Vol III, No. 8

VOL . 3, NO. 8

APRIL 26, 2024

THE YELLOW PAGES BASIS Independent Fremont Journalism Club — 39706 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

BIF 2024 HOLI EVENT

By Pranesh Saran and Pooja Kanthala The first thing I felt when pulling into the parking lot of BASIS was the loud, booming music. I got out of the car, slowly walking towards the open area as I surveyed the scene. Scattered across the flat expanse were groups of children and parents—some in traditional attire—laughing as they smeared colored powder on others’ clothes. At the far end of one of the basketball courts, two tables had been set up, one with refreshments and the other with small bags of said powder.

As people depleted their f i n e grained ammunition, t h e y came to the table to restock, before continuing on with their celebrations.

At the far end of the other basketball court, in a circle next to the small island of concrete, a group of parents and parent volunteers were dancing along with the music. People occasionally drifted into the center to show off their moves,

while others motioned for nearby spectators to join them. Some of the dancers themselves had volunteered at the previous Diwali celebration that occurred last year at BIF, and thus returned again to grace this event.

Finally, off in the distance, there was a smattering of people running about.

Several took advantage of the open space—with its softer, more forgiving grass—to more easily chase and escape each other. On the other hand, others played soccer with the large soccer nets, and several more threw frisbees back and forth on the wide field… .

On Sunday, April 14th, BIF celebrated its second-ever Holi festival with a spectacular display. With live music, colors, and laughter everywhere, the event was a true testament to the spirit and purpose of Holi.

What is Holi? Well, it’s an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the start of spring. For some Indians, it also celebrates the eternal love between the Hindu goddess Radha

and the Hindu god Krishna. For others, it commemorates the triumph of good over evil: the deity Vishnu defeating the demon king Hiranyakashipu. Holi is known as the festival of colors, as spring is a season associated with the blooming of colors and flowers, and it is celebrated throughout all of India, including virtually every major city.

Lastly, Holi is known for love; it is an opportunity to break barriers, spread joy, and indulge in some merry pranking.

Traditionally, Holi is celebrated by gathering together and throwing splashes of colored dye, powder, or paint at each other. Each color symbolizes a certain value or item. Red symbolizes love and care, while blue symbolizes protection, compassion, and love, reminiscent of the Hindu god Krishna. Another example is yellow— this is the color of turmeric, an important dyeing agent and cooking ingredient native to India.

Many attendees of all ages showed up to this year’s BIF Holi event ready to celebrate. When you looked around, you could see plumes of powder here and there, slowly dissipating as it fell to the ground. The air was permeated with the colorful holi powder; floating from people throwing it at each other.

Although it gets on people’s clothes, Holi powder is typically non-permanent, and therefore can be washed out of clothes and skin. However, it is still powder, and therefore can get into difficult places (like the holes in your phone) and become hard to clean out.

Therefore, it’s better to keep your personal belongings away before joining

in the fun!

But, of course, the Holi event couldn’t have been possible without the efforts of parent volunteers and BIF administrators. Many parent volunteers worked tirelessly to make the event as special as it can be—from the DJ playing live music, to the people continually restocking the tables with full bags of powder. The energy and excitement was palpable, both through the music, as well as through the shouts and screams as someone or another obtained an additional dash of color to their clothes.

Near the end, the parent volunteers decided to organize one last activity.

They asked all the attendees to gather in the center, right in front of the two tables, with their powder of choice.

Two adults were tasked with the crucial job of taking slow-motion videos of the spectacle that was to occur. We all came together, the shorter kids in the front, and the taller teenagers/adults in the back. On the count of ten, at the same time, everyone was to throw all of their powder up into the air.

Ten… nine… eight… it seemed like a long time to wait, but for a person who didn’t have adequate throwing capabilities, I just wanted to make sure I threw my powder properly. Three… two… one… and then the colors soared in the air. I barely threw any powder up, but I could definitely see the effects of the orchestrated propulsion: my surroundings turned into a rainbow fog, and it took quite a bit of time for all the color to settle down. What exactly does that entail? Well, see for yourself:

bif parents and students celebrating holi at the bif annual holi event

Photos by Pooja Kanthala, Pranesh Saran, and Deepesh(parent volunteer)

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APRIL 26, 2024

HUMANS OF BASIS: MS. URBONT UNDER THE SURFACE

By Aarna Kamath, Pooja Kanthala, and Ailsa Wu Ms. Urbont quietly walks down the hallways of the school campus, smiling at students she passes while pulling her wheeled briefcase behind her. Her calm demeanor is a common theme in her AP United States History and AP United States Government and Politics classes, and her love for history and teaching apparent to anyone who spends a day in her class.

Ms. Urbont initially discovered her interest in teaching in 2008, the year then-President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address shortly after he took office. She most notably recalls Obama’s call to action for America’s young people, encouraging them to consider becoming teachers. Although she was a kid at the time of hearing this, she took what he said to heart. Rather than being interested in his politics, she was inspired by Obama’s moral vision for the country, and she felt that being a teacher was a major part of that vision.

Ms. Urbont joined BIF in December 2024 as a Subject Expert Teacher for AP U.S. History and U.S. Government and Politics after hearing about an opening for the position a few weeks prior. Upon seeing the opportunity, she looked into the school and made a visit, where she met the ninth graders, before eventually taking the job.

Many know Ms. Urbont as their APUSH and AP Government teacher, but they may be surprised to find out that she actively pursued tennis in high school.

In school, competitively playing tennis was often a cause of stress, but she continued to pursue it and currently coaches tennis. She hopes to bring the sport to BIF through her tennis term project at the end of the year and as a possible club sport in coming years. Tennis is known for its distinctive style of fashion, and so is Ms. Urbont. When asked about her unique, but always put-together and professional clothing style, Ms. Urbont was pleasantly surprised to find that many of her students admired her outfits. She was quick to respond that this style developed only after her college years. “Iin high school and college, I only wore T-shirts and sweatshirts,” she stated. But after living and working in a couple of different places, she slowly accumulated the clothes that make up her current wardrobe. “I just never got rid

of it. I never did the Marie Kondo clean out,” she laughed.

Before beginning her journey as a teacher at BIF, Ms. Urbont worked at the Yale University admissions office. In response to questions regarding advice for prospective college applicants, she simply stated, “My biggest advice is to lean into what you actually like.” She claims that accumulating extracurriculars that would “look good” on an application, in fact, is not generally favored by admissions officers. “Do what you want to do, even if it means not taking particular classes, or not doing particular extracurriculars. What comes through the most is when there’s enthusiasm in your application.”

She was hired at BIF while she was conducting independent research at Stanford. Ms. Urbont taught as well as conducted research at the collegiate level before coming to BASIS; however, she found that she always preferred teaching over research because it gave her the chance to collaborate with others and share her findings with them.

“You’re supposed to want to do research the most, at the college level.

