5 FEATURE
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MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 58, NO. 3
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
BY THE NUMBERS: TARDINESS AND ABSENTEEISM By Jeffrey Li, Michael Qu, Daphne Senecal & Lucy Yao Staff Writers
In light of growing absentee and tardiness rates at MSJ, Principal Amy Perez implemented the new Tardy Sweep Program. According to an email sent by Perez on October 20, at random periods on random days, teachers will be told to lock their doors the second the bell sounds, and students caught being tardy will receive a 30-minute detention. To gain insight into the newly-instated Tardy Sweep and its impact on tardiness and absenteeism, the Smoke Signal conducted a school-wide survey from October 30 to November 6 with 195 Google Forms respondents and interviewed students, teachers, and administration.
PREPANDEMIC The Smoke Signal previously covered student tardiness in a January 2020 article, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit. At that time, 40.7% of the 200 surveyed students had at least one unexcused tardy in the past month, with 10.1% on tardy contracts, which are letters given for more than 11 unexcused tardies that penalize further tardies with Saturday School. Out of those that were tardy, 95.7% were late for one to five minutes. However, the earlier start time, which at that time was 8 a.m, and shorter passing periods, which were five minutes compared to the current six, may have contributed to the tardy rates. On a national scale, according to research group Attendance Works, prior to the pandemic, about 8 million US students were considered chronically absent, defined as missing 10% or more of school days in the school year. That number has now doubled to 16 million when reported in the spring of 2022. This corroborates data collected by School Innovations & Achievement, which analyzed 30 CA school districts and found that 13.5% of students were chronically absent before the pandemic compared to a rate of 33% in the 2021-22 school year.
42.48% Commute to school 33.63% Distance between classes something to do 30.09% Had during passing period
25.66% Held over in previous class Most Common Reasons for Absences.
81.88% Illness, mental health 42.03% Medical appointments 33.33% Extracurrciulars
statewide trends
Note: West Contra Costa Unified School District’s average daily attendence rates were converted to daily absenteeism rates,
STudent Absent Rates 30%
Tardy Sweeps
Since the implementation of the Tardy Sweep, many students have changed their habits when getting to classes. Of the 195 responses in a survey sent by the Smoke Signal, 24.6% were directly affected by the premise of a Tardy Sweep, with 79.17% of those impacted arriving earlier to class, indicating a positive correlation between the implementation of the Tardy Sweep and increased punctuality. “Starting the week of the announcement of Tardy Sweeps, there were no groups [of students outside the classroom] that I came by,” Kottenbach said. However, many students are divided on the enforcement of the Tardy Sweep, with 71.3% of the surveyed students asserting that the current tardy policies were unnecessary. “I don’t think that the Tardy Sweep program will be effective because there is a general disregard among the student population [when it comes to] Tardy Sweeps. If students are informed [beforehand] they may try to get to class earlier but I feel that MSJ culture is just so nonchalant about showing up to class,” Senior Shohini Sarkar said.
Do you think the current enforcement of the tardy policies is necessary?
2021-22 30%
11.3%
20%
Yes
17.4%
15%
No 2020-21 14%
5%
2021-22 8.99% 2019-20 4.1%
CA Department of Education
ONLINE
THIS MONTH
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“Some teachers give students a bit of extra time to come in [and] a lot of teachers don’t mark students tardy if they come in tardy, so there isn’t any structure or no clear set expectation. So it’s nobody’s fault really, there just wasn’t any sort of guidelines or foundations set to begin with, so I wanted to relook at that.” — Principal Amy Perez “I do believe that brunch is too short, and it’s something that we’ll revisit again this year when we vote on the bell schedule. But I also want students to know that I don’t determine the bell schedule, it’s something that the administration and teachers have to work out and agree on, and from my knowledge last year, that was attempted but it didn’t go through.” — Principal Amy Perez
Coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, schools across the nation have seen the same trend: a two to three times increase in student absenteeism and tardiness. According to the CA Department of Education (CDE), at MSJ, the rate of chronic absenteeism has increased by 7.8% since pre-pandemic years. This caused the average number of days absent to increase from 6.5 days in the 2018-19 school year to 9.5 days in the 2022-23 school year. Out of the 70.77% of surveyed students who reported being absent for one or more days in the school year, 81.88% reported illness or mental health in their reasons for absence, 33.33% extracurriculars, and 42.03% medical appointment. When it comes to tardiness, while many students report reasons like needing to speak with teachers after class, a significant number of student tardiness can also be attributed to negligence. “During my period of prep, … before the discussion of Tardy Sweeps, I would see large groups of students still out and about after the bell rang,” Government Teacher Keith Kottenbach said. Since the Tardy Sweeps were announced, students have taken actions to avoid being tardy, despite an actual sweep currently not having taken place yet. However, students may not always have full control of their actions during the passing periods. Although students are mainly responsible for arriving to class on time, there are outside factors that affect punctuality. One significant factor is the distance between classes, coupled by the fact that many students may have to stop to use the restroom or get water during passing period. Students are unable to control the location of their classes, and sometimes the distance is too far to make it in time while also taking care of these essential tasks. Based on data from our survey, 55.75% reported a personal or class-related task during the passing period as a reason for being tardy. Unexpected events may also occur, with commonly cited examples including the breakfast line being too long, needing to go to the office, or being held over in the previous class. These external factors are all out of students’ control and can happen on any day. “[Being tardy is] a natural thing … I don’t think anybody is doing it on purpose,” Chemistry Teacher Katy Kuei said.
During the coronavirus pandemic, there was a surge of statewide student absenteeism and tardiness. According to the CDE, chronic absenteeism rose from 14% in 202021 to 30% in 2021-22. Additionally, a FUSD statewide assessment reports that district chronic absenteeism rates stabilized to 13.4% in the 2022-23 school year, substantially lower than the statewide rate of 24.9% but still more than double FUSD’s 2019 rate of 5.5%. Districts outside of Alameda county have reported similar trends. According to a study conducted by the West Contra Costa Unified School District, “Average daily absenteeism rates have increased from 4.1% in 2019-20 … 8.99% in 2021-22 … For the first 30 days of the 2022-23 school year, the average daily absent rate was 7.5%, based on data from 100 districts.” This data suggests that while there has been progress in reducing chronic absenteeism in school districts across CA, the effects of the pandemic continue to linger, negatively impacting attendance patterns.
10%
November 16, 2023
current tardies and absences
Most Common Reasons for Tardies.
25%
20
West Contra Costa Unified School District
71.3%
Not sure
policies at msj and other schools
MSJ’s current policies aside from the Tardy Sweep consist of Truancy Process Letters — students who have been absent for three, five, and more than eight days are respectively given First, Second, and Third Truancy Letters before deemed a habitual truant and referred to the Student Attendance Review Board. Other schools in FUSD, such as Washington High School, have a zero-tolerance tardy policy, with students immediately receiving detention for being late. Although Tardy Sweeps have been present at schools for years, they have grown in usage — and criticism — coming back from the pandemic. According to a March 2022 ABC10 article, Lincoln High School implemented Tardy Sweeps after students received more than 18,000 tardies in just the fall semester of 2021-22 school year. Its implementation greatly reduced numbers to around 4,000 in the spring semester of that year. However, other schools have received substantial backlash towards the new program. According to a December 2022 article from San Rafael High School’s newspaper titled “San Rafael High School Needs to Get Rid of Tardy Sweeps,” the article’s author cites many points echoed across the rest of the student body, such as “I think the the sweeps causing Tardy Sweep program will unnecessary stress, be really effective. Recently, there have been crowding in hallways more tardies as the school year goes on and being both a cause and punishments have yet to be enforced. ... [Being] effect of tardiness, and the tardy by one minute doesn’t affect learning at system’s ineffectiveness. “A all, ... [but] if the [student] is tardy by 20 minstudent who is only five minutes, they might miss out on [learning].” — Cham utes late will instead have Yu, 9 to miss a much bigger portion of class ... we are forc“I feel that if students are tardy it’s because ing them to miss even more they have to walk far distances across campus. crucial teaching, defeating ... Maybe because this is a new administration the whole purpose of the that hasn’t experienced [this] student body besweep,” the article said. fore but I feel like the students here have been more or less consistent with how late or early they show up to class.” — Shohini Sarkar, 12
ALBUM REVIEW: HEAVEN KNOWS
MSJ ISHAARA WARRIORS PERFORMANCE
PinkPantheress released her debut album, Heaven Knows, on November 11 under the label Warner UK, her first album following her 2021 mixtape. Read the Smoke Signal’s review of the album on our website.
On November 16, MSJ Ishaara performed at the Warriors game at the Chase Center that L2 Fund collaborated with. View the Smoke Signal’s coverage and photo gallery of the event on our website.
FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG
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The Smoke Signal
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Pleasanton’s Harvest Festival Original Arts & Crafts Show celebrates its 51st anniversary With roughly 100 booths, the festival featured art, jewelery, and crochet animals. By Stella Wang & Alice Zhao Staff Writers From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on October 27-29, the 51st anniversary of the annual Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft Show was held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. The festival featured live music, food, and around 100 booths run by local businesses selling their wares, which included items like art prints, jewelry, and crochet animals. Harvest festivals are traditionally celebrations taking place around the times a region’s crops are ready for reaping. This particular Harvest Festival takes place in October annually and has separate shows in different parts of California and Nevada. The festival is owned by the Glenn family and has been operating under its care for over 50 years now thanks to rigorous marketing, which includes email programs and social media networking.
Attendees line the various booths
The affordable ticket prices, ranging from $4 to $9 depending on age, and setup of the event are as down-to-earth as its origins. After attendees paid a fee at a ticket booth, they are immediately directed through a short path lined with booths that led to two rented warehouses connected by a small rest area with benches and umbrellas. The Evan Thomas Band played at the far end of the aisles as customers trickled in and browsed the tents of handcrafted soaps and wood sculptures before heading into the main warehouse buildings, which were each filled with more than 50 cloth-covered booths. Inside the warehouses, the quiet murmur of customers discussing the artworks on display
News in brief Compiled by Sarah Hu, Jeffrey Li, Vidyuth Sridhar & Fiona Yang Staff Writers
corrections for the OCT. 20, 2023 issue
A vendor runs his jewelry business.
contributed to the soft, inviting atmosphere of the dimly lit room. A large stand selling handcrafted pop-out cards and crocheted plants stood at the front of all the booths in the first building. The areas farther in included some hallmark booths from the Alameda County Fair — an annual summer event that features amusement park rides — including stands selling cutlery and candy apples. Pieces of handcrafted jewelry glittered on their cloth mounts, and paintings covered some booths’ walls with splashes of vibrant color. These crafts were more than decorations, however; many vendors were also selling their art pieces in order to bring awareness to social or environmental issues. “My main focus is just bringing awareness to species who are endangered, as well as [to] raise funds with some of my prints
that I’ve made … [and I’ve donated money to fight the Australian wildfires] that happened a few years ago.” Vendor Brittni Paul, a conservation artist selling animal-themed art prints, said. Some booths were more unconventional. One nearly sold-out stand displayed large Christmas-themed statues and another featured hand-made jams, while others near it sold printed fabric from Africa and massage pillows. When people usually think of craft festivals, they imagine jewelry, papercraft, and drawings, but the Harvest Festival has made changes to increase the diversity of crafts available this year. “I think there’s a lot more [that’s] different,” Attendee Cheryl Davis said. “Just a lot more versatile things this year.” This made the event a platform to showcase unique and underrated crafting practices.
“My main focus is just bringing awareness to species who are endangered, as well as [to] raise funds with some of my prints that I’ve made … [and I’ve donated money to fight the Australian wildfires] that happened a few years ago.”
-Vendor Brittni Paul
While the festival drew in many returning customers, some attendees, like Melissa Fegurgur and her family, were new to the festival. “I got an email from the Alameda County Fairgrounds because we typically go to the county fair and other events,” Fegurgur said.
The Harvest Festival featured several fall-themed crafts.
“I shared it with my family, and my daughter really wanted to go.” Many repeat customers came back to visit their favorite vendors and to experience the joys of browsing the handmade crafts again. Attendee Shannon Houck said, “I think having the chance to see a lot of … local crafts people, and you know, getting the chance to do a little bit of holiday shopping for my family and things like that [is my favorite part].” As customers walked down the aisles and browsed the wares on sale, vendors would engage them in discussion about their craft. “Everybody is just so friendly and interactive with each other, and it’s just a fun thing to do,” Attendee Barbara Kunza said.
“I think having the chance to see a lot of … local crafts people, and you know, getting the chance to do a little bit of holiday shopping for my family and things like that [is my favorite part].” -Attendee Barbara Kunza
As the festival wound down in the late afternoon, booths began to pack up, transforming the fairgrounds from a bustling celebration to empty warehouses. Both vendors and customers expressed hope to return to this festival in the future to reconnect. “[We meet] a lot of return[ing] customers and new faces here. They become longtime friends through the years,” Vendor Mark Tran said. ▪ The Harvest Festival warehouse.
Community
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS STELLA WANG & ALICE ZHAO, COURTESY ALAMEDACOUNTYFAIR.COM. GRAPHICS BY FREEPIK.COM
Stephen Lam / The San Francisco Chronicle
Local
Courtesy of City of Fremont
Customers lined outside San Francisco’s iconic Pineapple King.
The City of Fremont plans to complete renovations by 2024 summer.
Pineapple King Bakery opens new location in Fremont On Friday October 27, popular bakery Pineapple King opened their second location at 6827 Warm Springs Blvd. in Fremont. Pineapple King Bakery opened its first store in 2015 and rapidly garnered popularity for its warm pineapple buns which are customizable with a range of fillings such as custard, large slices of butter, and matcha mochi. The bakery offers its signature pineapple buns and a selection of traditional Hong Kong-style pastries such as moon cakes, egg tarts, and braided buns. Although the new location is small and takeout-only, the bakery will soon offer online ordering and delivery, and it aims to add order kiosks to mediate long lines typical at the Irving Street location.
