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The Bull’s Eye
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FEBRUARY 16, 2022 @dbbullseye
dbbullseye.com
SAT undergoes modernization The standardized test is set to go completely digital starting in 2024. ETHAN RO staff writer
VASH CHEN UNICEf officers advertised their organization with colorful posters and decorations to underclassmen browsing the stadium.
Remixing a campus tradition Having never attended a Remix, sophomores were also invited to the event. Hannah Jang CONtributing writer With two grade levels stepping onto campus for the first time this school year, the annual rendition of Diamond Bar High School’s Freshman Remix opened up new seats for freshmen and sophomores
to explore their passions. Hosted by Link Crew, Freshman Remix presented students with an array of extracurriculars offered on campus. While the event is typically held in the gym, this year, the organization hosted the Remix outside on the football field in light of the ongoing pandemic. Link Crew officer senior Kristin Joe noted the event’s key role in helping underclassmen acclimate to high school life. “Usually, freshmen come onto a campus and are able to learn about
events, activities, sports, etc., but [the current sophomores] were unable to do so virtually. It was a great opportunity to let them catch up a little on what they missed out on!” Joe said via email. Despite the alteration in participants, the essence of the event remained true to Brahma tradition. Clubs including UNICEF and Printer Works went all out with vibrant posters and enticing displays to promote their respective organizations to the underclassmen par-
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After decades of traditional hand-written exams, the College Board announced its conversion of the SAT to an online format in 2024. Additionally, the exam will now allow the usage of calculators on the entirety of the math section, send results much faster and be approximately an hour shorter. The new assessment will also include shorter reading passages with fewer questions and an adaptive testing system that will automatically adjust each question’s difficulty according to real-time test results. The College Board was prompted to experiment with the new format after racial criticism of the exam. More specifically, critics commented that the test favored wealthy white students and put lower income and minority students at a disadvantage. It was first experimented with internationally and introduced to the United States in November. “While there is definitely evi-
dence for [a] potential bias, we have to consider it in the context of the academic world as a whole,” senior Akash George said via Instagram. “I would argue that the SAT is actually less biased than [GPA, AP scores, letters of recommendation, or extracurriculars] used by colleges if anything.” Despite this controversy, the exam’s digitalization has brought forth a wave of uncertainty among Diamond Bar High School students. “I feel like it is unfair to the students [who] have to take the SAT online, as it is a new platform of taking it and it can be difficult to prepare for,” freshman Kavya Nair said via Messenger. “As the SAT is going to be online, it creates a wall of uncertainty between people taking it.” However, with colleges placing less emphasis on the SAT and other standardized tests, some think that the assessment’s relevance may soon wither as colleges begin to shift their focus on other aspects of students’ application. “I think their relative importance in the college admissions process will decrease because [the SAT] covers less content and will not be as reflective of a student’s
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Education hindered amidst pandemic Many students remain at home due to various complications with COVID. CLAIRE WU Asst. Photo Editor Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases due to the introduction of the Omicron variant, Diamond Bar High School has opted to continue with in-person learning, causing many of its quarantined students to switch to remote learning methods. Because of her parent’s concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, freshman Tracy Kuo is one of several students who made th3e switch to Independent Learning at home at the beginning of the semester. While she admits that electronics yield many distractions, especially at home, Kuo believes that Independent Learning depends on work ethic and holding yourself
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STEVE QU
Dwindling approval plagues Biden’s first year The Bull’s Eye reviews Joe Biden’s first term a year after his inauguration. MARCUS HSieh News Editor After being elected by over 81 million voters in the record-breaking 2020 election, President Joe Biden has spent his first year in office implementing his sweeping
agenda. While he has faced opposition in Congress and falling approval rates, these difficulties have proved to be a surmountable challenge for the veteran politician. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been a continuous challenge for the Biden Administration, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of cases. To combat the virus’s continuous spread, Biden has pushed to increase vaccine and testing availability to all Americans.
Harris-Mekes said via Discord. “I’d see a public update on research involving more effective vaccinations to be the best form of reassurance that the problem is being handled.” According to YouGov, Biden’s approval ratings have recently fallen as low as 42% due to rampant inflation rising to 7% of the GDP. In addition, the ongoing Great Resignation has put a damper on job prospects across the country. “Inflation is also hitting the pocketbooks of everyday Americans hard, but it is important to
However, despite such efforts, only 64% of Americans are fully vaccinated, per a study done by the National Public Radio. These low vaccination rates have allowed new variants, such as Delta and Omicron, to cause increasingly large case waves, straining medical systems across the nation. “I believe Biden should take further action. Perhaps another temporary shut down to ease any form of panic,” sophomore Alexandria
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