Marvelous Moana Movie Review
Recreational marijuana
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS See pages 6 & 7
The Importance of School Start Time See page 4
Fremont High School
the Momina Nadeem & Emily Wright Collaboration
In May of 2016, Stanford Children’s Health opened up a new specialty services clinic at 1195 West Fremont Avenue in Sunnyvale. It offers 25 clinical subspecialties, including teen health services through its Adolescent Medicine Clinic. According to Amy Valentine, licensed clinical social worker, the location offers 5 clinics specifically for adolescents, including a general Adolescent Clinic, Eating Disorder Clinic, Weight Clinic, Gynecology Clinic and Gender Clinic. Many of the clinic’s current services were previously offered at separate locations in the Bay Area before the opening of this new location to centralize their services.
As teens delvelop increasing independece through their high school years, it is important that they begin to understand and take reposibility for their physical and mental health. Jonathan avila
One of the more unique services offered is the Gender Clinic, where gender questioning youth have the opportunity to consult with a multidisciplinary team for evaluation and possible treatment. “In the Gender Clinic, we do an assessment,” Valentine said. “Usually, I call the families on the phone ahead of time and get a little bit of the psycho-social history from a parent prior to the intake appointment. When they come in for the initial intake, they meet with an endocrinologist, and if indicated, with an adolescent medicine doctor, gynecologist, or urology provider.” The clinic also offers
PHOENIX
services and support for adolescents with eating disorders, as well as confidential reproductive services. Under California’s Confidential Health Information Act, minors can get access to sensitive services like reproductive health care without parental notification. Additionally, under California Education Code Section 48205, minors have the right to leave campus during school hours to seek confidential medical services. According to Jesus Ramirez, Fremont High School Family Liaison, students can notify any adult staff member on campus if they need to leave to seek confidential health care. “We would notify attendance so [the students] don’t get marked as unexcused absence,” Ramirez said. “As long as [attendance] is notified, they’re not supposed to be marked as an unexcused absence and a phone call shouldn’t go home.” Furthermore, under Family Planning Access, Care and Treatment (FPACT or Family PACT), low-income California youth or those seeking confidentiality can gain access to nocost, comprehensive family planning services. According to Jonathan Avila, MD, fellow physician in adolescent medicine, patients interested in FPACT visits fill out a questionnaire and a card for eligibility purposes. Under Family PACT, the patient is insured by the state, so parents do not get an explanation of benefits, honoring the confidentiality of the visit. Avila still encourages teens to have an open communication with parents. “It’s nicer when parents at least know something, but they don’t have to.” According to Avila, teenagers coming in for confidential health services under FPACT do not need insurance information, because the state is paying for it. However, he said it is important that teenagers know about their medical history, such as medications taken and allergies so doctors are aware.
Vol. 5 Issue No. 3 Dec. 9, 2016
“We would encourage teenagers to get regular medical care, whether they get confidential care through Family PACT, or through using their parents’ insurance,” Valentine said. “I think it’s also important for people to look out for their mental health too, because we live in really stressful times.” Avila agrees. “As teens develop increasing independence through their high school years, it is important that they begin to understand and take responsibility for their physical and mental health”.
Student Health options: Stanford Health Clinic Maggie Bernauer | The Phoenix
News
dec. 9, 2016
2
by George Luna & Claire Lyon Collaboration
Over the years, Fremont High School (FHS) has become more academically competitive, which has many positive and negative effects. Among negative outcomes is an increase in student stress, anxiety and academic dishonesty. Some students under stress turn to cheating, which is why FHS has seen a significant increase in academic dishonesty over recent years. This is most obvious with homework. Finishing the large amount of
assigned work is a daily grind that students must go through, and the stress caused by trying to keep up is why many students cheat.
It’s disappointing, it’s really disappointing. Because as a teacher, i’d like to trust my students. somsack chaitesipaeut
by Dana Nissan & Hannah Butay
“[Students] don’t have enough time or they have high pressure on them to succeed, from either home or friends,” Gregory Lambrecht, freshman English teacher, said. Fremont biology teacher, John Magee, agrees. “We’ve created a culture where cheating is the main product,” Magee said. “Either the work we give is too easy and boring, or too hard. It’s very difficult to create something that will be perfect and interesting for every student to work on and learn from which means some will be struggling and some will be bored.” Cheating on homework generally consists of taking pictures of the answers and sending them to friends or classmates or looking up answers online. This utilization of technology is a major factor in the recent increase of academic dishonesty, not only on homework, but on tests and essays as well. “The technology makes
cheating so much easier,” Somsack Chaitesipaseut, math teacher, said. Some teachers will not even let students go to the bathroom with their phones during a test to ensure they cannot text their friends for answers while out. Others even make different versions of the same test for each block. “It’s disappointing. It’s really disappointing [that teachers have to do this],” Chaitesipaseut said. “Because as a teacher, I would like to trust my students.” Although the rise of technology has increased academic dishonesty, it has also helped teachers catch more occurrences of cheating. For example, Turnitin.com is one of the main resources teachers use to avoid plagiarism. The website checks papers to see if any work is copied by finding text that matches with other sources from its large database, but it is up to the teacher to determine if it was plagiarized or not since the website will categorize names and quotes as plagiarism. There are harsh punishments if caught plagiarizing, or cheating in general. The Fremont Union High School District utilizes a three strikes policy for academic dishonesty, with punishments ranging from getting an automatic “F” in
the class to suspension, or even expulsion. The reason why these offenses are taken so seriously is because of the effects cheating has on a student’s future. “If students understand and know what they’re doing, the grades should follow,” Chaitesipaseut said. “Students who earn high marks but don’t really learn are going to have trouble in the next levels.” Students who cheat do not truly understand the material being taught. Since most academic material is introduced in inter-related chunks, not understanding one part will lead to an overall lag in learning, which only leads to more cheating. The only way to ensure that grades and work are maintained is to fully understand the material. This can be done by getting help from a tutor at programs like Students for Success, talking to the teacher during FLEX and office hours
or setting aside time to study. With finals coming up, academic dishonesty is at the front of many teachers’ minds. Pressure to do well on tests is high, and some students may resort to cheating. Through the course of this school year, many already have.
Photos courtesy of Anubha Gupta
Fremont’s student tutors
Collaboration
Stephanie Cori is a student tutor in the AVID program for juniors. She became a student tutor because she wanted to help others and she felt that being a tutor would be rewarding. From being a tutor, she has learned that even answering the smallest questions can help someone understand a broad topic. “For me as a student, I always have extra questions that I’m not always able to get answered, so I feel like if I have the knowledge and ability to help people, I should help them,” Cori said.
Kinsey Mangan is involved in the AVID 11 program to help people who want and can have the future that they desire. The just need a little help getting there. “I just looked at them [students] and I knew I could make a difference had I just volunteered a couple of hours every week,” Mangan said.
Gahl Shemy tutors Algebra 1. Shemy became a tutor because she enjoys educating and helping others and thought that being a student tutor would help her on the path to becoming a teacher, something she has always wanted to be. Tutoring has helped her become more patient and she has also gained perspective on the different ways that a problem can be solved.
Abbie Hoang is a new member of the AVID 11 tutoring class. She joined to help people who have different ways of processing a problem. “Everyone has a different way of processing and learning and you need to be patient and flexible in order to help others.”
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
Corrections On “Border issues continue in FUHSD” in Issue 2, Oct. 28, 2016, we incorrectly stated that FUHSD suggested a portion of Cupertino High School’s boundaries become part of Lynbrook’s. This is not accurate. FUHSD suggested students living in that portion of Cupertino’s boundaries be given the option to attend either school.