City of Fremont to renovate Vallejo Mill Historical Park Vallejo Mill Historical Park, located in the Niles area, is currently being renovated not only for safety reasons but also to accommodate the needs of the Fremont community. The park will include four new pickleball courts along with a dog park, addressing community concerns over the lack of these facilities. The project also includes the addition of security fencing, gates, and improved parking with support for electric vehicles. The city aims to begin construction of the park in January 2024 and finish by summer. These renovations also need to address the large amount of homeless people currently living in the park, with the city making plans to relocate them while the construction happens.
National
International
Doug Mills / The New York Times
News Pg. 1: Hopkins had 909 students before add- Several lawsuits are using the 14th Amendment to deny Donald Trump from running for president. ing a sixth grade class. Testimony ends in Donald Trump’s Colorado disqualification trial News Pg. 2: Michelle Whang is misspelled. News Pg. 2: Eugenia Hwang is misspelled. Witness testimony in a Colorado trial involving former President Donald Opinion Pg. 3: Austin Wilkerson was sentenced to Trump concluded on November 3, marking a significant milestone in the legal two years in prison under work release. Feature Pg. 7: Mahika Valluri won the Miss San Joa- proceedings aimed at evaluating whether Trump’s actions, particularly during quin County Scholarship Alliance. the January 6 insurrection, constitute a breach of the 14th Amendment. It will A&E Pg. 14: Wes Anderson directed a stop-motion also recontextualize how First Amendment protections on speech cooperates adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox. Sports Pg. 17: the Roman Empire did not exist with the 14th Amendment’s ban on those who “engaged in insurrection or re4,000 years ago. Sports Pg. 18: Smokie Crossword: A Haunting in bellion” holding office. Although closing arguments are set to commence on Venice is misspelled. November 15, the ruling does not mark the end of Trump’s legal battle. Oral Graphics Pg. 20: Priscilla Moreno is misspelled.
arguments will commence for a similar case in Minnesota on November 9.
Villagers carrying bodies they plan to cremate in Jajarkot, Nepal.
Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
5.7 magnitude earthquake leaves 157 dead and 150 injured in Nepal On November 3, an earthquake of 5.7 magnitude measurement hit Nepal in the Karnali province. With 157 already confirmed dead and around 150 more injured, Nepalese authorities are still actively searching for survivors in villages where around 90% of houses have collapsed. Although Nepal is a frequent epicenter of earthquakes due to its geographical location on two tectonic plates, this earthquake is the strongest the nation has experienced since it was hit with a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015. The earthquake struck at a relatively shallow depth of 18 kilometers and tremors reached as far as India’s capital, New Delhi.
Thursday, November 16, 2023
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News & Opinion 3
MSJ Band soars with flying colors at the Foothill Band Review MSJ Band excelled in the marching and concert divisions of the 49th Annual Foothill Band Review, their last review of the season. By Naisha Koppurapu & Trisha Parikh Staff Writers On October 28, MSJ Band competed in the Foothill Band Review at Amador Valley High School in the marching and concert divisions. Leaving the audience with an exciting performance, ensembles decked in green attire paraded down the roads in downtown Pleasanton with melodic harmonies and detailed routines. Kicking off the Foothill Band Review with the concert division, MSJ Symphonic Band began playing at around 8:30 a.m. inside the gym. Ultimately placing sixth, the band impressed the crowd with pieces including “A Longford Legend” by Robert Sheldon, “Solid Men to the Front” by John Philip Sousa, and “(Risk) Everything for a Dream” by Richard L. Saucedo. The indoor Wind Ensemble performance followed, ending with “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa and a standing ovation. With their harmonious melodies chiming together, Wind Ensemble gracefully ended in second place. Both groups in
the concert division did better than they had hoped, and “Wind Ensemble’s score was in the 92 range, which was a lot better than even I was expecting,” Band Director Bryce Beckel said. Soon after, MSJ Color Guard took to the streets with signs spelling out “MISSION” as the others posed behind, complementing their impressive flag tosses and elaborate spins. Aside from a few minor drops, the team aced their routine, achieving a round of applause from the surrounding crowd. “We were missing some [performers] because some people were sick or at a family emergency, but overall, I think we did good since we practiced a lot,” Color Guard Captain Junior Patricia Wu said.
MSJ Marching Band takes to the streets.
Legion” by John Phillips Sousa. Its intricate com-
“We were missing some [performers] position and organized movements prompted because some people were sick or at a cheers from the large audience along the street’s family emergency, but overall, I think sidelines and achieved an outstanding secwe did good since we practiced a lot.”
ond-place ranking in the Band Class 6A category. “Our marching was straighter [and] we had Accompanied by Color Guard, MSJ March- more dynamics in our music,” Zheng said. After ing Band, led by Drum Major Junior Edric a short break, the percussionists erupted into a Zheng, marched gracefully and played “Loyal moving tempo, engaging judges with their mystical tunes and synchronized choreography. The preparation process leading up to the annual review was no simple task for MSJ performers. Practices were plagued by wind, which complicated the execution of complex routines. “Mr. Beckel prepares us every Tuesday and Thursday with marching band after school for three hours. We also have sectionals where each section in the MSJ Class of 1982 pose for a group photo. band has their leader help prepare new students with the music and marching,” MSJ Band Member Sophomore Nathan Huffman said. The review, one of the largest and longest-running in the Bay Area, gathered over 2,000 visitors and required meticulous planning. “It’s so deeply rooted in tradition. There’s always a pa -Color Guard Captain Junior Patricia Wu
MSJ Color Guard marches with flags and a sign spelling out "MISSION."
rade, there’s always a concert, and there’s always a show. Managing those three elements is incredibly difficult because you want to have everything run on time, but you also have particular parade bands that look forward to coming to our show,” Foothill Band Review Organizer Rob Reyes said. MSJ Band had a Veterans Day parade on November 11 and they plan to improve on setbacks they struggled with, such as a few minor drops during the Color Guard performance and overall anxiety. “I feel like [Foothill] is just more competitive. There’s more top, high-quality bands all going up against each other,” Beckel said, emphasizing the magnitude of their accomplishments as a team. Overall, MSJ Band students excelled at their last review of the season, building team unity for future performances. “It’s been great, I mean the company has been awesome, I feel like the people have been supporting me, and it’s just been an overall fun experience,” MSJ Band Member Freshman Agastya Pasupuleti said. ▪
“It’s been great, I mean the company has been awesome, I feel like the people have been supporting me, and it’s just been an overall fun experience.” -MSJ Band Member Freshman Agastya Pasupuleti
Percussionists line the road as they play their drums. PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NAISHA KOPPURAPU & TRISHA PARIKH
Sassy men: Can they take down toxic masculinity? By Angelina Chen, Abha Kulkarni & Stella Wang Staff Writers “When I made the video saying, ‘Guilty, guilty. I’m sassy,’ I really wasn’t expecting love,” TikTok creator Prayag Mishra said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times on October 23. Mishra is a part of a movement dubbed the revolutionary “sassy man apocalypse,” composed of men who challenge toxic masculinity by freely expressing themselves, often through methods such as fashion or makeup. While seeing support for those breaking harmful gender norms can be heartwarming, it’s important to remember that the fight against harmful ideologies doesn’t stop with social media. Created from past prejudices and perpetuated by modern influencers and media, toxic masculinity discourages emotional behavior and encourages traits associated with traditional masculinity, such as strength, rage, and efficiency. According to Vice and The Councilor, the 1970s men’s liberation movement and second wave feminism, both inspired by progressive youth culture during the time period, attempted to free people from rigid gender expectations in order to embrace larger ranges of emotion and roles. The term “toxic masculinity” was coined later in the 1980s mythopoetic men’s movement, which promoted self-help among men instead of discouraging them from expressing their emotions. Toxic masculinity has not been fully eradicated in spite of past efforts. Misogynistic figures have gained a huge following in recent years with Andrew Tate, an influencer lauded for his speeches about the infe-
riority of women, amassing around 13 billion self-actualization,” and Mishra himself said he progress. views on TikTok and 8.2 million followers on wants to “create a massive impact in the way that Both the “sassy men apocalypse” influencers X. The overly simplified content that toxically online culture has come about.” However, this and toxically masculine influencers rely on the masculine influencers push seems so comical- trend should not be seen as a viable solution to the marketability of their content to be successful. ly bigoted that it masks the long-lasting effects deep-seated issue of toxic masculinity and instead, The lack of nuance in both these groups’ ideas that their ideas have. For example, according be seen as an initiator of more concrete change. make them easy to disseminate and spread rapto a survey conducted by the Survey Center The “sassy men” concept weaponizes existing idly, especially through short-form content like on American Life, only 48% of men feel sat- stereotypes in its attempt to do away with others, TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Punchy titles like isfied with their number of friends, and only further contributing to ideological echo chambers. “Tates 500IQ Girlfriend Hack!” and “Tristan 21% report receiving emotional support from Traditional television has historically stereotyped Tate DESTROYS Furious NPCS!” are attentheir friends. This “male loneliness epidemic” gay men as having flamboyant personalities ac- tion-grabbing, and the short runtime makes the paired with stoicism, an idea in toxic mas- cording to the research study by Fisher et. al from videos easy to consume. The videos themselves culinity that teaches people to endure pain the Journal of Homosexuality in 2007. By tying are shallow, usually featuring creators flaunting without displaying emotion, cripples men’s flamboyancy, a perceived gay trait, to concepts their wealth and status with a few pieces of genabilities to notice signs of mental illness and like being emotionally intelligent, the “sassy men” eral life advice sprinkled in between. However, leads to higher suicide rates — approxi- movement falsely implies that being in toxically masculine creators benefit from this mately four times higher according to the touch with one’s emotions is a trait exlack of nuance because they simply affirm Centers for Disease Control and Pre- clusively tied to one’s sexuality. preconceived beliefs, whereas the vention. Mainstream media often “Sassy men” TikToks also lack of complexity is antithetdepicts stoic and unfeeling heroes fail to be authentic because their ical to the deep introspeclike Superman or Dominic Torreto creators appeal to viewers by transtion the “sassy men” movefrom the Fast and Furious fran- forming themselves into memorable ment stands for. To show chise, establishing the standard caricatures, defined by the dance trends t hat men are more than the shell that men have to follow. This they partake in and the short catchphrastoxic masculinity forces them to subtly elevates toxically mascu- es they use. Supporters of the movement be, creators and viewers need impactful line behavior and influences audiences to up- argue that the trend’s simplicity enables its wide real-life action instead of casual online Tikhold the status quo. In addition, by promot- spread on TikTok and introduces more people to Toks. ing values like dominance and aggression, ideas that challenge gender norms. However, the Watching 15-second videos cannot replitoxic masculinity nurses a sense of superior- “sassy men” movement doesn’t dive deeper into the cate the slow, personal process of questioning ity in its followers, while also being an unat- issue it addresses because it prioritizes entertain- a long-held belief system and coming to terms tainable ideal that can be manipulated. The ment value over meaningful content. The creation with one’s emotions. The sassy men movement subjectivity of the ideology clouds judgment of a “sassy man” persona may be less harmful than may be a breath of fresh air for online content, and results in enabling impulsive and harm- toxic masculinity but still lacks nuance — these but it’s important to remember that trends will ful behavior. Any behavior that deviates from flamboyant facets of self quickly become a defining accomplish nothing if people don’t take further the norm, including seemingly insignificant aspect of the sassy men apocalypse, rather than the action. Students should take time to reflect on habits such as exaggerated gestures, is ridi- actual person behind the persona. By simplifying their experiences with toxic masculinity and culed. Attempting to counter this ideology, a complex topic for TikTok’s quick soundbites, the make changes in their lives, from discouraging the recent rise of the “sassy men” on TikTok underlying importance of the topic is sacrificed for mocking others' emotions to supporting charifocuses on flamboyant self expression among likes. However, at the end of the day, this new trend ties for mental health such as the National Allimen in the form of exotic clothing, over the could introduce new dialogue and create a safe ance on Mental Illness, The Trevor Project, and top makeup, and open discussion about their space for men to express their true feelings. How- the Urban Healers in Oakland. In doing so, we emotions. An article in the Harvard Crimson ever to ensure this effect, we must hold influencers can help create a safer space where no one will calls it “the long-awaited canon event of male accountable to prevent stereotypes from clouding feel pressured to conform to gender norms. ▪ GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR ANNIE XU
4 Opinion
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THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 59, No. 3 | November 16, 2023 www.thesmokesignal.org 41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-3600, ext. 37088 MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal ’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums. SCHOOL POPULATION 1800 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Karina Han, Julia Peng NEWS Vedesh Kodnani, Kaylee Liu OPINION Annika Singh, Annie Xu FEATURE Anushka Vasudev, Callie Yuan CENTERSPREAD Chloe Gao, Ashley Pang A&E Goonja Basu, Sanah Bhardwaj SPORTS Aaryan Suri, Aaron Zhou GRAPHICS Jiyun Guo, Hannah Shen WEB Waylon Li, Elton Yu TECH Keerti Koya BUSINESS Sarah Hu CIRCULATION Maryam Naseer, Vidyuth Sridhar ADVERTISING Tushara Devapatla, Lucy Yao EVENTS Anandita Devata, Shuhan Jin WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Padma Balaji, Hannah Bi, Rajorshi Chatterjee, Angelina Chen, Novak Chen, Navya Chitlur, Tanvi Deshmukh, Sahas Goli, Sally Han, Abha Kulkarni, Naisha Koppurapu, Jeffrey Li, Brittany Lu, Howard Lu, Ivy Lu, Trisha Parikh, Catherine Qin, Michael Qu, Daphne Senecal, Priyanka Shah, Arushi Singh, Stella Wang, Ethan Yan, Fiona Yang, Lucas Zhang, Alice Zhao ADVISER Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length. To advertise in the Smoke Signal, email ads@thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the pages of, or carried within, the Smoke Signal, is paid advertising, and as such is independent of the news and feature content. The Smoke Signal ’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. To stay updated with our online content, see our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/msjsmokesignal. All policies on distribution, corrections, and bylines can be found at www.thesmokesignal.org/about.