But I never felt that way,” admitted Ms. Urbont. “I always felt like teaching was the best. When you’re alone, doing your own research and making all these interesting discoveries, you don’t get to discuss it with anyone.”

Ms. Urbont places great value on open discussion, especially since it allows her to view interesting topics from a variety of different perspectives. This possibility of discussion is what brought her to the subject of history in the first place.

In school, she initially took an interest in literature and eventually obtained a Master’s degree. What interested her about literature was the ability it gave her to, in a way, live the compelling lives of book characters through the pages of a book. She specifically recalls reading the novel Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert in English class, remembering how different the characters’ lives were from hers, and her awe at being able to access these experiences and perspectives through literature. History was a subject she found dry at first, before realizing that she could apply the same open-mindedness to the lives of historical figures as she did to book charac-

ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB SPOTLIGHT

By Shubh Bachkethi, Emma Ma, and Ayush Swarnakar The BIF Environmental Club is one of many thrilling extracurricular opportunities available at our BIF Upper School campus. The Environmental Club hopes to spread awareness about the environment through enriching events and exhibitions. It provides an opportunity for students to discuss the pressing issues involving our environment and to develop projects to aid in solving these problems. This club is a supportive ongoing program that offers massive support and creative opportunities.

The motivations behind students creating or joining the BIF Environmental Club encompasses a diverse range of personal experiences.

“I had been a scout for a while and wanted to gather a group that was passionate about the environment,” said Romil B. (11), president and founder of the club. “Next year, I hope that our club puts together events that kick the inspiration to protect the environment into the participants.”

Vice President Diya R. (11) shared that Romil noticed her interest in an environmental research project during their freshman year, which played a significant factor in their decision to start the club.

“I joined this club because I was passionate about the environment from an early age,” said club public relations manager Sahiti B. (11). “My dad and I used to go birding together, and that was the main factor in fueling my passion.”

Alyssa L.’s (8) reason for joining displays the club’s potential for creating tangible change, as she stated that she wants to encourage others to take care of the environment. Together, these

narratives combine individual motives to form a single unit of collective dedication.

Environmental Club’s way of encouraging students to take care of the environment is through their multitude of events, ensuring that every person knows who they are and what they do.

To get to know what our fellow Yellow Jackets feel about this club, we conducted interviews spanning multiple grades.

When interviewed, Harini N. , a sophomore, said, “If it’s an Environmental Club event, then it’s a good event!” Harini also expressed her desire to join the Environmental Club next year should there be any extra time in her schedule.

Their events are also a way of expressing the creativity each of us has in our minds that is unable to be expressed during the school day. Samarth S. , a junior, says that his favorite thing about our club was the creativity that everyone was able to express in the club. However, Emily T. and Anjali M, both sophomores, said that they liked the free food the best, and would love to see more food-related events take place hosted by Environmental Club. All of our interviewed students expressed a positive view about the Environmental Club and were very happy with the events done by the Environmental Club the last couple years.

During the previous school year, the Environmental Club has held the Earth Day Fair and tote bag painting events, both which were huge successes. The tote bag painting event offered students a hands-on opportunity to personalize canvas tote bags, creating lasting memories. To celebrate Earth Day, an annual celebration that honors the environmental movement and raises awareness

ters in literature. Ms. Urbont’s favorite historical period to study is medieval history. She adores medieval art and architecture, but above all, she is fascinated by the religious extremism and fanaticism that was present at the time because of its stark contrast from modern society.

“History allowed me to encounter even more lives, of millions of people, and try to be with them in what they experienced. And I really liked that. Not that my life is so boring,” Ms. Urbont added with a laugh. “But I think it’s more interesting to try to access other people’s experiences. It’s amazing.”

In class, Ms. Urbont often conducts discussion-based lectures that start with her asking her students what they find the most interesting about the topic.

Ask any AP Government or APUSH student, and they’ll be able to tell you the enthusiasm that she exudes when hearing her students’ perspectives on historical events and documents. It is in this way that she is also able to learn so much from her students. Ms. Urbont remembers the fruitful discussion from when the tenth-grade APUSH students analyzed historical documents by W.E.B Du Bois, a, icon of the Civil Rights Movement. “ There were some things that the students said about Du Bois that I never thought of,” said Ms. Urbont. She welcomes her students to be open and unafraid to speak in class discussions because everyone can learn from their peers’ input. Above all, she emphasizes the importance of fostering creativity in her students.

Before moving to California, Ms. Urbont lived in “the city that never sleeps”: New York City. The sense of anonymity she feels while being surrounded by so many people is what draws her to busy cities. “It’s such a nice feeling. No one’s looking at you. You’re not even the craziest person on the street. Someone is always doing something weirder. I love that feeling of being anonymous,” Ms. Urbont noted with a heartfelt smile. For the same reason of feeling anonymous, Ms. Urbont loves to visit San Francisco, a big city located in the Bay Area. It is this feeling of anonymity that allows Ms. Urbont to step back and look at the bigger picture.

Ms. Urbont’s unique perspective on life has allowed her to understand that each person, present or past, on the streets of New York City or here in the Bay Area, has a hidden story. The most memorable life lesson she hopes to pass on to others is to always strive to empathize with others, no matter how different they are from you. “I think it’s really important to try to understand other people,” Ms. Urbont shared. “ The more you practice that philosophy, the more you’re going to get out of your relationships, and the more empathy you’ll be able to extend to others, which just makes your life so much richer.” Being able to act on her inspirations from Obama and draw lessons from her unique perspectives on literature and history, Ms. Urbont can experience moments in a fulfilling way and channel the same passion in her classes.

ms. urbont at de young museum in san francisco

about environmental protection, the club hosted an Earth Day Fair. Students received goodies such as plant seeds and cardboard pens; however, the standout feature of this event was undoubtedly the large raffle, featuring essential oils, handmade bracelets, and a pack of eco-friendly toilet paper.

This school year, they’ve stepped up our game with a lineup of even more inspiring and enthralling events. To kick off the school year with a bang, they hosted a vegan food fair. Imagine a Costco-style experience where students could sample a variety of foods, but with a vegan twist. As soon as the food was ready, a line quickly formed, wrapping around the entire quad. It was immensely popular and a labor of love for some, that’s for sure. The other events they’ve hosted this year include the Christmas ornament making and Valentine’s themed “Recycled with Love” event. In the first event, students were able to decorate objects such as toilet paper rolls, cans, and pinecones to create delightful ornaments for their Christmas trees. It encourages the act of recycling by demonstrating how everyday items can be repurposed for other uses. The “Recycled with Love” event was also met with huge success, with many students declaring that it was their favorite out of all of the events Environmental Club has hosted thus far. Club members gave students the opportunity to trade in recyclable items for goodie bags filled with small gifts like eco-friendly lip balm and chocolate. It’s a win-win both ways—items are recycled properly, and students are awarded in return.

