June 2, 2022 Issue

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Leland High School 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120

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2

NEWS

JUNE 2, 2022 DESIGN BY ASHLEY LEE

Gearing up for the World Championship with Robotics

Sophia Qin

Staff Writer

After two years of online competitions, international youth organization For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) hosted the World Championship in-person at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas— with 160 teams in attendance. The school’s two robotics teams, First Tech Challenge (FTC) 8404 and First Robotics Competition (FRC) 604, both competed in the championship and earned recognition in their respective divisions.

Consisting of 15 members ranging from seventh to 12th grade, FTC 8404 includes three distinct groups: Mechanical, Programming and Outreach. Meanwhile, FRC 604 has over 40 members divided into three subteams: Intake, Launcher and Climber, which are each in charge of different components of the robot. FTC 8404 brought all 15 of their members to the championships. However, due to a COVID-19 regulation restricting the

number of attendees, FRC 604 was only able to bring 16 of their members.

At the World Championship, the teams set up, practiced and attended qualifiers and playoff matches following an eight-hour schedule. During competition hours, three members competed on the field and practiced for upcoming matches while others scouted out potential teams to partner with in the finals. While determining which teams to form alliances with, the members considered factors such as robot performance and team synergy.

After competing for several days, FTC 8404 was selected as a finalist for the Motivate Award for their display of strong teamwork skills and passion throughout the competition. Team Captain Senior Aroshi Ghosh is proud of her team for working diligently.

“We worked extremely hard for the past eight months, so qualifying for Worlds and winning an award was rewarding for everyone on the team. It

shows that hard work always pays off,” Ghosh said.

FRC 604 won the Carver division and placed fourth nationally. Team member Sophomore Hillary Chen explains how consistency was crucial to the team’s success.

“We certainly did not have the most advanced robot. However, out of 250 teams, I think we placed fourth because our performance stayed consistent round after round,” Chen said.

To prepare for the competition, both teams practiced over 10 hours every week, making sure all the subteams completed their tasks and that the robots functioned properly before rounds. Throughout the process, they faced various challenges. For instance, due to the robot’s poor performance at qualifiers in Saratoga in the beginning of December, FTC 8404 built a new one for the World Championship during winter break. Additionally, during build season—when members of the Climber

subteam spend three months designing the robot—several members of FRC 604 fell sick, forcing the team to collaborate virtually and make adjustments to their schedules to complete the robot within the set time frame.

“Since only a few team members were able to contribute to building the robot, the process took much longer than usual. This was a recurring issue with other subteams, which heavily delayed the progress of our robot. To make up for the setback, we spent extra time building the robot before the competition,” Climber subteam leader Sophomore Michael Leong said.

As the robotics season comes to an end, FTC 8404 and FRC 604 are reflecting on the past year—proud of their members for persevering through challenges and working hard to limit robot complications. Both teams look forward to having another great season while learning about and brainstorming more robot designs.

COURTESY OF LELAND ROBOTICS

After

preparing

for

the

World

Championship,

First

Robotics

Competition

(FRC)

604

poses

for

a

team

photo

with

their

robot.

Farewell and commemoration: Honoring long-time custodian Miguel Mejia

Gay Brasher

Visual Performing Arts Department

DESIREE VU DE LEON ART

the school clean and running efficiently, Miguel is an expert at setting up extracurricular functions. Before the COVID-19 shutdown, speech and debate hosted two to three tournaments a year at the school. Whenever I arrived early on campus to complete the final set-up for tournaments, everything had to be in place because within 90 minutes there would be 500 students from other schools on our campus! But Miguel would always have everything ready. At 6 a.m., the sun would not have risen yet and the quad would be shrouded in fog, but Miguel would already have the campus warm and inviting: The lights were on, the bathrooms were open and the coffee maker was plugged in. Throughout the long day, Miguel would constantly check in with the tournament staff, ready to assist in any way he could. On some competition days, he would join during a later shift and work until

the end of the tournament. As classrooms were vacated, he would meticulously clean each room so teachers could arrive on Monday morning to a classroom ready for instruction. Afterward, he would clean the bathrooms, kitchen and cafeteria, often staying until 2 a.m.

As the years passed, Miguel and I began to exchange a running joke about who would retire first. You know Miguel—he is constantly on the job and always upbeat, friendly and professional.

I have seen this throughout the decades I have worked with him. Equipped with a positive work ethic, he always pridefully completes his duties and is truly happy to be on campus with the students. We may take Miguel’s day-to-day work for granted because he always works so efficiently and effectively, but our well-kept campus serves as a testament to his hard work every day.

A lot of dedication and painstaking work goes into maintaining a school.

Although we may not notice him every day, Miguel works continuously before, during and after school to ensure that students have the best instructional environment. Miguel is a genuine, dependable and positive individual, and we should all look up to him. We will miss seeing Miguel on campus, and I will miss working with my dear friend.

Thank you Mr.

Mejia!

XINTONG ZHAO AR T

You may not see him teaching students in classrooms or making schedules in the office, but custodian Miguel Mejia has much to teach about dedication and character. An esteemed role model for students, Miguel is one of the most important people at the school.

We see him everywhere every day.

He sets up tables in the quad for activities and takes them down. He cleans the area after lunch and within an hour, the remnants of over 1,500 lunches are gone. Every Sunday afternoon in the fall and winter, he is on campus using a leaf blower to clear walkways in anticipation of the upcoming week.

In addition to keeping

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3

COMMUNITY NEWS

DESIGN BY ASHLEY LEE

Plumes of smoke: The Home Depot’s fire burns the store to the ground

Nature x Humanity

Imran Shaikh Staff Writer

On April 9, The Home Depot, an American home improvement retailer, lost tens of millions of dollars and its San Jose location on Blossom Hill Road.

This enormous loss was caused by a fire that started in the store at around 5:30 p.m. and raged for six hours before firefighters were able to control it.

According to the National Weather Service, the flames’ heat signature was initially so powerful that it could be seen from outer space. The San Jose Fire Department also reports that the inferno began in the lumber section of the store­­—not as an accident, but as an act of arson.

“I witnessed the fire from about 300 or 400 feet away and saw many supplies burning to the ground. The fire spread quickly and I was able to hear gas and propane tanks exploding due to the heat. It was sad to see everything burning, especially because some employees must have lost their jobs.

After the fire was defused, I talked to a worker from the store, who recounted that she first saw flames around the insulation area where it began to spread rapidly, prompting an evacuation,” Sophomore Matthew Namba said.

