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Dear Patriots, As the 2018-2019 Editors-in-Chief of the Beckman Chronicle, three seniors who have had three very different paths in high school, we extend our sincerest piece of advice: stop, wait, and go. Our theme is based on the principle of a stoplight as we decided that a simple way to address high school is to either stop: halt all that you’re doing, take a break, and reconsider your options to see if there is a need to switch paths, wait: prepare and take time to deliberate and weigh better solutions, and go: to push on and persevere. As high schoolers dealing with college admissions, APs, SAT subject tests, classes, sports, and activities, it may feel like there is a need to go, go, go. However, just as the flow of traffic needs all three lights, so does a high school-
Aarushi Bhaskaran Rachel Ker Cynthia Le Daeun Lee Soowon Lee Allison Perez Ethan Prosser Meganne Rizk Srihitha Somasila April Wang Stephanie Xu
The Choi Family, Ewha Graphics 4790 Irvine Blvd. #105-151 Irvine, CA 92620 info@ewhagraphics.com www.ewhagraphics.com Advisor: Nathaniel Broguiere
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er need to take all three approaches. This past semester, the journalism course went through the process of stopping, waiting, and going. The arrival of our new advisor, Mr. Broguiere brought the journalism staff new opportunities for exploration. Under Mr. Broguiere, high quality indepth writing, more staff engagement, and photojournalism became our new normal. With the second semester opening, we hope this magazine serves as a source of inspiration to explore unique fashions, diverse genres of music, creative methods of organizing, new study spots, and so on. This magazine was created for you, and we urge you to make the most of these high school years, while also heeding the stoplight of life. Sincerely, Ruby Choi, Karolyne Diep, Hanna Kim
Fatima Almosawi Sydney Amundson Matthew Compton Ashley Gray Amanda Huffman Nicholas Kim Euna Lee Yu Cheng Lou Kaitlyn Majkoski Nora Salem Leena Shin Ivanna Tjitra Angela Zhang
Email: beckmanchronicle@gmail.com Instagram: beckmanchronicle Website: beckmanchronicle.com
Morning Lavender, doubling as a boutique and cafe, is a great study spot with a tranquil atmosphere. With its iconic flower wall, flourescent pink, “good morning, gorgeous� light, and opulent chandeliers dangling overhead, Morning Lavender has a playful, classy, and tasteful atmosphere. + Vietnamese Iced Coffee A cold and strong coffee that is bitter yet addictive + Lavender Milk Tea A signature beverage at Morning Lavendar. Scented with a faded purple, this drink matches the overall atmosphere of the cafe
Sootha Coffee is known for being a peaceful study spot with a homie vibe. With a central conference room which can be reserved beforehand, larger groups can have an exclusive space to collaborate and communicate. However, those studying alone can take to the one-person tables around Sootha. + Vanilla Latte A perfect balance between the sweet vanilla and bitter espresso. + Caramel Chai Latte A cold frappe with the same familiar caramel glaze taste. 3
Winter is almost here! So, what does that mean for your skin? During winter, humidity levels drop and dry out your skin. Whether you have oily, dry, or any other skin type, you should take certain steps to properly take care of your skin. Here are some steps we recommend you take.
Some people with oily skin believe the winter air makes their skin worse, while others actually experience the opposite. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Just follow our advice and you’ll be golden. Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse! Use a gentle cleanser during winter to avoid stripping your skin of its natural moisture. Don’t wash your skin too often, though, so that you won’t irritate your skin. For this skin type, we recommend Burt’s Bees Chamomile Cleanser. This product is gentle, effective, and environmentally friendly!
Moisturize! Although this may seem counteractive to your skin type, even oily skin needs extra help in the winter. The key is to use an oil-free, lightweight moisturizer that doesn’t clog your pores. We recommend using Jason C-Effects Cream once or twice a day.
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Winter weather can be tough on dr y skin, since moisture levels drop during this time. Take care of your skin to avoid flaking, cracking, and even eczema. Now, which products should you use? Keep reading to find out! Over cleansing your face can make the skin drier so it is crucial to find a product that powerfully cleanses your face. Products that have non-fragrant oils are great at revitalizing dr y skin. Look for oils such as argan oil or sunflower seed oil in your products. It soothes the face with the moisture from the oils!