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News 3
dec. 9, 2016
Usage of marijuana at FHS by Caroline He News Editor
Disclaimer: interviewees will be referred to with fake names. It is an open secret that many Fremont High School students, or high school students in general, smoke marijuana, otherwise referred to as cannabis, weed or pot. In fact, according to the California Biennial Survey 2013-2015, approximately one in ten high school students report using marijuana at least three or more times per week. With the recent passing of Proposition 64, it is now legal for Californians 21 and over to smoke marijuana recreationally. While it is still illegal for high schoolers to smoke marijuana, Proposition 64 does show how the drug has gradually become more accepted by the public these past few years. “I believe if you’re not for legalization, you’re either one, uneducated,
or two, just plain ignorant,” Fremont Senior Hugh said. “Because it has been proven time and time again for decades that the medical benefits of marijuana, and with other states legalizing pot, and the amount of tax money they’ve been given to help benefit education and infrastructure is absolutely fantastic, so there’s not really a reason to not legalize marijuana other than ‘it’s always been this way, why change it.’” According to Harvard Health, marijuana has been found to treat, or at least control the symptoms of epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Crohn’s disease, among many other medical illnesses. It can be used to treat several mental illnesses too, such as depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. “I feel like if I didn’t have it [marijuana], to be real, I’d get into a lot of fights,” Fremont Senior Bernard said. “Because whenever I get mad, or real sad, you know, I smoke and I just ration.
Because I have ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, a couple of other things too, and it just helps me cope with that.” Marijuana is also known to decrease stress, due to a chemical compound called Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found within the plant. “I don’t have any time to do anything, and I get stressed out a lot,” Hugh said. “So just coming home, smoking a blunt, and just like chilling out and relaxing, it helps me focus, it helps me get schoolwork done.” And as for taxes, according to the California Department of Finance, recreational marijuana could result in over one billion dollars annually in additional revenue, and save approximately 100 million dollars in criminal justice cost. Many voted for Proposition 64 for this reason alone.
I feel like if i didn’t have it [marijuana], to be real, it’d get into a lot of fights. bernard Fremont Junior Poppy expressed that sentiment. “It’ll help the economy, it’ll lower stress for the cops, lower stress for the consumer and clear up prisons.” But not everyone thinks the passing of Proposition
Current Events: What’s going on around you? by Sofia Agha & Michael Wang Collaboration
64 is a good thing. Some because they believe marijuana is ultimately harmful, and others because they believe the actual writing of Proposition 64 is poorly done. “I think it’s a bad idea because there is a greater risk for people who already smoke or want to smoke,” Fremont Senior Bernard said. “If you possess cannabis within a thousand feet of a school, that’s a 250 dollar fine. If you’re caught passing a joint to a minor, that’s a federal crime; you’re going to get prison time. And also, if you grow medical cannabis, your restrictions are also going to be much higher because the law for recreational use is just going to overpower the medical cannabis community.” Along with this, studies have shown that there are negative effects to marijuana use, like paranoia and memory problems. “Sometimes I’ll just be in thought and I just forget what I’m thinking about,” Bernard said. “But it always comes back.” Proposition 64 goes into full effect on Jan. 1, 2017. While much more accepted, recreational marijuana is still controversial. But overall, the projections for this proposition lean towards a net positive.
World News -According to CNN, the former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, has recently died at 90 after almost 47 years of being in power in Cuba’s one-party communist state. In Cuba, many mourn the death of the former chief commander of the Cuban Revolution. For instance, in the University of Havana in Cuba, students placed photos and flowers near a statue on the campus in remembrance of the leader. However, Cubans in Florida are not mourning but rather celebrating, as a lot of the Cubans in Florida purposely left Cuba because of Castro’s reign.
U.S. News -According to the New York Times, Trump has chosen Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, to be his White House Chief of Staff. Trump has also chosen Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education and South Carolina governor, Nikki R. Haley, as ambassador of the United States. They are currently the first two women in Trump’s cabinet.
California News -According to the Los Angeles Times, an organization called Yes California Independence Campaign, or Calexit, is pushing for California to secede from the United States in the spring of 2019. This decision was driven by the recent election of Donald Trump and California self-sustaining strong economy.
Fremont High School News -Fremont High School student, Rahul Mohan, was selected as a semi finalist in the national Siemens Competition. The finalist competition occurred on Dec. 3-6.
Graphic courtesy of Freepik
the
PHOENIX Editor-in-Chief Maggie Bernauer
Managing Editor Emily Wright
News
Caroline He
Arts & Entertainment Ambika Vaidya Manavi Chandra
Sports
Michael Wang
Opinion
Dana Nissan Hannah Butay Center Spread Mira Dhingra Nadia Anees Lead Photographer Andrea Lanfranconi Online Momina Nadeem
Staff Writers
Sofia Agha Karla Alejandro Jessalynn Landor Chirag Bhatia Suryan Bhatia Roei Burstein Natalia Etter Cassandra Gines Lexi Kleinberg Miranda Kushner George Luna Claire Lyon Priscilla Martinez Karen Newmark Jenny Nguyen Thomas Poplawski Sophia Pulido Emaan Rao Patrick Ramos Emmanuel Ramirez Vivien Su Sam Tumkur Fremont High School 1279 Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)-522-2400 | fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com Advisor | Emer Martin Mission Statement:
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. 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.
Editorial Policy 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 do not reflect the official policy of Fremont High School, nor the opinions of the administration, faculty, or adviser. Advertise with The Phoenix Contact us for more details at fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com or call at (408)-522-2200. Want to be part of The Phoenix? Letters to the editor and questions for Ask Esteban may be submitted online through our website, room 145, Ms. Martin’s mailbox, or emailed to us. Identities of those who submit questions will remain anonymous. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to styles and policy.
Opinion
Dec. 9, 2016
4
Building bridges between rap and mental health
by Lexi Kleinberg Staff Writer
“This might just be a phase, you know. A lot of people have it worse than you, just be grateful you aren’t on the edge of death or starving in a third world country. Stop focusing on the bad things in life and just try to ignore it. Stop being so selfish.” People who suffer from mental illnesses are no stranger to these statements. Millions of individuals are affected by mental illnesses and the current stigma around mental health has consequently become a problem, especially for adolescents. More teenagers keep quiet about their mental state because of the judgment and backlash they face when they come forward. Disregarding the severity of mental illnesses will only cause the problem to get worse. Suicide and selfharm rates will continue to grow if young people feel as though their mental health is not valued. One unexpected source helping to end the stigma surrounding mental health is rap music. Rap music is paving the way for young people to express their mental state and feelings without feeling ashamed or guilty. Rap is the most prevalent genre of music in my
generation. It is also a pervasive and widespread part of mainstream culture. New lingo and slang are often a product of rap music which spreads throughout younger generations like wildfire. Today’s fashion, graffiti, art and movies all have aspects that are a reflection of rap music and rap culture. But although this genre is highly influential in today’s mainstream world, many tend to trivialize it as a whole because of the frequent references to drugs, alcohol, violence and sex. What people tend to overlook is the message about mental health hidden in certain lyrics.