The blaze was initiated by 27-year-old Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, who has previously been convicted of several criminal activities. Gogue has committed multiple burglaries in the neighborhood surrounding The Home Depot store dating back to October.

Theft is assumed to be his motivation for starting this destructive fire as Gogue was seen exiting The Home Depot with a cart full of stolen goods moments before the flames were detected.

Prosecutors believe that the fire was set as a distraction so that Gogue could disappear with the stolen goods. He was arrested six days later on April 15.

The incident at The Home Depot was not Gogue’s only robbery of the day: Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen revealed that Gogue had stolen items from a nearby Bass Pro Shop before stealing from The Home Depot. While he was stopped by a store employee before he could get away with the crime, Gogue managed to flee in an escape vehicle.

“According to the National Weather Service, the flames’ heat signature was initially so powerful that it could be seen from outer space. The inferno began in the lumber section of the store­—not as an accident, but as an act of arson.”

Safety violations may have played a role in the rapid spread of the fire as the store has a history of having fire safety violations. Problems were first identified in May 2020, when San Jose’s Bureau of Fire Prevention observed that The Home Depot did not have proper clearance between the ceiling, where the sprinklers are situated, and the storage. Additionally, store officials were told to secure insulation that was dangling from the ceiling. These violations required at least 23 separate re-inspections and were not fixed until October 2021, 17 months after the violation was first reported.

In a separate inspection made in December 2020, the store failed to prove inspections of its fire alarm and sprinkler systems. This violation was resolved in the following month, but the issues with the sprinkler and alarm systems may have persisted, as witnesses claim that the fire alarm did not go off until everyone was outside of the store and the sprinkler system did not activate at all.

The fire was so large that it spread further than just The Home Depot. For example, several neighboring homes and stores were evacuated, including Wagly, a dog hotel, where Sophomore Lia Yereslove’s dog was staying.

“We heard that some dogs had been evacuated to Golfland, so my family went there to look for ours.

After learning that the dogs had been relocated to another animal hospital, we re-routed and drove to the hospital.

I was really relieved to see my dog because my family was initially worried that he would be traumatized or have smoke in his lungs, but fortunately, he was healthy,” Yereslove said.

Gogue’s act of arson cost The Home Depot $17 million in inventory loss, tens of millions in property damage and endangered the lives of innocent people and animals. Therefore, he now faces 10 felony charges, including aggravated arson, arson of an inhabited structure or property and grand theft and three petty theft misdemeanors. If convicted of these charges, he could face anywhere from 14 years to life in prison. Due to the fire, The Home Depot store is no longer open, and it is unknown whether the store will undergo renovation.

KENNETH YANG ART

Quotebox: What are your thoughts on the fire at The Home Depot?

Compiled by Jeehee Kim and Sophia Qin Media Staff and Staff Writer “The Home Depot fire is a tragedy that I will remember forever. I was coming back from church when I saw part of the sky covered in thick, black smoke. I was terrified and everyone was talking about it in group chats that I am in. It was a horrible sight to see and it was even worse to find out the cause of the fire was petty theft.”

—Freshman Dominic Vu

“Although I was not there during the fire, I know several people who were. Before the incident, the store was in a convenient location for my parents to take a short drive and acquire gardening supplies.

However, they now have to drive longer distances to obtain these resources, significantly delaying their everyday activities.”

—Sophomore Daniel Xu

“When I opened my window at home, I was immediately hit by the strong smell of smoke, and dark clouds began to surround my house. From what I heard, firefighters had already arrived at the building when the fire was still small, but in no time, it consumed the whole building.”

—Junior Carissa Robinson

Nicole Mui Staff Writer

Due to escalating use of plastic production, habitat destruction and climate change, the transition to sustainability is often difficult. But in the exhibit Nature x Humanity opened from Feb. 19 to May 15 in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, architect Neri Oxman successfully builds the connection between nature, humanity and less wasteful design.

In her recent projects, Oxman mapped out the connections between environment and architecture, imagining how new forms of production could be based on biological growth. Her team, Oxman Architects, 3D prints an assortment of environmental projects, such as Aguahoja III—a seven-foot tall, ambercolored sculpture matching a blooming monarch chrysalis that viewers witness from the moment they step into the room. Aguahoja III was created with apple peels and cellulose, forming its biodegradable spined pattern and earthy hues. As the structure breaks down, its textured wings drift onto the ground, fertilizing the soil.

One crucial step of Oxman’s projects is fabrication, where she compares the viscosity of materials such as silk, glass and honeycombs to shape them into functional sculptures. In collaboration with The Mediated Matter Group, Oxman created a square-shaped steel frame full of intersecting silk strings that hangs from the ceiling. In this prototype, a robot cooperates with silkworms to produce a translucent veil, harboring embedded cocoons and eggs.

The next evolution of Oxman’s projects involves futuristic attire— vibrant face masks blend religion and culture in their designs and are displayed along the museum’s walls.

The collection, titled Vespers, contains 3D prints from photopolymers and chemical pigments.

But as Oxman continues to visualize the future, she imagines a clash between urban development and nature. In the city project titled Manhata, rising sea levels overtake crowded skyscrapers to reformulate a transition back to nature. Oxman begins in the period titled Emergence: the year is 2100 and clay buildings are structured around the ocean as gemstones emerge from the seas. In 2200, the gemstones morph together, sending riveting waves that touch the surface of city ports. A beam of bright light shines from the middle in 2300, illuminating a sky-blue hue. Then, waves from the ocean flood into the city, covering the streets and leaving a hollow basin.

From the biodegradable statues to innovative masks, the work of Oxman Architects successfully plants visions of sustainability in modern architecture.

Each piece blurs the divide between biology and urbanization, intertwining these distinctive elements to produce a sustainable future.

