Issuu

Recognizing the LGBTQIA+ Community

See pages 6 & 7

Featured Athlete: Jordan Hendy

The Origins of Halloween See page 8

See page 12

Fremont High School

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PHOENIX

Vol. 4 Issue No. 2 oct. 20, 2015

Photo courtesy of The Telegraph

THE discovery of flowing water on Mars in early Oct. suggests potential life forms in the previously thought of barren planet.

NASA scientists discover flowing water on Mars by Julie Wi

Opinion Editor

Once thought a dry and desolate red planet, Mars has recently been discovered to have water currently flowing on its surface, suggesting the possibility of life on Mars. Dark streaks found on its slopes and evidence of hydrated salts suggest liquid water still flows during Mars’ summer months. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientists, Mars once was a planet covered in more water than Earth’s Arctic Ocean. Scientists measured water signatures in the planet’s atmosphere and discovered that water used to flow on

the surface 4.3 billion years ago. Researchers are still unsure where the water has gone. Even after 4.3 billion years, the water still has not dried up completely. In 2006, NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor took pictures while orbiting the red planet that suggest liquid water still flows on its surface. More recently, dark streaks on Mars’ slopes and evidence of hydrated salts were the first solid evidence of liquid water on the red planet. The Guardian reports that not only is there evidence of frozen and now liquid water, but Mars’ atmosphere is humid and its soils are more hydrated than scientists

previously believed. With the newly confirmed presence of water on a planet other than Earth, the possibility of life outside of Earth is still unknown. Less than a year ago, however, two Fremont High School students attempted to explore the possibility. Sophomores Alexander Ivanov and Rajiv Relakanti conducted an experiment over Christmas break last year, testing organisms in a chamber which mimicked Mars’ conditions. They tested two algae and a type of bacteria in water and put them in the same pressure, temperature, soil and air composition they would be exposed to on the planet.

“The bioleaching bacteria didn’t survive at all,” Relakanti said. “But the anabaena, one of the two algae, survived both of our two rounds of testing and the other algae survived in one.” The results of the experiment suggest life could potentially be sustained on Mars—and these findings are only made more relevant by the recent confirmation of water on the planet. “What we’re thinking is that the presence of liquid water [on Mars] adds to the significance of our project,” Relakanti said. To Ivanov, solid evidence of liquid water means a wider range of possibilities

for life on Mars. “In the past, people were seeing if organisms could survive with absolutely no water, but now that there’s water, it opens up a lot [possibilities for] testing,” Ivanov said. “It gives a lot more options for what can survive on Mars.” Despite the excitement of having found water on Mars, NASA may not be able to explore it any further due to the Outer Space Treaty made effective in 1967, which protects other planets from harmful contamination. Though sterilized on Earth, probes are difficult to sterilize completely or protect from picking up microbes as they

travel through space. A Mars rover coming in close contact to a water source could lead to contamination and consequential interference with the planet’s natural environment. Due to this issue, there is controversy surrounding the exploration of Mars’ water sources and potential consequences of further examination. Nonetheless, water on Mars means a greater possibility of life on Mars, and perhaps even human colonization in the distant future. The controversy surrounding the interference with Mars’ environment remains, but the discovery is a step toward the ongoing mission to find life in outer space.

Archbishop Mitty student passes away after car crash by Nadia Anees Staff Writer

On Wed. Sept. 23 at around 3:30 p.m. freshman Loukas Angelo of Archbishop Mitty High School in West San Jose was hit by a car as he was leaving campus. He fell into a coma for the next two days and was announced brain-dead

Friday night. Word spread quickly especially on social media. People posted prayers and messages for Angelo. On Instagram, there are over 1,000 posts dedicated to Angelo using the hashtag #PrayForLoukas. Of course, AMHS was highly impacted after the

accident. “The day before [the accident], our school met in the morning to celebrate the new school year, but little did we know that we would be meeting again at mass to pray for Loukas the following day,” Deepa Marti, freshman, said. “During our all school assembly

on Thursday, everywhere you looked you would see students of all grades shedding tears even if they didn’t know him.” On Thursday, all AMHS students wore white to school in honor of Angelo. “When I entered campus on Thursday, everyone was incredibly emotional

and everyone, literally, was wearing white”, Alllison Kopolos, freshman, said. “Because of the loss, my school was brought together and everyone showed so much love towards each other.” Koplos said. Loukas was known as stylish, selfless and humorous by his friends. He had a

passion for wearing unique socks and basketball. “He [Loukas] was one of those players who were really good but he didn’t just take the ball… He passed the ball to others so they could score,” Joseph Vaughn, one of his closest friends and teammates, said. Continued on page 2

News

oct. 20, 2015

Teacher Milestones by Michael Alva Staff Writer

More colleges go test-optional by Jenny Nguyen Staff Writer

Stephanie Fujii

10 years

Stephanie Fujii is an American Literature Honors, Literature Writing and Avid 11 teacher. This is her 10th year here at Fremont High School. Before Fujii worked at FHS, she worked at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and later got her teaching credential from San Jose State University. Her hobbies outside of FHS are going to the movies, reading, playing with her three year-old daughter and baking cupcakes.

Michael Smith

15 years

Michael Smith is a physical education, academic foundations and Avid 9 teacher. This is his 15th year teaching at Fremont High School. After high school Smith studied at San Diego State University. Smith wanted to teach at FHS because he likes the diversity and environment at FHS. In his free time Smith likes to golf, coach his kids in sports and watch sports.

More and more colleges in the US are beginning to drop the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Test (ACT) as a requirement for the application process. The test-optional trend has been steadily growing in the US for the past few years. According to College Data, test-optional policy means that applicants can choose whether to submit standardized test scores as part of their admission. Colleges deciding to be test-optional say that there are other factors besides how well students can take a standardized test to take into consideration. Standardized test scores can be majorly boosted through coaching and tutoring. Admission staffs are well aware that some students do not have access to those resources. San Jose Unified School District has schools that are planning to subsidize nearly the entire cost of SAT exams for juniors in the district, according to the Oct. 6 story on The San Jose Mercury News named “San Jose Unified to make SAT, AP, IB tests nearly free.” Students will pay five dollars per exam enabling students to take the SAT regardless of their economical position.

Continued from front page

Leslie Cannon

15 years

Leslie Cannon is the Attendance Account Technician. This is Cannon’s 15th year at Fremont High School. One of Cannon’s favorite things about FHS is how all of the students are different from each other. In her free time, she likes to frame pictures and work in her garden, where she grows tomatoes and peppers. In the summer she makes salsa all day long.

Maria Gomez

20 years

Maria Gomez is the Senior Clerical Assistant. This is Gomez’s 20th year at Fremont High School. One of her favorite things about FHS is that all of the students are very respectful to her. In her free time Gomez likes to take photos and to do scrapbooking.

“I could talk to him about anything” Ella Mulcahy, close friend of Angelo, said. As what his family calls his “final gift”, Loukas donated his organs to help someone else who may be facing a similar situation. Pedestrian death is a recurring problem. Each year, over 270,000 pedestrians lose their lives due to numerous road safety issues, according to the United Nations News Center. There are numerous factors that lead to pedestrian fatalities. Pedestrians sometimes cross roads without looking for oncoming cars or jay-walk. Assistant Principal Ben Gonzales has seen many careless students jay-walking frequently. “Accidents due to jaywalking occur all the time,” Gonzales said. “People simply need to be aware of their surroundings. It’s as simple as that.” Of course, there are also unsafe drivers who do not follow speed limits, do not look for out people walking or crossing roads or simply have poor visibility of pedestrians. In this case, it was likely that both the pedestrian and driver were unaware of each other which resulted in this tragic accident.

