Falconer September Issue 2021

Vol. 47, Friday, September 24, Issue 2021 1, 24 pag

Vol. 47, Issue 1, 24 pages

Hungry to Learn RE-OPENING on A2 FREE LUNCHES on A3

photo by jessica yu

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TPHS

returns

Michele Kim

STAFF WRITER

After more than a year of distance learning, TPHS students and teachers returned to full in-person instruction on Aug. 17 for a new school year.

The return brings a series of changes including a new schedule, long lunch lines and district-mandated Chromebooks.

Many teachers and students are excited to start the school year back in classrooms.

“I love being back on campus. The energy is so much higher when students are present,” AP and Honors Chemistry teacher, Angela Willden said.

TPHS student Alana Tantisira (12) also feels positive about the return.

“I feel much more connected with others now that I’m back on campus.

COVID-wise we should definitely continue wearing masks at school, but I don’t feel my life has changed significantly,” Tantisira said.

But, in-person learning has its downsides as some students are now finding it difficult to adjust back to normalcy.

“Being back in person means being able to see friends and teachers, but at the same time, it means an earlier alarm in the morning and shorter passing periods,” Josh Yu (10) said.

The 2021-22 school year’s bell schedule is most noticeably different from previous years due to the different times classes and breaks end, leaving

to

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some teachers and students confused.

“I don’t have any concerns about [the new schedule], but it’s definitely an adjustment. We’ve been in school for almost three weeks and I could not tell you when the bell rings for almost any class,” Willden said.

The schedule change accounts for longer lunch times and breaks in between classes. TPHS now integrates student connectedness time on alternating Wednesdays, when school ends at 2:14 p.m., to discuss subjects such as mental health, school events and club information. Every other Wednesday, students are released at 1:40 p.m., creating “early outs” in place of late-start days.

“The decision to change the schedule happened before the shutdown, so the original plan to start the current bell schedule was supposed to be fall 2020,” Principal Rob Coppo said. “The early outs are designed to help our teachers be better because it’s harder to get all our staff together [for meetings].”

Student health has been another concern for staff and students. An email sent on Aug. 21 reported two COVID-19 positive cases at TPHS since the start of the school year. These health reports have put transparency and the privacy of those infected at odds, according to Coppo.

TPHS currently has 23 infected individuals. A number of precautions that teachers are required to follow have been implemented to prevent these

in-person

numbers from rising. Contact tracing regulations require teachers to make assigned seating arrangements and report COVID-19 infected and exposed students, allowing them to quarantine quickly before posing a large risk to the rest of the students in the class.

“The contact tracing regulations say to report kids who have been in close contact with each other for 15 minutes or more, so it makes me feel a bit safer,” French teacher, Jessica Huntsberger, said.

Overall, many students and staff say the return has had a positive impact on their mental health.

“Distance learning and isolation definitely took a toll on my mental

learning

health. I actually moved to San Diego during the pandemic, so I really struggled to adapt to everything, especially school, through a computer,” Tantisira said.

The return may be a shock to many, but takes students back to a time before online school.

“It feels different every single time I hear the bell ring, because I look out my window and I see 2,700 students flooding out of class, which is both a great feeling and a somewhat daunting feeling,” Coppo said.

Even with restrictions and regulations in place, Falcons are ready to face a new year of school unlike anything they have experienced before.

photo by rasa nyce/falconer

I just found out I tested positive for COVID-19 What happens next?

1.

Inform a school faculty member that you have COVID-19 as soon as possible so that the school can determine what needs to be done

For more information: Please refer to the school website’s COVID information page

2. The school will reach out to teachers to

figure out where you were on campus when you were infected to trace the virus

3. When quarantining, stay in touch with your teacher so that you have everything you need on Google Classroom.

Stay safe Falcons!

4. After testing negative for COVID-19

laboratory-based PCR, you can return to campus

infographic by martin lee/falconer

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Yellow Ribbon Week addresses student mental health Nolan Ezzet

SPORTS EDITOR

With all TPHS students returning to in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year, many brought their mental health struggles with them to campus.

To help these students, Peer Assistant Listeners put on their yearly Yellow Ribbon Week.

This comes at the perfect time to help those struggling with the transition. ¨Transitioning back to in-person …physically and mentally and academically has been a [difficult] transition,¨ TPHS counselor Julianne Velasco said.

More students are opening up to their counselors about mental health struggles. ¨There’s more students that are like ‘holy smokes, I’m mentally having a tough time,’¨ Velasco said.

Opening up about mental health struggles is a vital part of addressing the issue as a whole. ¨People think by talking about

suicide it’s going to lead to it, but it’s actually the opposite,¨ PALs President Bailey Grennan (12) said. ¨The only way to help is by asking a friend about it because otherwise, there isn’t a way to know if someone is struggling.”

The pandemic’s effects have caused some to look at their own mental health. ¨Isolation during the pandemic triggered some new mental health issues,¨ Velasco said. ¨I have students who need a higher level of care immediately.¨ Though talking about mental health is key, knowing when someone needs help from a professional is important too. ¨Talking about mental health is always good, but it’s important to know when you aren’t qualified,” TPHS counselor Sally Gervasini said. ¨Sometimes you have to refer someone to someone else who really knows about this stuff.¨ PALs embraces the balance between open dialogue and referring people to

qualified professionals. For example, their new mental health resource card recognizes the importance of utilizing qualified professionals.

“We wanted to make a card that had certain resources catered to our students,” Ashton Nguyen (12) said.

“We decided to print them so every student could have resources easily accessible to them.”

The card includes the contact

information of numerous suicide and mental health crise lines.

As another feature of Yellow Ribbon Week, PALs brought dogs to campus for students to pet, helping them destress.

PALs and high school counselors alike are doing their best to help those struggling with mental health issues.

They hope Yellow Ribbon Week will save high school lives that have years ahead of them.

photo by jessica yu/falconer

infographic by mirabel hunt

“No is not the only thing that was expressed tonight,” Newsom said. “I want to focus on what we said ‘yes’ to as a state: We said yes to science, we said yes to vaccines, we said yes to ending this pandemic.”

“Let’s be gracious in defeat,” Elder said. “And by the way, we may have lost the battle, but we are going to win the war.”

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New free lunch program implemented at TPHS Jasmine Criqui

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Thanks to an unexpected budget surplus, California has created the nation’s first universal free lunch program, where lunch will be available to all public school students, regardless of income, at no cost going forward.

“The cost-benefit analysis of it all is pretty clear: when students eat breakfast, when students eat lunch, they do better in school,” TPHS principal Rob Coppo said.

At TPHS, the policy has increased the demand for school lunches but has not been accompanied by an expansion of the campus’ nutrition services. This has resulted in crowded lines and long wait times.

“Lunch lines are pretty long. I wait about anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes,” Benjamin Feng (12), who uses the free lunch option almost every day, said.

Another student, who chose to

remain anonymous, estimated that it takes her 20 minutes to get food even if she sprints to the lunch line after class. “[In that time] they run out of some things; [my friend and I] didn’t even get the orange chicken,” she said.

According to Coppo, the biggest challenge has been finding people willing to work the lunch lines.

“They’ve got the money all budgeted, they post the positions, and nobody’s taking the job,” Coppo said.

The worker shortage, especially in the food service industry, is yet another nationwide symptom of the pandemic.

As a backup plan, the school is also looking into the possibility of enlisting parent volunteers.

Coppo calls the combination of the local return to campus, the new state policy and the national worker shortage “kind of a perfect storm.”

Despite its flaws, there’s still widespread support for the program.

“It is very important, in my opinion, to have this kind of free lunch so that people don’t have to worry about whether they can eat or not,” Feng said.

The anonymous student agrees.

“It’d be nice if I got orange chicken, but overall I think [the policy is] good.”

TPHS Nutrition Services is currently undergoing renovation, which will be

finished by the start of next school year.

The lunch lines closest to the Ed Burke Stadium will be shuttered, while the building that housed the former black box theater will be converted into new food lines.

“So instead of the back of the school it’ll be in the middle, and there’ll be a cafe as well,” Coppo said. photo by jessica yu/falconer

September27, 24,2021 2021 september

A4 the falconer

Hometown Disadvantage The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) released their Working Group I (WGI) report on Aug. 9, underscoring the severity of climate change and stressing that nowhere on Earth will be able to escape its impacts.

The report is the fifth contribution of eight to the Sixth Assessment Report (to be finished in 2022). The WGI explores the physical science of climate change in the past, present and future, using research from hundreds of scientists across the globe. For the first time ever, the IPCC confirmed in the report that humans are “unequivocally” responsible for the warming of the Earth. An exploration of three of the major effects of climate change that will be experienced in San Diego follows.

Ocean Acidification One effect of climate change is ocean acidification, which happens when the pH of the ocean drops due to the intake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“We know from laboratory experiments that organisms that make shells or skeletons of calcium carbonate have a much harder time making those structures in a more acidic ocean,” Dr. Andreas Andersson, associate professor at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, said.

While the loss of those creatures may not seem significant, any loss in biodiversity creates a ripple of disturbance throughout the ecosystem, according to Andersson.

Upwelling is another process in California concerning scientists.

“Every spring and summer, winds blow from the North, and the winds transport water away from the coast,” Andersson said. “When you transport water away from the coast, deep water is brought up to the surface.”

This cold water is low in pH and accelerates ocean acidification.

Andersson said upwelling, which is expedited by climate change, is of primary concern to scientists with regard to the acid base balance of marine ecosystems.

The IPCC report describes ocean acidification as an effect of climate change that will continue for thousands of years even after CO2 emissions are cut, and its full effects on ecosystems, including those in San Diego, are unknown.

Droughts and Wildfires The report also confirms the longtime fears of many climate scientists: that our planet will reach, if not exceed, 1.5 C of warming above pre-industrial levels, a temperature increase that will bring unprecedented climatic changes to worldwide ecosystems. “[The report] is consistent with the fingerprint of climate change that has been put forward by decades of scientific modeling and observations…” Dr. Daniel Cayan, climate change and variability scientist at Scripps, said.

Limiting warming to 1.5 C, a goal by the Paris Agreement, would require a 50 percent emissions reduction by 2030. But this degree of warming would still mean worldwide heat waves, longer hot seasons, and for San Diego in particular, a higher likelihood of wildfire breakouts and longer and less uniform dry seasons.

“The fire fighting community will tell you, we used to have a fire season that was relatively predictable … but nature doesn’t respect that anymore,” Cayan said.

These spasmodic seasons were seen in the 2017 Lilac Fire in San Diego, and more recently, the Dixie Fire, which has burned nearly one million acres of Northern California land , making it the second-largest wildfire in California history. “[These wildfires] were provoked by a long dry season and a Santa Ana wind event that exacerbates the dryness and adds the ingredient of wind,” Cayan said.

Sea Level Rise Sea level rise is another effect of climate change that will become increasingly more noticeable in the years to come. Three main factors contribute to sea level rise: ocean warming, the melting of glaciers in the Arctic and in Greenland. This is another natural progression that will continue for centuries even after greenhouse gas emissions are cut in the next decade or so, with global mean sea level continuing to rise up to 1-2 meters by 2100 due to uncertainties in ice sheet processes.