Don’t be fooled by the appearance of oil! Your skin might be dr y underneath. If your skin looks dull around the cheeks or eyes, you might have dr y skin. Fine lines or wrinkles may also be accentuated. Therefore, moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize!
You should exfoliate 1-2 times a week to get rid of dead skin cells. Do not exfoliate too much though, as it will strip your skin of natural oils and cause you to breakout. Don’t forget SPF! Even during the winter months, the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays can still affect your skin. Add a face toner to your skincare routine. It restores your skin’s pH balance, minimizes pores, refreshes skin, and protects your skin.
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In total, there are 29 countries around the world in which French is an official language, and many more where French is an option for students to learn in school. Though they speak the same language, these four students from completely different countries have had distinct experiences in both learning French and their subsequent transition into the United States, a place where French is scarcely ever spoken. Anthony Greis (10) who is from Egypt, a country where Arabic is the official language, came to the United States four years ago. Though he tells me that he barely knew any English when he first started calling America his home, it is hard to believe when he speaks with effortless articulation. He thinks back on the past, “When I first came to the United States, my English was not proficient at all. I spoke Arabic at home with my parents, but at school, I spoke only French; I have been in French school my whole life.” Anthony was in a school where all subjects were taught in French: history, geography, math, etc. All of his courses required a complete mastery of the language, all without the help of his parents, and on top of that, Anthony had to endure a drastic change in his life: moving to America. When asked if it was hard, Anthony responds pensively, “Neither English nor French were my first languages I used to get them really mixed up because everything was taught in French in Egypt, but now I’m comfortable with the education system here.” Ruminating on the language’s role in his life, Anthony smiles, “I like that I know French. At first, my parents were the ones who wanted me to learn a different language. Now, I am grateful.”
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Similar in their mastery of the French language, but not much more than that, Yasmin Offman (10) shares her experience growing up in the entirely French region in Canada, Quebec, “Before I came here, I went to a French school where it was complete French immersion -- all of my studies weren’t in English.” Canada is a unique situation: although both French and English are the official languages of the country, the French language and culture permeates the strongest in Quebec, with traffic signs and billboards entirely in this language. Outside of Quebec, English is more dominant. Yasmin’s household accurately reflected her home country. Though she spoke French fluently at school and her parents could speak the language as well, they communicated in English. It was only at school where she was fully surrounded by French. Coming here a few years ago, Yasmin acknowledges that there are many differences between a French education in Canada, one that is modeled after the education system in France, and the American public school system, “In terms of the courses of study, at my school, the classes were very general compared to the classes offered here. At the French school, there was less depth and variety. Math classes were just labeled ‘math’ and science class was just ‘science’. Here, you can take chemistry or biology or different types of math, which I like.” Although initially a relatively hard transition going to school in the United States because she had to translate all of the knowledge she was taught in Canada from French to English, Yasmin is grateful that she was comfortable enough in both languages to seamlessly work her way into school life at Beckman. What French has helped her the most in is not necessarily grammar and literature, though those are integral, but the fact that she can relate to people more. She understands the difficulty of moving from one hundred percent of one language in school to one hundred percent of another. Most of all, Yasmin is cognizant of how different the United States is to her previous home, “American school is so different than the French school I was used to. I mean, I had to relearn everything in English. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened I had stayed there.” Though certainly nostalgic for her old home, Yasmin has bonded with the other students in her French class through a mixture of comfortability and lust for new and different environment; this third period carries both a slice of an old life and a parcel of the new one.
