Del Norte High School
Volume 1
No. 3
COVID-19 Updates San Diego reaches Orange Tier 2 - 5.9 daily cases/100k people 2 - 4.9% positive tests
Phase 2 began April 1 Eligibility: As of April 15th, everyone 16+ years old can register for the vaccine
April 2021
dntalon.com | @dnthetalon
From High School to Hollywood: Nguyen (ʻ22) Pursues Her Passion in By Mia Magdaraog
Digital Media Julia Nguyen (ʻ22) has been enthralled by filmmaking since she was seven years old. Today, she continues to explore her passion through Del Norte’s Digital Media Production course. Although Nguyen has loved movies since she was very little, she first became interested in the film industry during a Universal Studios backlot tour in Los Angeles. She said
Staff Writer that, at a young age, she was captivated by the film sets and the creation of movies from behind-the-scenes. The moment the tour ended, her dream of being on set sparked and has only grown since. “Filmmaking is one of the most enticing and dynamic outlets to creative expression,” Nguyen said. Cinema can incorporate all forms of art, such as literature, music, and
What vaccines are available?
Pfizer-biontech COVID-19 vaccine: ages 16+ Moderna COVID-19 vaccine: ages 18+
See Nguyen (’22), page 2
Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution has been paused after reports of blood clots
“Student’s Perspectives on the Return to School Sports at Del Norte” by Eva Crickard (page 4) “’Godzilla vs. King Kong’ Marks The Renewed Success of Movie Theatres” by Paris McClung (page 6)
AAPI HATE
On April 7th, the Equity/Anti-Racism Task Force held an Asian American Pacific Islander Student Panel. Their goal is to raise awareness of the experiences of AAPI in Del Norte and encourage support for the community. Vivian Chung (’21) and Cindy Zhang (’22), students of the task force, moderated the Student Panel as panelists.
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...being a person who was taught to blend in and keep my head down, I don’t know how I will stand up for myself. Even worse, I don’t know if those in power will stand up for me either.” - Vivian Chung (’21)
Read More: “AAPI Students at DNHS Speak Up About Anti-AAPI Hate” by Nicole Pi (page 3) “Anti-AAPI Hate Crimes Are Rising Worldwide” by Anusri Thokachichu (page 5)
See Ngyuen
(’22), page 2
Students’ Perspectives on the Return to School Sports at Del Norte By Eva Crickard
Staff Writer
Naomi Shannon
Read More: “The Impact of Virtual Learning on Teachers” by Alex Zakoor (page 4)
performance. Nguyen said she finds this remarkable, as the art of filmmaking can capture creative energy in so many different ways. The artistic perspective of creating movies is what drives Nguyen’s dream job of becoming a director.
Shannon’s business Silly Old Ears creates themed Disney ears. A Rapunzel themed ear is pictured on the right.
Shannon (ʻ23) Recreates the Magic of Disneyland With Her Homemade Disney Ears
By Meghna Mohan Staff Writer
Though COVID-19 has closed the “Happiest Place On Earth,” Naomi Shannon (ʻ23) has found a way to recreate the magic of Disneyland at home by making and selling her own Disney ears. Shannon said she has loved Disney for as long as she can remember, and it’s always been a dream of hers to make her own custom Disney ears. It wasn’t until quarantine began that she actually had time to go through with it. What started as a hobby soon turned into a profitable business when Shannon opened her Etsy shop, Silly Old Ears, this past February. Shannon first gained practice creating
a wide variety of Disney ears as a surprise gift for her friends. She had asked each of them to name their favorite Disney character and designed ears to match. She recalls packaging them in wedding cake boxes filled with confetti to match the character’s signature color. This has since become the packaging method Shannon uses for business orders. So far, she has created Disney ears inspired by all the Disney princesses, Stitch, Indiana Jones, Scarlet Witch, Princess Raya, Winnie the Pooh, and more.
See Shannon
Towards the end of the second trimester at Del Norte, many student athletes were offered the chance to play their sports on high school teams once again. According to NBC San Diego, on February 19, 2021, San Diego Superior Court Judge Earl H. Maas III declared a temporary restraining order that disabled the right of county officials to shut down youth athletes who are following COVID-19 guidelines similar to those of college and professional athletes. This court case has allowed all high school athletes to return to safely playing their sports at school. Shortly after, the verdict was approved by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) as the Los Angeles Times reported. Del Norte then kickstarted the seasons of its many sports programs. Morgan Link (ʻ23), a player on the girls JV volleyball team, recounts that the quick return to high school seasons involved “lots of uncertainty.” Link attributes this to the schedule that could change at any moment due to unexpected COVID-related complications. All teams in the league are testing their players once a week before games, and a positive test of any member results in cancelled matches and quarantine procedures.
(’23), page 2
See Students’ Perspectives, page 4
The Impact of Virtual Learning on PUSD Teachers The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way school has operated across Poway Unified School District, and teachers have been forced to adapt to an entirely new way of instructing their students across a new medium. Many teachers in the district have expressed their struggles with the online learning model. Jennifer Tullius, a part-time 6th grade humanities teacher at Oak Valley Middle School, said she was concerned about the absence of student-teacher connections during virtual learning. She said she hasn’t been able to provide as many opportunities as usual for her students to learn and that while
they are learning, it is much more difficult to give specialized instruction and attention to the students that need it the most. “It’s hard to be engaging and exciting,” Tulius said. “Kids need in-person social interaction.” Tom Swanson, an 11th grade AP US History teacher at Del Norte, said that the switch to a virtual model has changed the way he operates his day-to-day schedule. He begins by waking up at 4:45 and completing his grading and school work for the day before getting to campus around 7:15. Swanson teaches to his students at home from his class-
By Alex Zakoor Local News Editor
room on campus. Swanson said that teaching to a virtual audience is not as dynamic as teaching to a classroom and that not having real interaction can be “dull.” “There is more stress in terms of not knowing how each day will go and in being not in control [sic] as to what is happening with students at home,” he said. “I have had to work on letting go of certain aspects of my class that I like to monitor. But [the class] is more casual and I have less instruction time, which is its own stress.”