“The College Board, which administers collegeentrance exams, charges $54.50 each time a student takes the SAT,” Sharon Noguchi wrote in “San Jose Unified to make SAT, AP, IB tests nearly free.” “The district plans to offer the SAT to juniors in a special sitting during the school day on March 2. A student wanting to take the SAT on another day, or to retake the test, will have to pay the entire cost.” Statistics on Washington Post’s Mar. 4 story “These four charts show how the SAT favors rich, educated families” show that standardized test scores are highly correlated with income. Students whose parents make more than $200,000 a year are more likely to perform better on the SAT rather than students whose parents make less than $200,000 annually. Some colleges in the US have a test flexible policy, in which applicants are required to submit a test, as Colorado College’s website says. However, it allows for different testing options in place of the SAT, such as three SAT Subject Tests. Some schools may overlook the testing requirement if applicants meet a minimum GPA or are applying to a specific program. Other schools will allow applicants to send AP test scores

or SAT Subject Test scores instead of the general SAT. By going test-optional, colleges are attempting to diversify their applicant pool by giving more access to high-achieving students who are under represented in the community, whether it be economically or racially. The question is, besides the admirable goal of more diversity in education, why else would schools go test optional? Some people have shown their distaste for the acceleration of test-optional colleges. A study made by Andrew Belasco, “The Test-Optional Movement at America’s Selective Liberal Arts Colleges: A Boon for Equity or Something Else?” showed the effects of schools going test-optional. The study included 180 liberal arts colleges, with roughly one-sixth of them test-optional. In contrast to the theory that colleges are going test-optional to increase diversity, the outcome of his study was shocking. According to the study on American Educational Research Association, “Results show that, on average, test-optional policies enhance the perceived selectivity, rather than the diversity, of participating institutions. There was also no statistically significant

evidence suggesting that there was even a slight bump in diversity.” Perhaps this is because applicants who do submit their SAT scores are often the ones with higher marks. This causes SAT score inflation, which happens when low scores are not submitted, resulting in a college’s overall SAT average to increase, according to the Sept. 3 story on National Public Radio named “Why Colleges Really Are Going Test-Optional.” Some colleges are making the SAT an option to increase their applicant pool, which enables colleges to reject more students and lower their acceptance rates. Both inflated SAT scores and low acceptance rates increase a college’s ranking. Nevertheless, this is one study of many and some think that Belasco has some information twisted. Bill Hiss, former head of admissions at Bates College, conducted a study on this same issue in which admissions deans told him their switch to test-optional had helped them reach under represented students. The number of testoptional colleges is proliferating and taking part in this shift towards leveling the playing field for disadvantaged students.

Gonzales’s farewell by Maggie Bernauer Sports Editor

Ben Gonzales, one of Fremont High School’s assistant principals, is finishing two years on staff on Fri. Oct. 16. He will be moving to the Santa Clara Unified School District as Coordinator of Health and Wellness. His first day in the new job is on Mon., Oct. 19. This new position will mainly focus on him managing some mental health programs for the district that will promote anything that has to do with student mental health and physical wellness. Gonzales will also be supporting students who are having social or emotional issues by managing the programs. Gonzales started his teaching career at Fremont in 1999. After teaching he then went into a job similar to Coordinator of Health and Wellness. He is looking forward to his new job, but there are pros and cons. “The one downside is that my new job will be a little farther away from the students, but I always keep telling myself I will have the ability to affect more students,” Gonzales said. The new position he is going into involves an entire district of students from kindergarten all the way up to seniors in high school. “I am excited to do the

Michael Alva | The Phoenix

BEN Gonzales hard at work, days before his FHS departure.

kind of work involved at the district, but I love being here,” Gonzales said. “I was not looking for another job. They just created this position and most of it was stuff I had already done. They came and approached me about it. I am sad because I love this place, and the people I work with are great. I have never been around a staff that cares so much about kids and the craft of teaching.” The deciding factor for Gonzales to apply was that his job is unique since there is only one other similar position similar in the entire county. He is also in school attending USC through mainly online courses to receive his doctorate. “My dissertation deals

with student mental health, which ties in very well with this new job,” Gonzales said. “It is what I’m passionate about and I want to work in that kind of field eventually.” The two main reasons Gonzales submitted his application for the new job were it fit in with his course of study and the job was rare. With only one other district in the county offering a job similar to his new position, the offer may never present itself for a long time. “There is a real need out there for these kids to be happy, healthy and just be kids,” Gonzales said. “They should focus on learning and not worrying about the other stuff,” Gonzales said.

News 3

ocT. 20, 2015

Calif. passes assisted suicide bill

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PHOENIX

1279 Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd. Room 145 Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)-522-2200 fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com fhsphoenix.com Editor in Chief Chau Nguyen

Managing Editors Sarah Arkoh Jasmine Salik

Photo courtesy of Newsweek

by Sarah Arkoh and Jasmine Salik

Collaboration

On Mon. Oct. 5, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill making it legal for Calif. residents with terminal illnesses to be assisted in dying by their physician. Physician assisted death is defined by Wikipedia as a physician providing a person with the knowledge or means to commit suicide. This can include counseling about lethal doses of drugs or prescribing lethal drugs. Many who want a physician-assisted death live with incurable, painful diseases. One example is that of Brittany Maynard. According to CNN, Maynard was a Californian. In early 2014, Maynard was diagnosed with stage - two-brain cancer. Three months later, her cancer escalated to stage four and was told she only had six months to live. Since Calif. did not yet approve of physicianassisted death, Maynard moved to Oregon where it was legal. After establishing residency, she was soon

able to receive a medication, which ended her life on Nov. 1, 2014. The Death with Dignity National Center helped write and defend the nation’s first successful Death with Dignity law in Ore., protecting the rights of individuals with terminal illness to control their own deaths. To clarify, the Death with Dignity law allows physician-assisted death. The organization is affiliated with the Death with Dignity Political Fund, a separate entity responsible for the political defense of Death with Dignity laws and the promotion of these initiatives in other states. There are several protocols before a patient can be assisted in his or her death. First, the patient must be diagnosed with a terminal illness and a remaining life expectancy of less than six months. He or she must be a mentally competent adult capable of making the decision to die. A written request must be submitted to the patient’s doctor and signed by two witnesses. By law, two physicians must deem a patient

eligible for assisted death. A doctor must then notify the patient of alternatives, such as hospice care, where hospital staff takes care of a patient with a terminal illness until death. If a patient is sure about the decision, the doctor can prescribe either seconal or nembutal, which both are lethal drugs that will kill a patient. In both cases, the drug is ingested orally. While death usually comes within a few minutes, factors such as how healthy a patient is and body mass index can delay a death up to 48 hours. Controversy surrounding physician-assisted death has stemmed from deciding whether the act is compassionate and ethical or murderous and inhumane. Misconceptions regarding these laws have sparked frequently asked questions including: “Are Death with Dignity laws a “slippery slope” toward euthanasia?” Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. Many people oppose euthanasia because they think “put-

ting-down” people like pets are cold-hearted. According to Deathwithdignity.org, “This is a common and completely false claim. The simple fact is Ore. and Wash. residents wouldn’t have voted for a loosely written, open-ended law. The law’s multiple safeguards specifically require and guarantee direct patient involvement. On the contrary, euthanasia is an ambiguous concept that often implies a person’s involuntary death. Euthanasia is illegal throughout the United States and has no relation to the two carefully written and regulated Death with Dignity laws, and there have been no efforts to expand either law beyond their strict guidelines.” As more terminally ill patients express their desire for physician-assisted death, there will no doubt be more states that allow it physicians to assist their patients in dying.

PSAT date moved for accessibility by Mira Dhingra Staff Writer

Sophomore and juniors of the Fremont Union High School District will be eligible to take the new and redesigned 2015 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test on Wed. Oct. 28. In attempt to increase student participation and accessibility of the test, the College Board has scheduled the test to be given on a school morning. In the past, the PSAT/ NMSQT was typically held on a Saturday. However in 2015, students signed up for the PSAT/NMSQT on Oct. 28 will be able to take the test from 7:30a.m.-11:30a.m. during the school day. This makes taking the PSAT more accessible to students who have a busy schedule, religious events that conflict with the weekend, or those who are unable to

find transportation on the weekends. “It’s hard if you have sports or band on the weekend or have to work; it’s been hard for students to take the test,” guidance counselor Lisa Freitas said. Freitas also stated that as a result of changing the day of testing, College Board hopes that more students will take the upcoming PSAT and think about going to a four-year university. Students taking the new PSAT at Fremont High School do not seem to have a conflict with the new schedule of testing. In fact, many students are in favor of taking the test on a Wednesday school morning instead of on a Saturday. “I prefer taking the PSAT on a school morning than the weekend,” sophomore Tommy Gomez said. “It is more convenient, because I am already at school and it is built into my

schedule. I also don’t have to set aside my personal time to take the test.” In addition to the day change, the College Board is making a great effort to encourage students to get a good look of how the new SAT is laid out. This year, the College Board has partnered up with Khan Academy, an online educational program that gives students access to free lectures and instructional videos, to create a personalized SAT practice plan to help prepare students for the SAT. After receiving their PSAT/NMSQT results, students will be able to connect their College Board and Khan Academy accounts to gain access to this self-paced program. This SAT practice program offers full-length practice tests, quizzes and thousands of practice problems. Not only will this

practice plan be free, but it will also encourage students to use their PSAT results to improve their skills and familiarize themselves with the redesigned test format in order to prepare for the new SAT in spring 2016. In the 2016-17 school year, the PSAT/NMSQT will return to being administered on a Saturday because various schools need to change the entire day schedule, which affects every student’s time at school. Therefore, the College Board was only able to set up two test dates during a school day in 2015 because of scheduling conflicts, and will resume to offer Saturday tests again in the following school year.