The Smoke Signal
AnnikA's Angle
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Annie's Anecdotes
The power of gratitude
Surrounding yourself with the right people
By Annika Singh Opinion Editor
By Annie Xu Opinion Editor
November marks the beginning of the holiday season — the coziest and most festive time of the year. Family dinners, hot cocoa with friends, fuzzy pajamas, and giving thanks are all special parts of the winter months. In elementary school, one of my teachers made me write a letter detailing the things I’m thankful for during Thanksgiving. My list included my family, friends, house, and education. Though I completed the assignment, I never understood why I had to physically express my gratitude — for me, interacting with the people around me and showing them my love was enough. Now that I’m older, I’ve discovered the value of gratitude — it’s essential to our well-being. It’s not just a surface-level display of appreciation; it’s a practice that decreases worry, builds stronger relationships, and helps individuals overcome adversity. The word ‘gratitude’ is often seen in cheesy slogans on gift store mugs, which causes many people to dismiss the idea of the practice being associated with improved mental health. Plus, pessimism is a common problem in the world — most individuals struggle to understand how writing a thank you note or journaling can help them view the world more positively. But, that’s what gratitude does — it makes people see the good in the little things and express their emotions. UC Davis Psychology Professor and American Psychologist Robert Emmons said gratitude is “a relationship-strengthening emotion
because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people.” Beyond its physical and emotional benefits, the practice of expressing gratitude also encourages individuals to participate more in daily activities at school or work. It encourages people to understand the value of the things around them, which, in return, makes them less likely to take it for granted. Furthermore, those who express their thankfulness also have a higher sense of self-worth. When you recognize the role that others have played in your life in helping you achieve your goals, you become more appreciative of your own skills. This can help people transform the way they see themselves and make them less anxious. However, while gratitude has several positive benefits, it’s not necessarily the easiest practice. It’s difficult to be vulnerable and express our emotions to the people around us. But, you don’t have to rush into practicing gratitude — it’s a step by step process that focuses on shifting your mindset. There are many ways to cultivate gratitude on a daily basis, including writing thank you notes, keeping a gratitude journal, and meditating. Focus on the small moments you’ve experienced that have made you happier. Now, I make sure I express my gratitude to everyone around me, even if it’s just through a small “thank you.” Show the people around you that you care about them, and don’t limit it to just the holiday season. ▪
For as long as I can remember, my family’s always told me to “surround yourself with the right people.” Make friends with people who are smarter and kinder — make friends who fill the gaps in yourself. But when I was little, friendship meant seeking similarity, finding people who acted and thought like me, and made me comfortable. Now, as I’ve grown and become acquainted with a much broader group of individuals, I think I have a better idea of what the “right person” means. I’ve had my great share of messy relationships, feeling stuck in echo chambers of groups of people I know and love, but didn’t feel seen by. Friendships need a foundation of trust and safety: you should be able to speak your mind, set a boundary, and change, with the knowledge that your friend will still love you on the other end. At the same time, however, I think the people who have made the biggest impact on me are also the ones who’ve made me question myself when I’m in their presence. Those relationships started by humbling me, daring me to grow. But finding friends who can balance these factors is terribly difficult, and here are a few lessons I’ve learned from over the years about meeting the right people. Number one, explore yourself. Finding someone who sees you starts with knowing where you’ll meet them. Engage with what you enjoy, and understand that your own amalgamation of personal
qualities and passions is more than enough to interest people who will care for you and are worth caring for. Next, start small. The biggest hurdle is recognizing and reaching out to that first person. There’s a lot of effort that goes into this, whether it’s getting over the fear of being vulnerable, or admitting to someone that you found them inspiring or cool. But in the worst case scenario, your relationship as strangers doesn’t change. There’s nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Finally, pay attention. A lot of relationships have changed me: made me less anxious, a bit kinder, and more outgoing, among other things. And I did so by watching and listening. Little things, like how people slow down to pay attention to others or plan group hangouts, are what inspired me first. And they’re what challenged me to make those small changes to the way I approach my own life. I’m now in a place where I only have a few close friends, but a lot of people I’d love to know. I’ve become better at seeing the good qualities in people, and also at being able to openly acknowledge and admire beautiful traits. Although I’m far from being perfect at making friends or being a good friend, remaining conscious of the people I choose to surround myself with has made a great difference in how I approach my relationships. As the school year progresses, let’s all work on finding ourselves and our people. ▪
The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board
Prioritizing impact over image in community service MSJ’s Fall Service Week took feeling as if a simple repost or craft is cations, and fulfill service hour replace from October 16-20, featur- enough, which risks surface-level ac- quirements, it’s easy for discussions ing activities such as making paper tivism replacing direct volunteerism regarding widespread issues to lose lanterns and crafting bear-shaped or advocacy (i.e. protesting). In order their nuance. As many students race towels. While these activities are in- for these service measures to make an to establish their own nonprofits — tended to address widespread issues, impact, it’s necessary to incorporate feeling pressured to gain a leadership such as cancer and homelessness, more impactful activities and events title for personal benefit and abanclubs tend to focus on the aesthet- that directly contribute to a cause doning their organization after gradics and “cuteness” of their events to — such as Swab4MSJ’s kit-making uation — the discourse surrounding increase online publicity and mar- events and MSJ iKnit’s annual scarf- service clubs and global issues shift as keting — ultimately prioritizing im- making event for the homeless. we associate volunteering with a way age over impact. Especially at MSJ, Similarly, the New York Times of obtaining personal gains, rather students often have the privilege of writer Alina Tugend said, “Stud- than understanding more about the looking away from global problems, ies have shown that generally, com- issue at the core of service-based such as educational inequality and munity service for whatever reason events. Many at MSJ sink into this human rights crises, because we are is a good thing. But how it’s done pitfall, but considering the 230 nonnot directly impacted. However, our and whether it also involves service profit organizations near Fremont privilege gives us a valuable opportu- learning — that is, lessons that dis- and many school-based service clubs, nity to educate ourselves on global cuss homelessness, say, or hunger in a we can overcome these roadblocks by issues and meaningfully give back. larger context — make a difference.” educating ourselves on the issues we Given that many of us live in Although some clubs and organiza- volunteer for and checking our priviwhat’s known as the Bay Area bubble tions may actually end up having lege to help others indiscriminately. with its high housing prices, it’s easy far-reaching impacts on global isAside from formal volunteering to become detached from seemingly sues, these impacts often get lost in organized by nonprofits, students external issues like homelessness and the little activities or arts and crafts can individually give back in their succumb to ignorance in fear of feel- that members participate in. As a re- own avenues as well, such as contribing uncomfortable. Our buffer of sult, people become detached from uting to donation drives. Although privilege disconnects us from issues the cause they are supposedly sup- marketability and aesthetics are others may experience, preventing porting because they don’t realize important aspects of successful volus from caring enough to make sub- that when making carebear towels unteering events, they should not stantial change. According to the or decorating luminaria, they are be the primary focus. Instead, orgaPew Research Center, while 50% actually helping cancer patients, for nizations should use their platform of Americans consider themselves example. Regardless of the activity to advocate for relevant issues and politically active on social media, and the extent of their impact, it’s provide opportunities for their peers only 19% have taken the initiative crucial for service clubs to emphasize to give back while understanding the to research information on protests the purpose of their events so there is impact of their volunteering. ▪ and rallies or actively advocate for a greater understanding among parsocietal change. While engaging in ticipants about their actions helping “cute” service events appealing to the their community and beyond. public or reposting aesthetic InstaMoreover, considering volunteergram infographics is vital to gaining ing at MSJ is commonly viewed as a publicity, it can also result in people way to boost resumes, college appli-
By Kaylee Liu & Lucy Yao News Editor & Staff Writer
NEWS EDITOR KAYLEE LIU
STAFF WRITER LUCY YAO
Thursday, November 16, 2023
The Smoke Signal
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Opinion 5
College Protests and Student Freedom of Speech By Rajorshi Chatterjee, Tushara Devapatla, Jeffrey Li & Ethan Yan Staff Writers
“More than 1,300 people slaughtered in Israel, including at least 32 American citizens. Scores of innocents — from infants to elderly grandparents, Israelis, Americans — taken hostage,” President Joe Biden said when describing the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began on October 7. As this conflict escalates, many Americans are split on which side to support. College students across the US from schools such as Columbia University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Indiana University have expressed their opinions on the topic, but their right to free speech is threatened by influential figures in the workforce who aim to quell proPalestine opinions. Despite this, a fundamental part of growing and developing as students is discussion, especially about real, pressing world events. In order to enhance their educational experience, colleges should not only encourage but also ensure expression of students’ political views and ideology. Pro-Palestine students have continually had their political views used against them. For example, influential CEOs (Chief Executive Officer) such as Pershing Square Capital Management CEO Bill Ackman and FabFitFun Co-Founder and Co-CEO Michael Broukhim have requested a list of Palestine-supporting students to blacklist from their companies’ hiring processes. Similarly, according to the Columbia Spectator, Columbia University students involved in pro-Palestine protests have reported that their personal information has been added to doxxing spreadsheets, and that they have been harassed on campus. Sites such as the Canary Mission have doxxed students and professors for supporting Palestine, calling them antisemitic. If they want to be removed from the sites, they have to “reject the latent antisemitism”, part of which includes submitting a statement disowning their former views and promising to never engage in pro-Palestinian activism again. Despite Israel supporter’s attempts to
block pro-Palestine views, allowing students to freely form and express their opinions on complex problems is essential for their development. As students with the ability to participate in civic discussion, developing such critical thinking skills is vital, as they will have to come to their own informed conclusions about how they want to see their nation grow. However, by censoring students from freely expressing their political opinion, these figures stifle the ability of students to express themselves in an environment that students expect would teach them to think critically about society and the world around them. Censoring pro-Palestine voices is hypocritical when the purpose of a college education is to help students be more proactive in society and develop critical thinking skills, both of which are vital in the workplace. Furthermore, protests are one of the most effective ways of student expression. Though some express concerns over how these activities could disrupt students’ education, students have a right to peacefully dissent under the First Amendment, especially for issues as large as the Israel-Palestine conflict, especially since it may directly impact many Arab students and their loved ones. The protests serve as a way for them to exercise their rights, which is part of their civil education. However, according to the Columbia Spectator, Columbia police and campus security stood idle as Israel protesters harassed their peaceful protest. Colleges should exercise their authority to make their campuses safe and welcoming, but they cannot do this by being inactive and then punishing students for thinking otherwise. The damage that these colleges inflict by restricting student opinions extends far past their students. Being inactive in the face of the censorship of proPalestine sentiment restricts the view to only proIsrael opinions, simplifying a complex and destructive tragedy. Since its start, the war has cost many Palestinian lives. As of November 5, the Palestinian Health Ministry says that the Palestinian death toll has risen to 9,770 people, with most victims being women and
children. Trucks providing aid to Palestine are bombed by Israeli forces, and more than 1.4 million Palestinians have been forced to leave their homes. Even in Israel, around 1,400 people have died as of November 5, including many soldiers fighting against Palestinian civilians. Many fail to understand that these protests don’t necessarily support Hamas’ actions, nor are they antisemitic. Many simply aim to end the widespread death and humanitarian crisis that stemmed from the decade-long conflict between Israel and Palestine. Despite this, Western media and colleges seem to specifically show Palestinian protests, such as in Columbia University; the Palestinian protest was highlighted and condemned but not the opposing pro-Israel protest as being ignorant and supportive of terrorism. Focusing solely on who is “right” or “wrong” clouds the actual issue that needs to be addressed: the enormous loss of human life. By turning a blind eye to the censorship of one side, colleges actively ignore the true weight of this tragedy. As conflicts like these threaten student expression and political opinion, college administrations must take responsibility by standing with and protecting student freedom of expression. They should put an end to the censorship on their campuses by urging administration to help stop the censorship, whether that comes from the ignorance of the school themselves or corporations in their school. Students can also help the victims in Palestine by contacting their representatives and calling for a ceasefire or by donating to relief funds such as United Nations Children's Fund or the Muslims Around The World Project. Students should also stay well informed by following sources such as Associated Press News or the New York Times. Supporting clubs such as MSJ Bay Area Student Activists (BAStA) can help students further engage with the conflict. As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, colleges face less and less of a reason to continue turning a blind eye to the suppression of student opinions supporting the liberation of Palestine. It’s vital to take action now and help prevent more damage to innocent civilians. ▪
MSJ VOICES
“I think colleges should not allow their political standings to interfere with the basic purpose of the college as an educational institution. I think educating students without political bias is the best way to ensure that the students will make educated decisions based on their own opinions in the future. And this doesn't mean that colleges shouldn't teach politics. I just think that they should teach politics without introducing bias.” — Emma Zhou, 10
“I think colleges should stay nonpartisan. They should stay away from controversial issues, because I think it will a ect the school’s neutral standing. I think they should still make a firm stand for human rights But however, if you go into more controversial topics like abortion, it is very inappropriate for the school to make a decision on that, because it will negatively a ect their non-partisanship.” — Cham u, 9
“I think that [putting students on lists] is absolutely unacceptable. It’s intimidation and putting people's lives (because they got death threats) and futures at brands [at stake].” — History Teacher Katherine Williams
“I believe that colleges should allow free expression, especially peaceful demonstrations, but they should probably intervene when the protests or demonstrations become violent or they make a group of people feel extremely uncomfortable.” — Alex Duan, 10
"I have heard about this issue from Harvard and the CEOs trying to get rid of students supporting Palestine. I think that this is an abuse of power by the CEOs because they can't be getting rid of incredibly qualified people just because of their beliefs. As I also enter college next year and enter the job search, I would like to not have my opinions be used against me. — Stephen He, 12
“Is every supporter of Palestine suddenly a terrorist The idea of making lists of students based on their political views ought to be frightening people all over the political spectrum. The answer to antisemitism on campus should not be to lump every Arab, Muslim, and supporter of Palestine with terrorists or their supporters. Monitoring people who've done something wrong is one thing, but targeting students for their beliefs is a gross violation of the principles of free speech.” — ia e-Nguyen, 11
“I think that it's the responsibility of university administration to sort of retain a space for free speech and encourage an open market of ideas, where people exchange those ideas in a civilized way, and they also have a responsibility to keep everyone safe on the campus. So that is challenging, especially when young people tend to be more rabble rousers with protests and things like that. But it's vital that universities allow for free speech. That's why we have professor tenure, because then professors don't get fired for their political leanings. And so the same courtesy should be extended to students as well.”— Social Studies Teacher Joseph Usrey GRAPHICS GRAPHICSBY BYOPINION OPINIONEDITOR EDITORANNIE ANNIEXU XU
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e t r n i B W o o T A t S C L a A m T I G p i D December 2023 BOOT CAMP SCHEDULE DECEMBER 26–29 + JANUARY 2–5
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Opinion & Feature 7
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SB 808 Sexual Harrassment Complaints
“On October 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 808, which will require California State Universities(CSUs) to publicly disclose the outcome of sexual harassment complaints and investigations. This bill follows complaints of officials failing to properly investigate accusations and document complaints as well as cultures of hatred and misogyny towards students, and also requires universities to report the number of sexual harassment reports, how the case was settled, the number of hearing associated with a complaint, and the amount of time an investigation took to complete. Is this bill addressing such systemic issues properly? Does it violate the privacy of the people involved in these sensitive matters?”
