February 3, 2017 | Issue 4, Volume 5

The evolution of Disney centerspread

Monthly Spotlight: Drew Cramer lack of facilites at fhs See Page 12 see page 8 Fremont High School

the

PHOENIX

Vol. 5 Issue No. 4 feb. 3, 2017

Herstory in

by Maggie Bernauer

the Making

Editor-in-Chief

“Herstory”: History, but with female icons actually recognized rather than men being idolized. On Saturday, Jan 21, civil rights supporters joined together to protest in the Women’s March on Washington as well as in sister marches around the world.

This was the largest non-violent protest answering a presidential inauguration in United States history. The march in Washington D.C. alone brought historical numbers, but the global sister marches, including the ones in the Bay Area such as San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco, allowed for more participation and more voices to be heard.

These marches had multigenerational attendance, ranging from young children with their parents to experienced elders who have been involved in protests of this type before.

“I am 77,” said protester Diane.“[And I] never thought I would have to come out and do this 50 years after I came out in my 20s. The 60’s changed everything, now he [Donald Trump] is trying to change it back. So we have to get out and say no once again.”

Ever since Bacon’s Rebellion, the first nonviolent protest in the US, alternative methods of implementing change nonviolently have become popular.

The ideology that is associated with non-violence can lead to marches, strikes and boycotts as forms of protest. This method has been seen with Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement as well as with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union. The key to a successful non-violent protest is to create a well organized and well articulated reason that affects enough people. If a diverse population of people have a response, it is clearer that the issues are important to many and ensures a large support to help start a movement.

“The Organizers were especially focused on being inclusive,” Fremont English teacher and marcher Anastasia Zamkinos said. “There had been a lot of concerns going into the Women’s March, that it wasn’t appropriately intersectional in some ways. And that it might inadvertently be a somewhat divisive thing, because some people feel more included in part of the message than others.”

In the early development of the Women’s March there was a lot of conflict with intersectional topics. Intersectionality is when two or more lenses are put on a social topic.

Prior to this protest, race and gender were connected which caused a lot of concern about who could participate and if women of different classes and races could agree and protest the same issue.

“There is tension within and between some parts of the female and feminist community,” Zamkinos said. “But I think this is an important opportunity to demonstrate that the things that unify us are stronger than the things that divide us amongst ourselves and we can use this as an op-

portunity to gather in solidarity for the things we do whatever issues they feel believe in and to really work on the things we need appropriate. I am also trying to work on to be a cohesive feminist movement to talk to students openly and a majority of the population.” about my participation and Because of this intersectionaltalking about how to be ity, there were many reasons engaged and role modeling for people to participate in that engagement because it the protest. Most people is certainly not too early to agreed that the main start.” reason for gathering was to express their feelings against the I know that I’m going recent election and to be 75 on monday and the fear of what is to come with the you [the youngergennew government. eration] are getting this “There are world that is facing a several things that are going to cataclysm. be taken away because of the a san jose protestor new regime,” a member of the Raging Grannies This multi-generationand marcher said. al, multi-racial, and gender “First and foremost inclusive march emphasized on a personal level that generations before us I am concerned have done their part to get about the taking our generation to where we away of health care are now and they are passfor my daughter ing the torch to continue who is disabled. a positive movement for That presents a major women and minorities to threat for her welleventually break the glass being. The other thing ceiling and have equality. is, I have been a real “I know that I’m going hard worker for is climate to be 75 on Monday and you change and the environ[the younger generation] ment. I seriously believe are getting this world that that we have to act now. is facing a cataclysm,” a San The new administration is Jose protester said. all around fossil fuels, oil and coal which will increase carbon in the atmosphere.”

As the next generation grows up they will be responsible for the state of the world and hopeful create positive steps forward. It is important as a young adult to start have experiences and think about what concerns are meaningful.

“The most important and relevant things our campus can do really all come from students,” Zamkinos said. “I am hoping to encourage more and more students to participate in whatever form of activism they feel is appropriate on Photo courtey of the Womens March

When Women Unite We stand up and fight!

News Betsy Devos and education Current 2

by Suryan Bhatia Staff Writer

On Nov. 23, 2016, President Donald Trump nominated Elisabeth “Betsy” DeVos, an American businesswoman, philanthropist and education activist from Michigan as his cabinet’s Secretary of Education. DeVos is a prominent member of the Republican Party known for her advocacy of school choice and voucher programs.