Four-thousand two hundred and sixty four miles away, a student from France experiences a school, a life, though similarly surrounded by French, that is entirely different. Aymeric Brossas (12), who has taken on the name ‘Tim’ courtesy of his friends, came from the motherland itself only a few a months ago in the summer. Realizing both a difference socially and educationally between France and the United States, Tim would have no doubt gone through culture shock. Though he describes the travel and transition tiring, he describes himself as comfortably adjusting to the countries’ differences despite its polar contrast. The education, he relays, is what struck him as the most distinctive, “In France, we choose only the streams of study, humanities, science, or economics, but not the subjects. I wanted to be in the humanities section but there is a lot of prejudice involved with this section so my parents wanted me to pursue the science section. I was relieved when I came here because there were a lot of different courses I could study.” At the lycée, French high school, all students are in pursuit of the baccalauréat also known as the bac, which is a comprehensive assessment that is required of all French students based on what stream of study they picked or was placed into. In order to move onto university, the students in France must pass this test because without it, a university cannot consider their application. Unlike American universities that only require a high school diploma at the bare minimum, French universities require both completion of lycee as well as the passing of this extremely difficult test. The grades on le bac determine how prestigious a university a student can be admitted to, much like the SAT and ACT in the United States, though it carries a much heavier weight. Le bac, in many French students’ opinions, determines the rest of their life. Not to mention that it can only be taken once a year. If a student fails, a whole year must go by for them take it again and apply to university.
When mentioning a school in Los Angeles that offers a French education in the United States identical to the one he experienced in France,which includes taking the bac, Tim responded, “No, I was glad that I came to America because of that very reason. I don’t want to take the bac at all which is why it was an advantage moving here. I want to
pursue an American education.” Tim, narrowly escaping the bac, likes life in Orange County for other reasons besides the bac-less American education -- the beach is one of his favorite places to visit now that he is in California. Also a harbinger of a French background is Salma Lahik (12) who similarly comes from a francophone country, Morocco, which is not too far from France itself. Morocco’s official language is Arabic, Salma’s native and most comfortable tongue, but she is proud to say that French is also a first language to her. Though French is not apart of Morocco’s official languages, many government workers and official work are done in French. Her own connection to French was through school, “The school I was at taught French. We basically have the same educational system as France since the two countries are so close together. Whatever is taught in France is taught in Morocco.” With a fluency of this other language, on top of Arabic and English, Salma admits that French has allowed her for more opportunity in and out of the classroom, though she experiences some hardships because of it. Though born here, Salma moved to Morocco for ten years before coming back to her birthplace. Despite having American papers, she feels judgement by other people due to her slight accent. On the other hand, she feels a familiarity when in the AP French class because of the common language she shares with her peers and the teacher. Without French, perhaps she would not have made such deep connections. Regardless, Salma appreciates the United States and Beckman, for its differences, “I like that people are more open here and that I can be more expressive.”
French is said to be the most romantic of languages. Perhaps, in this case, it can instead be dubbed the friendship language, the unity language, the family language. French has allowed for people coming from opposite sides of the world to intersect by sharing a common language -one that is different for everyone but the same in its most fundamental aspects. In the United States, the hub of intersectional cultures and fermentation of friendships and growth, a French-American experience has been fostered for four separate, vastly different people. A place that should be foreign has never before felt more like home.
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Layout By: Stephanie Xu and Cynthia Le
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Beckman students have numerous obligations, and as a given, so do the athletes. Participating greatly in both academics and athletics, these athletes juggle the high school workload while setting aside time for frequent practices and games that consume hours upon hours. After extensive endeavor and dedication, these athletes have deservedly secured a spot in their top
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colleges, dedicating their next four years to representing their new home by playing the sport they love. We give our congratulations to these athletes that have dedicated their years to representing Beckman on the field. To those student-athletes who have committed to colleges yet were not pictured, we extend the congratulations and wish you the best in the years to come.
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The white tiles and gray walls of the hallway in the 200 Building gives it a hospital vibe ‒ hence its nickname, the Hospital Wing. In the morning, students sit against the blue sofa cushions, chatting away with friends before the bell rings. By 7:50 a.m., the Hospital Wing is eerily silent. Other than the blue from the cushions, there wasn’t much color in the hallway ‒ resembling a hospital just a little too much, making it slightly uncomfortable to walk through during the middle of a period when no one else was around. That was the Hospital Wing a couple years ago. Now the Hospital Wing is filled with colors from the artwork of the graphic design students at Beckman. From the album covers of various music genres to the mobiles hanging in the skylights, the once dull hallway is painted with the vivid imagination of these graphic design students. But the works of the students aren’t just limited to those of the Hospital Wing. They are all around campus: in classrooms, the library, the 300 Building. They are everywhere. We just don’t seem to notice them. When we walk around, our eyes tend to notice the artwork for a brief moment, and then we proceed to hurry on with the rest of our lives. But if we ever stopped to think about the meaning behind the artwork, we unfold endless stories of creativity and inspiration.