In addition to the multiple events they’ve hosted, they’ve been working on a special project behind the scenes—an environmentally friendly garden! They are currently working on the plot of land that used to be a playground. It will

be a pleasant space to relax and watch wildlife that one may not have seen before. What makes this garden unique is that it will be a melting pot of wildlife culture and personality. Many “beautiful” gardens do not represent their environment and are just a mix of people’s desires and backgrounds. Our wildlife are finally getting the recognition that they deserve! Their garden will reflect the beauty of the chaparral habitats that we live amongst and not be based on just human opinion. The colors will pop and one may forget that they are in the city—a welcome change to the same sights and schedule almost every day!

Please look forward to more exciting and educational events for our BIF Upper School community in the upcoming years!

Photos by Ms. Urbont and WannaPik

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VOL . 3, NO. 8

A LETTER FROM THE SENIORS

By Senior Writers and Editors Howdy! This is the class of 2024 signing out with some words of wisdom we have gained over the years that will hopefully give you all some inspiration.

First, the necessary, but cliche, advice of making sure to enjoy your high school experience. Have fun! Sure, getting good grades and stacking up extracurriculars is important, but it is equally important to have a balance and find time to hang out with your friends. Attend those school events — especially senior prom. We promise you will feel extreme FOMO if you don’t. You won’t regret having those memories(although yes, school dances are sometimes lame). When you look back on high school, you will remember the connections and friendships you made, rather than the nights you spent staying up til midnight studying.

Even though our class sizes are small,

we often don’t take the time to get to know everyone. You never know who you may have a connection with if you don’t go out of your way to make conversation and get to know others.

Next, explore your interests and try new things. A lot of us discovered some of our favorite activities and even what we wanted to major in quite late into our high school careers. High school is a time for you to develop and start to figure yourself and your career out.

You do not have to know 100% what you want to study or what job you want at the very start or even the very end.

If a class or activity seems to interest you, even a little, take some time to try it! Even if it doesn’t work out, you will always learn something new. Be open to taking classes or joining clubs that are outside of your “desired” field; although it might be scary, you will be able to learn general knowledge and find different opportunities.

For academics, remember that your honors classes should also be taken seriously. In fact, they can often be harder because they do not have an AP test at the end to help boost your grade.

Take your classes seriously, and if you take classes you are interested in, it will be easier to take them seriously.

But also, do not jump on the wagon of taking every single AP possible—they take a lot of time, and only a couple count for college credit, if any. If you do not enjoy or want to take an AP, do not force yourself to take it. AP classes are really great for getting a broad understanding of a subject and it is a great chance for you to try new things, not just to take a “more advanced” class.

We’re sure you all have heard this a million times, but put the work in, stay organized, go to those office hours, study for that test, and finish that lab report with good quality. In the long

run, your high school grades barely matter, but the habits and work ethic you learn from trying your best in high school will carry on and benefit you in the long run. However, make sure not to take it too far: take care of your health, go outside, and don’t stay up too late just to finish work.

Finally, do not worry too much. I know it is easier to say this looking back, but know that one test, one AP, and one class will not make or break your college admissions or your future.

High school is a time to learn so much about yourself — beyond just your major and career, these years will help you find the kind of person you want to be in your work ethic, work-life balance, and relationships with others.

That’s all we have for now. Don’t miss us too much! 2024 out.

Photos by Yearbook Club

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April 26, 2024

BASIS ROBOTICS MAKES IT TO FINALS

By Krish Mangrolia and Tycho Young

The inaugural year of BIF Upper Robotics was an immense success for the team and representation of the school in our first-ever competition. In early March, we attended the Silicon Valley Regional (SVR), a premier competition held in San Jose with some of the most advanced robotics teams in the world.

And yet, we were a rookie team with little to no experience in robotics, coming from a small school and with an even smaller robotics team. No one could have expected what happened next for us.

Let’s zoom out a little. FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) is a high school robotics competition where over three thousand teams across the world compete to earn a spot at the world championships, aiming to become the best robot. Every year, the game designers at FIRST create a new game for the robots to play, and teams have six weeks to prototype, design, build, and program their robots from scratch. The showcase of such robots? FRC competitions, which the Silicon Valley Regional was one of.

BUILD SEASON From the beginning, we had low expectations for our team’s first-ever competition. We began in the summer, building from past teams’ robots and working our way into the novel world of robotics.

When school began, we recruited members for our team through the school club, succeeding via pure determination even when we seemed to have no answer to the problems we faced. The 2024 challenge was revealed on January 6, involving an orange foam donut called a “Note.” First, robots are autonomous, and score notes in preset positions on the ground. Then, in the teleoperated period, drivers race robots across the field to pick more notes up and score them into a large, elevated hole called the “Speaker,” or place it in a small slot called the “Amp.” At the end of the match, robots must climb and hang on chains for additional bonuses. While our first few weeks were spent developing the ‘Kitbot,’ which FIRST designs as a starter robot, we iterated and added more functionalities as the season progressed. Despite numerous obstacles and challenges, we made it to the competition.

During the practice matches, we faced so many faults that it seemed we had slim chances of even playing in a single qualification match. From belts falling off and pulleys being destroyed to our intake (the mechanism we used to grab notes) malfunctioning, we only had a few ‘clean’ practice matches before our robot couldn’t score or move for the rest of the match. We did have a few successes, such as our exceptional autonomous routine (where scoring notes gains significantly more points than in the teleoperated section of the match). Regardless, our hope only lessened at the end of Friday, the day of practice matches. But we realized that these matches were necessary — if these faults all happened during the actual competition, SVR would have been a failure.

QUALIFICATION MATCHES Saturday was the big day, as it was our first day of real competition; we had 8 matches that day. In FRC, teams compete

in randomly selected alliances of three, and we need to outperform other teams in the 11 qualification matches to make it to the playoffs. We started 1-3, and it didn’t look promising. We even had a few competition-match faults that cost our teams the game. However, we were able to climb the rankings at the end of the day, finishing 3-1 to bring our overall record to 4-4. This was a huge win for us. We ended up placing 26th out of 42 teams at the end of Saturday. Despite our struggles, we were able to repeatedly overcome our obstacles and fix our robot in the nick of time. On Sunday, we had a similar performance, finishing with a record of 5-6 and placing 25th. After qualification matches, the best teams would pick others to join their alliance; we never thought that any team would pick us.

After the last qualification match, our hearts were all in our stomachs as we waited for the team drafts.

PLAYOFFS When the last round of playoff selections came around, we were ready to start packing our things and begin the drive home. And yet, we heard ‘9470’ called on the microphone. We got picked.

The two teams that took a flier on us were Team 604 Quixilver (from Leland HS) and Team 3256 WarriorBorgs (from Valley Christian HS).

During the strategy discussion, we realized we needed to up our game for the playoffs. These were the matches that mattered. While much of our team was watching qualification games for the fun of the sport, our two teammates had film and detailed analysis of each of our opponents. We quickly created a strategy with these teams over a hastily eaten lunch — our bot would be a primary scorer, picking up pieces from the source and cycling to the scoring area (the speaker).

