The Roar October Cycle 2018

Public transportation is a hidden cost of school

Inside This Issue

Students suffer from the growing pressures in the Bay Area

Chemistry teacher Alan Tan paints and sells shoes

FOCUS

A&E

OPINION

The Roar SCroar.net

Vol. XIX No. 1 Friday, October 26, 2018

Santa Clara High School 3000 Benton St. Santa Clara, CA 95051

Leadership introduces new events this year

By Annie Liu Following the declining attendance rate of several school events, ASB has revived the Homecoming Dance and will introduce SCHS’s first Diversity Rally and Talent Showcase this year.

Over the past few years, ASB has recognized a decrease in attendance of the Sadies Dance and Lip Sync. After speaking with students outside of Leadership, ASB decided to alter these events.

“We got feedback of what events were purposeful and meaningful,” Vice Principal of Activities, Facilities and Communications Erin Brown said. “The reason why we have class council and ASB is to ask those questions and take time to see if we are meeting the purpose.”

According to Brown, switching Sadies for a homecoming dance not only added to the homecoming celebration but also allowed students to have a dance in the first semester. Since Winter Ball and Prom occur during second semester, a homecoming dance in October would set a good pace for the school year.

“The last homecoming dance was in 2008, and the previous tradition was that it would be held at the same night after the game,” Principal Gregory Shelby said. “Staying up all night for Thursday…[and] Friday…was not a good scene.”

However, this year’s homecoming dance took place the evening

Melina Kritikopoulos/Roar Staff

The Leadership class reinstituted the Homecoming Dance. Numerous other changes have been made to the school calendar. after the football game on Saturday.

Shelby said having the dance a day later would re-energize students.

Another major change is replacing Lip Sync with a Talent Showcase. Along with the decline of attendance, Shelby and Brown said some noticed only the same group of students participated in both Battle of the Classes and Lip Sync.

“Part of having activities is

to appeal to a diverse set of students,” Shelby said. “By making it a competition in Lip Sync, you are drawing to one set of students, so why not replace Lip Sync with an alternative event that can celebrate skills of students and what they’re great at?”

The Talent Showcase will still be a fundraiser for clubs, but the performances will not be judged.

Tackling gender norms head on:

Each club will get a percentage of the entry fees. Brown and Shelby believe that taking away the competition component will draw a larger variety of students.

“We’re just giving a broader avenue for clubs to be able to share their purpose with the community,” Brown said.

Many students do not agree with removing Lip Sync, ASB Event

Junior Raquel Blassingame stands with her team at the Homecoming game. Blassingame is the first female defensive lineman at SCHS.

See New Events, Page 5

Junior Racquel Blassingame is the first SCHS female football player since the 1990s

By Samantha Alde

Tatiana Serrano/Roar Staff

Coordinator My-Chau Truong said.

However, Truong and other students, such as Junior Class President Jamie Dy, believe the upcoming events will be for the better.

“Lip Sync was very popular, especially in our 2020 class, and it will be missed,” Dy said. “I think that a Talent Showcase is the better option, and

Stepping out onto the field, SCHS Varsity football team circles around into a huddle before they break for the first quarter. Adrenaline rushing, the players and the crowd eagerly anticipating the outcome of the game. Junior Racquel (“Rocky”) Blassingame experiences this thrill first hand, but not on the bleachers. She finally gets to live out the dream she has had since freshman year: to become a football player.

Securing a spot on the varsity football team this season as a linebacker, Blassingame is the first female defensive lineman and one of the only girls to have played football at SCHS. She feels honored to be part of the team and believes this experience has strengthened her.

“The best thing is the connection that football has to life,” Blassingame said. “The communication, the teamwork, the hard work.

There’s just so much that it’s connected to, and I think it’s really cool.”

Her teammate junior Joseph

Hernandez was delighted when Blassingame made it onto the team and sees her as a team leader.

“Rocky is hardworking and selfless,” Hernandez said. “Having her motivates other people to work harder since she’s kind of a leader on the team. She’s always on us about pushing ourselves.”

Although she started off as linebacker, head coach Burt Codera recently moved her position to nose tackle, which is an alignment position for the defensive linemen.

Blassingame is extremely thankful for the special bond she shares with her team members.

“The boys know I have their back on the field as much as they have mine,” Blassingame said. “I’m part of the family. We’re all a family.”

In addition to her teammates, linebacker coach Andrew Calderon is proud of Blassingame and continues to support her. It is her first year playing varsity football, which

See Female Football Player, Page 8

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OPINION

Editorial

OCTOBER 26, 2018

OCTOBER 26, 2018

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OPINION

Stop contributing to the stigma surrounding mental illnesses Public transportation is a hidden cost of school for some

Eunice Oh/Roar Staff

THE ROAR 2018-2019 editors-in-chief Bonnie Liu • Hannah Shin opinion | Cleo Chow campus | Alina Jafri focus | Kiera O’Hara-Heinz sports | Olivia Jones a&e | Amy Kennedy spotlight | Sophia Kennedy visuals | Eunice Oh online | Melina Kritikopoulos staff writers Samantha Alde • Mariam Aziz Mariam Bachar • Emily Harvie Vy Ho • Olive Howden Sam Hunt • Annie Liu Neha Mandava • Giovana Marquez Vincent Nguyen • Moira O’Hara-Heinz Ayden Salazar • Tatiana Serrano Sasha Syrevych • Arella Taparan Adlena Tran • Chariah Williams Katelyn Yoo advisor Bob Ansaldo Mission Statement The Roar works to inform students, showcase their accomplishments, and explore issues relevant to them as individuals and as a generation. We value journalistic ethics and professional behavior toward both our sources and our readers. We will investigate and inform students about happenings on- and off-campus, and provide information comprehensibly. As a student-run newspaper, The Roar strives to establish itself as a reliable news source for Santa Clara High School.

Letters and Opinion columns submitted to The Roar must be signed, although names can be withheld. Submissions should be limited to 200 words and may be edited for content, libel, or grammar. Opinion submissions can be delivered to Mr. Ansaldo’s room (B109) or his mailbox in the front office.

DISCLAIMER The opinions on these pages reflect the views of the individual writer, not those of Santa Clara High School.

The Roar Newspaper Santa Clara High School 3000 Benton St. Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 423-2720

In the halls, students can be heard groaning and complaining, saying things like “I want to die” or “Shoot me now.” Although these words may be meant as a joke, they are often more harmful than funny. They trivialize suicide and can trigger responses in others who may be experiencing emotional difficulties, potentially leading to embarrassment, selfconsciousness or even attempts at suicide.

Negative comments like these can unintentionally contribute to the stigma regarding mental illness, which can lead to discrimination, both intentional and unintentional. Fear, pity, avoidance, distrust, gossip and underestimation of abilities are all examples of how social stigma can hurt those living with a mental illness.

People are often uncomfortable acknowledging how they are

feeling and what they are going through in fear that others will not take them seriously or judge them as incapable, pitiful or even abnormal.

The statistics, however, expose the severity of mental illnesses. According to the Center for Discovery, which has been providing residential and outpatient treatment for adults and teens for over 20 years, 20 percent of teenagers in the United States suffer from clinical depression, and only 30 percent of them are being treated for it.

WebMD states that suicide is the second leading cause of death for young adults and results in approximately 4,600 lives lost each year. Fear of being perceived as “different” may deter some teenagers from seeking help.

Social stigma can be reduced

or even eliminated by spreading awareness of mental illnesses. Society needs to understand that mental illnesses are fairly common and they are nothing to be ashamed of. In addition, students need to be educated to recognize the signs of mental illnesses early on and know when and how to get help, whether it be for their peers or for themselves.

No one should feel ashamed to ask for help. Students should feel just as comfortable walking into the Wellness Center as they are walking into the College and Career Center. Seeking help for mental health is not a sign of weakness. It is simply a way for people to take care of themselves. Too often people treat mental health as a joke, and that needs to change.

Amid increased academic rigor and falling numbers of driver liscenses, Driver’s Training classes are needed more than ever

By Ayden Salazar

Prevailing Advanced Placement and honors courses have squeezed out high school driver’s training classes. This has been occurring simultaneously with a general decline in teenagers pursuing a driver’s license.