News Editor Kelly Zhong

Sports Editors

Maggie Bernauer Essam Rao

Arts & Entertainment Editor Emily Wright

Opinion Editor Julie Wi

Online Editor Hannah Butay

Copy Editor Nicole Stibbard

Staff Writers

Michael Alva Nadia Anees Manavi Chandra Mira Dhingra Caroline He Sami Jin Jessica Lara Momina Nadeem Jenny Nguyen Dana Nissan Susannah Schulze Sam Tumkur Ambika Vaidya Michael Wang Allyson Wilbur

Adviser Stacey Stebbins The Phoenix, protected under the California Education code, is a public forum for the students of Fremont High School. The Phoenix staff will publish features, editorials, news and sports in an unbiased and professional manner. Editorials are the official opinion of The Phoenix. Opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Phoenix. All content decisions are made by the student editors and in no way reflect the official policy of Fremont High School, nor the opinions of the administration, faculty, or the adviser. Business advertisements are accepted in The Phoenix. However, The Phoenix reserves the right to deny any ad. Those interested in running advertisements can call the school at (408)-522-2200, or email fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com. An online version of The Phoenix is available at fhsphoenix.com. Letters to the editor and questions for the advice column, may be submitted online at www.FHSphoenix. com, to room 145, Ms. Stebbins’ mailbox, or emailed to fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com. Identities of those who submit questions will remain anonymous. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to styles and policy. Letters to the editor will be published at the discretion of the staff. The Phoenix is the official student newspaper and is distributed free of cost to the students. The Phoenix publishes eight issues throughout the school year.

Opinion Learning disabilities stigma 4

The truth behind special education

Oct. 20, 2015

Stop saying the N-word by Sarah Arkoh

Managing Editor

by Nicole Stibbard Copy Editor

For a vast majority of my life, I didn’t know the difference between a disability and stupidity. I was convinced I was stupid. How wrong I was. Beginning in secondgrade, I was enrolled in a class called learning skills. The first day, a woman came into my class and requested I go with her. I obliged, confused, as my peers’ eyes followed me out the door. Where was I going? Why was I going there? I entered a small room on campus, rainbow tables abound, along with too many “inspiring” posters. Multiple adults stood around the room, smiling so wide it looked painful. A few of my peers sat around the room with glum expressions. The adults introduced themselves and explained learning skills was a class in which I would get extra support. Their explanation was curt and deceptive, somehow not the whole truth. I felt lied to and pitied. A few days later, I went to a meeting with my mom, my learning skills teacher, aids and my teacher. During the meeting, it was explained to me I needed an Individualized Education Program (IEP). IEP is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is a four part legislation ensuring students with disabilities to be provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) suited for their needs. All students enrolled in any type of Special education are required to have an IEP. I remembered hearing the big kids equate “special” with “retarded.” That’s when it hit me; I was different. I was “retarded”, and didn’t know any better. Initially, in secondgrade, my IEP requested I receive classroom adaptations, supplementary aids, shortened assignments, multiple alert cues, preferential seating, continual oral direction with visual cues, shortened and repeated instruction and visual aid. At just six years old, I was overwhelmed. I needed all of that just to barely succeed, while the majority of my peers didn’t. I needed to become proficient in multiple areas to become successful in a “regular” education setting. Did that mean I wasn’t regular? If I wasn’t regular, what was I? By the end of elementary school, my teacher

Nicole Stibbard | The Phoenix

reported I was below grade level in all academic areas. I was beyond confused. For the past few years, I was told I was advancing, on my way to being “regular.” Now, I was told I was behind again. The slow advancement in my confidence began to dwindle, again. Each year I was required to take the Woodcock Johnson III test, which severely failed to mirror the current material I was attempting to learn in my classes. The test is an individual assessment that identifies your strengths, weaknesses, cognitive abilities, processes and academic performance to assist professionals to “diagnose” your disabilities. If you failed to meet the requirements, you had to continue your IEP. I hadn’t reached the requirements to leave the class until seventhgrade. The following school year I was finally enrolled out of learning skills. Throughout this sevenyear period, my mom’s main concern was my personal perception. It was clear to her I lacked confidence and wasn’t aware of what I was capable of. She told my educators I frequently discussed with her the kids who made fun of my peers and I. Despite this, there was no change, the torment never ended. Many peers were exceedingly judgmental toward students in any Special education course. Regularly, my classmates would interrogate our teachers on why a select few of us got reduced homework or extra time on tests, claiming it was unfair and all students deserve the same work amount. Not only did they question our adaptations in learning, but ridiculed our intelligence and taunted us by calling us names and excluding us during classroom activities. This repetitive

judgment caused many of us to deny our enrollment, too ashamed to be in such a class. Aids were constantly breathing down my neck. As they walked toward me, I felt the flashing light above my head, alerting everyone in the room that, yes, I was one of the reasons why there were other oddly attentive adults in our classroom. I was always sure to never have an aid be the one to address my raised hand in class. Due to my educational insulation, I made a few friends with those stuck in the IEP program. We bonded over how we were different from our peers. We agreed most of the alternating learning skills teachers were tremendously belittling, using condescending language, smiling in unnecessary situations and using far too many terms of endearment. The complete opposite, who treated us as educated and capable individuals, were the ones who benefited our learning the most. Titles also played a part of my hatred toward school. The opposite of Special education is referred to as “regular” education by the IDEA. Rather than general education be referred to as “regular”, it would ease the minds of students with a different title, like general. Being in Special education is vastly more frequent than most would assume. Due to this, there should be a more accepting view toward these students. Over the years, my teachers, my many learning skills teachers, aids and my IEP began to act as a suppressing force in my life. They lost their faces and names, and eventually became those, and it, who provided a so-called “diagnosis” on how I was different from the major-

ity and why I needed to be separated. With all the negative stigma surrounding Special education, it was difficult to remain optimistic throughout my journey to educational success. There was, and is, a clear misconception about Special education. Those not in the class believe it’s a place for those less intelligent, and for educators of the class, they believe their students require a slower, hand-held way of learning, when in reality, their students just learn differently. Something I was told regularly was that I wasn’t unintelligent, I just had to work harder than my peers. As a child, I struggled with believing I was intelliget. How could I believe it? Constantly belittled and ridiculed, I ultimately came to the conclusion that my disabilities did not compromise my intelligence. Rather than naturally attaining knowledge and concepts, I feel I learned and adapted more personal ways of bettering myself in terms of my education than many students I encountered. Even if today I still struggle in certain areas, I’m grateful for the effort I put forth to get to where I am today, an active student investing myself in advanced education, with the goal of attending a four-year college—a goal I never thought was close to possible as a child. All students deserve representation for their efforts. If one feels smart, they are smart, and should be valued for the efforts they make, no matter how small. A disability does not make one unintelligent; it only prompts one to work harder. Anything can be achieved with effort and consistency. No one is their disability.