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“Because [SB 808] does not disclose any information about the victims, I believe it is a good step to ensuring campus safety. Campus sexual harassment and assault is a prevalent issue across the states and is oftentimes overlooked and easily dismissed. Transparency will ensure that universities take appropriate measures to punish such crimes in the future, and that perpetrators take accountability.”
“I think the bill is addressing these systemic issues properly. While to an extent, it might violate the privacy of the people involved in these matters, it’s best that they come to light
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again. I think if the victims don’t want to be
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“So I think that it is a little bit of a violation of privacy, especially for the victim of the case. I don’t think that it’s a violation of the privacy of the person who committed the crime, since it’ll be on their record and they did commit a horrible crime. If the CSUs were to publicly disclose the outcome of the sexual harassment complaints and the identities of the victim, that will be going too far considering that the victim obviously has a right to privacy, especially in something as severe as a sexual harassment complaint. I do think that it’s a good step towards curbing these sexual harassment issues, especially in universities where a lot of these things happen, so at least they’re being very thorough and comprehensive about dealing with those issues. But I feel like there’s more effective ways of doing that that don’t involve violating the privacy of people involved. If the CSUs can be more clear about the punishments, like, maybe making the punishments slightly more severe, that’d be a good way of deterring that and also making it more well known that sexual harassment is not tolerable. So yeah, I think it’s a step in the right direction for stopping sexual harassment or lowering it, but I do think there’s better ways.”
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so that there’s less chance of it happening disclosed, that’s fine, but the perpetrators
should definitely be named publicly ...
just to show that their actions can have consequences. And it’s so that they learn in the future to never do that kind of thing again.” “I’d say I agree with this law because it forces universities to take topics such as sexual * harassment seriously… as they should be taken and this law makes the universities tell the public about what happens when someone reports sexual harassment, so universities are kind of forced to be more honest. And like when they have to show what their students are doing, it can make people who do bad things think twice, knowing that their actions could be exposed and lead to bad consequences. It also basically makes universities a lot [more fair] and more open about dealing with sexual harassment, and I think that can help a lot with inappropriate behavior like that.”
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PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS ANANDITA DEVATA, NAISHA KOPPURAPU, KEERTI KOYA & ARUSHI SINGH
Dear Diary: Golu Doll DOLLS
By Anandita Devata Staff Writer Navaratri, the Hindu celebration of Shakti, or feminine power, consists of poojas, or ritualistic prayers, primarily dedicated to three different goddesses: Durga, goddess of strength; Lakshmi, goddess of wealth; and Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and music. During this festival, many families set up golus, staircase-shaped arrangements of dolls that have been handcrafted in different parts of the world. These innovative exhibits can feature anything from a magical scene depicting villagers at a wedding to a modernized ice-skating rink made from cotton balls and construction paper. For this year’s festival, join Nila, a papier-mâché Siberian tiger, as he embarks on a journey from pre-Golu assembly through the ten back-breaking days of Navaratri.
October 14: Assembly
October 16: Durga Pooja
FINALLY I can breathe, after a whole year of being stuck between a cardboard box and a wad of newspaper and bubble wrap. I don’t think I could have stood one more minute of reading newspaper articles titled “India beats Pakistan by seven wickets in the Cricket World Cup.” Go India, but I have bigger wickets to knock down, like being able to cellularly respire. Wait a second, this place doesn’t seem familiar. The golu is nine s t e p s now — the most elaborate one I’ve ever seen was five. There are dozens of new idols, and surprisingly, I’m not even worried about losing my center spot. These statues can pray all they want to the 330 million gods, but I’m sure that not even one will listen to them.
I’m so angry I could explode into little papier-mâché shreds. I’m not even on the stairs this year! Instead, I’ve been cast aside, left to fend for myself, in this pathetic scene labeled “Jungle.” Deer and turtles sit next to me, as if I wouldn’t eat them if I weren’t made out of paper. Last year, I was the spotlight, sitting at the center of the top stair, the seat of Goddess Durga, the focus of everyone’s attention. Now some random lion I’ve never seen before has taken my spot. At least I don’t have to deal with kumkum and akshata all over me. And the flowers, too — it’s actually kind of funny to watch the lion get covered by a whole pile of them instead of me. Let’s see how long he lasts before he breaks, and maybe then I can reclaim what’s rightfully mine.
October 20: Lakshmi Pooja
October 22: Saraswati Pooja
October 24: Vijayadashami
October 26: Post-Navaratri
You know, I think I might actually enjoy being in a corner of the Golu. I have no work to do, and this family is so entertaining to watch. The dad is nodding off during the pooja, and the kids are playing chopsticks behind their mom’s back. Hilarious considering that Lakshmi pooja is meant for us to purify our minds and focus on God, or at least on something useful — Ow. Not again. The girl just kicked the entire Jungle scene onto its side. I can’t believe these weaklings toppled over the moment she touched them. Now I have to wait for the mom to realize they’ve fallen over. They’ll probably be there for a while.
“The gathering starts at 5 p.m.,” they said. “We’ll be on time,” they said. Well, this is a classic case of IST (Indian Standard Time). It’s almost 7 p.m., and people have just started arriving. Whoa, that’s a lot of people all at once. I swear, Hindus must have this sixth sense that tells them exactly how late others will be to an event because everyone arrives within ten minutes of each other. Oh, look, there’s a little kid pointing at me. Wow, he just had to call me a funny-looking zebra. I’m a majestic Siberian tiger, get your facts right. I bet you wouldn’t like it if I called you a largely misshapen orangutan, would you? Geez, kids these days need to find some manners.
I can’t believe it’s only been 10 days. It feels like it’s been a decade since I was put in this sorry little jungle. I don’t think I can bear this humiliation anymore. Literally no one has looked at me for the past two days. Well, except for that insolent brat from two days ago. Even this family left the house to go to the temple today. Why did they even bother to set up the Golu if they weren’t going to pray at home on the most important day of the festival? Honestly, I’m praying that I get trampled on or broken before next year so I’m not put in an even more embarrassing part of the Golu, whatever that could possibly be.
I can’t breathe. There’s literally the biggest Lord Krishna statue lying on top of me in Box #3. What is this thing even made of ? It weighs at least 25 pounds. This is even more disgraceful than the time when I was shoved to the side of my box, surrounded by random dolls I didn’t even know existed. You know what, there’s always next year. If I’m not at the center then, there’s still the year after that. I’d rather not sacrifice my precious mental health over these trivial matters. I’ll just hibernate until then.
GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITORS ANUSHKA VASUDEV & CALLIE YUAN, FREEPIK.COM
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Thursday, November 16, 2023
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BEFORE
AFTER
As a seasoned professional in the crafting department, I am absolutely confident in my abilities to secure first place with a float comparable to the actual parade attractions. Granted, for past projects like this, the materials and instructions were always conveniently handed to me, and I often relied on adept partners for any tasks that required artistic skill. Nevertheless, I know without a doubt that my innate talent will shine through, and everyone Ma-cy that my beautiful creation truly deserves to win.
Well, what did I say? Call me Michelangelo, because I’m the most talented sculptor of the 21st century. After spending countless hours molding each individual feather on my turkey, picking dried clay and plasticine from my hair, and prying my super-glued fingers apart, I am pleased to reap the success of my hard work. I would like to thank my grandmother for my artistic genes and talent, YouTube for guiding me through the crafting process, and my parents for splurging on unnecessary materials I didn’t need.
Michael Q : u nd
BEFORE
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ally Han S : th
On November 23, the 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place in New York City, NY. Featuring new floats featuring characters like Monkey D. Luffy, Beagle Scout Snoopy, and Blue Cat & Chugs, this year’s parade has a spectacular lineup of massive floats set to fly across the streets. Inspired by the holiday cheer, four Smokies rose to the challenge of designing their own miniature parade floats.
t: s 1
BEFORE To be quite frank, I have virtually no experience in arts and crafts, with my greatest artistic achievement being a sock puppet I cobbled together in second grade. However, what I lack in skill I make up for in enthusiasm. Exploring the uncharted territory of designing and crafting will not only provide me with a fresh perspective but also help me unearth new interests. I firmly believe that my willingness to learn will let me infuse passion into my work and float away with the W.
AFTER Going into this competition, I was fairly confident that my miniature replication of The Elf on the Shelf would sneak away with first place. However, when I tried to design the float, I ran into a Macy’s-float-sized problem. How was I going to perfectly recreate the bent knees of the elf? I attempted to do deep research into how to carefully string balloons together. Unfortunately, Halloween decorations and a precalculus test demanded my attention, so I resorted to decorating the elf’s head and outfit with materials I already had at home. With balancing such a hectic week and trying to craft my unique float, I’m just thankful that I didn’t place last.
BEFORE With my experience in creating do-ityourself miniature dollhouse kits off Amazon (unfinished perhaps, but with potential!), I will surely sweep the competition with my intricate float. While I may not have the detailed instructions and vision created for me this time, I believe in the artistic skills I’ve cultivated from my humble beginnings of kindergarten creations. My float will surely impress the judges and blow the other competition out of the water.
H a n n ah
Bi
AFTER Second place is good enough for me, and knowing that the hours spent toiling away in my room, copying step-by-step origami tutorials from 5-Minute Crafts, weren’t for naught only adds to my satisfaction. Though I didn’t take first place, I did undergo intense personal growth, transforming from a person with no artistic talent to a person with no artistic talent and numerous paper cuts on their hands. In all seriousness though, this DieHard TryHards was a blast, and I applaud my fellow competitors for their unique and well-crafted floats.
: Lu d 3r
c a s Zh
an g
Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has always been the traditional way to kick off the holiday season for my family. Every year, my family gathers around the TV screen, and I admire the mobile, lightweight, building-sized balloons carried by marchers on the streets of New York City. The way these gravity-defying giants are put together just adds to the miracle on 34th Street, and I am determined to replicate it through my creative engineering skills. This year, I will shrink one of these colossal creatures down and display it to the judges to take first place.
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AFTER To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much with the final placings for the floats. In the middle of constructing my float, I had gotten sick and my grand vision for my float was left unfulfilled. I had sadly spent most of my healthy days on the main attraction, the pagoda, and was unable to complete my glorious float in its full beauty. I’m thankful that I managed to finish it in the end though, and hopefully next time I’ll have luck on my side and be in perfect health for the next DieHard TryHards. PHOTOS BY FEATURE EDITOR CALLIE YUAN. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR CALLIE YUAN
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Thursday, November 16, 2023
Thursday, November 16, 2023
NGER U H T S IN A G A S D
12.8% of US households experienced food insecurity in 2022. To explore this issue, the Smoke Signal spotlighted organizations working to combat food insecurity in the community.
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Created by the Boy Scouts of America in 1985, Scouting for Food assists those vulnerable to food insecurity by collecting non-perishable food items every November. In a two-week process, Scouts first distribute flyers door-to-door to inform locals of the program, coordinating with other troops to cover every area; they return to collect food attached to the flier on the second week. In the Bay Area, Scouting for Food collected more than 49,500 pounds of food last year. “The whole point of it is to go and help people who are less fortunate in their circumstances and make things a little bit easier by bringing food,” Senior Tyler Murai from Troop 0020 said.
l o v
rs food ban e e t k un
Tri-c it y
Founded in 1970, Tri-City Volunteers Food Bank (TCV Food Bank) is a nonprofit organization based in Alameda County that serves low-income individuals in Fremont, Newark, and Union City. Providing for low-income communities, the organization aims to address hunger in the Tri-City area by ensuring access to nutritious food for all residents by 2028. It supports up to 13,000 individuals monthly, providing assistance with groceries. With more than a thousand volunteers, TCV Food Bank efficiently distributes 3.6 million pounds of food annually. By receiving food from the Alameda County Community Food Bank and fresh produce from local farmers, TCV Food Bank is able to deliver nourishment to those in need.
During the holiday season, Leadership 2 (L2) holds their annual Fall Canned Food Drive, in which boxes are left in students’ third period classrooms. To incentivise donations, L2 announced that the classroom with the most cans donated will win free pizza and boba tea. These cans are donated to Abode Services, an organization dedicated to helping low-income and shelter-insecure people. Last year, Mr. Robinson’s third period class donated around 220 cans, earning pizza for the entire class in the process. “Especially during the time of giving, the canned food drive is integral for Abode Services. By donating cans, it brings our MSJ community together to help feed the hungry,” L2 Community Head Senior Sasmitha Rajesh said.