While sea level rise is inevitable, it will be significantly worsened if measures are not taken to reduce greenhouse gases, aaccording to the report.

“Imagine being on the beach, and the sea level goes up six feet,” Dr. Sarah Gille, physical oceanographer and professor at Scripps, said. “If you’re on the beach on a high tide day, there’s not much beach, and if you’re on a low tide day, there’s a lot of beach. So imagine having all the conditions be more like a high tide day, and then still having a high tide on top of that.”

In this scenario, water would start to hit and undercut the soft sandstone cliffs that stand near the shore, leading to cliff erosion. Houses and infrastructure located near the coast would be at a heavy risk of collapse in the coming years and severe flooding, which has already been experienced on numerous occasions in Imperial Beach over the past couple years, will become more frequent in the near future.

2017 Lilac Fire 157 buildings destroyed

2019 Encinitas bluff collapse 3 people killed

Imperial Beach flooding

However, the effects the report describes are not limited to only the climate, but also to human lives.

“Say there’s a drought; we might have certain restrictions on water use, [or] a wildfire could literally be in your backyard,” Zoe Canipe (12), copresident of TPHS’s Urth Club, said. “[Climate change] is something that we don’t really feel but we need to be aware of.”

Cayan expanded on this.

“There are communities that can’t afford air conditioning. There’s homeless people that are outside. There’s those that are more vulnerable [to] heat [and] wildfire smoke,” Cayan said. “Climate is interwoven through just about everything we do.”

As the climate crisis advances, the consensus among climate scientists is that the burden of solving it falls to younger generations.

“I think [climate change] should ring an alarm bell,” Gille said. “For the generation that’s in high school now, this is a set of opportunities. It’s a question of how we reshape the economy; there are scientific and engineering challenges that give people many ways that they can contribute.”

Even little individual actions can have big effects, according to Canipe.

“A lot of people think it’s such a big issue that they don’t even try to resolve it,” Canipe said. “But if they realize it’s an issue that can be [helped] by making minor changes in life I think that it can be an easier problem to solve [for] people our age.”

Olivia Schroeder (12), co-president of Urth Club, echoed that.

“I think it starts on campus… starting to recycle and [exercising] more sustainable practices on campus and off campus.”

Individual actions are important, but if major progress is to be made against climate change, climate legislation in government must be implemented to regulate corporate emissions, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions The IPCC report explains that the actions taken today determine the conditions of the world of the future; and those actions will require the combined willpower of the entire planet.

by Rami Kabakibi and Caroline Hunt photos from cal fire and abc news

A5

POLAND Following the Taliban retake of Afghanistan, Poland declared a state of emergency after migrants fleeing Afghanistan began illegally entering via Belarus. Poland accused Belarus of pushing migrants toward Poland in a “hybrid war” as revenge for the European Union sanctions (the EU’s measure of intervention to prevent crises). While thousands of migrants have been pushed back or put into immigrant centers, some are stuck along the border with limited access to food, shelter and water. With large Belarussian and Russian military exercises to start soon on the Polish border, Poland’s Prime Minister said “we have not had such a tense situation for 30 years.”

JAPAN The prime minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, announced on Aug. 27 that he would not run for reelection on Sep. 29 as the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, relinquishing his premiership after 11 months in office. He assumed the prime ministership when his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, resigned in 2020 due to ill health. Though initially met with widespread support, Suga’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, characterized by the slow state of emergency declarations and vaccine rollout, as well as the unpopular decision to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, dropped his approval to 31.8% in August. Suga’s concession clears the way for other candidates.

information from nbc, washington post, cnn, new york times, associated press and bbc

GUINEA

Guinea’s armed forces successfully staged a military coup against President Alpha Condé on Sept. 5. The Republic of Guinea Armed Forces surrounded the capital of Conakry, opened fire and captured Condé. A special forces commander then commandeered state televison to announce the dissolution of the constitution and the government. Other government officials, like regional governors, also have been replaced with military officers.

Condé changed the constitution in 2020 to allow him a third term, started a crackdown on protests and political opposition and announced tax hikes.

MEXICO Mexico’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Sept.

7 that laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional, setting a national standard that protects those seeking to terminate pregnancies from being prosecuted. While abortions are restricted in most Mexican states, the ruling came after the state of Coahuila passed a law that punished women with up to three years in prison for having an abortion. The state borders Texas, where abortions were recently prohibited after six weeks of pregnancy. The ruling is a landmark for Mexico, which is majority Catholic, a population that is historically anti-abortion, and forces judges across the country to follow suit.

words by jenny han, viyang hao, caroline hunt and anna opalsky

ART BY AMANDASALANTINO

This school year, the SDUHSD provided Chromebooks to every student in an effort to provide more equitable access to technology.

Some say it was not the best use of state COVID educational stimulus funds.

Jacob Zhang

NEWS EDITOR

Along with the disorganized, twoinch binder many upperclassmen carry from class to class, this year has seen many students with a high-tech addition: the Chromebook. In the fall of 2020, SDUHSD smartly purchased 13,000 Chromebooks for $5.2 million to establish the district as 1:1, meaning every student is ensured their own educational device. Out of the $5.2 million, $5.1 million came from state and federal learning mitigation funds that had to be used by December 2020.

Now, only a month into school, TPHS is already harvesting the fruits of the district’s decision.

Although 95 percent of students already have a computer to use at home according to district board member Michael Allman, a 1:1 district has its benefits in the classroom.

With increased dependence on computers as a result of distance learning, teachers have continued using online resources such as Google Classroom, Formative and Illuminate.

And now that every student has a computer in class, teachers can easily assign classwork or administer tests with the press of a button, rather than printing paper copies.

Students too are reaping the benefits of a more technologicallybased learning environment. For a generation that’s fully exposed to the internet, it makes sense to fully integrate computers into the learning curriculum. Chromebooks give students equal access to learning

materials no matter where they are – whether it’s the classroom or at home.

Before the pandemic, TPHS students used Chromebooks in class, but the school relied on an old-fashioned system of communal Chromebook carts, which saw teachers struggling over the limited supply of Chromebooks available.

Additionally, out of the 9,000 classroom Chromebooks the district had in August of 2020, 4,376 were at the end of their lifespan and needed to be replaced anyway.

But the biggest question that arises is if a 1:1 district is necessary when the majority of students have a personal laptop that can be used in class. It’s clear that a more technology-oriented classroom is a leap in the right direction, but it wouldn’t be possible without a 1:1 district.

Firstly, teachers don’t have the power to legally make laptops mandatory unless they are provided for free to all students. It would also be a logistical nightmare to guarantee that everyone’s personal computer works in class. If a student’s personal computer happens to break, the school won’t have the ability to circumvent that problem, unlike in a 1:1 district where everyone has the same device. Many students may also feel embarrassed to use their laptops in class around their peers who may have newer or more high-end models.

Some argue that the educational stimulus funds could have been used on programs in need of funding such as the visual arts department. But as the name implies, the funds were intended to be used to “mitigate learning loss related to COVID-19,” not on non-academic school programs.

As the world becomes more reliant on technology, the education system needs to adapt and evolve. Eventually, SDUHSD would have to make the transition from paper to laptop, and with the necessary funds from the government, the 1:1 program was the right place to start.

Naomi Schneider STAFF WRITER

Not every high school student can afford a laptop, yet this privilege is often available to TPHS students.

Ergo, it was shocking when the SDUHSD spent a tremendous $5.2 million on equipment that many students do not need.

Furthermore, Chromebooks must be used in class rather than personal computers.

Parents and students alike have purchased computers that students now cannot use. This fact is especially frustrating as students may be more comfortable using personal devices.

Those devices provide a sense of security for students who worked with their own computers during the past year of distance learning.

Before purchasing district-wide 1:1 Chromebooks, district administrators should have listened to the voices of teachers. Teachers requested classroom Chromebook carts. This way teachers would be responsible for keeping the devices in excellent condition. If more Chromebooks were required on certain days, teachers could request them for STAR testing and other school-associated programs that require secure browsers.

Another pressing issue faced during distance learning appeared in the lack of academic focus. Oftentimes, students were distracted by their devices — using them for non-schoolrelated activities while in online class.

Distractions were an obvious concern going back to normalcy;

however, the district approached the issue illogically.

Chromebooks zealously block numerous websites, which can hinder use, een at home, but the extent to which the school is “protecting” us goes even further.

GoGuardian is one program implemented in Chromebook devices that attempts to combat distance learning issues; however, the approach is frankly invasive.

GoGuardian allows teachers and administrators access to students’ computers; thereby, they can see each open tab and can keep students off certain sites. Though they are not meant to do this at home, they do, in fact, have constant access. This sustained surveillance is an invasion of privacy. At school, this would make perfect sense, but as students are expected to take Chromebooks home, this monitoring oversteps a boundary where the line between school and homelife should be explicitly drawn.

An alternative pathway exists in the revamping of the firewall blockers in the school Wi-Fi. School Wi-Fi networks permit distracting sites like Instagram but block messaging apps such as Discord. While Instagram has a messaging feature, students use it primarily for mindless scrolling during class. Contrarily, multiple clubs use Discord to communicate with club members.

Everything said, there is little merit in forcing students to use Chromebooks over personal devices.

The school district should have listened to the teachers first. It is rather hypocritical for the district to ignore student, parent and teacher voices despite promising to listen after the slew of surveys released this past year. The distict sought to solve problems with the Chromebooks, but the sloppy fashion in which it attempted to do so created more issues.

Looking economically, rationally and respectfully, this fix did not fufill it’s intended purpose.

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opinion

the falconer

A7

Texas abortion law is a gateway to more restrictive laws

Dixie Wallerius

OPINION EDITOR

As of Sept. 1, 2021, the most restrictive abortion law was enacted in the state of Texas after the Supreme Court failed to block it. The Texas Heartbeat Act is the first of its kind. It’s the first six-week abortion ban while also being the only law to rely on the enforcement by private individuals who decide to act through civil lawsuits.

While states in the past like Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and others have tried to enforce restrictive laws regarding women’s choices, this is the strictest one yet. The unprecedented Texas law that is taking the state by storm is a threat to not only women in Texas, but to women everywhere.

In previous years, states have turned to use the government as a means of enforcement. This bill is different in the sense that it transferred the power away from the government and to the hands of private citizens. Never before in the history of the United States has an individual been able to sue anyone who helped facilitate an

abortion — the provider, the abortion fund that provided financial support, the counselor that made a referral to a clinic, Uber drivers that take patients to the appointment and the list goes on. Under the current Texas law, the patient getting an abortion cannot be sued or jailed.

The extremely restrictive law opens up the possibility of other laws coming into power. Being unable to have the choice to have a safe abortion in circumstances involving rape or incest is inhumane. Without it, women are going to die. Abortions will still be happening but safe ones will not be. Every 8 minutes, a woman in a developing country dies because of complications relating to an unsafe abortion.

(Population Connection) In many of these countries like Brazil, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, restrive abortions like the one in Texas are in place. This statistic could very well become a reality for the United States if safe abortions are not accessible. Policymakers concerned wih protecting life and reducing abortions are going to have the opposite effect.