same time, he wanted to accentuate the simple and natural beauty of the music. “I wanted there to be this minimal futuristic feel while maintaining some semblance of classical landscape paintings to convey the vast yet highly textured sound of the music,” Le says. The sun is a combination of the warm colors: red, orange, and yellow. The colors are organized unevenly to provide the modern aspect. The sky is a light blue, with a tiny hint of yellow contrasting the blue along the edges of the green hills. The hills begin with a tint of pine green and slowly become a darker shade. Sitting on the top of a hill is a small white house. “The concept of the house on the hills came to mind because it captures how small we are in this “green world” of the album,” he comments. “I chose to frame it within white borders to call back to the frames of old paintings while giving it a feel of a computer interface.” Every detail on the album cover reflects a part of the story Le wants to convey to his audience. Even the Baskerville font was specifically chosen to convey the classic yet modern feel of the title. Now a freshman at Tufts University, Le continues to pursue a career in graphic design. Even though he has left Beckman, his artwork still exudes his story to the students who stop by to marvel at his piece.
The sunlight seeps through the skylights onto the floors of the Hospital Wing. On a bright day, we notice hints of red, blue, and yellow on the white floors. Look up, and we see mobiles hanging down from the skylight. We see an interesting combination: many glass shards attached to clear string and almost randomly placed red, blue, and yellow circles.
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Amongst the artwork hung up in the Hospital Wing is an album cover titled “Another Green World ‒ Brian Eno” in a light yellow Baskerville font. Upon first glance, we see a bunch of green hills, a blue sky, a white house and an orange sun ‒ what seems to be a typical green hill scenery. But upon closer inspection, we start to notice that there are more color harmonies that give the artwork much more depth and meaning. Designed by former AP Studio Art student, Anh-Tuan Le wanted to capture the essence of nature in his reinterpretation of the album, one of his favorites. “The songs feel like reimagined orchestral pieces created in a desolate yet utopian future,” Le says. “I really wanted to capture the vastness and texture of the sound.” Using the music itself to inspire his design, Le carefully orchestrated the design of his cover. The album was made during a pivotal period of electronic music, so he incorporated a futuristic vibe to his design to convey the celebration of the new mode of music during that time. At the
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Except, it’s not random ‒ the three circles were intentionally placed there to juxtapose the glass shards. Created by junior Anna Tomov and her group, Jillian Yee, Christelle Haj, and Lauren Wong, they had to design a mobile that represented the theme of a novel. They decided on The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, a core novel for sophomore literature. “We wanted the book the mobile would be based off of to be something we read in high school so that other people can look at the mobile and understand what it represents,” Tomov says. The Glass Menagerie is a memory play about Tennessee Williams’ childhood through the lens of Tom Springfield who tells the story about his internal dilemma between following his American Dreams and the burdens of supporting his mother, Amanda, and his crippled sister, Laura. While different in character, Tom, Amanda, and Laura share one thing in common: their struggle to survive and find their identity in society. Tomov, Yee, Haj, and Wong wanted to apply the themes and symbols of The Glass Menagerie in their mobiles. The glass shards represent the shattering of glass motif that convey the broken illusions of society, while the three circles represent the three protagonists. The family is surrounded by the glass shards to represent their isolation from the rest of society due to a lack of identity and how they were living in their own illusions of society. “We wanted them to contrast from the triangles [because] the triangles can also represent everyone else and how the family is isolated, which is why they’re different,” Tomov says. The red, blue, and yellow colors were chosen to suit the characteristics of each character. The red color signifies Tom’s aggressiveness and impulsive behaviors, while the blue color signifies the fragility and sadness of Laura’s personality. The yellow color illustrates the optimism but instability of Amanda’s nature ‒ her circle is also bigger to indicate her overbearing demeanor. From the position to the color of the pieces, the mobile creatively conveys the theme of The Glass Menagerie, reminding us to remain true to ourselves as we too search for our identity not only at Beckman but in society as well.
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There were quite a few changes to the classrooms this school year. Students were quick to notice that the desks and chairs were replaced with swiveled ones and that some of the tables were replaced with taller gray ones. But there was another addition to the classrooms: posters with the new Tru Blu traits. One of them was a Scooby-Doo themed poster. ` Wait.
