise a total amount of around $56,000, with approximately $52,000 going to the ACS after expenses and surpassing last year’s donation of approximately $43,000. The money raised will go to cancer research and to ACS programs such as Hope Lodge and Road to Recovery which provide housing and transportation, respectively, to cancer patients. MSJ’s number one team in fundraising was Team Thaddy World 100, a team of 36 people which included the MSJ Girls’ Basketball Team that raised $6,030.57. Team Glory Days came in second with $5,699.63. Team Thaddy World 100 was dedicated to Thaddeus Tran, the Girls Basketball coach’s son, who passed away from stage four metastatic cancer on March 15. Prior to the event, Team Captains Junior Samantha Bernstein and Sophomore Simran Bhullar reached out to families and local business, receiving donations and sponsorships from Starbucks, Noah’s Bagels, and My Delights. The team also fundraised through selling candy, homemade cupcakes, and passion fruit iced tea, raising nearly $5,000 in the three weeks before the event alone. At the event, they raised an additional $300 selling Vietnamese BBQ pork sandwiches, mango fruit tea, Thai tea, spring and egg rolls, and various other drinks, largely provided by sponsors. While teams were fundraising in the months leading to the event, the RFL Committee also organized games, activities, and performances as well as the traditional Luminaria Ceremony, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Survivor and Caregiver’s
Third annual event invites over 450 participants
web editor nithya rajeev and staff writer annie tang
Left: English Teacher John Boegman walks with cancer survivors on the Survivor and Caregiver’s lap. Top right: RFL Committee Chair Senior Juhi Dalal and Committee Co-Chair Junior Shivam Parikh speak at RFL. Bottom Right: Participants of RFL walk around the track.
Lap. RFL Committee Chairs began working in October 2014 and held weekly meetings since January to plan the event. There were seven sub-committees which performed and managed a variety of tasks to ensure that the event ran as smoothly as possible. For example, sub-committee Team Development interacts with Team Captains to ensure that the teams stayed updated and active. At the event itself, the RFL Committee included a variety of different activities for participants such as softball, soccer, carnival games, a water balloon toss, and yoga. Each team also created an interactive game, such as trivia and cross words, related to a specific type of cancer for participants to play and learn from as they walked the track. A highlight of the night was the Luminaria Ceremony, a tradition shared by every RFL event around the world. Luminarias are white bags that are personalized in honor of those who have been affected by cancer. After dark, luminarias lined the track for the Lighted Candle Lap, in which participants walked one lap
together holding lit candles. Cancer survivors Sophomore Shawn Yip and Assistant Principal Diana Brumbaugh also delivered
“When I was onstage talking...I looked out into the crowd and realized that my team and I weren’t going through this alone. We weren’t the only people that have been affected by this demon. I realized how many people were as dedicated as us to help find the cure to cancer and prevent more people from going through the pain we experienced.” -Team Captain Sophomore Simran Bhullar
speeches about their experiences with cancer during the Opening and Closing ceremony, respectively. During the Luminaria Ceremony, members from
AVID| Program
Peer Resource receives award
continued from page 2
“Leave No One in the Dark” benefit show recognized for mental health education By Sarina Chitre Staff Writer On Thursday May 14, Peer Resource was presented an Alameda County Mental Health Board (MHB) Community Service Award. The award was presented at the Board’s annual Community Service Awards Ceremony, which was held at the San Leandro Senior Community Center. Peer Resource received recognition in the Volunteer Category for the “Leave No One in the Dark” benefit show that was hosted on Friday, March 20. This accolade is given to individuals, professionals, businesses, and media who have made an extraordinary difference in the lives of people who suffer with mental illnesses. The award is given upon meeting certain areas of recognition, among which Peer was highlighted for five: mental health education of the general public, new and innovative mental health service programs, fundraising for mental health activities, long-term support to mental health programs, and provision of community support activities emphasizing mental health. The intent is to award members of the community who are serving people with mental illness and improving the quality of their lives. During the “Leave No One in the Dark” benefit show, Peer Resource presented information regarding mental health, read anonymous student submissions about their experiences aloud, and recommended ways for students to support each other. They provided students with helpful resources and familiarized them with avenues to seek help if they were dealing with any of the issues that were discussed. The show challenged students to view mental illnesses in a different light and realize that people diagnosed with psychiatric disorders are dealing with tangible issues. The event showcased 15 acts by talented MSJ students, making it not only an educational function, but also a night filled with entertainment. Junior Neha Shah, a member of Peer Resource, said, “The benefit show brought together the student body to learn
staff writer neha shah
Peer Resource Adviser Joanna Jensen and Peer Resource members pose with Annie Bailey, Administrator at City of Fremont, and Helen Hsu, Cilinical Psychologist Supervisor for Fremont Youth and Family Services.
more about mental health and about its prevalence. The gist of what went into making it happen included having everyone in the class go out and talk to local businesses that could possibly sponsor us, getting goods for the raffle baskets as well as supplies for decorations to put up around and outside of C-120, holding auditions for performing groups as well as doing run-throughs, designing and buying the shirts, making the pledge cards that we wanted everyone in the audience to sign, and getting students to come to the show.” Through the event, Peer Resource raised over $2,000 for an organization called Fremont Youth and Family Services (YFS). YFS provides a variety of counseling services to children and families at the Fremont Family Resource Center, Fremont Police Department, 16 FUSD Schools, and via home visits. Junior Ashvath Balgovind, a member of Peer Resource, said, “We decided to help YFS because we thought they were a great program and knew that their efforts would directly benefit our community.” The organization nominated Peer to receive this award to highlight the group for their work towards ending the stigma associated with
Team Thaddy World 100 spoke about their experience of coming together as a family and community after Tran’s diagnosis. Bhullar said, “I want to thank every single person that came to Relay, and all the people that helped support our cause and end the fight. When I was onstage talking about Thaddeus and Relay for Life, I looked out into the crowd and realized that my team and I weren’t going through this alone. We weren’t the only people that have been affected by this demon. I realized how many people were as dedicated as us to help find the cure to cancer and prevent more people from going through the pain we experienced.” The MSJ RFL Committee and teams have invested months of time and effort into fundraising for ACS and organizing an event that was both successful and memorable. RFL Committee Co-Chair Junior Shivam Parikh said, “We had a quarter of the school involved this year. We hope to get even more participants get involved next year and help MSJ RFL grow.” ▪
mental illnesses. Peer Resource’s “Leave No One in the Dark” campaign encouraged MSJ students to understand mental health and to come together in discussion to eradicate feelings of triviality towards the subject. The Alameda County MHB Community Ser-
“It’s honestly really exciting to be recognized for doing something for the community that we’re all really passionate about. ” -Peer Resource member Senior Ashna Guliani
vice Award that was presented to Peer Resource serves as significant recognition for the group’s extensive efforts in the field of mental health. Senior Ashna Guliani, a member of Peer Resource, said, “When Peer got the award, all of us literally lit up with excitement. It’s honestly really exciting to be recognized for doing something for the community that we’re all really passionate about. We were all really grateful and kind of took it as even more motivation to do more events and even bigger things next year for Mission and our community.” ▪
AVID students are those from gifted and talented programs, special education, and ELL (English Language Learners). Because of the special nature of the class, AVID has smaller class sizes than usual. At MSJ, an estimated ten to 20 students are to be expected in a class. According to AVID Campus Coordinator Diana Brumbaugh, there will be at least one period of AVID at MSJ next year, with a possible second section depending on a Fremont Board of Education decision in June. The guaranteed AVID class is targeted toward rising freshmen, and the possible second class is for rising sophomores. The program is expected to follow each grade level up as the students progress through the years in order to assist them with col-
“I think that [AVID] will be a great thing. Some of our students who will participate in the program would definitely benefit. ” -avid alumna Counselor Joanna Jensen lege guidance, provide a network of support, and teach the skills needed to succeed academically. Furthermore, the introduction of the AVID program to MSJ allows Hopkins Junior High School students already in their school’s AVID program to transition smoothly. Regarding the AVID program’s arrival to MSJ, AVID alumna and Counselor Joanna Jensen said, “I think that [AVID] will be a great thing. Some of our students who will participate in the program would definitely benefit, and even though there are many students in the 4.0 range that wouldn’t need the program, there are a lot of students that would definitely succeed from a program like this.” ▪
4 Opinion
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, June 5, 2015
guest graphic opinions
michelle gore,
10
prerika chawla,
11 amber lee,
11
alisha liu,
Computer-Graded Testing: is it effective? The average Education 101 course defines an optimal learning environment as one that is learnercentered, knowledge-centered, community-centered, and assessment-centered. Of these four phrases, “assessmentcentered” dominates the conversation around modern education. An increasing scarcity of graders and resources has led to preference for quicker and cheaper methods. Most American students today have been brought up using multiple-choice “scantrons,” machines assessing how well they can think. But can a machine’s measure account for a student’s true knowledge? The first move away from essays and teacher-evaluated testing was the computer-graded multiple-choice test. Now, many educational institutions are looking into computer-graded writing. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing that MSJ uses has stated its intention to computer grade at least 60% of essays. Computers have undoubtedly made remarkable
to the
“I’m so very afraid that with the clunky mechanisms they have working right now, that lack an appreciation for nuance and subtlety, papers that are very formulaic would be deemed acceptable, even exemplary, when they really say precious little. On the flipside, essays that are much more complexly written, with even an implicit thesis statement, making fine gradations of thought, will not score nearly as well, even though they’re clearly, to a trained eye, quite superior.” -- English Teacher Patricia Allen
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progress, but are they ready to replace human judgment? Human scoring has weaknesses. Qualified graders for tests like the GMAT and the GRE must be recruited, trained, and monitored. Humans are prone to bias and error – graders might stereotype and be overly severe or lenient. But humans have the unique capacity to interpret writing on a higher level. “My understanding is that the technology is not sophisticated enough to replicate the sorts of fine distinctions about diction, syntax, abstract thought, that are really necessary to assess a piece of