I absolutely hate when people say “nigga”. The word doesn’t make you cool. It’s offensive. And it’s a slap in the face to every black person who died simply because they were black. Let’s start with the history of the word. The word “nigger” stems from the latin word niger, or black. Several variations of the word began to form around the world in the 1800s including negro, nigre and nigress. They were all used as an insult towards Africans, those of African descent and other colored people. Regarding American history, the term “nigger” was used to degrade Africans brought over as slaves as well as their descendants. Describing a black man in this way brought him down to the level of an animal, if not worse. Even after slavery was abolished, those who hated AfricanAmericans and other dark-skinned people continued to use variations of the word to degrade them. Every time I hear the word, I think of the deep history associated with it. No black person enjoyed hearing it 100 years ago and those who died due to discrimination certainly wouldn’t enjoy hearing it used so commonly today. So why is the word used so commonly today? Pop culture. Artists like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Fetty Wap use the word in just about every song and for some listeners, that makes it okay for them to use it too. I understand Jay-Z’s point. Some black people use the term as a term of endearment while others use it in a derogatory fashion. However, I believe we owe it to every black person who died simply because they were black, to eliminate the term. It doesn’t soften the blow that society has changed the -er ending to an -a. The word has such a strong, unimaginable history and we shouldn’t be trying to change it so that it becomes acceptable. Just stop using it. Some African-Americans who use the N word claim that they are “reappropriating” it. Reappropriation is defined as the process in which a group that has been oppressed by actions or terms takes those terms and redefines them. While the efforts are genuine, there is a large number of people who still use the term without the intention of reappropriating it. You shouldn’t defend your use of the word by saying you’re black. And if you’re not black, you most definitely cannot say you’re reappropriating the term. No one should be using the N-word. Ultimately, no one can tell you what to say. But next time you use the N-word, think about what you are really saying.

Ask Esteban Confused : I know the most beautiful girl. She is the most amazing thing in the world and I don’t even know if she thinks of me, but I like her. See the problem is I’m not her type. See the problem is we’re both girls. And she doesn’t think anything of me. If she’s your friend, you might want to tell her how you feel, because at least being honest will make you feel less burdened. Things may get awkward, but if she’s a good friend then she won’t let that get in the way of your friendship. If you guys aren’t that close yet, try to get to know her, and maybe send some signals and see if she responds. If she doesn’t like you back, then that’s okay. Being rejected sucks, but not trying and regretting feels a lot worse. If it doesn’t work out, at least you can move on without regret. Peer Pressured: All of my friends smoke weed, but the thing is, they’re all really popular. In my opinion, the people who smoke weed are stereotypically “dumb”, but because all my friends have their life “together”, it’s kind of pressuring me to smoke too. What should I do? If you think smoking marijuana won’t have any effect on you because your friends seem to be okay, remeber not everything is as it seems and what’s fine for them might not be what’s fine for you. Think about what you’re doing first, and consider the consequences. It’s your choice: do only what you’re comfortable with.

Send in your questions to fremonthighphoenix@ gmail.com or visit fhsphoenix.com

OCt. 20, 2015

False labels by Kelly Zhong News Editor

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are considered overweight or obese. Some obvious reasons for these numbers are that Americans have easy access to fast foods and that they simply don’t exercise enough. However, some seemingly “healthy” labels also trick the public into consuming unhealthy foods. One misleading label is “reduced” or “fat-free.” These foods may have less fat, but companies often put extra sugar to make it taste as good as full-fat versions. As a result, you may still consume the same amount of calories as full-fat choices when you eat low fat foods. Another popular label, “sugar-free”, also isn’t as healthy as you might imagine. Instead of containing real sugars, these products contain artificial sugar. According to Time, artificial sweeteners trigger your brain’s reward system for eating sweet foods more than regular sugar does, causing you to want more sugar. Furthermore, one of Nature’s studies indicated that artificial sweeteners mess with the bacteria in your gut and increased insulin resistance, which may cause diabetes. The same thing goes for diet sodas. Ever wonder how diet soda can taste just as good as the real thing and have zero calories? It’s because companies add artificial sugars instead of real sugar. Aspartame, the sweetener commonly used in diet sodas, may also cause cancer according to the American Cancer Society. Most people have heard that whole grain products are healthier than refined foods. However, the “whole grain” label can also be misleading. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that as long as the natural nutrients of whole grains are added back into the food, the products that are processed can be called “whole grain”. Companies usually add molasses, thick and brown syrup made from raw sugar, to darken the color as well. In addition, foods that say, “zero trans fat” might actually contain 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving or lower, which is allowed by the FDA. Trans fat is linked to heart problems, including a higher risk of clogged arteries. Therefore, if you eat too many of these foods like potato chips you could be eating a lot of unhealthy fats without knowing it. Consumers usually think products labeled “natural” are raw and fresh. However, the FDA definition of natural is any food that contains no added colors, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances. Some companies exploit many loopholes in this definition. For example, Health. com says companies can add preservatives or high fructose corn syrup and call the product “all-natural”, even though these additives are processed and unhealthy. There are plenty of misleading “healthy” food labels companies print on their products. Now that you know some of the common ones, be careful the next time you go grocery shopping.

Arts & Entertainment Suprisingly unhealthy foods 5

by Hannah Butay Online Editor

Baked potato chips are seen as a healthy alternative to regular chips that have been fried. According to the Food Network, however, baked potato chips have less vitamin C than regular potato chips. Since baked potato chips tend to taste more bland than regular chips because they aren’t fried, companies typically add more salt to compensate for the flavor. Because of this, baked chips have higher amounts of sodium than fried potato chips.

Despite Coke’s claim that Vitaminwater is “a great tasting beverage with with essential vitamins”, according to Forbes, Vitaminwater actually has low nutritional value and contains more sugar than the traditional soda.

Energy bars claim to have high amounts of protein and vitamins. However, according to Livestrong, energy bars also contains high quantities of sugar and corn syrup that, while providing a quick source of energy, do more harm than help in the long run.

Trail mix can be great for energy when doing strenuous things such as hiking or rock climbing. It’s even easy to make at home. Despite this, Forbes says store-bought trail mix is nowhere near as healthy as its homemade counterpart. The bananas are typically deep fried and some brands even cover their nuts in yogurt, which adds excess sugars and fats. Illustrations by Julie Wi

Future Business Leaders of America profile by Michael Wang Staff Writer

Future Business Leaders of America is a club that meets every Friday at Lunch in Room 123. According to FBLA President Abhinav Kotra, this club develops business and leadership skills in students and gives equal importance to both business and community service. Club members also participate in business-related competitions. There are over 60 different competitive events to choose from, including Objective, Production, and Performance events. Objective events are 100 multiple-choice questions in which you have one hour to compete. Topics range from Health Care Administration to Introduction to Information Technology. There are two parts

to production events: an objective and a production test. The objective test is the same as mentioned before. The production test is one to two hours and is taken at school. The performance events have a great variety of options. Competitions include interview, speech, project, report and role-play events. FBLA will be using the Glencoe Series Textbooks to study for competitions. As mentioned before by Kotra, preparation will be self-study-based. There will be performance checks every two to three weeks to see how well preparation is going. According to Niyati Sriram, Vice President, last year, FBLA had four champions in five competitions at the Bay Section Regional, three champions in four

competitions at the State level, and one champion at the National level. This was a huge achievement for a first year chapter. This year the club is implementing a community service project called “A Green Future”. This project deals with combating global warming through small community actions that eventually lead to a big impact. Actions include creating a Recycling Program at FHS, doing trash pick-ups, starting gardens and making a documentary to raise awareness about the current environment.

Design courtesy of Piktochart

Special Feature

oct. 20, 2015

esbian

a woman who is attracted to women

ay someone who is sexually attracted to the same gender

isexual

someone who is sexually attracted to two or more genders

ransgender

someone whose identity doesn't correspond to that person's biological sex assigned at birth

Recognizing the LGBTQIA+ Community by Emily Wright

Arts and Entertainment Editor

Sex vs. Gender

What’s Asexuality?

A person’s gender is not the same thing as their sex. Sex is determined by a person’s genitalia, while gender is their identity, which can be male, female, or something else entirely. People who are agender do not have a gender. Transgender is an umbrella term that can refer to anyone who has a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth— this includes people who have a fluid gender or do not identify as male or female.

Romantic vs. sexual attraction Romantic attraction is not the same thing as sexual attraction. Romantic attraction determines whom you want to do traditionally romantic activities such as kissing with, while sexual attraction is whom you want to do sexual acts with.

