Nov. 22, 2019 Issuu

OPINIONS

VIEWPOINT

Violent themes in Joker movie cause controversy

K-Pop industry pressures idols to achieve perfection 5

KENNETH YANG ART

KENNETH YANG ART

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

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KENNETH YANG ART

Examining how students approach emergency 13 drills

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 942 SAN JOSE, CA

ISSN: 2164-6996 6677 Camden Avenue San Jose, CA 95120

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT Leland High School

San Jose Unified School District

Friday, November 22, 2019

Vol. R | No. 3

ASB plans Winter Semi-Formal after power outage interrupts Homecoming

Kelly Cui and Carolyn Nguyen

Opinions and Last Word Editors

Associated Student Body (ASB), led

by Meg Walsh, Activities Director, will host a Winter Semi-Formal dance on Dec. 7 to compensate for Homecoming being cut short due to the Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s (PG&E) power shutoff.

Because Homecoming attendees’ money was already spent on the costs associated with the original event, such as paying security and the DJ and purchasing decorations, ASB cannot provide

Nam Nguyen

monetary reimbursement. However, any student who originally purchased a Homecoming ticket is invited to attend the Dec. dance for free.

“We understand that does not seem fair. But the moment we start swapping out tickets and providing refunds, it just gets very messy. Our best solution to keep the profits that help us do so many other activities is to just redo the dance. It is like if an artist cancels a concert due to unforeseen circumstances, you do not get your money back. The concert is rescheduled for a later date,” Walsh said.

Principal Peter Park warned on the Friday before Homecoming that PG&E’s planned power outage may interfere with the dance. Despite this, students mistakenly believed the administration was responsible for turning off the power as a consequence of students dancing inappropriately.

“The time leading up to Homecoming was extremely stressful, especially for all of us in ASB, and we spent so much time creating the decorations. Though we knew that there was the GRACE LI ART possibility of a power outage, it was really disappointing when the power went out because we felt as if all our hard work was going to waste,” J u n i o r Qylie Quo said.

Homecoming is one of the school’s largest fundraisers, with a budget of $6,000 and a profit of around $20,000, which goes toward funding the school’s Junior/Senior Ball, sports officials and much more.

Although ASB paid the DJ and security the same amount as they would for a full-length dance, Walsh believes that the school will not face a net loss for the year from holding another dance free of charge.

ASB estimates low profits in order to allow for some leeway when budgeting.

They may also obtain a discounted DJ package for the next dance to reduce costs.

ASB hopes to create a less formal atmosphere at the Winter SemiFormal, with “the same dress attire and feeling of Homecoming,” but without “the pageantry behind it— corsages, boutonnieres, pictures and all that,” according to Walsh.

ASB still plans to offer a separate area from the dance floor, in addition to possibly showing a movie and providing snacks.

“Between the combination of what students had at the first dance from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., combined with this second dance, they will have their full money’s worth of a dance,” Walsh said.

With the possibility of PG&E continuing power cutoffs in the coming months, ASB may face difficulty in anticipating interference with their events.

“The hard part is that the issues are weather-related. We cannot predict months in advance when there will be a wind storm. But I think it makes me more aware, and I will definitely have a contingency plan in events moving forward,” Walsh said.

GRACE LI ART

PG&E uses blackouts as a preventative measure against fires Staff Writer

Due to strong winds and flames across Calif., the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) carried out power shutoffs throughout the state on Oct. 9, Oct. 27 and Nov. 20 to prevent potentially igniting wildfires. Lasting a few days to a week, over 800,000 residents and businesses were forced to grapple with these power outages across Calif.

In 2018, thousands of wildfires spread across Calif., burning 1,893,913 acres and costing the state $12 billion, according to the Calif. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Cal Fire reported that state investigators found PG&E’s electrical lines liable for causing several fires. Most notably, PG&E’s electrical lines were found responsible for igniting the Camp Fire in Paradise and Chico that destroyed

150,000 acres and took the lives of 86 people, forcing the company to declare bankruptcy and pay $11 billion in settlements.

“Parts of Calif. need to burn. That is just how the ecosystem works. Due to the flammable nature of Calif., the state should be disincentivizing city planners to build atop of particular fire-prone areas. However, PG&E still has a responsibility to Courtesy of Yearbook maintain their equipment and minimize negligence During a blackout, AP Biology students spend a class period at in order to prevent starting Greystone Park due to low light conditions in the classroom. more fires, so I understand

the recent blackouts as a cautionary measure. The company is just trying to protect their bottom line,” Samuel Rivera, Science Department, said.

Because the company has been financially liable for some of the most destructive fires in the state’s history, PG&E introduced Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) throughout Calif. as a preventative measure. The company said the criteria determining the power shutoffs is complex, but outlined several factors that could lead to power shutoffs, including humidity levels, wind speeds and the condition of dry fuel on the ground.

Continued on Community News, page 3

NEWS OPINION FEATURE VIEWPOINT SPORTS LAST WORD 1

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NOVEMBER 22, 2019

NEWS

Drama debuts the fall play Steel Magnolias Tiffany Mai Nguyen and Nam Nguyen Staff Writer and Sports Editor Set in Chinquapin, La. in the 1980s, Steel Magnolias, a comedy-drama play, depicts the growing bond between a group of women in an in-home beauty parlor. The school’s edition, directed by Melissa Webb, English Department, underscores the impact of female friendships and community through humor and tragedy.

When the curtains rise, the owner of a beauty salon, Truvy Jones, played by Senior Joely WENDY LEE PHOTO Karrer, hires a quiet beauty school graduate Annelle Dupuy-Desoto, played by Sophomore Ainsley Heaton. Shelby Eatenton-Lactcherie, played by Sophomore Kate Alter, prepares for her wedding at the salon with her mother M’Lynn Eatenton, played

by Junior Morgan Macri, with other clients, Clairee Belcher, played by Sophomore Irene Kang and Ouiser Bourdreaux, played by Sophomore Kiana Tavakoli.

With each visit to Truvy’s salon over a three year time period, the women develop a close relationship as YU YI LU PHOTO they discuss obstacles they face throughout their years.

“It was intriguing to watch the play from a Calif. perspective because it was a unique glimpse into Southern culture and life. The humor was tasteful and the cast did an amazing job at the emotional ending where M’Lynn and others cope with the loss of their close friend. The play highlights the strength of friendship among the women who were faced with many problems,” Senior Rashi Ranjan said.

Webb chose the play because of her admiration of Southern culture and the unique, small all-female cast.

“We had a lot of strong actresses, so the plot of Steel Magnolias offered the best opportunity for the actresses to take on difficult lead roles. I could not find any

pieces that were able to showcase the actresses’ strengths through male and female characters, but nevertheless this play lends an important theme of the power of female friendship and community,” Webb said.

The doors first opened on Nov. 6, allowing the audience to view the months of work drama put into the production. While the audience came primarily to watch the actors, their performance on stage would not have been possible without the crew’s behind-thescenes efforts.

The backstage crew worked every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to ensure the show ran smoothly. The lights crew helped set the mood of the show, and the sound crew was responsible for the sound effects and music. The set crew built the walls and windows of Truvy’s salon, while the props crew supplied the objects the actors REX LI PHOTO interacted with. The costumes team captured the image of late 80s and early 90s women, and the publicity team advertised.

“People might think the play is just a ‘chick-flick,’ but it is a message of community and how there is nothing wrong with depending on others. In fact, it can make someone a better and stronger person. The play is universally appealing, and it lends a perfect opportunity for students here, especially for people who feel they cannot lean on others for help or learn from,” Webb said.

Currently, drama is working on their next production, the spring musical Bring It On: The Musical. It will play on April 2 at 4 p.m. and April 3-4 and 8-10 at 7 p.m.

Top: Shelby Eatenton-Lactcherie, played by Alter, and Truvy Jones, played by Karrer, share an exchanging of words, Middle: Karrer and Kang share the stage, exchanging secrets in their respective roles. Bottom: Audience members watch the play.

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THE CHARGER CHARGER ACCOUNT THE ACCOUNT

Calif. implements new initiatives to combat fires and support victims

NEWS NEWS

Andrea Kuo and Ashley Lee

Staff Writers

On Oct. 23, the Kincade Fire started firefighting costs. This federal funding Furthermore, public utility The increased frequency and burning thousands of acres in Sonoma also grants temporary housing, companies—Pacific Gas and Electric, intensity of fires can be attributed to County, Calif. In less than 24 hours, the home repairs and low-cost loans for Southern California Edison and San climate change. National Aeronautics fire had already consumed 10,000 acres victims. Humanitarian organizations Diego Gas and Electric—have been and Space Administration’s satellite of land and forced hundreds of residents such as Red Cross have also opened scheduling power outages because strong data records showed that when the to evacuate their homes. Within a week winds could potentially knock down trees Earth’s temperature gradually increases, of the start of the Kincade Fire, the and debris, interfering with power vegetation becomes drier and more Maria Fire, Tick Fire, Hillside Fire, Getty lines and ultimately igniting new fires. flammable, increasing the speed a Fire and 46 Fire ignited in Northern To lessen the burden on fire spreads. Because of this, National and Southern Calif., killing three firefighters, Calif. has utilized Geographic found that the amount of people and charring hundreds of prison inmates as firefighters, destruction from wildfires has nearly homes, according to Times. doubled in the past two decades, Camp Fire: 153,335 acres The intensity of the resulting in an average of 72,400 acres burned fires in Southern Calif. of land burned caused the Los every year in the 2017: 1,381,405 total acres burned Angeles Unified Tubbs Fire: 34,000 acres United States.

School District and burned “The recent the Santa Monica2018: 1,893,913 total acres burned drought and Malibu Unified abnormal weather Nuns Fire: 56,556 acres School District to burned has 2019: 250,349 total acres burned patterns close their schools caused trees to on Oct. 28. Students dry up at a rapid attending colleges in pace, allowing the Compiled by Edward slightest fires to the area were also Jung, Community News forced to evacuate. cause disastrous Editor “Smoke from damage.