Team 604’s autonomous routine was the best auto in the competition, and that guaranteed us an early lead in each of our first two games.

In our first match, things went smoothly. We won 93-62, maintaining our effectively guaranteed lead in the auto period. Things… did not go so well for us in the second match. We were able to win, but we couldn’t intake our game pieces.

Our alliance partners were able to make do without our robot scoring, and we won 101-45. After the match, we sent our members to find our missing belt. But we had far larger problems to tackle.

Our third match was against the two giants of SVR, as the #1 (581, Blazing Bulldogs) and #2 (1678, Citrus Circuits) teams were able to form an alliance. Citrus Circuits is one of the best teams in the world, having won the FRC championships last year. We tried our best, but our auto advantage was gone, with the other alliance having equally-matched autos. While we tried playing defense as we’d done the previous match, they were able to get us called for a technical foul, pushing our robot into illegal zones as if it were a cat swatting a mouse away.

They beat us 141-77, nearly doubling our score. It wasn’t over yet, though; the playoffs are double-elimination, so one loss wouldn’t knock us out. But we somehow had to find a way to take down the giants.

The last match before the finals went as smoothly as planned. We rode our initial strategy to the finish line, winning

handily 103-58. But it was clear something had to change for us to take the crown, especially as heavy underdogs.

As the finals started, we felt out of control of the outcome of the finals. Almost everyone in the building was set on the winner — it was the best two teams.

The one hope that kept us together was that our partners would lead us to victory, with their deliberation and strategy.

Their confidence was contagious — maybe we could pull something off, win this game, win the entire event, if we executed perfectly. In Game 1, we decided to play defense on the best team at the competition, 1678, the Citrus Circuits, with the aforementioned promise of perfection.

In practice, the execution went about as horribly as it could’ve. In the middle of the match, our radio disconnected — we couldn’t drive. Our robot had died when it mattered most, and we could do nothing. With two scorers versus three, there was no way we could have won. We lost 129-90. Our robot had failed, and we had failed our alliance, at the biggest stage.

Minutes after the first match ended, we were struggling to diagnose the issue. We checked every connection but were stuck until a FIRST Technical Advisor checked out the robot and spotted the problem.

Our radio was wired poorly; the wires had come loose in the heat of the match.

We urgently redid the wires, replaced our battery, and were ready to go. However, besides the robot, something else broke during the match. Our will. We had all but accepted the defeat that Ctrl-Alt-Defeat would have to inevitably face.

Or did we? We loaded our robot onto the field and came up with a brand new strategy. . We crossed our fingers, and the announcer spoke with a boom in his voice: “Drivers behind the line… 3… 2…

1… CRESCENDO!” The robots burst into action, and the whirring of gears rang through the air as the robots raced to score notes in the autonomous period.

Citrus Circuits had a championship-winning autonomous, so our only hope was to beat them to the contested notes in the middle of the field. Quixilver 604 cleaned up the three close notes and sped to the middle notes, barely knocking Citrus Circuits out of alignment and getting the middle note. We scored one, two, seven notes, pulling ahead of the red alliance with a lead of 39-29. Our drivers stared in disbelief as we realized there was hope; but we had to act quickly, as the real game had just begun. Just seconds later, the bells rang to signify the start of the match. The other alliance had the two most powerful robots, and they quickly tied the score, 50-50. We kept running cycles, and our robot threw notes across the field so our teammates could score.

The scores kept climbing higher, and we realized we were keeping pace with the best alliance in the world. The crowd began to chant as they realized that we had a chance. “Blue Alliance! Blue Alliance!” they chanted. Bowen (9th), our driver, was zeroed in on our goal, laser-focused on the slim chance that we could win. 7171. The crowd cheered louder and louder as we started pulling ahead. 87-78. The

red alliance had a strong endgame, with three climbers and multiple robots able to score 5 points each in the ‘trap’, so we needed to gain a significant lead to win.

We kept scoring, and the crescendo of the crowd’s cheering came to a climax. 10885. The buzzer rang, but it wasn’t over.

We all stared at the screen as we waited for the final referee decision, and time slowed down. Hundreds of eyes stared at the screen that would show the winner of the second match. “ THE BLUE ALLIANCE WINS!” displayed on the screen, and the crowd burst into applause and cheering.

Teams jumped up and down at the miraculous victory that we had achieved. It was surreal—the world felt as if the stars had aligned in our favor. The score was 1-1, and we had one tiebreaker match to go.

The third and final match was the one that would decide our fate. After double-checking all of our wires, and making sure everything worked as expected, we entered the third finals match, hoping to squeeze out a victory against Citrus Circuits. With newfound hope, we were ready for the third and final match.

“3… 2… 1… CRESCENDO!” shouted the announcer, and the robots were off once again. As they raced to the center line, the opposing alliance was able to get an early lead, but we were not about to let them get very far ahead. We resumed our strategy, racing to the source to feed notes to our alliance. WarriorBorgs, Quixilver, and Ctrl-Alt-Defeat were working like a well-oiled machine and keeping pace with some of the best teams in the world. It was too good to be true. And indeed it was. Just when things were leaning our way, Quixilver’s intake broke, rendering them unable to score for the rest of the match. They tried playing heavy defense on the opposing team, but we and the Warriorborgs were not enough to outscore the top two. Their lead ballooned. By the end of the match, they had scored 94 points to our 67. The competition was over, and the other alliance had won a hard-fought battle. The judges announced that we won the Rookie Inspiration Award, an award presented to a rookie team that inspired members of their community by promoting STEM and engineering, which we would go on to win a second time at the East Bay Regional just a month later. We were also pronounced finalists, claiming a #2 spot in the heat of the Silicon Valley Regional.

Ctrl-Alt-Defeat, team 9470 would like to give a tremendous thanks to all of their sponsors, parent volunteers, and mentors throughout the season. We wouldn’t have been able to get this far without all your help. By supporting our team, you’ve supported the STEM education of students for years to come.

SPONSORS: BASIS Independent Fremont FIRST NASA Shokz Minverva IP Law LLC Metis IP Law LLC

team celebrates after winning the ‘rookie inspiration’ & ‘finalist’ awards bif’s robotics team’s frc competition robot in action during a match

Photos by BIF Robotics Team 9470

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VOL . 3, NO. 8

EARLY AUTISTIC FIGURES

By Thanisha Thambidurai

“If I could snap my fingers and be nonautistic, I would not,” said Temple Grandin, a celebrated American academic and animal behaviorist with autism. “Autism is part of what I am.”

In 1800, medical student Jean Marc Gaspard Itard learned of a young boy who had been found alone in Aveyron of Southern France after years of being spotted occasionally; he was estimated to be 12 years old. At that point, the boy had repeatedly run away, even after being found, before finally being taken by authorities in 1800. Initially, the public speculated that he was raised by wolves and believed him to be a feral child. Itard named the child Victor and brought him to Paris, to mold him into the ideal human through the “blank slate” concept.