Nature x Humanity (5/5)

a monumental experience

+ materializing of abstract concepts + climate-based viewpoint of architecture - some inaccessible language

4

JUNE 2, 2022

OPINIONS

DESIGN BY AILEEN XIE

Isaac Ang

Worked up about working out: Exercise addiction culture Staff Writer

The Charger Account Leland High School 6677 Camden Ave. Principal Peter Park San Jose Unified School District San Jose, CA 95120-2142 (408) 535-6290 thechargeraccount.com EDITORS IN CHIEF Ashley Lee, Aileen Xie, Cindy Zhao, Nancy Zheng ART AND PHOTO DIRECTORS Beomhee Kim, Julia Nakanishi NEWS EDITORS Miranda Lu, Larry Ye OPINIONS EDITOR Raymond Dai FEATURE EDITORS Manasa Sriraj, Pavana Upadhyaya VIEWPOINT AND LAST WORD EDITORS Yong Ooi, Breanna Lu ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE EDITORS Keirah Chen, Miranda Lu INVESTIGATIVE REPORT EDITOR Breanna Lu SPORTS EDITOR Pavana Upadhyaya STUDENT SPOTLIGHT EDITOR Keirah Chen AD MANAGER Nancy Zheng MEDIA MANAGER Cindy Zhao ADVISOR Elaine Ngo COMMUNITY CIRCULATION Parent Club and Leland Bridge STAFF WRITERS Isaac Ang Daniel Lin Dhruv Anish Nicole Mui Aaron Dalton Tammy Newman Sophia Qin Imran Shaikh Suvia Li Kevin Zhang ARTISTS Daniel Choi Desiree Vu De Leon Quincy Han Suvia Li Kailey Hu Dana Lim Ellie Kim Jude Tantawy Inseo Kim Kenneth Yang PHOTOGRAPHERS Bertina Fan Desiree Vu De Leon MEDIA TEAM Jeehee Kim Claire Pham Our mission in the community is to inform, educate and investigate the events occurring within Leland’s community and beyond.

The ideas and opinions expressed in our articles represent over half of The Charger Account staff but do not represent the views and beliefs of any particular staff member.

The Charger Account invites submissions of signed letters of opinion. We reserve the right to edit submissions and pieces will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff.

Readers can notify The Charger Account to any errors in print by emailing us at lelandchargeraccount@gmail.com.

We will acknowledge our mistakes in our next issue.

For advertising information and pricing, please check out our website at thechargeraccount.com/advertisewith-us. The Charger Account is distributed to the Leland community free of cost.

The Charger Account June 2 | Vol. T. No. 6

Whether a casual stroll or an intense cardio session, exercise is heralded as essential to a healthy lifestyle, as stimulating one’s muscles promotes bodily and emotional health. However, moderation is key: Overexertion may reverse the benefits exercise confers. Fueled by western idealizations of being self-driven and social media’s gym overhype, the modern exercise culture has cultivated an unhealthy addiction to fitness in many young individuals, leading them to ignore warning signs of irreversible injury.

Although people have long been exercising, the fervor around fitness is relatively recent. According to The Washington Post, the 1970s saw a surge in marathons in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. Running’s “democratic” nature allowed people of all backgrounds to enjoy it. The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association reports that with material advancement, people have also welcomed workout equipment— worldwide, gym membership increased by 54% from 2009 to 2019. Through sites such as Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube, social media “fitfluencers” post their “transformations” with the tag #fitspiration, boasting how certain workout regimes had dramatically toned their muscles. Consequently, the idea that “optimal” results are achievable only through experiencing intense physical strain is advertised to many followers.

“While most exercise for aesthetics, some exercise purely to stay healthy, which is fine. However, those obsessed with aesthetics may be inclined to overeat or undereat to achieve the figure they want, which is propelled by social media’s “fitfluencer” standards. I believe that these dietary risks are more harmful than overexercising in causing health issues,” Senior Adam Skoglund said.

Jeehee Kim

This commercialization of fitness can cause an unhealthy devotion to exercise.

According to American Addiction Centers (AAC), fitfluencers often use messages such as “no pain, no gain” or “more is always better” when motivating their audience. With reasonable intentions, such statements can mobilize people out of laziness; the desire to improve one’s physique can translate into greater diligence toward non-fitness goals. Yet, without astute judgment, newcomers to the fitness world may overestimate their abilities to seek immediate results— AAC finds that constant training at high intensities can increase the risk of injury, heart disease and chronic fatigue. The Guardian relates the story of one woman who, wanting to lose weight, sought a quick 12-week training regime advertised on Facebook, doing multiple sessions at the intermediate level a day. After some time, she developed stress fractures in her foot, preventing her from walking for weeks.

On the opposite extreme, misconceiving exercise as overly challenging dissuades others from the activity, a study by the University of Alberta shows, sacrificing the opportunity to establish a habit vital to overall health.

“Training for the Marines requires several hours of working out a day, so I often push myself beyond my limits to gain muscular progress. However, I am wary of overexertion and cut down on my workouts whenever I experience any abnormal pain,” Senior Leo Gao said.

Despite being aware of their selfdefeating tendencies, exercise fanatics struggle to quit their addiction, stifled by a numbness towards physical pain and selfrestraint. Stuck in an exercise high, many people feel guilty if they miss a workout session. Exercise obsession can also lead to neglect towards other parts of life. As gym sessions and long runs replace work and relationship time, addicts alienate themselves from the possibility of escaping permanent damage to health.

While the National Institute of Health reports that it affects 25% of those pursuing fitness, exercise addiction lacks sufficient coverage in society. Prevailing conversations around other disorders eclipse attention paid to fitness fanaticism.

Moreover, since most view exercise as a remedy for physical and mental illness, the idea of it being possibly antagonistic to health is difficult to normalize. The ambiguity in defining the criteria for diagnosis further complicates coverage, since levels of physical endurance vary dramatically from person to person.

Thus, only 0.3% of the general population are officially diagnosed—a severe understatement of exercise addiction’s pervasiveness, AAC reports.

In moderation, exercise is beneficial.

Exercise mania, h oweve r, distorts its JUDE TANTAWY ART advantageous nature into a paralyzing one. Rather than seeking the fallacious gains of social status or split-second physical transformation, returning to the true benefits of exercise—fulfillment, selfimprovement, stress release—makes it an activity anyone can indulge in.

Consequences of criminalizing healthcare worker errors Staff Writer

Nothing trumps the weight of responsibility in treating health-afflicted individuals—nurses and other medical professionals often must play a game of life-or-death, where even tiny errors could result in ill-fated consequences.

RaDonda Vaught, a former nurse of Vanderbilt University, was found guilty of manslaughter after the death of a 75-yearold patient due to Vaught’s administration of the wrong medication in 2017. However, Vanderbilt medical center’s mishandling of the error’s publicization led the public to question who was truly responsible, as well as the fairness of the penalty Vaught would have to endure. Considering the trial’s future implications, individual health care workers should not be totally blamed, but must still be required to report any mistakes to improve the integrity of health care provision.