The This data represents the Los Angeles fires effect of climate carried over to my only a fraction of the change can also campus, but it was be seen through fires that have happened Thomas, Creek, Rye Fires: not terrible compared the Santa Ana total 303,581 acres burned Over 24,602 fires have been to UC Los Angeles winds—extremely recorded from 2017 to 2019, (UCLA). Since UCLA dry, hot winds— was in the evacuation that originated in according to Cal Fire and the US zone, my roommate’s Southern Calif.

Forest Service. brother who attends However, due to UCLA stayed in global warming, TIANSHU YANG ART our dorm until the the Santa Ana evacuation order was lifted,” former evacuation shelters to create a safe winds have student Hannah Lee, freshman at the environment for residents forced to offering a higher pay than their been increasingly University of Southern California, said. evacuate their homes. These shelters prison work as an incentive. There affecting areas in Northern Calif., In response to this disaster, the help victims by providing meals, places are an estimated 2,150 incarcerated which ultimately led to the rapid Federal Emergency Management to sleep, personal hygiene products firefighters at the front lines of Calif.’s growth of the current wildfires,” Anu Agency agreed to cover 75 percent of and places to clean themselves. current fires, according to CNN. Sarkar, Science Department, said.

PG&E uses blackouts as a preventive measure against fires cont.

Continued from Front Page

PG&E also has taken direct action to avert future events by introducing the Community Wildfire Safety Program in March 2018. The program invests in repairing electric infrastructure and improving the company’s safety standards.

In Dec. 2018, the company finished overhauling the electric systems that ignited the Camp Fire and inspected all 700,000 of their electricity poles in May 2019.

Despite PG&E’s efforts to mitigate the risks of fires,wildfires ignited across the state in Oct. However, PG&E maintained that PSPS are necessary to prevent future fires.

“As long as [the blackouts] remain the best tool that we have to keep people safe, and our communities safe, they are the tool we will use. We recognize the hardship that the recent PSPS event caused for millions of people and want to continue working with all key shareholders to lessen this burden going forward,” PG&E CEO Bill Johnson said.

PSPS received backlash from consumers and politicians for the company’s lack of planning and its

inadequate response to consumer concerns, such as its crashed website.

Others have criticized the company’s capitalization of the situation, selling generators to customers who have been affected by the power outages.

“Living in the Bay Area is already tough with a teacher’s salary, so things like a back-up generator for my family’s home is just not an option,” Rivera said.

School districts across the Bay Area, such as Alum Rock Union School District and Los Gatos Union School District, cancelled school during the power outages, but San Jose Unified School District remained open. Teachers had to change their lesson plans to adapt to their classrooms without power.

“The fact that so many places in Calif. are dependent on PG&E is astounding, so I am surprised that we have not faced issues on this scale before. Power, especially in places like the Bay Area, is an essential resource that eveyone uses, so lives really will

Courtesy of Yearbook Students huddle around an electric lamp to finish classwork in the dark.

be disrupted if these shutoffs continue,” Junior Parker Beyersdoerfer said.

According to CNBC, the power shutoffs could cost the state’s economy $2 billion. These power outages especially hurt smaller businesses, as most do not have infrastructure to adapt to such problems. For the consumer, utility costs could increase as PG&E may

shoulder costs to consumers to continue maintenance of their power grid.

PSPS will continue to exist as a preventative measure against igniting wildfires for the next decade, according to Johnson. Until PG&E and Cal Fire create a solution to mitigate the growing threat of wildfires, residents will have to prepare to cope with this new normal.

Courtesy of Yearbook Jamie Cohen, Social Science Department, grades assignments under a electric lamp.

NOVEMBER Nov. 27 Minimum Day

Dec. 18-20 Finals week

Nov. 28-29 Thanksgiving Break

Dec. 23-Jan.6 Winter Break IVAN ZHU ART

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NOVEMBER 22, 2019

OPINIONS

Juul Labs’ role in underage vaping

Ansh Dhakalia and Ashley Lee

The Charger Account Leland High School 6677 Camden Ave. San Jose, CA 95120-2142 (408) 535-6290 lelandchargeraccount.com EDITORS IN CHIEF Caroline Brew, Felisha Fan, Matthew Ho, Jason Yang COPY AND MANAGING EDITORS Eric Zhang, Yana Kouretas ART AND PHOTO DIRECTORS Ivan Zhu, Jonathan Ke NEWS EDITORS Claire Han, Edward Jung, Grace Li OPINIONS EDITORS Kelly Cui, Kathy Xing FEATURE EDITORS Sophia Lu, Keerthana Ramaswamy VIEWPOINT EDITORS Yeji Jeong, Evelyn Liu ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Meghna Chandrasekar, Rishab Satakyaal LIFESTYLE EDITOR Isabel Zhou INVESTIGATIVE REPORT EDITOR Minji Kim SPORTS EDITORS Ethan Huang, Tiffany Mai Nguyen LAST WORD EDITOR Carolyn Nguyen AD MANAGER Sophia Lu DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Carolyn Nguyen

On Oct. 29, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) joined a multitude of other school districts in suing Juice USB Lighting Labs (Juul Labs) due to the company’s teenageroriented selling tactics that have led to a vaping epidemic within younger generations.

Since the introduction of the first modern e-cigarette in 2003, the consumption of vaping devices amongst high schoolers has skyrocketed.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that vaping has caused an outbreak of over 1,888 cases of lung injuries, 14 percent of which afflicted minors.

Studies from Stanford University proved that Juul Labs RT IM A K E primarily uses OL NIC the internet to promote their goods, appealing to adolescents through social media influencers and viral hashtags such as #juul, #vaporized and #switchtojuul.

LAUSD claims that Juul Labs’ advertisements have diverted the district’s financial resources

Wendy Lee Rex Li Yu Yi Lu Diana Yousef Nejad Vy Nguyen Jeffrey Tan ARTISTS Alyssa Chen Nicole Kim Rachel Kim Tianshu (Kenneth) Yang The Charger Account November 22, 2019 Vol. R, No. 3

“[Students] can no longer remain complacent about their own health.” decisions for their health. Smoking has proven to only deteriorate student health and strain school budgets. Olathe School District superintendent John Allison told NPR that schools must now delegate money for smoke detectors in bathrooms and increased vigilance by janitors on the lookout for vaping.

In order to combat the progression of vaping among high schoolers, anti-vaping campaigns must be instituted. According to the CDC, a 2014 anti-smoking campaign helped 104,000 smokers successfully stop smoking. Taking similar action against vaping can potentially remedy the damage done by Juul Labs.

“Juul Labs’ decision to directly target students reflects their moral corruption, and the government must take action to ensure that this does not continue to happen,” said Junior Nikhil Chandra.

While Juul Labs initiated this predicament, it is now up to the youth to stand accountable: they can no longer remain complacent about their own health.

The Charger Account Editorial Staff

STAFF WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

reported that the company is also looking to produce healthier forms of smoking.

With the suppliers of e-cigarettes now taking steps away from selling to adolescents, responsibility now shifts towards high schoolers to make better

How students have been negligent towards the school

COMMUNITY CIRCULATION Parent Club and Leland Bridge

Ashley Lee Hannah Moon Nam Nguyen Aileen Xie Jonathan Yue Cindy Zhao Nancy Zheng

towards spending on antivaping campaigns during school hours. Furthermore, LAUSD lost attendance-based funding due to absences from vapingrelated health conditions.

Ultimately, Juul Labs is at fault for the disastrous vaping problem. According to the New York Times, Juul Labs paid multiple charter schools to privately talk to their pupils about the supposed safety of their products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that Juul representatives told students to recommend their products to nicotine addicted friends as a safer way to smoke, illegally portraying them as a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco.

D u e to such marketing ploys, m o r e teenagers have succumbed to the vicious cycle of vaping and are at risk for health conditions like lung disease and increased blood pressure.

In response, the company suspended all marketing in the U.S and shelved fruit flavored e-cigarettes in October to no longer appeal to juveniles. National Public Radio (NPR)

School pride, not student prejudice

ADVISOR Stacy Dawson

Serena Atkinson Jacob Cho Ridge Coffey Ansh Dhakalia Javier GomezTagle Muskaan Grewal Andrea Kuo

Staff Writers

As the school’s cafeteria plunged into darkness during the Homecoming dance, students began to chant “F— Leland,” despite the culprit being Pacific Gas and Electric’s failure to report that the school was within the affected areas of the power outage. The students were quick to blame the school for inconveniences without recognizing that the power outage was far beyond their control.

Their problematic response undermined the hours of work Associated Student Body (ASB) spent planning the event and the time administrators gave up to supervise it.

While the administration has made mistakes, students often fail to acknowledge that the school’s decisions are geared to fulfill what is in the student body’s best interests. For instance, many students were disappointed they were not going to be reimbursed for the last Homecoming dance, but did not consider that their money is needed to fund other events throughout the year such as future rally weeks and Junior/ Senior Ball. Additionally, ASB has

announced that they will compensate the last Homecoming attendees with a new Winter Semi-formal dance, even though it will cut into their budget.

This lack of respect for ASB is apparent in behavior at rallies as well.

Students often remain seated at the back of the bleachers, looking at their phones or laptops instead of participating or paying

“If we expect the school to cater events and policies to our preferences, we should ensure that we recognize their attempts to do so.”

attention, even though ASB spends hours after school days in advance to rehearse the rally. ASB also creates games to cater to a wide range of student interests, from Mario Kart races to Quiz Bowl inspired trivia challenges.

When students are unwilling to participate, ASB’s initiative to make rallies more inclusive goes to waste.

Students do not have to participate to display a greater appreciation for their efforts: simply standing up during rallies and cheering to support their class would

foster a greater sense of unity within the student body.

Students also wrongfully blame the school for actions that are out of the administration’s hands, feeling that the rally schedule is inconvenient. However, this schedule is necessary to ensure that the school schedule correlates with that of the buses.

In regards to school drills, students often express disdain about how they cut tutorial time, and act nonchalantly during the procedures even though they are both a district requirement and crucial for student safety in the event that these disasters actually happen.