SURVEY DATA *Data collected through anonymous Google Forms survey with 140 respondents
prevalence of food insecurity WITNESSED IN DAILY LIFE 12.9%
Uncommon Intermittent
85%
Common
“While I myself do not suffer from food insecurity, I am aware that there are many people who do. Even in the US, a supposedly developed country, food insecurity is still a major problem that we need to take action to solve.” — Sidharth Bhatt, 11
“Though the holiday season is often labeled as a time of giving, I think it’s important to volunteer at local food pantries and donate throughout the year to solve this issue.” — Raina Wu, 11
“There are people who cannot afford food which is a crucial part of our daily lives in order to stay healthy and alive. Helping solve food insecurity is important because it helps distribute food to those who need it.” — Kaelin Tsang, 11
While Thanksgiving is often associated with holiday giving, after the holiday season passes, many seem to forget that food insecurity remains a persistent and daily struggle for others around the world. To take action, students can spread awareness of this issue online, help educate others in their community, or even volunteer at one of the local food banks.
L2 FA LL d Food Drive nne Ca
After visiting Honduras in 1974 following a devastating hurricane, Richard Proudfit founded Kids Against Hunger, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating world hunger based in Minnesota. With the help of Proudfit’s corporate associates, he and his team successfully developed nutritious MealPacks, made of dry ingredients and requiring only boiling with water or microwaving to prepare. MealPakcs provide nourishment for starving children with protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins. The nonprofit organization aims to eradicate world hunger by serving people globally, starting locally with cities in the US. In Fremont, Kids Against Hunger works with youth volunteers on school sites to prepare boxes of packaged meals to distribute to local food pantries. Nearly 10,000 Fremont students have assisted refugees and contributed to school feeding by packaging meals. “This is really a labor of love, for me and the team ... the joy of giving is far greater than receiving ... and we’re in this bigger community to work on this together,” Executive Director of Kids Against Hunger Alice Lu said.
Established in 2019, MSJ Kids Against Hunger is an organization affiliated with Kids Against Hunger Fremont. MSJ students help coordinate and participate in meal-packing events that distribute food to areas in need throughout the world. “MSJ Kids Against Hunger helps set up packing events for Kids Against Hunger Fremont. Kids Against Hunger goes to a school every month and packs meals, which are shipped out to many places like Africa, Ukraine, and here in our community,” MSJ Kids Against Hunger Vice President Sophomore Sahir Gupta said. Past events include hosting meal-packing events at Joshua Chadbourne Elementary School and Lila Bringhurst Elementary School. In addition, the club has hosted several fundraisers, partnering with other school organizations such as MSJ DECA to raise money for both the club and Kids Against Hunger Fremont. Though their meal-packing efforts are exported throughout the world, a significant amount directly benefits the MSJ community. “Many of the meals that are packed go to homeless shelters and people in need around Fremont,” Gupta said.
MSJ KI
On October 25, the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture found that 12.8% of US households experienced food insecurity in 2022. To explore this issue, the Smoke Signal organizations working to combat insecurity in the MSJ community. Onspotlighted October 25, the Economic Research Servicefood of the United States Department of Agriculture found that
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“Food insecurity is unfortunately a very prevalent issue that millions of Americans deal with. While many may incorrectly construe that this only affects those in underprivileged or low income areas, food insecurity can plague much of the lower middle class as well. Growing up in the Bay Area I have never been affected by food insecurity and have only encountered it when donating to a canned food drive or volunteering for a soup kitchen.” — Sriya Vintha, 10
MSJ CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
By Rajorshi Chatterjee, Sarah Hu, Brittany Lu, Maryam Naseer & Vidyuth Sridhar
em r F r e g n Hu
Centerspread 11
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FOOD INSECURITY
Food insecurity, the persistent concern of access to sufficient and affordable food at all times, is a pressing issue affecting millions of families worldwide. According to the World Food Programme, around 345 million people face acute levels of food insecurity in 2023, and do not know where their next meal will come from. The extent of food insecurity can be influenced by poverty, fluctuating food prices, and lack of access to nutritional food, spanning a spectrum from mild to severe. Mild cases include a lack of nutrition or quality in meals, while severe cases involve situations where families struggle to acquire food and have irregular eating patterns. This often results in a higher risk of child development issues, malnutrition, chronic illness, obesity, and mental illness. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the loss of jobs and the downturn of the economy made it more difficult to afford food, furthering the severity of food insecurity. In addition, school lockdown cut off access to school meals, which were an essential food source for some students. To combat this, FUSD offered drive-through food pickups for everyone under 18 years old at Washington High School, Kennedy High School, and nearby elementary schools. However, not all school districts were able to provide the same amenities, and devastating health effects caused by the lack of- food during the pandemic continue to have lasting repercussions on families and children. The global prevalence of food insecurity is a substantial issue, highlighting the imperative need for comprehensive solutions to ensure nutritious and affordable food for all. -
Established in 2016, Salaam Food Pantry is a local food pantry aiming to build a stronger community by fighting hunger. It holds monthly food distribution events, serving around 350 food bags to the underprivileged. Youth volunteers assist in the setup and distribution of food bags with nonperishable food items, along with fresh produce and bread. In addition, Salaam Food Pantry serves homebound seniors in the Fremont 94538 area through the monthly Senior Breakfast Program, providing milk, bread, and eggs to 70 seniors. “I really enjoy helping our neighbors and those in need. ... This work is done by adult volunteers and students, and that is what excites me, seeing youth volunteers waking up early to come and help their neighbors,” Founder Naseer Irfan said.
The Smoke Signal
Student Involvement
10 Centerspread
Relative Access to food Satisfactory Lacking
98.6%
Insecure
High Awareness
Awareness of local/government Moderate Awareness programs for food insecurity Low Awareness
Student Voices
13.6%
High Awareness
30%
56.4%
Moderate Awareness Low Awareness
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS RAJORSHI CHATTERJEE, MARYAM NASEER, PATCH.COM&& TRI-CITYVOLUNTEERS.ORG. GRAPHICS BY CENTERSPREAD EDITORS CHLOE GAO & ASHLEY PANG
12 Feature
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The Smoke Signal
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Guide to Student & Alumni Published Authors By Naisha Koppurapu, Keerti Koya & Lucy Yao Staff Writers
Arisha Anne Bhattacharya
R y a n Ta n g
November marks the start of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), piquing the interest and excitement of many young writers. This challenge bids writers across the country to create a novel in the span of 30 days, often serving as the start of aspiring young writers’ creative writing journey. The competition also helps expose budding authors to the extensive world of published writing. This month, the Smoke Signal will be covering the many MSJ students and alumni who have successfully entered that field, with many even publishing their works.
Ruhani K. Chhabra is an MSJ alumni of 2023, and a current student at UC Berkeley majoring in English. Despite having just started college, Chhabra is an avid writer and has been pursuing writing as a career for quite a long time, receiving many accolades and recognition for her work. She is a former staff writer for the Smoke Signal, a current staff writer for The Daily Californian, winner of the the New York Times 3rd Annual Personal Narrative Essay Contest, and a published author of two books. She also runs writing accounts on Instagram and TikTok under the name piecesbythestars in order to expand her outreach. Chhabra wrote and published her first book at the age of 10, titled The Karris Family, about a young girl coping with constant fights in her family, and later released her poetry book Pieces by the Stars in 2022. “When I was 10, I wanted to publish for the American Girl books … but I realized that that’s not really an option. But I still have a story and I want it to be published. And then I found that there’s something called self-publishing,” Chhabra said as she reflected on the start of her writing journey. As she evolves as an author, Chhabra hopes to branch out past her previous experiences in novel writing and journalism to explore and figure out what fields of writing she likes best. “I definitely want to continue dabbling in different genres. I love nonfiction. I love creative fiction. I love poetry. So anywhere where I can just have my own authentic voice, I like being involved in those areas,” Chhabra said.
MSJ Class of 2012 alumni and professional author Ryan Tang published his first book, Strength of a Thousand, in 2020 and has since pursued writing as his full-time career. As Tang embarked on his writing journey, he set a goal to write 100 books throughout his career, mostly venturing into the sci-fi genre. Tang is currently on track to reach this goal, with his 21st book recently released on November 1. His publishing journey involved both self-publishing and getting publishing agreements with small companies, such as Capital Station Books. “Whenever I write a book, audiobook publishers … or regular publishers ask to buy my book. So [the publishing process] was just about getting known, and then they reached out to me,” Tang said, reflecting on his publishing process. As Tang pursued writing as a career, he understood that it could have economic risks, such as his novel not doing as financially well as he had hoped. When asked about dealing with unsatisfactory results, Tang said, “You’ve got to be okay at picking yourself up. You can’t keep thinking that just because you wrote a book and it did bad that you’re a bad writer, and even though the book did bad, you just [have to] learn from it. I would say that just the determination to keep going no matter what is what allowed me to succeed at being a writer.”
Charleen Pan
Junior Charleen Pan discovered her passion for writing in seventh grade during the coronavirus pandemic. Inspired by her favorite authors Rick Riordan, Wendy Mass, and John Green, Pan wanted to create and tell similar stories as well. After setting aside an hour every day to write, and having a 30,000-word count goal during NaNoWriMo in 2020, Pan was able to publish her first novel The Moment I Have Been Waiting For on Sept. 25, 2021. The release fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a published author. With the help of her family and friends who proofread her work, she was able to self-publish her first book. “It was actually not a very stressful process; the main work was writing the story and the publishing process was much easier,” Pan said. Outside of being an author and full-time student, Pan currently runs an organization called the Young Publishers Program, which provides elementary school students with the same publishing opportunities she was given. “I thought it would be really interesting to help more students discover this passion that they could pursue for the rest of their life,” Pan said. In the future, Pan hopes to publish a few more books before college and continue encouraging aspiring writers to try their hand at publishing. “You can’t really go wrong with putting your imagination out there,” Pan said.
Ruhani Chhabra
For Senior Arisha Anne Bhattacharya, writing has remained a constant no matter where she lived, from India to the Philippines, to Portugal, and now to MSJ. Taking heavy inspiration from the cultures she’s been exposed to, namely Greek mythology, Bhattacharya hopes to publish her first standard chapter novel, Wrath of the Labyrinth, by the end of 2023. The publication process itself began in early October of this year. Because she is self-publishing and has already found an editor and artist for her work, the process itself has been quicker than usual. “Initially I was going to go with traditional publishing ... but because it’s my first novel, I wanted to have more control over how it went,” Bhattacharya said. Currently, she is working with Barnes & Noble, who will handle the publication and publicity, as she and an artist finalize the artwork and overall appearance, even deciding details like the color of her pages. Publishing isn’t the only way she’s pursued her love of writing. In order to build on her familiarity and remain connected with global issues, she created a blog, arishaanne.wixsite.com/ arishas-books, in which she posts opinion pieces regarding societal issues like the Israel-Hamas war. “Learn about different cultures, … read other people’s writing, ... even simple everyday life can have so much meaning ... [it all] opens up so many [more] doors for you because you start to learn so much more,” Bhattacharya said.
Lia Le-Nguyen Lia Le-Nguyen is a current junior at MSJ and is also a finalist of the 2023 Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate competition. Although she has been passionate about writing her whole life, after her fifth grade teacher praised her short story, she began considering pursuing poetry as a career rather than a hobby. Le-Nguyen has been reading her poetry in bookstores and libraries since this August, participating in events such as a monthly reading series called Lyrics & Dirges in Pegasus Bookstore, hoping to get her writing out into the world. With all her accomplishments, Le-Nguyen found that it grew increasingly difficult “to balance writing for the sake of writing something because it’s good, versus trying to write something for the sake of winning a contest or in order to please people.” She wanted to keep in touch with why she started writing, rather than seeing writing in a career-wise or accomplishment-based way. Le-Nguyen looks to continue to pursue writing and publish her works in the future. Her passion for writing grew throughout her time at MSJ as she used writing as her coping mechanism for stress. “Writing has always been something that I’ve enjoyed and I will always continue doing it. Not as a main career, but that is definitely something that I will always want to continue,” Le-Nguyen said.