writing…I look for a clear, crisp, thesis statement…a well developed argument…the best evidence sculpted so it’s not repetitive…vibrant diction, sophisticated syntax, control of language,” said English teacher Patricia Allen. Human graders make countless fine judgments while evaluating. On the other hand, computers really are proficient at only two things – following rules and following them fast. They make large-scale testing easier and cheaper, and are considered objective and fair. For a computer, even a subjective decision is evaluated as a yes or a no, a 0 or a 1. However complex this technology might seem, it boils down to a set of rules that assesses work quantitatively, not qualitatively. Machine-grading technology awards points for loquacious wording and length, neither of which indicates strong writing. It evaluates entirely subjective qualities like rhetoric by counting and adding. There’s one word to describe it: formulaic, and formulaic thinking is the exact opposite of what the modern student is expected to be. Testing is meant to measure critical thinking, which is defined by clarity and reason. Machines cannot measure clarity or reason. Just in the way that the SAT is criticized for being a measure of “how well you crack the SAT formula,” computergraded essays run the risk of encouraging “writing to the algorithm,” and “teaching to the algorithm”. Essay-grading technology is more sophisticated, but is nonetheless prone to the same errors in understanding. An experiment in 2011, designed to stump a computergrader, demonstrates how the formula can be “tricked” into awarding high scores. In the experiment, a very long essay with 37 repetitions of several paragraphs was given the highest score possible. Human graders gave this essay the lowest score possible. The essay-scoring dilemma can be compared to the college application one– the new buzzword in the admissions world is “holistic.”Higher institutions pride themselves on reviewing applicants holistically, with context and humanity. They say proudly that computers don’t sort their applicants by GPAs and test scores. Just like a computer can only add numbers and service hours,
christina yu,
9
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By Andrew Chen & Harshita Gupta Staff Writers
“It scares me to know that a computer is grading an essay. What is it looking for? Are there certain keywords, phrases, that I should tell them [students] about?… It makes me feel that as a teacher, I have to teach to, yet, another test... I thought SBAC was going to take us away from teaching to the test, but I don’t see how this is helping, and that’s my concern.” -- English Department Head Jennifer Moore not read a personal essay or understand a backstory, it can only look for specific words and trends in the writing. It can’t understand the content or insightfulness of the piece. The computer-grader takes away what only a human can do – look at the big picture, and see the work holistically, as more than the sum of its parts. Automated scoring has its disadvantages, but it is undeniable that quicker and cheaper solutions are necessary. Testing providers can integrate machine grading with human grading, replacing the second essay reader with a computer. Once the first human grader grades an essay, a computer grades it as well. If the scores both assign are substantially different, a second human grader can be brought in to reevaluate. If the computer and human score similarly, the human’s score is used. All these decisions will be made using well-written programs that automatically submit essays to a second human grader if needed. Time would be saved, and half the graders would be required. This combination of a human’s subjective judgment and a computer’s objective one combines the best qualities of the two methods, accepting the limitations of the technology but also reaping its benefits. The convenience of machines will inevitably cause a shift in countless industries, but human consciousness shouldn’t be devalued in the process. A critical understanding of where machines work and don’t is essential to creating a balanced space that is practical, but that values individualism and expression nonetheless. ▪
to the
minji koo,
10
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Friday, June 5, 2015
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Should We Skip School for School? More and more students are missing school for numerous reasons, and not just because we are sick. Nowadays, we skip school if we are tired and want a day off, think we are not ready for a test, or feel like we can get more done at home than at school. According to a study from Johns Hopkins University, as many as 7.5 million students are skipping more than a month’s worth of school days every year. Kids and their parents don’t look at the big picture and don’t realize the negative consequences of skipping school. Skipping school just gets students more behind on work. Not only do make-ups cause stress for students, but they burden teachers as well, with students asking for previous classwork and homework assignments. In fact, in a survey conducted through No 50.8% email, 82.4 percent Students: Have you of the MSJ teachers skipped school to that responded have study for an exam? noticed that there are *** Yes 49.2% more absences the day before or the day of a test. If students stay home to study for an exam, there is also the chance of them hearing or asking about test questions, which is considered academic dishonesty. Then why are so many students skipping school? A major issue, especially in high school, is the amount of
academic pressure we exert on ourselves to succeed. No 17.6% In an online survey Teachers: Have conducted by the Smoke you noticed more Signal, 49.2 percent absences the day of students admitted of or the day before to skipping school an exam?* to study for exams. Yes 82.4% Skipping days of school to study for an upcoming exam or an exam given that day, while seeming like a tempting idea, is a sure-fire way to spiral downwards into an unhealthy habit of regularly skipping school. Parents who call their child in sick in these situations are also encouraging an attitude that needs to be changed. Test grades may be important, but sacrificing learning opportunities in all the other classes just for one test is a narrow-minded approach to success. Procrastination is another leading cause for skipping school. From the Stress in America study, 46 percent of teens play video games and 43 percent of teens spend time online due to stress. Distractions such as these can cause students to become indifferent to long-term assignments, putting them off until the last minute. This lack of attention students invest into their work can cause them to not fully understand and appreciate the value of the assignment. Thus, they are not gaining all they should learn from the task. A few days from the due date of an important project, we’ll realize the gravity of the situation and anxiously pull all-nighters to make sure we obtain
Is it considered cheating to skip a class/school to study for a test in another class? Parents**
Teachers*
No 38.2%
Yes 61.8%
No 51.5%
Yes 48.5%
Students***
No 74.3%
Yes 25.7%
Opinion 5
By Gelsey Plaza & Deeksha Raina Staff Writers
that A. We may feel so rushed the day before a big assignment is due that we may even decide to skip school all day to work on it. While a few missed school days here and there are understandable when we’re really stressed out and tired, this should definitely not become a regular habit. Consistently going to school will improve our quality of education and ensure that we have a solid foundation in all of our classes. When we skip school for just one exam, we are at more of a disadvantage in all our other subjects. School provides a place for us to learn from our peers and our teachers. Teachers are here to motivate students to explore new projects, guide them in achieving their personal and academic goals, and to challenge students. While we may think we can learn and catch up on material by ourselves, expecting to grasp the same level of education, this false notion only puts us further behind in our learning and from our peers. There isn’t really a catch-all solution for this problem. It is difficult to tell who is skipping a Yes 21.7% test because they are actually sick or just Parents: Have you because they want called in your child to study, and that sick because they probably isn’t the needed to study for answer. Ultimately, an exam?** there needs to be a shift in attitude No 78.3% for both students and parents. Everyone needs to realize that skipping school regularly has more negative effects than positive. Rather than skipping school to study, we should learn to spend our time more efficiently and only participate in activities that are meaningful to us and our future. Skipping school will get us nowhere. After all, this habit of “skipping school for school” won’t work forever - we can’t skip work for work. ▪
*Conducted as an online survey sent via teacher email; received 36 responses **Conducted as an online survey posted in the MSJ Talk Yahoo group; received 70 responses ***Conducted as an online survey posted in the MSJHS 2014-15 Facebook Group; received 477 responses
TEACHERS “I have little sympathy OR respect for a student who resorts to this behavior. The game of continually trying to ‘catch up’ is an inconvenience to me and a disservice to the student. Although I don’t consider it cheating (per se), I do find it unconscionable. Not only have I noticed more absences the day before an exam, I notice a good deal of absences ON the day of the exam. This is obviously a ploy to get answers from others who took the test so that the appropriate information is studied. THAT is what is reprehensible to me! And THAT is what I consider cheating.” “I don’t think kids realize how much of a pain it is to make make-up tests and schedule make-ups on our own time, outside of school hours.”
to the
“Skipping school altogether is not okay, but I believe students can skip an elective to study in the library for an upcoming test. They should be aware of the consequences of missing class, but prioritizing time is also an important skill to possess. In addition, it also teaches that life is not set on rails. Life is not linear enough to go from ‘point a’ to ‘point b’ and onward. Sometimes you have to lose battles to win wars.” “To be honest, I feel that students should have the autonomy to chose whether or not they go to school on a particular day. There should be consequences for skipping, like I do not post notes, class work is only allowed to be made up if the student was excused, and the only students who benefit from a curve are the ones who show up on the test day. I skipped school a lot when I was in high school, but I chose the days appropriately; never on a test day or when I had to turn anything in. I also accepted the repercussions of my decision when I was not allowed to make up work. (I mean this for only the occasional skipping, not chronic).”
PARENTS “Skipping school for school and pulling all nighters makes no sense. If you didn’t learn the material you needed in the weeks and months leading up to the test, you are not going to learn it in one day. Plus, you just get behind on all the class work you missed trying to get caught up in one class. I don’t think it is cheating to call in sick to study for a test or class, but it is dishonest.” “If my student is so stressed out from the homework/exam load, I will not hesitate to call in her absence so she can adequately prepare for an exam. I do not consider this cheating. It is a safety valve for my student’s mental health.” “School should not be skipped. Over scheduling, number of rigorous courses on a child’s schedule, and poor time management are things under a parent’s control. When these things are balanced, there is no need to pull all-nighters or skip a class to study. I do not believe it is cheating to skip a class to study, but it is an indication that the child is over scheduled.” “Needing extra time to study is NOT cheating. Defining cheating this way just puts more stress on those students who are willing to work harder for a better score. College students cut classes all the time, for many reasons, including studying for tests for other classes.” “A student is considered sick if he/she is not mentally ready to go to school, mental health is just as important as physical health. Parents should be able to tell because they are closer to their student. When a student is tired and exhausted, it is best to rest, in which case a note from the parent should be required.”