See The Impact, page 4
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Del Norte High School
Features
Nguyen (ʻ22) Pursues Her Passion in Digital Media creatives have the opportunity to share their films and receive recognition without having a large A few of Nguyen’s favorite directors and inspira- platform. Nguyen said she wishes leading roles tions include Wes Anderson, Steven Spielberg, and Bong Joon-ho. However, her all time favorite were given to people of all ethnicities and backdirector is Hayao Miyazaki, well known for his grounds in order to inspire young kids when they film studio Studio Ghibli. Nguyen says that she see someone who looks like them on the big believes his films are imaginative beyond screen. To further become an independent and comprehension, transporting viewers to different worlds and drawing on self-made artist, Nguyen creative energy. A few of her decided to explore a high Rather than trying to favorites from Miyazaki’s fix the broken system, people school course focused on studio include “Spirited filmmaking. In Del Norte’s should invest their time and Away,” “Howl’s Moving Digital Media Production energy into doing their own Castle,” and “Ponyo.” course this year, Nguyen Nguyen said that thing” said she has fine tuned her filmmaking is an artform editing skills through a - Julia Nguyen (’22) that all individuals can dive series of projects focused on into, but she believes the various aspects of the American film industry is different. Nguyen editing process. Although she claims that the stressed that Hollywood lacks diversity. videos she created weren’t very serious, she said “Rather than trying to fix the broken she enjoyed the opportunity to practice editing system, people should invest their time and with different professional softwares. energy into doing their own thing,” she said. Her favorite film is the last project she Through new platforms such as YouTube, had to put together for the course: a movie trailer.
April 2021 By Mia Magdaraog Staff Writer
From Nguyen (’22), page 1
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Julia Nguyen Nguyen made a video inspired by the movie “Coraline.” She used editing programs like Adobe Premiere Pro to create a realistic portal effect. Through both the learning aspect and the hands-on experience with professional tools, Nguyen enjoyed the break from a conventional academic class to pursue her passion in filmmaking.
Shannon (ʻ23) Recreates the Magic of Disneyland With From a Sophomore to Her Homemade Disney Ears Freshmen: Tips about AdBy Meghna Mohan
Staff Writer
From Shannon (’23),
more than when making ears was just a hobby,” Shannon said. Being a new business owner, Shannon has also gained unexpected experience with things like creating shipping labels and calculating the price of her products based on profit and expenses. However, Shannon admits that the added pressure is nothing compared to the excitement of selling Disney ears. “I remember when I got my first order. I didn’t believe it at first and had to refresh the page a couple of times before it really sunk in,” Shannon said. “Being a youtuber has also definitely helped me publicize and bring attention to my business,” Shannon said. She posted a video on her Youtube channel, Miscellaneous Fuz, which has since directed people to her shop. For Shannon, Silly Old Ears continues to spread the magic of Disneyland to others despite its current closure.
page 1 Shannon admits that it was a process of trial and error to come up with her current ear-making method. She initially tried creating ears from cardstock, paper, and felt before upgrading to a sturdier version made of fabric and stuffing. When creating a pair of ears, she begins by designing a blueprint of what the ears will look like on paper. For each character, Shannon tries to incorporate their signature color and a defining characteristic of them into the ears. “For Rapunzel, her hair is very iconic so I made one of the ears resemble a golden braid with flowers woven in, and I made the other side resemble her purple dress,” Shannon said. Since opening her business in February, Shannon claims that there is slightly more pressure to stay on top of everything. “I’ve had to prioritize it
Paws for a Cause
Club Corner
Del Norte’s new club, Paws for a Cause, is the first animal-based volunteer club at Del Norte. The club aims to bring like-minded students together to participate in volunteer opportunities that aid animals. Paws For a Cause’s mission statement is to expose students to impactful volunteering opportunities that spark their love for animals. “As the world continues to industrialize, the topic of animal conservation needs to be in the spotlight due to the growing rates of extinction,” club president Yolanda Yang (ʻ22) said. “Thousands of species are going extinct by the day. I believe that the first step towards any
By Emma Sandrew Staff Writer
form of change is through awareness, and that’s what our club aims to do.” Even though volunteering opportunities decreased during the pandemic, Paws For a Cause provides a multitude of volunteer opportunities to help the community. Paws for a Cause is currently planning a volunteer opportunity with Monterey Ridge Elementary School to aid smaller animals and their environments. Due to COVID guidelines, such as Iris Ding identifying animals in pictures and collecting information about their habitats, are available online. Interested students can find Paws for a Cause on Instagram at @dnhs_paws.for.a.cause.
vanced Placement Classes By Ellie Lee Staff Writer A sophomore M. Kim shares her experience with Advanced Placement classes, including some tips for students unfamiliar with the high-intensity courses. As students at Del Norte High School fill out their course request forms, many freshmen are thinking about taking their first APs. Kim said that she believes the key to having a successful AP experience is for students to choose courses that interest them. She said students should want the challenge and not be pressured into the class by friends or parents. “If you don't like the subject, I guarantee you it will be twice as hard for you to do well in the subject,” Kim said. “Play to your strengths.”