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NAVYA CHITLUR & KEERTI KOYA, COURTESY ARISHA ANNE BHATTACHARYA, RUHANI CHHABRA & RYAN TANG. GRAPHICS BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KARINA HAN & FEATURE EDITOR ANUSHKA VASUDEV
Thursday, November 16, 2023
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The Smoke Signal
Arts & Entertainment 13
C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R
Killers of the Flower Moon is far too something to give each other gives fans excitement tedious an undertaking for most after 5 years
By Vidyuth Sridhar Staff Writer Released on October 20, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, though compelling and critically acclaimed, is a monotonous undertaking for the general audience. The film is based on John Grann’s 2017 novel Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, which examines the murders of more than 60 members of the Osage tribe in the 1920s by white settlers seeking to control the vast oil reserves discovered on tribal lands. It centers around Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a white settler who moves to his uncle’s ranch in Osage County. He is quickly pressured by his uncle, William “King” Hale (Robert De Niro), to help execute a scheme to marry prominent Mollie Burkhart (Lily Gladstone) and kill her and her family, ensuring that the rights to their petroleum-abundant land fall into Burkhart family hands. DiCaprio’s portrayal of Ernest keenly captures his internal materialism and fear of Hale, juxtaposed with his budding love for and guilt towards Mollie. However, Gladstone undoubtedly delivers the best performance, brilliantly conveying Mollie’s compounding grief, paranoia, and desperation as her family and community continues to die around her. Additionally, Killers of the Flower Moon commendably promotes media inclusivity, involving the Osage and indigenous community throughout the filmmaking process. The film was partially shot on-location in various parts of the Osage
UNDER THE RADAR By Padma Balaji Staff Writer
One of the fastest-rising artists in hip-hop, Isabel Garcia, professionally known as Izye, is a 22 year old singer-songwriter native to the Bay Area. Growing up in Newark in a very musical family, Izye always felt music was in her blood. After taking vocal lessons from the age of 12 and studying musical theater for five years, Izye later moved to Los Angeles to pursue music in college, where she still lives today. Since her very first single “24 Hours,” which she released independently when she was 17, Izye’s music and personality has stood out as outspoken and brutally honest, providing a fresh perspective in today’s music industry. Inspired by the likes of Ariana Grande, JoJo, and Demi Lovato, her music is a blend of R&B and pop, characterized by its funky synth beats and powerful lyrics. She released her debut album F**K BOYS, GET MONEY!!! in 2022, which earned praise for its raw, unfiltered exploration of heartbreak and its unique sound. The album’s inspiration comes from a breakup she went through, channeling her heartsick feelings and energy into making music. Since then, Izye has released two more singles, “YSL” and “selena,” both of which have been just as well-received and well-crafted as her earlier music. Overall, her songs are a brilliant exploration of love, heartbreak, power, and everything in between. Although Izye felt she was always destined to be a musician, the journey hasn’t always been smooth for her. As an independent female hiphop artist, she often struggles with imposter syndrome and feelings of discouragement. However, the cutthroat industry has only made her more tenacious and stubborn, a testament to the success hard work and perseverance can produce. Currently, Izye is working on several music videos and hopes to branch out into more live performances, video shoots, and collaborations in the coming future. ▪
By Fiona Yang Staff Writer
IMDB.COM
reservation and prominently features indigenous actors playing lead Osage roles, enhancing its authenticity. The last scene features an aerial shot of the Osage performing a tribal dance, showcasing how the nation continues to thrive today in spite of the murders. Unfortunately, whilst the film’s nuance and complex historical narrative has helped it garner an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, it sacrifices the majority of viewers who may not have been previously familiar with or as invested in the Osage murders; the multilayered narrative of historical greed, racism, and paranoia introduces many different plotlines that leave audiences scratching their heads to piece it all together, creating confusion throughout the film. Despite serving as the central impetus of the plot, the Osage murders themselves also seem like afterthoughts — either quickly depicted in near-total darkness, or occuring offscreen. Most importantly, the
film’s large 3 hour and 26 minute runtime proceeds at a snail’s pace and lacks narrative variety – consisting predominantly of abrupt cuts between trivial dialogue with little in-between. This significantly bores and disengages viewers from the storyline, outweighing its riveting historical basis and lead acting. Overall, Killers of the Flower Moon admirably highlights the systemized oppression of the Osage community through the guidance of Scorsese and memorable actor performances. However, its sluggish pacing and convoluted narrative loses the average moviegoer; there are many moments that beg for a fast-forward button, and others where you’re wishing you could rewind what just flew over your head. ▪ Grade: C-
November 2023 Student Faves MOVIE: Casablanca — Ishaan Awasthi, 11 TV SHOW: Gilmore Girls — Vrindha Moka, 12 ALBUM: hopeless foutain kingdom by Halsey — Himani Malur, 12 BOOK: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo — Melody Gao, 9 GAME: Clash Royale — Aravind Muralidharan, 10
Released on October 13, Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan’s heart-touching album Something to Give Each Other marks his sensational return as his first album after five years. Sivan’s music career took off at age 18 when he signed with Universal Music and has since then attracted popularity for his synth pop music with hints of electronic dance elements. Sivan pours all his emotions, collected during the pandemic, into his music: isolation, longing, and unbounded affection, describing it in an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe as “written almost as a fantasy about what [he] wanted to happen.” Similar to his last album Bloom, Sivan continues to explore love as a queer musician. Throughout Something to Give Each Other, Sivan’s meticulously written lyrics complement the emotions he presents to the listener. In his third single “One of Your Girls,” his artistic lyricism is clear with his request of “Give me a call if you ever get lonely / I’ll be like one of your girls or your homies,” conveying feelings of jealousy masked by characteristics of self-sacrifice and thus evoking despondent memories for the listener. Sivan’s ability to convey his amalgamation of emotions with words is also cleverly expressed in “Silly,” singing “‘Cause you really know me, yeah / But you don’t wanna know me.” Sivan emphasizes the pure desperation of being in love, emotions and experiences which listeners easily empathize with. Full of lyrical talent, he elucidates his heartache and suffering with a balance of subtlety and depth, highlighting the album’s emotionally evoking songwriting. Immediately starting from the
SPOTIFY.COM
press of the play button, the album draws the listener in with the irresistible beats in his first single, “Rush.” With a combination of house and EDM beats, Sivan produces an addicting pulse reminiscent of a racing heartbeat during a thrilling party. As the tracks progress, Sivan’s noticeable and skillful use of a robotic filter effect in “One of Your Girls” allows him to delineate the raw pain he wishes to express to his audience. The pensive desolation continues into “Still Got It”; he uses breathy harmonies, angelic hushes, and soft beats to accentuate the bittersweet and nostalgic ambience. From ingenious sound effects to artful use of instruments, the album’s production elements undoubtedly prove to be one of its most attractive aspects. Overall, Sivan’s new album showcases beautiful lyrics and complex production elements, allowing him to express intricate layers of emotions. Something to Give Each Other is Troye Sivan’s expression of heartbreak; listeners embark with him on his journey of getting over heartache with lyrics depicting painful remembrances, carefully-layered synth beats, and cozy melodies, leaving fans excited for Sivan’s future works. ▪ Grade: A-
Priscilla : what elvis didn’t say
IMDB.COM
By Angelina Chen Staff Writer
Poignant yet haunting, director Sophia Coppola’s Priscilla offers a fresh perspective on the Elvis Presley narrative. Released on November 3, this biographical drama film features a gut-wrenching plot, unique visuals, and a well-developed soundtrack, as well as mixed performances from actors. Based on ex-wife Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me, the movie focuses on the dreamlike life of Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny), as she experiences the depths of toxic love with rock-and-roll star Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi). After meeting him at 14 years old while living in West Germany, Priscilla’s fairy tale quickly turns for the worse. Through her isolation in Elvis’ comically gaudy bedroom, she is subject to the darker side of Elvis’ stardom, from drugs to Elvis’ erratic behavior. As the pressure of celebrity life intensifies and Elvis’ substance abuse worsens, she is rudely awakened by
a reality of warped power dynamics and misplaced desires. Coppola’s expert storytelling allows viewers to see Priscilla’s perspective. Coppola’s interpretation of Priscilla’s life is not limited in scope by Elvis; the film’s uniqueness lies in its focus on Priscilla, allowing viewers to better understand her perspective. Instead of stating what the viewer should feel, Coppola reveals her message by displaying the effects of the relationship on Priscilla’s life. The emotional nature of Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship is akin to a drawn-out reverie. While the performances of the two main leads shine individually, Spaeny and Elordi are less compatible as an on-screen couple. However, Spaeny’s methodical and heartbroken performance is almost dull compared to Elordi’s energetic interpretation of Elvis when they are together. While some elements of their relationship are shown — early dates, Elvis’ unexplainable bouts of fury, and Priscilla’s initial awe — viewers never receive the full picture
of their love story. For instance, it is unclear why Priscilla fully commits to their relationship from the earlier scenes. This incomplete perspective negatively impacts the remainder of Elordi’s more lighthearted scenes. Despite Elvis Presley playing a defining role, the soundtrack takes a decidedly anti-Presley angle on multiple scenes throughout the film as they selectively align with Priscilla’s emotions. From a Ramones cover of The Ronettes’ “Baby, I Love You” to Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” the overly romantic tone of the songs playing in the background contrasts Priscilla’s desperation and heartbreak. By magnifying Priscilla’s emotions, the soundtrack allows viewers to experience a deeper connection to her character. The dissonant music also foreshadows the collapse of Priscilla’s relationship with Elvis. The conspicuous omission of actual Elvis songs enables the film to develop its own voice. Beyond the soundtrack and the visuals, the cinematography brings a muted tone to the film, maintain-
ing a level of distance between the viewer and Elvis and Priscilla’s wild relationship. The painstaking detail and complementary colors craft a new world for the viewer to experience, revealing the collapse of their relationship’s mirage in full glory. In one scene, the pink of Priscilla’s dress complements the green curtains behind her as she puts on makeup in an attempt to look perfect for Elvis’ arrival. In nearly two hours, the film delivers a poignant, aching story of the intoxication of celebrity love, the influence of addiction, and the abuse of power. From the heartrending plot and soundtrack to the actor’s mixed performances, Priscilla has plenty to offer. The fallout of Priscilla and Elvis’ relationship reads like a hero’s journey; viewers remember the broken mirage of their love is merely a piece of Priscilla’s story. ▪ Grade: A-
SMOKIE PLAYLIST: AARON: “Night Changes” by One Direction | AARYAN: “WY@” by Brent Faiyaz | ANNIE: “Drunk Walk Home” by Mitski | ANNIKA: “Awkward” by SZA | ANUSHKA: Nocturnal November “Style (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift | ASHLEY: “OLeander” by hannah bahng | CALLIE: “Toroka” by Christian Kuria | CHLOE: “All The Stars (with SZA)” by Kendrick
Lamar, SZA | ELTON: “Yellow” by Coldplay | GOONJA: “Homemade Dynamite” by Lorde | HANNAH: “TRICKY HOUSE” by xikers | JULIA: “I Wish You Would (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift | KARINA: “Chicken Tenders” by Dominic Fike | KAYLEE: “Dark Red” by Steve Lacy | JIYUN: “Body Paint” by Arctic Monkeys SANAH: “Where You Are” by John Summit, Hayla | VEDESH: “Louise” by TV Girl | WAYLON: “Jaded” by Drake | MRS. COHEN: “Feels So Good” by Chuck Mangione
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The Smoke Signal
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Thursday, November 16, 2023
The Smoke Signal
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Arts & Entertainment 15
The global music industry should prioritize the artist, not the company On October 16, the online music store and community Bandcamp was bought by Songtradr, the largest music licensing company in the world. Bandcamp, founded in 2007, hosts more than five million artists and labels and was acquired by Fortnite developer Epic Games in March 2022. The platform is popular for supporting lesser-known artists by letting fans buy downloads and physical media directly from artists and labels themselves. This shorter distribution process allows artists a greater cut of their products sold. While Songtradr promised to “keep all the existing Bandcamp services that fans and artists love,” artists can already sense differences in the platform; within the layoffs, Songtradr would not extend job opportunities to all eight members of the Bandcamp worker’s union negotiation team. The changes in employees at Bandcamp likely reflect upcoming changes in the financial structuring of the platform that will impact smaller artists who rely on the platform for their income. Songtradr taking over Bandcamp serves as an example of larger companies engulfing smaller music platforms to establish a monopoly over music artists and consumers. A monopoly keeps artists from the opportunity to negotiate better terms for the income they get from their music, a necessity for smaller artists with less leverage than more established artists While major changes have yet to occur at Bandcamp, this acquisition sets a threatening precedent that whatever leverage artists currently enjoy on their current platform may be taken by a corporation at a moment’s notice, forcing artists to rely solely on larger services such as Spotify. Bandcamp’s core mission to “help spread the healing power of music by building a
By Novak Chen, Keerti Koya & Lucas Zhang Staff Writers community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans,” along with their uncommon financial structure to pay artists, is important to support smaller artists in their careers. Bandcamp is most known for paying smaller artists higher sums and helping artists increase publicity more than mainstream music platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify. The platform also allows musicians to keep 82% of proceeds from their music, compared to streaming companies like Spotify that pay artists a fraction of a penny per stream. Due to significant increases in Bandcamp’s operating costs before the acquisition, Songtradr offered jobs to only 50% of Bandcamp’s employees. Most contributors to Bandcamp Daily, the platform’s publication to promote its artists, were part of the othBANDCAMP.COM er 50% of employees who were laid off as a An artist performs at Bandcamp’s Oakland store in 2019. result of this acquisition. These former em- moting Spotify Premium instead of song allows these artists to earn more money and ployees were able to find and spotlight un- lyrics. The company also placed further provides listeners with cheaper alternatives to derground artists in more unique ways, such restrictions on its users in India, with the many large streaming platforms that require a as through publishing an “Album of the implementation of paywalls on basic fea- premium subscription to access quality-of-life Day” and having a “Hidden Gems” tures such as skipping to a specific part in features. As music consumers, MSJ students can still section where they highlight less- a song and repeating songs. Through these er-known songs. This benefits types of actions, Spotify suppresses public support their favorite smaller artists through artists by giving them a form of access to the art of songs for their mone- other means outside Spotify. One of the best publicity, and allowing listeners tary gain, while the song artist gains noth- ways to do so is to buy the artist’s merchandise to discover smaller artists. While ing from the transaction. Such restrictions directly from their website instead of through Bandcamp focuses on its artists make it difficult for consumers to gain full a third-party platform. Students can also help and their success, many major access to their favorite artists’ music but by sharing an artist’s work wherever possible. music platforms do not take sim- have few other options due to other music Smaller and independent artists don’t have the ilar initiatives to spotlight small- platforms having similar restrictions on same media reach that established artists have through their record labels. Word of mouth as er artists. Songtradr’s acquisition of access to these features. As Spotify restricts its free features well as online methods such as social media Bandcamp ultimately represents a shift toward maximizing corporate profits instead for both music artists and listeners on its platforms are both accessible and easy ways of keeping what is unique about the platform platform, it is imperative that consumers to increase awareness of an artist. While the due to potential shifts in the revenue split be- direct their attention to the artists behind monopoly on the music industry continues the music instead of the platform hosting to grow, both artists and consumers of music tween the company and artists. Songtradr buying out Bandcamp is not the the music. Smaller services in the music must remember that large, mainstream platonly recent event negatively impacting the industry provide opportunities for less- forms are not the only viable ways to listen to music industry. As of September 6, Spotify er-known artists’ fanbases to grow since and support song artists’ works. ▪ began to paywall access to song lyrics, show- they are not overshadowed by larger arting non-subscribers an advertisement pro- ists on bigger platforms. This further GRAHPICS BY A&E EDITOR SANAH BHARDWAJ