ASB and the school administration’s efforts have led students to take school activities and services for granted. The school has usually accommodated its students’ demands to the best of its ability; the hours of work and planning put in to ensure such privileges should not go unnoticed.

If we expect the school to cater events and policies to our preferences, we should ensure that we recognize their attempts to do so and acknowledge when matters are out of their hands, instead of only pointing out where their efforts fall short. Showing our appreciation and exhibiting respect can be as simple as thanking students from ASB for coordinating an event, standing up at rallies or actively participating in the necessary drills.

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THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

OPINIONS

Classes are cancelled as teachers strike in Chicago

Serena Atkinson and Ridge Coffey

On Oct. 14, Stacy Davis Gates, Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), expressed to the Chicago Sun-Times how she “felt like a failure every single day” while working as a public school teacher. In a campus where students have to walk through metal detectors to enter the dilapidated buildings without adequate classrooms, she realized the long-running injustice in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system.

Gates, along with 25,000 other CPS teachers, participated in an 11-day long strike beginning on Oct. 17—the longest teacher strike in Chicago in decades—in a bid to create better environments and futures for both teachers and students.

The strike originated from the CTU’s anger towards the city allocating tax dollars to private property developers. Teachers believed that this money should have been used to provide public schools with more funding. According to Vox, teachers also

wanted paid prep time for elementary school teachers and affordable housing for the 17,000 homeless CPS students.

The CTU strike is one of many teacher strikes in 2019, which have occured in states including Calif., W. Va. and Colo. The frequency of teacher strikes reflects a widespread lack of acknowledgement and appreciation towards the contributions of teachers, resulting in the inadequate circumstances in which many teachers work in. According to USA Today, many teachers lack supplies for their classrooms, resorting to spending their own money. They also often have no health insurance and are underpaid. The conditions that many teachers face do not reflect the role they play in society by providing children with education—according to the 2019 Phi Delta Kappa Poll of the attitudes towards public schools, 75 percent of teachers claim that the schools in their community lack funds.

Staff Writers Although all Chicago public schools remained open during the strike in order to provide students with a safe place to spend the day, the 300,000 students in the district were not required to attend school and classes were suspended. After-school activities such as sports and tutoring were also cancelled.

Though the potential loss of class time for students is a very real possibility during teacher strikes, this inconvenience for students does not compare to the issues teachers are striking for. Teachers are not just striking for trivial gains—they are striking to bring social justice into public education and create more opportunities.

“There is a potential long-term gain for future students and classes by the teacher strikes. They are not just doing it for themselves,” Junior Marin Faria said.

While a week or two of school lost may initially have a negative impact on students, if teacher strikes are successful, schools will ultimately be able to improve the quality of education in the US. Teachers will also more fairly compensated and recognized for their hard work.

IVAN ZHU ART

Does the Joker movie incite real-life violence?

Claire Han and Aileen Xie

There have long been fears that violent films and video games may provoke aggression in viewers. This Oscars season, the release of the Joker movie on Oct. 4 has compelled more discussion of this controversy. The movie— unlike many other adaptations of the cult classic character of the Joker—portrays the murderous serial killer in a sympathetic light as the story highlights his struggles that led up to him becoming a villain.

Delving into his backstory, Joker depicts the character as a mentally ill, impoverished stand-up comedian who believes himself to be disregarded by society. His history of being subjected to abuse causes him to eventually become a crazed nihilistic killer, resorting to retribution as a coping mechanism for his suffering. In humanizing the Joker by addressing him by his real name, Arthur Fleck, and showing his struggles with social acceptance, many say that Joker’s characterization may inspire similar actions from others who feel the same injustices.

According to the Washington Post, Joker has already become one of the most divisive movies of this Oscar year, with people debating whether the movie is a contemplative reflection of society or an incitement to violence as a method of exacting revenge. It has sparked a rise in the fear of explicitly sadistic and psychologically

disturbing content to possibly endorse similar behavior in real life.

“Here is my opinion of Joker: I think it’s a very good film and I’m worried someone’s going to get killed,” tweeted Telegraph critic Robbie Collin.

Controversy began as the Joker’s backstory resonated closely with the rhetoric of many “involuntary celibates,” or incels: a group blaming society for their failure to form romantic or sexual relationships. They were behind the Isla Vista shooting, where incel Elliot Rodger shot sorority members he had blamed for his sexual frustration.

School News Editor and Staff Writer “I feel that while graphic movies may be something one enjoys and watches if they are prone to violence, I do not think that this is necessarily a cause and effect case.

Watching the Joker will not make a person more antagonistic, but the sympathetic angle it has to someone who is a serial killer is problematic,” Senior Erica Fu said.

In relation, the impacts of other portrayals of violence in media have been a topic of debate for years. Video games have gotten their share of time in the spotlight: on Aug. 5, President Trump called for an end to what he called “gruesome and grisly video games.”

However, the majority of reports have not found any link between crimes and exposure to bloody video games or movies.

In February 2019, a study from Oxford University sampling KELLY CUI ART 2,000 British fourteen to fifteen-year-olds found no relationship between aggressive behavior in teenagers and time spent playing gory video games.

While Joker characterizes a ruthless, vengeful murderer with an air of compassion, no direct link has been found between violent media and ruthless crimes. However, as the Joker’s backstory closely ties with the sentiments of many troubled individuals, there may be validity in worries of the movie inspiring actual homocides.

Exploiting terms The impact on mental health Keerthana Ramaswamy Feature World Editor

As a middle schooler on my local swim team, I remember my swim coach yelling at a student for not understanding his instructions. “Are you retarded?” he shouted from across the pool deck. While I did not think much about it then, in hindsight, it is appalling to see a grown man neglecting to consider his words. Many of us have likely heard a student during passing period call someone “autistic” or overheard someone say they are “retarded.” Perhaps we have engaged in this terminology ourselves, labeling ourselves as “depressed” when we have just had a bad day. In misusing these terms, we exploit mental health for some trivialized purpose: a blatant disregard for the significance of the terminology associated with serious conditions.

According to Madeline Howell of The Telegraph, 49 percent of adults misuse mental health terminology, incorrectly describing people with words such as “schizophrenic,” “autistic” and “psychotic.” This is consistent with the numerous contexts in which we employ mental health, including calling irregular weather “bipolar.” Similarly, on television shows, words like “psycho”

“There is a stark difference between a personality trait and a mental illness” and “insane” are slung around carelessly for comedic effect.

On NBC, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Emanuel Maidenberg points out that this behavior bears significant consequences. By using these words at the drop of a hat, we create a stigma around mental illness that villifies people who genuinely suffer from these mental health problems. There is a stark difference between a personality trait and a mental illness; for example, Dr. Charles Reynolds, Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, explains that bipolar disorder is very different from the day-to-day mood swings that most people experience.

The disorder is characterized by manic episodes of high energy and bouts of depression, which is different from being indecisive. The current dialogue around mental illness undermines the hardships of people who suffer from these illnesses on a daily basis.

In order to address the pervasiveness of our misuse of mental health terminology, we have to be conscious of the words we use everyday and examine the expressions of the people around us. If those are the only words we know, then grab a dictionary— it is time to expand our vocabularies!

Furthermore, when we hear people in our lives misusing these words—that person in one of your classes or even your close friend—call them out for it.

Only by actively working to change our perception about mental health and being cognizant of the effect of our words can we start to break the stigma around mental illness.

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NOVEMBER 22, 2019

FEATURE: SCHOOL

Minji Kim and Nancy Zheng

Behind the scenes of planning rallies

Investigative Report Editor and Staff Writer

For the school’s annual homecoming rally on Oct. 25, students congregated for a series of games and performances before the homecoming football game.

Following tradition, Meg Walsh, Activities Director, announced the winners of homecoming royalty and class skits. Many students looked forward to this event because it gave them an opportunity to connect with their classmates. To promote homecoming week spirit and this year’s theme—Around the World—the school held spirit days like Texas Tuesday and Tourist Thursday.

Assigned to this year’s homecoming rally chairs, Freshman Julianna Meeks, Sophomores Chloe Yun and Ruby Teixeira and Junior Braden Eberle started planning the event in September. For over a month, the group worked on configuring the homecoming theme and rally games. They pitched their ideas to the Associated Student Body (ASB) and after the ideas were approved by Walsh, the group outlined their budget and ordered supplies. The chairs also created a calendar for organizing important dates before and during the rally week.

“The purpose of every rally is to give students an opportunity to come together as a class and as a school,

Courtesy of Yearbook Sophomore Danibel Kasbari dances in the homecoming skit.

to celebrate and build unity because we do not have any other time where the whole school gathers together to foster school spirit. It is also intended to act as a break from academics, providing students with stress-relief.

Cindy Zhao

Rallies have been a long-standing school tradition and we usually have four to five each year,” Walsh said.

Rallies can range across a variety of themes. While each homecoming rally has a specific theme, there are other ralllies with preset themes like the one during

Courtesy of Yearbook Senior Joshua Jamieson hurls a ball during warball.

Wellness Week, which specifically focuses on reducing student stress.

On Wednesday nights of rally weeks, ASB holds a run-through, where comissioners and officers stay after school to practice rally games and to make sure it fits time constraints. In addition to making posters to hang around the school, ASB also allocates time to put up decorations around the campus. Such logistical details take lots of time to plan, which is why the comissioners have to start their design process early on in the year.

As well as planning the actual rally on Fridays, ASB also has to decide on events students can engage in during the week. For Wellness Week, ASB has previously brought therapy dogs for students to pet and asked teachers to hold seminars about the importance of sleep, how to medidate and hiking in nature for students to take a break from their busy schedules. Based off of the success of previous Wellness Weeks, ASB is planning to have a Wellness Day every single week next semester.

Although ASB puts many hours into creating rallies, many students lack appreciation for the events. There is a

sense of apathy and lack of interest in school spirit events because some students dismiss them as unecessary and only tailored for a certain group of students. In response to this, ASB is spending a lot more effort into reaching out to different groups in the student body. Their goal is to make rallies more enjoyable for the whole student body.