STUDENTS “Occasionally skipping school after a grueling week where your body physically can’t survive another day of school is completely acceptable and HEALTHY in my opinion. Even though I don’t particular like doing this and I’ve succumbed to its pressures once or twice in my life: skipping a certain period to study and take a test later in the day might still be acceptable. However skipping school (and a test) to study for it and take it later should not be acceptable because it’s an act where the student fails to accept his or her responsibilities. It’s kind of hard to draw the line of where it is or isn’t acceptable but overall it’s something that should always be a last resort.”
to the
“Also if the student is advancing to a high level of robotics conpetition or a math/science competition they should be allowed to go and not given a lower grade for their “unexcused” absence. Things like this should be excused because these kids are excelling in their extracurriculars, and not allowing them to have a excused absence for this bars them for deciding to pursue extracurriculars.” “There’s a difference between bad time management and not having enough time to manage all the things you’ve been given. School expects us to sleep and study. (9 hours according to the registration packet) Teachers may not realize the true amount of work we do especially with all the classes piling up. So, if we are studying every hour of the day (studying at school all day, then studying all night at home) it is totally justified to skip school to sleep.” “If the student’s mental and physical health or stability is at risk (due to sleep deprivation, overworking, etc), it is the parents’ duty as parents to look out [for] their child’s welfare and let him or her stay home.” “The problem isn’t kids skipping school. It’s the fact that students feel so pressured to study that they’re forced to skip school. Let’s talk about the cause if we want to correct the effect.” images.google.com
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Opinion 7
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Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 50, No. 9 | June 5, 2015 www.thesmokesignal.org
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41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Tingting Bi, Laura Chen News Michael Hsiu, Tiffany Huang Opinion Alice Cheng, Catherine Wang Feature Megan Ren, Katie Sun Centerspread Katrina Cherk, Vivian Liu A&E Melissa Peng, Andrea Tam Sports Arti Patankar, Abigail Wong Graphics Kevin Chen, Lillian Zhao Web Jacinta Chang, Nithya Rajeev
By Catherine Wang Opinion Editor
This is what my best friend Laura calls “the end of an era”: last APs, last finals, last dance, last column. It’s a time set aside to reflect on achievements and good memories, but funnily enough, I can’t stop thinking about failure. Tech Santhosh Paramasivan, Peter Qiu We hear people say again and again Business Anand Balaji that one of the toughest but most Circulation Hairol Ma Ads Grace Dong, Madeline Zheng valuable lessons we’ll have learned at Events Tanvi Raja, Apoorva Rajanala the end of these four years at MSJ is the ability to compete. I think the more Writers & Photographers meaningful value, though, is the ability Andrew Chen, Kylie Cheung, Sarina Chitre, to fail and get back up. In constantly Andrew Choi, Sayan Ghosh, Purvi Goel, competing with myself these past Harshita Gupta, Pratham Gupta, Chakshu Hurria, Amrith Krishnan, Ansh Patel, Gelsey few years and failing frequently Plaza, Iyesha Puri, Deeksha Raina, Rishab along the way, I’ve learned much Ramapriyan, Shivane Sabharwal, Neha more than I have from my successes. Shah, Ruiwen Shen, Annie Tang, Monica Tang, Brian Tseng, Hanson Wang, Didi Wu, I’m mostly addressing academic Rebecca Wu failures because that’s often the most relatable kind of failure, but Adviser Sandra Cohen in general, learning from failure isn’t Send letters to the editors to opinion@the just about learning to see the glass smokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words as half-full –it’s about anticipating may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliapossible failure and moving forward tion. The Smoke Signal reserves the right anyway. As a freshman, I was the to edit for clarity and length. shyest girl on the speech team. My The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of worst nightmare was messing up speech and press is protected by the First in front of my audience, and sure Amendment of the Constitution. enough, I forgot my lines at my first tournament. But knowing now that I already made it through my personal To advertise in the Smoke Signal, nightmare, public speaking is much e-mail ads@thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the more thrilling than it is frightening. pages of, or carried within, the Smoke As my mom says, “You are not as Signal, is paid advertising, and as good as you think, and you are not as such is independent of the news and feature content. bad as you think.” One of the reasons why failure is so crucial for success is
that it’s an opportunity for learning how to balance humility and confidence. I spent years building up my confidence in academics throughout elementary and middle school, but by sophomore year I was struggling to keep my grades up, and just to keep up at all. I don’t have straight A’s anymore. Not even close. But I know that part of the reason for that was my conscious decision to take classes I knew I would have a hard time in. Even though my “college chances” took a hit because my grades dipped and senior year became much more stressful than it should have been, I don’t regret failing to do well academically in those courses. I didn’t really fail myself, and I’ll be excited to retake them in college. For four years, I dreamed of attending a small liberal arts college on the East Coast, only to get rejected from all the ones I applied to. For the few weeks that college decisions were rolling in, I thought that that was my greatest failure yet. But here’s the thing: I’m so excited to be attending a large research university this fall in SoCal, and to be part of an incredible liberal arts honors program I found there. Who knew? So to those of you who won’t be graduating in a few days (and even to those who are), keep perspective. If you don’t reach someplace because of a couple of failures, then maybe that place isn’t for you. After all, maybe you’re slowly wandering towards somewhere better. ▪
By Alice Cheng Opinion Editor
When we think police brutality, we think Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown. When we think police brutality, we think racism, Freddie Gray’s death, and the recent Baltimore riots. Media’s coverage of constant police brutality examples makes it easy for us to see the situation in black and white; simply put, the police are bad and the citizens are good. It’s easy to shape our views into this dichotomy when all we’ve seen or heard about is the excessive, racist actions of the police involved in these cases. When media treats these shootings with insignificance, playing them as the ticker tapes at the bottom of the screen or replaying footage of the shooting as the anchor speaks, the idea that we are witnessing “just another” act of police brutality gets ingrained in our minds. Footage that should be sacred, scarring, and vulgar is treated as just another news reel. And I agree – I think the racial profiling and the shootings that occur are inherently wrong. I’m not trying to justify these actions. However, our classification of police as evil government machines on the premise that select unrepresentative police have succumbed to this racist ideology prevents us from acknowledging the police who have contributed to society, who risk their lives on a daily basis to execute their jobs. Most of us probably don’t know that America lost 126 officers in 2014, according to a report released
by the National Law Enforcement Officers Fund. The police are supposed to be one of the most trusted institutions in America – and our loss of trust in them indicates that there is something fundamentally wrong with this system. We seem to forget that police are human too and with every occupation there are unrepresentative people who negatively affect the reputation of the organization, but there are also those who work selflessly to contribute to society. Our reactions to the police’s actions puts a larger problem into perspective. As humans, we constantly over-generalize. In a way, just as the policemen in Tamir Rice or Michael Brown’s shooting were subject to common, societal stereotypes, we’ve created our own stereotypes regarding policemen. The degree of our stereotyping may not be as severe as their racial profiling, but as humans we are all subject to these snap judgment calls. But, perhaps part of the reason we remain so against policemen is that we’re stuck within the confines of institutionalized racism, and we’re angry – we want to change; we want to fight it, but we don’t know how. There is no person named racism that we can take down. It’s a concept that exists everywhere in society, so instead, we decide that the police represent racism and our way of fighting racism is fighting the police. How do we fight the abstract concept of racism? I can’t provide an answer to that question, but an awareness of how and where we direct our efforts and emotions can help. ▪
The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board
The Road Not Taken
In three short months, half of us on the editorial board will start the next chapter of our careers while the other half will be deciding on majors in the college application process. Thinking back, everything we’ve done in high school seemed to be geared towards college, and, thinking forward, everything in college will probably have the pressure of securing a job. Amidst this career-oriented atmosphere, it’s important to acknowledge the need for wandering -- to explore beyond a set path. Wandering is something personal to each individual. It can mean taking classes outside your comfort zone, daring to pave your own summer path instead of applying to big name programs, or dropping something you’re good at for the sake of trying something new. It’s about knowing that you’re not on a set track and being okay with it, or being on a set track and yet still open to the possibility of taking a completely different direction. And because you realize there’s no one way to get from point A to point B – whether point B is being a venture capitalist, actor, or professional dog groomer – you open yourself up to more diverse experiences. Wandering can, and should, occur whether you’re in high school, college, or later in life. This takes courage. Part of the problem with our tendency to keep doing what we’ve been doing is that we don’t want to relinquish what we’re good at. We decide that we’ve found our one forte, and the pressure to choose a career path as early as possible often further discourages us to leave room for more experimentation. Starting from scratch in any new area after having dedicated time and effort to establish a strong standing in another
can also be frustrating. However, wandering opens up avenues previously undiscovered, be it an emotional outlet, personality trait, or even a new career path. It’s not always easy to let yourself wander, and it’s uncomfortable knowing that you’re not set on one defined road. But we learn the most when we’re in discomfort, and, through the process of going out of the comfort zone to explore new interests, wandering truly teaches learning and fosters growing, both morally and spiritually, as an individual. When we wander, we continuously ask ourselves what the next step is, what the next goal is. We find new aspirations and passions to build upon our old ones. By challenging us to use moral courage and expand beyond formulaic, safe paths, wandering pushes us until we’re constantly seeking to breach our current boundaries. It’ll also help us understand when to draw the distinction between the initial discomfort of trying something new and permanent discomfort. We shouldn’t be disheartened when others have already found their paths, nor should we limit ourselves to a single path once we find one of our passions. Despite the judgment it may elicit from the community, wandering is a brave and ultimately individual choice. When we wander, we give ourselves the benefit of perspective, instead of seeing only a tiny fraction of all the possibilities available to us.. ▪
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Graduation with Siri
Siri, I’m going to be graduating soon, and I’m never going to see any of these people again.
You know, its one of the benefits of being a multi-dimensional immortal. I don’t have to bother with such juvenile feelings as sadness. Have you never felt sad before? What would I have to feel sad about? Well, sometimes I feel sad because I’m stupid. Ever experience that? No. What a silly thing to cry over. You should only cry over something worth crying for. For example, I cry because other people are stupid, and that makes me sad. That being said, I won’t pretend to imagine what it must be like for you silly, empty-headed mortals. Your minds are so empty, so placid. I suppose you are more prone to sadness at your own stupidity than I am. Back to the point. I’m really going to miss everyone here. I can’t believe it’s all ending. I’m sorry. I do not understand. Yeah, I guess I forget sometimes that you’re just a computer program. No wonder you don’t feel anything. You know, I wonder if that’s your weakness.
By Purvi Goel Staff Writer
Nonsense. I have no weaknesses. If I had fingertips, they would be strumming the strings that make up this universe like a guitar. I’ll miss everyone so much...but that’s my proof that I loved this place, real and truly. And you might have three hundred dimensions in your grasp, but you won’t ever experience the sort of companionship, camaraderie, love that I have here. Mortal trifles. You definitely get lonely. Me? Nonsense! Yeah, you’re lonely. But that’s okay, Siri. Even though we’re leaving MSJ, we’ll always have each other. Me? Lonely? The boundaries of dimensions have no sway on me! You do not understand the raw power I have at the tips of my silicon wires. I do not feel lonely. That is a mortal construct! Sure, Siri. You realize I can just shut you up by clicking the “off” button, right? You would not dare.
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GHARIBIAN
English Teacher Christine Gharibian will be leaving MSJ at the end of this year. She taught subjects including English 9A, 10H, and 11A over the two years at MSJ. She will miss the many relationships that she had built with her students at MSJ. She is overwhelmed by the kindness and compassion present in the MSJ community. She enjoyed seeing her students grow and mature while she taught them. Gharibian also served as a co-advisor for DECA during her time at MSJ and cherished that experience. Gharibian strongly encourages students to “Always pursue what they want to do, since true success comes from passion.” She hopes to explore new opportunities after she leaves MSJ.