The Secretary of Education is the principal advisor to the President on federal policies, programs and activities related to education in the United States. While previous nominees for this position were teachers and school system leaders who had experience in public education, DeVos boasts no such qualities.

DeVos attended private K-12 schools and Holland Christian High School, a private Christian high school in Holland, Michigan. DeVos never went to a state university and has never sent any of her four children to public school.

Lastly, DeVos has no experience in public education.

DeVos is the chairwoman of Windquest Group, a privately held operating group that invests in technology, manufacturing and clean energy. Apart from serving as a chairperson, DeVos’ work experience has revolved around philanthropy and political advocacy, though much of that pertained to educational issues.

DeVos’ education poli-

cies revolve around school vouchers and school choice.

School vouchers are a program in which the government provides funding for a student at a private school chosen by the student or the student’s parents. Currently, about 400,000 children in 29 states are going to private schools with the help of public dollars.

The effectiveness of this system is mixed. Studies by Brookings Institution and Harvard University have found that voucher recipients are more likely to enroll in and complete college.

However, school vouchers have a negative effect on public schools and students going to public schools.

“The reality of vouchers is that the money that is used for them has to come from somewhere and most likely it would come from money that public schools currently receive,” Bryan Emmert, principal of Fremont High School, said. “That loss of revenue could really limit a district’s ability to maintain current programs or to offer new ones.”

What this means is many public schools might have to shut down and/or cut electives, usually art or music programs as a result of the voucher system.

Students moving from public to private schools are shown to have lower math and reading scores. Public school advocates fear that redirecting dollars from public to private schools gives taxpayer support to

institutions that don’t have the same obligation to serve all students—including those in need or who have learning disabilities.

The reality of vouchers is that the money that is used for them has to come from somewhere and most likely it would come from money that public schools currently recive. That loss of revenue could really limit a district’s ability to maintain current programs or to offer new ones Bryan Emmert Many opponents of school vouchers also advocate for the separation between Church and State as a reason not to use school vouchers.

“One of the main issues with Vouchers [...] is that they can be used to fund any private school, many of which are religiously based,” Jason Crutchfield, Director of Business Services at Fremont Union High School District, said.

In a report by National Center for Education Statistics, it was revealed that over 33% of all private schools in the United States

of America are religious, but not necessarily Christian.

School vouchers could blur the line between Church and State in education.

So, what could DeVos’ plans mean for FHS and FUHSD? Honestly, not a lot would change.

“In general, vouchers would probably not hurt our district too much due to the overall popularity of our schools and lack of Federal funding we receive” Crutchfield said.

The Fremont Union High School District gets its funding from local property tax revenues and the federal government cannot limit that. The revenue from local property taxes is greater than what we would receive from the state.

However, that does not mean other schools will not be impacted. As mentioned above, school vouchers could limit certain districts’ ability to maintain electives, or even keep schools open.

In the 1998-1999 school year, due to school vouchers, Milwaukee’s public schools had a net loss of $22 million.

DeVos’ education plan would affect education in many ways. Private school and college enrollment would rise; however, many public schools would lose important electives and some would be forced to shut down. Some students would benefit, while others might not. One thing is for certain, education will never be the same again.

feb. 3, 2017

Events:

What’s going on around you?

by Sophia Pulido Staff Writer

World News -According to Business Insider, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen has announced the Netherland’s plans to counteract President Donald Trump’s defunding of international programs related to informing women on their reproductive rights. The Netherlands plan on establishing an international fund related to education on birth control, reproductive rights, and women’s education.

U.S. News

-According to the New York Times, on Wednesday, January 25th, Trump made the decision to building the border wall he promised during his campaign. This is the first step Trump is will take to crack down on immigrants and reinforce national security. There are plans to counter this by some cities declaring themselves to be sanctury cities with the aim of protecting their undocumented residences

California News -According to the San Jose Mercury News, due to the recent storms, California gains relief as the drought percentage decreases. For the first time in years the majority of California is drought free land.

Fremont High School News -Unfortunately, the Sadies’ Dance was cancelled due to low ticket sales. Sadies’ was going to be the last dance before junior and senior prom.