For the homecoming rally, the chairs had to be more specific in their planning to incorporate traditional elements of homecoming into the rally. According to Walsh, homecoming is an American tradition based on football, a sport that high school culture tends to revolve around. The homecoming football game is intended as an opportunity for alumni to come back “home” to watch their alma mater compete. Not only does this build of sense of school pride, but it also builds unity in the community.

One of the main traditions for homecoming is a dance between players on the football team and cheerleaders.

The two groups pair up, boy to girl, and perform several

Courtesy of Yearbook Senior Aidan Curley strides onto the gym floor to perform.

dances based off of a few popular songs. After the dance, the fooball players also get the opportunity to perform a pyramid stunt with the cheerleaders. This tradition has existed for over two decades at the school and is one of the most noticeable during the homecoming rally.

Rallies are not only a venue for networking amongst students, but also an opportunity for the student body to come together as a whole and express school spirit.

ASB adapts to appeal to a diverse student body Staff Writer

As Sophomore Kaylyn Choi stepped into the gym for the homecoming rally, she thought it would be like every other rally that she had been to before. Like always, she expected the routine to include several physical games like Warball and Can Can Kajabe, some kind of dance and then a school spirit video. However, to her surprise, this year’s homecoming rally included a different type of contest—trivia—which tested student intellect instead of physical prowess.

For rallies, the Associated Student Body (ASB) usually prioritizes physicality in their games. The focus on physical competition has discouraged some students from participating in the rally, but this year’s trivia contest drew more interest from those individuals. Sponsored by the school’s quiz bowl team, the trivia featured a set of questions that followed a random theme. Three students per grade were picked beforehand to participate in the game, but everyone in the audience had the opportunity to play along in their seat.

“I never participated in rallies before because I did not like the strength and running games. However, when I figured out ASB was including trivia as one of their games, I realized that it was something I could get behind,” Senior Anish Sundaram said.

ASB’s inclusion of trivia as a rally game is just one part of their larger initiative to highlight diversity at the school. They are also making an effort to showcase the diversity of the student body

through social media and school events. For example, ASB’s Outreach squad—a team of students dedicated to connecting the student body with one another— maintains an Instagram account called Humans of Leland High School (HOLHS). On the page, the outreach squad features profiles of different students from different social groups and organizations at the school. The page asks each student about their struggles and future goals in order to help their peers get to know them better.

In addition to the HOLHS account, ASB also hosts an annual talent show. Previous performances have included piano concertos, magic tricks, singing, dancing and other

“I never participated in rallies before... But when I figured out ASB was including trivia... I realized that it was something I could get behind.” routines. Not only does the show provide students with an opportunity to share their talents with others, but it also brings their cultural heritage into the spotlight.

At last year’s talent show, some students performed a traditional Chinese dance, while others created routines based on their passion for Korean pop music, exposing the overall student body to different perspectives from their peers. Another big event the school holds is the annual Mr. Gentlemen’s Quarterly (GQ) competition in March. Through look-alike walks, talent performances and lip-sync battles, Mr. GQ is another way in which students can express themselves and put on a show for their classmates.

“If you look at the type of Mr. GQ performances that have been staged these past few years, you can see that the event has changed quite a bit from its first showing.

The first

Courtesy of Yearbook Junior Ava Elahi and Senior Kathleen Clarke compete with one another during Can Can Kajabe.

GQ definitely did not have teacher impressions, speed painting or tap-dancing, which we had last year,” ASB Secretary Matt Kim said.

To couple with these shows, the school also has awards dedicated to commitment to character. Each month, teachers nominate anywhere from one to four students who exemplify a particular character trait like honesty, responsbility or perseverance. In past years, these students were called in for a commendation ceremony where they receive congratulations from Walsh, but this year, awards will be announced in class. This event is also another attempt at integrating the student body because it recognizes students who would not necessarily have any other opportunity to be appreciated by their peers.

While certain groups of students at the school still lack participation in the school’s various organizations and events, initiatives such as the one ASB is working on are helping to integrate more students into the overall school culture.

“ASB has established that large groups of the student body do not have the motivation to participate in school events; this is one of the main considerations we take into account when we plan rallies, dances and other student gatherings. When we saw that the trivia event excited students sitting at the back of the bleachers, it served as vindication that we had created an appealing event for all students, which motivated us to organize similar games in the future,” Kim said.

Courtesy of Yearbook Senior Blake Newton represents the senior class with a flag during the homecoming rally.

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

7

FEATURE: WORLD

Impending UK election to determine fate of Brexit

Jacob Cho, Javier GomezTagle and Jonathan Yue In a referendum on Jun. 23, 2016, 51.9 percent of United Kingdom (UK) voters voted in favor of leaving the European Union (EU). Negotiations about the exact withdrawal agreements have been taking place since then, but political deadlock prevented advancement; the imminent British general election has the potential to break this impasse.

Brexit, short for British exit, refers to the scheduled withdrawal of the UK from the EU. The history of Brexit stretches back to 1975, when 67 percent of the British voters supported staying in the EU in a referendum—an event in which an entire electorate directly votes on a political question or a proposal. In an attempt to settle the issue, former British Prime Minister David Cameron proposed another national referendum in 2013, but it was delayed until June 23, 2016 in which Brexit won the majority. Now, even after three years, Brexit is still causing a major rift in British society.

Britain’s current Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised a Brexit deal by Oct. 31. Johnson nearly fulfilled his promise, already agreeing to an exit deal with the EU but failing to gain parliamentary approval.

This agreement addressed the issue about the border b e t we e n Northern Ireland

about other aspects of the deal. However, This is not the first time that a Brexit deal because no single party has a majority failed to receive parliamentary approval. In in Parliament, it became clear that an 2017, Theresa May, the Conservative Party’s agreement could not be ratified by the previous leader, called for an election in originally proposed date of Oct. 31. Instead, the hope of gaining more seats Johnson stopped the process entirely in Parliament. However, and pushed for an election, to which his this proved to be a opposition agreed. Planned for Dec. 12, blunder for the EU 19: eed this will be the UK’s third general 0 2 agr 8, election in the past five r 2 ors it e ry years. The EU allowed a tob assad Brex anua conc J O b er o on n’s three-month extension to June Am urth ion t hns ritai 2018: E nglish the promised Oct. 31 date Parliament a f tens 0. Jo at B is. a p p roves until Jan. 31 of 2020. ex 202 Gre to th the With drawal A 31, med ent Johnson pushed ct, finalizing th at the EU c fir reem for a general election an no longer ag make futu in the hopes that his re laws for th e UK. Conservative Party, Conservatives on the basis as they lost seats a n d of delivering a struggled to form a majority Brexit deal, coalition. Due to the lack w o u l d of a political majority, May had three Jun win the unsuccessful attempts to pass a Brexit e 2 mil 0 majority to deal before her resignation in 1 6 li : for B on peo More break the May 2019.

Her most recent it pa rexit o ple in t than proposal consisted of two n h sses e 3 U by a K Ref UK vo 0 parts: a Withdrawal Agreement slim erend te covering the terms of the UK’s exit u mar gin. m; and a Political Declaration setting out a framework for future relations. Parliament rejected the Withdrawal Agreement because it failed to satisfy either side. Many “leavers” argued that the deal leaves the UK deadlock. too closely entangled with the EU without The main perpetuating the intention of Brexit, while o p p o s i n g many “remainers” say that the agreement f o r c e — t h e is worse than current EU membership Labour Party terms and fails to deal properly with future under Jeremy relations between the nations.

Corbyn—is The possibility of Britain’s withdrawal running on the idea of from Europe is projected to cause significant ART N a confirmatory second changes in travel between the country and E H SA C S Brexit referendum.

Current the European continent. The enactment Y L A polls suggest that the Conservative of Brexit would suspend free movement, Party holds a lead of three to 15 percent. which is the arrangement between

and the Republic of Ireland, making many Members of Parliament willing to compromise

Staff Writers Oct 31, 2019: The nonnegotiable Brexit is to take place after the EU delayed the deadline twice already. This third deadline has already been delayed once again.

Compiled by Aileen Xie and Nancy Zheng Staff Writers European countries that ensures the rights of people to travel within the EU for work purposes. The ending of free movement is viewed positively by those who believe that immigrants hog available jobs, while discouraging those hoping to travel, study and work in other European countries.

Brexit could also lead to the decline of Britain’s economy. The government predicted that the economy will be four to nine percent smaller with Brexit in action.

This is because Europe is Britain’s most profitable export market and is a source of investments from abroad.

“Brexit has become a stalemate in British politics. It is probable that even after the upcoming election, the government will remain indecisive as they slowly inch away from the EU,” Junior Sanvir Bal said.

With the upcoming election, this could be Johnson’s last chance to pass a deal through Parliament before the upcoming Jan. 31 deadline. However, even if Johnson’s gamble pays off and the Conservative Party gains the majority in Parliament, months of negotiations with the EU regarding trades would follow, and the risk of a nodeal Brexit could return if a trade deal is not drafted and approved by the end of the Brexit transition period in 2020.

US operation leads to notorious ISIS leader’s death

Hannah Moon and Jonathan Yue

On Oct. 26, President Donald Trump tweeted out “Something very big has just happened!” Hours later, news broke out revealing what Trump was referring to— Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was dead. After leading the organization for over a decade, Baghdadi committed suicide after the US Joint Special Operations Command’s Delta Force conducted a night raid on Baghdadi’s personal compound in the Idlib Province in northwestern Syria. After rounds of airstrikes, the US forces went inside the compound. Fearing capture, Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and two children in the process. Additionally, a total of six ISIS soldiers were killed in the raid. On Oct. 27, in another raid, US forces killed Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir, the likely successor to Baghdadi.

Over the years, Baghdadi held the responsibility of motivating his disciples to mobilize deadly attacks, usually in Muslim territories, in efforts of eradicating all other religions. Under Baghdadi’s rule, the organization seized control over territory in Iraq and Syria, granting them oil fields and opportunities to recruit members.