Considering that Vaught herself reported the mistake to Vanderbilt’s medical center, yet the hospital did not subsequently publicize it, institutions are equally obligated to update the public about their performance. In fact, medical errors were found to total a shocking 251,000 deaths annually in the U.S., according to Purdue University professors Anderson and Abrahamson. Still, only 10% of medical errors are reported, largely due to a lack of a nation-wide mandate to do so. As medical providers would rather safeguard the merit of their careers, their tendency to not report mistakes delays reform of the medical

system’s training of workers. The continuing number of deaths, coupled with an evasion to disclose the causes, can aggravate mistrust towards public healthcare.

To effectuate precise reform in lessening the risks of medical faults, penalties should not exist to provoke guilt in doctors and nurses, but make them conscious and cautious about their errors. Court dealings only increase fear of

DANA LIM ART jeopardizing one’s career with possible lawsuits, which may lead medical workers to quit their profession.

The inadequate protection individual workers receive from insurance furthers this trend. Although many employers offer some type of malpractice coverage, their prioritization of the company’s reputation over employees limits the effectiveness of the coverage.

“There are several factors to consider in each individual case, including the circumstances, whether the mistake has happened often before or whether a single worker has made multiple serious fatal mistakes. Thus, there should not be a single standard for determining blame, keeping in mind that everyone, including health care workers, is imperfect,” Junior Angelica Butta said.

The profession is already suffering from a lack of workers: The Atlantic revealed that before the pandemic, between 35% to 54% of American nurses and physicians resigned

because of burnout. Punishing individuals for medical errors can trigger hesitancy amongst those aspiring to become healthcare providers, further suffocating the industry of the expertise necessary for supplying enough services. Rather than reprimanding those at fault while questions as to why are still pending, healthcare authorities should encourage workers to sharpen their qualifications, acting as guides when necessary.

To address the insufficient coverage of medical mistakes, the Institute for Health Care Improvement created the technique “Global Trigger” that peruses medical records for instances when a patient suffered unexpected harm.

In 2013, Global Trigger was able to find 10 times more of these incidents compared to conventional reviews. Directly recording workers’ mistakes makes it easier for them to acknowledge their weaknesses and answer to errors, inviting the opportunity to reduce the frequency of medical faults and anchor practitioner integrity.

Healthcare providers often endure pressure at work, strung by the public’s high expectations of providing spotless service free of any inconveniences. Though they are entrusted with the well-being of countless dependents, practitioners are human too—prone to lapses in judgment.

Punctuating their slip-ups in a deprecative manner hurts their future performance, as the ability to work is contingent on their mental state. Actualizing true reform entails letting healthcare providers admit their mistakes without excessive punishment, and not ever be put in Vaught’s position.

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

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LIFESTYLE

DESIGN BY CINDY ZHAO

Fine line between inspiration and copying: Shein’s controversial business

Pavana Upadhyaya

99 Ranch Market

Feature School & Sports Editor

The image that online clothing retailer Shein sells is everywhere: trendy clothes, advertised by influencers, all for a cheap price. Founded in 2008 by Chinese entrepreneur Chris Xu as an online wedding dress store, Shein’s use of the fast fashion model—where a company produces fashionable clothing for relatively inexpensive prices—has made the brand ubiquitous in women’s clothing, shown by its estimated revenue of $15.7 billion in 2021. Along with its consumer demand, however, the company also has a history of copyright accusations.

Last July, indie fashion brand Elexiay posted a TikTok accusing Shein of copying its Amelie sweater, which retailed for $330, while Shein’s version cost only $17. Meanwhile, the artist Tankuss stated on Twitter that Shein copied their original artwork in 2020, and jewelry brand Kikay Earrings’ products were copied and sold at a lower price by Shein last June. Furthermore, Shein also sells rip-off versions of fellow fast fashion brands’ products—in April, videos that highlighted similarities between Zara and Shein garments under the tags “#zaravshein” and “#zaradupe” went viral on Tik Tok. Despite the controversy, The Guardian reports that consequences for Shein’s actions are unlikely because potential lawsuits would take over two years.

Shein is not alone in its imitation frauds. In April, H&M was accused of ripping off designer Chet Lo’s signature spiky knitwear. Similarly, the Finery Report reported in 2019 that Forever 21 has faced over 15 copyright lawsuits. Moreover, copyright law does not protect items that are “useful,” so clothes and jewelry—both which serve basic functions—cannot be

copyrighted. Hence, Shein can legally not having any true positive impact plagiarize dress designs as long as they the on the environment, as it does not resulting product is not an exact replica. make up for the company’s previous This grey area in copyright law is often environmental faults. seen as negative: Huffington Post explains “I am not completely sure whether that the expenses incurred through a Shein’s new initiatives are genuine or not, lawsuit are often unsustainable for small but considering that it is Shein, I doubt designers. In addition, proving that a these initiatives are actually sincere, design has been copied is difficult, as fast as they still use their old materials and fashion companies often sell designs for techniques,” Senior Varsha less than two weeks and then Shankar said. move them off the shelf.

However, for Ethical concerns many consumers, in fast fashion go Shein is often one of beyond plagiarism, the only options for however. According affordable and sizeto Princeton inclusive clothing, University, if with their sizes going fast fashion from a UK size 6 to a brands continue UK size 26, We Thrift their current finds. Because Shein business practice fills in these shopping of constantly gaps, people gravitate churning out towards the brand. new clothes, “Consumers the industry’s should be concerned greenhouse about the ethical gas emissions and environmental will increase by 50%. impact of Shein Additionally, Forbes and brands like reports that these factories Shein. Cheap prices often pay their workers are enticing, but the KENNETH extremely low wages. responsibility to do better YANG ART Shein has attempted to collaborate lies on both the customers and with independent designers through the retailers. People should not be buying its “Shein X” program, where the brand from Shein in excess, but at the same time, partnered with illustrator Sveta Leyfam, companies must be regulated in a way that tattoo artist Nora Ink, designer Ji Yeon minimizes their negative impacts,” Junior Lee and other creatives to create capsule Nora Thomas said. collections incorporating their work. The Though Shein has attempted to change company’s rebranding does not stop there: its business practice through product lines The brand also launched a new clothing and collaborations, its copying of designs line, “evoluSHEIN,” which is reportedly shines light on the ethical conundrum that more sustainable than previous lines. fast fashion poses. Although brands like However, as per Eco Textile News, industry Shein are cheaper, people wonder whether experts have deemed “evoluSHEIN” as fast fashion is sustainable.