Unplanned pregnancies will continue to happen along with women who need abortions, but only harmful ones will contuine to occur. The heartbeat law enacted creates a new reality of women’s healthcare that the United States has never seen before.

The legal changes and precedents that come with this law are also extremely detrimental. The opportunity for complete strangers to take someone

ART BY TISYA NAIR

to court for “assisting and abetting” in an abortion without having to provide “evidence” is going to have unimaginable repercussions.

The person or clinic who the courts found to be carrying out abortions would not only have to pay their own legal fees but also possibly a $10,000 reward to the plaintiff because they successfully stopped an illegal abortion under Texas law.

One would think that the precautions taken to stop abortions would open up opportunities for Texas legislature to help reduce the need for abortion to be considered. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The state of Texas has not

increased accessibility to contraceptives nor promoted better sex education, yet it continues to enact one of the most restrictive bans yet. The damage that this law has the potential to create is absolutely terrifying.

It is not anyone’s choice to legislate morality while stimously taking choice away from somebody. Circumstances differ from person to person, making it incredibly destructive to enact a law this restrictive on everybody. The now precedent restrive law places women in all corners of the country at risk of being subjected to these harsh laws.

Tipping culture in the workforce needs reform

Martin Lee

STAFF WRITER

Today, 4.3 million workers rely on an outdated gratuity system that only serves to disparage the workers and nothing to benefit them. America’s tipping culture must be made obsolete and unnecessary through built-in gratuity fees and good wages for tipped workers. If tips continue to be a necessity for the countless tipped workers of America, the U.S. will not flourish as a nation. Tips debilitate workers as they create a mirage of meritocracy that allows employers to underpay their employees. A wage below the minimum increases poverty levels, contributing to rising crime rates.

Although there has been momentum in recent years in the U.S. for the increase of the minimum wage, tipped workers, workers that rely on tips such as waiters and bartenders, still receive far less than the minimum wage. The reason why these workers get paid less is that they get paid on a “tipped minimum wage” system. This means that they are paid less under the

assumption that their tips will make up for it. According to the Department of Labor, the federal minimum cash wage that employers have to pay their employees is $2.13 an hour. As many as 16 states follow this minimum cash wage system including Indiana and Texas meaning that employers can underpay their workers. As the rich get richer, the poor only get poorer.

However, there are many that advocate for the tipped minimum wage system.

These proponents suggest that the low wages serve to motivate the workers to work harder in order to get more tips, thus making it meritocratic. The idea that a good worker will dependably receive tips in relation to their performance quality is a misunderstanding amongst people. A study, conducted by Cornell University, revealed that the relationship between service and tipping is weak. The study observed four independently owned restaurants in New York where research assistants stood outside the restaurants and asked patrons to complete a short paper and pencil questionnaire. Once the data was processed, it became evident that tip percentages were very weakly related to customers’ perceptions of service quality. This means that workers that get paid a tipped minimum wage have little power in whether or not they will get tipped enough to support themselves. Whether or not the worker was charming, hardworking or attentive, it does not make enough of a difference to consistently receive enough tips.

Additionally, data suggests that tipped workers that receive low base payments causes them to rely on tips more, despite not receiving enough tips. According to PayScale, in states like Philadelphia, 72.6% of a waitress or a waiter’s salary comes from tips alone. Their base pay is a meager $3.80 while they only receive about $10.10 for hourly tips, adding up to a total hourly income of $13.90. Living Wage, a trusted living wage calculator, says that the minimum living wage is $16.54 an hour. That means workers who are making anything below the living wage are also living in poverty. Consequently, Philadelphia consistently ranks above the national average in criminal offenses. The abnormally high crime rate is a consequence of Philadelphia’s high poverty rates. To elaborate, the Economy league suggests that 23.3% of Philadelphia’s residents live in poverty and in 2014, the University of Dakota found that poverty rates significantly affected robbery and rape rates negatively.

Furthermore, the International Journal of Social E c o n o m i c s discovered that poverty rates ultimately lead to property crime in the long run. Tipped workers that get paid on a tipped minimum wage system don’t end up making as much money as they were supposed to, sending them into poverty.

Therefore, the number of residents living in poverty also rises, causing

crime rates to rise as well.

All in all, the tipping culture spells nothing but disaster in the long run for the United States. The United States needs to follow the footsteps of countries where workers do not need to be tipped like Switzerland and Denmark.

These countries not only have built-in gratuity fees, laws that make service charges a part of published prices and sufficient wages for workers so that tipping is unnecessary. What you don’t receive with your paycheck shouldn’t be paid back in full by d o n ations.

ART BY ALISON WILLIAMS

opinion

A8 the falconer

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

september 24, 27, 2021 PHOTO COURTESY OF NEHA PUBBI

» MICAH LEVY

Micah Levy reveals how playing tennis competitively has shaped her mindset and personal journey One of the best parts about being a competitive tennis player is that you get to be the center of attention. It’s also the worst part. Since tennis is an individual sport, players bear the full weight of every win and every loss.

You’re encouraged to focus on yourself, your ranking, your body and your title. Your fans WANT you to be selfabsorbed, and so it’s easy to become both arrogant and insecure.

As a competitive USTA tennis player since the age of four, I have taken many lessons to improve my swing, speed and agility. Yet I always felt that I’ve missed out on lessons to improve my self-confidence and anxiety.

Growing up in a tennis family, we watched all of the professional tennis tournaments and by the age of 12, I served as a ball kid for professional tennis players. Standing 10 feet away

from the greatest players in the world sparked my passion for tennis.

I began to play tournaments more consistently and practiced at least two hours a day for seven days a week.

After winning over 30 tournaments statewide, I eventually reached the ranking of No. 16 in girls tennis in California. I hit with the Stanford men’s tennis team, the Bryan Brothers and Venus Williams.

While all of these accomplishments may seem great on paper, I was struggling mentally. I felt the weight of the world after every loss and developed body dysmorphia because of the toxic stereotype that tennis players are supposed to be bone thin.

While tennis taught me many important life skills such as perseverance, discipline and selfreliance, it stunted my personal growth

PHOTO FROM MICAH LEVY

in other important areas. For example, I have a tendency to be overly hard on myself or self-conscious because minor flaws in my tennis strokes were overly critiqued at a young age. Because of this, I have become a perfectionist in my work ethic and have found it hard to accept my own accomplishments.

Although these reflections were mostly negative, I realized that I still enjoyed the sport’s essence and wanted to find a way to be involved in it while bringing these issues to light.

So, I started a program called Ace With Grace aimed to nurture youth tennis players’ physical and emotional health. Over the past four summers, I’ve led week-long tennis clinics for elementary-age kids all over San Diego County. I start each day with a character-building lesson, covering topics such as sportsmanship,

perspective, gratitude, body confidence, perseverance and acceptance. Then, after an hour of tennis practice, we come together and discuss how that day’s lesson is relevant to both tennis and real life. Each session, these young players emerge with newfound confidence in themselves and their tennis abilities.

Through Ace With Grace, young tennis players have learned how to combat the isolation of the sport and find a community within each other.

And, I have fallen in love with tennis and myself in a whole new way. I gained self-confidence through broadening my perspective on the mental aspect of tennis and breaking down some of the stigmas I was once so familiar with.

Through my journey, I have learned to appreciate tennis for all the good it has to offer, and I am grateful for it.

SMALL CLASSES - BIG OPTIONS Rolling Admissions All core classes are aligned with Torrey Pines High School.

Take one class or enroll full-time.

• Group classes and one-on-one in most academic subjects.

• 23 AP classes, live online, evenings and weekends starting late September.

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• Come in person or join us virtually!

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STAFF EDITORIAL California citizens had to decide on one of two things on Sept. 14: whether or not their then-Governor Gavin Newsom should stay in office and who would replace him if he lost.

As well as being generally disappointed with the direction Newsom’s term had gone so far, many Californians were enraged at Newsom’s hypocrisy towards his own COVID-19 regulations. Last November, he was photographed dining out at a fancy restaurant with wealthy lobbyists during a time when California’s public health guidance urged people to restrict gatherings, especially when indoors.

News about the recall election gained even more mainstream attention when Republican candidate Caitlyn Jenner announced her campaign earlier this year. The possibility of a Republican candidate winning gubernatorial office in California for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger drew the attention of the nation, especially due to the possibility that current California senator, Democrat Dianne Feinstein, could pass in office and be replaced by a Republican senator appointed by the newly elected Republican governor.

This would disturb the delicate balance of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, currently locked at 50-50.

At 88, Feinstein is the oldest member of the Senate, and has faced numerous

opinion

allegations of a worsening memory, especially following an incident where she repeated the same question twice without noticing.

Another cause for concern is that if Newsom were to be replaced with a Republican governor, the loosening of mask mandates would likely have been expedited, leading to more preventable deaths. Currently, the mask mandate helps keep schools open by preventing COVID-19 outbreaks; however, if this were to change, schools may face even more shutdowns.

Another cause for concern among those who favor direct democracy is that even if 49.9 percent of Californians had voted to keep Newsom in office, he could have been forced out by someone simply winning the majority of the replacement vote. This is because if 50.1 percent voted to recall, the replacement candidate would have been picked from the ballots of those who had picked someone other than Newsom.

The recall itself cost $276 million, which calls into question claims that the recall was a necessary and efficient use of taxpayer money.

Outside of California, many other states have stricter recall election requirements.. In California, only 12 percent of the population needs to sign the petition in order to trigger a recall election. The most restrictive

requirement is in Kansas, where the state requires 40 percent of the population in order to do the same.

Other states such as Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Wisconsin only require 25 percent of the population. The growing influence of the internet in political campaigns allows recall efforts to gain traction much quicker, which should mean a higher bar in order to trigger such a money and time intensive process.

Even though not everyone is happy, that is really not the important thing right now, ending the pandemic is.”

-Nikki Quinn (11) It cost a lot and probably wasn’t worth it since Newsom is still the governor.

The Falconer is committed to amplifying student voices.

Submit story ideas, guest editorials, and letters to the editor to: falconer.web@gmail.com for a chance to contribute to our next issue!

-Andrew Tsai (11) Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Buisness/Managing:

We, the Falconer staff, are dedicated to creating a monthly newspaper with the intent of encouraging independent thinking, expanding our knowledge of journalism, and providing the TPHS student body and community with a truthful, unbiased news source, in accordance with our First Amendment rights.

PHONE: (858) 755-0125 x2245 FAX: (858) 523-0794 E-MAIL: falconer.ads@gmail.com WEBSITE: www.tphsfalconer.com

Because such a small margin of people can evoke a costly recall, Californian recall regulations must be stricter. Regardless of the outcome of the election, it is important to consider and potentially advocate for stricter recall requirements in the future, especially when there are such pressing matters at hand like COVID-19, the environment and the fate of the Senate, to be decided. After all, we, the people, decide who holds office.

-The Falconer Staff

We want to hear from you!