Scooby-Doo? This year, Beckman had changed their previous 13 Tru Blū traits to just six traits: trustworthy, responsible, understanding, benevolent, leadership, and united. The administration wanted the students to be aware of the new Tru Blū traits, so they needed something to display the change. Being the designers of the school, the Graphics Design 1 class was assigned the task of designing the Tru Blū posters. The students chose to design their posters based on the style of a certain decade from the 1890’s to the 1990’s. After finishing, the English teachers and Mrs. Manning, the graphics design teacher, chose one poster from each decade to print and hang around the school. The Scooby-Doo looking poster was designed by Parris Volgyi. Choosing the 1960’s for her project, she based her design on the style and fonts of the decade ‒ including Scooby-Doo, which was created in the late 1960’s.
Volgyi chose purple, yellow, and orange colors to reflect the boldness of the decade. The complementary of the purple background make the yellow and orange fonts pop out, further accentuating the poppin’ culture of the 1960’s. The round, ovalish orange shapes on the right of the poster seem like the spots on Scooby-Doo; however, they are actually the shapes inside a lava lamp.
“Lava lamps were invented at that time, so the shapes in the poster look like the shapes in lava lamps,” Volgyi says. The most eye-catching part of the poster is the psychedelic font for the Tru Blū traits. With its bubbly yet sharp curvature, the psychedelic font is what gives the poster the groovy vibe. “I picked a psychedelic font because that kind of art was popular in the 60’s,” Volgyi says.
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The grooviness and boldness of the 1960’s makes her design unique and eye-catching while informing students to follow the Tru Blū traits. So while we are reminiscing the good ol’ days of Scooby Doo as we look at the poster, we are reminded to be a Tru Blū Patriot. * * * At the end of the school year, Beckman hosts the Night of the Stars awards ceremony, honoring students for their academic and athletic excellence. Red, white, and blue balloons decorate the stage, tables are set up with fancy centerpieces and confetti, blue and red lights flash around the gym. Students are treated to sprinkled donut holes, M&M’s, apple cider, and water. The lights dim. The awards ceremony has begun. Principal Dr. Rafter goes onto the stage and introduces the ceremony to the students and parents. After all the introductions, the awards are given out ‒ the highlight of the night. As students get called up to receive their awards, friends and family cheer as they walk down the red carpet. Then they walk down the stage and sit back down, beaming with pride at their award. The award is designed using the patriotic red, white, and blue colors of Beckman. Red stripes go across the top left corner, and the white negative space between the stripes create the stripes of the American flag. In a blue cursive font, “Night of the Stars” is boldly placed on the top right corner. Then in red cursive font is the student’s name, and in a navy blue color, the award they received. On the bottom left corner is Dr. Rafter’s signature.
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Each name and award was carefully typed by Senior Eva Wei. She was chosen to help design the certificates for last year’s Night of the Stars event. While the award layout remains consistent each year, Wei had to make sure that every student’s name was typed out correctly and that the award they received matched with the student. In addition, Wei also designed the Night of the Stars booklet that contained all the names of the award recipients and contributors to the event. However, this wasn’t just
simply typing the names. She had to consider many different things when designing the layout: How should she format the names and awards so that it looks nice? How should she make everything fit in a small booklet? Wei made an additional change to the booklet last year that hadn’t been done by the previous designers: changing the font of the Night of the Stars logo. Normally the designers aren’t allowed to change the cover of the booklet, but Wei was an exception. “We changed the [cursive] font to make it more rounded because the round lines pop out the logo,” Wei says. “Cursive gives it a formal and night event gala feeling, so we wanted to keep the cursive.” The process designing the awards and booklet took around a month. Wei had to patiently wait for the teachers to submit their award recipients and for Mr. Bushong to confirm the spelling of the students’ names. Wei also had to ensure that every recipient got an award and that their names were on the booklet. “I got the job a little bit over a month before the event, but I finished it a week before,” says Wei. “The day they had to print the certificates and booklets, I was called out of first and second period to do some last minute changes and get the whole thing ready for printing.” Wei’s month long hard work paid off. The awards and booklets turned out beautifully, and students were eager to get their awards and pinpoint their names on the booklet. We would’ve thought that the awards were designed by a professional company, but in actuality, Beckman’s own graphic designers have designed them. * * * The works of the graphic design students are not limited to those displayed in the Hospital Wings, classrooms, and the Night of the Stars award ceremony. Simply walking around campus will allow us to take a tour of the various masterpieces created by their creative minds. So next time during break or lunch ‒ or even during passing period, take a minute to look at the artwork designed by the students. Look closely. Maybe a little closer. Every color, every stroke, every shape is its own story of the designer’s imagination.