Male rap artists are no stranger to intertwining messages about mental health in their music, but traditionally many rappers only skim the surface when discussing certain mental illnesses in their songs. This is because rap music had never been categorized as sensitive or vulnerable; rappers usually fit into a category of tough, masculine and rugged. For a long time, masculinity acted as a barrier for many artists struggling with depression, anxiety, and addiction. To openly rap about
mental illness was viewed as weak and as a result the archetypical tough rapper image most artists strived for, could never be achieved. In recent rap music, mental
health is being lyricized at a more intimate level. Rapper Kendrick Lamar is helping spread the everyday struggles of depression to his listeners. This can be heard on his Grammy award-winning album To Pimp a Butterfly. In the song “u”, Lamar’s
confessional lyrics describe low self esteem and suicidal thoughts as he goes into vivid detail about his depression: “Mood swings is frequent/ I know depression is restin’ on your heart for
Photos courtesy of Hip Hop Weekly, and GQ
two reason/ The world doesn’t need you/ And if these mirrors could talk it would say ‘you gotta go’/ The world’ll know money can’t stop suicidal weakness.” If depression could
speak, “u” would be its voice. Similarly to Lamar, rapper Earl Sweatshirt has also opened up to his listeners about his own struggles with mental illness through his latest album I Don’t Like Sh**, I Don’t Go Outside. On the track “Grief,” Earl goes into great detail about his inner demons such as his battles with addiction: “When it’s harmful where you going and the part of you that know it don’t care/ Lately I’ve been panicking a lot/ Feeling like I’m stranded in a mob, scrambling for Xanax out the canister to pop.” In an Interview with Billboard Magazine Earl explained that for years he was struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, losing weight and consequently this led to multiple shows throughout 2013 and 2014 being canceled. More recently, rapper Kid Cudi checked himself into rehab on October 5th 2016 for depression and suicidal urges. Cudi wrote a personal note on social media for his followers and fans confessing, “I simply am a damaged human swimming in a pool of emotions everyday of my life. There’s a raging violent storm inside of my heart
at all times… My anxiety and depression have ruled my life for as long as I can remember and I never leave the house because of it… I feel like I let a lot of people down and again, I’m sorry.” Kid Cudi’s letter along with Earl Sweatshirt’s and Kendrick Lamar’s recent albums are vital for the mental health community. By being so open and personal about his depression, Kendrick Lamar is demonstrating the fact that it’s okay to talk about mental health on an intimate level without feeling ashamed, which is an essential message for teens to take away. Earl Sweatshirt’s lyrics also break the stigma around mental health while defending the constant criticism against rap music. The dominant complaint about this genre of music is the constant reference and glorification of drugs, alcohol, and violence. Although it may seem as though drugs and alcohol are being referenced to praise a dangerous lifestyle, quite often rappers talk about substance abuse as a way to either cope with pain or express personal battles with addiction. Toward the end of Kid Cudi’s letter he states that he is sorry. For anybody reading this, if you have been struggling with a mental disorder or you just happen to feel sad one day, do not apologize. Your feelings are real and a do not require an expression of regret to make others more comfortable. Mental illness is not a phase and you are not selfish, weak or ungrateful for expressing your emotions.
Sleep vs. school: a later start time is needed
by Emmanuel Ramirez Staff Writer
Starting the day off with exhaustion and anxiety is often normal for students. Having to wake up exceptionally early after a night’s harsh workload can bring forth these feelings. Going to sleep late has not become so much a matter of choice, but rather a necessity in order to finish all the work assigned. As the year goes on, workloads increase and extracurriculars do not help with finishing work quickly. The workloads are often heavy, not because the student is inefficient, but because there is simply an excess of assignments. Teachers may argue that
these assignments can be easily completed, but when combining five or more classes worth of homework, the so called “easily completed” assignments become burdensome. There’s also the traveling aspect. Some students live up to, if not more than, 3 miles away and getting to school early can be a challenge. It proves a challenge varying on the student’s method of transportation. For instance, if students do not drive or do not get rides to school, then they are most likely biking, walking or taking the bus. All these factors can make coming to school early a hassle. As a result, anxiety to get to school on time is incurred and eating breakfast must sometimes be skipped to avoid being tardy. These problems can often intertwine to make matters worse. Finishing work late and having to wake up early to travel a fair distance is exhausting, and sometimes, skipping breakfast is necessary to get to school at 7:35 in the morning.
According to Nationwide Children’s, students should get around nine to nine and a half hours of sleep, but students cannot fulfill that goal when school is starting at 7:35 and sleeping late due to work. This early start time and workloads contribute to the average amount of sleep students get—7.5 hours. Going against recommended amount of sleep affects the student’s development and even performance when at school because their brains are not fully awake. When the brain is not fully awake, cognitive abilities are hindered and academic performance is negatively impacted. Yes, going to school at 7:35 allows more time for sports and extracurriculars since it means that we get out of school earlier. But is it worth sacrificing sleep for a little bit more time to do other activities? If exhaustion can be prevented through a later start time, then athletic performance will increase positively because more sleep allows for more rest and
recovery. What athlete would not want to perform better? Perhaps the start time for some practices would be delayed, but in the end, the extra sleeping time will have a greater effect than ending practice slightly later than usual. After all, starting the day off well usually pays off. This is just more reason for why school start times should go to starting school a little later, even if it’s just 20 minutes. These 20 minutes can go a long away. The extra time helps for easing anxiety in the mornings and
eating breakfast. However, the important thing is that having a little bit more time gives more sleeping time and that helps in the long run both for academic performance and development. Consequently, the extra sleep can also ease anxiety as the student attains better attitude towards studies and will then perform better by not stressing so much about negative outcomes. It is not as complicated as it seems to help lessen student’s exhaustion and anxiety for school. Simply starting a little later than
Karla Alejandro | The Phoenix
the usual start time will go a long way to help the student’s academic performance and mental health. Besides, it’s only fair that the student’s are repaid with later start times for their hard work and endurance of stressful and time consuming activities.
Opinion
5
Dec. 9, 2016
Closed-minded stereotypes and their effects
by Ambika Vaidya
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Society is full of assumptions and stereotypes. For example, just because you’re Indian, you eat spicy food day and night. Because you’re a Muslim female, you always wear a hijab, or because you’re Asian, you’re a studious, overachieving worrywart. Despite all the battles won for civil rights, no one can deny the fact that our races, ethnicities and even gender still very much set people apart. A large portion of this can be seen with relation-
ships. Many members of society expect couples to be of the same race, although interracial relationships have become increasingly common throughout the past decades. In the United States, interracial marriage was made legal in 1967, 102 years after slavery was abolished, and three years after the Civil Rights Act was signed. However, for several years, many states violently rebelled against the legalization and the concept of interracial marriage. Today, interracial relationships have just blended into society. But that doesn’t stop human instinct from assuming that most couples are of the same ethnicity. Moreover, based on one’s ethnicity, many people make assumptions about whether they are in a relationship or not. In the Western culture,
Talking is not the cure Our generation has the worst mental health than all the generations before and it may not be just because people are more likely to be diagnosed now. With the amount of stress to get into a good school, get a good job and to be a good person overall, it’s not hard to believe that approximately 12 percent by Jenny Nguyen of the teenage population Staff Writer suffers from depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, estimated 3 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. As a person who has experienced depression and not quite defeated it yet, it’s quite common to hear “all you have to do is ask for help.” It should be easy, considering that we live in a society where mental illnesses like anxiety and depression are broadcasted across every social media platform. But it’s scary. It’s hard to tell people that you have something wrong with you. Reaching out is often the first thing anyone suggests when someone tells them they have depression. And, I get it, they want to be supportive and they don’t know how to make it better so they tell the person to go ahead and cry out for what they need. But being told to “just ask for help” over and over doesn’t actually help. If it were that easy to cure depression, I wouldn’t be dealing with it right now. And this is where the vicious cycle continues to spiral downwards. You stop talking to people, not because you don’t like them, but because you don’t want to go through the same conversation over and over again. I’ve reached out to multiple help hotlines when depression hit me hardest. Many hotlines like Crisis Call Center and National Hopeline Network have really kind people and they’ve helped me out. The people who I was able to talk to were kind and made me feel like I wasn’t alone. In that sense, help hotlines do work for the primary purpose of enabling people to have someone to talk to. But some people need to keep in mind that just talking to others doesn’t cure depression and telling someone about your anxiety doesn’t make it magically disappear. Our generation has been one of the most diverse and accepting generations in the history of the world. We have fought for LGBTQ+ rights and we are defying gender norms. Social media has played a huge part in these events and the de-stigmatization of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses is no exception. Help hotlines are gradually becoming less prominent and are being replaced with Internet support groups, but that’s okay. The point is that we’ve got each other’s backs, which is truly admirable. If you’re experiencing depression and you want to reach out and talk to someone, there are many hotlines you can call and many support groups you can contact. But just remember that no one can help you if you don’t want to be helped.