P latonic Love

Aromantics are people who do not feel romantic love. This is not the same thing as asexualism. You can be aromantic but not asexual and vice versa. There are also various degrees of aromanticism and asexualism—some members of these communities may want sexual or romantic attraction but not actually feel them, may only feel these attractions with someone they’ve formed a deep, emotional bond with, feel these attractions but lose them once they are reciprocated, or are unable to distinguish between platonic, romantic, or sexual attraction.

Sexuality is a Spectrum These definitions are flexible based on personal experience. People on these spectrums may have varying definitions of romantic love or sexual attraction, and may consider certain actions romantic or sexual while others may not.

Platonic love can be categorized as love for friends, or in some cases, very close friends. Certain activities that many people consider platonic is hugging and cuddling (with friends and not in a sexual way). This is different from romantic love. Some people who are aromantic may engage in platonic relationships and find them just as fulfilling as some people might find a romantic relationship. Again, what is considered platonic love or a platonic activity varies depending on the person.

ueer someone who doesn't conform

to a normative sexual orientation or gender identity

ntersex

someone who has reproductive organs or external sexual characteristics of both male and female

sexual

someone without sexual feelings or associations (also includes aromantic and agender)

many more

There are several variations of the original LGB acronym, which was first adapted in the 1980s to replace the term gay.

by Allyson Wilbur Staff Writer

Over the years, the LGBTQIA community has faced a challenging fight for basic rights and equality. While matters of LGBTQIA rights have become more prominent in the media, Fremont High School has also done its fair share of work to make the school a safer, and a more protective environment for this community. Originally, matters like this were never talked about. Teacher Daniel Perez remembers that when he first came to FHS, many of his students found him odd and were awkward around him. “I’ve always been super out,” Perez said. “I’ve never been even remotely interested in being in the closet.” As society becomes more aware and as a result more accepting of the LGBTQIA community so has FHS. The Gay Straight Alliance, also known as

the GSA, is a club that has been active since 2002, and is part of a much larger organization called the GSA Network and is established in 33 states. The club strives to help support kids who are bullied, having trouble coming out and to educate students about the LGBTQIA community. Like the name suggests, both gay and straight kids are welcome. In fact, Perez says that most club members are straight females, although straight males don’t often join. He hopes that eventually the club will have an equal amount of all genders and sexualities. However, as much as FHS has progressed, there are still issues on campus. Two girls were accused of pretending to be a couple for a discount on prom tickets, and were initially denied. Transgender students have had the problem of not knowing which bathrooms and locker rooms they are allowed to

use. Discussions have been made on whether these students should just use the bathroom of the gender they were assigned at birth, or to use bathrooms of the gender they feel that they are, or let them use staff bathrooms. Perez strives to fix any issues on campus, and has a hand in discussing possible solutions for these problems. The zero tolerance policy at FHS also reportedly has a “grey area”. Although cases of physical assault are always punished, matters such as verbal bullying have not been treated as a serious matter. Most of the time, students are given a light reprimanding and nothing else. Perez hopes that over the next few years, the community will be more accepted in our society, that the use of derogatory terms and phrases will stop, and that one day LGBTQIA couples will be seen as simply couples.

Special Feature

oct. 20, 2015

Marriage Equality VS. Religious Freedom by Emily Wright

on health insurance, have more legal rights and have an easier and better chance On June 26, 2015, the of being able to buy a home, U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to make same-sex mar- among many reasons, acriage a constitutional right, cording to Forbes. In Kentucky, Rowan overturning bans on gay County clerk Kim Davis marriage in several states has captivated the nation The split decision with her refusal to issue represents the divide in marriage licenses to boyAmerica between proponents of same-sex marriage cott the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling. and those worrying about their religious freedoms be- Davis was sued by several couples, brought before ing violated. court and incarcerated for Some proponents refusing to issue licenses. of gay marriage say that She was later released from denying marriage to gay couples is denying them an jail on Sept. 8. According to The emotional bond. However, there are also economic and New York Times, Davis is an Apostolic Christian legal benefits to becoming who believes a marriage married. Married couples receive Social Security ben- is a union between a man efits, generally save money and a woman. The Bible Arts and Entertainment Editor

has several verses labeling homosexuality a sin, which she cites as evidence for her opposition to gay marriage.

proponents of gay marriage say that denying marriage to gay couples is denying them an emotional bond. Davis has since been released and says she will continue to fight gay marriage. However, there are many other cases around the country involving clashes between gay marriage

and religious freedom. In Oregon, bakers Melissa and Aaron Klein are appealing a fine for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple in 2013, according to Huffington Post. Because of their Christian faith and opposition to same sex marriage, they say they will not bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. When the Huffington Post asked the couple whether their situation was similar to Davis’, they said that it was not because they are a private business, as opposed to Davis, who is a publicly elected official. Klein described it as a freedom of speech issue since making a cake is an

artistic expression. However, Oregon laws prohibit the discrimination of gay or lesbians. “When it comes to baking a wedding cake there is so much more involved than just baking a cake and sending it out the door,” Aaron Klein told the Huffington Post, “You have to look at it from a very artistic standpoint.” Another case in Oregon involves Judge Vance Day who refuses to perform same sex marriages due to his religion. He is now under an ongoing ethics investigation related to his refusal to perform these marriages. In a written statement by Day’s spokesman, Patrick Korten, Day says the

investigation violates his “freedom of speech, association and free exercise of religion guaranteed under the U.S. and Oregon constitutions.” Religious freedoms and same-sex marriage is still a heated issue in America. The debate is not over.

Julie Wi | The Phoenix

by Sam Tumkut Staff Writer

Dubbed by FoundSF as the “Gay Mecca” of America, San Francisco has always been open to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersexual and asexual organizations, from its first gay bar to the very first Gay Pride Parade. San Francisco is the one of the top “gayest” cities according to Time magazine this year. Six percent of the metropolitan city is part of the LGBT community.

Since gay marriage was legalized nationwide this year, many cities are acknowledging the LGBT community. In 2004, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, founders of the first lesbian organization, Daughters of Bilitis, and gay rights activists were the first to get married when San Francisco legalized gay marriage. After years of being together, the two were finally able to be united in marriage. Mayor Gavin Newsom and other city officials declared that California’s Constitution of equal rights let people

of the same sex to be given a marriage license. According to city officials, they had authorized 900 weddings in the first three days. Unlike other cities like San Jose or Sunnyvale, San Francisco has more active LGBTQIA organizations like the “Harvey Milk Club” and the “LGBT Community Center”. It even has a museum dedicated to the LGBT activities. The Harvey Milk Club, formerly known as the San Francisco Gay Democratic Club, is named after the first openly gay member of the board, Harvey Milk. It was the first gay democratic club in the city that allowed gay people and

politics to mix. For over third decade now, the club has supported advocacy in San Francisco. The club helps progressive queers and pushing issues that have changed the world. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay politician elected to the San Francisco Board of Members. According to Times magazine’s list, Milk was named one of the twenty most influential people of the 20th century. Milk’s biggest achievement was passing rights ordinance that defied Proposition 6 [Briggs Initiative]. Proposition 6 would have prohibited LGBTQIA students from attending school. The LGBT Community Center at San Francisco is the hands and heart of the community. It provides

various services to LGBT families such as childcare, economic help for low income families and rental/ homing services in the building itself. The community center is funded by sponsors, donations and money from the San Francisco Board of Members. Its budget being two million dollars annually. Even one of the first Pride Parades took place in San Francisco. Pride Parades are events where the LGBT community celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans culture and pride. The most recent pride parade was this July when the supreme court equalized marriage rights nationwide. The parade has a certain theme that participators need to follow. According to ABC 7 News, the Pride Parade attracted over one million spectators to this event,

hitting a new record. Some cities and schools are making members of the LGBTQIA feel truly at home. The GayStraight Alliance (GSA) at Fremont is a club that is a “safe haven” for LGBTQIA students to mingle. Many cities all over California and in other states have LGBTQIA community centers, for example San Jose and Santa Barbara. Although they are not as active as San Francisco, it is a start. Schools all across the country are forming clubs to help LGBTQIA students feel safer as part of the GSA Network. San Francisco continues to be the heart and home of LGBTQIA culture.