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nathan hahm describe your outfit
My top is a polo from Stussy. I actually work there and I got the shirt from the warehouse. These shoes are from the Vans and Stussy collab and these pants are from Active, I cut them myself.
describe your style
My style is street wear mixed with surf and skate culture. I prefer bright colors and pieces that stand out more. I usually wear a bunch of rings and maybe a gold Casio watch or plain surf freestyle watch. The watch I’m wearing right now is from Seiko.
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“streetwear is super versatile. some people make it a minimalistic thing, others blow it out of proportion and wear crazy stuff. streetwear is casual.” - nathan
brianda placencia
describe your outfit
My top is from an online shop called Urban Sophistication and my beanie is from Zumiez. I got my pants from Levi’s and my shoes are from Nike.
describe your style
I picked up my sense of style from just going around places (particularly LA), seeing different people, and thinking, ‘Oh, if I put this with this it would look dope. LA inspires me. Something that represents me in my fashion are my shoes or my beanies. If you accessorize, it adds a lot to your outift. Even if your outfit is simple, there are pieces that stand out. My staple shoes are my Jordans. I have a lot of beanies, my favorite is a neon green Stussy beanie. If I want jeans, I go into Depop and search for old vintage jeans and sometimes rip my own jeans. For my tops, sometimes I shop at Supreme or Brandy Melville.
“streetwear is dope. it’s simple and it speaks for itself. there’s no point in going over the top and wearing an outfit that you think is cool but is not your style. streetwear incorporates personality.” - brianda
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aidan jung describe your outfit
“The belt is from my dad’s closet.The shoes are the Nike Air Force 1s and my pants and shirt are from Urban Outfitters.”
describe your style
“Typically I go for more comfortable clothes. I definitely like having bright color. To shop, I usually just see stuff in the store and think, ‘that’d look cute on me’ and then I buy it. I usually shop at Urban Outfitters; it’s expensive but men's clothing is just so boring and at Urban Outfitters it’s better than boring.”
“when i think of streetwear, my mind immediately goes to korea.” - aidan
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Gratefulness. Memories. Thanksgiving. All around the country, households of many different people are filled with the scent of delicious foods and “thanks” in the air. The fourth Thursday of every November is a special day for many, one meant for sharing the gratitude within you with others. The very first Thanksgiving feast was done in order to celebrate the colony’s first harvest. Now, this day revolves around thanking people and being grateful for the things you have, a big advancement from the first day it was celebrated. A tradition that has been passed on for more than five centuries of America’s existence, Thanksgiving serves to be the time of year when the love really comes out. Although this traditional holiday has been celebrated for so many years, there isn’t only one specific way to go about this special day. A broad diversity of cultures from all around the world each have their own twists they take on the one and only Thanksgiving day.
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Summer Shen, a freshman here at Beckman High School, is one of the many people who celebrates Thanksgiving closely to the traditional ways. Her family still takes a twist on the tradition based on their Chinese culture, but it is still rather close to the original traditions. As Summer and her family drive up to the Bay Area for the upcoming holiday, she beams with joy and excitement. Although the drive is more than seven hours long, it is somehow bearable because of how eager she is to be greeted by the rest of her family and friends once the drive is over. Before Summer even has a chance to step foot in the house, she is immediately crowded around by her aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, family friends, and the list could go on forever. Out of the whole year, this is the one day all of them get to be in the same place at once to spend some quality family time.