TikTok’s “Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” wins a Grammy

Tammy Newman

Staff Writer

On April 3, “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” won a Grammy award for best musical theater album, being the first project that originated on TikTok to be nominated for a Grammy.

Released in December 2020, the Netflix television show “Bridgerton” aimed to create a story centering strong, independent women of color. It soon rose to popularity: 82 million households were streaming the show within the first month, according to the Netflix statistics on Vanity Fair. Two creative women, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, were inspired by the story’s nuance and complexity and decided to make content inspired by the show: songs from the perspective of “Bridgerton” characters.

The duo, known as “Barlow and Bear,” met in 2019 through mutual friends and continued their friendship through several musical projects. As soon as the two saw “Bridgerton” on Netflix, they immediately agreed that it deserved a spotlight on the musical theater stage. Feeling a burst of creativity, Barlow wrote a song and posted it on TikTok. It went viral, and the duo’s accounts have been thriving ever since.

Collaborating as a team, the pair’s skills complement each other—Bear focuses on the technical composition aspect, while Barlow formulates the song lyrics. According to their official website, their videos have received over 270 million views and were even recognized by “Bridgerton” cast members themselves.

Some of their most popular songs are “Burn for You” and “Alone Together.”

Surprisingly, Bear and Barlow were not alone in their music-making process.

Fans contributed to the unofficial musical through TikTok, with some people even giving lyric suggestions, which helped the two finalize the music. For example, according to Buzzfeed News, one of the

pair’s favorite lyrics, “colored in green, gilded in gold,” was derived from a fan’s comment.

As the pandemic intruded upon countless comforts of daily life, one of those being the inability to attend live musical theater performances, Barlow believes their music gained traction as a result of quarantine isolation.

Since concerts were no longer an option, many musicians resorted to social media to display their talents. For example, many artists have gained popularity through

posting on TikTok, such as Em Beihold, Mad Tsai and Lyn Lapid. TikTok has provides rising musicians a platform to spread talent to the public. For instance, the Ratatouille musical, the first TikTok musical, went viral and raised $2 million for The Actors Fund—an organization that supports entertainment workers.

“Quarantine had a huge effect on the lives of everyone. It is good that musicians are able to use that to their advantage through social media, especially TikTok,” Junior Eunwoo Kim said.

Barlow and Bear winning a Grammy this year as well as the Bridgerton musical as a whole changed theater culture according to the Recording Academy Grammy Awards. When interviewed, Barlow claims that her goal was to show audiences that anything can be considered musical theater and any genre can tell a story.

“I think gaining popularity off social media is a great way to kickstart a career.

Today we are lucky enough to have these free platforms, so it is good that people are taking advantage of that,” Junior AWY ART JUDE TANT Kimaya Saijipal said.

Suvia Li Staff Writer

Ever since the news of 99 Ranch Market’s new location in Oakridge Mall was released in mid-2020, many Asiangrocery enthusiasts, including myself, looked forward to its opening.

Founded in 1984 by TaiwaneseAmerican Roger Chen, 99 Ranch boasts over 50 locations and is the nation’s largest Asian supermarket chain.

Aside from its grocery items, 99 Ranch also specializes in prepared food: The Oakridge location features a bakery, a bubble tea shop, Hong Kong-style barbecue, dim sum and hot deli food.

Inside the store, sections of fresh produce and meat surround tightlypacked aisles of food and household supplies. The store’s streamlined layout offers a clean, modern feeling and easy navigation for customers.

There are two ways to access 99 Ranch’s deli section: a large cafeteriastyle window facing the mall’s interior and a small window inside the supermarket. Arriving through the former, I saw a variety of dishes displayed in metal trays with the food glistening from the fixed lights above.

Trays of dim sum were placed next to the dishes, including fried sesame balls with red bean filling and steamed buns.

In the barbecue section, plump and shiny roast Peking ducks hung from metal hooks behind a glass wall.

I ordered a three-item meal combo of sweet and sour pork ribs, fried tofu and braised eggplant with fried rice.

The food was quickly scooped into a paper takeout bowl: first, the longgrained white rice stir-fried with peas, carrots and scrambled egg and then the sweet and sour ribs—each about an inch long and exhibiting a deep brown color underneath a shiny glaze. The savory eggplant was complemented by green beans, onion and fragrant dried chili, while the tofu’s golden skin was simmered in a glossy starch-based sauce. The sauces of all three dishes provided sweet, sour and salty flavors and brought color to the rice.

Being an avid bread enthusiast, I could not resist stopping by the store’s bakery after my meal. Beautiful cakes in a glass display case stood in front of loaves of bread resting on the shelf behind. In the center of the bakery was a table full of round-shaped bread, including red bean-filled, cream cheese-filled and sesame-topped bread.

I bought the red bean mochi bread and enjoyed a delicious ball of sweet bean paste covered in a layer of glutinous rice cake.

99 Ranch Market’s diverse selection of groceries and specialty prepared food makes it a must-try for anyone looking for Asian comfort food.

99 Ranch Market (3/5)

how bowl-tiful was it?

+ convenient location + quality baked goods - unmemorable deli food

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INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Prom Wishing upperclassmen “Bon Voyage” at the school’s Prom

JUNE 2, 2022 DESIGN BY NANCY ZHENG

Claire Pham

Media Staff

As the end of the school year draws near, upperclassmen commemorated their last two high school years with prom, an annual banquet for juniors and seniors to celebrate their school career— typically with a date. Prom presumably emerged from high society debutante balls and was intended to be the first formal event for high school students.

Since its beginnings in 1928, the event has evolved drastically. Besides the latenight dancing, thrilling promposals and crazed after-parties, each senior class incorporates their own teenage culture through the themes, music and fashion.

This year, the theme for prom was Midnight in Paris. Students dressed in sleek silhouettes and sophisticated suits as the French-themed fête transpired.

Students entered Levi’s Stadium, the venue for the event; within the clusters of students were pairs of dates, many sporting color-coordinated outfits and enjoying prom together.

Traditionally, one student proposes to another to be their prom date—thus, Journalist Zosia Bielski coined the term “promposal,” a playful reference to marriage proposals. First popularized in the 2000s, promposing is a relatively new custom that has been invigorated with the surge of social media.

Presenting potential dates with posters and flowers has become a long-established strategy; however, students have also developed promposal methods such as staging a surprise promposal in their date’s home or asking online.

“My date and I reached out to each other first and then he formally asked me with a poster and flowers. It is special to go with a date to create unforgettable memories at prom! It is also fun to go with friends and just have a good time,” Senior Krystal Montgomery said.