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K i m s u g g e s t e d If you don't like the planning what classes to take in subject, I guarantee you it which year of will be twice as hard for you high school. She to do well in the subject ... said that planning Play to your strengths” ahead helps - M. Kim (’23) students ensure they get the basics needed for a specific AP. She said students should prioritize the top APs they want to take instead of trying to challenge themselves in every subject. Kim said she wanted to take AP European History and AP Calculus AB because the course was part of the math pathway she selected. Kim added that she thinks the biggest challenge is time management. She said that students, especially those who are in many extracurriculars, may sacrifice sleep for schoolwork. A tool that she said helped her with time management was making daily schedules to keep track of homework and other activities. This year, Kim said distance learning gave her more time to focus on her classes, but she still had to stay up late or wake up early to finish her work. “I don't really have any regrets, but if we attended school in person I think I would have had some [regrets],” Kim said. “Not being able to go outside or see friends has been hard but it's given me time to immerse myself in my work, but in person school wouldn't have given me that opportunity.” Students can reach out to teachers, other students, and counselors to answer questions or get more advice.
The Talon
Vol. 1 No. 3
3
Features
AAPI Students at DNHS Speak Up About Anti-AAPI Hate
By Nicole Pi Entertainment Editor
Del Norte Asian American and Pacific Islander students have been sharing the effects that the increase in anti-AAPI violence has had on their well-being. On March 16th, eight women, six of whom were Asian, were killed in a shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, in what the New York Times stated was “most likely a hate crime.” AAPI citizens across the country have responded to this event by organizing a series of rallies in the hopes of bringing awareness to increasing anti-AAPI hate. Jocelyn Zhang (ʻ24), an Asian American student at Del Norte, said that she had seen an increase in racist remarks on social media since the beginning of COVID-19 and that even small off-hand comments and behaviors from community members made her feel isolated.
“It’d just be people glancing my direction, sliding up their mask, and walking a few feet in the opposite direction; which they hadn’t done when walking past people who were ahead of me.”
Korean American student Grace Kim (ʻ23) said that she shared feelings of isolation. “Because I am Asian, I am automatically grouped in as an ʻinstigator’ of the virus. That false pressure has put my family and me on edge and uncomfortable in the place we call home. The Asian community didn’t do anything to deserve this kind of hate.” Cindy Zhang (ʻ22), said that she felt angry and alarmed by the use of phrases such as “China Virus” and the “Wuhan Flu” by global politicians to refer to COVID-19.
Nicole Pi
“These statements are clearly deliberately incendiary with an obvious purpose to scapegoat the AAPI community, specifically the Chinese-American community, and my feelings [of anger] are multiplied when I hear others use technicalities like, ʻWell, the virus came from China after all’ to deny the clear consequences of this type of language. It is deeply alarming that a subset of individuals feels empowered enough by the virus to act upon their prejudices.” Similarly, Chinese and Vietnamese American student Vivian Chung (ʻ21) said that she felt angry and frightened by the increased use of anti-AAPI language. “Creating more division in an already divided government when everyone is experiencing so much hurt is unwarranted and immature. Additionally, being a person who was taught to blend in and keep my head down, I don’t know how I will stand up for myself. Even worse, I don’t know if those in power will stand up for me either.” To combat anti-AAPI behavior, students like Tyler Xiao (ʻ23) called for the AAPI community to “stand up for once and make [themselves] heard.” He proposes the elimination of the use of anti-AAPI slurs. Kim called for people to be mindful of their language in referencing the COVID-19 virus, saying,
“Asian-Americans can’t afford to stand down and continue being seen as a ʻmodel minority’ and being ignored amidst hate crimes and violence.” “Many statements that have been normalized are actually microaggressions. In order to change our mindset, we must change our rhetoric.”
“People need to understand that words have an impact and that associating the virus with a location puts an everlasting bias on a group of innocent people who are also undergoing their own challenges...We need to be conscious of this language.” Other students, like Cindy Zhang, called for unity in the POC community.
“There is a lot of divisive rhetoric一most potently, the model minority myth一that seeks to prevent minority groups from banding together and supporting each other. All minority groups must be cognizant of this type of rhetoric and actively choose to fight for each other. Solidarity is important.”
Chung says that she hopes to combat anti-AAPI racism by raising awareness. “Ignorance and apathy are the two largest problems our society faces right now. We need to educate those around us and we can’t allow ourselves to be desensitized to the hate crimes that are happening to people right now.”
Second Serve and Tennis Donations Gives Direction to Underserved Communities By Risa Iwazaki Staff Writer order to stay out of drugs, gangs, and violence,” Shah says. By reducing the financial burden of tennis for children, Shah says a healthy lifestyle can be promoted. “Tennis is such a phenomenal game that builds character, creates long-lasting friendships, and brings joy to so many,” Shah says. “I hope to be “[Tennis] has allowed able to spread this joy to as many kids me to develop my character I really believe that sports as I can as I truly believe sport has the and has also given me countpower to uplift communities and less opportunities to grow,” can change lives and uplift change lives.” Shah says. Shah says she has communities.” Second Serve now has interplayed tennis for as long as -Amani Shah (’22) national ties with 41 young leaders she can remember, and it is a between the ages of 12 and 17 in 18 huge part of her life. states and eight partnerships in coun“I really believe that sports can change lives and uplift communities,” Shah tries like Uganda, Nigeria, and India, among others. Second Serve has donated over 8,240 items, says. She said this idea fueled the creation of Second including tennis rackets, tennis bags, shoes, and clothes, Serve. Shah says that equipment people barely use to children within 25 states and 8 different countries could be in the hands of a grateful kid and help them to around the world. In addition, the company has expanded the team get started with a new sport. With a passion for giving back, Second Serve’s mission is to redistribute lightly to include 40 Second Serve presidents around the counused tennis equipment from tournament players and try, each of whom collect and distribute donations to tennis clubs to underprivileged kids to facilitate their children in need. “We are so excited as we believe these kids will involvement in sports. “We want to cultivate a positive environment in be so happy to learn how to play and it will bring so much underserved communities and give kids direction in excitement to the community,” Shah says. “We are Amani Shah (ʻ22), co-founder and CEO of the non-profit organization Second Serve, is dedicated to enhancing the lives of underprivileged kids who love tennis. Second Serve aims to give all kids equal opportunity to play by supporting them with the equipment they need.