it is traditional for a man to “court”, or in modern times date, a girl, once the girl enters her teenage years. However, not all cultures follow this timely tradition; in Asian cultures, it is common for people to enter a relationship only after they get ahead of their education. During my last year of middle school, I was asked a very common question by a classmate of mine, who happened to be white: “Do you like anyone?” However, before I could reply, she let out a laugh and answered for herself, “Well, then again, I guess you don’t. Indians are very studious, right? They like their work!” I was amused by her response and a bit indignant. Yes, some Indians are studious. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have teenage hormones. How people regard a particular person, male or
female, relies heavily on their ethnicity. When I was in middle school, I had a rather stereotypical mindset, especially when it came to school life. I believed that only muscular guys played football and girls who weren’t so academically gifted took part in cheerleading. I was also inclined to believe that Asian boys usually played tennis. My middle school was academically challenging, and I was surrounded by a group of friends whose goals were achieving straight As on their report card and joining as many sports as possible, except cheer. They believed cheerleading was way beneath them. None of them could imagine someone smart jumping around in a cheer uniform and chanting school slogans. As for a boy cheer-
leader, it was unbelievable that a guy would choose cheerleading as a sport when he had so many other sports options at hand. And for a long time, I couldn’t imagine it either. Then I came to Fremont, where the cheerleading group consisted of girls of all races, and even some guys too. The Indian girls who were cheerleaders were also academic achievers, taking part in the California Scholarship Federation, the National Honor Society, and many other clubs and sports as well. The guy cheerleaders played other sports and it’s likely that many of them were good in the academic area. The experience of viewing both genders and different races in a very stereotyped hobby changed my mindset. But these genderrace stereotypes aren’t just
related to the school world. There are many more of the assumptions that play into a lot of careers as well. And the list of sexuality-race stereotypes just keeps getting longer and longer. Some of these biases are amusing, some are extremely offensive, but one has to remember that these biases are stereotypes, which by dictionary definition, are a widely held but fixed and oversimplified images or ideas of a particular type of person or thing, and this definition does not make them actual facts.
Netflix and Gil(more) Girls
by Dana Nissan Opinion Editor
It’s been 9 years since fans watched Gilmore Girls and on November 25, the show came back to life on Netflix with four episodes, each 90 minutes long. The revival, “A Year in the Life” documents the continuation of the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore from the point the show ended. The whole cast is back crying, laughing, cracking jokes, being sarcastic and still talking fast. Gilmore Girls is based on an incredibly close mother and daughter relationship who are more than just family: they’re best friends. The show depicts the journey the girls take as they grow up and experience life. They do this together, hand in hand, joke by joke and sip by sip. Ever since Gilmore Girls ended in 2007, fans were urging creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, to recreate the show. I also thought that the show ended abruptly and that the girls need to have one final moment on screen together to arrange and fulfill their dream and life. The fans weren’t the only ones wanting more. Sherman-Palladino also realized that the girls weren’t done yet. She started writing the script that would bring Stars Hollow, where the show is set, back to the
TV screen. In “A Year in the Life”, the Gilmores face the devastating news that Edward Herrmann, who played the father of Lorelai Gilmore and husband of Emily Gilmore in the show, died. This was shocking news for the cast as they bonded together for 7 years and created a new family on their own. They formed a family off-screen just as strong as the family on-screen, leading you to forget it was only a show. The revival was dedicated to Hermann. But was the revival a fitting end to the story? I was urging for the show to come back but for a different reason. I wanted and needed to see everyone together again, but it’s not the same now. Sherman-Palladino tried to include the whole cast from the original series. She made many calls, trying to convince everyone it’s a once in a lifetime experience to be back in Stars Hollow one last time. And it really was. It was inspirational and heartwarming to see the cast, their passion for coffee and how everyone grew. But of course, it’s not the same. I experienced and imagined seeing where the girls walked, talked and drank tons of coffee. I was on the set of Gilmore Girls which is located in the Warner Brother Studios in Los Angeles, a couple of weeks before they started filming, when the place was exactly like it used to be. It was Stars Hollow once again and not just on TV or only as building and roads. Seeing that made the show complete for me. I had my finished version of the Gilmore Girls in
my eyes, and the revival was a finishing touch. In the past, the town was old fashioned, which brought you to imagine your life in Stars Hollow. You wanted to go into Luke’s diner and drink coffee everyday, and see the snow and leaves fall onto the ground, while you are surrounded by your friends and family. Now, everything in Stars Hollow was modern with a lot of technology added to most scenes. The welcoming loving atmosphere you felt through the TV in the old series was gone and replaced with a Hollywood feel as the people sit in Luke’s Diner and are just on their computer. Stars Hollow lost the authentic environment. The recreation is amazing but it’s not like
when it was first created in 2000, when the girls were inseparable. The magic was seeing the girls together throughout the whole show never stopping to breathe because they were always talking. Even though the charm is gone from the mother and daughter, you will always be attracted to the fast talking, drinking coffee and all the relationship drama of the Gilmores. A revival wouldn’t change that feeling I have every time I see Lorelai and Rory on-screen because once a Gilmore, always a Gilmore.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Special Feature or
DEC. 9, 2016
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HAPPY HO Local ways to spread holiday cheer Emily Wright Managin Editor
Holidays are the season of giving back. There are many places you can volunteer at in the community to help out the less fortunate. The following places offer various services nearby that students can volunteer at. Sunnyvale Community Services provides emergency aid, food, and financial services to prevent homelessness and hunger. You can donate to them, and individual high school students 16 years of age or older can volunteer after school and during school breaks for service hours Monday through Friday. Tasks involved include double bagging bags for food distribution, warehouse maintenance, and loading groceries into cars. Interested students must email the SCS Volunteer Manager to schedule their hours in advance at volunteer@ svcommunityservices.org. For more information, check out their website: http://www.svcommunityservices.org/ Students must bring a signed application on their first day, which can be found on their website. The Rabbit Haven at 1261 S. Mary Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 also offers various volunteer opportunities for students 14 and up with parental permission. A volunteer application must be filled out, which can be found on their website: http://therabbithaven.org/. The Rabbit Haven helps place abandoned and surrendered rabbits into foster and permanent homes. Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen in San Jose provides nutritious meals to disadvantaged individuals. Check out their website—http://www.loavesfishes.org/—for a list of volunteer opportunities for students aged 14 and up (younger if accompanied by a parent or guardian). Interested students must bring a filled out Volunteer Agreement Form, which can be found on their website. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for students 14 and up, including sorting and distributing food. One of the largest food banks, it distributes nutritious food to hungry and lowincome people in Silicon Valley. Students must have a Permission Form which, along with other information on specific events, can be found on their website: http://www.shfb.org/. Specific details about student groups can also be found there. The Bill Wilson Center offers volunteer opportunities for juniors and seniors as a Chat 4 Teens Peer Counselor. Chat 4 Teens offers teens the chance to chat with a supportive, non-judgmental listener in an online instant message format. Volunteers will help deal with teens in crisis. Interested students should contact a Volunteer Manager to attend orientation, complete an application, clear a background check, be interviewed, and complete the training series. More information can be found on their website: http://www. billwilsoncenter.org/. Photo courtesy of each of the organizations above.
Cassandra Gines &Karla Alejandro Collaboration
Winter st
In today’s generation, fashion plays an essential role in society by and the chilly days call for warmer and cozier clothes. Chokers are very trendy necklaces that are popular among high s Bella Thorne have been wearing chokers to both formal and casual eve jacket, skinny jeans, earrings, and boots. “I usually wear chokers with a cropped shirt and high waisted jean Different style of chokers have been appearing throughout popula casual look while velvet chokers can be worn for a more elegant displa Flannels are checkered patterned cotton wear that can be dressed A flannel can be worn tied around the waist with a plain long sleeve sh with a t-shirt, leggings, a beanie and high-tops. Flannels give off a very especially around Fremont High School. “With an unbuttoned flannel, I wear a white shirt with dark blue j Ankle boots have been making an appearance once again this wi popular. Ankle boots are the perfect height to keep your feet warm wh lik and Taylor Swift have been seen with these shoes, making them tre cashmere sweater. Many also accessorize it with a scarf or a statement “I love ankle boots. I think they are really cute with a chunky heel and a tight top. They’re perfect for winter!” junior Katia Manner said. Knitted sweaters are very trendy, often worn for a cozy feel and s a casual outfit. One way to dress up knit sweaters can be with tights, b worn with khaki jeans and casual dress shoes. They can be worn to cas This holiday season, use these fashion tips to stay warm, be fashio
Festive h Momina Nadeem Online Editor
With the holidays just around the corner, many people are out and about trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones. Here are some creative, wallet-friendly, Pinterestinspired Do-It-Yourself gift ideas that you can create for your family and friends. Specialized Christmas ornaments are a common gift during the holidays. Clear paintable ornaments can be purchased for only a dollar at a dollar store, but instead of painting the exterior, fill it up with a serving of hot chocolate mix. You can customize this gift in many different ways. Aside from having the generic hot chocolate mix, you can also layer different types of candy, marshmallows, or sprinkles to make this gift truly unique. It serves as a colorful decoration for a Christmas tree, and when the recipient wants to enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate, all they have to do is stir the contents of the ornament out into a cup of hot water or milk.