Though promposals are meant to be charming, certain promposals can pose a social issue. Public promposals are widely popular among students, where the proposal is surrounded by invested viewers. The burden of spectators can pressure the respondent to accept the proposal whether they had planned to or not.

“There may be some who feel uncomfortable with a public promposal, but if one knows what their potential date prefers, promposals can be a fun leap of faith!” Senior Nethra Srinivasan said.

Just as some promposals may be stress-inducing, lacking a date can also be pressuring. Through the media, the authentic prom experience is depicted as a night of partnership. Although some students are willing to attend prom with friends, others fear ostracism by students with dates. However, according to market research company YouGov, an average of 49 percent of America’s prom attendees do not bring a partner, proving that the authenticity of prom is not threatened by an absence of a date.

“Teen films glamorize prom with a prerequisite of having a date, but getting to hang out with loved ones, platonically or romantically, makes the experience memorable. My friends and I, as single girls, did not feel pressured from our other friends who had dates—we just enjoyed our time together,” Srinivasan said.

Under the management of the event chairs, Seniors Jacob Kuverji, Sarah Satchell, Allie Francisco and Yacoub Ajlouni, the Associated Student Body (ASB) spent four months and $2,000 preparing for prom. Compared to other ASB events such as Powderpuff or Homecoming, prom had higher student attendance.

Overall, the school’s prom garnered positive reviews. The venue and presence of Sourdough Sam, the mascot of the San Francisco 49ers, impressed most students. Attendees were also able to take

pictures with the Levi’s Stadium field serving as a backdrop.

“I was not expecting much so I was definitely not disappointed with prom. The interior looked nice. The food was as expected—not amazing, but not bad either,” Junior Katy Touretsky said.

Through all the rough and radiant moments, the Class of 2022 united at prom to honor the years they spent together—nearing ends and new beginnings all acknowledged within a special, cherishable night.

BERTINA FAN PHOTO Courtesy of Associated Student Body

From left to right: Seniors Iris Gu, Sofia Akram, Ava Stephens, Sofia Shin, Allie Francisco, Hailey Pham, Hana Djebroun and Chloe Yun show off their corsages in a prom photoshoot.

Daniel Lin

Prom in mass media: Prom-oting negativity?

Staff Writer

Promenade dance, or prom, is an iconic part of the high school experience, seen by many as a must-have rite of passage. The event is traditionally represented as a formal social event that brings high school students together.

For seniors, it also represents the end of high school and the start of adulthood.

However, while prom can create longlasting memories, the effects of the media on prom and the atmosphere surrounding it are often less positive.

Mass media has affected prom proposals, or promposals, dramatically.

As the number of students sharing their prom experiences on social media

XINTONG ZHAO ART

increases, other students often feel pressured to create a picture-perfect prom as well. Previously, asking someone out to prom was as simple as asking them the question, but now, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, promposals are reaching the magnitude of engagement proposals, with numerous featuring extravagant posters and extensive scavenger hunts.

“The National Broadcasting Company states that the average student spends between $175 to $2,000 on prom...”

In the past, prom was primarily an opportunity for students to socialize with their peers and have fun, but now, many students see it as an opportunity to gain popularity on social media; to the extent of which, according to fashion magazine Nylon, some teenagers say that taking the opportunity to boost one’s internet fame is just as important as actually going to the event.

Many of these sentiments can be accredited to the over-

romanticization of prom in movies and television shows, such as in the popular Netflix show “All American.”

In the fourth season of “All American,” the main characters, who are all high school students, struggle with finding prom dates. The show depicts the situation as dramatic and stressful, highlighting prom as a mandatory event during high school and influencing the audience to feel the same way. This leads to a competitive and almost toxic environment around the event, pressuring students to make their prom appear flawlessly exquisite, which can also be very expensive. The National Broadcasting Company states that the average student spends between $175 to $2,000 on prom, much of which is spent on suits and dresses.

“For my promposal, I bought a bouquet of roses and put together a poster, but did not really feel that anything else was necessary. I did not need to buy a new suit since I already have one that I use for choir performances. In the end, I did not spend much money, but still had a great time at prom, since I got to spend quality time with my prom date that we have missed out on due to school.

The media definitely hypes up prom, but I did not feel disappointed when I actually went. Nothing is perfect or goes exactly

according to plan; what mattered to me was that I enjoyed prom no matter what it looked like,” Junior Brian Jackson said.

The overhyping and glorification of prom can also have damaging

consequences, especially on girls. Some people say that the event promotes conventional beauty standards, which further contributes to insecurities many girls have about their appearance. Furthermore, prom figures in movies and television shows are usually straight, leading to a severe lack of LGBTQ representation, which can be problematic as it idolizes heterosexual couples.

The effects of mass media on prom are not necessarily negative. Students may feel more excited about the event than they would have without the media’s influence because of the importance the media places on it. Through this, prom hype can have a positive impact on students and make the day feel extra memorable.

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

FEATURE: WORLD

DESIGN BY CINDY ZHAO

Aaron Dalton

2022 French election results signal rise in nationalism

In stark contrast to her father JeanMarie Le Pen, a prominent political leader of the extreme right who notoriously dismissed the significance of the Holocaust, Marine Le Pen’s gentler approach to farright politics is becoming increasingly popular with French voters. Although sitting president Emmanuel Macron ultimately won the 2022 presidential elections, Le Pen obtained 41.5% of the vote—a significant increase from her 33.9% in 2017, suggesting a growing conservative inclination in France.

France’s elections occur every five years in April, with two rounds of voting separated by a 2-week gap. During the first round, voters may select from any candidate that has met the requirements, which includes amassing at least 500 signatures of support. By late April, 12 candidates made it to the official ballot, which soon culled to only two candidates for the second round—Le Pen and Macron.

Focusing on issues such as the cost of living and earlier retirement age, Le Pen positioned herself as a unifying, populist leader. Her campaign was met with success: After the first round of voting on April 10, she came in second with a strong rural vote, per The Economist.

Le Pen was five points behind incumbent president Emmanuel Macron, a member of La Republique En Marche.

As the election occurred amidst the war between

Russia and Ukraine, the New Yorker notes that uneasiness about the war may be a strong contributor to voter indifference in France. Having led the effort to prevent Europe from being entangled in the war, Macron’s actions in Ukraine have supported his campaign.