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hoping to continue to expand our international impact, as this is the area where we feel we can make the greatest difference.” The organization hopes that by introducing the sport into the lives of the children there, they can bring them some much needed happiness and joy. Second Serve can be found online at secondserve.com.
Amani Shah
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Del Norte High School
Local News
April 2021
The Impact of Virtual Learning on PUSD Teachers By Alex Zakoor
Local News Editor
from The Impact, page 1 “Honestly, working from home has made any sort of balance really difficult,” 11th grade AP English Language and Composition teacher Cara Jenkins said. “There is so much more work to do, and in my long teaching career, this has easily been the most labor demanding year. I used to get a little time to myself and my family on the weekends, but now every weekend is spent working.” Like Swanson, Jenkins said she has struggled with increased stress as
well. “My stress levels are way higher in online teaching.” she said. “I really care about my students, and I know many also prefer in person learning. This means I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that everyone is still getting a really good education. Online school is not ideal for many, but I know a lot of students are still eager to learn. I don’t want to let them down. Plus, I really believe in the content and skills I teach, and I know that these skills will really support students in their future.” Jenkins said she has also
changed her teaching style to suit distanced learning. “[I’ve changed] APEL’s big research project into a group project,” she said. “Group projects definitely have their challenges, but the experience has really reminded me of all the benefits of group projects.” Although distance learning has presented new challenges, Jenkins said she has appreciated the freedom that asynchronous learning has given her students. “I also want to find a way to replicate asynchronous Fridays when we
are back in person,” she said. “I really like having a day where students are given a list of objectives and tasks that they can complete at their own pace.” As of March 15th, PUSD has begun allowing students to resume in-person learning on select campuses, including Del Norte. Students are split into cohorts based on their last names, and can attend school twice a week. Students will still log into Zoom meetings on their computers while in the classroom, and teachers lecture to both those at home and in person.
Students’ Perspectives on the Return to School Sports at Del Norte By Eva Crickard
from Students’ Perspectives, page 1 However, Link also said that the players and coaches at the school are talented; she knew her time would be well spent playing and learning with them. Although her season would only be four weeks, Link believes that it was worth playing, despite its brevity. Link also viewed this season as “a chance to regain some normalcy” and represent her school, remarking that her whole team has been “ determined to make the most of the season” and that both the players and coaches have been constantly ener-
getic and supportive. Another student athlete, Jamie Smargon (ʻ23), is a cheerleader on the JV cheer team for Del Norte. She said that her team had been practicing virtually since August 2020 and had begun to conduct in person practices with masks and social distancing on October 5, 2020. Even with coronavirus guidelines in effect, Smargon said that getting to play sports in person has a positive effect on both her mental and physical health. In addition, Smargon said that only 4 spectators per player are allowed at the games due to coronavirus safety
Staff Writer
guidelines. She also said that the cheerleaders are grateful for the chance to play their sport this year. Naomi Shannon (ʻ23) plays on the JV soccer team. She said her season is about 7 weeks long, beginning the week of Monday, March 23. Even with such little time in the season, Shannon said playing high school soccer is still worth it because it is competitive but still less stressful than club soccer. Shannon said that the players can not be socially distanced because soccer is a contact sport, but they do have temperature checks and are required to wear masks.
“Going from not seeing anyone to being with a big crowd of people was overwhelming, but still fun,” Shannon said. This year, no one was cut from the soccer teams, which means there is a higher number of soccer players on each team than there were last year. Shannon said it was hard to get used to being near people at first after COVID-19 guidelines had enforced social distancing for so long. Despite recent protocol changes, Shannon said she still enjoys playing soccer at school.
— Student Insights — Five San Diego Hikes Locals Love
By Amanda Phillip
As California’s COVID-19 mandates begin to be relaxed and those once-so-familiar days of less-restricted living are peeking out at us just around the corner, it is more important than ever to take opportunities to get into the outdoors! San Diegans are blessed, quite to the envy of colder-climate cities, to live year round in a blissfully sunny and undeniably beachy masterpiece of nature. To take advantage of all that this city has to offer, locals love exploring hikes such as these five:
Torrey Pines State Reserve
Located in La Jolla, the Torrey Pines State Reserve boasts 2,000 acres of some of the city’s most pristine beachside views. Along the trail, hikers will encounter chaparral trees, coastal sage scrub, pine forests, and gorgeous views overlooking the beach. Over 400 species of wildflowers as well as over half the global population of the rare endangered Torrey Pine lie waiting to be discovered within the reserve. Unfortunately, neither dogs nor food are permitted in the reserve, and the trails can get fairly crowded on the weekends and holidays. Hiking aficionados recommend taking a 5 mile loop along the trails, although shorter options include the ⅔ mile Guy Fleming Trail, the ½ mile Parry Grove Trail, and the 100 yard High Point Trail.