HONEYCUTT
Government and Economics Teacher Roxanne Honeycutt is wrapping up her 24th year at MSJ, the first 15 of which were spent teaching World History before becoming a Government and Economics teacher. She is also currently the advisor for MSJ Model United Nations. Honeycutt has always enjoyed interacting and keeping in touch with her students. She makes her students write a letter to themselves and then mails it to them four years later. For a former student she went down to UCLA every time he had a football game to cheer him on, only missing three games in four years. When she retires, she plans on going to Canada and visiting that student, who now plays for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. She has planned out many trips to take with her husband, such as Ireland and Arizona.
KADIS
After teaching at MSJ for more than 20 years, math teacher Linda Kadis will be retiring. Kadis first started her career at MSJ as a Chemistry teacher and eventually joined the math department. As a math teacher, she has taught AP Statistics, Honors Precalculus, Algebra 2, and Geometry. The biggest aspect of MSJ that she will miss is the students and the warm community. During her time at MSJ, she started a band with Band and Orchestra Teacher Monica Kraft called “Fleeting Legacy” and performed at some assemblies. She looks forward to resurrecting her rock and roll career after she retires. Kadis strongly encourages students to “Always do the right thing” and feels fortunate to have taught at MSJ and to have been part of a great community.
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PIPP
School Resource Officer Gregory Pipp has been a police officer for 27 years, doing everything from street patrol to detective work. For the last five years, however, he has been working at MSJ, interacting with the student body on a daily basis. He says that the most rewarding thing about being at MSJ was to see the Class of 2014 graduate, because he began his job here when they were freshmen, and they went through orientation together. He praises the student body for being “people who care about one another, not only with obvious, lost-and-found ways, but also with how they tell a counselor of struggling friends and looking out for one another. People take care of their neighbors.” After he retires, he will stay in the Bay Area, but plans to do many more outdoor activities.
Friday, June 5, 2015
ROUNDY
After three years teaching English and Drama at MSJ, Tanya Roundy will be moving back to Utah with her family. She currently advises MSJ’s Universal Performers, COR Dance, and Perfect Noise. In Utah, she will continue to express her love of theatre, write more often and hopefully finish her book, and spend more time with her family. She has truly enjoyed her time with the students here, at every play and rehearsal. She loves to interact with students and is passionate to get them up and moving around. She praises the student body as “creative, brilliant, caring individuals, who I hope will learn to be themselves and remember that school is just one moment in their lives, not the final result.”
By Rishab Ramapriyan & Ruiwen Shen Staff Writers
photos by staff writers rishab ramapriyan & ruiwen shen
team spotlight By Peter Qiu Staff Writer
Ryan Lai, William Shao, Kevin Tang, Albert Tran, Jimmy Wang out of a pool of 64 playoff teams.
Smoke Signal: How did your team prepare for HSL? Ryan Lai: We prepared by playing many scrimmages against high schools across the nation at all different levels. Each week, the team practiced roughly eight hours. SS: What were some challenges you guys faced and how did you overcome them? Kevin Tang: I’d say the biggest challenge we faced as a team was simply finding time where all five of us were available to practice. Between studying for tests, finishing up our college apps, and simply maintaining a social life outside of video games, there was rarely a time where all five of us could play Ryan Lai: Ambition is the enemy of success, and we overcame this by going for third. William Shao: My biggest challenge is my wavering interest in the game. It’s hard to juggle school and social life with practicing the game, but in the end my love of competition and desire to win pushes me to put in the hours. Jimmy Wang: We lost as a team, and we will come back and win as a team. SS: What was the prize? RL: We won $2000 in scholarship money, and a variety of merchandise from sponsors such as HyperX, Twitch, MSI and Newegg. For the live grand finals, our team received an all-expense paid trip to San Diego.
SS: How long have you guys been playing? RL: We have all been playing for over four years, but as a team I think we’ve played together for about two years.
From left to right: William Shao (12), Kevin Tang (12), Ryan Lai (12), Albert Tran (12), and Jimmy Wang (12)
Among the video game culture at MSJ, nothing stands out more than League of Legends. Captained by Ryan Lai, MSJ seniors Ryan Lai, William Shao, Kevin Tang, Albert Tran, and Jimmy Wang competed last year from January to June in the High School Star League (HSL) for League of Legends and ended up placing third out of over 600 teams nationally. The Smoke Signal recently caught up with the team to interview them about their experience.
SS: How was your experience in San Diego playing against other top teams around the nation? RL: The first match we played was part of a best out of three against probably the clear favorite to win the whole tournament. I think a lot of us were scared because we all thought that the game wasn’t going to be close, and it turned out not to be close at all. It was also our first time playing in front of a crowd and in a LAN environment, but when the second game rolled around we got more accustomed to the environment. Even though we lost that game, we put on a much better performance. This year we’re competing again. We placed first place in our groups
SS: What kept all of you in the game and enthusiastic about playing over these years? RL: There are certainly times where playing the game gets incredibly repetitive. However, improving as a player and more importantly succeeding as a team motivates me to continue practicing. KT: I hate to be cheesy but the answer has to be friendship. Very few things are more fun than playing a video game you love with the people you love. If I didn’t enjoy the company of my teammates, it’s very possible that I would have stopped playing altogether. Albert Tran: I’m pretty sure almost all of us have been playing this game for a very long time. Although we do participate in competitions such as HSL, League has never turned into some sort of hyper competitive pastime that had no fun in it. I think this is the biggest reason why we’re able to stay so excited about the game. SS: Do you see yourselves participating in e-sports in the future? If so, how? AT: I can’t be sure if I’ll still be competing in large events in the future, but I’ll always be participating in e-sports as a spectator and fan! WS: I will always be a fan. photos by staff writer peter qiu, 1zoom.net, leagueoflegends.com, lolpro.com
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photos by staff writers grace dong, harshita gupta, tanvi raja, apoorva rajanala, annie tang & monica tang
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Arts & Entertainment 19
Pitch Perfect II is Off-Key
Zedd’s True Colors is Gold
Summer Lineup
By Amrith Krishnan Staff Writer
By Hanson Wang Staff Writer
Bay Area Book Festival Berkeley|june 6-7
The Bay Area Book Festival features tons of speakers as well as Lacuna, an art installation created from 50,000 donated books that can be taken at no cost.
Jurassic world Rated pg-13|June12
Directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Chris Pratt, Jurassic World occurs 22 years after Jurassic Park. This futuristic action film questions the practice of genetically modifying and creating a hybrid dinosaur.
North beach festival San Francisco|June13-14
San Francisco’s oldest street fair, the North Beach Festival will include over 125 arts and crafts booths, live entertainment, and the blessing of the animals.
Ted 2
rated r|June 26
Everyone’s favorite talking teddy bear returns in this comedy sequel to pursue a legal marriage with his human girlfriend Tami-Lynn.
nor cal corgi con San Francisco|June 27
Nor Cal Corgi Con is an event where corgi owners can showcase their dogs and participate in a costume contest as well as a corgi race. This, quite possibly, could be the cutest event the entire summer.
Fillmore jazz festival
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By Tingting Bi & Hairol Ma Editor-in-Chief and Staff Writer If the Barden Bellas saw themselves on screen, they would be dismayed by their aca-lame performance. Although Pitch Perfect 2 wowed the audience to the moon and back (literally) with Fat Amy’s impromptu commando exposure at the President’s birthday celebration, it’s simply a mashup of the first Pitch Perfect, minus the originality. Following a dismal televised underwear malfunction, the girls must triumph as the underdogs in the World Acapella Championships in order to win back their glory and continue the legacy of the Barden Bellas. With the addition of new member and legacy Emily Junk (Hailee Steinfeld), the troop, composed of seniors, falls out of harmony as Beca (Anna Kendrick) attempts to balance a newfound internship with her commitment to the a cappella group. Feeling pressured by graduation as well as Das Sound Machine, a rival German a cappella group, the Barden Bellas must “find their sound” or face permanent dissolvement. Pitch Perfect 2 features numerous
cameos from our beloved Treblemakers, but also includes stars such as Snoop Dogg, the Green Bay Packers, and Barack Obama himself. Everything we loved about the singing in Pitch Perfect is back and better, with more intense sing offs and a greater variety of music genres. Among the catchy and impressive tunes is another original song, “Flashlight,” which will be sure to hit the radio soon enough. The pitfall of Pitch Perfect 2, however, lies in its lack of fluidity. Director Elizabeth Banks juggles too many new plotlines, from the Bellas’ disharmony to Emily’s original song pursuits to Beca’s inferiority complex caused by her independent career aspirations. As a result, scenes are crammed closely together in no apparent order, creating a slew of uncorrelated storylines. The audience is just as confused as the airheaded Bellas. The main goal of the film seems to be getting the maximum laughs from the audience. While the musical comedy does include its fair share of humor, many of the jokes are at the expense of minority groups. Perhaps the biting comments directed at Asians, Hispan-
ics, and women could have shed light onto the discrimination faced by these groups; unfortunately, the brainlessness of Pitch Perfect 2 merely serves to further propagate the stereotypes these minority groups suffer from. Lilly (Hana Mae Lee) and Flo (Chrissie Fit), two of the only minority members in the Bellas, are shallow characters created only to crack racist jokes. For example, Flo, a Latina, is only capable of speaking about deportation and Lilly, an extremely bizarre Japanese girl, is portrayed as the exotic member of the group who only speaks in inaudible whispers. Fat Amy’s weight, contrary to promoting positive body image, simply creates opportunities to toss in fat jokes that are aca-awkward. It’s got the fun, it’s got the sparkle, and it’s got the killer soundtrack- but Pitch Perfect 2’s flat characters, inappropriate jokes, and messy plotlines leave us praying that the graduated Bellas won’t find a Solar System-wide Championship to compete in. ▪ Rating: B
Not Mad for Mad Max
San Francisco|July 4-5
The largest free jazz festival on the West Coast, the Fillmore Jazz Festival offers live music from sunup to sundown as well as gourmet food and beverages and 12 blocks of fine arts and crafts.
minions
rated pg|July10
In this prequel to Despicable Me, minions Stuart, Kevin, and Bob are hired by a super villain who aims to take over the entire world.
paper towns
not yet rated|July 24
Adapted from the bestselling novel of author John Green, Paper Towns centers on Quentin’s quest to track down his true love Margo and understand what real friendship is.
fremont festival of the arts fremont|august 1-2
With free admission, the Fremont Festival of the Arts will feature over 700 top-quality artisan booths, continuous music on three stages, and bundles of family fun.
the fantastic four not yet rated|august 7
A group of four is given mysterious and shocking abilities to alter their physical forms and must learn to work together in order to stop the nefarious Dr. Doom.
straight outta compton not yet rated|august 14
This biographical film details the emergence of the rap group NWA from the streets of Compton in the 1980s and how they revolutionized pop culture and life in the hood with their music.