France’s constituency does not tend to re-elect incumbents like the U.S; dwindling voter turn-out and increasing dissatisfaction with representative democracy has resulted in no presidential reappointments since 1958. The Economist explains that the large constitutional authority of the president has often led to inflated expectations and greater disappointment—a recent Ifop poll measured the public confidence in the president at 41%. Additionally, French public disillusionment is characterized by a rise in voting for extremist candidates, who held 58% of the first round of votes this election.

“Recently in France, some politicians attempt to polarize the public by criticizing mainstream views and normalizing extreme ideas. The public has been concerned about immigration, but some far-right extremists have distorted the issue to stir up fear and discontent,” Joe Kerwin, Social Science Department, said.

Feeding on the nationalist sentiments of anti-Semitism and anti-immigration, Le Pen’s father founded the National Front in 1972 to oppose mainstream conservative parties in France, quickly rising to notoriety for his controversial views. In her 2006 autobiography, Le Pen describes being thrusted into politics after a political

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Staff Writer

bombing of her childhood home that was intended to assassinate her father. Elected as a Regional Councilor for the National Front at the age of 30, Le Pen has joined her father in party leadership; since then, the duo has totaled eight unsuccessful presidential bids.

After taking over her father’s position in 2011, Le Pen worked to shift the party away from politically divisive nationalism by adopting certain liberal standpoints and a plain folks appeal. To distance herself from her father’s factionalism, Le Pen no longer champions capital punishment and avoids campaigning with her last name.

Titled “Notebooks of Hope,” her blog also showcases photos of her cats, beaches and Ferris wheel rides.

Furthermore, her niece and longtime political supporter Marion Maréchal’s endorsed rightwing candidate Eric Zemmour, a radical that makes Le Pen a more palatable choice for many traditional conservative voters. This has helped Le Pen advance what French news channel France24 calls “dedemonization,” or France’s rising conservative movement.

Le Pen left the election podium stating “in this defeat, I can feel hope,” referring to the large gains her party achieved at the polls. While Macron claimed that voters had rejected far-right policies in his victory speech, the election’s results still reveal increased momentum for conservative policies in France.

DANA LIM ART

Disney loses special district status after opposing Florida bill

Kevin Zhang

On April 21, the Floridian legislature revoked Disney’s self-governing status in response to Disney’s public opposition against their bill to limit LGBTQ+ discussions in school, subjecting the corporation to the state taxes of Florida.

Passed by the Florida Senate in a 2217 vote, the Parental Rights in Education Bill, popularly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on March 28. NPR reports that the bill would ban public school teachers from instructing students about sexual orientation or gender identity.

Supporters of the bill argue that LGBTQ+ discussions should be introduced to children by their parents and not their teachers because parents will know the right time to talk about them. Opponents contend that the bill will suppress LGBTQ+ culture because of the heavy restrictions it places on having conversations about those identities.

Although Disney was slow to respond to the bill, after a month of criticism, the corporation paused all political support for the Florida government and pledged to donate $1 million to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) by signing the organization’s Business Statement

7

Staff Writer

Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation, In exchange for providing its own utilities per Bloomberg. However, Joni Madison, and emergency services, the company was the interim president of the HRC, rejected given tax relief on its assigned 25,000 acres the donation, stating that they will not of land. With the district status revoked, accept the money until Disney furthers Forbes predicts taxes to increase its work with LGBTQ+ from $2,200 to $2,800 for each organizations and reinforces family living in that area. This its stance to the public. would create a large burden on The Guardian states families, though Disney would that many in the LGBTQ+ need to pay less for the community believe that Disney’s services within the area response was late and influenced as funding would come mostly by public pressure. In from the government. addition, Indiewire finds that The conflict between Disney had donated to Disney and the Florida every single sponsor and state government is co-sponsor of the bill. emblematic of the influence SUVIA LI ART “If Disney really wants of large corporations on the to demonstrate their support, they government. Although Florida did not should fully side with the LGBTQ+ community.

“The Florida legislature Public support dropped [revoked] Disney’s special tax because of their slow reaction, but they status, forcing them to comply can build it back up if with Florida state law.” they continue to back organizations for the cause,” Senior Ahad Jiva said. concede after Disney’s public opposition In response, the Florida in this case, the results may differ for other legislature passed another bill on April states considering similar legislation. If 21 that would revoke Disney’s special a company’s donations help the state tax status, forcing them to comply with secure funding for services, it may Florida state law. Previously, Disney was have significantly more power over the essentially a small district within Florida: government’s decisions.

Dhruv Anish Staff Writer

Taking the concept of interdimensional travel, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” uses it to cleverly comment on themes ranging from the purpose of life, living with regret and the insignificance of humanity in the grand scheme of the universe. Through Michelle Yeoh’s masterful performance as Evelyn Wang—a disgruntled laundromat owner with dwindling relationships with both her delusionally optimistic husband Waymond, played by Ke Huy Quan, and her emotionally distant daughter Joy, played by Stephanie Hsu—the audience experiences the bittersweet reflection on the opportunities missed in the journey of life. On a routine visit to the Internal Revenue Services office, a Waymond from another dimension explains to Evelyn that there are multiple universes with different versions of herself, each possessing different skills as a result of their unique choices and experiences.

However, he also warns her of Jobu Tupaki, a malicious presence seeking to destroy the multiverse, whom Evelyn must fight using all the skills she has gathered in alternate universes.

The visual effects, cinematography and editing of the film combine to create a surrealist visual landscape that lends itself perfectly to the film’s message about life’s absurdity. The countless universes where Evelyn witnesses different versions of herself all differ stylistically, making a much more engaging cinematic experience.

Long takes with hasty zooms, pans and tilts all elevate the well-choreographed action sequences that fit flawlessly into the overall narrative. Yeoh’s Evelyn is a relatable character filled with remorse for avenues not pursued in life—a regret that audiences easily identify with. Meanwhile, Hsu’s Joy is a perfect antagonist to Evelyn—their inter-dimensional conflict between destruction and preservation mirrors their inter-generational tensions, with Joy’s progressive views contrasting Evelyn’s traditional values, culminating in an immensely gratifying resolution from the power of unconditional love.