With ample funds and resources, revolt against the group was near impossible and would often lead to public executions or amputation. Baghdadi was responsible for coordinating suicide bomb attacks and hundreds of terrorist massacres.

They kidnapped more than 140 Kurdish schoolboys and frequently released graphic videos of members beheading dozens of hostages. At the height of their power, ISIS

controlled a large territory spanning from Syria to Iraq. The US State Department initially offered a reward of $10 million in 2011 for information or intelligence on Baghdadi’s whereabouts that would enable his capture, dead or alive, and increased the bounty to $25 million in 2017. However, in recent years, America, with the help of its coalition allies, Iraq and the S y r i a n Democratic Forces (SDF), retook the majority of territory under control of Isis.

The leader’s death immediately gained great publicity a f t e r Donald Trump triumphed his death on Twitter, AILEEN XIE ART tweeting praises of miltary forces and sharing an altered photo of a dog injured during the raid with a Medal of Honor. Audiorecordings and footage were later revealed by both Islamic states and the Pentagon, confirming the death. This was a great shock to the public as little information has been revealed about Baghdadi, and he has only been found in released audio recordings and videos.

US officials said that this raid was aided by crucial human intelligence provided

by Syrian and Iraqi Kurds, who have been gathering information about Baghdadi for five months prior to the raid. However, President Trump’s recent order to withdraw troops from Syria may deteriorate this positive relationship between the US and the Kurds as it

will leave them to fight against ISIS alone. Although U.S. military commander McKenzie said in a news conference that the timing of the raid was not influenced by the withdrawal of troops from Syria, many suspect that Trump’s actions may have hastened the raid and disrupted the plan. Additionally, the withdrawal of US troops from Syria invites Russian and Turkish influence, which may have been the reason that Russia and Turkey allowed the US Special Forces to fly through their air space to conduct the target raid.

Staff Writers

According to researcher Colin P. Clarke in the Soufan Center, a global security research forum, “the world is ready to pronounce the Islamic state dead and finished. The group’s core leadership continues to believe it can operate much as it has in the past.” Although the organization has weakened after their loss of territory in Iraq and Syria, they still hold authority over regional provinces, and plans to invigorate in the regions.

The death of al-Baghdadi could potentially weaken the organization.

While Compiled by it is true that ISIS has experience operating Hannah Moon without a leader and has prepared Staff Writer for the leader’s death, the absence of the leader’s presence may lead to the organization shifting to regional action rather than continuing their attacks on the west, thus weakening ISIS’s control.

However, the public should not remain relieved, as it is possible that the group will retaliate, as displayed by multiple massacres and suicide bombings committed by AlQaida’s. The killing of its founder and leader does not mean the end of ISIS; the organization still has operations in West Africa, Libya, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Afghanistan and the Philippines. According to a report by the Pentagon, as many as 18,000 ISIS soldiers are still on the loose between Syria and Iraq.

“Baghdadi’s killing is not the end of the fight against ISIS, but it is a first step in ensuring peace in the Middle East. I hope that this violent organization’s reign of terror will be over,” Junior Duy Lam said.

10

ENTERTAINMENT The NASA Ames Research Center

Jonathan Yue

Staff Writer

The Ames Research Center located in Mountain View, Calif. is one of ten field research centers owned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

This research facility is responsible for many technological innovations in aeronautics and space exploration.

The Ames Research Center was established in 1939 as the second laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor of NASA. Since its inception, the Ames Research Center has produced many innovations that transformed the aeronautics scene. It is home to the world’s largest wind tunnel, the National Full Scale Aerodynamics Complex, which tested nearly every commercial aircraft made in the United States since 1987. Additionally, the swept-back wing on airplanes and the blunt-shaped spacecraft that are

“Promoting aviation and space exploration is undoubtedly important to our future.” common today were all pioneered at the Ames Research Center.

I went to the research facility’s visitor center and gift shop on Nov. 16, expecting a spectacular display of NASA artifacts and scientific demonstrations, as advertised on its website. However, to my surprise, the center was disappointing. When I walked inside, there were no other visitors—just two receptionists and a manager. NASA apparel of all types were everywhere and detracted from the exhibits. Many of the electronic demonstrations were out of order and other artifacts appeared to cram the large building. One of the receptionists told me that the visitor center was defunded last year, and lacked the money for repairs. It was not what I had expected.

The discrepancies between the quality of this visitor center and the research center’s accomplishments are astounding. The visitor center and gift shop were intended as a part of NASA’s outreach and public engagement effort.

However, it is hard to imagine that this underfunded center would increase students’ interest in NASA or space.

Promoting aviation and space exploration is undoubtedly important to our future. Technological advancements are resource intensive, and eventually, Earth will not be able to sustain innovation. Space exploration allows us to mine for materials that, at the current rate, will run out. Even before that day comes, climate change and global warming will eventually make Earth uninhabitable. We need space exploration to find a new home and a backup plan, and instead of reassuring me that our government is aware of these issues and looking for a solution, my visit to the Ames Research Center highlighted our government’s worrisome complacency and de-emphasis on this front.

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

Next-generation 5G wireless connectivity is here

Serena Atkinson and Kathy Xing

Two of the world’s largest economies—China and the United States—have been in a trade war for over a year, with one of the main reasons for the conflict being a potentially trillion-dollar technology: 5G, or fifth-generation cellular wireless. Chinese government-backed telecommunications companies, such as Huawei and ZTE, have raced ahead of American and European companies in the development of 5G, which has an array of global impacts.

Roger Cheng from CNET reports that in optimal conditions, 5G networks can reach speeds of up to one gigabit per second, which is anywhere from 10 to 100 times faster than the current, typical cellular connection.

According to Raconteur, 5G wireless also utilizes much higher radio frequencies to provide faster cell service, which allows for 360-degree video streaming, immersive virtual reality and more options for mobile connectivity. In addition to faster cell service, 5G networks also have 20-times lower latency, or a network’s response time.

However, 5G is not just high-speed mobile internet; it is a technology that will help technology companies reach the full potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) — the connection of everyday objects via the internet. The introduction of 5G will increase the range and speed of these products, prompting further development.

The impacts of this new technological framework are diverse. According to the MIT Technology Review, 5G networks

Staff Writer and Opinions Editor would promote innovation due to enhanced capabilities—things like smart homes and cities that were previously only ideas could come into fruition. Aside from its technological potential, 5G will also have an economic impact. With faster speeds, decreased lag and more efficient infrastructure, 5G technology boosts overall productivity which generates more economic output.

KENNETH YANG ART

"The applications of 5G technology are vast: previously imagined innovations like robotic surgeons and natural disaster predictive models, which will have the ability to save lives, can now become a reality," Senior Sina Nakhkoob said.

5G is projected to increase global economic output by over $12 trillion in

the next 15 years and support 22 million jobs in the United States. According to Bruce Mehlman from The Hill, the United States’s wireless providers are expected to invest a total of $235 billion to ensure that consumers, and not just businesses, have access to improved mobile networks.

While there are various benefits to 5G, the new technology also comes with its risks, especially in terms of security and privacy.

According to Tom Wheeler and David Simpson from the Brookings Institution, because 5G largely works with software, it will result in more cyber vulnerabilities.

To address some of these issues, the Trump administration has continued to keep Huawei and ZTE—which have been embroiled in allegations of spyware and surveillance—out of domestic networks, but this does not sufficiently solve for every security issue.

“When there is such a quick shift to 5G, using it without developing the proper regulations can be dangerous, especially since its specific implications and changes are relatively unknown to the general public,” Senior Catherine Li said.

5G will soon have visible impacts; in the United States, 5G infrastructure testing has already begun in Georgia and San Diego. However, these opportunities come with risks, and while steps have been taken against breaches from China, the interconnectivity and accessibility brought by 5G still poses a threat governments have to be aware of.

MrBeast's viral YouTube philanthropy inspires change

Yeji Jeong

Imagine an 11-hour video of a man saying PewDiePie 100,000 times. Such baffling content is what brought YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, more commonly known as MrBeast, to fame. However recently, MrBeast has shifted his channel’s mission towards helping others in extreme ways. MrBeast’s latest project is called #TeamTrees, which celebrates his 20 million subscriber milestone with the objective of planting 20 million trees by January 2020.

MrBeasts’ fans first proposed this challenge. Taking up their proposition, he decided to partner with YouTuber Mark Rober and the Arbor Day Foundation to plant one tree for each dollar donated to teamtrees.org, the campaign's website.

Since starting in May, the campaign has raised over $14 million.

Many big names have also joined in the effort. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and creator of SpaceX, tweeted “Ok, sounds legit, will donate 1M trees” according to CNN. In addition, co-founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, and Norwegian DJ and record producer Alan Walker donated $150,000 and $100,001 respectively.

Donaldson himself contributed $100,002.

While the actual planting of all 20 million trees is projected to be completed by 2022, as reported by CNN, the combined international effort to help the environment through social media is indicative of how social media outlets like YouTube can unite people under a single

Viewpoint Editor cause and increase societal awareness of environmental issues.

However, Donaldson did not start out with 25.6 million subscribers on YouTube.

He initially began his YouTube channel with gaming recordings including popular games like Minecraft, Pokemon and Call of Duty. In an interview with fellow YouTuber Casey Neistat, Donaldson confessed that initially, his channel earned just over a dollar per day.

ALYSSA CHEN ART However, Dexerto reports that when Donaldson’s earnings skyrocketed to tens of thousands of dollars, instead of saving the money for personal gain, Donaldson wanted to “spend it on videos somehow.”

He achieved this through filming random

philanthropic acts of kindness that would spread happiness. Videos like “Giving a Random Homeless Man $10,000” and “Donating $100,000 to a Random Fortnite Streamer” went viral.

Like MrBeast, other notable YouTubers have been inspired to use their platform to foster societal change. According to Newsweek, YouTuber Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach’s 24 million subscriber base raised more than $500,000 in a single day for My Friend's Place, a charity that assists homeless youth.