SLIVER Pizzeria: A slice to remember By Tanvi Deshmukh, Sahas Goli & Shuhan Jin Staff Writers Founded in the heart of downtown Berkeley and even give their insight as to what foods are popular for most in 2013, SLIVER Pizzeria is a family-owned customers. Despite minimal staff, the food was prepared and business run by immigrants. Since then, served fairly quickly, with only a few minutes of wait time. the restaurant has blossomed into a There are also self-served napkins, utensils, and signature proud chain with seven locations spansauces offered to customers at stations placed inside the ning CA. Their most recent establishrestaurant. ment at 3658A Capitol Ave. opened The Waffle Fries and Corn on the Cob appetizers set a on August 10, introducing a delicious delectable tone for the meal. While the fries are not overoption to Fremont’s culinary scene. flowing with toppings, their simplicity and well-seasoned Dedicated to providing quality cuiflavor, complemented with caramelized onions, leaves sine, SLIVER Pizzeria relies exclusivea pleasant impression. Among the four daily pizza ly on vegetarian ingredients and fresh offerings, the Corn pizza, topped with corn kerproduce. “We wanted to create somenels, chile pasilla, yellow onions, and French feta thing that was an alternative option cheese, is mouth-watering. Its lime slice garnish to mainstream pizza … so we created serves as the perfect finishing touch, elevating a sourdough crust [and used] high-end the Mexican flavors and lending a tangy accent. cheeses and produce toppings,” SLIVER Between the signature Corn pizza and Potato Pizzeria Chief Executive Officer Eduardo pizza, each pie has decadent cheeses that fuse coPerez said. To give you a taste of what the hesively with other toppings. However, the Pizza restaurant offers, three Smokies sampled of the Day (on October 30), made with Roma tosome of the pizzeria’s renowned dishes, providmatoes, red onions, mozzarella, aged cheddar cheese, ing a slice of insight into what makes SLIVER fresh herbs, and garlic olive oil, proved disappointing Pizzeria stand out. with its underwhelming toppings and excessive oiliness. Upon entering the restaurant, customers are Nonetheless, SLIVER Pizzeria prides itself on its yeast-free greeted with a modern, New York-styled interior, sourdough crust, which adds a crisp texture and delightful nutty with a high ceiling, dim lights, and open space. flavor to its pizzas. The crusts in all the pizzas provide a pleasant underlying Seating ranges from toll booths to regular tables tone throughout. “It’s the highest digestible bread, and at our peaks, it both indoors and outdoors, and the subtle details, takes about 32 to 34 hours to be able to actually batch,” Perez said. such as dark lighting and black frames, are nice At $28 for a full pizza, SLIVER Pizzeria struggles against competitouches to the overall vibe of the restaurant. tors in a similar price range. Compared to larger chain stores, Sliver Though the overall layout and design inside pizzas tend to lack in the amount of toppings despite being the building favor minslightly more expensive. In addition, customers cannot imalism over creativorder single slices, meaning that it is best to go as a ity, the modern look group since the selection for individual portions is throughout the restaulimited to the daily specials and sides. rant is very pleasing to Overall, SLIVER Pizzeria stands as a testament to the eye. culinary innovation and dedication to quality. While Orders are taken at pricing may be higher compared to some competithe front register, where tors, their fresh, vegetarian ingredients and standout customers can view the pizza offerings make it a compelling dining experience unique selection of pizworth savoring. ▪ zas, appetizers, and dessert choices offered. The staff are Grade: B+ extremely nice and patient, PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS TANVI DESHMUKH, SAHAS GOLI & SHUHAN JIN. GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR GOONJA BASU
16 Sports & Advertisement
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Opinion: Equitable facilities are a sporting necessity By Brittany Lu & Vidyuth Sridar Staff Writers In high school sports, the quality and access to facilities can make or break a season—a convenient and well-equipped place to practice and compete is a necessity for every student-athlete. Yet this necessity remains unfulfilled at MSJ, where the lack thereof has become a concern for both MSJ Tennis and Track & Field. Despite practicing at MSJ, MSJ Boys and Girls Tennis are the only FUSD tennis teams that do not play home matches at school. Although on MSJ campus, the courts are partially owned by the City of Fremont as part of Mission San Jose Community Park. The City has refused to add windscreens – mesh screens attached to surrounding fences that help shield the courts against wind and sunlight – to the courts, preventing them from complying with NCS requirements. To adhere to NCS regulations, the team must commute to Central Fremont to play at the Fremont Tennis Center (FTC) during scheduled “home games”. Located more than two miles away from MSJ, players have gotten stuck in commuter traffic before matches, jeopardizing the team’s ability to compete.
“On [September 19 when] we played Washington High School, many people had tests or couldn’t leave early from their sixth period— and on top of that the traffic was unusually bad. Most people didn’t even get to warm up, as Washington’s coach was really strict about the timings. According to NCS rules, if you aren’t there by the time the game starts, you can get point deductions [or have to forfeit],” Junior Moksha Rawlani said. The MSJ tennis courts’ lack of protection from the wind also impacts MSJ Tennis’s ability to effectively practice for games at FTC. “There were many days where I really wanted to work on serving. And when it’s windy, your ball is going all over the place. But then when you go to FTC, the conditions are different. [The wind] 100% affects the quality of our practices, and that impacts our matches,” Girls Tennis Head Coach Paul Nissler said. In addition, MSJ features an ill-kept and outdated dirt track. To effectively practice, MSJ Track & Field sprinters frequently travel to Tak Fudenna Memorial Stadium not only for races, but for daily practices as well. Alongside the difficulty of transportation because many parents are
still at work, the sharing of Tak Fudenna’s track between MSJ and other FUSD schools is both unconventional and inconvenient; the overcrowding on the track increases the risk of serious injury for all athletes. Long-distance runners and field athletes who do largely practice at MSJ face an equally concerning challenge: a dirt track that lacks the consistency needed to prevent injuries and ensure peak performance. Especially during the rainy spring season, MSJ’s frequently muddy track, coupled with its uneven terrain, increases the risk of injuries and diminishes athletes’ progress. “When it rains, the facility becomes completely useless to us. And as students walk through the track on their way home, the footprints and bike tracks create divots that later harden and lead to twisted ankles if not leveled,” Track and Field Head Coach Brian Singleton said. Administrations and city officials must take more action to ensure that all FUSD student-athletes have equitable access to facilities. For example, the City of Fremont can allow
MSJ Tennis to install windscreens at Mission San Jose Community Park. The United States Tennis Association, the governing body of US tennis, also provides grants for developing facilities that the City of Fremont or FUSD can apply for to cover costs – enabling them to allocate more funds to construct all-weather facilities at each of their high school sites. “We are the only school district, possibly in the entire Bay Area, that forces five high schools to share the same track,” Singleton said. The MSJ community must identify and spread awareness of the situational and funding issues preventing the upgrading and use of MSJ facilities to match the quality and accessibility schools throughout FUSD and the Bay Area possess. For in order to create a fair and inclusive athletic community, MSJ requires facilities that can adequately support athletes’ growth and success. ▪ “We are the only school district, possibly in the entire Bay Area, that forces five high schools to share the same track,”
– TRACK AND FIELD HEAD COACH BRIAN SINGLETON
GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR AARON ZHOU
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Sports 17
Fall Sports Recap By Navya Chitlur, Sally Han, Ivy Lu, & Ethan Yan Staff Writers
Boys water polo The Boys Water Polo team had an exceptional season, ending with an NCS qualification for MSJ for the first time since 2017. Along with this achievement, the boys team also managed to finally defeat their greatest opponents, American High School in a tight game that they won 12-10. Though they faced several disadvantages, such as being much smaller in size than the Water Polo players of other school teams, the MSJ boys team won a great number of their games, marking this season as one of the best in MSJ’s records. “I think our team’s morale was really good. The other teams had physically stronger people, and maybe bigger people, but we were able to keep our calm in many losing situations and we won games which we wouldn’t have won normally,” says Varsity Boys Captain Doniv Vinod. The boys team also had a different coach this season, Amy Tolbertson, a former all league player from James Logan High School. She brought the team together and ensured their success throughout the season. “[Coach Amy] helped American [High School] win all of their MVAL games last year. So it’s really nice that we got the new guidance this year,” said Vinod.
Girls Golf
MSJ Girls Golf had an outstanding season this year, holding their top position in MVAL rankings and defeating their greatest opponent, Irvington High School. They took home the MVAL Championship title for the second year in a row, and qualified for NCS for the 11th time, defeating 13 teams and placing eighth in the overall tournament. Girls Golf Co-Captain Junior Michelle Woo won MVAL MVP for the third consecutive year, and the team as a whole continued to top charts, with four players making all-league and placing within the top ten at MVALs. However, Girls Golf struggled with mental challenges as well as losing six of their skilled seniors from the previous season. Since their games were based more on mentality, the team had to take each game step by step, especially in MVALs when they won against Irvington by a mere four strokes. “Just focus on the next shot, the next hole… just have the cleanliness to your mind. It’s a new swing. Just go to the next one,” said Girls Golf Co-Captain Senior Aanya Batra regarding her thought process and mindset during games. “[Before games], we just talked about [our] mindset and how to approach it, because the game of golf is mainly mind games.You have to have a positive attitude throughout,” Batra said.
Girls water polo
Girls Water Polo had an outstanding season, accomplishing record breaking feats such as winning almost all their division games, returning to NCS for the second year running, qualifying automatically for the second division, and defeating their greatest opponent, James Logan High School, for the first time since 2010. However, the team suffered some hard losses as well. After their win against Logan, the girls varsity team was hoping to maintain the same ferocity against Washington High School. “[The most] mentally challenging [game] was definitely the one against Washington because we didn’t play to our best abilities. It was just hard to keep fighting in the game while not feeling like you’re gonna lose,” Girls Varsity Captain Kira Clark says, reflecting on a 7-12 loss against Washington, a game that could have placed them first in league. Girls Water Polo coach Ryan Tang added, “[The team] exceeded my expectations in some areas because we won Girls Tennis performed exceptionally well this season, advancing to NCS [many games]. We managed to win all of our division with a season record of 13-1. Their biggest MVAL competitor, American, games and NCS too, but proved to be an even tougher opponent than last year, as Mission Girls we also fell short in some Tennis lost 9 seniors and had a lower turnout of new members than areas that I know the girls normal. However, they more than made up for it with their paswanted, like winning the Watsonsion, hard work, strategies, and positive mindset, leaping into ville tournament.”
Girls Tennis
each game with the intention to do their best. Girls Tennis Co-captain Senior Megha Hegde attributed their success to the team bonding between games and a continually welcoming and warm environment. “The mindset that we bring to the courts is that we’re going to have a lot of fun and we’re going to play our best. No match is ever going to be 100% perfect, but we’ll support each other. We will learn and grow and during the match we will keep trying to do our best and what happens, happens, but I always just learn and grow from that,” Hegde said.
Girls Volleyball
Girls Volleyball had an incredible season as they qualified for NCS with a season record of 21-10, and placed 2nd in MVAL when they had previously placed 3rd last year. With the addition of new girls to the team and the loss of three seniors, the team’s dynamic changed dramatically. The team unfortunately suffered a hard loss of 1-3 against American High School for the first game of the season, but, after the loss, the team worked hard to improve their teamwork together and won the next game against American. “The next time we played them we beat them three sets straight. It was an incredible moment and ultimately brought us from 3rd place to 2nd place in the league.” Girls Varsity Volleyball Co-Captain Junior Melissa Jin said. In the future, the team hopes to break through the first round of NCS, beat Logan High School, and make the newer players on the team feel welcome.
Boys and Girls Cross Country made an incredible run this season, qualifying for the NCS Championships once again after sweeping the Junior Varsity Boys and Girls Divisions, tying for first in the Frosh/ Soph Boys Division, and becoming runner ups in the Boys Varsity and Girls Varsity Divisions in the MVAL season standings. “We spent a lot of time visualising the race and thinking about all the possible scenarios that could happen during the race. We were really like a community this year and we helped each other out not only in visualising but also encouraging others during workouts and during races,” Girls Varsity Cross Country Co-Captain Senior Ania Wong said. However, regarding the numerous injuries sustained by runners, “A lot of people have been training for a while, so we told many people to just take a break and prepare for future competitions,” Boys Varsity Cross Country Co-Captain Senior Walter Chang said, Moreover, the team experienced a coaching change, with Coach Ian MacKenzie and Coach Brian Singleton taking the place of former Coach Edward Njoo. “Although it was not what we were used to, a little bit of change was what we needed this year to actually be able to improve the best we could,” Wong said.
Cross country
PHOTOS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR JIYUN GUO, STAFF WRITERS ALICE ZHAO, IVY LU, & ETHAN YAN, COURTESY AGNESY WHITE.
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STAFF WRITER HANNAH BI
Athlete Spotlight: Tiana Saha By Tanvi Deshmukh & Daphne Senecal Staff Writers Senior Tiana Saha is an exceptional athlete whose journey spans the worlds of gymnastics, track & field, and pole vaulting. Following her childhood as a gymnastics prodigy from the age of two, Saha recently transitioned to pole vaulting and has made noteworthy achievements in a short time span. Built on resilience and determination, Saha’s career as an athlete is one in which passion knows no bounds. At eight years old, Saha began competing statewide and nationally as a part of Pacific West Gymnastics, and in 2017, her team won first in the nation, and Saha herself became the state champion. Saha continued to place well individually, competing in all events and excelling in floor and vault as a power gymnast. In her final year as a Junior Olympic gymnast in 2020, Saha trained intensively to become more bars-oriented, allowing her to finish strong by placing first all-around. Since the beginning of her gymnastics career, Saha had the opportunity to travel with a team that became her second family. “We were so close because [we were] training 25 hours a week, every week [and] we really only had each other … they weren’t just my team but my sisters,” Saha said. Despite these close-knit bonds, Saha’s love for her sport began to wane due to negative experiences with coaches.