The film’s strength lies in its message about how life seems pointless and absurd in the larger scope of the universe, but fleeting moments of love and happiness should be cherished for what they are.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a once-in-a-lifetime visual masterpiece that perfectly encapsulates the struggles and anxieties that come with existential crises, helping viewers feel more at ease with their small place in the cosmos.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (5/5) reel-ing it in

+ ingenious editing + heartfelt themes - unnecessary story divisions

EXPLORING OUR PAST: YEAR IN REVIEW

DESIGN BY KEIRAH CHEN, KAILEY HU AND ELLIE KIM

AMERICA WITHDRAWS FROM AFGHANISTAN (AUGUST 30, 2021)

WORDLE TAKES OFF (OCTOBER 2021)

Ending a two-decade conflict between the U.S. and Afghanistan that began shortly after the Sept.

11 attacks, President Joe Biden announced on July 8, 2021 that he would be withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. In his speech, he detailed how he did not want to prolong the U.S. mission beyond Aug. 31, 2021. Biden defended his decision as a victory despite how the Taliban immediately regained control of the country within days.

Wordle, a word game created by software engineer Josh Wardle, grew in popularity with over 300,000 people playing it daily.

Released in October 2021 and bought by The New York Times on Jan. 31, 2022, the game is a vocabulary puzzle where players get six tries to guess a five letter word. Wordle can only be played once a day.

FACEBOOK FILES LEAKED (OCTOBER 25, 2021) Internal Facebook documents were leaked by an internal whistleblower named Frances Haugan.

The documents revealed that Facebook was aware of the false information that the platform spread and the harm that this caused. Despite this, the company did not make moves to address these issues. The Wall Street Journal picked up on these files and began a series of articles analyzing these documents.

CLIMATE AGREEMENT (OCTOBER 31, 2021)

The United Nations Climate Change conference, led

by U.K. cabinet minister Alok Sharkma, was held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12, 2021. The Glasgow Climate Pact was signed during the meeting, building on the Paris Climate Accords on what countries must do in order to prevent further climate change. Additionally, the Paris rulebook, which addresses increasing transparency regarding reporting emissions, was agreed upon.

THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE (FEBRUARY 24, 2022) The war between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing as Russian forces increase their presence in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin’s initial goal to overrun Ukraine failed so he changed his course to capturing the city of Kyiv. As Russian forces continue to escalate the conflict, several corporations such as McDonald’s have withdrawn from Russia out of support for Ukraine.

QUINCY HAN ART

WINTER OLYMPICS (FEBRUARY 4, 2022) Hosted in Beijing, China, the 2022 Winter Olympics has taken place with Norway walking away with the most medals. The Olympic organizers and Chinese officials decided to follow a “closed-loop” system forbidding athletes, officials and media members from going anywhere besides their hotels and venues to prevent the risk of contracting COVID-19.

CONFIRMATION OF KETANJI BROWN JACKSON (APRIL 7, 2022) After a 53-47 bipartisan Senate vote with three Republicans joining all the Democrats, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first African American woman to be appointed as a Supreme Court Justice. She was nominated by President Joe Biden and replaced retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Her qualifications include serving on the D.C. circuit as well as being a Vice Chair and Commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

ROE v. WADE’S DRAFT LEAKED (MAY 2, 2022)

According to a leaked initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v.

Wade. The document rejects the federal decision from 1973 that guaranteed women the right to an abortion. Alito claimed the case verdict was “egregiously wrong from the start.”

DESIGN BY KAILEY HU, ELLIE KIM AND MANASA SRIRAJ

Senior Farewell Farewell Senior Custodial Staff: Thank yo

u so much for staying at school with us so late on print nights! We are guilty as charged for ma king chaotic snack messe s in J-5, and we are very tha nkful for you cleaning up after us.

Leland Parents Club and Leland Bridge: We are incredibly gra

teful for your unwavering support and funding for The Charger Account. Our pro duction process would not be so smooth and successful without your invaluable contributions!

Dhruv Anish

Kevin Zhang

Dhruv, Our families owe you their thanks for keeping us entertained during breaks—your captivating, thorough movie columns are the reason our watchlists are so cultured. Your future in entertainment does not end here: Your hilarious, spot-on impressions of us in class brighten even our most stressful days. Our paper would not be the same without your outstanding story ideas and eloquent, detailed writing. We cannot wait for you to show off your exceptional critique, comedy and writing skills at NYU!

Kevin, Thank you so much for boosting our paper with informative and welldeveloped articles—we can all agree that your incredible research and writing skills are just as lofty as you. Your great enthusiasm for Journalism shows when you actively help page editors on print nights, even as a writer. Your unconventional yet insightful commentary Yong, on death and butterflies is a huge part of what makes Your uniquely sophisticated Viewpoint layouts never Journalism such a fun environment. Be sure to impart fail to blow us away. Your dedication your thoughtful yet chaos-provoking wisdom on to helping others and your impeccable your new friends at Purdue! talents in writing and design are truly inspiring to other Journalism staff. Your relentless, sarcastic sense of humor and profound contributions to our food discussions in class are always so witty, bringing the Journalism community even closer together.

Keep sharing your creativity and culinary expertise at SJSU!

Yong Ooi

ELLIE KIM ART XINTONG ZHAO PHOTO

Aileen, your dedication to journalism never ceases to amaze or inspire us. Your quality of work is always topnotch. Thanks for catching all of our grammar mistakes during print night and your presence on Discord: We always appreciate your funny images!

Aileen Xie Beomhee, thanks so much for single-handedly running the large art team and for your beautiful work! You always give such thorough edits. It would not be an exaggeration to say that our paper would not be half as good if it were not for you. We hope you have fun at Berkeley!

Beomhee Kim Julia, thanks for gracing us this year with your calming and hardworking presence.

You have been a terrific leader: The photo team always steps up when needed. We admire your willingness to help out whenever possible. We know next year will be great!

Julia Nakanishi

Ashley, your ability to balance being both efficient and entertaining is unparalleled.

Not only are you always on top of editing pages, but you consistently help create a fun and relaxing atmosphere. We will miss your positive attitude! We hope you have a blast at USC!

Ashley Lee Cindy, thank you for being such a kind-hearted and sweet individual. You are extremely easy to talk to and always have answers to our questions. You are also so talented: your art, photography and writing are all exceptional. We hope you have the best time at UCSB!

Cindy Zhao Nancy, you are without a doubt one of the most selfless people we know. You are always eager to help others and contribute clever ideas. We admire your easy-goingness, organization and commitment to all your responsibilities! We wish you meaningful years at Cornell!

Nancy Zheng

Ms. Ngo, your passion and constant support are so appreciated. It would be a surprise to anyone if you said this was your first year with Journalism. We look forward to working with you next year!

KAILEY HU ART

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