John and Hank Green, known for their network of YouTube channels like CrashCourse, host an annual fundraising live-stream called Project for Awesome to raise money; Vlogfund reports that they donate approximately $2 million to more than 20 charities each year. Pewdiepie, YouTube’s largest content creator, was able to provide 5,111 people with access to clean water, completely transforming their lives.

"This is definitely a step forward from what YouTube content usually is. YouTubers generally center their content around drama, but in these cases, YouTubers are using their platform and clout to improve the world and community around us. They set an example for other Youtubers and the public to understand, appreciate and even follow in their steps," Junior Madison Nguyen said.

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

Aileen Xie

11

ENTERTAINMENT

Quantum computers reign supreme

Staff Writer On Oct. 23, Google announced its most recent milestone in quantum computing: Sycamore. A microchip with 23 wires, cooled at a hundredth degree greater than absolute zero, has allowed Google to solve theoretical problems in a prompt three minutes and thirty seconds­—a time that no modern computer could even come close to achieving. Coined “quantum supremacy,” this phenomenon has stirred up conversations both in favor and in skepticism of this progression.

Quantum computers use quantum physics to solve problems that are difficult for conventional computers to solve. They calculate informational qubits, the basic unit of quantum information. Quantum computers are stored at an extremely low temperature, allowing them to specify the number of volts sent by a binary digit (bit). Whereas in classic computers, the number of volts sent are often less accurate. In this way, quantum computers are able to use numbers between one and zero, allowing for far more accuracy.

For example, current computers can store one of four possible combinations (00, 01, 10 or 11) at any time, but quantum computers can store all four combinations at the same time, which drastically improves their performance.

However, IBM, the previous world record holder for the most powerful quantum computer, contested Google’s claims, stating that it would merely take 60 hours for a classical

“quantum computers would not only quicken molecular simulation, but it would also produce more accurate results.” computer to complete the task. Dario Gil, IBM’s Director of Research, said that quantum computers will never be superior to classical computers, and that

both quantum and classical computers will need to work together to maximize problem-solving efficiency, according to US News.

“I believe quantum computers will dominate the new age of innovation in computers. Hopefully, they will raise the standard for what a computer is able to do.

Google’s achievement demonstrates how we are nowhere near technology’s peak; we are only getting started,” Senior Ethan Soe said.

According to the economic journal Bobsguide, quantum computing will still need three to five years to enter the market—but once commercial use starts, it will have a major impact on business applications. For example, Science Direct states that quantum computing will make major contributions to financing. Methodlearning machines, like those of quantum mechanics, have proved to be successful in searching for patterns in past data, making quantum computers helpful

in economic predictions. When given a data set, the computer can offer assistance in financial consulting by sorting customers into loan risks; this kind of pattern recognition can also be used in locating outliers within a data set, a skill needed for fraud detection .

Through current methods, medical scientists must go through the lengthy process of modeling molecular behavior in order to develop the most effective drugs.

The technology scientists use right now is unable to simulate and analyze larger hosts of atoms, so medical researchers have to estimate the drug’s effects and put it to trial. Researchers predict that quantum computers would not only quicken molecular simulation, but also produce more accurate results.

“As with any technological advancement, quantum supremacy will

“Cyborg” technology in medicine

have both positive and negative outcomes.

With this new technology, we can get a lot more done within a shorter amount of time and increase the power of calculation and computers. However, a lot of technological

“an ordinary computer [takes] trillions of years to crack a moderately strong key, but...” fields or jobs that do what a quantum computer does may become obsolete,” Wilson Yen, Math Department, said.

However, scientists also worry that quantum supremacy can infiltrate cybersecurity. According to American Scientist, although the threat is hypothetical, this type of technological advancement can go hand in hand with an enhanced ability of cracking modern cryptography which can have severe implications.

Encryption is the act of taking an original piece of information and transforming it into an unidentifiable language. In order to “unlock” transformed information, a digital key is required, just like how a password is needed to unlock a smartphone.

A simple method to CAROLYN NGUYEN ART decrypt code is to try all possible keys until it unlocks. It would take an ordinary computer trillions of years to crack a moderately strong key, but a quantum computing method called Grover’s algorithm speeds up the process.

Given this information, there are concerns that quantum computers may be used to break into banks, government files, social security and other systems that hold confidential information.

“If we want to prevent the possibility of quantum computers being used to decrypt private information, we should control who has access to this technology.

Just like with any source of power, quantum computing requires a lot of responsibility.

It has a lot of pros and cons so we should be careful with its use,” Yen said.

Edward Jung

Community News Editor

Gerod Buckhalter suffered for decades of addiction to opioids and benzodiazepine. He was the first person to undergo an experimental treatment called the Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) that includes implanting electrodes in his brain to limit cravings for drugs.

DBS has been previously used to help alleviate conditions associated with Parkinson’s disease. It is designed to alter circuit functions in the brain by sending electrical signals to block out signals that cause addiction or disease.

Scientists predict that DBS can also be used to treat many other conditions, including Tourettes syndrome, epilepsy and even depression.

This technology strongly resembles the “cyborg” robots seen in comic books and movies, where humans and technology merge together into one cohesive system.

However, there will be consequences if this technology ends up in the wrong hands. According to the Columbia Center for Teaching and

”DBS can be used to treat many other conditions, including Tourettes syndrome, epilepsy and even depression...”

Learning, when treating depression, doctors still do not know whether regulating the depression center might affect a person’s social interaction or completely change their personality.

Neural data and implants could be used to obtain private information. As a result. ethical issues, like preserving a person’s privacy and identity, are a major concern.

People may also be encouraged to use DBS, to augment their own bodies. DBS could easily be applied to other regions of the brain to expand mental or sensory capacities, which, if normalized, transform societal norms on what an “average” person is capable of, potentially creating new forms of discrimination based on appearance and intellectual capability.

The operation on Buckhalter presents a significant milestone to DBS: if successful, it may open new doors to the treatment of other addictions and diseases. The advanced tech and high expense nature of this surgery makes it a last-resort approach—yet, once it is perfected and made more accessible, it could provide a reliable cure for some peoples’ conditions.

However, the treatment’s invasive nature and novelty make this process a high risk.

DBS is only the beginning of the merging of human and technology— there certainly are more facets of human augmentation to be explored. However, alongside human augmentation comes a myriad of ethical issues. Whilst addressing these issues, responsible innovation must be carried out, fully grasping and utilizing the technology that is available to us.

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NOVEMBER 22, 2019

APRIL 29, 2015

LIFESTYLE

Teacher Feature: Fantasy Heartbreaker

Cindy Zhao

Staff Writer

Brian Marchetti, Social Science Department, has always had a passion for comic books and role-playing games (RPGs). When he recently came across Die, Vol. 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker, a graphic novel written by Kieron Gillen, in which the characters themselves enter the realm of an RPG, he was sure that he would enjoy reading the book.

“The book is described to be like a fantasy Jumanji, a movie that I really like. The story is set in 1991, where a group of friends–who are fans of the RPG Dungeons and Dragons– convene to play a new game that one of the members discovered. The game is referred to solely as "Die," because each person is represented by their die,” Marchetti said.

Anyone who has played a fantasy game, read a fictional book or watched a movie that takes place in a different world has wondered what it would be like to actually be in that

“Graphic novels give creators more freedom of expression, since the artwork brings the story to life” setting. In Fantasy Heartbreaker, this fantasy is fullfilled for six teenagers who accidentally get sucked into a fantasy RPG and are forced to assume archetypes in gaming that each have different abilities. The story is especially intriguing since, Ash, a man who is married to a woman in the real world, role-plays a woman who is attracted to men in the RPG and is shown to be comfortable with both facets of his sexual orientation.

“I recommend this book because it has a fascinating story that gives you insight into human behavior and the different ways people deal with shared trauma of the past. Albeit a fantasy, it shows how the different roles would appear in the real world,” Marchetti said.

Marchetti also appreciates the medium of the graphic novel. He believes that the graphic novel is a perfect balance of artwork and writing, that often require the art and writing to work hand in hand to effectively convey the story.

“Graphic novels give creators more freedom of expression, since the artwork brings the story to life.

I often find myself having to slow down in order to really appreciate the artwork and its contribution to the story,” Marchetti said.

Fantasy Heartbreaker g

(5/5)

definitely worth the read

+ great storytelling – long read

Power outages demostrate overreliance on technology Kathy Xing and Cindy Zhao Various aspects of modernday life revolve around technology.

This became apparent when much of Northern Calif. lost electricity in a power shutoff conducted by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGE), forcing students to go about their daily activities without access to technology.

“It was hard for me to have my classes in the dark, but it was nice that I was able to enjoy the fresh air. To complete homework, I had to go to a coffee shop or the library.

At one point, I was forced to go to a friend’s house to charge all my electronics and print the assignments I needed,” Junior Chloe Cutaran said.

While the loss of power brought about many inconveniences, it also had its benefits.

Unable to use technology, many students found themselves engaging in activities they would not normally do, such as reading a book for pleasure or playing board games with family. Senior Leo Zhang said that the power outage caused him to reconsider his relationship with video games, as he was unable to procrastinate after school by playing them.

The power outage highlighted the importance of technology in today's society. With the rise of social media, less people engage in traditional activities and are instead relying on the internet

Opinions Editor and Staff Writer for entertainment. According to the American Psychological Association, over 80 percent of teenagers use social media daily, and fewer than 20 percent of teenagers read books, magazines or newspapers for pleasure.

As a result, students find it much harder to focus for long periods of time because they are used to constant stimulation,

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CHEN

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from short videos to posts on social media.

According to Times, a study from Microsoft Corp. found that since the year 2000, the average attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to eight seconds. Time spent on social media instead of reading books

has also resulted less experience reading long-form texts, which poses a challenge when it comes to reading textbooks.

An increasing reliance on technology has also decreased faceto-face interaction. In the modern age, communication happens via cell phones, emails or text messages, decreasing the need for in-person communication.

According to Forbes, while digital communication can be convenient, interaction is crucial when it comes to building trust and minimizing confusion, since a lack of nonverbal cues such as facial expression, body language and vocal tone often result in miscommunication.