Once a rite of passage, data from the University of Michigan finds that the share of high school seniors with a driver’s license dropped from 85.3 percent in 1996 to an all-time low of 71.5 percent in 2015.

One way to revive interest in driving and teach safe-driving practices is to reimplement driver’s training courses in high school. Nearly every American high school in the late 1980s offered driver’s training to students, according to an article published by the San Francisco Chronicle. Now, despite driver’s education being mandated by the California State Department of Education, it is rare for schools to offer such classes. Bringing back the course, however, would provide many benefits.

For some, the greatest benefit of driver’s training as a high school elective is that it is free.

Private driving instructors can range anywhere from $350 to $700 per lesson. When considering that six hours of driver’s train-

Olive Howden/Roar Staff

ing and an additional 50 hours of practice is required for a license, cost could become a barrier for low income students. Driver’s training classes at school would resolve the cost problem.

Another benefit lies in something many students are familiar with: the terror of driving with one’s parents. While parents usu-

ally act with the best intentions, they may often lack the skills — and nerves — to properly educate their teen. With proper training, teens will be better drivers and communities will be safer. A driver’s training class at school would ensure teens have access to highlyexperienced instructors, adults

who can give students professional, safe-driving techniques.

Moreover, students would acquire skills that can assist them in everyday life. Driver’s training educates students not only in the rules of the road, but also prepares students for their driving test with behind-the-wheel experience. Students looking for classes they can apply to life would be captivated by a driving course. After all, studying skills can only get a student so far; driving skills, on the other hand, can literally take a student anywhere.

Although driver’s training does not count as a college preparatory class, the ability to be a safer driver should be prized more than the ability to be a better student. Knowing that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell does nothing to protect a student from a collision. One could also argue that driving is an important means of transportation in college.

Safety should be the number one concern when it comes to driving. This is why driver’s training should be brought back to school. It is a cheaper and safer alternative to learning with parents and private instructors, and it is also the most important class a student will ever take.

Have a question? Disagree with an opinion piece?

Or passionate about a topic? Send a Letter to the Editor! * See details and rules in the left column

By Cleo Chow

One dollar. That’s the fare for a single ride on a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority bus.

It sounds low enough, but over time, it can add up to a significant amount of money.

Cars, walking and biking are all common modes of transportation. But for those who live too far away or don’t have access to vehicles, public transportation is the only option. Sure, there are school buses available; however, their routes are limited, leaving those in the opposite direction effectively stranded.

Without any discounts, going to and from the school five days a week will cost students at least ten dollars a week -- a price for education no public high school student should have to pay. To lessen the burden of the financial cost on students, low-income students should be able to ride VTA buses for free, while all students should be able to apply for further discounted prices.

This way, low-income families would be able to cut back on the cost and stress of trying to send their kids to school on time and use the money for other necessary expenses. Non-low-income

Olive Howden/Roar Staff

students who ride VTA will also experience benefits of reduced costs. All students will be able to move around town more freely and frequently without needing a parent to drive them.

Some people might ask, “Well, why stop there and not just let all students ride for free?” While that option is certainly tempting, there are potential problems that may

Teacher evaluations from students should hold greater significance in determining teachers’ incomes

By Tatianna Serrano

Most students know the pressure of the grading system, which usually only goes one way: teachers grading students. The evaluations of students are meant to be reflective of their efforts in class and provide constructive criticism -- something teachers should also be given by their students.

Evaluation from students can positively affect teachers and students. With honest and raw feedback, teachers can use this to enhance their teaching methods.

Students would in turn receive a superior education, increasing academic success.

“With honest and raw feedback, teachers can use this to enhance their teaching methods.”

School grading is based on student performance in a particular class and heavily influences their GPA, an important factor in the college admission process and thus their life. It will only be fair for students to determine a suggestion of a teacher’s income because this can impact the teacher’s life.

If a teacher does a better job

at teaching and has more experience, they should receive a higher income. Teachers who aren’t as skilled at teaching will be more motivated to improve their work ethic by becoming a better educator.

From the educator’s perspective, the idea of having young individuals judge a skill they are paid to do must be controversial.

It’s true some students can be immature and petty, which may influence them to give negative notations of teachers.

Therefore, students must receive a course in assessing teachers prior to evaluating. Learning how to criticize educators objectively and accurately can set standards for teachers, exactly how there are high standards for students. At least once a month, administration should release a sheet to students from that school to collect any commentary on all teachers.

Some of the areas teachers would be evaluated on include communication and interactions with students. This is equivalent to student participation in class. If a student needs help they should receive it as soon as possible, especially if it involves understanding important basic concepts.

Although controversial, this is something the school district should think about. Both teachers and students can benefit from student evaluation -- teaches can receive feedback on their teaching curriculum and style, and through this, students would receive a better education.

crop up as a result. VTA services the entire Santa Clara County, letting all SCHS students ride free would set a precedent for all other high schools in the county and can lead to a significant loss of income for the VTA. While VTA does offer a few programs for organizations, such as the SmartPass used by students at local colleges like Mission Col-

lege, they are typically geared more towards large-scale organizations with enrollment in the thousands. The discounted prices are based mainly on the number of participants, and SCHS does not have enough students for the program to make a dent in the prices.

Just getting to school should not be a financial hardship on

students who are simply trying to receive an education in a world where knowledge is praised as the necessary tool to succeed in life. No student should be handicapped by their age, inability to drive or the part of town they live. All students should be able to move around town more easily and freely.

Non-native flora threaten to push out native plants on campus It’s my turf now!

Meadow Foxtail

Ice Plant Emily Harvie/Roar Staff

By Sam Hunt

Almost every plant on or around this campus originated from some other state or country. Even some plants in the California Native Garden in the back of the science wing aren’t native to California.

An example of a non-native species is the patch of South African ice plant growing across the street in the church parking lot. The ice plant is a succulent that grows thick leaves and flowers with thin petals. Anyone who has been to the coast has seen miles of this plant. Non-native

plants such as ice plants are dangerous because they take up space and steal natural resources from plants that were already living in that area. For this reason, a more active effort to remove nonnative species from Santa Clara County must be implemented.

Ice plants thrive because the climate in this area is so similar to its native climate. But in order to survive, it must push other species out of the ecosystem by sapping away essential assets, leaving much less for other plants to survive. Essentially, native organisms are choked out.

A prime example of this is one

of the most abundant plants on this campus, grass.

The grass grown on campus originated in the Mediterranean and was brought around the world. While grass thrives as it is constantly watered, native flora, such as the Jewelflower or the Morning-Glory, shrivel up and die without proper attention.

Invasive species spread and flourish due to the lack of a predator here. Native species can’t compete as they have predators and a new threat from invading organisms.

Invasive, non-native plants introduced primarwere ily through human intervention. Ice plants were initially brought to California in order to stabilize the ground so that railroads could be safely built on loose soil, which ended up making the ground less stable.

Grass was brought initially from the Mediterranean for its ability to recover from being knocked away. People constantly bring plants from other locations without considering the effects they could have on the ecosystem.

Introduction isn’t the only way humans help non-native plants. Humans make it much easier for these plants to thrive by nurturing them, allowing them to spread and take over.

Since humans were the ones to bring these species out of their native locations in the first place, the natural conclusion is that humans must be the ones to halt their advance by better controlling invasive plants. Removing these species is as simple as killing the plants when they are found, making sure they never get planted again and replacing them with native species.

CAMPUS

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OCTOBER 26, 2018

Military may be a career option for some students

By Emily Harvie Around 136,000 high school graduates join the military each year. Approximately a dozen SCHS students annually consider joining the military, but only three or four actually enlist, according to College and Career Resource Technician Anthony Butler.

Military recruiters from the U.S Air Force and Navy regularly visit SCHS to help students gain more knowledge about it as a career. The recruiters set up booths during lunch to answer questions about their programs and explain the recruitment process.

According to Staff Sergeant Janice Gonzales, the earliest age students can apply is 17 years old, and students can begin military training right after graduating high school. She mentions to students that joining the military is a long process, but it has many benefits.