UC tuition increase Drought update

by Emmanuel Ramirez Staff Writer

It is no wonder students going to a University of California (UC) are having trouble financially—UC tuition costs are going up.

Costs have been going up for a while now, but recently, UC’s have been getting too expensive.

In fact, according to the Los Angeles Times (LA Times), undergraduate tuition costs for UC’s have risen more than three times over in the last 14 years from around $3,700 to $12,300.

What’s more is that it is not just UC tuitions rising, but also California State schools.

The big increases occurred mostly between 2003 and 2011 and the tuition has remained constant since then.

That will soon change as a proposal to increase tuition for the 2017-2018 school year by $336 per student was made. Being the first increase in tuition cost in 6 years for UC’s, students will be facing more financial difficulties associated with college tuition in California.

UC spokesperson, Dianne Klein, told The LA

Times that the money from this increase in tuition “would be used to benefit students [and] many would receive more financial aid [as a result of the increase in tuition].”

Klein also said that the increase in tuition could better help the ratio of teachers to students by funding teachers more.

Such funding would allow a better education and experience for the students as the teacher to student ratios would decrease.

There were more reasons that Klein noted for raising the tuition, but not all of the reasons are deemed valid. Students argue that there are better ways to go about finances within the UC system and better decisions could be made on behalf of the “benefits” they will receive from tuition increasing.

The motives for raising tuition may be in the best interest of the students, but it does bring to question whether the extra cost is really worth it. Being a student attending such an expensive school in areas that have high living costs is

a struggle on its own without a jump in tuition cost.

The truth is, even a relatively small jump of $336 can go a long way for a student in such conditions.

Although most students receive financial aid to help pay the high tuition costs, it is not enough to make up for other necessary living costs. The increase in tuition will bring forth new problems from protests to less academic focus from students. The tuition jump will have students scrambling to find a balance between classes and their jobs to pay an even greater debt.

Another big concern that can arise from the tuition increase is whether more tuition jumps will continue in the years to come. If tuition increases annually just as it has in the past, then problems will definitely arise in the UC community between students and the way they live.

by Caroline He News Editor

California has been in one of its most severe droughts for the past six years, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

However, recent Pacific storms have dumped record amounts of snow and rain in the Northern California region.

According to the United States Drought Monitor, less than 45 percent of California is now in a state of drought. In fact, certain parts of the state are at risk of flooding, for example, areas surrounding the Russian and Merced rivers.

According to the National Weather Service, January storms have dumped over 113 percent of the normal San Jose rainfall, resulting in the replenishing of local reservoir levels.

But despite the recent drenching, California has opted to maintain its water conservation laws for another three months, as reported by the San Jose Mercury News. The reason being that while the majority of Northern California is out of the drought, certain parts of California, particularly its southern region, are still considered to be in severe drought.

“Most of Northern California, where most of the rain has fallen, is actually out of drought, so that’s a really good sign,” Ben Lowell, Fremont AP Environmental Sciences teacher, said. “The

problem is even one year of good rain is not enough to counteract five plus years of intense drought we’ve been in. Southern California is still having a really severe drought. So the big message is that this is really helpful, but it doesn’t mean we’re out of the drought.”

It is still important to remember that California has not exited the drought yet.

People still have to maintain the conservation habits they adopted during the worst of the dry season.

“Maintaining things like, using as little water as possible when showering, turning the water off when you brush your teeth and wash your hands, avoiding washing your car when it’s hot outside, all those things will help as well,” Lowell said. “Another thing you can do is reuse water, multiple times.”

Despite all the recent rain, California as a whole is still in dry conditions. The majority of the population still lives in areas classified as in a state of drought.

While still cautious, people are optimistic that the state of California’s water reserves has changed for the better.

Graphic courtesy of Clipartpanda

News 3

Feb. 3, 2017

Fremont class registration

by Nadia Anees

Centerspread Editor

Second semester has begun and the school year is passing by quickly; class registration preparation for the 2017-2018 year is already in the process of being finalized.

Class registration for the Fremont High School guidance team begins with preparing documents that will be handed out to the students for picking their upcoming classes. The guidance team meets with students to inform them about choosing classes, managing time between classes and extracurriculars or discussing different class options.