“Because I am constantly texting people to communicate, I often find it difficult to maintain eye contact and use hand gestures to convey that I am actively listening and present in a face-to-face conversation.

Technology allows us to neglect these necessary skills,” Senior Sonia Savur said.

Aside from causing inconveniences and communication difficulties, the power outage in Calif. shed light on the reliance on technology in this day and age, while encouraging the rediscovery of technology-free lifestyle.

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THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: School Drills

School prepares students for emergencies

Ridge Coffey, Nam Nguyen and Carolyn Nguyen School drills are an important aspect of school safety in preparing students for emergencies. Whether it is an evacuation drill in the event of a fire or an earthquake or a Run, Hide, Defend drill in the event of a shooting, the drills enforce safety.

As mandated by state law, high schools are required to perform emergency drills twice a year. San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) goes a step further by implementing several each semester. This year, the school has already conducted two disctrictmandated drills: a lockdown and an earthquake drill.

Before the school year starts, there is a staff meeting on evacuation procedures.

The dates for the majority of these drills are planned in advance by the district but some occur after emergencies such as local shootings.

After the shooting in Gilroy on Aug. 13, the superintendent of SJUSD made sure that all 41 schools in the district conducted a lockdown drill early in the year to prepare for potential shootings. In these drills,

students remain silent while teachers put new red sleeves on doors.

Recently approved by the district, the metal sleeves are now used for lockdown drills instead of student-built barricades.

They slide onto door closers—the hinge above the door—to prevent doors from opening in the event of a shooting. The new security devices are not only safer, but also more efficient.

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Aside from school-wide drills, all school sports teams are required to take part in safety drills once a season: they practice retrieving the automated external defibrillator (AED) or opening gates and leading ambulances to the correct place.

Additionally, all students learn about health and safety through the first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Staff Writers and Last Word Editor

unit during physical education in their Students such as Senior Emma freshman year.

Johnson note that it is extremely When each drill is performed, dangerous for students to behave nonPrincipal Peter Park evaluates the chalantly during drills—especially the performance of the school using rubrics lockdown drills—because of the significant provided by the district. Requirements for increase in school shootings, with numbers each drill vary, but generally, timing and rising from less than 20 shootings a year attendance are important in gauging the to approximately 30 shootings annually in drills' effectiveness. Park stated that during less than three years, according to CNN. many of the drills, students are extremely Ramifications for not behaving during efficient and all students are able to drills include Saturday be accounted for in less school, but the than 13 minutes. severity of the As students punishment is often plan determined by on finishing how disruptive homework or the action is. studying for tests "We value time in during tutorial, tutorial for they sometimes students, and disregard safety I know where drills because students are of these other coming from priorities. Also, when they say some students that drills are are apathetic because they know that the school RACHEL KIM ART inconvenient, but emergency is not facing an actual emergency. drills are important because they help “I do not take drills very seriously protect student safety. Emergency drills, because I find it difficult to imagine myself whether in a classroom or on the field are in the situation of an actual disaster or meant to prepare students and staff in case emergency unless it is really happening. of an emergency. Even though it is tempting Nonetheless, I follow the procedure and do to take these drills casually, it is important what is expected, but I do not know how I to remain serious and follow procedures,” would actually react in a real emergency,” Assistant Principal of Discipline Aaron Lilly said. an anonymous student said.

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International efforts to enforce school safety

Jacob Cho, Ansh Dhakalia and Nancy Zheng In response to the influx of potential active shooters and natural disasters, schools across the nation and around the world conduct a variety of emergency drills in order to prepare students and staff for such events.

The Columbine shootings in 1999 led to a drastic increase in demand for school security services, a three billion dollar industry. According to Forbes and ABC News, 96 percent of schools in the United States now conduct lockdown drills and 42 states mandate safety drills.

In recent years, the United States has witnessed a substantial increase in school shootings. Reaching a record high in 2018 with 94 incidents, school shootings have increased by 59 percent from 2016, as reported by Vox. According to the Washington Post, a school went into lockdown because of a shooting or the perceived danger of one on every school day between Labor Day in 2017 and Memorial Day in 2018.

Although the purpose of school drills is to ensure safety, many wonder how effective these drills would be in a reallife scenario. In November 2017, there was an active shooter at Rancho Tehama Elementary School, and according to the Washington Post, the staff and students barricaded the school in just 47 seconds.

Administrators of the school found that their practice drills ensured that the attack resulted in no casualties.

Across the nation, schools have implementated active-shooter drills in a variety of ways to address the sharp

increase in shootings. During drills at Troy Buchanan High School in Mo., over 50 students applied fake blood to appear like victims, while campus police officers act as shooters. At Raisin City Elementary School in Calif., a school janitor wore a mask and carried a fake gun during a drill. In Ind., Noblesville West Middle School’s teachers were shot multiple times with rubber bullets to teach them about bullet speeds, reload time and the damage inflicted by gun shots.

"Visitors to schools are questioned by a guard who checks their bags, sometimes using a metal detector."

The increase in drills has also received criticism for engaging in too much violence from both students and adults. Critics have stated that these drills can potentially traumatize children, especially since drills are being conducted more often in schools following incidents like the Sandy Hook and Stoneman Douglas shootings.

“Although realistic drills prepare students for real emergencies, there is also a mental toll, something that is not usually accounted for. Students should definitely know the procedures, but it is also important for schools to take the mental impact of these drills into consideration.

Some schools simply take it too far,” Junior Audrey Chiang said.

Evan Gertsmann from Forbes states that the money spent on drills could be better spent on improving students’ mental health. According to NPR, school shooters are often students or people that struggle with mental health issues such as depression, stress or trauma. With suicide intervention, he believes more students could be prevented from possibly thinking of harming themselves and others, decreasing the likelihood that students will become shooters.

Some schools in foreign countries also administer preventative meausures for disasters.

According to AP News, Israel’s Education Ministry spokesman Amos Shavit said that “the vast majority of schools [in their country] have armed security guards.” Visitors to schools are questioned by a guard who checks their bags, sometimes using a metal detector.

Several schools worldwide also adminster lockdown drills. In France, three security drills are held every year, including one in which an alleged assailant enters the buildings to train students how to react in these situations. Additionally, schools in Israel often execute unannounced drills conducted by the Israeli police, as stated by Campus Safety.

Staff Writers

Schools also conduct drills respective to natural disasters that are common in its area. In Calif., schools are required to practice earthquake and fire drills, while fewer drills are conducted on the east coast because natural disasters like hurricanes and blizzards usually result in cancellation of school.

“When I lived in Korea, we focused fire and earthquake drills. We watched documentaries about natural disasters and visited the fire department to learn about fire drills. After having gone to school in Korea, I realize that the United States needs focus on educating students about the importance of drills rather than simply obligating students to participate in drills,” Junior Sophie Lee said.

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14

SPORTS

Rishab Satyakaal The Chargers’ boys and girls water polo teams were both first seeds coming into the Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL) finals this year, and during the process of becoming league champions, they emphatically proved why.

Both teams have played an exhilarating season, with the boys ending their season with an overall record of 1612 and a league record of 6-0, and the girls ending their season with an overall record of 15-11 and a league record of 5-0. As a result, both had high expectations coming into the Central Coast Section (CCS) championship : the boys lost to the Los Altos Eagles to a close score of 10-9 in the championship game last season, and the girls beat Soquel High School 11-2, making them determined to win their fourth consecutive CCS championships.

The boy’s started the tournament against Willow Glen High School. After a shaky first half, the team shook off their nerves and tightened their focus. With several timely saves made by goalkeeper Altay Uenal ’20, the team was able to hold on for the 9-7 victory This allowed the boys to move on to the CCS Semi-Finals round, playing against the Mitty Monarchs. In preparation for the game, the

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

Boys’ and Girls’ Water Polo dive into CCS Entertainment Editor team worked on transitioning from offense to defense quickly to make their defense harder to score on.

“The last time we played Mitty we gave up many turnovers. To prevent these mistakes, we worked to run several drills unique to Mitty’s defense and practiced several in-game situations in order to be more aware,” Leo Zhang ‘20 said.

Unfortunately, their efforts fell short.

After a close game throughout, Mitty pulled ahead in the fourth quarter, winning the game 11-9. Nevertheless, the Chargers’ 2019-2020 season was defined by their improvements from last year.

The girls started by playing the Santa Teresa Saints in the semi-finals. Right away, the girls were able to set the tone for the game when Jenna Flynn ‘22 was able to score five consecutive goals on the Saints. With the combined effort of Sydney Scott ‘20 and Alyssa Ross ‘20 constantly driving and getting past their defenders. In addition to their aggressive offense, the girls were also able to play stifling defense, forcing their opponents to make

numerous turnovers by stealing the ball The Chargers continued to execute and take advantage of offensive opportunities in the second half and managed to finished the game with a score of 18-1.

The girls would be able to continue to dominate when they played the Willow Glen Rams in the BVAL finals, where they beat the Rams 15-5. After a hard-fought season, the girls were able to claim their righteous spot as the champions of the BVAL division.

To prepare for the CCS championships, the girls have practices at 5 A.M. and also 3 hour practices every day after school, all in an effort to fine-tune their offensive plays and shots. Despite having a significantly smaller pool and much fewer resources than the other schools the girls have been facing, they still have managed to make the most of their situation.

“In order to prepare for CCS, the team

needs to work on their awareness on offense and defense,” Head Coach Eric Rise said.

Cruising through their first two games in the tournament, beating Menlo Schol 18-11 and Saint Francis High School 13-9, the girls were able to work their way to the CCS championship game. Unfortunately, the team’s season came to an end after they lost to the undefeated Sacred Heart Prep Gators 7-17.

As their seasons come to an end, it is clear that both teams worked tirelessly to improve. Moving on, both teams look to overcome their mistakes to continue to make a deep run into the CCS championships next season.