Special Feature

oct. 20, 2015

Marriage Equality VS. Religious Freedom by Emily Wright

has several verses labeling homosexuality a sin, which she cites as evidence for her opposition to gay marriage.

Julie Wi | The Phoenix

by Sam Tumkut Staff Writer

Arts & Entertainment The original celebration of Halloween

Oct. 20, 2015

by Caroline He Staff Writer

With 7.4 billion dollars spent on festivities, according to a study by the National Retail Federation, Halloween has become a staple in the cultural psyche of America. But it didn’t start out as the holiday celebrated today. Time has altered the original holiday into what it is now. The special day began in what is now the United Kingdom as a feast honoring the Celtic lord of the dead, Samhain. The feast was held at the beginning of winter, preluding to

the darker half of the year. According to The Book of Halloween, Oct. 31 was the day that Samhain decided what body a soul would inhabit in their next life. It was believed to be a day where spirits, specters and ghosts could interact with the living. In an attempt to appease those supernatural beings, the Celtic people of the British Isles would leave treats. One way of doing so was to gift a ritualistic procession of costumed marchers. From Halloween Through the Twenty Centuries states the parade was lead by a man with a horse

According to the University of Illinois, 90 percent of all pumpkins raised in the U.S. are grown within a 90-mile radius of Peoria, Illinois.

Photos courtesy of Pixabay

mask, symbolizing the sun god. Gifts were given to the procession to guarantee a good harvest. If no gifts were According to Daily given, the Infographic, Americans Celtics consume 20 milllion believed pounds of candy corn a curse would during the Halloween ruin crops season. of the upcoming year. When Jack’s soul unChristianity claimed conquered the after his British Isles, death. After Stingy the Feast of Samhain Jack’s death, he was barred became All Hallows Eve, in from entering heaven and an effort to convert the Celt- because of his deal with the ics and Druids to the new Devil, could not enter hell religion. either. The only option left A modern activity for was to roam the earth. Halloween is the carving of As a way to avoid pumpkins. The origins of Stingy Jack, the Irish and jack o’ lanterns began with Scottish would carve faces an Irish myth about a man into turnips to scare him named Stingy Jack. Accordaway. When the Irish iming to Kayla Hertz, a writer migrated to America, they for IrishCentral, the story switched turnips for pumpgoes: Stingy Jack invited the kins because the squash was Devil for drinks, but didn’t more common. want to pay, so he conWith the Irish immivinced the Devil to become grating to America came a coin. Jack kept the Devil their traditions for holidays, coin until he agreed to leave such as bobbing for apples.

borderline criminal activity. This particular tradition is a Around this time, leftover aspect from the RoWorld War II saw the man festival honoring the popularization of trick-orgoddess of fruits, Pomana. treating and mass produced By the 1900’s, activities costumes. By the 1990’s, such as dressing up in cosHalloween became a cash tumes and saying “trick-ortreat” began to solidify itself cow for shops and businesses. as a part of the holiday. The Throughout history, first instance of Halloween many forms and faiths have being celebrated by an influenced celebrations, entire city was recorded in and Halloween traditions 1921 in Anoka, Minnesota, have changed and the self named Halloween adapted over capital of the world. time. From CommerSamhain cialization of to the holiday began in the 1900’s According to with the sellNielsen Research, coning of postsumers spend about $1.9 cards. The billion on candy during Dennison the Halloween season. manufacturing company, Beistle Company, and independent Sleepy German manufacturHollow, the ers began to sell decorations celebration has ingrained and figurines relating to the itself as a memorable celebration around 1910. holiday with a side of candy However, during the 1930’s, corn. the ‘trick’ part of Halloween became synonymous with vandalism and mischief,

How often should you be showering? by Sami Jin Staff Writer

Photos and design courtesy of Creately

Arts & Entertainment The road to getting your driver’s license 9

Oct. 20, 2015

by Susannah Schulze Staff Writer

For many teens, the idea of getting their driver’s license is exciting, but also daunting and confusing. Here is all you need to know on the road to getting your license: First, you need to complete your Driver’s Education class and gain the certificate enabling you to take your permit test. You need to obtain this permit if you are between the ages of 15 and a half and 18. One such Driver’s Education class is offered at the Sunnyvale Community Center over winter break. There are also websites that offer Driver’s Education classes online. These classes provide a minimum of 30 hours of instruction. Topics covered include signs, signals, safety and vehicle information, accident prevention and the effect of drugs and alcohol. Schedule an appointment in advance to take your permit test and make sure to bring all the required forms on the day of the test. The Department of Motor Vehicles requires

your guardians’ signatures on the application form, your social security number and proof of your birth date and legal presence. If you are unable to provide proof of legal presence in the United States, you can still apply for a Calif. Driver’s License under the AB-60 law. When preparing for your test, be sure to check out the practice tests located on the DMV website. The tests are administered on computers or on paper. The computers tell you after each question whether your response was correct or incorrect. To pass the test, you must have a score of at least 38 out of the 46 questions. If you pass the permit test, you will have your photo taken, which will be used for both your permit and your license. If you fail, you must wait one week before you can retake it, and you can retake the test twice before you need to submit the application form and pay the fee again. Once you pass the test, your permit does not legally allow you to drive until after your first driver’s lesson

when your driving instructor signs off on your permit. Before you can take the behind the wheel test, you must have three two-hour driving lessons and 50 hours of driving practice, 10 of which must be completed at night. You must wait a sixmonth period from the date you got your permit (or the date you paid your application fee) and must be 16 or older to take the test. As you gear up for the behind the wheel test, make sure to schedule your appointment well in advance if you plan to take it at a busy DMV. Check out the possible routes online for the DMV and practice driving them. Your driving instructor will go over a lot of what is on the test, so pay attention and make sure to go back and practice with a guardian. There is a checklist of items on your car the test administrator will check for including your headlights, blinkers, window and horn. Before the test, go over these items; if they do not pass the inspection, you will not be able to take your test. On the day of your test,

arrive with a guardian and be prepared to possibly wait for a couple of hours before you can take your test. If you are under the age of 18, the state of Calif. outlines restrictions on your license for the first year. You may not drive passengers under the age of 20 unless a licensed driver 25 years or older is in the car as well An exception to this rule is transporting immediate family members, such as siblings, but you must have a signed note from your parents and may only do this if necessary. Also, you are not allowed to drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. After the first year, these restrictions are removed. There are a lot of car insurance companies, and the process of insuring your car can be overwhelming. Often, a cheaper option for families to add teen drivers to their existing car insurance. If you are looking for your own car insurance, be aware that most insurance companies offer good student discounts to students who have at least a 3.0 grade

point average, or are on honor roll. Most teenagers would agree that along with having your license comes more

freedom. Along with this freedom comes independence and responsibility, but once you have your license, enjoy it.

Websites That Offer Driver’s Ed Economic Driving School $68.50 economicdrivingschool.com California Drivers Ed Online $49.50 driversed.com Advantage Driving Course $35.00 advantagedriversed.com Groupon.com also offers discounts on courses, starting from $10

Julie Wi | The Phoenix

Perks Cafe provides job experience to students by Manavi Chandra Staff Writer

Manavi Chandra | The Phoenix

Behind the Fremont Union High School District office, Special Education students have become involved in the community and interact with various people by working in the district café. The Perks Café is a place where Special Education students can gain job experience for the future by working shifts as cashiers in a professional environment. FHS and this café are connected. According to Sarah Woodworth, an employee in the Special Education department, because FHS has a large number of Special Education students compared to other schools in FUHSD they were able to implement this program. The café’s Special Education program started in 2008. The concept for the café was to serve as a place for Special Education students to gain job experience. This

idea was proposed by Mary Geen Hubble, a former employee in the Special Education program, as she believed it was important for Special Education students to gain experience in a real world environment. Woodworth, and her assistant, Susan Wilson, both believe the program is important. “Both of our businesses are geared towards providing skills and opportunities for the students here and that’s what it’s really for,” Woodworth said. “It’s giving us some sort of background or location they want to explore,” Wilson said. Joseph Bove, a district official, was able to finalize multiple grants to make this idea a reality. Special Education students started working immediately as cashiers who were responsible for controlling the square system, which is a credit card reader and a desktop database that keeps track of transactions.