On February 27, the guidance counselors will stop by classes to leave course packets for students to begin the choosing process. Parents must sign off on the chosen courses and a final chance to change courses will be given towards the end of April or early May. Ana Franco, freshman guidance counselor, stressed the importance of students reaching out for advice and support as students may be out of their depth in choosing the right courses, and guidance from others can be helpful.

“We really want to encourage conversations with

students and their teachers so the teachers can recommend and discuss which classes will be best for the students,” Franco said.

Other important resources for students to make use of prior to and during the registration process are Infinite Campus, scheduling appointments with guidance counselors and discussing classes with experienced upperclassmen.

As another potential resource, here is some insight

We really want to encourage conversations with students and their teachers so the teachers can recommend and discuss which classes will be best for the students Ana Franco

from juniors and seniors from Fremont High School about a few of the classes they took these past years.

“I am currently taking APUSH (Advanced Placement U.S. History) and there is a lot of note-taking required in the class,” FHS Junior, Alyssa Guzman said.

“If you do not complete the notes then you won’t do as well on the tests and quizzes. If you’re willing to put in the work and time, then I would recommend the class.”

When it comes to higher-level science classes, some students may be on the fence about AP Biology, frequently shortened as AP Bio. “AP Bio was one of the hardest classes I’ve taken at Fremont and it really helped me think in a different way,” senior Shreeya Garg said. “It is a fun but hard class with not too much homework but rather several tests and quizzes that you have to think in a different way for.”

As for advanced placement math courses, AP Calculus BC is one of the highest math courses at Fremont taught by David Dobervich. Many students find the class challenging, but also rewarding.

“AP Calc BC made me feel a lot more challenged and pushed me to go further and I also feel more prepared for college and for my future career because I want to major in STEM, said senior Lauren Meier.

Another debated class is Pre-calculus honors, taught by Somsack Chaitesipaseut.

“From this class, I learned that I shouldn’t take

anything for granted and to put my all into anything I do,” said sophomore Nathaniel Catris. “This class is for anyone who’s willing to take on a challenge and put in as much work as they can in order to do well.”

Aside from higher-level classes, students also must decide on electives at FHS, such as Sports Medicine.

“I would recommend Sports Medicine to anybody remotely interested in the medical field,” FHS senior Emily Mahoney said. “I learned how to care for injuries during sports, like an athletic trainer would, and was able to help my own injured friends in volleyball.”

Besides asking for advice, Franco’s last tip is for students to be mindful of the classes they are choosing and to make sure they can handle the combined workload.

“Anxiety and stress have been high lately,” Franco said. “Your wellbeing is very important and we want students to be mindful of the number of AP’s and Honors classes they sign up for.”

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

New staff members at FHS

by Karla Alejandro Staff Writer

Isabel Sandoval, the new Special Education and ACT Teacher, went to Evergreen College, she then transferred to San Jose State University. She decided to pursue a teaching career because her siblings with disabilities inspired her. Her passions include working with people with disabilities and mentoring Hispanic students. In her free time, she takes care of her siblings while being a mother of a two. She loves to write and is a very outdoorsy person. Mrs. Sandoval loves Fremont because she believes it has a very strong family community. She wants her students to know the power of advocacy, be able to stand up for themselves and articulate what they want or need.

The new social studies teacher Curtis Lee went to UC Berkeley. He previously taught at Homestead High School and Cupertino High School. He loves the community spirit that Fremont invokes in the students. He loves teaching since he was inspired by his own teachers. Outside of teaching, he loves camping, live music and his friends. He is also a Golden State Warriors and Oakland A’s fan.

He wants his students to live life to the fullest, take chances and be unique.

Kris Risic, Fremont’s new Spanish teacher, went to the University of Wisconsin at Eauclaire. Since his first day at Fremont High School, he has felt very welcomed and accepted by students and staff and he believes that Fremont has a friendly environment. Risic decided to pursue a teaching career because he loves helping others and getting them to the point of understanding. In his free time, Risic likes to ride his motorcycle, go hiking, go to the movies and loves to travel.

Risic’s word of advice to his students is “Listen to your teachers.”

Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix

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.

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Opinion The real stereotypes behind reality TV

Feb. 3, 2017

4

by Emaan Rao Staff Writer

In the society we live in, reality television is known for stereotyping specific groups of people.

Nowadays, we are given an inaccurate representation of people and how they behave, especially in reality television.

Generally speaking, I think it is crucial to not believe everything we see in reality television because not all of it is true.