Editor-in-Chief:

3710 Del Mar Heights Road San Diego, CA 92130

A9

Unnecessary recall exposes fragility of California politics

Student Voices

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the falconer

The Falconer is the student newspaper of Torrey Pines High School. Its content, which is the responsibility of the Falconer staff, is not subject to administrative approval. Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the staff, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective. Advertisements do not represent endorsements. The Falconer, an open forum, welcomes signed letters or guest editorials on pertinent issues from the TPHS community, which may be submitted to room 102, via email at falconer.ads@gmail.com or to Mia Smith’s mailbox in the administration building. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

News Editor: Opinion Editor:

Jasmine Criqui Mirabel Hunt, Shrishti Thaper, & Amy Ge Jerry Wu Jacob Zhang Dixie Wallerius

Feature Editors:

Jenny Han & Helene Gao

Entertainment Editor:

Viyang Hao & Kelsie Park

Sports Editors:

Staff Writers: Adriana Hazlett Regan Guirguis Caroline Hunt Rami Kabakibi Michele Kim Martin Lee Micah Levy Maddy Miller Matan Morris Lola Newlander Anna Opalsky Kathryn Reese Naomi Ciel Schneider

Nolan Ezzet & David Zhang

Backpage Editor

Piper Levy

Adviser:

Mia Smith

Photographers: Jessica Yu Rasa Nyce Emily Suh

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A10 the falconer

september september27, 24,2021 2021

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TEACHER FEATURE Since seventh grade, TPHS music teacher Amy Gelb has wanted to teach music and fill classrooms with classical and jazz music. Since 2004, Gelb has made that dream a reality, now teaching choir, jazz band, orchestra and guitar at TPHS. Playing piano at the age of five, Gelb has learned and taught a variety of instruments, always having had a passion for music and desire to be a music teacher and director.

“I just love music and love sharing it with other people. I thought that it would be a great way for me to share my passion,” Gelb said.

From 2001 to 2004, Gelb taught music for three years at Calistoga Joint Unified School District in Napa Valley, before moving to San Diego.

“I actually just moved to San Diego because I liked it, and then looked for a job,” Gelb said. “I was really, really lucky, be-

cause you probably shouldn’t do it that way, but I really lucked out.”

Although Gelb plays and teaches many instruments, she majored in saxophone, her favorite instrument.

“Sax is a cool instrument because it’s really versatile; you can play classical, jazz and rock and a lot of different types of music,” Gelb said.

Although the difficulty of distance learning affected all subjects, the music program in particular struggled without its usual group setting.

“Before, a lot of time during class [was dedicated] towards our concerts, I [would] have them spread out into the

I was really, really lucky, because you probably shouldn’t do it that way, but I really lucked out.

Amy Gelb TEACHER

practice rooms to work in their sections, and they get a lot of work done that way,” Gelb said. “Over Google Meets, I couldn’t have the groups play together, because of [feedback from computer microphones] and it just didn’t work.”

Music students also lost important live, in-class instruction.

“I spent hours and hours making [my students] backing tracks to practice with, writing music and then importing it into programs that would allow them to listen to it while they play,” Gelb said. “I was putting a lot of trust in the students to learn by themselves because I wasn’t listening to them and making corrections.”

Because of the change in instruction and homework assignments, Gelb noticed that her usually punctual and motivated students were less so.

“I have a son who’s in middle school, and I think that in general last year, there was just so much [more] homework in comparison to normal years.

I’m sure they were dealing with a lot more than they usually were,” Gelb said.

The students were not the only ones who struggled; Gelb herself had to rework how she taught and assigned things.

“I had to learn how to [edit online concerts]. I had never really edited a video before,” Gelb said. “Just a couple of weeks ago, I finished my 64th virtual concert video.

We’re putting 40 people together, and I’m editing all of their audio together to make it sound like they’re a balanced band.”

Even though the music classes are back to in-person instruction, the mask and social distancing guidelines have produced an entirely new set of problems.

“In band, they have a hole they have to put the mouthpiece in and put the mask around it,” Gelb said. “There’s specific PPE [personal protective equipment] for every single instrument.”

Although concerts no longer have to be held virtually, holding them in-person is also proving to be a challenge.

“Right now, I’m trying to figure out the best way to have our concerts and it’s really exciting. But if we’re in our beautiful, new PAC which we so desperately want to use, we have to have all of this stuff on,” Gelb said. “So this year, in many ways, is just as difficult as last year.”

Even though the past year and a half has been especially difficult for the music department at TPHS, Gelb and her students have been able to persevere and continue to share their music.

“It would be great if people could come and support us and hear our concerts because they work really hard,” Gelb said. “We don’t necessarily put ourselves out there that much. The sports get a lot of attention, but we have some really talented students, so it’s great to share it with the community.”

by Lola Newlander

Amy Gelb

feature

A12 the falconer

september september27, 24,2021 2021

The mental health pandemic As COVID-19 cases around the world surge, the number of people seeking mental health services follows suit. According to Mental Health America, a community-based nonprofit that addresses the needs of those living with mental illness, there has been a 62% increase in people suffering from severe clinical depression, a staggering 93% increase in anxiety. As a result, people have desperately sought mental health assistance. Remote learning left many students feeling isolated and somber. While schools did their best to reach out, many students turned to alternative mental health resources.

In November 2020, TPHS Counseling released a CoVitality Social Emotional Health Survey to all students during a Student Connectedness period. It asked a series of questions regarding mental illness symptoms, wellbeing and connection to school. If counselors saw fit, students were then sent a follow-up email regarding their results. Additionally, counselors offered students confidential opportunities to touch base; most students chose the Google Meet option. Margaret Sweeney (11) struggled with her mental health during the pandemic.

“I dealt with a lot of anxiety over last school year,” Sweeney said. “It’s weird because we haven’t been in school for a year and a half, but I feel like it will improve with more of a schedule and once everything settles down. I think being back at school is definitely better, and it’s nice seeing everyone, but it’s really overwhelming.”.

TPHS counselors continue to monitor and assess students’ progress as they return to in-person school. Resources remain available through Student Connectedness on Wednesdays.

The pandemic has altered reality for students because it removed them from their

normal routines. Holly Weiss (11) has felt the stress of returning to campus after being out of school for nearly a year and a half.

“Sometimes I find myself comparing how things are now to how they were when COVID was really hectic. I don’t have any energy by the end of the day, which will just take some adjusting to,” Weiss said.

More people have sought mental health

in class, you have to stay focused the whole time and it’s different because I have all this work to do now that we’re back in school Tash Gilbert STUDENT

services due to isolation and the lack of engagement. Licensed psychologist Dr. Michelle Carcel had a front row seat for the mental health impact on adolescents amid the pandemic.

“In general, there has been an overall increase in seeking support in anxiety and depression, as well as specialization. There has been research conducted on the effects of isolation and lack of engagement,” Carcel said.

Quarantine left many feeling sad and lonely.

“People were struggling to cope because there was no specific way to cope,” Carcel said. “Now mental health is improving with communication and how people are dealing with hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and fear.”

The prolonged lack of social interaction

has impacted youth greatly, but there is still hope for the return to normalcy. Students are being encouraged to prioritize their mental health by their school counselors and educators. Mental health needs to be attended to before students can excel academically.

Tash Gilbert (10) has navigated the return to campus after a year of distance learning.

“My mood and mental health have been affected in a positive way. Now that we’re back in school, there’s more people and I’m in a better mood,” Gilbert said. “After having no human interaction, my mental health is better now. I feel like last year was easier for me because in person you’re not in class the whole time and it’s easier not to stay focused, and in class, you have to stay focused the whole time and it’s different because I have all this work to do now that we’re back in school.”

According to the San Diego UnionTribune, students’ grades declined during the pandemic, resulting in several San Diego Co. districts offering summer school classes to students who had fallen behind.

The social stigma surrounding mental health has left many who suffer afraid or ashamed to ask for help. There was a rise in people seeking online mental health services as well. Telehealth became one of the most sought-after types of medical care, especially in the behavioral and mental health fields, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s important for anyone seeking mental health advice to know what resources are available.

Like any health issue, one size does not fit all.

If you or someone you know is in need of mental health services or is experiencing a crisis, visit up2sd.org.

by Madison Miller

feature

September 24, 2021

the falconer

TEENS WITH A TRADE

Sprinkle of This Dash of Nat’s Summer Strawberry Cake and Lemon Blueberry White Chocoklate cookies

VICTOR DE OLIVEIRA (12) designs his cookie cutters using CAD before 3D printing them (ABOVE).

When a birthday rolls around, cakemaker Natalia Mochernak (10) is the one to call. At least that is what the parents of her elementary school classmates thought, as she was their go-to for birthday cakes.

At the mere age of 10, Mochernak, inspired

by Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars,” started her baking business. Later growing to encompass an online store and a cake menu with flavors like strawberry basil and olive oil rosemary, Mochernak started her entrepreneurial journey with only a pen and paper, walking up to parents to take orders.

Whether one is looking for a side hustle during school, has aspirations of owning a business, or like Mochernack, wants to turn their passions into a job, student entrepreneurship is attractive to many.

Some TPHS students have pursued these interests through the two-year business pathway, comprising Intro and Advanced Business Management.

Shannon Taylor, who teaches Advanced Business Management, said her enterprising students exhibit particular qualities, such as creativity.

“They’re entrepreneurial-minded... always thinking outside of the box,” Taylor said.

Creativity is crucial, as business owners are always looking to introduce new, enticing products to the market.

Mochernak’s business, cleverly named Sprinkle of This Dash of Nat, brought a cheaper, homemade alternative to parents looking and or sweet treats for their children.

Everyone would rather have something homemade. It’s more special than buying from a grocery store.

Natalia Mochernak (10) STUDENT

“Everyone would rather have something homemade,” Mochernak said. “It’s more special than buying from a grocery store.”

While creativity can spark an idea, the next trait entrepreneurs exhibit is a knack for problem solving.

After she entered middle school, Mochernak’s target market changed.

She had to figure out a way to sell to her peers, rather than their parents. She started bringing her goods directly to her customers, carrying bags of cookies and brownies to campus. “[The treats] would go in five minutes,” she said. “Everyone wanted them.”

While the transition between schools was smooth, a more drastic change to online business was sparked by the pandemic.

“When COVID hit … I had to start being creative,” Mochernak said. “It was an issue for me at first, but it did help me grow my business.”

Since her website’s successful launch, her business has continued to be the goto for baked goods. With an ever-growing menu, it also provides her with an outlet for her creativity.

Just as Mochernak did, Victor De Oliveira (11) turned a hobby into a business.

Partnering with his neighbor, the owner of the custom cookie business Sugar Cravings, he began to design and make cookie cutters with his 3D printer. Exhibiting the creativity and problem solving that Taylor deems important, he brought a new option to the cookie-making market, in the form of a cheaper, customizable option for bakers.

“I’ve always liked 3D-designing things,” he said. “It’s fun for me to design it, and it’s good for the cookie people.”

While Mochernak and De Oliveira’s businesses were built without instruction, the TPHS business pathway has helped many students embark on similar entrepreneurial journeys.

One such student is Yara Qadan (‘21), the former owner of Ferret, a gamified app designed to support local businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, this was not Qadan’s first company. Her journey began in eighth grade, where she sold decorated sneakers to her classmates.

“That’s where my love for business came from because I just loved the idea of entrepreneurship,” Qadan said. “When I started taking business courses throughout high school, I knew that business was exactly what I [wanted] to do.”