Cowles Mountain
The Cowles Mountain hike, located a short distance away from the La Mesa area, brings adventurers to an elevation of 1,593 feet. At this highest point in all of coastal San Diego, hikers are gifted with the view of abundant natural wonders spanning from Mexico all the way to Orange County. While undeniably picturesque during daylight, after dark Cowles Mountain reveals a gorgeous panorama of San Diego’s city lights and prime viewing of a dazzling night sky. The Cowles Mountain night hike has become so popular that local hiking store REI hosts group hikes with their Outdoor School. Known as a fun and safe expedition, Cowles Mountain is one of the most popular beginner hikes in San Diego. Trekkers can find free parking on the streets adjacent to the trailhead, as well as bathrooms at the base of the hike.
Staff Writer
Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve
The Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, located near Escondido, is home to the Olivenhain Reservoir, among other natural wonders. Oak riparian, oak woodland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral habitats are common along this 11 mile trail. From the bathrooms and large kiosk at the bottom of the Reserve, hikers can embark on the flat Botanical Trail along Escondido Creek or ascend up the Way Up Trail. Trekkers should be aware that the first section of this Way Up Trail involves scaling a mountain on a rather narrow, windy path. However, the difficulty of the first mile is well worth it: trekkers reach a restful Off-Leash point for dogs as well as the beautiful Me-Xal and Lake Hodges Overlook Trails and the Ridgetop Picnic Area.
Los Penasquitos Canyon and Waterfall
The dog-friendly Los Penasquitos Canyon and Waterfall trail is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders alike, giving adventurers a multitude of ways to enjoy what is one of the largest urban parks in the world. Home to over 500 plant species and 170 bird species, the Los Penasquitos Canyon accounts for over 4,000 acres and side trails leading to an adobe ranch house, a community garden, and a museum. This Poway area trail can be hiked for up to a 7.3 mile out-and-back excursion with a 200 ft. elevation gain. The Canyon is renowned for its shaded and flat landscape and the “little cliffs” where a small waterfall trickles down. Trail amenities include free parking, a drinking fountain, outhouses, and a horse staging area.
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
Renowned for its assortment of charming flora and fauna, the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is located in the Poway area and contains over 700 acres of nature. Besides its brightly colored wildflowers and trickling creek, the Reserve provides hikers with delightful tastes of nature in each of its four distinct natural habitats: Chaparral, Coastal or Inland Sage Scrub, Oak Woodland, and Riparian. Each is distinguished by the trees, shrubs, and other natural features that dominate them. Hikers enjoy the 5.3 mile dog-friendly trail for its nice views of Lake Poway as well as its connection to the Potato Chip Rock hike.
The Talon
Vol. 1 No. 3
Global
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ANTI-AAPI HATE CRIMES ARE RISING WORLDWIDE
Rebecca Wei
By Anusri Thokachichu Staff Writer
Triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, recent surges in Asian hate crimes have divided Americans and the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, leading to public unrest and calls for actionable change. On top of the virus that continues to ravage 2021, the year began with a number of attacks on Asian elders. Within the same week in February, a 61-year-old Filipino man in New York City and a 91-year-old Asian man in Oakland were violently attacked. An 84-year-old Thai immigrant died the same week after he was pushed onto the ground in San Francisco. Data shows that since the beginning of the pandemic, the amount of hate crimes against the AAPI community has significantly increased. According to NBC News, around 3,800 Asian-Americans have experienced hate crimes this year, which is a drastic increase from the 2,600 incidents that occured last year. Out of the 3,800 incidents, 68% of them were targeted specifically at Asian women. The most recent attack on Asian-Americans was the shooting at Asian-owned spas in Atlanta, Georgia, where 6 out of the 8 victims were identified to be middle-aged Asian-American women. In response to the increased hate against Asian-Americans, the AAPI community has garnered public support by advocating for change. This can especially be seen in a recent incident in which an elderly Asian woman was attacked during a protest in San Francisco, but ended up sparking nation-wide awareness and raising nearly 1 million dollars to fight for racial equality. Although the pandemic has contributed to the recent surge in Asian hate crimes, the AAPI community has continued to fight back and protest against racism across the country.
Mass Protests Emerge in Myanmar By Vivian Magahis Staff Writer On February 1, the Myanmar military seized control of the country after democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi won the general election. Myanmar citizens responded with mass
Kevin Do
protests and boycotts. Myanmar was under military control for almost 50 years until its transformation into a democratic government in 2011. Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) party led the country since 2015 and were about to start their second term after Suu Kyi was reelected. However, the citizens of Myanmar who supported the military began protesting that the voting system was fraudulent. Soon after, military c o m m a n d er-in-chief Min Aung Hlain and his troops threw a coup d'etat and seized control of the country. Since then, there have been violent protests and clashes between protesters and the police. At least 38 people were killed in one of the worst clashes between protestors and police. There have also been several videos of police
shooting and killing unarmed protestors. In Mandalay, one protestor told BBC that “around 10 am or 10:30, police and soldiers came to that area and then they started to shoot at civilians. They didn’t give any warning to the civilians.” The protestor continued by explaining how the police “used rubber bullets but they also used live bullets to kill civilians in a violent way.” Despite the protests in the streets, Myanmar troops have also taken control of hospitals and universities. State-run newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar explained how troops are “maintaining” schools and hospitals “for the benefit of the people.” Many health officials and organizations have spoken out about troops taking control of hospitals. Sandra Mon of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told CNN that by sieging hospitals that contained many injured civilians, it could be “interpreted as a direct attempt to impede access to care for civilians.” Mon continued by saying that this was also a “threat to attending medics to warn them against further treating injured protestors.” Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, has repeatedly asked for help from the international community and requested for the UN to set up sanctuaries. He told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” that Myanmar citizens “keep asking the international community to impose targeted sanctions on military regime” because sanctions are “useful.” “We want to prevent any kind of civil war in Myanmar, so that is why we keep asking (for) the help from the international community,” Tun says. He insists that “military coup must fail” and “democracy must prevail in Myanmar.”