Students in Special Education who participate in this program believe working in the café has given them valuable experiences overall. “My favorite part about Special Ed is that they give me a lot of help so that I can do better in school,” Geo Alas, a Special Education student who currently works in the café, said, “I also like working because it gives me a chance to talk to a lot of different people.” This café has impacted Special Education students greatly because they now have more chances to be socially interactive in a professional environment as well as opportunities to increase familiarity with the real world after school. “One of the things I really enjoy the best is the population overlap; we get kids from resource, and Special Ed students getting the opportunity to work has been the cafeteria’s main goal,” Woodworth said.

sports Experienced coach leads girls to victory

OcT. 20, 2015

by Dana Nissan Staff Writer

Mark Shields tackled, jumped and sprinted over his high school and college years. Now after 25 years of coaching experience, he is coaching both the Fremont track team and cross-country team. Shields was a former football player in high school. When he attended Oklahoma State University, he studied engineering and also ran for the school competing in the 400-meter hurdles and sprints. Afterwards, he returned to his alma mater and volunteered for a couple of years before becoming the offical coach for cross-country, which he coached for four years. The experience made it easy for him to lead projects, task forces and technical teams in his job. Aside from coaching, Shields is an engineer in semiconductor and photovoltaics in Silicon Valley. His college track coaches had a large influDana Nissan | The Phoenix

ence on his career path. They coached both track and cross country and he often assisted them after his college track career was over.

There’s a point, when you’ve truly cared about the future and well being of your student-athletes, where a coach is what you are and you cannot help but continue to be a coach . Mark Shields “Those college coaches were very inspirational and supportive,” Shields said. “They helped us become well balanced young adults and helped some of us through very tough times.” Shields’ experience in coaching at college influenced him to come join Fremont’s community.

“Cross-country builds self-confidence and physical fitness,” Shields said. “There’s no ‘bench’. Everyone who adheres to the rules competes.” The sport builds character and discipline to train regularly. Recently the crosscountry girls have won multiple races as a team. The fastest girl on the team, JJ Escalera, has won many races as an individual. Shields says it is great to see the feeling of accomplishment in the athletes’ faces and body language. “The kids who come out for these hard sports are very determined kids and want to get better at many things” Shields said. “To do their best as individuals, to be true to themselves and their commitment to the sport. It takes a lot of character to compete in cross country and track: I respect all who have made the commitment, but fear none of them during competition.” Shields only wants the team to do the best they can

to accomplish in races. Seeing people accomplish their goals, build self-confidence and get stronger mentally and physically is the largest factor that comes from coaching, states Shields. “There’s a point, when you’ve truly cared about the future and well being of your student-athletes, where a coach is what you are and you cannot help but continue to be a coach whether you are directly employed in a coaching position or not,” Shields said. Shields says he still get texts, emails and Facebook messages from former runners, even those over 40 years old, who still want to ask for advice or simply talk. “We have small numbers backed by big hearts,” Shields said. “We are almost always the smallest team, but we win more than our share of battles.”

Girls waterpolo starts their season strong by Momina Nadeem Staff Writer

The varsity girls water polo team started their season strong and have a current record of 5-1 in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. “I think we’re playing right where we need to be playing,” Coach Moris Clark said. The varsity team consists of mostly younger players who don’t have as much experience compared to other teams. “Even though we’re the youngest and probably the least experienced, a lot of the younger girls stepped up to play club so they could improve which is really cool,” Carmen Steinmeier, team captain and utility player, said. “I think that’s why we’re better because even though we’re younger, we’ve actually dedicated ourselves to doing better in the sport.” According to Steinmeier, four people on the team play for Stanford’s club team so they can improve their skills. “Our goalie is really dedicated,” Steinmeier said. “Even though this is her first year playing water polo, she really dedicated herself to getting better and she’s a really big part of us winning.” Another factor to their winning streak of 5-0 is the deep bond between the girls. “You get really close with the people since you spend so much time together, so it’s really nice to have people who are so close with you and you know you can depend on them,” set and

driver Caley Mason said. Since the team is so close-knit, the players communicate more effectively during games. “We’re all really good players and we work really well together because we’re close friends,” Carmen Steinmeier said.

You get really close with the people since you spend so much time together, so it’s really nice to have people who are so close with you and you know you can depend on them. Caley Mason According to Mason, the team is more wellrounded than other teams because each player knows how to play every position. “I think that a lot of the [competing] teams have one strong player and the rest of the team isn’t as strong, but we have all stepped up as a team and played really strong this season,” set defender Chrissy Steinmeier said. The practices are formatted differently than those of last year, focusing more on improving skills relevant to each game. “Instead of just scrimmaging and working on things as we scrimmage, we work on things individually, like an individual skill,” Carmen Steinmeier said. “ Then we scrimmage later

and apply those skills to the scrimmage.” Overall, the main reason for the team’s success is dedication and commitment. “We all work really hard and there are three players who are always on club teams trying to improve their skills” driver Neli Tsodikov said. All the players also come to practice regularly, according to Tsodikov. “I think this year, the reason [for our success] is that we are all committed to the team and so we’ve done a lot of work outside of the high school.” Mason said. “We’ve done a lot of practicing, and we’re really focusing a lot on skills.” Despite their success, however, the team is determined to improve their skills further. “We’re all committed, I feel like, but sometimes we have our days where we goof off,” Tsodikov said. “Something like concentration would definitely be something to work on so we can give it our all 100 percent of the time,” According to Clark, if the team made any mistakes during games last year, then it would cost them the game. “This year we’ve actually played games where we haven’t been 100 percent perfect, and we’d come out and win,” Clark said. “We just have to take the next half the same way.”

Essam Rao | The Phoenix SENIOR Carmen Steinmeier powers over a Milpitas player to score a goal.

Essam Rao | The Phoenix

SOPHOMORE Brianna Fu scores a goal against Milpitas.

Essam Rao | The Phoenix

FRESHMAN Caley Mason blocks a Milpitas player’s attempt to score a goal.

sports

Oct. 20, 2015

Skateboarding as a way of life by Sam Tumkut Staff Writer

While other kids were playing with their Tech Decks in the third grade, senior Jason Galindo was doing the real thing. Skateboarding is an activity that most people do as a hobby. However, it’s something he wants to pursue in the future because his life revolves around the idea of making more time to skateboard. “Skating is pretty important,” Galindo said. “It’s pretty much the only thing I do, when I wake up, then go to bed, just the only thing I think about skating. I get a job so I can go to different places and skate. It’s pretty important.” Galindo started skating in third grade, taught by one of his friends who now teaches skate lessons. “I like skating because no one tells

you what to do, or how to do it or where to do it,” Galindo said. “With any other sport you have a coach, you have to depend on other team mates, and in skating, you can do it where ever you want and whenever you want and who ever you

want and which is why I don’t do any other team sport. It’s independent. I get to do it with my other friends and it’s fun.” Although most serious participate in tournaments and go to places like the X Games, Galindo has not participated in a lot of tournaments, saying that

The

tournaments are not his main focus. Galindo focuses on just savoring the moment. “Skating’s always in the future,” Galindo said. “I don’t really see a professional career but, if I’m going to get a job it’s going to be like working and skating. Because I’m not planning on stopping any time soon.” Galindo is sponsored by Small Beatings, a small company that started sponsoring Galindo this June.

company showcases their sponsors through videos and sells skateboarding merchandise. “The guy that owns it [Small Beatings] Chad Jackson, goes around Sunnyvale Skate Park. I’m pretty sure he saw me skate, like I’ve been skating for a long time, they recruited me on their team...It’s like my first real sponsor,” Galindo said, “I’m pretty excited about it.” After school, Galindo goes skating everyday with his friends at the Sunnyvale skate park. “We feed off each other when we skate, get each other hyped, ” Galindo said. When Galindo and his

friends go to the skate park, they film each other skate. “My friend films and he’s filmed top pros and we go out and film with him and other friends,” Galindo said. “We film with the VH1 [camera], but that’s what my other friend uses.” “Usually when I go to a skate park, my success rate [for completing tricks] is average,” Galindo said. “We just skate around, and film a trick and that’s where the time and energy to land is. So you go out of the way to do that, it feels great.” Out of the many skateboarding tricks, Galindo’s enjoys doing grinds. “Grinding and going fast is what I like to do. You just go really fast and it’s super cool. It’s not easy but to me it it. Most people like to do them on rails.” The videos are uploaded to his friend’s YouTube channels and various skateboarding video websites under the name of Small Beatings. Recently, Small Beatings released a video called “Never Turn Your Back on the Concrete Surf” which

showcases Galindo and his skateboard team. This video can be found on Thrasher, the company’s website or on YouTube. Although Small beatings cannot do that since half the team lives in San Diego. The Small Beatings team consists of Jason Galindo, Chris Henderson, Tyler Lee and an individual nicknamed “Banger”. Over the summer, Galindo plans on traveling to Oregon with his friends to skate at the various skateparks in the state. The only thing Galindo finds challenging about skating is managing two worlds. “I guess going places to skate and doing more with it, finding the balance between skating and real life,” Galindo said. “Me and my friends, we work so we can skate. To go different places and skate different things. I skate because not a lot of things go through my mind. I skate not to think, it’s kind of like a sixth sense”

Photo courtesy of Brandon McCormick

Highlights for fall sports

SENIOR Oded Tzori assists senior Ron Gavriel in blocking a shot from Milipitas.