Currently, she is studying finance, which she sees as the “building block” of business, at San Diego State University.

“The long-term goal for me is to definitely start my own business and be an entrepreneur. I love the independence and creativity behind it,” Qadan said.

These skills follow them through life, regardless of if they continue it after high school like Qadan, or keep it as a side hustle like Mochernak plans to do.

When 10-year-old Mochernak approached parents, hoping to sell a birthday cake, she had no qualifications other than her confidence. The same applies to Oliveira’s cookie cutters and Qadan’s sneakers; they all had an idea and the boldness to try it.

“If you’re starting a business just take the step,” Mochernark said. “You’ll figure it out, one step at a time.”

by Anna Opalsky

A13

A14 the falconer

A14 the falconer

feature

September 24, 2021

feature

September 27, 24, 2021 september

OF 104 Days OF 104 Days Summer School

Summer School number of students who are getting creative with their time and with their schedules,” she said.

“It’s [students] trying to boost their GPAs and add number of students who are getting creative with one more academic class. We know that each kid their time and with their schedules,” she said. has different goals, and it’s fine if they want to try “It’s [students] trying to boost their GPAs and add different ways of learning. That’s a good thing.” one more academic class. We know that each kid Despite her loss of free time, Opalsky said she has different goals, and it’s fine if they want to try felt more productive because of the consistency of different ways of learning. That’s a good thing.” the course.

Despite her loss of free time, structure Opalsky said she “[The course] gave me some in my felt more productive because of the consistency day,” she said. “It forced me to wake up early soof the course. that I could benefit from more hours in the day, course] some structure in my and“[The I could get agave lot ofmestuff done.

I was more day,” she said. forced me tothings wake that up early motivated, and “It having specific I hadso that I could benefit from more hours in the day, to get done definitely helped me with my mental and I could get amore lot of stuff done. I was more health and feeling productive.” motivated, and having specific things that I had to get done definitely helped me with my mental health and feeling more productive.”

In high school environments plagued with high expectations and achievement culture, students often approach each facet of their lives asking: In high school environments plagued with high “How will this help with college?” This has led expectations and achievement culture, students some to an off-campus education, to accelerate often approach each facet of their lives asking: their studies and get ahead of the curve.

“How will this help with college?” This has led One of these students is Molly Opalsky (10), some to an off-campus education, to accelerate who took an expedited Spanish 3 course online at their studies andSchool get ahead of the curve.

Audeo Charter last summer.

One of these students is Molly Opalsky (10), While most slept in during summer, Opalsky who tookout anofexpedited Spanish course online at rolled bed at 6:30 a.m., 3studying with the Audeo Charter School last summer. intention to complete her three-year language While most Opalsky slept in hoped duringtosummer, requirement. free up Opalsky a period rolled out of bed at 6:30 studying with the the following school year a.m., to take an art class. intention to complete hereasier three-year “I thought it would be to get language all of my requirement.

Opalsky hoped to free a period language [done] over the summer, so Iup could move the following school year to take an art class. on with my high school career,” Opalsky said.

“I thought it would be was easier get all of my “Taking Spanish online thetoright choice, it language the summer, so I could move saved me[done] a lot ofover time.” on with my high school school, career,”Opalsky Opalskysaid said.

Compared to normal it wasn’t as difficult.

“Taking Spanish online was the right choice, it “We to test in person, and there saved medidn’t a lot ofhave time.” was no stress, could school, do it onOpalsky your ownsaid time,” Compared toyou normal it she said.

“It was long, meaning it took the whole wasn’t as difficult. summer, andhave sometooftest the in tests were and confusing, “We didn’t person, there butnoI stress, could you always find online was could do resources it on your like own time,” dictionaries.” she said. “It was long, meaning it took the whole However, summer courses aren’tconfusing, without summer, and some of the tests were downsides. about missing out on but I could Opalsky always worried find resources like online having fun over the summer. dictionaries.”

“In the morning surfingwithout and I However, summerI couldn’t courses goaren’t had a summer job, and I couldn’t really relax downsides.

Opalsky worried about missing out on there. I had to get home really fast and do [my having fun over the summer. coursework],” she said.

“In the morning I couldn’t go surfing and I Other than the loss of relaxation during had a summer job, and I couldn’t really relax summer, inconsistencies in the curriculum are also there. I had to get home really fast and do [my a concern, especially to TPHS counselor Jennifer coursework],” she said.

Magruder. Courses taken at other schools may not Other than the loss of relaxation during align with those at TPHS, possibly leaving gaps in summer, inconsistencies in the curriculum are also learning. a concern, especially to TPHS counselor Jennifer “To replicate an entire year’s course over six Magruder.

Courses at other not or seven weeks in taken the summer is schools hard to may do,” she align with those at TPHS, possibly leaving gaps in said. “Sometimes the off-campus provider is not learning. covering the same material. The kids fill in the “To replicate entire year’s course over six gaps, and go toan after-school tutoring to make up orfor seven in the they summer someweeks deficiencies had.”is hard to do,” she said.Chris “Sometimes the off-campus provider is not Su (11), who took chemistry the summer covering the same material.

The kids fill in the before his sophomore year, said he wouldn’t take gaps, and go to course after-school tutoring make up an accelerated again due to histo fragmented for some deficiencies they had.” learning experience.

Chris Sulike (11),I who took chemistry the summer “I feel didn’t learn that much, mostly before hisitsophomore year, said he wouldn’t take because was difficult to pay attention and learn from justcourse videos,” Su said. anwell accelerated again due to his fragmented According to Magruder, despite these learning experience. downsides, a lot of students the counselor “I feel like I didn’t learncome thattomuch, mostly offices to approved. because it get wasoff-campus difficult tocourses pay attention and learn COVID we’ve seen an uptick in the well “Since from just videos,” Su said.

most of my friends are in very high-level classes,” Regardless of this productivity, Opalsky said she said. “I think [school] is really competitive, the pressure was always at the back of her mind. especially in AP and honors classes. I definitely “I feel a lot of pressure to get ahead because feel the pressure to be the best at whatever I do, most of my friends are in very high-level classes,” and it’s hard for me to do something if I’m not.” she said. “I think [school] is really competitive, However, Magruder discourages the haste in especially in AP and honors classes. I definitely taking accelerated courses. feel“I’m the apressure to be the at whatever do, firm believer thatbest summer should Ibe and it’s hard for me to do something if I’m not.” summer, and I don’t like to see kids hustling with However,she Magruder discourages haste academics,” said. “I think there arethe other waysin taking accelerated courses. kids can spend their time in the summer. There’s “I’mways a firm believer thatthat summer other to show colleges you’re should active inbe summer, and I don’t like to see and kids you’re hustling with your community, you’re busy going academics,” she said.

“I think there are other ways to bring that same level of involvement to the kids can spend their time in the summer. There’s college.” other wayssome, to show colleges you’re active While like Su, that concur with thein your community, you’re courses, busy and you’re going disadvantages of summer many students to bring thatand same involvement the like Opalsky Ju level found ofproductivity in to their accelerated studies. Necessary or not, each college.” student’s is different, the practice While pace some, like Su, and concur with of the taking summer of courses is an option that aids some disadvantages summer courses, many students in their academic like Opalsky andgoals.

Ju found productivity in their by Kathryn Reese accelerated studies. Necessary or not, each

According to Magruder, despite these downsides, a lot of students come to the counselor offices to get off-campus courses approved.

“Since COVID we’ve seen an uptick in the

student’s pace is different, and the practice of taking summer courses is an option that aids some in their academic goals.

by Kathryn Reese

I was more motivated and having specific things that I had was tomore motivated and get done definitely having me specific things that helped with my mental I had and to get done definitely health feeling productive. helped me with my mental Molly Opalsky (10) STUDENT health and feeling productive.

Regardless of this productivity, Opalsky said

Molly Opalsky the pressure was(10) always at the back of her mind.

STUDENT “I feel a lot of pressure to get ahead because

STOP

STOP

FALCONER THE MET GALA RATES: Theme: “American Independence” KIM KARDASHIAN

J BALVIN

We want to join in the memes about this one, we really do. But think about it, is there any other celebrity you could recognize by silhouette alone?

Points for sheer confidence.

Serving very “floral chic” meets “bowling alley carpet older than your father.”

KIM PETRAS

LIL NAS X

There was certainly an attempt at something here, and at least that something isn’t another monochromatric cocktail dress.

Maybe it’s time to recognize the TRUE foundation of American democracy: horse girls.

Nesting doll outfits à la 2019 Lady Gaga. ‘Nuff said.

(DIS)HONORABLE MENTION: DIXIE D’AMELIO The hat looks more like something you’d drag out of your shower drain. photos from cnn, variety, e! online, and fashionista

A16 the falconer

entertainment

september 27, 2021

and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marvel’s 25th and first Asian-American superhero movie, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” creates a fresh, richly-cultured origin story — that of Shang Chi and his intricate family dynamics. After years of white superhero stories, Shang Chi’s story feels like a breath of fresh air for people of color.

Unlike “Black Widow,” “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” wasn’t available for premier access on Disney+. This change led to a boom at U.S. box offices, with the movie amassing over $90 million during the Labor Day weekend alone.

Regardless of its sales, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is a historical milestone for Asian representation in Western media as it is the first superhero movie produced by a predominantly Asian cast and production team.

It is immeasurably impactful for us — and likely many other Asian people — to get to see faces more similar to ours on the big screen. The screenwriters were able to seamlessly incorporate Mandarin Chinese and authentic cultural elements in the script. Moments such as when Shang Chi and his Asian-American best friend Katy, take off their shoes before entering her house to have congee (traditional rice porridge) for breakfast are subtle but significant scenes that resonate with many Asian audiences.

Plot-wise, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” takes another route from usual “found family” Marvel stories. Bloodrelated connections are and remain the backbone of this movie.

Each member of Shang Chi’s family was significant, including his sister, Xi Xialing. Time and attention were given to her character, and the film also touches on the misogyny that exists in many Asian cultures.

The film alternates between Shang Chi’s backstory at various younger ages training to be a martial artist-trained assassin for his father’s antagonist organization: the Ten Rings and his modernday life living in San Francisco as a valet.

Katy, played by Awkafina, is a character that provides comic relief and also represents the unique Asian-American experience of being disconnected from their culture and losing a part of their identity. Katy’s physical appearance and heritage as a Chinese person makes it difficult for her to fully fit into American life, and her inability to pronounce Shang Chi’s name and understand Mandarin makes her an outsider in the culture of her ancestors.

This bitter but familiar struggle is just another way “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” speaks to the Asian A m e r i c a n population.

The soundtrack is another memorable part of the movie.

It was produced by music recording company 88rising and features prominent Asian artists including but not limited to Keshi, NIKI, and Korean R&B stars DPR LIVE and DPR IAN. Its hip-hop focus is reminiscent of “Black Panther” sounds, which we loved.

A l t h o u g h “villainous,” actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai’s Xu Wenwu, Shang Chi’s father, is both an anti-hero and a character with whom audiences can sympathize.