TO YEN PHO

VY NGU

TO YEN PHO

VY NGU

REX LI PHOTO Top Left: John Reid ‘20 launches the ball at the goalie

Bottom: Alyssa Ross ‘20 gets past her defender to backhand the ball

Top Right: Altay Uenal ‘20 passes the ball up the pool

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

15

SPORTS

Girls’ Volleyball takes on CCS

Muskaan Grewal

Staff Writer

As the fourth set wound down in the Chargers’ Central Coast Section (CCS) Quarterfinal game against San Mateo, the team looked to finish the set and win the match. With a 12-7 lead in the set already, Joanna Yang ‘20 dives to dig the opponent’s spike, sending the ball up to the setter and allowing Trinity Yates ‘20 to spike the ball down. From this point on in, the team was able to ride their momentum to the end of the set, winning the match 3-1.

“Late in these matches, it is really crucial that everyone is there for each other to close out the match. That is why it helps that we are all close friends off the court so we can stay strong together on the court,” Yates said.

The team qualified for the CCS playoffs after tying for first in the Blossom Valley Athletic

League (BVAL) , Mt. Hamilton Division.

With such a high ranking entering the tournament, the Chargers were rewarded with home-court advantage and a lowerseeded opponent. As a shorter team, the girls practiced their defensive schemes and rotations to compensate for having a lower block than most teams. With such fundamentals and strategies in place, the girls swept through a majority of their league opponents by making accurate serve-receives in order to run their offense quickly and effectively “Our defense is a huge part of our success. We do a good job of putting down balls when we get the opportunity and our kill numbers are pretty good in most games. However, it is all for nothing if we do not do anything to stop the other team’s swings as well,” Sydney Sick ‘22 said.

On the other end, the Chargers have also recently changed their offense in order to compensate for size. By setting faster and slightly further from the net, the team avoided getting blocked by their opponents, while also

allowing for more opportunities to run plays. These new schemes, drawn up by Head Coach Ed Mattson, allowed them to breeze by many of their league opponents, and obtain such a high ranking in CCS. In the semifinal round of the tournament, the Chargers were matched with Aragon High School and were ultimately bested 0-3 in the match.

Though their season came to an end after the loss, the team can hold their heads high knowing their loss came at the hands of the eventual CCS Champions, and they remained competitive with them despite having a young team. With multiple juniors and sophomores making contributions to this year’s team, the Chargers seem poised to be just as successful next season. After just recently moving up into the Mount Hamilton Division, the team has more than proved that they belong with the higher competition.

“Our goal this whole year was to be consistent with our play, and not let our highs and lows get out of hand. The team improved this year, and that credit goes to the players, as they have all stepped up and played well beyond their expectations,” Mattson said.

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WENDY LEE PHOTO Top Left: Ashley Su ‘20 serves the ball. Top Right: The Team gathers together to dicuss game plans and encourage each other. Bottom: Joanna Yang ‘20 coils back to spike the ball.

Athlete of the Month: Carson Prescott Muskaan Grewal & Andrea Kuo Staff Writers

In a sport highlighted by long runs and deep throws, little attention goes to the offensive and defensive linemen who allow their teammates to make such play.

The captain of the Chargers’ football team, Carson Prescott 20’, has made a name for himself as a dominant lineman.

With many awards and

achievements, he has proven himself the rightful captain of his team for both his junior and senior year and has watched his team move up in the league.

At 6’2” and 285 pounds, Prescott stands out as one of the bigger players on the field in most games. Using his strength and power to push the opposing linemen back, Prescott is able to create opportunities on both offense and defense.

As left tackle on offense, Prescott opens up holes for the running backs to run through and holds the opposing lineman from sacking the quarterback.

On defense, he pushes past his blockers to stop the opposing team’s rushing attacks and pressures the quarterback relentlessly. Even when he is not wrapping up offensive players himself, Prescott often draws multiple blockers to himself, which allows the linebackers behind him to make the tackles.

Prescott’s diligence and the lessons he has learned have helped him in defining his future. He has committed to Davidson College in N.C. in Autumn 2020, where he will be playing Division 1 college football. Though his accolades and solid stat lines earned DIANA YOUSEF-NEJAD PHOTO him the attention of a few

teams, Prescott also had the help of both his coaches and the internet to bolster his already impressive reputation.

“My former head coach, Mike Ward, did a lot to get my name out into the public so that scouts would come out to watch me. Surprisingly, Twitter was also a really good way to get noticed, as a few Bay Area groups shouted me out and I got attention through them,” Prescott said.

Now that his future is secure in N.C,.

Prescott has time to reflect on the biggest accomplishments of his high school football career. Having played the sport for a total of eight years, Prescott shows the dedication necessary for success. He has been preparing himself for a bright future in football since childhood, and the most important thing he worked on was building muscle.

“One of my most significant improvements over my high school career has been my size. Just by working out consistently I have gotten stronger, which is one of the most important abilities for someone in my position,” Prescott said.

With his final high school season coming to an end, Prescott’s football career is still far from over. Prescott hopes that everything he has learned and experienced with the Chargers will help him transition into the world of collegiate athletics.

“The most important thing that I have learned in high school is the value of persistence. Just keeping at it, no matter how hard it gets,” Prescott said.

Sports Controversy

Creating a venue for Esports in high school Sophia Lu

Feature School Editor

Ever since the world’s first video game—Pong—was released in Oct. 1958, gaming has expanded in popularity amongst consumers. For some, including teenagers who spend around 15 hours a week on gaming, video games are a form of stress relief.

But for others, gaming is a lifestyle and career, through which they earn weekly paychecks. However, over the past few years, this culture of gaming has been further popularized by the emergence of Esports.

Like any other professional sport, Esports is a form of competition, but instead of using a basketball or football, it requires a gaming PC and headset.

Novice gamers start by competing in online forums where they can hone their skills. For many, video gaming is a hobby, but for those who want to compete at a higher level, practice can range anywhere from five to seven hours each day. Once gamers reach a certain level of proficiency, they have the opportunity to enter the world of professional gaming. On the professional gaming circuit, players can choose to enter a variety of tournaments where there are huge amounts of prize money available to top competitors.

16 year old gamer Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf recently took home a three million dollar grand prize after winning the Fortnite World Cup. His achievement is no longer an anomaly amongst teenagers and young adults in the gaming world, as high schoolers are being recruited onto professional teams as soon as they graduate. After they sign a contract with a team, gamers live in a gaming house—a communal apartment with their teammates—and spend upwards of 12 hours each day practicing their video game of choice.

As more and more teenagers have realized the viability of turning their passion for video games into a career, high schools have started to implement Esports teams, which help students develop social skills, teamwork and bring a variety of other benefits to participants. Much like traditional sports, Esports also require players to practice, build team camaraderie and travel to different places to compete.

However, there are concerns that spending excessive amounts of time on video games is detrimental to individual health. Some gamers contract severe arthritis or experience back pain that is only common for individuals two or even three times their age.

While these health issues are concerning, Esports are like any other sports part of high school athletics.

Athletes get injured, rehab and recover to get back on the field. Playing any sport comes along with inherent risks that the athlete must be mentally prepared to take on. Esports should be part of every high school’s extracurricular offerings because it makes sports accessible to a diverse range of people. Those who do not possess extraordinary physical traits can still participate in sports and receive many of the same benefits that traditional athletes do.

VISUAL ARTS

SUBJECTS MATTER: GET SCHOOLED

Personal interest:

Did you take art classes for the graduation requirement or because you were interested in learning art?

22%

For the graduation requirement:

78%

Compiled by Muskaan Grewal, Staff Writer 200 students polled

Determining the quality of art through standardized testing

Meghna Chandrasekar and Grace Li

Studies by the Brookings Institution and the Arts Education Partnership show that artistic programs contribute to a positive school culture and bolster performance in other subjects, such as reading and writing. However, debate still exists over whether art programs have value in school curriculum, as students’ progress is typically not tracked through assessments.

Despite these benefits, there is no evidence to prove that an education in art contributes to higher earnings or more success in job applicant pools.

As such, many districts are pulling arts and other electives from their offered courses. In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act mandated standardized testing in reading and math, penalizing schools with low test scores by allowing parents to transfer their children to other schools or even closing the school. 71 percent of districts nationwide have decreased instructional time in subjects such as history, art and music to emphasize reading and math so students are better prepared for federallymandated standardized tests, according to the Center on Educational Policy.

The subjective nature of art makes its curriculum difficult to standardize. Thus, schools do not have a concrete standard to achieve in this subject—nor an incentive to do so­—unlike in the subjects of reading and math. As a result, various

Entertainment and Front Page Editors

testing organizations, such as College Board and the National Assessment of Educational Progress, have created standardized tests to compare student performance in different schools and districts in a subject that is innately subjective.

In 2016, N.H. tested a standardized test pilot for art in six school districts, according to the Atlantic.

High school students were assigned a project in their art classes but were not told they were being tested. Students were given an open-ended task,

“Art is more meaningful when you have ideas behind its purpose versus just skills.” such as painting a self portrait, and were assigned a score from one to four based on predetermined criteria focused on skill and technique. However, this scoring system was difficult to execute due to differing opinions from teachers.

College Board also introduced standardized testing to this field with their revamped AP Art and Design assessments, consisting of AP 2-D and 3-D

Design and AP Drawing. Students submit a portfolio of five works to College Board along with typed inquiries, a new component of the test that assesses connections between the works and their creation process. Experienced art instructors then score the portfolio with a six-point grading rubric. Compared to last year, the new rubric focuses more on the synthesis of materials, aiming to promote more experimentation with different artistic vectors.

“The new rubric provides an even ground to those who do not have as much training in artistic technique, but still have creative ideas to express.

Art is more meaningful when you have ideas behind its purpose versus just skills,” Junior Ji Yeon Jung said.

Although some are still hesitant to embrace attempts to standardize art, the new AP rubric shifts the focus from the technical appeal of the art to its efficacy in conveying themes.

“A lot of art is subjective, but there are certain parts of it that are not, such as principles of design. In general, I am not a fan of standardized testing, but the way College Board changed the rubric reflects better on what colleges and future employers want. It is more about the artistic process and less about the end product. That will prepare the students better for colleges, jobs and real life,” Stacy Rapoport, Art Department, said.

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