The “blank slate” concept detailed that a person could become their true selves only when unaffected by others in society and civilization. While Itard’s experiment on Victor did not reach the levels of success he hoped it would, he noted that Victor had difficulty speaking and displayed repetitive behaviors. In fact, the only words Victor was able to spell out properly were lait (milk) and Oh Dieu (Oh God). Victor never learned to speak, which confused Itard since Victor was able to hear. However, Victor displayed levels of compassion when he comforted his crying housekeeper, Madame Guérin.

Victor died in Paris in 1828 at around the

age of 40 years old.

Centuries later, famous medical pioneers who focused on the behavior of children, such as Professor Uta Frith of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London and French surgeon Serge Aroles, theorize that Victor had displayed moderate signs of autism. Victor of Aveyron is considered one of the first believed cases of a person with autism, preceded by Hugh Blair of Borgue and Henry Cavendish. As Autism Awareness Month wraps up, let’s look at some cases of the first cases of individuals theorized to have autism, and the first person to be diagnosed with autism.

1. HUGH BLAIR OF BORGUE Often referred to as “daft” due to his eccentric behavior, Hugh Blair is considered to be one of the earliest documented cases of autism in the 18th century.

Modern writers have regarded some of his behaviors as evidence that he fell on the autism spectrum — asking for the same seat in church, engaging in repetitive acts, only being able to copy social greetings that he could not initiate (The Herald), remaining unaware of servants who ridiculed him (Project Muse), and preferring to spend time with animals as opposed to humans (Olga Solomon).

When Blair’s brother John Blair attempted to annul Hugh’s marriage to a surgeon’s daughter, Nickie Mitchell, Hugh was given a questionnaire to fill out by the courtroom. Instead of answering any

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH BOEING?

By Sachit Parekh

On January 5, 2024, Boeing, one of the dominant aircraft manufacturers of the world, made national headlines after a door plug—an integral part of an aircraft’s structure that maintains cabin pressure—detached from the main aircraft body Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, threatening the lives of 177 passengers on board. Soon after, all 737 MAX 9 planes were temporarily grounded, and a few passengers on the Alaska Airlines flight filed a class-action lawsuit against Boeing. Following the incident, an investigation revealed that the 737 involved in the incident was not the only plane with door plug issues. As a result, Boeing entered a precarious state, facing both internal and external pressure. This pressure caused Boeing to announce a significant leadership change in late February, with the ousting of Ed Clark, the executive who oversaw the development of the 737 MAX program at the company ’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington. Boeing also announced the creation of a new executive position, Senior Vice President of Quality, which will oversee all aspects of quality control in the aircraft manufacturing and testing process.

During late January and the entire month of February, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted a six-week-long audit of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems, a primary parts supplier for Boeing. The inspection found numerous cases of non-compliance by the two companies in the realms of “manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage,

and product control,” citing numerous issues ranging from the executive level to the factory/manufacturing level. The FAA report that followed the audit also observed a lack of connectivity between Boeing’s executives and other employees on safety culture. A subsequent Senate hearing also condemned Boeing for failing to share the name of the person responsible for improperly attaching the door plug on the aircraft involved in Flight 1282. Furthermore, Boeing claimed that after “an extensive search” they were unable to find any informational documents relating to the technicalities and specifications about the door plug. In addition, Spirit AeroSystems, a Boeing supplier who primarily works on aircraft fuselages, was found to have used “hotel keycards and dish soap” during the production and testing of the door frame—representing a compromised manufacturing process.

A few days after the Senate hearing, a key Boeing whistleblower was found dead in his vehicle in Charleston, South Carolina, from what the police describe as a “self-inflicted gunshot wound.” John Barnett, a former Boeing employee, served as quality control manager for the 787, inspecting the aircraft before they were shipped to customers. However, in 2017, Barnett called out Boeing for their shortcomings in quality control and started a legal battle with the corporation, which continued to discharge Barnett’s claims. Barnett’s family believes that the anxiety and PTSD accumulated from his time at Boeing—

boeing 787s in the production line at its factory in everett, washington

Photo by Business Insider

of the questions, he only rewrote them.

Additionally, when asked if he wanted to get married to someone, Blair would respond with a ‘yes’ even if he did not know the person. Blair’s differences in the social aspect led modern writers to assume he displayed signs of autism.

3. DONALD TRIPLETT

Lauded as the greatest theoretical physicist and chemist of his time, Henry Cavendish has been noted for his discovery of hydrogen, which he dubbed “inflammable air.” However, some, such as the late British neurologist Oliver Sacks, believe that Cavendish showed signs of autism or Asperger’s syndrome (National Library of Medicine). Often described as reserved, he was especially shy around women, and could only speak to one man at any given time, and only if he was already familiar with them. He did not form many relationships outside of his family, and one account even stated that he had a back staircase to avoid interacting with his female housekeeper. At meetings of the Royal Society Club (one of the most prestigious learning societies in the UK for promoting science nationally and internationally), Cavendish would seldom reply directly to members who spoke to him but would rather mutter a brief response if he deemed necessary. These behaviors, coupled with his extraordinary intelligence in the field of chemistry and physics, led researchers of behavioral patterns to believe he had some level of autism.

Donald Triplett, an American banker, was the first person to be diagnosed with autism by Leo Kanner in 1943, correspondingly labeled “Case 1”. As a young child, Triplett was introverted and did not respond when his parents spoke to him. His parents recalled him showing extreme talent in music and a wonderful intuition for mathematical problems.

Moreover, by the age of 2, his memorization skills far surpassed those of other children his age. In 1938, his parents took him to meet Kanner, an Austrian-American psychiatrist, physician, and social activist known for his advancements in the field of infantile autism, who diagnosed him with autism five years later. Triplett was not easily able to communicate with others, especially during his youth. He was unable to express what he needed and showed little interest in someone when they gave him what he needed. Despite these struggles in communication, Triplett displayed remarkable musical intelligence, later working as a banker in his hometown. Triplett passed away at the age of 89 due to cancer.

In conclusion, these people represent some patterns that help doctors identify signs of autism. However, it also showed people that autism did not set boundaries on a person’s life; if Cavendish lived within boundaries, then he would’ve never become the great scientist he was.

As actress Rachel Barcellona says, “Everyone has a mountain to climb, and autism has not been my mountain, it has been my opportunity for victory.”

where he knew that the planes being sent to customers were unsafe—contributed to his untimely death.

Beyond Boeing’s recent door plug malfunction, numerous other safety incidents involving their aircrafts have surfaced, primarily with United Airlines, a prominent international operator of Boeing aircraft. Such accidents include flight controls of a 737 jamming upon landing in New Jersey, a wheel falling off a United Airlines 777 not long after its departure from San Francisco International, another 777 suffering from a fuel leak near Sydney, Australia, and a 737 rolling off the tarmac in Houston.