MOMENTS before senior Ofir Bekker scores against Milipitas.

CAITLIN Mackie and Maggie Bernauer go up for the block against Monta Vista.

DEFENDERS Nella Takafua and Gino Lopez tackling a Homestead player at the Batlle of the Bell. Photos by Chau Nguyen and Essam Rao

sports

oct. 20, 2015

What music do you listen to before games?

Senior Nir Bekker Varsity waterpolo “Usually I chill with my team and listen to some rap. My favorite artist is Logic and a song I really like to listen to is ‘I’m Gone’. And I guess the music calms me but at the same time, it gets me prepared and ready for the game ahead.”

Junior Jeremiah Creamer Varsity football “I listen to music before a game, and it’s mostly rap. I like to listen to ‘Red-Eyed to Paris’ by the Flatbush Zombies. They’re my favorite artists. This song calms me down and gets me pumped up for the game.”

Senior Diego Parodi Varsity waterpolo “ Yeah, I like to listen to music before a water polo game. I listen to rap, mostly. I like to listen to Eminem. I really like Eminem’s ‘Rap God.’ It gets me pumped up for the game.”

Senior Laura Sire Varsity volleyball “I listen to music before a game, yeah. I listen to a music CD my sister made. It includes songs of rap and pop. I have no particular artist whom I like to listen to, either. But the music calms my nerves and gets me ready to face the game.”

Junior Kate Everhardt Varsity cross country “I like to listen to pop music and stuff that gets me pumped up for the game. There isn’t a particular artist whom I like to listen to. I don’t have any particular song, either. The music I listen to gets me all ready for the game.”

Senior Ramandeep Jagdev Varsity football “I listen to music before a game, too. I like to listen to rap and hiphop. My favorite song is ‘Trophies’ by Drake. Drake is also my favorite artist. And I’d say the song does a little both of calming and pumping up.”

Junior Emily Mahoney Varisty volleyball “Yeah, I listen to music before a game. Mostly, I listen to the genre that pumps me up, like pop. But I just listen to random pop songs though. I don’t have a favorite artist or a particular song I like to listen to.”

Junior Doryn Gomez Varsity volleyball “Yeah, I listen to music before a game. I enjoy listening to rap songs by ‘Gez’. I really like to listen to that group. It calms my nerves and gets me ready for the game.”

Interviews done by Ambika Vaidya Photos by Maggie Bernauer, Essam Rao and Chau Nguyen

Dissecting a player: Jordan Hendy by Essam Rao Sports Editor

Whether it’s scoring touchdowns or intercepting passes, Jordan Hendy has Fremont High School’s varsity football team covered. Hendy is one of four captains for varsity football and he plays wide receiver and cornerback. Even though this is his third and final year of football at FHS, he has been playing the game all his life. “I remember my first win,” Hendy said. “It was a home game against Oak Grove. I was really little at the time and was playing quarterback. And then I remember I got my first touchdown. After that moment, I knew that football was what I wanted to do.” Starting at six years old, he began playing for Pop Warner, a youth league for kids to play football outside of school. He played with Pop Warner until his freshman year and then moved on to playing JV football for FHS starting sophomore year. Hendy comes from a family of football players. His father, John Hendy, played in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers and his grandfather used to coach a team for Pop Warner named the Micro Rockets. “I have always hung around football – it was

24/7 for me,” Hendy said. “It’s just a big part of who I am and I have no clue what I would do without it.”

inspiration Inspiration comes from a lot of places for Hendy: family, friends, NFL superstars. But he believes sometimes it’s not looking to others, but within. “I’m a firm believer in believing in yourself,” Hendy said. “Just make yourself the sole focus of everything you do. You want yourself to be the outlet of power. Everything comes from within. And you can always look at someone else for inspiration, but at the end of the day, you are who gets things done. And the only person that’s holding you back is you.”

ball everything just slows down for me. I’ll just be running and the next thing I know is like ‘Oh crap, I just scored a touchdown’” But according to Hendy, he doesn’t play for the cheers or the records; there’s only one thing on his mind “Honestly, for me, it’s more about winning,” Hendy said. “I love to win. This year is one of my break-out years and it’s really one of the best I’ve ever had in football. Sometimes

INSIDE HIS MIND When he’s out on the field making a play, adrenaline and cheers from the crowd make for a unique experience. “It’s hard to explain, but you sort of have to be in the game because everything moves so quickly,” Hendy said. “With a touchdown pass or a kickoff return, it’s sort of like you get the ball and in one second you’re in the end zone. It’s weird. You just start to forget everything because there’s all this adrenaline. When I get the

[after a touchdown] but I sort of forget to,” Hendy said. “And when I score, I don’t like to make it a big deal. But after a touchdown, I just think about going back to the team. I did my part and I’m going to keep doing my part to help this football team win.

The Struggle people will tell me how I did really good, but I’m not really focused on that. It doesn’t really matter to me if I had a really good game, but we end up losing as a team – I hate that. It’s more about winning. It’s not really about me.” Whenever athletes score points, some display intense emotions of joy. Sticking to a familiar saying, Hendy likes to keep it humble. “My friends will always tell me to celebrate more

Hendy states that his training includes running and weightlifting in addition to the football practice everyday after school, which can get very tough but it’s something he has to do in order to play at the level he is at. According to Hendy, he went through a considerable amount of failure to achieve a high level of success. “You get knocked down a lot and that’s just a part of football,” Hendy said. “It happens, but from that, you

become a better player.” Despite what he’s shown on the field, Hendy states he isn’t as consistent with his catching as he should be and he wants to improve his blocking since he often gets holding calls. Hendy also states that football can get stressful at times. One instance was when FHS lost against the Woodside Wildcats by one touchdown on Sept. 25. “I just went into the locker room, put my headphones on, put my sweater on, put my hood on,” Hendy said. “It was just a bad situation. At times I’ll just be like ‘Why do I even bother?’, but you just have to push that aside and keep on going. Because you don’t want to quit.” But after almost a decade of playing the sport, Hendy knows that football can get tough. “That’s just another thing about football,” Hendy said. “You can’t be soft. If you’re soft, you’re gonna get pushed around. I know me and the guys and Messina hate getting pushed around.” Another advantage of having experience is the true understanding Hendy has developed for the game.

plays aren’t the only thing Hendy has learned through his football career. “The lesson I take out of football the most is when you get knocked down, whether it be in life or on the field, you have to get back up,” Hendy said. “I’ve been getting knocked down on my face for the past ten years ever since I started playing football at six, and every time I had to learn to pick myself back up.”

What Lies ahead Football is a huge part of Hendy’s life, but he never lets it interfere with school. According to Hendy, education will get him farther in life, not football. Although the recruiting process is not over yet, Hendy has already been contacted by UC Davis and Cincinnati Christian University. “UC Davis isn’t really a big football school, but I was definitely excited because I never thought anything like that would happen to me,” Hendy said. “I’m just a regular dude, you know? I would have never dreamed of getting in gradewise, but football opens a door for me and gives me an opportunity to play football at a higher level, but also get a great education.”

Lessons Learned Throwing the perfect spiral or running the best

Essam Rao | The Phoenix