“Education benefits are number one,” Gonzales said. “While you go to school, you already get credits for college, so once you go to basic military training, you

are automatically enrolled in the community college of the Air Force.”

According to Gonzales, other benefits include store and travel discounts, tax-free food and housing, and health insurance.

According to Butler, the military programs can answer any questions students may have.

They can also dispel any rumors or stereotypes people have about the military.

“College may not be the thing they [students] want to do after high school, or they can’t afford it, so it [the military] could pay for college,” Butler said. “It can become a career, but it doesn’t have to happen right away after high school. It can happen later.”

Senior Brian Ridley sees himself joining the military after high school. Already sworn in as a Poolee in the United States Marine Corps, Ridley is working towards being part of the infantry once he has completed boot camp.

“When I get out, I’m hoping to use my background from the military to apply for firefighting or paramedic jobs because I’ve always been drawn to helping

\

Cooking up a business:

Kawa’s Kookies has had over 75 orders

Courtsey of Julie Kawamoto

Customers give her requests and she uses icing to custom design the cookies.

By Katelyn Yoo Physical Education teacher Julie Kawamoto is striving to be the next Debbi Fields. Besides teaching, Kawamoto has her own cookie business called Kawa’s Kookies which is based off of her nickname “Kawa.”

Kawamoto has always been “crafty and picked up on art projects quickly,” so she decided to dive into the world of baking.

“Ms. Kiyota asked me to make cookies for her mom’s birthday about four years ago,” Kawamoto said. “Soon, I just wanted to start a business of my own.”

Kawamoto said she only started doing her business a year and a half ago. Her kitchen is her shop, and it is where she brainstorms and creates all of her designs.

“It’s not your regular Ms. Field’s cookies,” Kawamoto said. “They’re all sugar cookies, but I custom design the icing, which makes them different.”

Kawamoto makes these cookies for all events. She personally decorates them based on the customer’s requests or the purpose of the gift.

“I currently have orders for a bridal shower with a henna theme, a volleyball senior night at Prospect High, a daughter’s musical in ‘Seussical’ with Dr. Seuss characters and a baby shower with a unicorn theme,” Kawamoto said. “So all events, all designs.”

The designs range from a simple pattern to a complex work of art. Kawamoto said her favorite design was a Marvel cookie batch for a baby shower.

Kawamoto said October is a busy month and she already has four orders to complete. Even though she is teaching PE and Health in addition to coaching the girls’ varsity tennis team, Kawamoto maintains her business through good organization and a friend, Janice.

According to Kawamoto, she already has had over 75 orders, many of them being from SCHS teachers. PE teacher Melodee Kiyota raved about Kawamoto’s cookies, saying how the treats are awesome and delicious.

“They are unique and one of a kind,” Kiyota said. “She never repeats her designs, they are made specially for her customers.”

Eunice Oh/Roar Staff

Petty Officer Jayson Jenkins is one of the military recruiters who provides infromation to SCHS students.

people,” Ridley said.

There are, however, some who do not support the military on campus. For the last 14 years, pacifist David Ledesma has been coming to SCHS to share his opinion on why students should not join the military. When Ledesma was 12 years old, his

older brother was drafted out of college and died in the Vietnam War. “I want to show students that there are a lot more peaceful things to do after high school,” Ledesma said.

Butler believes that the military is not for everyone, but mak-

ing sure that students are aware of different options for their future is important to him.

“We want everyone to know that there is something out there for everyone, whether or not it’s the military,” Butler said.

New club promotes inclusivity and friendship

By Mariam Aziz In previous years, students with Intellectual and Developmental Disorders may have not had the same bond with other students on campus. SCHS’s Best Buddies club is trying to change that.

“Adrianne, Inci and I decided to start this club because we noticed all of the kids with IDD in our school that we don’t have any connection with,” co-president sophomore Natalie Jung said. “And we really wanted to have a friendship with them.”

Even though Best Buddies was recently introduced to SCHS, it is not a new organization, it has been active since 1989. According to the Best Buddies International website, the main goal of the organization is to bring together all students and provide a broad community.

“It is not only a club where we make new friendships, it is a club that helps us grow as people by

“It is not only a club where we make new friendships, it is a club that helps us grow as people...”

- Inci Anh Yesin, club vice president putting the needs of others before our own,” vice president sophomore Inci Anh Yesin said.

A new club this year, Best Buddies has already sparked interest for many students.

“It was one of the craziest moments ever to see so many supporters at our first meeting,” copresident sophomore Adrianne Krivokapic-Zhou said.

The officers are hoping to keep this club running and relevant as it has been in its first few weeks.

Courtsey of Adrianne Krivokapic-Zhou

Best Buddies club had about seventy eight kids attend their first meeting, according to co-president Natalie Jung.

Their first meetings have been interactive to keep the members engaged, and according to club advisor, English teacher Cory Morbo, the club is pretty self-sufficient.

“They do a good job,” Morbo said. “They barely need my help.”

Using a survey to pair up buddies based on interests and age, the buddy system is one of the main ways some club students are connecting with some special education students.

“Our future plans are to have a lot of opportunities and events where the pairs of buddies are able to go to events together, and they will be like best friends,” Jung said.

The club wants to help students with IDD express themselves and have more opportunities to get involved at SCHS. According to Jung, club members are responsible for being there for them and making sure they are comfortable.

Best Buddies activities are usually based on people’s input, so everyone can have a say, club presidents Jung and KrivokapicZhou said. Also, they believe

everyone who can should help in order to keep the club active.

Currently, students of all backgrounds are giving a hand to fortify relationships with those who have IDD. “I’m really excited to be part of the officer board and help to make a difference,” Best Buddies member junior Daniela Dayen said.

Krivokapic-Zhou emphasized

“.... Best Buddies is all about inclusivity.”

- Adrianne Krivokapic-Zhou, club co-president that Best Buddies is a safe space for students to feel like they belong.

“In high school, we sometimes try to limit ourselves on what we can or can’t do based upon other people,” Krivokapic-Zhou said.

“But Best Buddies is all about inclusivity.”

OCTOBER 26, 2018

CAMPUS

Biology teachers take flight with NASA New events

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Continued from page 1

Courtsey of Amanda Lease

Biology teacher Amanda Lease recently flew on SOFIA on Sep.14. Biology teacher Eric Wozaldo went on flight last year. The two out of 130 teachers chosen had the oppurtunity to observe the flight and implenment it into their classroom material.

By Olivia Jones Two years ago, SCHS biology teacher Amanda Lease was chosen to be part of the Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program, working with NASA. As part of the program, Lease was able to fly on the Stratospheric Observatory

“It’s a great program, and I hope our government continues to fund it.”

- Eric Wozaldo, biology teacher for Infrared Astronomy this September.

“Only about 130 teachers have had the opportunity to fly on SOFIA, so I feel very fortunate to have been chosen,” Lease said.

“NASA is so prestigious that getting to participate in anything that they do is really an honor.”

Stationed in Palmdale, California, SOFIA is a modified Boeing 747SP airplane with a special reflecting telescope designed to view infrared light and is coowned by NASA and German Aerospace Center. Lease’s flight on SOFIA departed at 7:40 p.m. on Sep. 13, and landed at 5:45 a.m. on Sep. 14.

“We looked at a lot stars, star formations and what happens to a star when it dies,” Lease said.

“The next thing I got to see was the northern lights from the plane.

That was pretty cool.”

On the flight, the crew observed a starburst galaxy and remnants of the Crab Nebula among other things, according to Lease.

A starburst galaxy is a galaxy with an unusual number of stars

forming. The scientists on SOFIA are investigating what causes such a large amount of stars to form in that particular area. In the Crab Nebula, they are observing the remnants of a star that went

“NASA is so prestigous that getting to partcipate in anything they do is really an honor.”

- Amanda Lease, biology teacher supernova about 6,000 years ago, specifically the particles that were emitted from it, which they call “supernova dust.”

While on the flight, Lease’s primary role was to watch.

“A lot of what we did on the

flight was observation, so observing the scientists and the telescope technicians working,” Lease said.