“Due to the miles that separate us, spending time with them is rare,” explains Summer. “However, when we are together, there is never a dull moment.” Being able to share this time with her extended family, some of the people who are the most important to Summer, is one of the many things she is grateful for. The long time apart doesn’t ever stop the Shen family from picking up right where they left off and creating many memories to be stored in their hearts forever. Just like the very first Thanksgiving America celebrated, all the traditional foods are part of their dinner during the big feast. Whether it be potatoes, stuffing, or turkey, the family is sure to include these foods in the festivities. In addition to these, Summer’s Chinese culture is also tied into the meal. While her parents, aunts, and uncles are the ones responsible for making the previously stated traditional foods, her grandparents are the sole providers for some of their famous Chinese cuisine foods. This includes roasted duck, fried rice, noodles, and Hotpot. This steamy dish is one of the many mesmerizing dishes part of the dining table that draw the family members to the kitchen. Preparing these foods definitely isn’t a piece of cake, though. Making the dishes usually starts bright and early in the morning, and it even sometimes begins the night before to ensure the food is served just in time. With the whole family pitching in, including Summer, they are able to share many moments bonding and cherishing their time with each other. Before anyone even picks up a fork, however, Summer’s grandmother takes a few minutes to make a speech about who and what she is thankful for, such as her family, her friends, and the food they’re about to eat. Soon, everyone around the table pitches in and says what they are thankful for in their lives. Once the final “cheers” are made, it is finally time to begin the Thanksgiving feast. While Summer celebrates Thanksgiving traditionally, there are other cultures who have their own ways of celebrating on this day. One family who does this is Sofia Hernandez, who is Native American and Hispanic.
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Unfortunately for Sofia, however, seeing her distant family isn’t always an option for her. Since most of them live in Mexico, it is rare that she gets to see them often. In fact, they haven’t seen each other since she was eight years old! Even though they talk on the phone as much as they can, time without them is still very hard for Sofia.
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“I do appreciate the time I am able to spend here in the United States, but I sometimes feel pressure on me and feel as though I am a minority,” explains Sofia. Being the only one able to live in the United States is extremely hard on her, constantly making her feel left out and sad that her and her family are the only ones who could have stayed living here. She is also still always worried and scared that the only family she has here, the only people she sees often and is close with, will also be taken from her life and leave her with nothing. Having the chance to see her distant family, even if it’s just once a year, is a true blessing in life that Sofia has acknowledged. Although it doesn’t get to happen some years, Sofia and her family are appreciative for the time they are able to spend together. When they are all gathered around the table, they never miss a chance to express the gratitude they have for one another and the time they can spend with each other, especially given the fact that they live in a completely different country. Since Sofia, also a freshmen at Beckman High, is of Native American and Hispanic descent, her family’s Thanksgiving feast is packed with a more cultural variety of foods. Included in this are ribs, arroz (rice), Frijoles (beans), carne (meat), and pan (bread). It doesn’t stop there, though; desserts such as gelato and flan are included, as well as Horchata and juice to drink. The Hernandez family doesn’t take the rare time they have with each other lightly. ` In the Hispanic culture, the food served is a very important piece of their background, so Sofia doesn’t usually get to take part in making the food. Her mom feels she should wait until she is older to participate in this special tradition, but Sofia is still quite familiar with the street food in Mexico and other Hispanic areas. One of her favorite dishes to eat on this day is known as Tacos de Pastor in her culture, authentic tacos specially made by her mom. “These tacos are a whole different experience than store or fast food purchases,” describes Sofia about the dish, clearly having a strong liking towards it. Once the perfectly heated tortilla is picked, the next step is to carefully fill it with all the desired toppings. For Sofia, this includes Pastor, a type of pork meat. While the inside of the meat has a light red tint, the outside is more of a dark brown with a crispy texture. For the final touches, Sofia adds a squirt of lemon, onion slices, oregano, and some hot salsa to top it off. Sometimes, their whole family is able to go out together and watch a movie after they finish eating. If not, the day is spent at home all day preparing for the dinner and just bonding with each other. This is not a problem or disappointment to any of them, though. The fact that they are able to even spend one day together at home is already more than they could wish for, so they are always grateful for what they are able to have. Just like Sofia, Thanksgiving for one Iris Lim is usually just limited to her immediate family. With all of her rel-
atives living in Korea, it is almost impossible for them to get together in time for the special day.