Special Feature
DEC. 9, 2016
7
OLIDAYS
Holiday activities Manavi Chandra
tyles
Arts & Entertainment Editor
giving everyone a way to express themselves. Winter is finally here
school students and young adults. Celebrities like Kendall Jenner and ents, causing its popularity. Chokers can be dressed up with a bomber
ns,” said junior Rachel Wen. ar stores like Forever21 and H&M. Tattoo chokers can be worn for a ay. d up in many different ways. Flannels are worn by both girls and boys. hirt and jeans. Another outfit idea could be an oversized thick flannel y cozy and casual but stylish look and they are extremely popular,
jeans and high top converse,” said junior Marc Anthony Gutierrez. inter season. Black, brown and light colored boots are especially hile adding a chic look to any outfit. People like Gigi Hadid, Zayn Maendier than ever. These boots can be styled with a skirt, jeans or even a necklace. l. They look good with skinny jeans and a loose top or boyfriend jeans
stylish appearance. Girls tend to wear these with jeans or leggings for boots and a statement necklace. As for boys, knit sweaters tend to be sual or formal events depending how the sweater is styled. onable and even shop for gifts to any loved one. Stay classy!
holiD-I-Y gifts Although gift baskets are a wonderful gift, they can be quite pricey. The good news is that gift baskets are very easy to make on your own, and what is best is that anything can serve as a basket, so you can get very creative and play around with different themes. Perhaps a gift basket could be filled
with items for a movie night such as a box of popcorn, some candy, a soda or any type of drink, and a movie! If you have a Bed, Bath & Beyond kind of friend, you can purchase a pair of slippers and stuff them with spa essentials such as soap, lotion, nail polish, perfume…
perhaps a DIY bath bomb? A bath bomb is a great gift on its own, or as a part of a larger gift basket. Making a bath bomb isn’t all that difficult, and you can customize them in many ways to match the holiday theme. What you will need is a cup of baking soda, a half cup of citric acid, a half cup of Epsom salt, a teaspoon of water, two teaspoons of any essential oil, three teaspoons of olive oil and any food coloring. Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl with a whisk, and in a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients. After that, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture one teaspoon at a time, stirring with the whisk. After you finish making the mixture, pack the mixture together in small amounts using any shaped mold you desire. You can use a cupcake baking tray or even Christmas-themed cookie cutters to pack your bath bombs together and give them the shape you want. Once the bath bombs dry about half an hour later, you can remove them from
their molds and they are ready to be used or given as a gift! If you are in a rush and need a gift quickly, a s’more kit is a great option that you can throw together in about five minutes. All you need are some chocolate bars, large marshmallows and graham crackers. To wrap this gift, you can use clear plastic gift wrap and a string of twine. You can find everything you need for this gift at your local grocery or dollar store. If you have more time, another “kit” option is to make a gingerbread house making kit. You’re going to need time to bake the gingerbread and cut it to size, provide frosting and candy, as well as perhaps include instructions on how to assemble it, but once you finish, it’ll be a truly meaningful gift that your friends and family members will certainly enjoy.
Big holiday travels are usually expensive and hard to come by, but luckily there are several local holiday celebrations that do justice. The following destinations can reawaken your inner holiday spirit and make your holidays a joyful one. A lively and festive place to visit is Christmas in the Park located in San Jose. This theme park involves decoration set ups with authentic Christmas backgrounds as well as food stalls, gift shops and the opportunity to become a cartoon. Christmas in the Park runs from November 25 to January 1. Admission is free to the public and the park gets quite busy, so arriving early for parking is key. Downtown Ice in San Jose is also taking place through January 16, so people can ice skate while looking at Christmas decorations. Another popular holiday destination is Great America’s WinterFest. This special feature is open from November 26 to December 19, December 23 and December 26 to 30. WinterFest includes displays such as Santa’s Workshop and Mrs.
Claus’ Kitchen, along with a Tree Lighting Ceremony that takes place nightly at 5:30 p.m. When walking around the park, visitors are also able to listen to The Mistletones, Great America’s Christmas carolers. Great America’s rides are also open and available with separate admission. San Francisco will be hosting its annual Illuminate SF, where it presents perhaps the biggest light decorations of the year. The Golden Gate Bridge, along with 12 other San Francisco neighborhoods, will be shining with holiday lights. There are numerous events to attend, some of which include San Francisco Neon City: Evolving Landscape, an event taking place on December 10 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and the Neon Light Tour on December 17 on Market, Mission and Castro St. You can also visit neighborhoods like Yerba Buena and Bayview to see other festive light installations. Illuminate SF is taking place now through New Years. San Francisco’s Embarcadero ice rink is also open to the public until New Years Day.
Cherishing and creating new moments is a great way to kick-start the holidays. The Mendocino Ford House allows visitors to time-warp into the past and be apart of some traditional holiday activities. It offers train rides with holiday layouts from the past at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Admission for the train rides is complementary from December 15 through December 24 with separate admission to the Botanical Gardens. In addition to going out during the holidays, throwing parties is a definite way to be surrounded by the people you love. Also, spending time with loved ones and making hot chocolate together, sitting around a fireplace and exchanging Christmas stories or shopping for gifts can excite holiday spirit and memories. Hopefully some of these ideas have sparked your interest and have given you ideas on where to go and what to do for the holidays. Make this holiday season a memorable one as it occurs only once a year,
Sam Tumkur | The Phoenix
Arts & Entertainment The increase of security at airports 8
dec. 9, 2016
by Miranda Kushner Staff Writer
Recently the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has been making headlines and not because of its high resolution camera or long battery life. The Note 7’s lithium battery has been known to explode while charging, leading to a production recall and the smartphone being banned from cellular networks in countries like New Zealand. Among these restrictions, the Note 7 has also joined the extensive list of items prohibited by the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) on airplane flights. On that list, this cell phone is in notable company along with items such as throwing stars, bleach, scissors and liquids in quantities over 100 mL. The TSA banning objects like these is part of the intense security measures that United States airports now employ to keep air
travel safe for everyone. The main reason behind the intense regulations at airports today are because of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001; airports in the U.S. were shut down for an entire day afterwards, leaving people stranded and damaging the air travel industry through loss of income. Airport security was much more relaxed beforehand; people could arrive at the airport much closer to their flight departure due to how fast it would be to pass through security. Once airports reopened after the attacks and resumed all flights, security measures were further intensified, leading to what is in place today. Two of the biggest elements that were changed were extensive background checks on employees before being hired and on baggage checks.
Other regulations include that travelers can only meet families after passing security instead of seeing families straight at the gate. Travelers also have to pass through checks right before boarding flights in most airports. The security part consists of a conveyer belt where carry ons and shoes are put in trays, then pass through an x-ray. Travelers also must pass through a metal detector, but if they choose not to, due to radiation issues, they are subjected to a pat down. Random security checks also exist, meaning that certain passengers may be subjected to more rigorous checks and have the possibility of being detained. Although these checks are supposed to be “random,” travelers of Islamic faith are selected more often than people of other faiths, which is an area of
controversy. Failing to follow regulations or refusing to letting your bags be checked can result in consequences like being stopped during security for questioning or not being allowed to complete one’s trip. If a prohibited item is discovered, the person carrying the object is subject to a fine ranging from $100 to $7,500 as well as a criminal referral to a relevant court for more dangerous items. These same rules apply to carry-on bags; however there are other, more specific, restrictions for carry ons. For example, passengers may not bring containers of liquid that are more than 3.5 ounces. Beginning October 2011, certain travelers, who are picked at random or apply for this with the airline, can have a check mark and “TSA pre” printed on their
boarding pass, allowing them to bypass certain parts of the security process. This system allows people to pass through screening much faster, but it is not available in every airport in the country or for every airline yet due to reasons specific to the industry. Children under the age of twelve can also pass through security faster and avoid having to remove their shoes. Although airport security is designed to keep travelers safe, one downside of it is a potential invasion of privacy. Travelers may have their bags opened by security and then find their stuff moved around. This can lead to increased cases of theft by corrupt security guards and other staff. Foreign airports tend to have differences in security regulations from American airports. Security abroad, especially in continental
European countries, is much more relaxed. This is mainly due to the fact that those countries have had less cases of aerial terrorism than the US. Airport security and its origins is an important detail to be conscious of when traveling. All holiday travelers and travelers in general should remember to arrive to the airport a few hours before their flight leaves and to make sure to not carry any restricted items. Getting through the airport smoothly is always the best way to get your vacation off to a good start!
photo courtesy of 123RF
The evolution of the Weeknd by Sophia Pullido
ously empty life/ You always seem to bring the light.” These lyrics are portray a different connotation than the previously mentioned lyrics from “Wicked Games.” The evolution has continued in the newly released album Starboy. The Weeknd has been releasing one song at a time to excite his listeners for the full release. The well-known artist will continue to excite fans with the new ideas he has for his music.