After the flight, the AAA program provided Lease with a 10day curriculum on infrared light to implement in her classroom. However, since the curriculum was intended for a physics class, Lease will not be using it. Biology teacher Eric Wozadlo, who went on the flight last year, was also given the same curriculum but only plans to use one of its labs.

Though both Wozadlo and Lease have finished their partnership with NASA and the AAA program, they are grateful to have been chosen to fly on SOFIA. “It was a really cool experience, and I’m glad I did it,” Wozadlo said. “It’s a great program, and I hope our government continues to fund it.”

many clubs will definitely come to appreciate the opportunity and love this chance to perform.”

Contrary to the Talent Showcase and Homecoming Dance, the Diversity Rally will replace the second semester Renaissance Rally.

According to Shelby, students used to be embarrassed for being smart, so in 2002, the Renaissance Rallies were brought in to “change the culture” of SCHS. Shelby believes that SCHS is now a school where students strive for academic achievement, so SCHS should now amplify another aspect: its diversity.

“One of the best lessons I was ever taught was that you become what you celebrate,” Shelby said. “We became a more academic school because we celebrated academics. We want to increasingly become a place where people recognize our diversity.”

Anticipating that ASB will set a high bar and impress SCHS students, Dy hopes that the new events will continue to evolve and progress. Although unexpected problems may arise, Truong believes that an event does not necessarily have to be flawless in order for people to have a great time.

“We will work carefully to avoid as many problems as we can,” Truong said. “But in the end, it is still a big achievement, which is what matters the most.”

SCHS adds new classes this year based on student interest

By Vy Ho & Amy Kennedy Marine Biology is one of the new classes available to freshmen this year, but three new electives were added to SCHS as well. The three classes are AP Seminar, Creative Writing and Creative Entrepreneurship According to Vice-Principal of Counseling, Curriculum and Instruction Tony Lam, new classes are added based on student interest and need. Teachers are able to pitch classes that go through a lengthy process to be approved by the school district and then the school board. Upon approval, the class is added to the curriculum.

Jyothi Sunkara, AP Seminar teacher and also apart of the STEM Leadership Institute, said her class was one added due to student and teacher interest. SLI pushed for AP Seminar to be added as they intended to have a senior project for the program.

A year-long course, AP Seminar is one of the two classes in the AP Capstone program and is followed by AP Research, which will be added next year. The class is offered to juniors and seniors looking to focus on research-based projects and improve their analyzation skills.

“AP Seminar is a very unique

course - it is skill-based rather than content-based,” Sunkara said. “Students get skilled at college-level research, evidenceanalysis, writing and presentation, all in the content [or] topic of their choice.”

Junior Even Tsegai decided to take AP Seminar to challenge himself with a fourth AP class.

It was a class recommended by many of his friends.

“I felt like it was something that could help me with my writing and analyzation skills,” Tsegai said. “It could teach you skills that would help you later in college and other tougher classes.”

Like AP Seminar, Creative Writing aims to develop students’ writing skills. According to Creative Writing teacher Kate Flowers, the class is packed with discussions, peer edits and feedback, and it focuses on each student’s personal interest in writing without the formal structure of a typical class.

“I hope that students leave this class owning their writing life and viewing themselves as a writer who has important things to say,” Flowers said.

Creative Entrepreneurship, taught by Meghan Miniello, is intended for students wanting to take their creative passions to a

business level and to help those who already have. Miniello herself has had a side business for several years and wants to extend her knowledge to student creators so they can gain experience.

“I felt like there was a gap in our offerings as far as advancedlevel courses in the art department,” Miniello said. “There is a lot of talent on campus from kids that were doing art on their own and selling their designs.”

Junior Emily Chao was able to use Creative Entrepreneurship as a way to turn her card-making hobby into a profit. Miniello is able to work one-on-one with her students to individually mentor them and cater to their specific businesses. With the help of Miniello, Chao is learning how to use Photoshop and Illustrator to create digital art for her cards and expand her business.

According to Lam, having more class options and variety allows students to pursue and develop skills based on their own personal interest, possibly leading to career choices. Flowers is in favor of elective classes and hopes to see more added in the future.

“I think that electives are great, and a school of this size gets to promote students with a lot of opportunities,” Flowers said.

Giovana Marquez/Roar Staff

New AP seminar class (above) improves analyzatiion skills of the students through research-based projects and group collabration.

Giovana Marquez/Roar Staff

New Marine Biology class (above) teaches students how to make scientific observations. This prepares them for the many labs they plan to do.

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FOCUS

Reader Advisory: These articles address the topics of suicide and mental health and may be triggering to some readers.

How often are teens stressed?

What makes teens stressed?

OCTOBER 26, 2018

Under P

Being a student in the Bay Area im

By Mariam Bachar & Vincent Nguyen

For her last year of high school, senior Olivia Schafer packed her bags and moved across the country, from North Carolina to the tech hub of the nation, Silicon Valley. According to Schafer, she was top of her class at her old private school — something that isn’t the case here. Having experience in two holistically different regions, she states that she definitely recognizes the difference in the academic pressures of the Bay Area.

“There are a lot more people who are more ambitious, and that definitely leads to more stress,” Schafer said.

The competitive attitude of the Silicon Valley arises from a multitude of factors, with some — like sophomore Adrianne Krivokapic-Zhou — believing that simply living in the area means you must find success. Not only do students go to school in the presence of self-made millionaires and large tech corporations, but they also live in a state notorious for high living costs. According to KQED, the median price of purchasing a home in California is well over half a million dollars, with the national cost being just around $240,000.

“There’s a lot of emphasis on money because we live with a bunch of high-tech engineers and companies,” Krivokapic-Zhou said. “A lot of people make choices based on money.”

Students like Krivokapic-Zhou believe that in moderation, competition and stress are driving factors that lead to highly motivated workers. They become toxic, however, when a person can no longer handle the pressure.

According to AP Psychology teacher Emily Haven, teenagers struggle with balancing other people’s expectations for them versus what they personally want. To students like junior Amani Chowdhury, growing up with the mindset that one must achieve greatness can often even leave students feeling lost or anxious.

“It adds a lot of fear about not doing enough or not going to be able to be accepted as an equal,” Chowdhury said. “The fear of not being as advanced or competitive is what impacts me the most.”

According to a survey by the American Psychological Association in 2014, approximately 30 percent of teenagers reported having feelings of sadness or depression due to stress. A highly reported cause of stress was school, which accounted for 83 percent of surveyed students; getting into a good university, or deciding what to do after high school, was 69 percent.

SCHS and SCUSD work togeth

By Ayden Salazar

Eunice Oh/Roar Staff Statistics from After School

Melina Kritikopoulos/Roar Staff

About one in five youth aged 13-18 will undergo a severe mental disorder at some point in their life, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

To combat issues such as mental illness, suicide and trauma, the Santa Clara Unified School District offers a variety of health and wellness resources to its students.

Both SCHS and Wilcox High School, as well as two of the three middle schools in the district, offer a center that specializes in student health. Michelle Sandoval, the Wellness Coordinator at SCHS, works one-on-

one with students who are struggling with mental health issues or thoughts of self-harm.

“All of the services in the Wellness Center are confidential,” Sandoval said. “...We don’t talk to teachers and parents and things like that unless there’s a safety concern, and we have to. But other than that, it’s kept confidential and we just try to support students.”

In total, SCHS’s Wellness Center consists of five therapists and a Wellness Outreach Worker, who is in charge of directing students to resources. The center also hosts SCHS’s Bring Change 2 Mind club, which promotes mental health awareness on campus

OCTOBER 26, 2018

Pressure:

mpacts adolescents’ mental health Students strive to meet not only the expectations of colleges but also those of their parents. According to sophomore Olivia Spycher, despite their best intentions, parents’ demands can often add more stress to their students.

“I understand they [parents] really want the best for me,” Spycher said.

“They want to be supportive of you, but sometimes they’re supportive of the things that they want you to do.”