Wenwu is one of the best villains in Marvel history. He is consumed with shame about his past until he meets Shang Chi’s mother, Jiang Li (Fala Chen), who sees past his mistakes. Her tragic death revitalizes his mission with the Ten Rings b u t switches his focus from gaining power to reuniting with his dead wife. Grief and love become the driving forces in his destructive plan, and this complexity of character makes him a well-designed villain.

Additionally, the fast-paced, thoughtful Chinese Kung-Fu sequences made the film stand out compared to other Marvel creations.

Director Destin Cretton’s fight sequences were inspired by “wuxia,” a Chinese genre of storytelling that mixes martial arts and fantasy. These elements came to life in the slower, more intimate martial art duels that seem to also be infused with magic.

Because of the rare show of diversity, it was easy to forget we were watching a Marvel movie.

Audiences likely felt immersed in the mystical land of Ta Lo, and its colorful, artistic scenes — another distinction from classic Marvel stories.

But, typical of all Marvel movies, “Shang-Chi” continues Marvel’s grander, “Phase Four” purpose with two end-credit scenes. The first one begins to dissect the origins of the Ten Rings, while the second calls attention to Shang Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing, and her future role in the MCU.

Overall, we think Shang-Chi’s story is one of Marvel’s bests; it delivered in all the ways we were hoping for and more.

We are eagerly awaiting more representation for people of color in Marvel’s future work.

by Amy Ge and Srishti Thapar

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ALBUM REVIEWS: DONDA “Mask on my face, you can’t see what I’m finna do” raps Kanye West as his new album “Donda” dropped on Aug. 29. The album is comprised of 27 songs with over 30 features.

Out of the 27 songs, “Hurricane” catches the listener’s attention as we are introduced to The Weeknd’s angelic falsetto voice. We are then introduced to Lil Baby who, unlike The Weeknd, discusses his personal struggles. Lil Baby raps about the loss of three of his friends at the hands codeine, a narcotic pain reliever.

Lastly, we are then introduced to Kanye’s verse, which also talks about his personal struggles. Kanye focuses on his past troubles such as his troubling childhood and also mentions his current troubles such

HIT OR MISS?

as his divorce from Kim Kardashian.

The next song that catches the listener’s attention is “Off The Grid” as we are introduced to Kanye singing the chorus. In typical Kanye fashion, he speaks about how everything he has done has been trendsetting and different from other rappers.

Listeners are then treated to Playboi Carti’s verse in which he talks about his personal embellishments, like his tattoos, and his interests such as strip clubs. Next up is Fivio Foreign’s verse. Fivio reminisces about his time in prison and growing up poor. Kanye’s verse brings up the rear, filled as it is with more Kanye self-indulgence about his continual tendency to go viral with everything he produces and does. He follows

with references to his past beef with Drake.

Compared to his other songs on the album “Donda,” “No Child Left Behind” was not of the same quality.

Lyrically speaking, it was not bad; Kanye talks about not wanting to leave his children behind following his much-publicized split from Kardashian. However, he repeated the lyrics “No child left behind” and “He’s done miracles on me” over and over again, totalling 50 times in a song that’s just under three minutes long, which made it feel not only repetitive, but also endless.

If you are more than just an avid Christian, you will love “Donda,” since it is filled with references to his Christian faith. However, if you love

the old Kanye, maybe not as much.

Some of his songs such as “Off The Grid” can compare to his old songs like “Power.” “Donda” was a decent album that will now define his career.

by Kelsie Park and David Zhang

SOLAR POWER Lorde has come back into the light with a self-aware, more “hippie” album, “Solar Power” after stepping away from “Melodrama” in 2017 due to rising to fame at such a young age.

Lorde’s new album reflects the time she spent alone, off of social media, and moving back home to Auckland, New Zealand during her fouryear hiatus.“Solar Power” is about appreciating the natural beauty of everyday life. “Solar Power” lacks the quick change-ups of instruments, firework sound effects and electric beat drops that were seen in “Melodrama” and “Pure Heroine.”

The album starts with “The Path,” which begins with an allusion to her struggle as an artist trying to advocate for climate control without

impeding on the album’s potential.

“The Path,” has upbeat instrumentals and vocals, making the song seem that it is rather reminiscing on her new outlook on her life, not the climate crisis.

While “Solar Power” appears to touch on the climate crisis, Lorde seems to be talking more about the natural healing the sun can do, not solutions.

“Fallen Fruit” grants permission to sulk about the current state, rather than encourage change through a moody tone. Lorde did say though that “Solar Power” was not going to be some “big climate change record,” saying she’s an artist, not a climate activist.

“Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen

it All)” has a nostalgic, optimistic tone as the narrator, future Lorde, addresses her younger self. Lorde wrote and titled this song as if she was older than 24 years old, allowing her to give “advice” to her current self to keep pushing through life’s overcoming opposition.

We soon hear Lorde’s “Solar Power” utopia turn to dystopia in “Leader of a New Regime.” Around the 1:30 minute mark, Lorde sings about a future in which the planet has come to ruines because of the climate crisis, leaving humans displaced.

Furthering the idea of modernity, pop melody, “Mood Ring” expresses the challenges in connecting spiritually in the “modern world.” As expected, Lorde makes critical satire

Thai music in the dance break, and you can see her passion for the song in her enjoyable, energetic performances. Despite the song’s overnight popularity, the production feels sloppy and rushed, with an empty chorus and jarring transitions.

Notably, Lisa was not involved in the production or songwriting process for both songs in her album that was supposed to show her talents and identity outside of Blackpink.

As a prominent rapper, Lisa’s verses felt empty with boasts that uphold her fierce online image that has always been promoted to fans. The singing parts of the song did not suit her unique vocal tone, though she was able to showcase her amazing rapping abilities that

were not previously apparent in her short rap segments in group songs.

Despite full rap verses, the songs did not live up to the expectations of fans as they believe the international star deserves a song that shows her full potential.

The album also includes a sidetrack, “Money,” along with the instrumentals for the two songs, which would usually be the amount of content in an EP or a mini-album.

The sidetrack is entirely in English and is also dedicated to Lisa’s success with mediocre lyrics such as “Twerking, twerking, when I buy the things I like / Dolla’, dollas dropping on my ass tonight” that feel outdated and awkward.

Overall, Lisa’s highly anticipated

sound like a worship anthem.

Overall, “Solar Power” is a fruit of Lorde’s newfound maturity. The coming of age seen in her two prior albums sets with the sun.

by Mirabel Hunt and Dixie Wallerius

LALISA “Being the greatest of all time ain’t fantasy,” raps Lalisa Manoban, better known as Lisa, in her debut album “Lalisa,‘’ with a title track of the same name. The 24-year-old Thai star is the main dancer in the viral K-pop group Blackpink and is the third member of the group to release solo music. Her music video broke Youtube records for solo music artists, garnering 70 million views in 24 hours and eventually 100 million views. However, despite stunning performances and a music video that spared no expense, the song falls flat. “‘Lalisa”’ is a fast-paced, danceable and EDM-heavy song with a catchy chorus that will no doubt go viral.

The song pays homage to her Thai roots with the addition of traditional

LALISA debut album did not reach expectations and although it leaves a strong impression on listeners, the songs’ production quality makes it underwhelming, especially for such a famous star.

by Helene Gao

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INto THE PITS Clad in dark-wash bell bottoms and shades pulled low over his nose, Henry McKeag played an electrifying riff, the tremor of his guitar permeating the crowd.

He bopped his head to the beat, brows furrowed in concentration. As a golden glow set over the stage of Oceanside Brewing Company and the audience begged for an encore, he beamed with confidence.

“You guys want another one?” McKeag said to the crowd. His bandmates began to play the rhythmic tune of “Wild Thing”

by The Troggs, which was met with the approval of their exuberant fans.

McKeag, now a seasoned performer and the lead singer and guitarist of his band, Saguaro, graduated from Canyon Crest Academy in June 2021.

With music inspired by the sounds of the ‘70s, Saguaro’s covers and originals are always crowd-pleasers.

“We love the Grateful Dead, Cactus and Humble Pie and all that kind of stuff,” McKeag said. “That’s our jam, and that’s why we jam.”

McKeag’s passion

for music started young, having grown up in a musical household, and he developed a budding talent for guitar and love for performing on stage.

“Playing music is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done,” he said.

“There is nothing like the feeling of having a good practice or having a good gig.”

The drummer of Saguaro, Curran Benson, thinks similarly. “[Performing is] certainly an adrenaline rush,” Benson said. “It can be addicting.

You can think of the rush as like coming off a cliff into water.”

This rush makes for a better show, and sometimes ruined equipment. Once, during a gig at Fiesta Island where Saguaro was headlining, a drum was the victim of McKeag’s excitement.

“Mark dragged a tom drum onto the stage that we didn’t want anymore, and I took my guitar and I stuck the head of the guitar through the drum,” McKeag said.

“It was just spur of the moment.”

A fan of Saguaro, M i k k o K o h n k e Sunenshine (12) is a regular at local band shows and loves their stage presence.

“They kind of have The Who energy when they’re on stage, and like at the end of all their sets, somebody like throws a guitar,” Kohnke-Sunenshine said. “They like to put on a show, and it’s fun to watch.”

Electrifying performances like these are universal in the world of music.

Ruben Duarte, a sophomore at San Dieguito Academy and the guitarist photos by rasa nyce/falconer and saguaro

for the bands Monkey Jam and The Skeptiks, can relate to the exhilarating feeling of performing.

“It’s like raw energy. I tend to head bang, maybe do a jump or a spin or just some crazy stuff, because you want to get the attention of the crowd,” Duarte said.

“You want them to also feel alive.”

Playing music is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done.

Henry McKeag PERFORMER

Music is also often a creative outlet for these artists.

“It’s kind of like showing off an art piece,” Benson said. “Like, playing a show is equal to painting something really nice, something that you’re proud of, and seeing it showing at an exhibition.”

However, it’s not all roadies and rock and roll.

Occasionally, sacrifices have to be made. Duarte is all too familiar with such, often having to juggle his band and school.

“Sometimes I have to bite the bullet, ask for a ride or just not do my homework on time, or stay up till 11 [p.m.] because I have a band thing to do.”

According to Duarte, the key to maintaining stability in a band is dedication like the one he displays.

“Being in a band is about commitment,” he said. “If you don’t find people who are as committed as you are, then that band isn’t going to last long.”

McKeag is all for this kind of devotion, and he sacrifices large amounts of his time for his band.

“There’s a lot of headaches because I hand screen-print all the merch; I design the merch stuff; I set up all the shows; I host the practices. So it’s a lot of extra work to do, but I think the payoff is very worth it,” McKeag said. “It’s like working a job, except you don’t get paid for this one.”

But even with all the struggles that

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accompany the band life, James Couzens, a band teacher who has run an independent music lesson school for the past ten years, believes that “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Couzens applies this mantra to his students, whom he has seen occasionally struggle to keep up with their responsibilities and their band.

“What I’ve seen most commonly is just being overcommitted with too many extracurricular activities and trying to balance it all with school,” Couzens said.

I would love to make money [playing music]. But ... it’s not like my goal to make money; it’s my goal to continue to play.