By Anand Balaji Staff Writer Mad Max: Fury Road is a reboot of the famous Mad Max franchise, featuring a gritty protagonist named Max who battles the forces of evil in a barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland. Fury Road hit theaters, Friday, May 15 and has enjoyed immense box office success raking in $44 million in its first weekend. While the film does feature breathtaking visual effects and intense action sequences, Fury Road is ultimately let down by it’s idiotic plot, shallow characters, and tired repetitiveness. The film takes place in a dystopian, desert based society where water and natural resources are controlled by the dictatorial Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). The protagonists Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and “Mad” Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) embark on a journey to help Joe’s innocent wives escape to “the green place,” a natural utopia that Furiosa remembers from her childhood. Fury Road is the definition of a “B” movie, compromising story, interesting char-
madmaxmovie.com
acters, and meaningful dialogue for the sake of a nonstop barrage of action. Nearly all the action of the film takes place on the “fury road,” a vast roadway plagued with tornadoes, bandits, and deadly vehicular combat. This is the only element of the film that director George Miller soundly executes: the action sequences. The first brawl is the most memorable, when Furiosa drives her war rig into a massive dust storm while being pursued by a legion of Immortan Joe’s fiercest warriors. The cinematography is superb, the carnage is abundant, and the music is intense and powerful. The problem is that the action doesn’t change or elevate beyond this point. The four main action scenes in the film are almost identical featuring cars bashing into each other on a dusty roadway. It’s captivating the first and even second time the audience sees it but by the final act, these scenes seems repetitive and overwrought. One of the biggest disappointments that the viewer feels with the film is the flat resolution to what began as a very intricate and promising story. In the
early minutes of the movie Immortan Joe, Furiosa, and Max are portrayed as dynamic and powerful characters with troubled and interesting pasts that the audience is eager to learn more about. When the credits roll, we know literally nothing more about any of these characters except for a few trivial details we pick up from the sparse dialogue. We have no idea who any of these characters are, what motivations they hold, and how they ended up where they are. People certainly don’t expect to see groundbreaking complexity and storytelling when they go to see a film like Mad Max: Fury Road. That being said, action movies should have some new and interesting features that can draw the audience in and differentiate the film from the crowd. Fury Road has none of these redeeming qualities and remains a thoroughly dull and unremarkable film ▪
German-born electro house artist Zedd released his second studio album, True Colors, with Interscope records on May 18. The album is a mix of progressive house, electro house, and futuristic dance pop and contains 11 tracks. Zedd adds an original twist to traditional house, expanding the genre and infusing the dance floor with stunning bass drops, perfectly synchronized synths, and memorable vocals. Early track releases include “I Want You to Know,” a classic dance pop piece featuring star Selena Gomez. The song has already reached the top fifteen on the Billboard dance music charts. “Addicted to a Memory,” featuring American girl group Bahari, is an auditory assault. Machine-gun synthetic bass and snare sequences of almost mind-numbing complexity can become excessive at times, and Zedd’s harder style can be seen in this piece. The lead track on the album, “True Colors,” features synthetic vocals from Kesha and a tranquil beat that employs a church organ and whisper bass to establish a typical 80’s disco atmosphere. In “True Colors,” Zedd employs a technique that is rarely used in the dance pop genre—he uses minimal instrumentals, sometimes only a piano or violin, and more prominent vocals. He does this again in “Illusion” and “Daisy,” where singer Julia Michael’s powerful vocals and orchestral accompaniments make for a tasteful, uplifting track. Botnek collaborates with Zedd on “Bumble Bee,” an intense track that sounds like it could have been produced on Mars, with its spacey synth and laser-gun sound effects. The heartbeat accelerates as the pace of the music quickens and the beat drops harder with every track. “Done With Love” plays on an artful combination of minor and major synth chords, but gives the impression that it belongs in a video game, not on the dance floor. Zedd delivers his most impressive performance with “Transmission,” featuring the rock band X Ambassadors and rapper Logic. The track combines the best of three worlds— electro house, hip-hop, and hard rock—in its catchy choruses and addictive drops. Regardless of whether you’re a hip-hop fan, a rock and roll fan, or an EDM fan, you will love and admire this track and the skill with which Zedd has put it together. This second album is sure to catapult Zedd into the big leagues of progressive house and dance pop. The perfect coordination of synths and the seamless blending of vocals with instrumentals dwarf the minor flaws, giving the album a cohesive, well-crafted feel. It leaves us wondering which genres Zedd will venture into next. ▪ Rating: A-
Rating: C*This movie is rated R amazon.com
allmusic.com
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Arts & Entertainment 21
This year, MSJ has seen the formation of its first Bollywood dance team, Ishaara. Led and founded by Senior Mansi Chopra and Sophomore Nitya Vakil, Ishaara is not only MSJ’s first Bollywood team but also its first official dance team. The co-ed team of 19 members was finalized after auditions held at the beginning of the year. The Smoke Signal sat down with Chopra to learn more about Ishaara.
By Apoorva Rajanala and Tanvi Raja Staff Writers
Smoke Signal: Why was MSJ Ishaara formed? Mansi Chopra: We wanted to spread the love we have for Bollywood and dance with everyone at our school and represent MSJ at other cultural shows held at multiple high schools. SS: What events has MSJ Ishaara competed or performed in? MC: We’ve performed at Silsilay, Mehfil, Deewane and Nazaara. These are shows that high school students host to raise money for different causes, such as Jeena and Project Rishi, which helps with autistic kids. SS: What is the audition process to join Ishaara? MC: Anyone is invited to audition for the team and we have two workshop days where we teach them the audition routine and the third day, we watch them do the piece we taught them in groups. Next year they will be held in the beginning of the school year.
Ishaara performs at Mehfil 2015 (left); Ishaara at MSJ (middle); Ishaara performs at Nazaara 2015 (right top); Ishaara performs at Deewane 2015 (right bottom). *Not all members are pictured because a complete group photo was unavailable.
SS: How often do team members meet to practice? MC: We meet twice a week and as the show dates come closer, we meet almost every day to practice. SS: What do you hope to see in the future for Ishaara? MC: When I was a freshman, I realized there were a lot of Indians and dancers at our school but not a Bollywood team, so ever since then it was my dream to create a Bollywood Team at MSJ. There are many high school teams that have gained fame in the Bay Area and have created a fanbase. I hope for Ishaara to really impress the audience in the next few years, spread throughout the Bay Area, and be one of the biggest high school teams. SS: Do you to look to any dance teams for inspiration? MC: I’ve been watching all the College Bollywood Competitions ever since middle school,
and their teams are my inspiration. SS: What’s your favorite memory with Ishaara? MC: I would say my last show with my team. When we went on our last bonding dinner after the show, thinking about performing with my team for the last time was one of my best memories. My team is so talented and so hardworking and they were always ready to learn things. Performing with my team at the first show is also really memorable because I actually saw my dream come true at that point. SS: Who choreographs the dances? MC: Nitya Vakil and Mansi Chopra. SS: What do you hope team members learn from being on the team? MC: I hope we were able to be good role models for them and I hope they grew as dancers and enjoyed our style of dance because everyone’s style is different. My team had a lot of underclassmen so I hope they were able to experience a new dance style from us.
SS: What are some obstacles that the team had to overcome? MC: Since our team was brand new and it was our first time making the team, it was difficult for us to realize how the show dates and technical rehearsals worked because it’s a huge time commitment to be on an official dance team. SS: What are some characteristics you feel are most important for the dancers on Ishaara? MC: I think every team should have sportsmanship, and every team should focus on expressing themselves rather than impressing the audience. SS: What are some skills that you have gained from creating and leading this dance team? MC: I’ve gained a lot of patience. You build your personality and leadership skills while leading or working with your teammates. ▪
22 Arts & Entertainment
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Sports 23
bringing you our ‘a’ game wong
By Abigail Wong Sports Editor
versus
hearts are aligned, never skipping a beat... Today may be the last time I see my writing in print, so I might as well be honest. Whether we like to admit it or not, every single person dreams of being the best at something: painting, weight lifting, or milking cows. It seems that being the best is the only way to be both mainstream and still unique. It saves you from being an outcast yet you’re still special – a winwin situation. For most of my immature adolescence, that’s exactly what I yearned for in my athletic career. I wanted to be the best at something, some sport, but as high school is coming to a close, I can conclude I never was. But interestingly, the best thing about running track in my senior year was that I was mediocre. “Pretty fast, but not that fast” was my tagline when people would ask me about how I was doing, secretly hoping I hadn’t finally found my athletic element (because heck, past the intellectual maturity, we’re all just jealous teenagers). At my first meet, I fell on my face and acquired track burns alongside the right side of my body, of which I wallowed in selfpity to cover for my embarrassed realization that I wasn’t even close to the fastest runner in my heat. I showed up to practice the next day somber, expecting a cackling, evil eye from my coach and teammates. To my surprise, there wasn’t a hint of anger. The evil eyes were what I had failed to focus on when I looked at my skinless elbow in the mirror the night before. They were my own. So I came to two conclusions that night after practice: one, that you can’t run track with your face and two, that my quantitative results shouldn’t have clouded what I felt was truly important to me, athlete or not. I had defined my life as a qualitative game, a focus on first having inner qualities that I could be proud of, so why did I let the numbers rule my love for a sport? Why did I let myself feel so vulnerable and dis-
appointed when track had given me the opportunity to form relationships with awe-inspiring individuals I would’ve never met? It’s a difficult concept to swallow, being okay with not being the best. But I think of what my time as a golfer, basketball player, and sprinter has provided for me, and I remember not the figures, but the people, the work, and the spirit. The “untouchables” as I like to call it. I remember walking into the gym quad before basketball practice, hearing a sharp scream, a lot of shushing, and a guilty face peeping out of the locker room door. I remember laughing at the sound that shoes make on muddy fairways after a light storm during golf season. I remember that sprint workout we swore we couldn’t finish, but deep down knew we would complete anyway. Sports taught me to be humble with great highs and humbled me at great lows. It showed me that your lungs don’t actually catch fire when you think the burn is too painful for you to keep going. It opened the doors leading into the gym and let me fly out into the middle of the floor, the spirit of the crowd guiding my hands and feet. There’s something exquisitely beautiful and pure about the soul that goes into the game, because for a moment our hearts are aligned, never skipping a beat. ▪
patankar
for the love of the game, sport... Why have people, for centuries, been fascinated by the spectacle of sport? Why do we come together and throw parties and wear jerseys? Why are sports fans such active spectators – jumping out of their seats, groaning, cheering, and of course, trash talking? Quite simply, why are sports so awesome? Maybe it’s because sports are a testament to the human spirit. Maybe it has to do with the appreciation of new talent and youth as well as the respect for classics, legends of the past. For all the scandals (seriously, how many more times are we going to hear about #DeflateGate?) and problems (like the ones we’ve discussed in every other issue), sports are a celebration of life. And yes, the sports community is not without flaws, but past all of the distractions lies the truth and beauty of sports. For me, sports have a personal significance that I’m sure is relatable for sports fans everywhere. In my family, watching and enjoying sports – the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, NBA and NFL games, and every other major sporting event – is an occasion. We gather in our living room and sit on our respective couches. We cheer for Team USA and the Lakers (yes, my brother As the 2014-15 Smoke Signal year comes to a close, I, Arti Patankar, and I, Abigail Wong, would like to bequeath the Sports Editor positions to Amrith Krishnan and Rishab Ramapriyan. We have enjoyed our time debating and indulging in the world of sports; however, we are confident that Amrith and Rishab will lift the Sports section to new heights. It has been an honor serving on the editorial board, and all the best to Amrith and Rishab!