According to Palo Alto psychiatrist Adam Strassberg, the Silicon Valley’s hyper-intelligent adult population can make it difficult for some children to meet their parent’s expectations. The region is home to a large number of college-educated adults, a 2017 article by The Mercury News revealing that 47 percent of adults 25 and older have at least a bachelor’s degree. In contrast, the Census Bureau shows little over 30 percent of adults across the nation having a bachelor’s.

From Strassberg’s perspective, the stress within Silicon Valley schools is making teenagers miserable.

“In [the] Silicon Valley, we lionize success but rarely applaud happiness,” Strassberg said. “Our schools are geared much more towards teaching success rather than happiness.”

The suicide clusters between 2009 and 2016 in Palo Alto were a major wake-up call into addressing the wellness of students.

“I think that symbolizes how the Bay Area culture is pressuring students to the point where they feel like they can’t do it anymore,” Bring Change 2 Mind president Gina Filatov said.

According to Haven, it is crucial to understand that suicidal thinking — not just suicide — is also a prominent issue among students. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did an epidemiological study on teen suicide in the Silicon Valley region. The studies showed that the rate in the Silicon Valley exceeded the rest of the county and state. It also revealed almost all the teens who died by suicide had been struggling with a mental illness or crisis.

A 2013 survey by the American Psychology Association revealed that 42 percent of high school students were not doing enough to manage their stress or were not sure what to do. To manage stress, the APA recommends that teens stay active, talk to trusted adults, get enough sleep and balance time for enjoyment versus work.

According to Haven, it is important that teens remember that it is the process, not the product, that is most important. In her eyes, a person doesn’t need to be the next big thing to be successful or happy.

“Life may not be what we thought it was gonna be, and that’s okay.”

Melina Kritikopoulos/Roar Staff

her to combat teenage suicide through activities such as balloon releases and the distribution of AP testing kits.

According to senior Gina Filatov, president of Bring Change 2 Mind, SCHS provides the resources students need, and getting help is a matter of spreading awareness.

“The Wellness Center is there, but sometimes the students that need it the most don’t go there, and they don’t get their resources,” Filatov said. “The school should definitely focus more on… either making it a part of students’ daily lives... or just make it really obvious to students where it is and the resources they can get from it.

The creation of a Youth Advisory Board is also in the works, according to Sandoval.

“This year, we are trying to launch a youth advisory board comprised of students that will … help inform how they want our wellness services to show up on our campus and what other things we could be doing to reach students who might be struggling,” Sandoval said.

In addition to mental health professionals on campus, the district is also working on training faculty members in mental health support.

Last year, all district teachers from the middle and high school level received training in Trauma-

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informed Practices; this four-part program assisted teachers in recognizing trauma, supporting students and applying their skills inside the classroom.

“Through the health and wellness department, we’re doing more direct training of frontline staff, and not just teachers, but secretaries,” SCUSD Coordinator of Health and Wellness Ben Gonzales said. “We want this information… for everyone: custodians, groundskeepers, the librarian, everybody. We want everyone to know what to look for and to feel comfortable and confident in their ability to connect that student.”

Warning Signs of Suicide - Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves - Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun - Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live - Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain - Talking about being a burden to others - Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs - Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly - Sleeping too little or too much - Withdrawing or isolating themselves - Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge - Extreme mood swings

What to Do

If someone you know shows the warning signs of suicide: - Do not leave the person alone - Remove any firearms, alcohol, pills or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

- Call a suicide hotline - Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

If you are in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800273-TALK (8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to anyone. All calls are confidential.

Additional Resources: Silicon Valley teen crisis hotline: 1-888-247-7717 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/how-we-can-all-prevent-suicide/

SPORTS

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OCTOBER 26, 2018

‘Athleticism with artistry’

Senior Olivia Schafer moved alone from North Carolina to California at the age of 15 in hopes of becoming an Olympian

Courtesy of Garry Chow

Courtesy of Allison Morgan

(Left) Olivia Schafer places ninth for her tech solo routine at the US Junior National Championship. (Right) Olivia Schafer (top row, third from left) poses with the members of her team, the Aquamaids.

By Sofia Kennedy Few high schoolers would be willing to move across the country to pursue their passion, but senior Olivia Schafer has done just that.

Originally from North Carolina, Schafer moved to California by herself in 2017 with a dream to compete in the 2024 Olympics as a synchronized swimmer. She is a member of the Santa Clara Aquamaids.

Schafer started synchronized swimming when she was nine and was competing nationally by age 11, when she first heard about the Aquamaids.

“From the second I started, they [the Aquamaids] were the ones that were winning every single year,” Schafer said. “I just watched them win national title after national title.”

Schafer said that her mother, who was her coach at the time, received word that their pool time was being cut, allowing Schafer an insufficient five or six hours a week to practice.

“She was the one who actually suggested that I move out here, as hard as it was for her to let me go,” Schafer said.

Schafer moved in with her aunt and uncle, whom she had only seen four or five times in her life. The move was not easy, Schafer said,

“I just had to remind myself every day why I had moved here and why I loved swimming.”

- Olivia Schafer, senior and neither was adjusting to the intense training schedule.

During the height of the season, Schafer practices for four to six hours Monday through Friday and eight hours on Saturday, with occasional Sunday practices.

“I was by far the weakest on the team when I first moved here,”

Schafer said. “I was getting lapped in practice by the 11 year olds. I just had to remind myself every day why I had moved here and why I loved swimming.”

Schafer said that her teammates are her friends, but the highly competitive environment makes growing close to them difficult. This was especially true when she was a new member of the team.

“I was so intimidated by them.

They were my role models in a way,” Schafer said. “It was scary to be swimming with them.”

Schafer had to deal with the harsh criticism of coaches while working to achieve her goals. One coach in particular, Schafer said, was almost unbearable.

“I would cry through my goggles, and I would try not to draw any attention to myself because she would point out any little flaw,” Schafer said.

Despite the pressure, Schafer’s hard work has evidently paid off. In March, her team won gold medals

at the U.S. Senior National Championship in both the team technical event and the combo free event, and Schafer’s solo performance placed ninth at the U.S. Junior National Championship.

The title of “Olympian” has

“I just had to keep it in the back of my mind, remembering everything I sacrificed and everything my parents sacrificed to get me to the point I was at.”

- Olivia Schafer, senior a special meaning to Schafer— it is a title that her mother narrowly missed during her synchronized swimming career.

“I want to say it was 1996; she

tried out for the Olympic team.

They took the top ten, and she was eleven. And so she didn’t make it, and then she quit,” Schafer said.

“I’m not going to quit.”

Schafer’s determination is also fueled by a love for synchronized swimming and how it combines “athleticism with artistry.”

Though it is very physically demanding, Schafer said she never tires of the sport because there are so many different aspects to train for and improve on. Schafer admitted, however, that continuous perseverance in swimming can be challenging.

“I didn’t always love it. There were days when I was just like, I’m quitting, I’m moving home, I hate this,” Schafer said. “But I just had to keep it in the back of my mind, remembering everything I sacrificed and everything my parents sacrificed to get me to the point I was at.”

New football coach Burt Codera brings De Anza experience to Santa Clara High

By Olive Howden Burt Codera, the new head coach of the SCHS football team, brings a relaxed, focused attitude that may be just what the team needs to get to the next level, according to many players.

Codera was an assistant coach at De Anza College for eight years before becoming the head coach at SCHS. He is looking forward to bringing his own coaching style and experience to SCHS. “I’m just trying to bring my own style, my own flavor and my own personality because you can act one way, but the players see through that, so I just want to bring a sense of realness and authenticity,” Codera said.

Codera is taking over after former head coach, Hank Roberts, made the decision to move closer to family in Reno, Nevada. He is not, however, the only new football coach this year. Of the nine varsity and four junior varsity coaches, 12 are new to SCHS. According to Codera, the transition has been rough at times, for the team and coaches, but he is optimistic about what the season has in store.

Eunice Oh /Roar Staff

Football head coach Burt Codera.

“My vision is to build a really competitive football program… and to just take it as far as it can possibly go,” Codera said. “To build young men and women and teach them life skills that aren’t really taught in the classroom, but that are taught on the field.”