Curran Benson PERFORMER

One of his students, Paige Parker (12), who’s been taking lessons with Couzens for the past 8 years, is familiar with this balancing act.

“I play soccer, do cheer and theater, and I have a bunch of school work,” Parker said. “Everything piles up, and it’s hard to squeeze in time for music, but I want to keep up my skills.”

Parker is the co-vocalist and keyboardist of her band, The Special Guests. According to Couzens, she is one of his many students who truly dedicate themselves to their bands.

“I do have students that balance both [school and music] because they make it a priority,” Couzens said. “They show up and honor their commitments to their bands.”

However, many musicians don’t make it out of the garage. Although most artists hope for a professional career in music, they recognize the importance of education and

having a fallback.

“Most of the kids [in bands] are smart; they’re not banking on music,” Couzens said. “If it happens, awesome, and if it doesn’t happen, awesome. In either case, it’s definitely going to broaden them out going forward, regardless of the direction they choose to go.”

Benson recognizes that, and he’s glad to have music’s benefits, even if his career path changes later on.

“I would love to make money [playing music],” Benson said. “But the nice thing is, even if I can’t make money on it, I can always still [play music]. It’s not like my goal to make money; it’s my goal to continue to play.”

Parker too values the music more than material success.

“Music is all about what you put into it, and if you are doing

what you love, it shouldn’t feel like a chore,” Parker said. “Some people do it as a job, and they feel like they have to do it, but being in a band taught me a lot about actually wanting to play.”

Though playing music is definitely not a chore to McKeag, he’s studying graphic design as a backup, and he mocks himself that his other career path is just as “sort of dumb and creative” as music. But even in the face of all these brutal realities, he encourages students to pursue their dreams of being in a band.

“There is nothing stopping anyone from starting a band,” McKeag said. “You can barely learn your instruments, and if you just mesh right with the right people, then you’re good. It’s a lot simpler than you might originally think it to be, and the only thing stopping you is yourself.”

McKeag and Benson have some last words of inspiration for aspiring musicians.

“Lastly, listen to the blues,” Benson said.

Beside him, McKeag’s face lit up.

“Listen to the blues!” McKeag said, laughing. “If you’re gonna play guitar, and you want to play rock and roll, play the blues.”

by Adriana Hazlett and Kathryn Reese

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Nolan Ezzet

SPORTS EDITOR

Falcons soar past the Poway Titans PHOTO FROM CORMAC CADDEN

Regan Guirguis

STAFF WRITER

TPHS varsity football (21) defeated the Poway High School Titans (2-2) 26-6 at home on Sept. 10.

The Falcons’ tactical offensive plays and strong defense resulted in their first home win of the season.

Poway started with possession of the ball, but that didn’t stop the Falcons from making a statement with a heavy tackle by outside linebacker Jake Zimmerman (11) as one of the first plays of the game.

With a Titans turnover on downs at the 50-yard line, the Falcons had their work cut out for them. But, that was no challenge for running back Wyatt Gardner (12), who took a handoff from quarterback Remi Baere (11) and took it to the house for a 37-yard score, giving the Falcons a 7-0 lead.

After the Falcons defense forced the Titans to punt, Ryan Flather (12) had the second score of the game with a 30-yard touchdown reception when the Poway defense just couldn’t keep up. The first quarter ended at 13-0.

“There was great pass protection, my O-line gave me time,” Baere said. “I got time to throw the ball, and when I get to throw the ball, we make things happen.”

The Falcons started the second quarter with possession of the ball and drove down the field into Titans’ territory. However, the Falcons lost a fumble at the 20-yard line, giving Poway possession.

After strong defensive play by Matan Morris (12), Poway fumbled and Dakari Rumph (10) recovered the ball. However, the Falcons´

offense failed to move the ball and didn’t capitalize on the forced turnover.

After both teams had fumbled the ball back and forth, the Falcons pulled through with a gamechanging play. Baere zipped one to Flather, who tossed a backward lateral throw to Gardner to set up a 70-yard touchdown. The flea-flicker made the score 19-0 at the end of the first half.

“Defensively we constantly brought a good mindset to each series, we took it playby-play,” Morris said. “We

Defensively we are very active.

We’ve got a lot of kids who move to the football and fight to get to the football.

Ron Gladnick

TPHS HEAD COACH wore their offense down by being physical. Plenty of guys had big hits, that really just sent a message to them that we weren’t going to back down.”

In the third quarter, the Falcon defense prevented the Titans from scoring any touchdowns. Big tackles from Morris and Griffin Grant (12) made it nearly impossible for the Titan offense to be effective.

Going into the fourth quarter with the score still at 19-0, things got a bit more tense for the Falcons. The Titans drove down the field gaining momentum. They scored their first touchdown

PHOTO FROM CORMAC CADDEN

of the game after having the first one called back for having an illegal man downfield. This brought the score to 19-6 after a missed extra point, narrowing the lead with five minutes left in the game. The Falcons quickly answered the Titan score when Flather scored his second touchdown with a 36-yard catch, resulting in the final score of 26-6.

“Defensively we are very active. We’ve got a lot of kids who move to the football and fight to get to the football.”

TPHS head coach Ron Gladnick said. “Offensively we show flashes, like last week in Rancho Bernardo we came out and scored 29 unanswered points in the second half, almost 500

yards of offense.”

After almost a year and a half, this was the Falcons first home win with an audience in the stands. The student section was loud and excited to cheer for its favorite team again.

“It feels amazing being out here, especially with all my friends. It feels great to be out here with the student section; it is a great environment,” Baere said.

The Falcons have a bye week on Fri., Sept. 23. They return to the gridiron when they play a strong Carlsbad High School team (5-0) at Carlsbad on Oct. 1.

The next TPHS home game will be against Mission Hills High School (3-1) on Oct. 15.

PHOTO FROM CORMAC CADDEN

Nothing hurts more in fantasy football than watching your top players absolutely bust Week 1.

This year, however, almost everyone experienced something along those lines, with many top picks putting up dud performances.

If you were fortunate enough to have a top two pick in your draft, you were likely saved from this awful feeling, as both Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook had respectable fantasy performances.

But besides those two, players put up disappointing numbers.

The third, fourth and fifth overall picks in most drafts were Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott in no particular order. If you were fortunate enough to take the chipmunk in New Orleans, congratulations. But if you took King Henry or the man who loves to be fed, you were likely disappointed.

In fact, I lost by five points in one of my leagues with Henry. Had he scored on one of his several carries from the one-yard-line, I would’ve won. Yeah, I’m not too happy.

After the first five picks, every league was different. But where they didn’t differ was the round in which Aaron Jones, Davante Adams and Saquon Barkley went: the first.

All three were duds this week, with Jones and Barkley putting up singledigit points and Adams putting up 10.7 PPR fantasy points.

Those who had a late pick in their draft should be thankful, as most players who went toward the end of the first round, like Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Jonathan Taylor, had solid performances. However, when the beginning of the second round approached, Kelce, Hill and Taylor owners took guys like Austin Ekeler and Najee Harris, who both underperformed.

Other players commonly taken in the second round, like Calvin Ridley, Antonio Gibson, Clyde EdwardsHelaire, also had underwhelming performances.

The last group of underperformers wasare the least frustrating, as they managed to give their owners double-digit PPR fantasy points.

This group includes Stefon Diggs, DK Metcalf, Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown. But owners expected elite performances, so failing to put up 18+ PPR fantasy points is still a disappointment.

Overall, top fantasy picks let their owners down. Most fantasy teams had at least two star players put up bench-worthy numbers. As a result, almost every fantasy team scored lower than their projection, so don’t panic if your team was one of them.

Just make sure you don’t sell low on a top player simply because he let you down Week 1.

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DAY IN THE LIFE and the Legend of the Ten Rings An hour-long team workout before school and three hours of practice after school paid off for Zach Rowell (12), whose dedication to his sport earned him his No. 46 rank in California. three-star The soundtrack is another

Marvel’s 25th and first Asian-American The (out of five) defensive lineman, who is the 97th ranked memorable part of the movie. superhero movie, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the recruit in the country, recently committed to Stanford after receiving It was by music Ten Rings,” creates a fresh, richly-cultured origin Division Oneproduced scholarship offers from 12 schools, including Michigan, recording company story — that of Shang Chi and his intricate family Miami, USC and UCLA, just to name a few. Rowell, who also plays tight 88rising and features dynamics. After years of white superhero stories, end, has been a member of the varsity team since his sophomore year. prominent Asian artists Shang Chi’s story feels like a breath of fresh air “Growing up, I’ve always loved the sport. My dad played football in including but not limited for people of color. college. I have a great family history, and I’ve always been a pretty big Keshi, up NIKI,

Unlike “Black Widow,” “Shang Chi and the kidto growing so I and kindKorean of just fell in love with the sport,” Rowell said.

R&B DPR up LIVE and Legend of the Ten Rings” wasn’t available for premier Whenstars he’s lining on the defensive side, Rowell focuses on several DPR IAN. Its hip-hop focus is access on Disney+. This change led to a boom at U.S. box offices, goals. reminiscent of “Black with the movie amassing over $90 million during the Labor “My objective is to stop the run game, Panther” sounds, Day weekend alone. tackle the ball carrier, get to the which we loved. quarterback. I go around and make

Regardless of its sales, “Shang Chi and

A l t h oplays u g and h tackles,” Rowell said. the Legend of the Ten Rings” is actor Tony a historical milestone for He “villainous,” is a l s o known for his exceptional plays at tight Leung Chiu Wai’s Xu Wenwu, Shang Chi’s father, Asian representation in end. is both anti-hero and character with really whom hard Western media as it is “The goal of tight endan is pretty much to a block a lot, work the first superhero and, when youaudiences can sympathize. get the opportunity, you can score touchdowns as well.”

Wenwu is one of the best villains in Marvel movie produced by At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Rowell towers over his opponents, and he history. despite He is consumed with shame past a predominantly believes his agility, his size, sets him apartabout from his other players he meets Shang Asian cast and along with theuntil grueling hard work heChi’s puts mother, in daily. Jiang Li (Fala production team.

“I have suchChen), who sees past his mistakes. Her tragic death a big passion for the game,” he said. “When I go out there revitalizes his mission with the Ten Rings b u t It is immeasurably I can just turn my mind off and do what I love.” switches his focus from gaining impactful for us Even when he’s away from the field, Rowell disciplines himself and power to reuniting with his — and likely many focuses on improving. dead wife. is Grief and bad. love other Asian people “[My academic workload] not too It’s definitely manageable, the I manage driving my forces — to get to see faces but I just got tobecome make sure time,” Rowell said. “I need to in his plan, and so I just have to put in the more similar to ours maintain my grades indestructive order to go to Stanford, complexity of character on the big screen. The same work I dothis for football.” makes him the a NFL well-designed screenwriters were able Rowell aspires to join and his commitment to Stanford for villain. to seamlessly incorporate the next four years is a big step in his journey. With many schools vying Additionally, fast-paced, Mandarin Chinese and authentic for his services, he chose thethe Cardinal because he admires the coacheing Chinese football Kung-Fu sequences cultural elements in the script. Moments staffthoughtful and the intensive program.