“Jersey Shore” was an MTV reality series that consists of a group of eight friends in New Jersey living their lives. Their lives were full of drinking, partying and hard-core sex.

It was criticized for being highly offensive for people residing in the South Jersey, since individuals there are known to be mostly Italian-American.

I could tell that the show producers were stereotyping Italian-American individuals, simply based on how the actors and actresses performed and looked

on the show. Actor Mike Sorrentino even defended the show before airing and said, “We shouldn’t judge, because everybody’s their own person. People are what they are, and that’s the way it is,” according to MTV News.

Toward the start of the series, the characters refer to themselves as “guidos.”

A guido is an ItalianAmerican, often a male and are depicted as aggressively masculine and socially unsophisticated.

This is a slang term in the beachside community, and is taken as a very offensive insult. Calling someone a guido would be equivalent to calling an African-American the n-word and when it was used in the show, it caused major controversy.

I thought this was an unnecessary part of the show, and it was included solely for the purpose of putting a “label” on a race.

As another example, reality show Dance Moms showcases the highs and lows of a competitive dance life.

The dance company is run by Abby Lee Miller, a passionate instructor who has been trying to pursue her career since 14 years old.

She is known for bluntly abusing the girls on the show by overworking them, forcing them to dance, and constantly yelling at her dancers.

Recently, while discussing Nia Frazier and Kalani Hilliker’s African-style duet, Miller expressed herself as shocked because she didn’t expected a good performance from people with African-American backgrounds.

Sherri Williams, a tenyear multimedia journalist and reporter, says one of the biggest problems is networks tend to broadcast shows that are specifically based on these stereotypes.

These shows objectify women’s bodies and stereotype of women of color.

The Bachelor is also an American reality TV series that promotes stereotypes, especially racist ones. The cast tends to look very similar, with blonde hair, blue eyes and white skin.

The show has recently got a lot of scrutiny for being a “whitewashed” show.

Producers have been accused of picking candidates based off of race. Since some of the candidates are African-Americans, rumors have spread that producers will deliberately cut them off from the show beforehand.

In the Bachelorette, you can see the gender expectations set for women, and how they aren’t expected to have sex.

You can’t expect one gender to do something and the other not be allowed to do the same thing, because

show producers are setting an unreasonable and unfair expectation for someone simply because of their gender.

Producers in the television industry will give a false representation just for the success of the show.

As seen in The Bachelor, Jersey Shore, and Dance Moms, and other television shows, groups can be judged and stereotyped based off of race or ethnicity, and reality television promotes this type of behavior.

Reality television only gives people an excuse to criticize and judge others without facing consequences.

Photos courtesy of MTV, Lifetime and ABC

Contradictory parental expectations

by Michael Wang Sports Editor

Think of the stereotypical Asian parent: one that is always on his or her kid’s back, monitoring them so they have straight A’s, the most awards and the best college profile possible, all at the expense of the child’s freedom and happiness.

Now think of another kind of parent: a parent that actually cares for his or her child’s happiness, even if they have a couple B’s and C’s and no achievement awards.

These two attitudes are total opposites and it seems like they can’t coexist in an individual, but this is exactly what I have to deal with on a daily basis.

I never know how to approach school and extracurricular activities—can I take it easy or should I push myself? I never know when my parents are going to be lenient and let me relax or if they’re going to be strict and tell me to work harder.

For instance, I have

been lectured about how I have to work hard and be the best in a certain extracurricular activity. I was told I needed to become the “leader”, just so I could include it on my college application. I need to study as much as I can so I can maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA or higher.

However, shortly after I express that being the best is difficult and at times impossible, my parents say this passive-aggressive phrase: “It’s fine if you can’t do it, as long as you are happy with it yourself, because in the end it is your life and future.”

Why say that right after you’ve pounded the fact that I had to push past my limits or else I would not meet your expectations? There’s no point to it. Not only that, it’s completely hypocritical.

It eventually becomes a guessing game. If I guess wrong and don’t put in a huge amount of effort, the consequence is a one hour lecture that not only wastes my time, but my parents’ time too.

There is no reason I should take in what they say, since based on past experience, their attitude is probably going to change the next time anyway and the cycle will repeat.

As a response to their constantly changing mentality, I have developed two

Sam Tumkur | The Phoenix

voices in mind with completely different ideas.