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Del Norte High School
Entertainment
April 2021
Humble Curations: 5 Pieces of Electronic Music to Explore By Diya Anantharaman Electronic music一music created primarily with the use of computers, synthesizers, circuitry, programming, and digital means 一is a relatively modern form of music that is constantly evolving as technology progresses. There have been many intriguing and groundbreaking techniques and sounds embraced through electronic music, and the amount of possibilities in the genre is infinite. All the different sounds out in the world can be sampled, manipulated, and incorporated into composition and production with a few tactful clicks on a computer. Electronic music seems to be somewhat of a sanctuary for experimental musicians and computer aficionados alike. However, despite the constant flow of new ideas, thoughts, and methods unfolding in electronic music, there seems to be a glaring misconception that electronic music is sterile, tedious, and emotionless. These are 5 distinct examples of imaginative pieces of electronic music that go to show just how much emotion, life, and warmth there can be in electronically generated sounds. Headphones are always recommended!
Staff Writer “Your Pond” by Emily A. Sprague
“I’m Every Sparkly Woman” by Ana Roxanne New York-based musician Ana Roxanne’s “I’m Every Sparkly Woman” begins with glistening, flowy arpeggiated synths that take listeners to a place of tranquility. Roxanne’s angelic voice Ncole Pi sings long, drawn-out syllables over the fairly minimal backing of repetitive synth patterns, drawing emphasis to the contrast between the quick sequences of electronic notes and the dreamy timbre of Roxanne’s singing. The synths sound slightly detuned, adding to the hazy, reflective ambiance of the track. “Ageispolis” by Aphex Twin “Ageispolis” by Aphex Twin begins with a melody consisting of reverb-y blips and progresses into a soft groove featuring understated yet memorable drum sounds, lush and subtle synth pads, and a little bit of boomy bass that sits just right with the rest of the instrumentation. Its nearly utopian, restrained, and fresh atmospherics are complemented by small variances and gritty fills in the drums, and a little introduction of a rounder, a lower melody that dances with the main sequence of reverb-y blips that were introduced at the beginning of the song. “Ageispolis” is a pleasant, poised, and energetic track by one of the most well-known figures in electronic music.
“Your Pond” by Emily A. Sprague is a meditative sonic journey in which layers of synth work their way into the ambient soundscape, pulsing methodically to reassure listeners of their presence. The piece’s main, somewhat abstract “melody” is carried by an airy and subdued synth lead, which is both complemented and occasionally beautifully overpowered by the pulses and layers of delicate synth notes, switching between surrendering and prevailing as the song progresses. “Your Pond” holds a gentle romanticism and a soft sensitivity in its mellow sound palette, and it wills listeners to a zone of introspective calmness. “Faceshopping” by SOPHIE SOPHIE’s “Faceshopping” is a startling amalgamation of surrealism and industrial noise. Starting with the unadorned starkness of a speaking human voice, “Faceshopping” dives into a metallic, abrasive tumble of artful, percussive sound. The song’s main lyrical motif turns the concepts of identity and beauty on their heads, drawing them to the verge of abstraction. Suddenly, the song breaks into a shimmery combination of glittering synthesizers, sugary vocals, and skittering cascades of ethereal sound, but just as listeners begin to settle into this sweet section, the sparkle turns to sputter and the percussive “Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt” by Holly Herndon
Nicole Pi
A Candid Review of WandaVision In 2019, Marvel Studios achieved cultural dominance with the release of Avengers: Endgame, a film that defined the pop culture zeitgeist for the rest of the year. The conclusive end to a saga that was perhaps the most relevant development for movies in the 2010s. However, the film’s conclusion opened up many questions for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with one overarching theme: where does Marvel go from here? 2020 was set to be a year in which Marvel explored new forms of storytelling. With 2 limited series and a prequel set for release, Marvel was looking to expand its capabilities of storytelling. As did everything else, the COVID-19 pandemic threw Marvel’s plan off and Marvel’s watertight release schedule was thrown for a loop. Marvel is usually incredibly effective at
maintaining cultural relevance, in large part because of its steady release schedule. It is very easy to dominate the discourse when three movies are released a year with all of them making billions of dollars. However, with movie theaters closed and shows unable to complete production, Marvel was forced into an unplanned break, with the general public going a year without a new Marvel product. This puts new importance on WandaVision’s release, on top of it being the first Marvel show released on Disney+ and the introduction of Marvel’s new direction after the Avenger’s saga. At first, WandaVision takes creative risks that weren’t taken in previous mainline Marvel projects. WandaVision’s early episodes deeply root themselves in the tropes of popular television of decades past. The series’ earliest
Holly Herndon’s “Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt” thrills listeners with its immersive production and innovative sound palate. The song features vocals that bounce off of each other, ricocheting in and around listeners’ ears like fragments skipping on water. This choir-meets-chaos approach results in a galvanizing, captivating world of sound. The lyrics to this song center around the unraveling of pain, presumably from heartbreak. “Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt” features pitch-perfect, crystalline vocal processing that sounds nearly robotic, electrifying emotional pain in ways that transcend the power of the lyrics alone. As the vocals pan rapidly from ear to ear, listeners are hit with sparkling, synthesized high notes. Even with the crisp, angular vocals, “Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt” is brazenly human, and one doesn’t have to listen too closely to hear Herndon poignantly gasping for breath between lyrics.