In the few months he has known Codera, varsity quarterback Nicholas Garcia has come to trust and respect him as a person and mentor. “(Codera) really takes the time to know his players, and he points out our strengths so that we can use those strengths in the game,” Garcia said.

Tatiana Serrano/Roar Staff

Football head coach Burt Codera (center) speaks with two other coaches during the Homecoming football game.

Codera’s calm attitude is especially effective in motivating the team at practice and during games, according to Garcia. After suffering several losses, they have found their rhythm and hope to win leagues this season or the next.

With Codera as head coach, the players work harder and

invitationals. These extremely long meets are held in Crystal Springs, where there are many steep hills, making it the main cross country course, according to SCHS cross country head coach Julie L’Heureux.

“Schools from all across CCS [Central Coast Section] can come to these meets,” L’Heureux said.

“Sometimes we even get people, depending on the meet, from the North Coast Section.”

This all-day affair is a very hard course for the runners, who want to do their best since there is a lot at stake.

“It gets pretty tough, and in invitationals, it’s really competitive because we can actually get placed for medals,” cross country runner junior Humza Malik said.

Cross country does not have a division like tennis since everyone is running in separate races. The goal for the invitationals is to place for a medal.

There are three large invitation-

meets that last for two hours, but the invitationals last for a majority of the day.

“At the weekend invitationals, there are a lot of students, so it’s more intense than the regular ones [weekday races],” cross country runner sophomore Talha Shafik said.

In girls volleyball, the freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity teams each have their own tournaments, which puts them in different brackets. Placing first in the bracket is a very big honor for the volleyball team, and they receive a medal plaque for winning.

These tournaments start as early as 7 a.m. and end around 3 p.m. It is a very exciting process for some and makes some volleyball players want to play as hard as they can to get the medal.

“I think that it’s pretty fun for everyone,” junior varsity volleyball player sophomore Katelyn Hurley said. “We get to meet new people, and we get to work with them.”

Senior Isabella Lai is a triple athlete at SCHS, but she plans on taking tennis, her main sport, to the next level. Women’s tennis coach Amy Jensen has recruited her to play at the University of California Santa Cruz.

“I kinda feel proud of the fact that I am being scouted for the sport that I enjoy most out of the ones I play,” Lai said.

In addition to tennis, Lai has

“She can play aggressively, but [she] is also tough and patient and can hang in long points.”

- Amy Jensen, women’s tennis coach

Tatiana Serrano/Roar Staff

Raquel Blassingame runs on to the field with the rest of the varsity football team.

fulfill her dream of playing football and has received tremendous encouragement from friends and family.

“I want to continue to show people that it’s okay to follow your dreams no matter who’s doing it or who’s not doing it,” Blassingame said. “I think it’s important that people follow their dreams no matter what stigma is around.”

Eunice Oh/Roar Staff

Senior Isabella Lai pushes herself to improve during practice. Her passion gained the attention of UC Santa Cruz’s coach.

Codera’s vision and is committed to achieving it.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, it’s not going to happen in one season,” Codera said. “It’s going to be a long journey, it’s going to take a lot of work, but I feel like this team has the potential to be one of the top programs in the area.”

Senior Isabella Lai ‘can hit every shot in the book’

By Adlena Tran & Bonnie Liu

Continued from page 1

difficult for any player, according to Calderon. He is happy she is committed, focused and always willing to do her best.

“She’s a girl and she’s doing what most guys can’t do… you have 40 of them [SCHS students] that play football. That’s a small population, and she’s out there contributing,” Calderon said.

Through persistence and dedication, Blassingame was able to

spend more time practicing within their own individual position groups, according to senior Henry Mayorga.

“He has good motivational speeches...he runs things differently, a little smoother,” Mayorga said. “Each (assistant) coach runs their own group.”

The team is enthusiastic about

UC Santa Cruz recruits SCHS tennis player:

Fall sports teams participate in seasonal tournaments Female Football Player meet, cross country has multiple als in total and smaller weekday

By Chariah Williams

Everything has led up to the big day: tournament day. Fall sports tournaments are ways for SCHS athletes to compete against opponents they would not normally compete against.

Girls tennis participates in a varsity tournament called the El Camino League Finals. It is normally held in Los Altos and could help the team move up in their division. This year, the tournament will occur on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31.

The tennis team has two matches on the first day, and their performance on the first day continues on to the second day. This year is really important for the tennis team because it is their strongest year, according to varsity doubles player junior Anjali Mathi.

“Last year I was a sophomore on the team, so we let the seniors and the juniors go, but if we do have a chance to go to SCVALS [El Camino League Finals] this year, I am excited,” Mathi said.

While tennis only has one big

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played basketball and softball at SCHS and a multitude of other sports prior to high school. Having played on the girls Varsity tennis team since her freshman year, Lai is currently co-captain of the team.

Aside from league matches, she plays in tennis tournaments. Lai is in the rankings for the United States Tennis Association. Her Universal Tennis Single Rating, obtained from her tournament results, is currently seven, which was high enough for her to be scouted.

“Serena Williams is rated as 12,” Lai’s mother, Vani Man, said.

“Some other college players may be rated as 10.”

Lai participated in a practice training session at UC Santa Cruz and caught Jensen’s attention.

Later, Lai was invited to practice

and share meals with the college team, and Jensen gave her a tour around the school.

According to Jensen, Lai “can hit every shot in the book.”

“She can play aggressively, but [she] is also tough and patient and can hang in long points. I can see she has a passion for the game,” Jensen said.

Having played since she was six years old, Lai is devoted to the sport. She plays in tournaments on the weekends, but with her commitment comes sacrifice.

“I didn’t have a lot of time for most people, usually socializing with friends,” Lai said. “I didn’t exactly have time for anything else except for tennis.”

Lai does not let the idea of missing out affect her. She continues to follow through since she is passionate about tennis.

In the past, Lai mostly learned tennis from her father, but lately, Lai has been looking for a personal coach who can help her exceed her limits.

“I’ve been playing by myself getting better as only I can,” Lai said. “I’m at that point where I need a coach to help me improve.”

Lai prefers to play in singles over doubles because tennis has been an independent sport for her since the beginning.

“It’s like something that helps me represent myself, something I can get better with,” Lai said.

Lai considers herself an individual and does not have anyone she considers an inspiration.

“I don’t really look up to someone because I want to be more or less who I am,” Lai said.

“I don’t want to be that person. I want to be me.”

A&E OCTOBER 26, 2018 10 SCHS dance group Snap, Crackle, Pop hopes to gain members

By Giovana Marquez When asked to perform at Interact’s Benefit Show, senior Vince Velayo formed a dance group with two friends who shared his love of K-pop. January 2018 marked the beginning of Snap, Crackle, Pop, an SCHS dance trio.

Velayo and his dance partners, junior Areiah Malonzo and senior Maliya Madanes, perform K-pop dance covers to showcase different dance styles and genres.

Madanes, or “Crackle,” is in charge of teaching the dance covers to the team.

“We are a pretty energetic group,” Madanes said. “I always push them to practice full out during practices, and I make sure they do the choreography correctly.”

Although each member joined the group with varying degrees

Melina Kritikopoulos/Roar Staff

(From left to right) Junior Areiah Malonzo, senior Maliya Madanes and senior Vince Velayo do a popular K-pop pose. of dance experience, all share a love for dancing. Malonzo, who claimed “Snap” as her role in the trio, has enjoyed dancing since she was eight years old.

“I guess it’s a way for me to distract myself because you’re performing and you just get to listen to music and have fun,” Malonzo said.

Inspired by her love for Kpop music and choreography, Madanes began dancing her sophomore year.

“When I first started dancing, I was really bad,” Madanes said.

Since her start, however, Madanes has worked hard, often practicing alone outside of the team’s practices.

“I have been super motivated to dance because I want to improve myself and possibly become as good as dance coverists like Koreos and Boris Law,” Madanes said.

Velayo, or “Pop,” has been dancing for about a year.

“I found interest [in dancing] by participating in school events such as Lip Sync and BOTC,” Velayo said. “The K-pop industry also got me hooked on dancing through the different choreos.”