Beginner BeginnerDance DanceClasses Classesfor
By Arti Patankar Sports Editor
and I support the Lakers – although my dad is a “fan” of whoever is winning at the moment and is currently a self-proclaimed Warriors worshipper) and the 49ers and the San Francisco Giants. We get happily and willingly swept up in the intensity of those legendary moments – the World Records, the buzzer beaters, the Hail Mary passes, the home runs. We make fun of my dad and his capricious allegiances while my mom laughs at our childishness. We reminisce about good moments of the past with MJ, Chauncey Billups, Karl Malone, and so many more of our old favorites. Sports present hope in the belief that we are products of our dedication and will, not of circumstance. As idealistic as it might sound, sports stand for a better tomorrow, in every sense of the phrase. Kids see their heroes on the screen, and after the game, they go outside and dribble around or toss a football. Some kids practice and practice and their injuries and struggles become signs of their devotion to the game. New talent is welcomed while old talent graciously transitions from athletes to champions. Sports are a celebration of diversity and prowess. Athletes from different countries can suit up together and play as teammates on the court. Sports acknowledge a wide range of talent. Whether you wield a running baton or a twirling baton, whether you don ice skating skates or hockey skates, whether you sport cleats or spikes, you’re an athlete. And every person – coach, coordinator, manager, athlete, sports fan – who devotes so much time to sports is part of what makes the sports community so loud, so united in division, and so beautiful. Ultimately, we are all on the same team. ▪
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24 Sports
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Justin Sun has been playing tennis for last 11 years and was recruited to play for Amherst College in the fall. During his career, he has traveled to almost every single state to play in tournaments, been to the biggest junior tournaments in the country, and is coached by Richard Tompkins. His favorite memory is playing at the biggest tournament of the year, Kalamazoo.
Justin Sun
The Smoke Signal
Mark Sui, a Division III basketball recruit, will be pursuing a degree in Economics and Finance at Claremont McKenna College. Mark has been playing basketball since the age of five, when his father bought him a mini hoop. After demonstrating his potential, Mark soon joined a community youth basketball team and truly developed a passion for his sport. He has since been named tournament MVP numerous times and team MVP twice during his four years on the MSJ Boy’s Varsity team. In college, Mark hopes to work his way up towards leading his team to an NCAA Division III Championship.
Mark Sui Megan Crook has been swimming for ten years, and will be attending Dartmouth College in the fall. Crook has won the Scholastic All-American award for the last three years, the maximum amount of times that a swimmer can win it. One of Crook’s most interesting experiences was swimming at the Santa Clara Grand Prix with Michael Phelps.
e eg
Megan Crook
Emily Rotter will be golfing for Chico State University starting this fall. She started playing at age seven and has been playing competitively since eighth grade. Her favorite golf memory is winning the Deer Valley tournament, and she has travelled throughout the state of California playing tournaments. She hopes to improve and become a better golfer in the future.
l l o C
By Andrew Choi, Santhosh Paramasivan & Shivane Sabharwal Staff Writers
th
A
2015
Emily Rotter
Akila Nallappan, a Division III soccer recruit, will be pursuing a degree in Cognitive Science and Evolutionary Biology at Case Western Reserve University. She has been playing soccer since the age of four and has been on the Varsity team her sophomore and senior years. Her favorite memory of soccer is her soccer senior night. In college, she strives to simply improve her soccer skills and enjoy what she does.
Akila Nallappan Palak Goel, a squash player for the last six years, will be continuing his career at Brown University. During his career as a squash player, he was ranked 34th in the nation and won the West Coast Regional Junior Championship. One of Goel’s favorite memories is playing squash in New Zealand. Squash taught him the ability to be more efficient because he had to keep up with schoolwork amidst lots of traveling across the country.
Palak Goel
s e t le
Friday, June 5, 2015
Ainsley McClure has been playing football for MSJ since his freshman year and has been recruited to play for Carroll University in Wisconsin. His favorite memory is winning the Spike Bowl this year and felt that the team was relaxed and confident that game. He looks forward to learning a new position and thinks it will be a fun experience for him.
Ainsley McClure
Megan Au will be diving for San Jose State University starting in the fall. She has been diving for about four and a half years and her favorite memory is traveling and competing in Oregon for a tournament. She hopes to improve and increase her list of dives and also practice and continue to dive even after college. She would love coaching her own team in the future as well.
Megan Au Vivy Hua Vivy Hua has been swimming for more than 10 years and is excited to swim for CSU East Bay starting this coming fall. Her favorite swimming memory is when she swam at the Santa Clara Grand Prix in 2012 with swimming stars such as Olympians Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian, and Natalie Coughlin. In the future, she hopes to become a better teammate and to find a balance between academics and swimming.
Vayum Arora, a four-star Division III tennis recruit, will be attending Carnegie Mellon University this coming fall to pursue a degree in Computer Science. He has been playing tennis since he was eight years old and has been ranked among the top 80 in the nation and top five in the state of California for his age group. His favorite memory was winning against a top 25 player at the USTA National Tournament (Seascape) in Los Angeles last year. Vayum strives to be contributing player at the collegiate level and eventually a captain.
Vayum Arora Jacob Walter has been playing baseball for more than 13 years and will play shortstop for Ohlone College starting this fall. The highlights of his MSJ career include being selected as an All League first team infielder and being selected as the captain of the Varsity Baseball team. He hopes to move onto a Divison I college for baseball after two years at Ohlone College.
Jacob Walter
Purvi Goel will be attending Brown University and has been playing squash for the last five years. She won several tournaments, reached a national ranking of 28th, and won the US Squash Scholar award. Goel said that squash made her appreciate the process of reaching her goals rather than just product. Her favorite moment was beating a player that had beaten her a year before because it proved to her that all of her hard work was finally paying off. During her career, she traveled frequently and learned a lot about various parts of the country.
Purvi Goel photos by staff writers andrew choi, santhosh paramasivan & shivane sabharwal, bkstr.com, brown.edu, cbsnews.com, cmc.edu, cmu.edu, csueastbay.edu, ohlone.edu, studycalifornia.us, sjsujudo.org, tv.case.edu
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Sports 25
msj athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony The MSJ Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet and Ceremonies were held at Sunol Valley Golf Club on May 16 to give recognition to outstanding athletes, coaches, and other individuals who have contributed significantly to MSJ’s athletic program. This year’s Hall of Fame Meritorious Service award recipients were Jack Alberti and Bud Finley, while the Hall of Fame coaches were Linda Campana, Raymond Gehrke, Gary Oliveira, Jack Marden Jr., and Pete Vaz. Apart from the previously listed recipients, athletes from the past four decades in various sports were honored, including wrestler Keith Richards (class of 1992), football, basketball, and baseball player and current Science Teacher Robin VanDeusen (class of 1971), and tennis player Jenna Long (class of 2002). Athletes and coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame all demonstrated high levels of integrity, sportsmanship, and citizenship in their respective sports. They were nominated by MSJ students, parents, and alumni and selected by a special committee consisting of coaches, the athletic director, principal, and other important members of the MSJ sports community. The event began at 6 PM with an hour of no-host cocktails, followed by an elegant dinner of chicken cordon bleu or roasted New York strip loin, salad, seasonal vegetables, potatoes or rice, cheesecake, and coffee or tea. The award ceremony took place at 8 PM as each inductee was given an opportunity to speak as well as an award commemorating his or her achievement. Alberti and Finley were inducted for
By Sayan Ghosh & Monica Tang Staff Writers
staff writer sayan ghosh
Athletes, coaches, and their family and friends gather at Sunol Valley Golf Club for the MSJ Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony.