By Jason Marcaida
Staff Writer
episodes shine as some of Marvel’s greatest creative moments, with extreme adherence to styles of 20th-century television. Choices such as aspect ratio, color, and humor, combine for a unique tone. These early episodes serve as the series’ strongest. By paying close attention to these details, Marvel showed that they are willing to diversify their presentation of stories. WandaVision, as the first part of Marvel’s Phase Four, this willingness to explore new creative avenues shows immense promise for the biggest media franchise in the world. Unfortunately, this new willingness to be subversive fades with each continuing episode. As the story goes on, viewers are introduced to the story of the characters outside of the title characters’ reality. There is a pointed stylistic difference between the stories of the title
characters and the outside characters, most likely to distinguish the differences in the reality of each situation. However, the style of the outside characters is reminiscent of the painfully bland, cookie-cutter style from the most generic of Marvel’s films. Sadly this style only becomes more and more prevalent. By the end of the series, it simply becomes a Marvel film 40 minutes at a time. WandaVision is a miniseries that starts incredibly strong but simply does not go up in quality as it goes along. It never quite reaches a point where it’s bad or unwatchableㅡall the episodes are at least watchable. If you are itching for a helping of the MCU, especially one in a unique style you aren’t used to seeing, watching WandaVision is certainly a good choice, just do expect for it to dip in quality as it goes along.
The Talon
Vol. 1 No. 3
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Entertainment/Sports
Godzilla vs. King Kong” Marks The Renewed Success of Movie Theatres By Paris McClung
The release on March 31 of Godzilla vs. King Kong earned a box office total of $48.5 million. While the film was released both online through HBO Max and in theatres, moviegoers attended theaters in record numbers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to CNBC, AMC’s Warner Brothers shares rose 13.5% after the release of the film. Many Del Norte students say they feel excited about the reopening of movie theaters, citing preferences to watching movies on large screens with proper seating and speakers, with some students saying that they felt like they could
Nicole Pi
Staff Writer
see all the detail and effort directors put into the film better in a theater. New York Times states that the government has authorized roughly 93% of movie theatres to open to 50% capacity -- or 25% in larger cities. Variety reports that several highly anticipated are to be released simultaneously on streaming services and in theaters, with movies like Mortal Kombat, Cruella, and A Quiet Place Part II set to release in May, and In the Heights, Luca, Fast & Furious 9, and Zola set to release in June.
The Search for a Bearcats Headman Continues By Yael Pasternak
Staff Writer
With March Madness just behind us, there is still talk about this year's results. While some teams were able to prove themselves this year by coming out victorious, others are currently having to face the repercussions of their outcomes. There are teams such as the Cincinanati Bearcats who have completely regressed from previous years and were not even able to participate in the competition. All fingers point to blame head coach John Brannen who was recently fired shortly after this big loss. After evaluation, UC athletic director John Cunningham decided to release Brannen from his current position as head coach. There have been many allegations against Brannen, but none have been exactly specified. Many die-hard fans know that Brannen was not known for having the best relationship with his players and this would have contributed to his failure as head coach. Seven of the players he has recruited since he first accepted the position have transferred and they confessed that there was really only one person to blame. Many have even admitted to losing love for the sport they dedicated their whole lives to. Since the announcement of his release, Brennan has clapped back on social media. He does not believe that a truly thorough investigation was done of the basketball program before he was fired. He even goes on to say that he looks “forward to the opportunity to bring true facts to light”. Of course, Brennan never really had the benefit of the doubt from the start. After all, he had to compete with former head coach Mick Cronin, who left for UCLA in 2019. Cronin had great success with the Cincinnati Bears, as he was able to lead them to the NCAA tournament nine straight times. Right now, the Cincinnati Bearcats’ future seems completely unpredictable. Other than searching for a new head coach, they must assess their basketball program and find out how they can dig themselves out of the hole they’re currently in. Several good candidates are in line to be the next head coach so there is hope for the Bearcats to have a successful future.
Nicole Pi
MLB Takes a Stand By Justin Li
Nicole Pi
Staff Writer
In the past few weeks, a new voting law was introduced in Georgia and it has caused major uproar across America. This new law, passed by the republican controlled Georgia state legislature, contains new restrictions and changes on voting. People who stand in opposition believe that the law targets and prevents minorities from voting. Among the changes there’s an expanded early voting period, an ID requirement for mail-in voting, a shorter time frame for mail-in ballots, and a ban on food and drink distribution to voters while they are waiting in line. One of the more vocal groups discontent with the new voting law is Major League Baseball (MLB). Both players and employees have gone onto social media to criticize the new law, and in an official statement to the press, Commissioner Robert D. Manfred clearly expressed the MLB’s position on the new law: “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support”. In protest of the new voting laws, the MLB announced that they would be moving their 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta, Georgia, where it was scheduled to be played. The game has since been relocated to Coors Field in Denver, and is currently scheduled for July 13th, 2021.