In the early days of April, another whistleblower spoke out, citing similar concerns relating to quality control. Sam Salehpour, a former Boeing engineer, claims that Boeing had made serious “shortcuts” in the production of numerous 777 and 787 aircrafts. These circumventions, as Salehpour claims, could lead to the fuselage, or the main body of the aircraft, “falling apart mid-flight.”

NPR also reports that Salehpour’s concerns are similar to those of the FAA’s; when Boeing 787 deliveries were temporarily paused in 2021, the FAA claimed that the Boeing airplanes had “unacceptable gaps between the fuselage panels.” Expectedly, Boeing immediately dismissed these claims.

Salehpour further claims that unconventional practices were employed to force the fuselage panels together,

citing a major safety concern for Boeing. When he mentioned these issues in the 787 to Boeing administration, nothing was done to combat them; rather, he was transferred to work for the 777, which also had similar issues.

Furthermore, he faced retaliation in the form of numerous threats from Boeing for his actions.

The aircraft malfunctions that have recently come out of Boeing are representative of a severe lapse in judgment from its administration. What initially started as a problem with only the troubled 737 MAX line of jets evolved into a massive scandal that continues to raise concerns about the safety of every Boeing aircraft that comes out of either factory in Seattle.

The fallout from Flight 1282 has also resulted in the CEO of Boeing, Dave Calhoun, announcing his resignation from the position by the end of this year. The future of Boeing remains generally uncertain, but this unfolding scandal has—and will continue to—tarnish the reputation of Boeing for the coming years, among not only potential passengers, but also passenger and cargo airlines. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board for the initial incident is currently underway, and a hearing has been scheduled for August 6, 2024.

Over the next few weeks, the Boeing situation is expected to gradually unfold, revealing new information and speculation regarding the future of Boeing.

2. HENRY CAVENDISH

a boeing employee works on the engine of a 737 max on the final assembly line

Photo by The Seattle Times

6

VOL . 3, NO. 8

THE COMEBACK OF OVERWATCH

By Katherine He, Selena Peng, and Josh Peter

“Overwatch” is an acclaimed teambased first-person shooter video game.

Ever since its first release in the spring of 2016, Overwatch has transformed the world of online gaming through its vibrant visuals, innovative game mechanics, and emphasis on teamwork.

Developed by the well-known gaming company Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch has captivated numerous players with millions logging on every single day. Blizzard Entertainment is a video game developer based in California that, in the last decade, has had other popular releases such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Starcraft.

Set in the 2070s, in a technologically advanced future that is the result of robots rebelling against humanity, the game allows players to immerse themselves in battles where they take on the persona of a hero. he “Omnic Crisis,” as the rebellion is called, prompted the formation of an elite strike team, called “Overwatch,” to stabilize the war caused by the rebellion. For many years, Overwatch maintained stability until it was diluted with corruption. Now, this futuristic version of Earth is in desperate need of heroes as new catastrophes appear.

Players choose characters that have distinct playstyles and abilities, fostering a unique and thrilling experience for everyone. As the game continued to grow with updates as well as new characters, it had quickly become a fan favorite in the online gaming community.

THE OPENING OF OVERWATCH

Following its initial announcement at Blizzcon 2014, an annual gaming convention, and the release of exciting trailers, the gaming community had highly anticipated the game’s release. In 2015, new potential heroes and trailers were released, further generating excitement for Overwatch among the gaming community. The excellent marketing of Blizzard entertainment ultimately led to an undoubtedly major success upon Overwatch’s release. Everyone who played the game adored its structure, its lore, and its large selection of characters.

These innovative aspects brought Overwatch to new heights as it won a copious amount of awards. Overwatch even went on to win the esteemed Game of the Year Award in 2016. However, its success didn’t end with the awards, as Blizzard continued to expand with an ESports league called the Overwatch League, or OWL. This gave anyone who was dedicated to the game the chance to get paid by competing with other Overwatch League players with similar skill levels.

THE END OF AN ERA Overwatch released quality updates consistently in the first two years of its release. In 2018, however, a new hero, Brigitte, was released, and it damaged

Overwatch’s reputation greatly. Brigitte’s overpowering dominance ruled every game, forcing players to either play her or lose to her. Many players were extremely unhappy with Brigitte’s dominance, prompting them to protest in various methods, including starting petitions to remove her from the game entirely. The whole “Brigitte problem” took Blizzard Entertainment a whole two months to respond to, issuing numerous large nerfs to the character, yet the delay angered lots of players. Unfortunately, Brigitte was just one of a few characters that sparked controversy. Mercy, a healer supporter introduced at launch in Overwatch, was also constantly at the center of controversy within the community. Her initial ability set promoted toxic gameplay, and games completely revolved around her. Blizzard decided to address Mercy’s issues by reworking her toolkit — which only raised more problems. Her new kit did not fix these issues, rather contributing to the ongoing matter by buffing both her offensive and healing capabilities. Her pick-rate and win-rate skyrocketed, making other healers seem inferior to her. Players in competitive matches would threaten to “throw” the game, or give up, if their support wasn’t Mercy. The toxic effect of the character was exacerbated.

However, before these troubles arose, Blizzard announced the free-to-play Overwatch 2 in their annual gaming convention, promising character reworks PvE (Player vs. Environment). PvE was incredibly highly anticipated by the fanbase, and players had high hopes for Overwatch 2. . In 2020, Blizzard Entertainment concluded its update schedule on the initial Overwatch by releasing its last hero, Echo. Echo’s addition to the game wasn’t the biggest deal, it was the fact that after their release the game received virtually no updates for two years, which greatly affected the community.

Players, especially content creators, began to lose interest in Overwatch, and many decided to switch to free-to-play first-person shooter games such as Valorant. Overwatch, in the same category as Fortnite, suffered in player retention as Fortnite became the featured game of the moment. In the eyes of many gamers, Overwatch was a dead game with a paywall. Of course, many casual players still held on to their excitement for PvE in Overwatch 2.

FROM 1 TO 2 Just three months before the shutdown of Overwatch 1, the Overwatch 2 beta tests opened, and many players who had seemingly left the Overwatch community due to the prolonged periods of inactivity and previous issues, all rejoiced under the hope that Overwatch 2 would be the saving grace: the game that actually tapped into the potential of Overwatch and everything it had built in its initial release. The average amount

blizzard entertainment

of viewers i n the Overwatch category on Twitch, a popular live streaming platform, was around a measly the day before the beta release, and it immediately changed the day following the beta release, peaking at about 98,000 viewers the day after. In these beta tests, players realized the amount of changes the developers at Blizzard made to the game and were generally fine with them, yet one overarching question remained: how good was the highly-anticipated PvE? The developers affirmed the hopefuls, saying that PvE was in production and soon to be added.