Staff Writer
The Weeknd is known for having a voice that makes one’s ears feel like they’re being caressed. Abel Tesfaye started uploading songs anonymously to Youtube on a channel named The Weeknd in 2010. Tesfaye started referring to himself as The Weeknd, and a year later he released his first album House of Balloons with 10 songs—some known as “Thursday” and “Echoes of Silence” touching on his journey through drug use and heartache. In a popular song, called “Wicked Games”, The Weeknd expresses “Bring your love baby I can bring my shame/ Bring the drugs baby I can bring my pain.” These two lines express the depth of how intimately opening up to people is hard and how drug use is a coping skill. In 2012, The Weeknd dropped Trilogy, which includes all the songs from House of Balloons and more like “Next,” “The Morning” and “Loft Music.” Songs from Trilogy had a way of easing the mind; his voice could not only calm you, but his lyrics made you feel what the artist was feeling. The Weeknd didn’t have an ideal life growing up, his father left the family when
he was only a toddler, and he dropped out of high school to pursue his music career. Therefore, a considerable number of his songs reflect upon his hardships and difficulties through life. The Weeknd’s music has evolved greatly throughout the years. From music that makes listeners feel emotional or subdued, to music that makes people feel lively, it is clear that The Weeknd has always had the most unique ideas for his music, often using inspiration from personal experiences to create new projects. In 2013 he came out with another new album titled Kiss Land. Kiss Land starred
a more lustful taste, with sex, pain and drugs. This was the album where listeners were amazed with the diversity of his music. The Weeknd’s known style of music started with Beauty Behind the Madness, an album released in 2015 with 14 songs, featuring collaborations with Lana Del Rey and Ed Sheeran.. A song titled “Angel” radiates a clear change in theme, where at a first listen you would think you would be listening to his heartache, but actually reflects a lot more love for a significant other. We can see this when he expresses “And even though we live a danger-
Photos courtesy of Pitchfork and Wikepedia
Song reccomendations Wicked Games What you need The Morning dark times Sidewalks Six feet under shameless In the night
Arts & Entertainment 9
dec. 9, 2016
CW's Jackpot Shows: Flash and Arrow Two shows in one world
by Thomas Poplowski, Suryan Bhatia & Emman Rao collaboration
The thrilling and suspenseful CBS and Warner Bros. production show Arrow is a mystery and crime fiction television series that first aired in October of 2012 on CW. It stars businessman and CEO of Queen Consolidated, Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) later to be known as Green Arrow, who returns to Starling City after spending the past five years trying to survive on an island. The show takes place in modern-day Starling City, where self-taught vigilante Oliver takes on the criminals of the city. The rest of the cast consisting of Thea Queen, Oliver’s sister (Willa Holland), John Diggle (David Ramsey) and Tommy Merlyn (Colin Donnell) start off the show with welcoming their friend back, and within a few days, Oliver hires bodyguard John Diggle in order to ensure his safety. He is later joined by Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) who come to be known as “Team Arrow.” About halfway into the first season, security guard John Diggle is let in on Oliver’s vigilante secret so Oliver can have backup readily available when needed. Oliver’s famous catch-phrase that he says right before shooting an arrow through a criminal’s heart , “You have failed this city,” is a clever tactic used by the screenwriters to build upon the characterization of Oliver as someone who believes ending his enemies’ lives would make him a “hero.” However, it seems like he goes against his own logic when Oliver stops killing his enemies later in the show and sends them to the police, believing that killing people daily would label him a murderer.
Arrow is a great show for people who are into superheroes, with a bit of romance, mystery and suspense that help drive the plot forward. One of the biggest factors that distinguishes the show from other fighting shows is Oliver’s many complicated relationships throughout the series. Oliver is shown as a character who doesn’t believe in true love at first, because he fears loving someone would put their life in danger since Oliver’s enemies would knowingly go after them. The series’ ability to show Oliver kicking butt—on a literal note— and simultaneously living a normal social life is probably the biggest reason the show has an incredibly strong fan base. Oliver’s ability to get up-close and personal when he fights for justice showcases the amount of care, passion and effort he puts into the wellbeing of his city. Whereas other TV shows, such as Daredevil, show off their main characters as benefactors of their cities by sitting behind a desk. The show’s most intriguing factors are the overall performances of the cast, and how well they can portray their feelings. The entire team of Arrow has a way of convincing the fans that their emotions are real, but the true star of the show, Stephen Amell, portrays his character’s feeling exceedingly well. Every single actor succeeds in showing inspiration and passion on-screen, which makes the show an incredible watch. Along with the stellar performances of the cast, the use of special effects is astonishing. With
Oliver shooting arrows, it can be difficult to make it look like the victim is grieving in pain. The hardest part about filming the series was showing Oliver on the island. The stunts are clearly planned out very cautiously and are usually performed by stunt doubles. The show’s soundtrack is professionally composed by Blake Neely, and is played before and after the show, and during fighting scenes. Personally, I enjoy watching Arrow because of how intense its villains are. In the beginning of the show, Oliver fighting minor threats leads to him fighting villains with increased complexities as the plot of the show escalates. There are also many special features of the show, like where Arrow had crossover episodes with The Flash and Supergirl and an episode featuring a parody of the “Suicide Squad,” with
Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, Shrapnel and Cupid. Arrow is known for being the most popular CW television network show because it clearly showcases the thematic element of duality in characters. Many of the characters, including Oliver’s sister, will join Oliver in his crime-fighting, resulting in them leading a double life in the near future of the show. It is currently airing its fifth season, but this show is yet to blow our minds with many more to come. -----------------------------The Flash is a superspeed possessing superhero created by DC Comics in 1940, first debuted by character Jay Garrick. Jay Garrick is a scientist who got caught in an accident, which gave him super speed. The Flash was canceled in 1949, since superhero comics were declining in popularity. DC Comics later revived The
Flash through Barry Allen, who is the Flash of Earth-1, and Jay Garrick is currently the Flash of Earth-2, a parallel universe. The comics follow Barry Allen. DC Comics is currently publishing Flash Rebirth, which follow the Barry Allen after DC Rebirth. The CW, a television channel, created a television adaptation of the comic series that first aired on the CW on October 7, 2014. It takes place in the same universe as Arrow. What makes the show great is its source material, acting and villains. Barry Allen is a character who has experienced great tragedy. He has been given the power to stop that tragedy from happening to others, however he knows that he cannot do that, since it would disrupt time, as shown in the Flashpoint arc. Despite the villains of the first two seasons possessing the ability of super speed as well, there have been interesting episodes created. The audience, along with Barry and his friends, does not know the real identity of the speedster. This sends the audience and media on a wild goose chase in figuring out the identity of the villains. Season three is the first season to not have its main villain be a speedster. All of the characters are not cliched stereotypes; like the hero having no flaws, the scientist being extremely nerdy, etc. Most of the characters often hide a dark secret. The show loosely follows major plot points from Flashpoint, the comic it is based on, while also making full episodes from minor plot-lines. This way there is a main plot for a season and also gives the audience some filler. This makes it so that the audience is not overwhelmed by 23 episodes of only plot content. The performances of
the entire cast are exceptional and feel natural. The acting of Grant Gustin (Barry Allen), Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow), Carlos Valdes (Cisco Ramon) and Tom Cavanagh (Harrison Wells) are exceptionally well done especially in moments of crisis. Throughout the series, the show keeps its thematic element of contrast, where half of the episodes taking place in the day the remaining half taking place at night. Symbolically this shows how The Flash and Barry stray from their path of heroism. This theme contrasts Supergirl’s light theme and Arrow’s darkness. What contributes to this aspect is the soundtrack composed by Blake Neely, it gives important cues to show when Barry feels proud, gloomy or heroic. Despite The Flash being a great show, it lacks in some places. Some of the characters are not fully fleshed out, where some villains only appear for one episode and then disappear, solely existing just to fulfill the emotional drama needed. Other moments in the plot are simply average and lacking. However potential viewers should not be discouraged by this. We have a few hopes for future episodes of The Flash. These include solutions to the problems that the team faces not being solved simply by running faster each time and creating more creative solutions to everything they face.