Rowell is the 15th player to made to the film stand out compared to which other currently ranks No. 2 such as when Shang Chi and his Asian-American commit Stanford’s 2022 recruiting class, best friend Katy, take off their shoes before entering her house to inMarvel creations. the Pac-12 and No. 26 in the nation.

Director isDestin Cretton’s fight were inspired have congee (traditional rice porridge) for breakfast are subtle but “Football pretty much my life.

It’ssequences truly a blessing for me toby be able “wuxia,” a Chinese genre big to play it at such a high level,” Rowell said. “Football has opened significant scenes that resonate with many Asian audiences. of I’llstorytelling that be leaving there with a

Plot-wise, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” doors for me, especially with Stanford. Like mixes dreamsmartial and goalsarts of going takes another route from usual “found family” Marvel stories. Blood- Stanford degree and hopefully pursuing my and fantasy. These related connections are and remain the backbone of this movie. to the NFL.” His dedication to the sport is demonstratedelements came to life by his rigorous schedule: Each member of Shang Chi’s family was significant, including his hydrated sister, Xi Xialing. Time and attention were given to her character, a morning workout with the football team,in staying the slower, more and until the evening, doing and the film also touches on the misogyny that exists in many Asian maintaining meals during school, practicing intimate martial art homework and preparing for the next day — rinse and repeat. cultures. duels that seem to “I want to keep setting the tone for my peers, and hope that people The film alternates between Shang Chi’s backstory at various also be Iinfused with get things done and how younger ages training to be a martial artist-trained assassin for his can look up to me so I can show them how tomagic. how he fuels his father’s antagonist organization: the Ten Rings and his modern- to do things the right way,” Rowell said, explaining Because of the rare motivation. day life living in San Francisco as a valet. show of diversity, it was With strong support from his family, many whom alsowe play football, Katy, played by Awkafina, is a character that provides comic easy ofto forget were relief and also represents the unique Asian-American experience he is able to balance his busy athletic schedule. watching a Marvel movie.

“For me, it’s family that comes Audiences first and after family, it’s obviously of being disconnected from their culture and losing a part of their likely felt immersed be school.

I’m pretty religious After I try to get identity. Katy’s physical appearance and heritage as a Chinese going in to the mystical land of Ta too.

Lo, I’m and Catholic. its colorful, artistic done, I just lock into football.” person makes it difficult for her to fully fit into American life, everything scenes — another distinction from classic Marvel stories.

He also credits his exceptional football performance to his passion for and her inability to pronounce Shang Chi’s name and understand But, typical of all Marvel movies, “Shang-Chi” continues Marvel’s sport and the uphill battle he has fought to get to where he is.

Mandarin makes her an outsider in the culture of her ancestors. the grander, “Phase Four” purpose with two end-credit scenes. The first “If you want to be great at anything in life, you just got to work hard.”

This bitter but familiar struggle is one begins to dissect the origins of the Ten Rings, while the second just another way “Shang Chi calls attention to Shang Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing, and her future role

by Helene Gao and the Legend of the in the MCU.

Overall, we think Shang-Chi’s story is one of Marvel’s Ten Rings” bests; it delivered in all the ways we were hoping for and more. speaks to We are eagerly awaiting more representation for people of color in the Asian Marvel’s future work.

A m e r i c a n population.

by Amy Ge and Srishti Thapar

Zach Rowell

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TPalumCarsonWilliamssignswiththeTampaBayRays Piper Levy

BACKPAGE EDITOR

On Jul. 11 Carson Williams (21) was selected 28th overall in the MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, as a shortstop and pitcher.

Carson had a very successful senior season as a Falcon, hitting .495, with 11 home runs, 34 stolen bases and 10 doubles. His fastball is in the mid-90 mph along with a slider and a changeup in the mid 80s, statistics that led to him being ranked 64th in California.

Starting with his sophomore-year commitment to the University of California, Berkeley, Williams has always been on lots of people’s radar, but he really started climbing MLB amateur draft boards when he won the Jupiter MVP trophy in Florida last October.

Surrounded by his friends and family, Williams remembers MLB Draft day as a dream come true, when he could see the opportunity of a lifetime presented to him, the day countless years of hard work, sweat and sacrifice all came together as the best reward he could have imagined.

Ever since he was little, Williams was always drawn to sports, especially baseball.

“When I was one year old, my first word was ‘ball.’ I would just play with sports balls like baseballs, basketballs, volleyballs,” Williams said. “I literally didn’t have toys, I would just play with those all day.”

With his consistent work ethic and big goals, Williams pushed himself throughout high school as he aimed at succeeding in baseball. By putting in many hours in the gym and on the field, he showed commitment and dedication to the sport, which led to him withdrawing his commitment from Cal to proceed with the Rays.

“I think it’s the competitiveness of the game, which is why I enjoy it the most out of every sport,” Williams said.

As every student-athlete knows, a solid support system is necessary in order to maintain motivation and a healthy mindset.

“I owe all of my success to my coaches, my dad, my mom and my sister. Everybody who has been with me along the way too, like my friends and family,” Williams said.

Williams has been living in Florida participating in a Rays fall instructional league-style program. His new routine. includes more rigorous training, getting to know teammates and adapting to the shift from playing baseball as a hobby to competing professionally. “[We have] early morning wake up, and then we go to the complex and eat breakfast. After breakfast, we go into the gym and stretch out. Then we go take infield grounders, go through our hitting routine, and then we play a game,” Williams said.

Along with a bigger field at the Rays facility, the crowds are much larger than Williams is used to, but he claims

to enjoy seeing all of the fans and the energy they bring to the games.

Along with adapting to his new surroundings in a professional setting, Williams has also embraced the increased pressure and expectation.

He has thrived under the conditions because of his own expectations are higher than anyone else’s.

“It’s not even an option. You have to [be at your best] when you’re playing every single day. You’re either in or

Osaka candid on mental health struggles Jerry Wu

COPY EDITOR

In 2018, Naomi Osaka shocked the world with a victory over her childhood idol, Serena Williams, in the U.S. Open finals. Shortly after, she laid claim to the No.1 ranking in the world along with three more Grand Slam titles. At the time, little did her supporters and viewers worldwide know what was to come.

After her victory in the first round of the 2021 French Open, Osaka shockingly refused to attend the postgame press conference, for which she was fined $15,000 and threatened with expulsion from the competition.

Later that day, she withdrew from the tournament, citing mental health issues. She revealed she had been suffering bouts of depression since 2018.

She also withdrew from Wimbledon in 2021 for the same reason.

It was not the first time that an athlete voiced his or her mental health struggles.

NBA players Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan have opened up about anxiety and depression in the past.

Superstars Michael Phelps and Simone Biles have also

talked publicly about their own mental health struggles resulting from the pressures of their sports.

To date, the prevalence of elite athletes dealing with mental health issues has risen to over 35%, according to Athletes For Hope, a nonprofit organization that connects athletes with philanthropy. Their collective struggles reveal unrealistic expectations from society, expectations of unrelenting mental strength and drive, and revelations of difficulty in living up to those standards, are often met with skepticism. Too often, athletes feel compelled to push down their mental health struggles to perform for their community. In an essay she wrote for Time Magazine, Osaka admitted she faced immense pressure to disclose her mental struggles, fearing that the tournament organizers would not believe her because of her athletic success.

In speaking about her struggles, Osaka has helped raise awareness of the pressures of performing as an elite athlete. She wants to be a role model for others in being open about mental health struggles and seeking

professional help with them. She firmly believes athletes’ mental health is as important as their physical health.

Her essay for Time is titled “It’s O.K. Not to Be O.K.” Athletes are humans, as she puts it, and athletes deserve the right to take mental breaks without being subjected to harsh scrutiny by the press and public.

Osaka even said she might take a break from tennis following her third-round loss in the 2021 U.S. Open.

Her message is not just relevant to athletes. Aside from finding a balance between school and social life, the extra strains of the pandemic have impacted young adults. Lack of socialization with their peers has led to increased anxiety and depression.

As leaders like Osaka are bringing the mental health conversation into the open, the fight to remove the stigma of seeking help for mental health struggles is beginning to pay off.

NAOMI OSAKA IS FEATURED ON THE COVER OF TIME. SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN CHALLENGING THE STIGMA OF SEEKING HELP.

you’re out.” Williams said.

Williams has high hopes. Along with achieving his goal of making it to the big leagues and enjoying a long career, he would like to get married, start a family and put the money he makes in his career to good use.

To aspiring Falcon baseball players, Williams has some well-worn words of advice. “Have a good work ethic, always trust yourself and be confident,” Williams said.

Meme Review Matan Morris

STAFF WRITER

Usually high school football teams whose games are broadcast by ESPN deserve such an honor. However, when a high school purportedly named Bishop Sycamore was blown out 58-0 on national television

by IMG Academy, many grew suspicious.

Bishop Sycamore supposedly approached the 2021 season with the fourth most difficult schedule in the nation. But, ESPN commentators were skeptical.

“Bishop Sycamore told us they had a number of Division I prospects on their roster, and to be frank, a lot of that, we could not verify,” ESPN announcer Anish Shroff said. “They did not show up in our database, they did not show up in the databases of other recruiting services.”

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine launched an investigation into the school’s legitimacy. He even went so far as to stress concerns about the school’s operations meeting basic standards.

First of all, a Bishop Sycamore never existed.

Finally the coaching staff of “BSHS” was forced to concede that it was not a high school at all. Kevin Hart plans a docuseries on how “the school ... fooled the world and became front page news.”

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Matan Morris varsity football september 17, 6:46 pm camera: canon EOS 5d lens: 105mm iso: 400 exp: 1/125 f/stop: f/4.5

photo by Emily Suh

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Writing Questions Question #1 Devastating, soul-crushing grief. This is the feeling that washed over me when I heard that Pop Pop had passed away at the spry old age of 98. Granted, I only ever heard him called Pop Pop once. Typically we referred to him as “that racist old bag” who “shouldn’t be invited to Thanksgiving dinner.” Pop Pop’s death sent me spiralling into a deep depression. I believe that the fact that this depression lasted all of thirty seconds, however, is a sign of my incredible resilience and ability to overcome obstacles.

Question #2 When I first looked upon the poverty-stricken landscape of Mexico, I was instantly overwhelmed by my own privilege. I went on that mission trip with the intent of teaching those poor school children, but I never expected that they’d end up teaching me. I was deeply flattered by the fact that they called me “gringo,” which they say means “educated one” in Mexican. This experience has inspired me to pursue a career in business and finance so that I can stay in a nicer hotel if I ever come back to build more schools.

Question #3 I’m only writing this essay to seal my commitment and full ride. My college counselor told me I have to do this, I don’t understand why, I’m the best quarterback in the North Division San Diego Section 125 Class C district.

Question #4 Stanford University Princeton University Duke University

I have a 37 ACT and a 7.1 GPA. I am president of speech and debate, student council, and ASB. I developed a cure for cancer at age 13. I discovered the last pair of mating dodo birds in existence last fall. I rejected my Nobel prize in order to attend my rocket ship launch to Neptune (the planet I relate to the most). Even though my mom says I have the personality of a moist lampshade, you should accept me into your college.