By practicing the K-pop choreography for up to four hours a week, the dance trio was able to perform at both the Interact Benefit Show and last year’s Diversity Week.

“Our past performances were so fun and unforgettable,” Madanes said. “Vince sometimes goes crazy while dancing and over-exaggerates his moves on purpose. Areiah somehow puts up with us and makes all the dances look cute even if they were not meant to look cute.”

Snap, Crackle, Pop are planning to perform at this year’s Holiday in the Quad, Talent Showcase, Diversity Rally and Goodbye Rally. But the group does not plan on staying a team of three for these performances.

“We want to open it up to more people ... to those who love dancing to K-pop,” Velayo said.

Did you know?

Shoes are chemistry teacher Alan Tan’s artistic medium

By Annie Liu

Many people are sneakerheads, but chemistry teacher Alan Tan brings his shoe game to a whole new level. He does not just collect shoes -- he paints them too.

Tan has been painting shoes since high school, and his obsession began on the basketball court.

“I started playing basketball, started collecting basketball shoes, started painting a little on my shoes, and then I started

painting for others,” Tan said.

When Tan was in high school and college, the trend was collecting Jordans or Nike shoes, and he quickly joined in. While working in college, Tan was able to earn money to spend on painting shoes.

Tan’s first step is to take off the shoe’s clear protective coat, which prevents the paint from cracking, using nail polish remover. Next, Tan personalizes the shoe using acrylic paint or an airbrush. Finally, Tan sprays an aerosol finisher to protect the paint.

“It’s very calming when you

know what you’re doing and have a design ready to go,” Tan said.

“But people don’t know how long it actually takes to paint. It takes a long time if you want it done right and well.”

Tan prefers combining complementary colors and painting more abstract paintings and patterns, such as honeycombs and hexagons, since detailed designs are harder to paint. Common colors that he uses are black, white, gray, red and navy, which usually match his outfit.

“I used to draw cartoon figures,

but I don’t draw figures that are really detailed because it’s really hard to get small or fine lines,” Tan said. “But I always draw on paper for practice first before painting it on the shoe.”

After painting the shoe, Tan sells them through his online site or through Facebook. Each pair costs around $200, and Tan has sold around 100 pairs.

“I don’t paint shoes all the time because it’s very busy being a teacher, grading papers and all that,” Tan said. “So I don’t paint shoes as much as I would like,

compared to the past.”

Although painting shoes is time-consuming, Tan enjoys the relaxation and the feeling of accomplishment. Tan is always excited to send the customized shoe to its recipient.

“I once painted a shoe for a music artist in Texas…[as] a tribute to a family member who passed away,” Tan said. “It means a lot to me that someone would trust and give me the responsibility to work on something like that.”

STEMATIX magazine is a hub for students interested in STEM

By Amy Kennedy STEMATIX, currently an online magazine run by SCHS students featuring STEM-related content, has grown significantly since its start nearly a year and a half ago.

Freshman Saurav Gandhi is the magazine’s founder and lead editor. STEMATIX, which was named by combining the words “STEM” and “schematics,” aims “to bring STEM awareness to the youth in the world,” according to Gandhi.

The STEMATIX team, which started out with 12 people, now consists of 40 students. They have published four issues with topics ranging from aerospace to medicine to climate change. The fifth issue, which is still in progress, was inspired by STEM’s growing global influence.

“We wanted to do a whole magazine about the Thailand cave rescue, but ... we minimized it to one article and we decided to do a whole magazine on the latest things that are happening in STEM,” Gandhi said.

The team aims to publish a new magazine at the end of every quarter. In order to adhere to this schedule, students split

the work by dividing into the magazine’s four departments: Photography and DIY, Art, Literature and Graphic Design.

Each department is led by up to three student directors.

Freshman Jessica Wang started the Photography and DIY section of the magazine and now directs the section’s seven members.

“I learned how to be a better leader and oversee people,” Wang said.

Freshman Rhea Jain is a director for the graphic design department and has taken the opportunity to polish her graphic design skills, paying close attention to the small details.

“I’m a perfectionist,” Jain said. “Everything has to be centered.”

Between leading and expanding the magazine, editing, helping with graphic design and overseeing the publication and distribution process, Gandhi spends around 100 hours working on each magazine.

But this large commitment is worth it, according to Gandhi.

“I would love to continue this even after high school,” he said.

In order to make this happen, Gandhi is expanding the magazine’s reach.

“We’ve contacted Stanford University, so in each issue there’s going to be a Stanford scientist who’s interviewed and they’ll have a little blurb in the magazine,” Gandhi said.

The team is also working on getting their magazine in the Sunnyvale and Santa Clara libraries for the public to read.

But the team’s aspirations to expand the magazine’s influence goes beyond school, city and even state lines.

“I think this magazine will go global in some point in time,” Gandhi said. “I want to get writers from different parts of the world to contribute to the magazine.”

For the time being, there are 20 students across two schools -- SCHS and Cabrillo Middle School -- who are a part of the literature department and write for STEMATIX. Freshman Sindhu Saggeri is one of the three directors for the literature department. Although the team is large, Saggeri feels that it fosters an inclusive environment.

“It’s a magazine by the kids and for the kids,” Gandhi said.

“It’s a magazine that kids can get involved in and can also get a lot of experience from.”

Courtesy of the STEMATIX team

The cover art on the fourth STEMATIX issue illustrates the dangers of global warming. All issues of the STEMATIX magazine can be found online at https:// www.stematix.org/.

Online Shopping Sites:

One staffer bought a plain black hoody from Fashion Nova, Romwe, Zaful, Boohoo and Pretty Little Things. Here’s how they compare.

By Sasha Syrevych

1) Fashion Nova

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OCTOBER 26, 2018

Key: = Shipping Cost = Time = Quality = Price of Item Score: 15/25

The products on Fashion Nova are reasonably priced; the plain black sweatshirt cost $28.43, including tax and shipping. The sweatshirt came two business days after I placed the order and it looked exactly like it was advertised: black with white strings. I expected it to be a little bigger; it was tight for a size medium. The sweater was also very warm and soft on the inside but somewhat thin. For its relatively cheap price, I was surprised with the decent quality.

Increasing YouTube ads with long run times frustrates some viewers

By Moira O’Hara-Heinz

Times are changing. While teens from just a few years ago watched YouTube with minimal interruptions, teens today often have to click “Skip” just to watch a single video.

According to an article published by The Guardian, YouTube, which was founded in 2005, remained ad-free until 2007. After gaining mass popularity, large businesses such as Disney partnered with YouTube to promote their products.

“There are videos with an ad every three minutes.

It’s frustrating.”

- Isabel Maloney,

2) Romwe Score: 15/25 The black sweatshirt was very thin and felt more like a long-sleeve shirt than a sweatshirt. It did, however, fit exactly how a medium size is supposed to fit. The sweatshirt, shipping and insurance fee totaled just $20.99, which was the cheapest of the five. Romwe’s shipping cost depends on the price of the order. If the order is between $0 and $18.99, the shipping is $6.99, but as the price of the order increases, the shipping cost decreases and actually cancels out if orders are over $49. Romwe advertises their shipping to be within seven business days, and the sweatshirt I ordered arrived in just three days, which was impressive.

3) Zaful Score: 14/25 Zaful is one of the more widely-known shopping websites among teens.

It is affordable and has a lot of variety. The one black sweatshirt I ordered cost $30.99, and Zaful offered bonus points for signing up on their website to take $3.00 of my first purchase. The sweatshirt arrived after six days and looked as it was advertised. What stumped me, however, was the absence of strings in the hood. I thought they would be automatically included.

Although the sweatshirt had a slightly tight fit, the material was thick and warm, perfect for the California winter. It was different from other sweatshirts due to the presence of a soft corset, but it was still a nice sweater.

4) Boohoo Score: 12/25 Boohoo has a big variety of products, including the men’s collection, plus-size clothing and even beauty products. Most of the items are usually on sale, but unlike Romwe, where each item has individual sale percentage, Boohoo offers sales on all items on the website with the average sale being 50 percent. I bought the plain black sweatshirt when it was not on sale, so the total for my order was $30.99. The sweatshirt is soft and oversized as advertised, although I expected it to be way smaller. Boohoo offers standard shipping within six days after placing the order: they stay true to their word, as the product did arrive in six days. One thing that stood out was the ordering process: The website did not accept any of the working debit or credit cards I tried, so I had to resort to PayPal, which Boohoo offers as a paying option.