Photos courtesy of DC Comics and The CW Sam Tumkur | The Phoenix
Arts & Entertainment
dec. 9, 2016
10
How to survive the stress of midterms by Vivien Su Staff Writer
Midterm— a seven letter word that stirs stress and anxiety for any academically inclined high school student. “Winging it” is not an option anymore—you actually have to boil down to the books and study. Luckily for you, below is a compiled abundance of tips for finals—a shift from stereotypical advice—that will hopefully ease tensions and better enhance a student’s overall performance on test day. There are many Breathing techniques and advice that target mental health (proudly brought to you by the YES! Program) that helps view life as an adventure, not a problem. The straw breath is applied before a test or right before sleeping to reduce anxiety (which is very useful for high school students). Breathe in through the nose and exhale for as long as you can through your mouth as if you were blowing out through a straw. Promoting optimism is the key to success; a happy mindset shapes your life for the better
Managing Your Time is a key to studying for midterm. DO NOT CRAM in information the night before (although this can be tempting). Studying should be planned out ahead of time (that’s what calendars are for). The last night should be reserved solely for reviewing what you’ve already studied beforehand. According to USA Today College, chunking your study time is more effective than procrastinating it to the end. However, taking breaks between your study sessions is a necessity. Have a snack, go outside and breathe fresh air, or simply close your eyes and relax your mind.
Fremont staff and students all have their own suggestions for handling midterms. Sophomore Peyton Chen, suggested studying efficiently, and not wasting you time on unnecessary material Freshman Karen Dam recommended that students should refrain from over studying. Sophomore Austin Tao said, “Don’t cram nights before [the test], actually spread your studying, [since] you need time to process the information, rather than blatantly memorizing it. Also, put in effort to already have a 95% in the class so there is no pressure going into the final. And know what your finals are because classes can often vary.” Freshman Michael Wang said, “Spend some time everyday studying, instead of 5 hours the day before the test; eat healthy meals for energy, go to teachers during flex time and office hours if you have a low grade [in that specific class], and assure that you have all your materials.”
For studying advice, apply what method works best for you (i.e. flashcards, Kahoot, rereading the material, rewriting/summarizing your notes, if applicable). Test how well you know the material by teaching in front of an audience (it could even be your long-lost teddy bear). If you can effectively teach the material, you will most likely have a great understanding of it. Create a study group with your peers and quiz yourselves. You can quiz each other by informally asking questions, through quiz games, in person, or over technology. The Princeton Review recommends that, when studying, you refrain from distracting yourself with outside components (i.e. TV, music, and people). In other words, reserve a quiet studying area for yourself; this could be in your home or somewhere on campus. However, music is known to help certain students concentrate, as confirmed by Mind the Science Gap. If this is the case tailor your playlist in order to enable yourself to study to the best of your abilities. At the end of the day, that is your decision. Who should you ask for help? (There is no shame in asking for help). Your classmates are going through the exact same thing as you. Assuming if they have been studying hard, they should provide helpful insight. Talking to your parents may be a pain, but they were students once too! They want you to do well too, so if the material is well within their abilities, they will more than likely lend a helping hand. If you don’t have an older sibling, sorry you’re out of luck. But if you do, they’ve been exactly where you were some time ago, so surely they can offer some useful insight. Teachers are more than willing to help—that’s why FLEX time exists. As experts on the material, they are more than qualified to help through oneon-one mini lessons, or simply individual discussions. Most are even willing to use brunch and lunch time as long as you talk to them.
Ensure to study hard for finals so that you can have a fun and enjoyable winter break!
At the end of the day, these tips can only help so much, because it comes down to the very wire that students, themselves, influence their individual performance. Perseverance and contribution shows within a student’s work ethic, and it’s hope that drives motivation. The importance of finals can’t be emphasized enough. Teachers provide opportunities for prep time before finals, so students should not slack off at any degree. These study sessions are gaged towards the students so they are as successful on their finals to the best of their abilities. Although in most classes, finals don’t affect a student’s grade much, earning a good grade on midterms will help in someway, at least, for one’s overall grade. Successful individuals know the importance of academic performance, and finals are no exception. So know that studying will never go in vain, because knowledge is the key—the propeller to success that shapes society for the better. Photo courtesy of Cliparting
Moana: the first Polynesian princess by Hannnah Butay Opinion editor
Beautiful animation, catchy songs and wellwritten characters are among the reasons why Moana is such an excellent movie. Moana stars Auliʻi Cravalho as the title character and Dwayne Johnson as Maui, a demigod. Moana is tasked with finding Maui so he can return the heart of the goddess Te Fiti to its rightful place in order to prevent the spread of darkness to her island. This
is not an easy task, mainly due to Maui and Moana’s contrasting personalities and goals. Moana is determined, confident and brave, but her determination can prove to be a bit much, while Maui seems powerful and vain, but later reveals that he is insecure and unsure of himself.
Through the relatively short time span of the movie, both characters are able to develop a deep, strong bond with each other, a bond shown to be deeper than numerous other Disney princess relationships. The strength of their relationship is enhanced by the natural chemistry between their voice actors. Newcomer Cravalho, for whom Moana is her debut in the Hollywood world, works incredibly well with Hollywood veteran Johnson. The two are seemingly able to easily convey their characters’ emotions in a way that the animation can’t, and additionally have voices very fitting of the
characters. Johnson’s strong voice is exactly what one would expect from a strong demigod like Maui, while Cravalho has a voice befitting of a girl her age while also straying away from the stereotypical whiny 16 year-old teenager’s voice Hollywood has come to employ often. Furthermore, the relationship between Maui and Moana remains strictly platonic throughout the whole movie. This is refreshing when compared to the countless other Pixar and Disney movies that revolved solely around the lead female character’s oftenromantic love for the male lead. It shows little girls everywhere that they do not need to be defined by their relationship to a boy. Moana’s character in
general is a good example for young girls. While Moana has the determined, idealistic trait common to all Disney protagonists, she is also not without her flaws. She, like Maui, is insecure. The animation in the movie is absolutely breathtaking. The animators have clearly worked very hard to make sure the movement in the film is as physically accurate and smooth as possible. In particular, the water animation is so beautiful and lifelike that anyone could easily mistake it for a real life
nature scene. The animators also obviously paid meticulous attention to detail. There are several scenes where it almost seems as though everything, from each grain of sand to each strand of hair, was animated to move as it would in the real world. Characters’ facial expressions are also animated rather thoroughly, from eyebrow to chin. All in all, Moana proves to be a well-done movie that will hopefully be able to have the same impact on younger audiences as past movies such as Cinderella did.