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Iris Lim’s family includes her mom, dad, and younger sister Irene, who is currently in the fifth grade. Due to their small amount of people, their Thanksgivings are always just small dinners with some time spent at the mall afterwards. However, Iris Lim doesn’t mind this at all. “It’s always been just the four of us together on Thanksgiving, but I honestly don’t mind because they are the people I love the most,” says Iris. For her, the day begins at around 11 o’clock, but her mom is already hard at work cooking up the food by then. The scent that wafts into the room drags Iris to the kitchen, where her excited nerves push her to help her mom out. With Iris and her little sister helping, dinnertime comes a lot faster. While they don’t include any turkey or other traditional Thanksgiving foods, they do eat beans, corn, steak, and salad. However, no Thanksgiving is complete without the most important part of the meal: pumpkin pie. For Iris’s family, this is a necessity before ending the night. Freshly baked that day, the soft texture of the pie mixed with the irresistible crust is too good for Iris to miss out on. To conclude their Thanksgiving, the Lim family goes out on one last adventure that day: Black Friday shopping. Although these few hours are a story in and of themselves, the four of them take this time together as a family to create more memories.
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The Arab culture in Amanda Boktor’s household also has a different take on Thanksgiving. A student here at Beckman High School, Amanda and her family actually start celebrating one week early. Over the weekend before Thanksgiving, Amanda and her whole family meet at her house, ready to help out their community. Together, they drive down to a local soup kitchen, where they spend a big part of their day serving food to the people who don’t get to spend the holiday eating a big meal with their friends and families.
Once they arrive, they spend a few minutes putting on gloves and preparing to help do their part. When they’re ready, their work begins. The shift is spent serving all the people at the tables by passing out plates of food and cups with different drinks in them. Not only are they focused on giving them food, but the day is also spent making friends out of the people they meet. “At some points, we form bonds with them because they tell us their heart-wrenching stories and we immediately encourage them to keep on fighting and working hard,” explains Amanda. The interactions she has with some of the people are so heart-warming and make her feel a sense of involvement and happiness since she is contributing to their joy. Unfortunately, the shift must come to an end at some point, which is when they all clean the tables, bathrooms, kitchen, and the dishes. The day doesn’t end there, though; her and her family then go down to Huntington Beach to spend the rest of the day there hanging out and just having fun with each other. Thanksgiving is a special day of the year meant to be spent with loved ones over a nice meal. By doing what she does and caring for the people of her community, Amanda is able to spread the love and show these people that there is still good in life. That’s what the holidays are all about. It doesn’t stop there, though, for Amanda and her family continue celebrating the day of Thanksgiving, as well. It has been a long-lasting tradition that all of her family and family friends come to her house every year on Thanksgiving day.
Although she is Egyptian, Amanda’s mom and her aunts make the traditional foods associated with this holiday, such as turkey and stuffing. As she walks into the kitchen while they prepare the food, she is immediately struck by a scent of an abundance of foods that they are making. Out of all the options, one of her favorite dishes to eat on Thanksgiving is the Mac and Cheese that her mom makes. It isn’t necessarily a Thanksgiving food, but it is a must-have at the dinner table for Amanda. Its cheesiness and the way it melts in her mouth with every bite she takes has her asking for more and more throughout the dinner. Before the meal is over, each person shares what they are thankful for and gives someone else there a compliment to show their appreciation for them even more. This is one of the most important parts of the day for Amanda and her family because of how much it connects to the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Not only that, but it also lifts everyone’s spirits up and creates even more of a safe and happy environment between everyone there. “I am immensely thankful for the people I surround myself with on Thanksgiving, and I appreciate all they’ve done for me,” shares Amanda. “I recognize that, without them, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.” Spending time with the ones near and dear to her heart is something really important and special to Amanda that she wouldn’t trade for the world. Despite all the different families, cultures, and households, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is brought out in each and every one of them. It is a special day for giving thanks and gratitude, appreciating the people you have in life, and realizing all the good things you have. What seem like normal necessities in life are not what all people get to experience. For a lot of people, the simple things are an outof-reach privilege, yet this is the way everyone should treat what they have. To me, Thanksgiving is a day that calls for saying “thank you” to anyone and everyone you appreciate in life. It is a time for blessings to be addressed, miracles to be made, and love to be shared. What does Thanksgiving mean to YOU?
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