After this spike in excitement and new information, the only thing to do was to wait. Overwatch 1 was to be shut down in October 2022, and Overwatch 2 would be officially released as a free-to-play game in the same month.

THE JOURNEY OF OVERWATCH Despite initial disappointment and mixed reactions, Overwatch 2’s journey continued. In August 2023, according to Steam250, Overwatch 2 had a score of 0.93 out of 10 on the video game digital distribution service Steam: Overwatch 2 was the worst-rated game ever with its place at the very bottom of the Steam rankings. Still, the game’s reviews and reception varied, as many veteran players were unsatisfied while many newcomers were happy with the changes. “ While these updates show promise, as a tank main, I do miss the dynamic 6v6 gameplay that added depth to tank strategies. Presently, the gameplay leans towards absorbing damage rather than the strategic coordination that was prevalent in the past”, elaborates a current top 130 for the tank role. The game’s popularity remained strong, evidenced by its steady player base and engagement levels. While some praised the updates and enhancements, others were critical of certain aspects, particularly the delay in introducing PvE content. The sequel removed the original’s controversial loot boxes from the game, replacing them with an equally contentious battle pass system. Aimed to reduce monetization,

this particular aspect of the update was unsuccessful — it simply regurgitated the issue. Overwatch 2’s journey was representative of the evolving nature of online gaming, where player expectations and developer promises intersected in complex ways. The game’s ongoing updates and the community’s constant feedback highlighted a dynamic relationship between players and developers, shaping the trajectory of Overwatch 2’s future.

THE FUTURE OF OVERWATCH Overwatch 2’s journey is far from over, as major changes have only just been made. In the game’s ninth seasonal update , the largest update in the game by far; every element of the game was impacted. Players adapted in this new season, most finding the PvP aspects improved. Besides the game’s regular update schedule, the professional side of Overwatch 2 was also remade. The Overwatch League was shut down in January 2024, and the developers introduced a new place for pro players—the Overwatch Champions Series, or OWCS. The OWCS has garnered lots of curiosity and excitement due to the increased diversity of regions, ranging from NA, EMEA, and Asia, and the addition of many new players. One competitor, known as pge4, who also happens to be a decently popular Overwatch livestreamer on Twitch, expresses his thoughts on OWCS’s advancements: “I think it can be really cool.”

Like many others, pge4 has high hopes for what OWCS will bring for Overwatch 2’s reputation and popularity.

Besides OWCS, the opinion on the future of the game as a whole still varies between players. One Overwatch 2 player states, “I’m optimistic about Overwatch 2’s future, especially with the recent developer updates bringing exciting changes to ranked play, bans for ximmers on console, and wider group adjustments… .

Despite [the{ challenges, I believe the community’s hope for the game’s future remains high, particularly with developers prioritizing game improvement over profits. It seems like the game is on a positive trajectory, and I anticipate it could peak around season 12.”

esport1

a bif student’s gaming setup as an overwatch player

Photos by BIF Journalism Club, Blizzard Entertainment, and Esport1

7

April 26, 2024

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE ON APRIL 8TH

By Nick Lin

In 585 BC, Greek astronomer Thales ended a war that had dragged on for years by predicting an eclipse. He claimed to both sides that if they continued fighting, the gods would cover the sun. Although both sides ignored this remark, in the middle of the battle, the sun was indeed covered, prompting both sides to set down their arms and make a peace treaty. Eclipses have been around since the beginning of mankind, but they weren’t scientifically understood as a physical concept until Anaxagoras, a Greek philosopher from the 5th century BC, investigated the relationship between eclipses and shadows. Previously, our ancestors believed eclipses were the gods’ doing. .

On April 8th, a total solar eclipse happened very near us. The sun disappeared completely and a part of the world was plunged into darkness. Now, I want to take this opportunity to talk about eclipses and their wonderful secrets.

The first-ever recorded eclipse occurred more than three thousand years ago in modern Syria. Although the exact date is ambiguous, most historians mark the date March 5th, 1223 BC. Since then, we have made many advancements in the field of studying eclipses, and in 585 BC, the first solar eclipse was accurately predicted in the story above. Additionally, we can see from carvings or writing from old civilizations that show their depiction of an eclipse. This strengthens our understanding of how those civilizations studied the sun. In 1916, Albert Einstein first proposed his Theory of General Relativity. He claimed that a large object like the sun could bend gravity enough to distort light, which was later confirmed the next year through an observation of a solar eclipse. Solar eclipses impacted our ancestors a lot, and they still impact our lives today.

Now, let’s talk about the science behind eclipses.

Before we dive into the types of eclipses, let’s talk about how they work.

Eclipses happen when the moon stands in the way of the sun’s light toward us, covering it up. Although it is common knowledge that the sun is much larger than the moon, how far away the sun is compared to how far away the moon is completely overlooks this difference of size. Now, based on the location and angle in which we view an eclipse, there exists different categories of eclipses: total eclipse, annular eclipse, hybrid

the one we saw, or a total one. This eclipse also meant new beginnings, and for many couples around America, it meant exchanging wedding vows in the midst of a brand new segment of all of

their lives. One of these won’t happen in North America for a very long time, so this might have been a once in a lifetime experience for many Americans in the country.

eclipse, and partial eclipse. A total eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun, but this is only visible in certain parts of the world. An annular eclipse is when the moon isn’t big enough from our perspective to completely cover the sun, which results in a bright ring around the moon. A hybrid eclipse is comparatively rare because it shifts between a total and an annular solar eclipse depending on where you stand on the Earth. For example, on November 3rd, 2013, a hybrid solar eclipse occurred. It first appeared as a total solar eclipse, but then it became annular, and in its final stages, appeared as a total solar eclipse once again. The last type of solar eclipse is the most commonly occurring one: the partial solar eclipse. Around every two years, the moon partially obscures the sun. However, a total solar eclipse can also be observed as a partial solar eclipse if perceived at a particular angle.

In total solar eclipses, the moon is just the right distance away from the Earth to completely cover the sun from our perspective, revealing parts of the sun that are not normally visible. In annular solar eclipses, the moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover up the sun, leaving a ring around the shadow. In partial solar eclipses, the moon isn’t at the right angle to cover up the sun, leaving a crescent shaped sun. However, hybrid solar eclipses are a bit harder to understand. If you look at the diagram provided, you can see that the moon’s orbit and the fact that the Earth’s surface is curved has a lot to do with it. The moon on the top is when the eclipse starts. If you are on the top part of the earth, the moon would be too far away, revealing some sort of ‘X’ shaped in the shadow. Then, the moon moves down, and it completely blocks the sun for the people living in the middle. Then, it moves down, showing an annular solar eclipse again for the bottom part of the globe. Both annular and total solar eclipses are observed in this one event, making this a hybrid solar eclipse.