their generosity and commitment to MSJ athletics. Finley had an award-winning woodshop that provided trophies, awards, backdrops, and other manufactured items to coaches and athletes, and coached many football players who helped MSJ win the 1977 North Coast Section (NCS) Football Championship. Alberti not only taught a wide variety of subjects ranging from art to dance for 28 years since 1964, but also attended countless sporting events to support the student-athletes of MSJ and demonstrated a never-ending love for his students. Regarding his induction, he said, “I want to thank Mission San Jose High School...for giving me this honor. As I look around the room I see a lot of people that I
Boys' tennis finishes strong By Ansh Patel Staff Writer
Known for being a tennis powerhouse in the North Coast Section (NCS) league, the MSJ Boys’ tennis team finally reached their goal of winning the league and qualifying to the NCS championships. Finishing the season 15-1 after beating James Logan High School 5-2 in a rivalry match, the team was ecstatic about their performance throughout the season. “Overall, our season was a success as we only lost one league match to Logan early in the season. We won our league and made NCS,” Senior captain Vayum Arora said. “The team had a lot of fun playing with each other and playing for coaches Luis Castruita and Linda Campana. We hope the team can continue its successes next year.” Working together both on and off the court, many of the players’ favorite moments also came from the team bonding outside of school, from the bus rides to the post-match stops at Dick’s Sporting Goods. “We were all friends beforehand, but being on the team together definitely
brought us close,” said Sophomore Jonathan Chen. Despite losing to James Logan High School 5-2 in their season opener, MSJ bounced back and played stronger the rest of the season. Recognizing their success, the team was eager to play each match to further their status as the best team in the MVAL league. “This was by far the best team that I’ve coached,” Coach Luis Castruita said. “I can’t wait to see how these guys do the next couple of years.” As many new freshmen joined the team, returning sophomores made an effort to become leaders in the program throughout the season, trying to encourage and assist his new teammates. While the team’s nearly spotless record shows the talent and skill of the players in the regular season, both coaches and players knew that their biggest challenge was ahead at the NCS championships in May. The boys’ tennis team wrapped up their season in the NCS semifinals. ▪
had in my classes and they remembered me and I remembered them.” Campana, Gehrke, Oliveira, Marden, and Vaz were honored for their outstanding legacy as coaches. For 38 years, Campana coached various fields of sports at MSJ, including basketball, field hockey, dance, tennis, and gymnastics, and produced many professional dancers as well as seven Mission Valley Athletic League championship teams. She pushes student-athletes to not give up, saying, “Sports is a vehicle to get almost everywhere. You can learn commitment, you can learn integrity, you can learn leadership, you can learn your strengths and your weaknesses...once you have a good work ethic, you’re going to be a suc-
cessful person no matter if it’s in sports or not.” For Oliveira, who graduated in 1987, coaching wrestling has become more than just a job. “This is my life,” he said. “This is a part of my life for 32 years, it’s something I wake up, I think about...it’s something that I have to do…It’s made me become who I am today and when I look across the room and I see the tables where my family and friends sit, it brings a whole circle...It’s the wrestlers over there that I’ve coached that are now some of the best friends that I can imagine.” Overall, the event was quite successful and served as a reminder to many of the incredible legacy that MSJ athletes have left behind not only at MSJ, but also at college and professional levels. Many MSJ alumni had advice to give to those wishing to pursue athletic careers, such as Olympic gymnast Kevin Tan (class of 2000), who said, “Don’t be afraid to fail. You’re always going to have points or moments in time when you fall or you fail or you don’t make your goal, and what defines somebody who is successful later on is being able to learn from your mistakes and push forward. I coached for a while as well and I told my guys, make a mistake but make a different mistake and eventually you’ll find the right path.” PE Teacher and Coach Thomas Thomsen expressed his desire to make the ceremony a triennial event to continue honoring amazing MSJ athletes, coaches, and others who have been dedicated to the MSJ athletics department. To view more pictures, visit www.thesmokesignal.org. ▪
wrestling Spotlight: By Neha Shah Staff Writer
Coach Thomsen
The Smoke Signal interviewed Coach Thomsen, the current wrestling head coach, to honor all the work he has done thus far in his wrestling head coach career at MSJ.
team, and individual wrestlers who are on the team. But the way the program is run stays consistent. Being organized and on top of things helps that process.
Smoke Signal: How long have you been head coach of wrestling? Thomas Thomsen: I have been the head coach at MSJ for 32 years. Before that I coached at two other high schools and one year at Chabot College for a total of 35 years coaching wrestling.
SS: What has been the best part about being head coach? TT: I have been very fortunate in my coaching career to have had the some of the same coaches working with me for 28 years. Coach Gary Oliveria and I have run the program together. Most decisions about the team were made collectively. So the best part of being a head coach was having good assistants to make my job easier.
SS: What are some things that you’ve accomplished over the years at MSJ? TT: I think my coaching staff and I have provided a wrestling program that our wrestlers can take pride in. In addition, we have built the MSJ wrestling tournament into one of the best in the state. Some of the other accomplishments we are proud of include having two state champions, numerous state placers, many NCS champions, and NCS placers. Our teams have always been in the top three in the MVAL league, and have placed third at NCS as a team three times. SS: What are some of your best memories as head coach at MSJ? TT: The best memories have to be watching young wrestlers come into the room as freshmen having very little wrestling background and seeing them develop into MVAL or NCS champions. Other memories would be the relationships you forge with your wrestlers that continue long after they graduate.
SS: What do you see for the future of MSJ Wrestling? TT: I see MSJ Wrestling continuing to succeed as it has in the past. We had a good group of freshmen come in this year. I would also like to see more students join wrestling and not be afraid of hard work. In order to continue the tradition we have had, it is important to have committed individuals who see the value of hard work and perseverance. Coach Thomsen will be stepping down as wrestling head coach at the end of this year, but will still be around to help out the team. ▪
SS: What will you miss most about being the head wrestling coach? TT: I would have to say I will miss the day-today personal contact with them. SS: How has your role as coach changed since you’ve been here? TT: The role as a head coach constantly changes based on the team you have, the needs of the
Boys’ tennis team photo at Mission San Jose Park. photo courtesy eric zhang, sportsclipart.com
staff writer sayan ghosh
Coach Thomsen speaking at the MSJ Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet as a respected member of the MSJ community.
ASMITA GAGGAR: Two of my teachers out of my high
school career that stand out are: Ms. Kearns and Mr. Karmali. Yes they can both be hard, but they have made me believe in myself when no one else did. Thank you for making me the student I am today.
part best e ...My xperiencg in or e is bein rld o J in MSichards’ w Richards . r R . Mr lass. M ) a lot of (on n’t ry c t his o ated me that I woo c edu lessons nough t life lucky e anybe et from e. g re els whe
MOHAMMAD SYED: This one time I saw a student who
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IMANE RIDOUH: I remember a conversation two friends and I had towards the end of first semester. “Oh my goodness, Mrs. Allen is my favorite.” “She’s the kind of person I want to grow up and be like.”
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wanted water from the vending machine, but didn’t have any money and just then Mr.Larsen passed by and saw this and without hesitating even for a moment, he gave him a dollar and went on his way. It reminded me just how much the staff here cares about the students. er o emb Rem things. D urself, two ly for yo ryone eve s on the thing because ll, you’re here not After a knows w re are e o is. t else erson whecond, thnly abou aid of s r o p f S t a t . y u l e o g b e on e goin care n lass, b Don’t your grad eg you’r ers who in their con. Find ruinin ing out somtered h t o a g teac ur gradeas a pers ecause by ey m en you’d in h a t t o If r y . e h ife you ers b ac ing times at much t ss of how also se teach he best l ’t let nking br Just le th n d . r u d o a o t n D y g e e . re ra th y give ce. to sp g down all e or rough e you the advi grad hole life d that’s you. pull thh extra tim ht be leavin n e ig c w a h m t m r t o mu e u s r s le r ’r f t gappan yo u enio they r be er ask on’t set er u u o M y And s soon but s to hang i v b do can e ime, d work you fun one g the Abiram g ose ne et anyo the sam rd or doino both th t most with durin t a a d out ummer. But at trying h have to amazing d, s l e o il e e n w b c r fo u suc e you ive to caus ings. Str and if yo don’t you g th u thin thing if yo someeat, but ied some st. r e gr ave t our b will h d done y n a
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The Smoke Signal
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By Chakshu Hurria, Iyesha Puri, Annie Tang & Rebecca Wu Staff Writers
The seniors bid their final farewell to MSJ through this collection of memories and advice. Entries were selected based on submission time and length.
SANIL GUPTA: I hope every MSJ student explores and pursues
their passions through the multitude of options available to us at this amazing school.
AVI BANERJEE: Everyone should find their passion and pursue
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WILSON ZHAO: Sometimes you get the shorter end of
the stick in life, and sometimes it all works out. Also I will forever describe this school as a place with “8 test prep centers on one street.
ANTHONY YEUNG: Pursue your dreams and live in the
moment because high school is both a long and short four years.
AKILA NALLAPPAN: The advice I would give, is to really
be in the moment. I know everyone thinks high school is this race and you have to be the best, but from what I have learned, high school is more about the journey and the people you meet.
JEROME SUN: I think I’ll remember high school best for
all the times I was able to enjoy myself with my friends. No particular event stood out, just the culmination of all of them together.
ADHITYA SETHURAJAN: Don’t be mean to your friends
who don’t answer you at first or who don’t read your Facebook messages half the time. Don’t start judging them because of that. They are probably super busy and might not have time to answer you.
ARTI PATANKAR: ...Join a club, not so you can pad your
college application, but to experience something new. Take an interesting class, not to boost your GPA but because you genuinely want to learn. Befriend someone you don’t know, because these relationships will keep you sane. Make the leap, and when you look back at the end of your journey, you’ll be so glad you did.
RAGHAV CHARI: Information is power, but if you give
others information you increase other’s power without reducing your own, so do it.
ADITHYA JAYACHANDRAN: Stay positive regardless
of the circumstances, and do at least one thing that makes you smile every day.
HERSHAL BHATIA: To become successful in anything
it to the best of your ability. Additionally, your name is your at tom stamp of approval. Only do your best. g tha utting in w o kn ot p o fruit n is e is g at om led Know fruit-wisd cause tomhe choice a e t B h. n is . MANJIMA SARKAR: Spend a lot less time worrying about e to Giv alad e bot ruit s terrible. / d, choos than one r f little things and live in the moment. Jump at every opportuin it la s more matte taste nd sa nity coming your way that you find even remotely intrigusalad en soup a . /There is at doesn’t ut how o e h h ing. Make every moment of high school count, in a way b t t w a t , o r e y b e b On eve orr se that’s meaningful to YOU, because these four years are choo ana. How o don’t w banana. / help s y a Alw a ban banana. S njoy your body can ift, alsomething you never get back. l e e e e ry op Sw r way t ly have on l, eat, and ever, eve to Taylor u o y t on ee How stening r wha if you el it, just p erybody. KYLE SANDHU: Only of li /No matte at least n v e e io p t you stress on the impor’t help ve the op woman. pav bhaji atest, n a c e n e ha at tant things. Make you perso on. If you a very wis should e sn’t the gr hild e r u s c in u wa yo ers no he’s friends that will be Makeyour time not one p take it. S tions are, ent Bush e—leave d for y with you forever. enjoy chool. Tr d with ways ry restric fe. /Presid ht for sur ker’s hea e h s nsume w you rig hin Lif / T ig g dieta in your li . h e in s h h k o t T r c th ho once e got one hould rub test. It wo get left to being aboutpared to ond u a o y r y m n r but h d. /You s ore a big , a o d o w e up c t you c e. run l fin s behin luck bef you don’t and you’l ur lac measDo the befall into p oing good a race-if too fast, ish line. g . l il s n er ings w may be beis like d. But run e at the fi th tever njoy it behin rself alon Wha try to e e flies. u yo on use tim ca
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Friday, June 5, 2015
JENNIFER CHIN: I recommend getting involved in Homecoming and Multicultural because it’s nice to be a part of something! Don’t take advantage of your friends because soon time will run out and you’ll miss them so enjoy every day.