5) Pretty Little Things

freshman Ads in 2007 were 80 percent transparent, allowing users to still see the video as the ad ran. They typically only lasted for about ten seconds at the bottom of the video screen and could be clicked away by the user. Now, ads can last for fifteen seconds of mandatory watching, usually take up the full screen, and can only occasionally be skipped after five seconds.

Junior Priya Dhople, a budding YouTuber, understands the necessities of YouTube advertisements.

“For smaller creators, I see how it can be a really good way to bring in money,” Dhople said.

“Some people use it as a way to support themselves for a living.”

Despite this, Dhople dislikes sitting through YouTube advertisements.

“From a watcher’s point of view, they are really annoying,”

Dhople said. “I hate ads, especially the ones you can’t skip.”

In 2015, YouTube released YouTube Red, a paid subscription that removed all ads for the user.

According to YouTube’s Global Head of Music, Lyor Cohen, the site is looking into increasing ads in order to convince more users to subscribe to the paid service. The ads are targeted to users who use YouTube as their primary music listening service in an attempt to keep up with music streaming giants such as Spotify and Pandora.

“People who treat YouTube like a music service, those passively listening for long periods of time, will encounter more ads,” Cohen said during a SXSW interview in March. “There’s a lot more people in our funnel that we can frustrate and seduce to become subscribers.”

Although YouTube offers creators the ability to promote their channels through advertisements, the majority of ads are from large corporations. YouTube uses search histories to target relevant ads for the user.

Freshman Isabel Maloney does not see a positive future for YouTube.

“I feel like YouTube itself is going downhill,” Maloney said.

“They’re promoting the wrong people who don’t deserve the promotion, and their overall ‘recommended’ algorithm is definitely messed up. I think creators are even paying for a higher ranking.”

According to Maloney, YouTube advertisements are “extremely irritating and irrelevant.”

“They’re unimportant to the viewer and they’re extremely overused. There are videos with an ad every three minutes. It’s frustrating,” Maloney said.

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Score: 12/25

PrettyLittleThings is a UK-based fashion company that is in partnership with Boohoo. Their products are a little bit more expensive than Boohoo’s, but they are still relatively cheap. PrettyLittleThings sometimes has sales on their whole store, but they are not as generous as Boohoo -- only 30 percent on average. The total of my order was $33.00, which was the most expensive of of the reviewed websites. My sweatshirt arrived after eight business days, which exceeded the website’s advertised five- to seven-day shipping. The sweater was too big for my liking, even though it was advertised as oversized, and I expected the sweatshirt to be thicker than it is in reality.

/SC.Roar

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SPOTLIGHT

12

OCTOBER 26, 2018

MORE THAN

By Olive Howden and Neha Mandava

Senior Emily Hagen stands out in every room, partly due to her blue hair, and partly due to the four tattoos decorating her left arm. She is among the few SCHS students who have chosen to get a tattoo. Hagen chose her tattoos for their personal meaning.

Hagen got her first tattoo when she was 15 years old, in memory of her late great-grandfather.

“It says ‘Forever My Captain’ and it’s on an anchor because he was kind of like an anchor for me,” Hagen said.

She and her grandfather used the nicknames “Sailor” and “Captain” for each other during their last visit together before he died. Her most recent tattoos, a palm tree and a phoenix, symbolize her recent move from Illinois to the West Coast.

“The palm tree is for California, and I’m obsessed with palm trees,” Hagen said. “The phoenix is kind of like a representation of… how they have to die and go up in flames in order to be reborn. So it kind of symbolizes rebirth and starting over.”

Like Hagen, senior Cindy Eng’s tattoo holds a very personal and empowering message.

“It’s right on my chest, the word ‘Ascension,’” Eng said. “It’s a song

by Jhené Aiko, which to me means no matter what hell I’m going through, I’m still going t o

Eunice Oh/Roar Staff

SKIN DEEP make it to heaven or a better place.”

Physical education teacher Darrin Garcia has a sun and a yin and yang symbol on his left calf. For Garcia, tattoos are a way of expressing internal emotion as external physical pain. Although he described the feeling of getting tattooed as “being stung by a bee, repeatedly.” Garcia said it can be easy to want more than one tattoo.

“My theory is that a lot of times we feel things on the inside. Our emotions and everything are on the inside— there’s something about the experience of feeling physical pain on the outside that I think is the addictive part,” Garcia said.

Biology teacher Benjamin Wylam has a tattoo in honor of his child. His daughter’s name and birthday are tattooed across his left bicep.

Although this tattoo is very meaningful to him, Wylam regrets getting a shamrock tattoo when he was 17.

“It was a very silly tattoo, and I wish I didn’t get it,” Wylam said. “I would not recommend getting a tattoo that young.”

Junior Franchescalyn Poquiz has a tattoo on her shoulder, a hibiscus flower surrounded by tribal designs. Her decision to get a tattoo was influenced by her parents, who have a few tattoos of their own. Poquiz said she does not show it off often.

“I usually forget that I have it and then someone points it out,” Poquiz said.

English teacher Daniel Eaton believes in taking time to pick out the perfect tattoo. In fact, he waited 30 years before he got inked.

“I like to tell people tattoos are basically buying somebody’s art,” Eaton said. “Just like putting up a painting in your home, it is permanently putting a piece of art on your body.”

The majority of Eaton’s tattoos symbolize his favor-

ite literary texts and his religion. They also serve as a tribute to his teaching career.

“The first tattoo [a lion] symbolizes that I was born in South Africa and also represents Aslan from ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’,” Eaton said.

Eaton hopes to get another tattoo as soon as he can cover the cost, which ranges from $50 to over $3,000, depending on the artist and the size of the tattoo. For him, the feeling of getting a tattoo is unlike any other.

“It’s weird because it is painful, but your body is releasing endorphins so you kind of like it,” said Eaton.

Although senior Gabriel Banegas enjoys the look of his tattoo of Aries the ram, he admits that it was not the best decision.

“Honestly, if I were to go back in time, I probably wouldn’t have gotten my tattoo,” Banegas said. “I like it, but… I feel like I was too young.”

Though Banegas is considering getting a tattoo sleeve in the future, he understands the effects it may have on his career.

“Being 17 as I am right now, I’m trying to be smart about the tattoos I get because I still want to be able to apply for jobs in the future,” Banegas said.

Both Banegas and Wylam think that having certain tattoos can be disadvantageous.

“Given the location and meaning of the tattoo, it could be a detriment in a professional setting, especially in a job,” Wylam said.

English teacher Arantxa Figueroa acknowledges this potential setback but believes people can express themselves in whatever way they want.

“If a person has artwork on their sleeves or

Neha Mandava/Roar Staff

on their arms or on their legs, I don’t think that they should be punished for it,” Figueroa said. “I think it’s just part of who they are in the same way that other people wear and say certain things.”

Hagen also believes that tattoos should not be a defining factor when finding a job. Her tattoos allow her to express herself, but they also make her stand out. Hagen said she recalled drawing quite a few stares during her first week at SCHS. “It doesn’t bother me because I think it’s just kind of the stereotype.

People think you’re more intimidating [if you have tattoos],” she said.

Figueroa has dealt with family members and outsiders who disapprove of her tattoos.

“I can tell people are staring at me, but they don’t tell me anything to my face even though I can tell they are looking at it and they don’t approve,” Figueroa said.

She aims to teach people that tattoos are an art form not a reason for discrimination.

“I really urge people who don’t approve of tattoos to take a step back and think about how people represent themselves,” Figueroa said. “Because tattoos are just another method of representation through art.”

Eunice Oh/Roar Staff

Neha Mandava/Roar Staff

Senior Emily Hagen, senior Cindy Eng, junior Franchescalyn Poquiz and English teacher Daniel Eaton showcase their tattoos, each chosen for their personal meaning.