The eclipse we saw was a partial solar eclipse. However, a lot of North America saw a total solar eclipse, meaning that they were entirely plunged into darkness. So, why is this eclipse so important? Well, it is because of how wide its path was. 99% of the United States population witnessed some kind of a solar eclipse, either a partial one, like

students captivated by the solar eclipse

Photos by BIF

8

APRIL 26, 2024

THE RIDGWAY’S RAIL: ENDANGERED ON OUR DOORSTEP

By Ayush Swarnakar

When one thinks of endangered species, the first animals that come to mind are probably elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, or polar bears. However, for people in the Bay Area who are passionate about the environment, there is an endangered species that is just kilometers away from the coastal doorsteps. When asked to list some endangered birds, many may be able to come up with several species, but one that very few know of is the Ridgway’s rail.

The Ridgway’s rail, also known as the California clapper rail, is a short, stubby bird with rusty-gray feathers that mostly lives on the Pacific coast of California to the coastal parts of western Mexico.

They are omnivores, feeding on many aquatic insects, small fish, mollusks, worms, frogs, and seeds; however, their favorite food is crustaceans.

Ridgway’s rails are a species where the nest, a complex woven structure of coastal grasses and sedges, is built by the male, not the female. Their range of habitat consists of both saltwater and freshwater marshes. If you want to try your luck finding this species, go to any areas with coastal marshes such as the Hayward Regional Shoreline, Coyote Hills Regional Park, Don Edwards

San Francisco National Wildlife Refuge, and the best place, Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline. During dawn or dusk, stay quiet, and carefully observe your surroundings, especially habitat transitions such as estuaries. If you follow these tips and have some luck, you may spot this unique species.

The numbers of Ridgway’s rails are decreasing because their habitats are slowly disappearing. Humans are taking over the few remaining marshes where this species resides to create space for projects such as construction.

Climate change also plays a factor; with temperatures and the ocean rising, the salt marshes are flooded over. The nutrient levels and salinity of the water increase due to the saltiness and nutrient density of the sea, disrupting the rails’ food sources and affecting the specific salinity and nutrients needed in the environment of their prey. Because of how much the Ridgway’s rail relies on their habitat, if their population plummets, it is certain that their entire ecosystem is in danger.

However, not all hope is lost, for if we have the confidence and understanding of their situation, we can preserve the remaining members of this unique species. Public support should

be dedicated to organizations such as the Golden Gate Bird Alliance to prevent major habitats, especially undeveloped marshes, from being destroyed.

Research centers should also be supported in order to keep tabs on the remaining few rails and their locations so we can detect any problems before

it is too late. Since they are a keystone species, the most valuable thing we can do is understand their numbers and distribution. It is not too late to act — we simply need to educate ourselves and others on the importance of the Ridgway’s Rail in our natural environment.

Photo by Warbler Watch

SHOULD PARENTS BE SENTENCED FOR THE CRIMES OF THEIR CHILDREN?

By Angela Cao and Sarah Wu That was the exact question explored in the case of Ethan Robert Crumbley, a fifteen year old Michigan high schooler. On November 30th, 2021, he killed four students at Oxford high school and injured seven others with a semi-automatic rifle. Ethan was sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, he wasn’t the only one subject to punishment. Earlier this year, Ethan’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, became the first parents to be sentenced for a crime committed by their child.

The prosecution’s main argument was that the lack of parental care led to the shooting. Despite obvious warning signs of deteriorating mental health and thoughts of violence, the parents allegedly took no preventative measures in the days preceding the shooting.

Just hours before the shooting, Crumbley had sketched disturbing images (of the gun his father bought, a bullet, and a wounded man) accompanied by despondent phrases about his life on his math paper. His parents were promptly called to the office for a meeting that lasted less than fifteen minutes. It was during this meeting that the parents displayed their complete negligence.

Neither parent mentioned anything about the handgun looking similar to the one his father James Crumbley bought, and after the meeting, rather than volunteering their son to go home, the parents just expressed interest in promptly returning to work. Once the shooting occurred, both parents were summoned by the state authorities.

They then attempted to flee the area.

Throughout the trial, both Crumbley parents continuously deflected blame for their son’s ultimate fate. Jennifer Crumbley herself claimed that she was unaware of her son’s mental state. She started off her statement to the prosecution by saying that she had no regrets. “My son did seem so normal. I didn’t have a reason to do anything different”. She also blamed the school for not telling her more about Ethan’s conduct problems in class: sleeping, watching videos of mass shootings, and continuously criticizing his family. Ethan had also written about his family problems in his journal, “I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the. . .school, I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help,” wrote Ethan in his journal. Though the parents said otherwise, evidence clearly showed that the parents were fully aware of their son’s mental state. “I’ve asked myself if I would have done anything differently, and I wouldn’t have.” This is what Jennifer Crumbley said to prosecutors in her testimony. Throughout Ethan’s life, it has been noted that his parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were known to have left their son at home alone while they went to bars downtown. This happened so often that neighbors called the state’s child protective services agency. In as early as 2021, Ethan had already began sending his mother texts about his mental state and was later placed under suicide watch. One teacher even discovered Crumbley searching

news24 — james crumbley, father of ethan crumbley, was also convicted of involuntary manslaughter

for ammunition, prompting a meeting with his parents. It was later discovered that Jennifer texted her son afterwards saying: “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught”. The sheer negligence and lack of care displayed by both parents resulted in their sentences of involuntary manslaughter.

This controversial decision raises several questions about the role of parents in the actions of their children.

How big of a role do parents play in the decisions of their child and how heavily should they be punished? Should bystanders be punished, and should parents even be allowed to have children if they’re not ready? How should society prevent permissive and neglectful parenting? This landmark case potentially sets a precedent for similar cases of parental neglect in the future.

Photos by CNN and News24

STAFF MEMBERS:

Editors-in-Chief: Christopher Chen, Julee Jiang and Olivia Ma Editors: Esha Bansiya, Vera Lin, Sheil Mody, Sachit Parekh, Alicia Peng, Anjali Prabhu, Alan Xiao, and Vincent Yang Staff Writers: Aarna Kamath, Abheek Batra, Ailsa Wu, Angela Cao, Ayush Swarnakar, Emma Ma, Josh Peter, Katherine He, Kevin Weng, Krish Mangrolia, Pooja Kanthala, Pranesh Saran, Sachit Parekh, Sarah Wu, Selena Peng, Sheil Mody, Shirley Fan, Shreya Sadhwani, Shubh Bachkethi, Thanisha Thambidurai, Tycho Young, Vera Lin, Vincent Yang, Zuoyi Nick Lin Graphic Design: Katherine He, Julee Jiang, and Olivia Ma

cnn — jennifer crumbley, mother of ethan crumbley, stood trial earlier this year and was convicted of involuntary manslaughter

Thank you for reading the eighth issue of the third volume of The Yellow Pages! We hope you enjoyed reading the issue as much as we enjoyed the process of creating it! If you have any comments, suggestions, questions, or notice any mistakes in our newspaper, please contact bifyellowpages@gmail.com. We will include corrections for our errors and typos in the following issue.