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Del Norte High School
COLOPHON The Talon, Volume 01, Issue 03 Del Norte High School’s Newspaper and Student-forum. Published on December 21, 2021. Del Norte High School, 16601 Nighthawk Lane San Diego, CA 92127 Phone: (858) 487-0877 Fax: (858) 487-2443 https://www.powayusd.com/en-US/Schools/HS/DNHS/Home https://www.dntalon.com/ dnthetalon@gmail.com School Population 2,168 students 192 full-time staff Font Families NYT Cheltenham (titles/body text) NYT Imperial (image credits/pull quotes) Misc. fonts (titles/pull quotes)
WORKS CITED Computer Hardware and Software Windows 10 Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Autodesk Sketchup ProCreate The positions expressed in any of the articles are solely those of the individual writer(s). They do not represent the viewpoints of The Talon, nor those of Del Norte High School or the Poway Unified School District. Mission Statement The Talon is a student-run forum dedicated to providing relevant information to the Del Norte community through ethical, truthful, and professional journalism. Scholastic Affliations The Talon is a proud member of the National Scholastic Press Association.
CONTRIBUTORS Staff Contributors Jeffrey Sheng (ʻ22) - Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Wei (ʻ22) - Editor-in-Chief Russell Kang (ʻ22) - Editor-in-Chief Rachel Wei (ʻ22) - Features Editor Alex Zakoor (ʻ22) - Local News Editor Shannon Zhu (ʻ22) - Global News Editor Nicole Pi (ʻ23) - Entertainment Editor Carolyn Espinosa (ʻ22) - Sports Editor Esther Jin (ʻ21) - Photography Editor Adian Rosen (ʻ22) - Web Editor Advisor Ms. Melissa Darcey Writers Alex Zakoor (ʻ22) Amanda Phillip (ʻ22) Anusri Thokachichu (ʻ22) Diya Anantharaman (ʻ22) Ellie Lee (ʻ24) Emma Sandrew (ʻ22) Eva Crickard (ʻ23) Jason Marcaida (ʻ21) Justin Li (ʻ22) Meghna Mohan (ʻ23) Mia Magdarog (ʻ22)
April 2021
Nicole Pi (ʻ23) Paris McClung (ʻ21) Risa Iwazaki (ʻ22) Vivian Magahis (ʻ22) Yael Pasternak (ʻ22) Graphic Designers Nicole Pi (ʻ23) Iris Ding (ʻ22) Kevin Do (ʻ22) Rebecca Wei (ʻ22) Logo by Nicole Pi (ʻ23) Talon Icon by Rebecca Wei (ʻ22)
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times.com/2021/04/06/business/xinjiang-china-cotton-brands.html. “Nike, H&M Face China Fury over Xinjiang Cotton 'Concerns'.” BBC News, BBC, 25 Mar. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56519411. Paton, Elizabeth. “H&M Responds to a Firestorm in China over Xinjiang Cotton.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/busin e s s / h m - r e sponds-to-a-firestorm-in-china-over-xinjiang-c otton.html. “Uyghurs: Xinjiang Cotton Ban Is Self-Defeating, China Tells H&M.” BBC News, BBC, 29 Mar. 2021, w w w. b b c . c o m / n e w s / w o r l d - a s i a - c h i na-56568422. “San Diego Convention Center Housing Migrant Children” Alvarez, Priscilla, and Geneva Sands. “Children Sleeping on Mats, Overcrowded Conditions: Inside a Facility on the US-Mexico Border.” CNN, Cable News Network, 30 Mar. 2021, www.cnn.com/2021/03/30/politics/overcrowded-border-facility-donna-texas/index.html. NPR, Franco Ordoñez /. “Almost 19,000 Migrant Children Stopped At U.S. Border in March, Most Ever In A Month.” KPBS Public Media, KPBS, 8 Apr. 2021, w w w. k p b s . o r g / n e w s / 2 0 2 1 / a p r / 0 8 / a l most-19000-migrant-children-stopped-at-us/. Staff, NBC 7. “Migrant Shelter Nearing Capacity at San Diego Convention Center.” NBC 7 San Diego, NBC San Diego, 9 Apr. 2021, www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/migrant-shelter-nearing-capacity-at-san-diego-convention-center/2567783/. “Vaccination Experiences of Del Norte Students” “City of San Diego COVID-19 Vaccination Program.” COVID-19 Vaccination Program | City of San Diego Official Website, www.sandiego.gov/covid-19-vaccination. “Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html. Molnár, Péter K., et al. “Fasting Season Length Sets Temporal Limits for Global Polar Bear Persistence.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 20 July 2020, www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0818-9. “National Snow and Ice Data Center.” SOTC: Sea Ice | National Snow and Ice Data Center, 11 Oct. 2019, nsidc.org/cryosphere/sotc/sea_ice.html. Voytko, Lisette. “Polar Bears Could Face Extinction By 2100 Due To Climate Change, Study Says.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 20 July 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytk o / 2 0 2 0 / 0 7 / 2 0 / p o lar-bears-could-face-extinction-by-2100-due-to -climate-change-study-says/. “Sustainable Seafood: Reality or Myth” Fisheries, NOAA. “Understanding Sustainable Seafood.” NOAA, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/understanding-sustainable-seafood. PhD, Dana Ellis Hunnes. “Sustainable Fish Do Not Exist.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, w w w. h u f f p o s t . c o m / e n t r y / s u s t a i n able-fish-do-not-exist_b_11632622. Seafood Watch - Official Site of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Program, www.seafoodwatch.org/about-us/our-standards/standard-for-fisheries. “What Is Overfishing? Facts, Effects and Overfishing Solutions.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/threats/overfishing.