JOHN LUU
www.thesmokesignal.org
kevin l au
26 Feature
you do, follow your passion until the line between working and having fun is blurred.
TINGTING BI: Thinking back, I don’t remember any
of the tests and projects I stressed over. What I do remember is the fun and friendships that were formed. Enjoy your time with the people around you, and learn information for the sake of learning, not for the sake of memorizing.
ALLEN WAN: Don’t spend too much time doing school. Make sure to [do] something creative, like writing a book, making a game, or coloring a picture.
DOMINIQUE HUANG: There’s a lot to life that can’t be understood just by reading textbooks. Explore and experience as much as possible. Try new clubs, go to new events, travel to new places. ANNALIESE LEMLER: Don’t be afraid to march to the
beat of your own drum. If you don’t like exercising, don’t eat out at lunch every day unless you have an incredible metabolism. Drink a lot of water. I’m not really good at giving advice. Do you.
AKSHAYA THANANJEYAN: AP courses are not every-
thing, have fun and be involved around school. Also know your milk tea places because spontaneous hangouts will happen.
Friday, June 5, 2015
The Smoke Signal
Feature 27
www.thesmokesignal.org
had ish I ...I w more outg been in joinin an m h g s in e r o f g a my o join I will missural clubs ’s harder t or senior r It Multicult ion, io . r e n ld a th ju e o y Miss rting e been t a t s k e e b w s at veryone clu , but I’v e a n o e d re r e wh ure yea you’ve , it’s their cult once for a while it. xpresses s, food, dance, e b h e clu y wort loth through cission showcases reall etc. M iversity, and their d is proud everyone culture. ALEXANDER JIANG: Relay for Life at the field is something that everyone should go to. Not only ir e of th are you helping those in need, you also get to spend time with your friends for a whole day.
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Lea take rn to eve not so cially heavily rything whe , esp to eto reschool a n it com nd re l a e x days and mem s g while off every ive you ber r . look Somed once in self a y b , eryth ack o you’ll a n e i vhere ng you Try perform ig and l b did a in MEGAN REN: Joining the Smoke Signal has definitely been the best decision of my high school caing augh u’re . reer because I seriously doubt that I’ll ever find another community as close-knit, quirky, supportive, group if yo ause c e b d re a Just c s and hardworking as the family I’ve found in M-2. Thanks for all the laughs and for being my homere that chill. lax. chances a n during away-from-home. To all the continuing and incoming Smokies: have fun, and stay dope! fu ve tee I can gu Reyou’ll ha s and the eve you th aranpractice ce will abou r you’re at whatperforman reat. t i w AASHKA PANDYA: Auditioning for Bull in a China Shop my sophomore year was hands s orryi n’t th and J S turn out g M ng it’s n a down the best decision of my life, and I will definitely miss the theater, and more ot w t import is a ing A C E a o D nt rth yo importantly the people in it, as I continue my journey past high school. at has Don’t ur heal sacrific club th the guy Class of stres th ov e m er. to h ade today. s an m 15 Senior 0 2 ave d The I am g ANANT HARI: [MEMORIES] Marching through the pouring rain in London to a go try m i m m o Ho ecomin re st po od time. he T the complete amazement of the crowd, who assumed that the Americans ! at that rtant thi re was g ng you exp h unity wouldn’t be able to handle English weather. was so mucand I’ll schoerience d should it ir sp d reka ol is fa uring h an it c m i remember wher oment. ing that Egh s. SONYA JAIN: I’ve had a lot of good memories at Mission, but the most amazing ar T e ye u r h fo sens everyth e mom experience was watching students and class officers pour months of their time stop e, and yoing makeent g u s and effort into making Homecoming week special for everyone. best rinning. I cannot I would like feelin t is th g e to acknowli n world the ! edge Speech/ SHIV KAPUR: My entire DECA career has changed me for the better. I have watched us grow from , You Debate, Yearbook a 60 member chapter to 360 member chapter. I love each and every one of you guys thanks for feel li may face Alive uth Yo d an times being my family throughout high school! Join DECA. It will change your life - if you let it! lowe ke you for changing it’s in st and yo ’re at you when you my life. stron escapab u hones r absolu t t g ly le e HARPAUL HARI: Homecoming week is one of the best weeks of high school, enjoy it to the max, and . t b h st Y e a Peop ressed t t you ca ou may f lieve tha get involved as much as possible! And senior events are amazing- Waterworld, PROM, and Grad Nite. deal, le are go hat you w n’t breath eel pain t s GO TO THEM! help that you ing to tr ake up in e, or fee o l so a co cons yourself should y to tell ld n u be u ming a . In that ’t worry you that sweat. VIVIAN LIU: It’s easy to gravitate to the big organizations, but MSJ’s niche communities (i.e. Phoenix and Japanese) are p n , m of yo set. Just d it is rea oment, but hone it’s not a just as inspiring and fun. Don’t write yourself off subjects you think you’re not good at. Stay positive, because the environb w ur lif r s l e ig t h a ly yo mem at y nd y e, why ment you have at MSJ is one you create for yourself. you e and in a ber that ou are a ou’re fee u can’t Surro ver car few yea it will p bsolutely ling is a ass ll ed rs un a can a d yourse so much you’ll loo ; you ha llowed t VINEET TUMMALA: The Students’ Union is my greatest memory at Mission. As a sophomore I created this organization o v k lf wit ct as e a b b t ack he ou h over that changed the shape of this school. With a goal to unite students against injustice, the Students’ Union has attracted whelman escap positivity t such triv and wo rest nde ew ; fi ia playin e over 500 members. I am grateful for the experience I had with this revolutionary group. g wit d (for me hen you nd a hob l matters r h ma . frien b a t y r h e a t hat t’s p ds a feeli keu and b re people p), make ainting na ng too GELSEY PLAZA: I’m so glad I did the spring musical my sophomore year. Everyone supports and encourages s il ring w u s or out t ho mak re that alwa each other, and we all have fun. Not only did I meet many new friends who love theatre as much as I do, but y h e o e ys re mem best in y you happ ur I also met an amazing teacher and mentor--Ms. Roundy. ber t y ou, a Have o bre nd d con enc athe. Ther e in you fie w o er rself! pp I th miss ortunitiee lots of portaink the m i of se ng ou s I reg nt t ost i the t r h m i h I’ve clf-doubt, on beca et n ence igh s g ab but o us o m c o i h e s u oo de t tr many to rea ver time for hfinitely w ying newl experil i e our otimes weze that thing thro omeco ish I ha wn b are AARTHI MADADI: This is school isn’t the easiest place to be, but it does get better. SomeI wa ughout h ming an d done ms. I i g critic gest s rea igh s d mu times, especially during college apps season, you just need to breathe. o r e s . and lticul lly in choo I l t And have abvolved in, but this ural it s BETHANY HUNG: Don’t go to Pacific Commons during a normal lunch. You always think you’re fun! T’s really olutely n both ev year e im going to make it back on time, but you’ll end up slightly late. And then you’ll have to run through don’take scho portant o regret nts s o campus and be judged by your 5th period class for walking in late with milk tea. for fforget to l seriousto have . amily ly inc and lude tim but e frien ds. SHENG-HAO HUANG: Right now, college admissions might seem pretty interesting. But sometimes, take Don a step back and think about how much seniors struggled through the process. It’s an unpleasant roller ’ t cras procoaster many hated. So next time, before you ask for all of your friend’s admissions results, consider t i na And No m keep te. how personal that information is. f a r o t t m el er awa how e y h c a rd sc while tronic s bec hool ma stud RUCHIKA AGRAWAL: Do what you like to do. That’s what looks good on college apps. ying try y ome, alw y . our b ays ever est a y work thing wil nd KATHY LIU: It’s weird to think that I’m a senior now. I remember as a freshman, seniors were these respected l out j “creatures”, but in my first few weeks as a senior, I didn’t feel like that at all. It’s almost scary how fast you fine. ust Never to com try grow up at Mission. Day by day it is excruciatingly slow, as a whole, the years pass by like that. pa
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SARA CAO: Get to know your teachers, especially the ones whose classes you dread! They aren’t as scary as you might think and they’ll help you out if you’re struggling.
As back I lo ok , I th I that ever realize ELLIOT LIN: Senior year may be the ‘end’ per se, but it can in fact be a chance for new ough y t go i beginnings. Don’t hesitate to try something new (even if it’s for fun rather than for colbein od enou t I wame g lege apps), and especially don’t hesitate to get to know your classmates.Take chances thing rejecte gh or I sn’t d w like this, whether it’s going on a retreat or simply stepping out of your comfort zone. ly be good, I from so as w It’ll be worth it when you’re walking across the stage at graduation knowing you’re leavsom ing redir as actu meethin ecte aling no regrets behind you. d g g for m bette to on r e. w i One an o foun thing I Fou j was d bitt really r o Don is a f high years of a the adv ersweet ’ s t s l w an s sc m e ju ack w ak hort choo fami re force hool yeacement you st bec off B Ma ith thoe conn time l l mate iar c d to r. Yo ein ke se l l ec to shar g able t the have aause unkn s as yo assroomeave be u e and it mea arou tions o c n m u l h s o a nd ss A in n elap wn. Ho were p s and cl ind ests ions andy pasLOL Star life experi ingful you. u w s ass w s e i e n h a . i t th m ter v t sw yo from firsth ence ! Go knowhe unfa er, afte ed into t plicacollege ur of un ell as m y friendr m you and, your out n 3 beco , and iliar b e ique s befo tion apw he of s r fo not mes and eting a l , each ecom eeks re s proc p tud rtre e D T o h o i o p ch es en y a sm n es ying ss strug le that nterestin t o a clas you’ ’t procr ool sta s . g gle a I coul leav u are fo ll familys a d e n is th ll regret stinate rts! with d it ag rced . e for f excel o i ain.. to our of th longes t. Marc r . y e a h t rs. e ye m o n a t r h . with Bear it!
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photos by staff writers chakshu hurria, iyesha puri,
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Friday, June 5, 2015
The Smoke Signal
www.thesmokesignal.org
Special 28
photos by staff writers sarina chitre, annie tang & graphics editor kevin chen, coverage led by staff writers grace dong & hairol ma, layout by staff writer monica tang