Growing up actively involved in sports, Saha places a high value on maintaining a balanced schedule and setting priorities. With these goals in mind, she hopes to contin-ue to train and keep in shape, while also keeping time for academics and her personal life. Saha greatly relates to other athletes who have turbulent feelings about their sport. Especially for retired athletes or those who take a break, Saha advises that “it’s never too late, … make the choice to go back if you feel like it’s right.” Considering her future, Saha will hold gymnastics as a lifelong hobby and is currently unsure about pursuing pole vault in college. “I’m still on the fence about it because being a student athlete has defined … my entire life, and I would just like to see who I am outside of that,” Saha said. Saha prepares to launch for a pole vault.
“At eight years old, Saha began competing statewide and nationally as a part of Pacific West Gymnastics, and in 2017, her team won first in the nation, and Saha herself became the state champion.” Faced with a pivotal decision, she found herself at a crossroads, contemplating whether to attend public school or continue gymnastics through homeschooling. Ultimately choosing to enroll at MSJ, she was introduced to pole vaulting in 2021 by fellow gymnast Senior Sophie Menon. Saha found pole vaulting to require many of the same skills as gymnastics, enabling her to progress rapidly. In the past two years, Saha consistently placed third in the Girls Varsity Pole Vault Finals at the MVAL Championships and advanced to the NCS Meet of Champions. Within a single year, Saha advanced from placing 19th to 7th at the NCS meet. In addition to pole
vaulting, Saha competes in the Sprints and Triple Jump events of Varsity Track & Field. Practicing daily at Tak Fudenna Memorial Stadium, Saha misses the team camaraderie as one of the only two pole vaulters at MSJ. “[Menon and I have] made so many good friends there, but it is a little sad because we are really disconnected from the team.” Saha said. Even after changing the direction of her athletic career, Saha is still heavily involved in gymnastics. Her former head coach had invited her back to Pacific West Gymnastics to help teach students. “I thought it was just going to be a short-term thing at first, but I’ve been doing it for over two years now, and I love it. Right now, I’m working with a 12-year-old boy who I do private lessons with for gymnastics. He’s also a pole vaulter, so I get to work on both of those with him,” Saha said.
“Within a single year, Saha advanced from placing 19th to 7th at the NCS meet.”
“I thought [teaching students] was just going to be a short-term thing at first, but I’ve been doing it for over two years now, and I love it.” – TIANA SAHA
Saha holds a cast handstand on the high bar. PHOTOS COURTESY TIANA SAHA. GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR AARON ZHOU
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Sports & Photo 19
Winter Sports Preview By Hannah Bi & Howard Lu Staff Writers
Girls Soccer
After facing both struggles and success last season, Girls Soccer is ready to sharpen their skills and build a competitive team this winter. “We’re hoping to build an environment that everybody wants to be a part of, and that people want to keep coming back to. We also want to try to improve them over the years to teach them more skills and help them grow,” Girls Soccer Co-Captain Senior Abegail Healy said. Healy is excited for the new players this season, especially with even more girls already trying out than last year. However, with many younger players joining the team this year, the team predicts potential challenges in facing much older opponents. “[It’s] going to be a little difficult for them because they’re going to be playing older players on other teams … 14 year olds playing against 18 year olds,” Girls Soccer Coach Terry Dalziel said.
Boys Soccer
Despite losing several varsity athletes and experiencing tough losses during their previous season, Boys Soccer expects to build a more competitive team with new skilled players joining. “I’m excited about tryouts right now because we have more people trying out than last year. And statistically that means we’ll probably have an increase in talent to start out with,” Boys Soccer Coach Ian Mackenzie said. With many young talented players on the roster, the team hopes to hone their skills, assemble a powerful offense and strong defense, and dominate the field in many of their matches. “I’m very excited about the build … from here. I expect to be a little bit more competitive this season than last season, and expect that we’ll be winning some of our games,” Mackenzie said.
Girls Basketball
Coming from a 5-7 finish last season, Girls Basketball is excited to pick off where they left off and start the season strong. With the departure of several key seniors, the team is committed to establishing a winning culture from the jump. “We’re a brand new team, brand new program, so we’re trying to see how we can improve every day and hopefully bring home a championship at the end of the season,” Girls Basketball Coach Alyssa Hashimoto said. Even with these high aspirations in mind, Coach Hashimoto hopes the team can develop a genuine love for the sport. “We want girls to be able to learn the game, to play, and to have fun playing it,” Hashimoto said. With the season starting soon, Girls Basketball is poised to make strides and hopefully qualify for NCS.
Boys Basketball
After going 2-12 last season, Boys Basketball is gearing up for an exciting season with a clear focus on turning their fortunes around. “I definitely think our number one priority is to get wins. Our biggest problem last year was definitely not being able to stay composed under pressure during clutch time,” Boys Basketball Senior Captain Brandon Bao said. With most of the team already having varsity basketball experience from last year as juniors, Bao is optimistic about the team’s chances heading into this season. “Already having a year of experience is good for us in terms of knowing how players work and just our basic bench depth,” Bao said. The team expects an exciting and competitive season ahead, hoping to win more games and qualify for NCS this season.
Girls Wrestling
Girls Wrestling is gearing up for the upcoming winter sports season with a strong emphasis on personal and collective improvement. “We just want everybody to improve and get stronger in the sport and continue their progress,” Girls Wrestling Coach Freddie Saldana said. Currently, the team is still looking for more students to join, as registration and physicals are still in the process of getting approved. According to Coach Saldana, overcoming participation challenges from last year is vital for the team to achieve their goals and maximize success. “In order to maximize growth, we need to have attendance at practice on a regular basis, all the time, all season long,” Saldana said. With a strong roster and a renewed commitment to practice attendance, Girls Wrestling is on track for a successful season ahead.
Boys Wrestling
With seven NCS qualifiers the previous season, Boys Wrestling is expecting successful results again after heavy training. “I’m hoping that we have qualifiers for North Coast sections in both the girls and the boys, and that we try to win as many dual meets as we can,” Boys Wrestling Coach Bob Nishiyama said. The team wants to improve their technique, endurance, and overall performance. After seeing players dropping out midseason due to school pressures and other reasons in previous years, Nishiyama also hopes to see more consistency among the athletes this season. “We are not a well experienced team, we’re quite young … and we expect we’ll do a lot of improving during the season so we’ll have some success this season” Nishiyama said. Nevertheless, the team has high expectations for their performance in the upcoming season. GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR AARON ZHOU
Puranava 2023 Children’s Indian Heritage Fest By Padma Balaji & Sahas Goli Staff Writers
Located at the heart of Fremont’s Central Park, the Age Well Center at Lake Elizabeth transformed into a vibrant display of Indian culture and tradition during the Puranava 2023 Children’s Indian Heritage Fest on Saturday, November 4. The event lasted from 9:30 am to 5 pm, featuring various interactive booths that celebrated India’s spiritual and artistic traditions. Organized by the Global Organization for Divinity, Puranava centered around local children, allowing them to learn about the ancient facets of Indian heritage — “Puranava” is a Sanskrit term that blends “pura” (ancient) with “nava” (new). Since its inception in Dallas in 2017, the event has grown in scope and scale as it aims to reach out to the Indian diaspora, highlighting the spirituality of Indian culture and bringing the community closer together. As attendees walked through the door, they were greeted by the sounds of delighted children partaking in various exhibits. In the Heritage Fancy Dress Competition, young children dressed as figures from Indian mythology, such as Ram, a prince and avatar of a Hindu god, or even real-life figures like Rani of Jhansi, a famous female warrior and freedom fighter. During the Sloka and Samskruti Art competitions, children recited slokam, devotional verses central to Hindu practices, and displayed compositions based on personal experiences. “All the art forms, like the origami booth, the nice paintings or rangoli, mean a lot to me because we’re able to express our culture to the Bay Area,” Participant Krishna Srinivas said. Interactive workshops captivated the attendees, offering hands-on experiences with Indian history. The Vedic Math booth was especially popular, gathering a crowd of children as they learned about the ancient computation methods used in India. The Diya painting booth, a splash of light and color, saw children take part in the tradition of painting Diya lamps that adorn homes during Diwali. Behind the elaborate activities of the event was a desire to impart Indian culture and heritage to an Indian-American audience that, growing up in America, often had trouble connecting to it. “In India, things happen very organically. You don’t need to make an effort to understand your culture, it’s just all around you. I think this event puts that effort and kind of brings that to forefront,” Volunteer Vidya Karthik said. The event engaged both the young and the young at heart, no doubt making lasting memories throughout the day. ▪
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS PADMA BALAJI & SAHAS GOLI. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR JIYUN GUO
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By Catherine Qin & Arushi Singh Staff Writers
MSJ’s ceramics studio in E-5 provides students with the unique opportunity to create all kinds of pottery with guidance from Ceramics Teacher Lena Barncord. The studio has everything a budding artist needs to bring their creations to life. Unlike the other ceramics studios near Fremont, MSJ’s ceramics studio equips students with the clay, glazes, wheels, and use of the kilns, all free of cost. Students are given the creative freedom to embark on side projects, with no limit to the number of pieces they can make. Fundamental skills like making cups and bowls give way to more complex endeavors such as sculpting and plaster casting. Barncord is working to bring ceramics to the forefront of students’ minds as an opportunity to take advantage of. In addition to making the studio open to all students at advisories, she hopes to start fundraisers selling student art during the holidays sometime in the future. “I would love to run a ceramics sale here, especially because I already have students who are making this really nice quality stuff, around Mother’s Day or the winter holidays,” Barncord said.
The City of Fremont offers several ceramics classes at the Los Cerritos Community Center on 3377 Alder Ave. Their recreational Ceramics for Adults class is perfect for beginner or intermediate artists. It focuses on establishing hand-building techniques and introducing wheel throwing. The cozy, rustic studio has two kilns and several wheels. The racks of the studio are adorned with both flawless vases from the adult classes and charming, clunky sculptures from the children’s classes. Ceramics Instructor Susan Bettencourt has been teaching classes with the City of Fremont for about 12 years. “I like showing people how to do different techniques and stuff like that. It’s enjoyable to see them succeed in doing things that they haven’t done before,” Bettencourt said.
“[I like] the fact that you can make whatever you want. I get to be as creative as I want.” — Krithi Haresamudra, 11
Ceramics is a meticulous art form that brings out the inner artist in everyone, unleashing unlimited creativity as a piece of clay gets molded into a masterpiece. The Smoke Signal visited MSJ’s very own ceramics studio as well as a few local ceramics studios Green Forest Art Studio on 1974 to explore the unique experiences at each place and how Driscoll Rd., Fremont is an award-winthey bring creativity to life in the ning art studio, encompassing art forms Located at 3909 Stevenson Blvd. form of pottery. from pencil sketch to oil painting. Suite A, Fremont, Ran’s Art Studio is a small, Taught by instructors with degrees in woman-owned art studio that celebrated fine arts, the studio offers a variety of its 10th anniversary this August since classes including ceramics. The ceramOwner Ran Mu moved to Fremont and ics class is designed to cater to students opened the studio. This is a bright and with varying skill levels and experiences colorful space, with walls decorated by stuand always starts with the fundamentals dent artwork, adorable ceramic pieces, and waof clay sculpting. Students are given the tercolor paintings by Ran. Open from Wednesday creative freedom to sculpt any figure usthrough Sunday, Ran’s offers classes for various art ing their hands and sculpting tools, with media such as oil painting, watercolor, and charcoal. One the teacher guiding the process. “I think of the most popular classes is the Ceramic Club, where stuthe best part is the possibilities of takdents learn the basics of ceramics and create their sculptures ing a material that is basically like mud in five freestyle classes. The class introduces students to and turning it into a range of different wheel throwing, creating functional mugs and bowls, and sculptures you can create because you glazing and firing ceramic pieces. “[The students] not have the option to either leave it rough only enjoy making ceramics but also the environment and natural or … really elegant and of working together and collaborating with smooth,” Green Forest Art Studio Ceother kids. It’s like a family,” Mu said. ramics Teacher Carla Proctor said.
Tucked away on 1954 Old Middlefield Way, Suite 1, Mountain View, South Bay Ceramics is a beautiful studio dedicated solely to ceramics. The studio opened in May 2022 and provides a welcoming environment for all aspiring sculptors, offering beginner classes and advanced classes. Memberships and open studio access are also available for those who do not want to commit to a class. Their wide variety of expensive communal tools and materials helps members cut costs. Racks and racks of glazed cups and bowls complement the light, airy aesthetics of the studio. The staff is very experienced and friendly, offering their expertise to newcomers to ceramics. “You can essentially think of anything and will it into existence and it doesn’t have to be something that would be like exactly—I don’t know—tangible otherwise, but you can make it tangible,” South Bay Ceramics Studio Technician AJ Iverson said.
“I think for me, getting to see what all my students make gives me a lot more perspective on their world and also their skills. I’ve learned a lot of “I renew skills since I started teaching from my ally enjoy students. So that’s something that surprised ceramics me about art is that I’ve learned a lot over “[I like] because the years from young people. I think being able you are caged that’s pretty lucky because I was comto make your by time to finish ing to teach and actually get to learn own independent because the clay alongside ... art kind of transcends projects and it’s exdries quickly. I really into other academic subjects so you citing being able to enjoy the possibilities I see your skills imcan strengthen the way you think have with clay. I usually do prove.” — Naabout things in many lenses.” 2D art [and] 3D art isn’t rethan Yang, 11 — Art Teacher Jenna Hobbs ally my thing, so clay is new for
“The best part of teaching ceramics is when I see students realize that they can truly make whatever they want in here for the first time. When they realize that that thing they’ve been seeing on Pinterest or TikTok or Target, that they can just make it here, and that it is actually possible. Seeing that moment of realization is just wonderful ... They can learn genuinely about the history of the world, about how our cultures are all connected. Ceramics is in every single culture on the planet. So not only, again, can you learn about our culture as humans, but you can also learn just about production, and art all in one. Everything. You learn everything.” — Ceramics Teacher Lena Barncord
me.” — Ethan Wang, 9
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CATHERINE QIN & ARUSHI SINGH. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR HANNAH SHEN