Photos courtesy of Disney
sports
Dec. 9, 2016
Ron Cohen proves the athleticism of marching band by Patrick Ramos & Jessalynn Landor Collaboration
Athletes go through pain, defeat and success. Ron Cohen is a part of the Fremont High School Marching Band Drumline and plays the tuba at the Drum Corp International level. Cohen may not be the person that we usually think of when the word “athlete” comes into mind. However, Cohen still puts in the same amount of effort as any other athlete would, playing his instruments three days a week for over 15 hours, not to mention practicing a lot at home. Even though he plays two instruments, he is able to perform both at very high levels. With the help from friends, Cohen was able to push himself to where he is now. As a result, Cohen plays his two instruments with passion, and because of this he is able to propel himself to the top of his game. When engaging in marching band and DCI, Cohen has a specific approach. He views each practice as if it was a performance and each performance as if it was a practice. With the correct focus, he can think of both as high intensity. “I try to think of [prac-
tices and performances] as the same because knowing myself, if I think of it as a performance I may do something completely different than what I actually practiced,” Cohen said. “I try my best to make it all the same and not get too excited or hyped up for that. I keep a consistent mentality.” With his consistent mentality, he never lets his ego take control of him or overhype him. Marching band and DCI play a big role in Cohen’s life. “For me, I think it would be behind both my family and behind my work in school. It’s pretty high up there, for like extracurriculars it’s definitely at the
top,” Cohen said. His passion for music talent is high enough to set marching band and DCI above all other extra-curricular activities. Cohen puts his
family and his studies above his musical talent but still regards music as one of his highest priorities in his life. Cohen started playing the tuba in middle school, and as time went on, he added the snare drum to one of his hobbies, which he spend plenty of time practicing.
“To practice the snare, it included a lot of practice with friends,” Cohen said. “It’s more of a group activity, so that I practiced after school and we have marching band rehearsals,” Cohen continued to play
tuba due to motivation from friends like Anthony Mingus, FHS alumni, and his inspiration from the well known tuba player Patrick Sheridan. In the percussion aspect, Cohen looks up to Ben Newsome, the head drum tech at FHS. All of these people have pushed him to continue to perform tuba and snare drum at a really high level. Being one of the section leaders in marching band, Cohen emphasizes that he wants to look more like a group member or a friend and tries to not let his ego get to him much like how ”For me, it’s really important that they should be my friends before I should be their leader,” Cohen explained. “The people that are watching us don’t know that I’m in charge of them, they just see us a whole group. And that’s how the drumline has so much chemistry and with the good chemistry, comes
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great music.” Even though Cohen believes he is a great leader and musician, he has his weaknesses, one of which is his focus. “If I’m thrown off by one small thing” Cohen said, “then I’m completely thrown off my game and it takes me awhile to get back into it.” However, Cohen is able to divert his weakness by staying focused. If he does not, he could be thrown off, and as the section leader, the whole drumline could be thrown off. Cohen takes on this big responsibility because as an leader and an athlete, that is what he is expected to do. Despite that Cohen is an incredible musician, he does not plan on continuing music as a major. ”[I want to continue music] not as a major or anything, but just as a hobby. I’d like to continue to hold onto it because I like music.” Due to Cohen’s deep passion for music, he will never let go of his gift.
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
sports Kaitlyn Scholl: the wonderful guard star
dec. 9, 2016
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by Roei Burstein & Sam Tumkur Collaboration
“Five, six! Five, six, seven, eight!” As the show music begins, Senior Kaitlyn Scholl gets ready to perform. Color guard plays a big role in Scholl’s life, especially since she is captain this year. Scholl has been doing guard since her freshman year and was influenced to join by the Fremont Firebird Marching Band and Color guards’ visits to her elementary and middle school. While the people watching the color guard may think it is an easy activity, the reality is actually far from that. “A lot of people think that guard is not a sport and that it’s not as hard as marching band,” Scholl said. “Both of those are false. Guard is a lot of work. It’s exactly what the dance team is doing or what the cheerleading team is doing except we’re doing it on the football field and there’s a lot of running around and a lot of hard, physical exercise that goes with it. It’s not
just a fine art or it’s not just looking pretty. There’s a lot of hard work that comes with it.” Not only is guard a hard sport, but there is a serious risk of injury while performing. “This year for our marching band show ‘How I Wonder,’ we had a giant wooden star prop and on two separate occasions one of the ramps for our prop came down on me with the person on top. So imagine 40 pounds of wood, 90 pounds of human, came down on my arm and shoulder and on a separate occasion a week later came down on my leg.” Scholl said, “I didn’t fracture a bone but it almost could have and I do have some gnarly scars on my arm and my shoulder and my leg.” Although color guard can be physically exerting, guard has a special place in her heart, especially because of the family aspect that guard and marching band create. “Guard’s a passion of mine; guard created a family of people that used to be strangers and it’s hard to explain,” Scholl said. “If
you’ve ever been on a team, color guard and marching band are like extremely large teams and a large family, and so guard became another family for me.” As much as guard is an enjoyable sport, it has taught Scholl how to work with people and communicate clearly with those she works with. This skill kicks in especially as the captain of this year’s color guard. Some of her responsibilities lie in not only improving techniques with her team but also shaping her young guard members into good people. “Some of the biggest things [as captain] is that you have to not only make sure that your guard is keeping up with the technique which is always important, but you have to also make sure that the guard as people are nice,” Scholl said. “That they are becoming good people, good students, because a lot of my guard is young and so the freshman and sophomores are very
impressionable. These years can determine how you will behave the rest of your life, so I take their individual lives into account with how I train them.” Both of Scholl’s responsibilities will be emphasized in the upcoming winter guard season. The theme for the winter guard show will be based on art and mischief. This winter season, Scholl wants to focus on bringing the team together and improving the team dynamic. For the past three years, Scholl’s personal goal was to entertain the audience during the marching band and winter guard shows, but for this
year’s marching band season the focus was slightly different.
Guard is a lot of work. It’s exactly what the dance team is doing or what the cheerleading team is doing except we’re doing it on the football field and there’s a lot of running around and a lot of hard, physical exercise that goes with it. It’s not just a fine art or it’s not just looking pretty. There’s a lot of hard work that comes with it. Kaitlyn SCHOLL
“Most years it’s just about getting the best show and entertaining people, making myself proud and the audience happy to
watch our show but this past year for my mentality, it became about honoring our old color guard instructor, Christopher Walzberg because he passed away a day before band camp. But for this past season it’s about honoring him.” With the absence of the previous guard instructor, the band program had to hire new instructors. Despite this change, Scholl believes the new staff will ignite the burning passion of the color guard seen throughout the history of the program, so to really capture the true essence of being a firebird. “[I miss] our old instructors because I had them for three years and I got really close to them, but our new instructors have a lot of passion and new perspective and they found a way to revitalize the color guard,” Scholl said. Although some guard alumni continue the activity after graduation and march with drum corps during the summer, Scholl has no plans to do so because of her other summer commitments. Despite this, color guard will forever have an important place in her heart.
Photo courtesy of Jason Asuncion
Reigning champs host the firebird classic by Chirag Bhatia Staff Writer
This year, Fremont High School will be one of the schools hosting the Firebird Classic tournament, which is run over the course of several days: three Saturdays and one weekday in December. Girl’s Varsity will be representing FHS in this year’s tournament with Payam Hajjarian as the Head Coach. 32 teams from all across the bay will be competing in this tournament; teams will be coming from cities as far as Tracy, Salinas and San Francisco. The competitors consist of teams of all skill levels, some of which are even Central Coast Section champions. Fremont had an amazing season last year in the El Camino division, placing first in the league. Because they placed first, they have automatically been bumped up to the
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
SENIOR Kaylene Patti tracks the ball as she goes for the steal.
De Anza division this year. This division consists of much higher skilled teams than the ones they faced last year. In the leading days up to the tournament, Hajjarian strongly believes that
in order to maintain a good record, the team has to stay injury free. One of the reasons for this is that there has been a big roster change for the team since last year. The varsity team lost seven
COACH Hajjarian observes the game from the sideline.
players, six of which were seniors. However, to respond to this issue, Hajjarian has added talented freshman who are dedicated and highly skilled to the roster. His biggest focus for
the team is to make sure that they are competitive and that they do not set unrealistic goals for themselves. Hajjarian is confident in the skill of his team, and he feels that the team
chemistry and the passion that they play with will carry them a long way. “If we put in the work and the effort, we should be more than fine,” Hajjarian said.