One is saying I should relax and just go with the flow. Meanwhile, the other says I should take control of everything and push myself to the limits.

Eventually, I become confused and take on a hybrid mentality that not only leads me nowhere but also hinders my further

progress since I have an unclear mind. I’ll work hard on something, but then I’ll eventually decide it’s not worth it and slack off, only to put in a huge amount of effort in the end.

I want my parents to be proud of me and I want to live up to their expectations.

But I also want to be able to relax and take it easy every once in a while.

I would be perfectly fine if they stuck to the stereotypical Asian parent mentality and pushed me past my limits, as long as they were consistent with it. This way, I can focus on exactly what my parents want.

I do appreciate the fact that my parents aren’t extremely strict. I know there are people who have

it far worse. And I know my parents care about me. They just don’t know how to show it in an appropriate way.

From their perspective, I guess I can see why they can be so contradictory sometimes. They want me to do my absolute best, but not at the cost of my happiness. The problem is, their inconsistency causes me to feel unhappy.

Opinion Does school sufficiently teach you?

5

Feb. 3, 2017

On learning how to collaborate, have an open mind and more

by Ambika Vaidya

Arts & Entertainment Editor

School: a building filled with forms of torture, dread and academic, brainwrecking stress for some.

For others, school is a lively, exciting place filled with numerous opportunities.

While school invokes several mixed emotions among students, they were originally built for a single purpose: to teach students academic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic.

However, as time has passed since the first schools were created, education across the globe has progressed and the focus in school has shifted from solely academics.

Especially in the United States, teachers now focus on teaching their students to have an open mind, to think outside the box, how to socialize among peers, excel in teamwork, strategize and other basic skills that could prove useful and essential for later in life.

Academics are still a major focus in school, but nowadays, it isn’t the only focus.

Around three years ago, teachers throughout the U.S. used a concept called Common Core. The purpose of Common Core is for students to expand their minds, think “out-ofthe-box” and analyze a text or a problem with an open mindset.

This skill is essential in the work industry. Having an open mind results in creativity, an essential tool used for many jobs.

An open mindset also allows a person to figure out technical or difficult problems more easily.

It may seem frustrating at times to analyze a math problem at school, but Common Core is built to help students out later on in life.

Aside from Common Core, many middle schools and high schools across the U.S. offer electives for students to take along with their other academic classes Options such as Business Management allow students to get a feel of how an independent life feels like and helps student think about pursuing a business career in their post-college life.

Other classes like culinary emphasize the importance of a healthy, home-cooked meal and encourage students to embrace cooking as an everyday activity.

Common life skills are taught and discussed even in academic classes. Teachers sometimes drift off topic

Dana Nissan | The Phoenix

from the subject they teach and share with students some well-needed life tips that could prove useful in a student’s adult life.

If teachers are passionate about the subject they teach, they motivate students to apply that subject into the everyday matters of life, and not just tests and quizzes.

For example, the week following Election Day, many history teachers at Fremont High School started giving their classes a voluntary “How-to-Vote” tutorial and gave a long explanation about the 2016

election. These kinds of mini-discussions in class help students get a good sense of what their future as an American citizen or a U.S. resident will look like.

School also teaches students how to socialize.

In classes, teachers will often plan activities involving either a lot of group work or interacting with a desk partner.

Schools also have many clubs and organizations where students can join and socialize amongst their peers. This prepares students later on for jobs where

interacting among peers is required.

Approaching people for help is also a base for an important life skill.

Though it can be intimidating at first, most teachers actually encourage students to approach them with questions or comments. This serves as the “boost-up” for when students have real jobs at companies and have to approach their bosses, as speaking to a teacher is far easier than speaking to a boss.

Although school may not teach all of life’s

necessary skills, it provides a healthy foundation for students to reflect upon in order to plan their future.

Indeed, over time, school has prepared students much more efficiently than it’s done in the past.

So, to answer the vital question: Does school really teach you? Yes, it does.

Not only does school feed one’s brain with math facts, literature texts, science and all things academic, but it also allows students to grow more independent, street-smart, and learn how to manage life, both in the present and in the future.

Confessions of a young non-believer

by Emily Wright Managing Editor

When I was in sixth grade, I can remember climbing onto my parent’s bed one afternoon, almost in tears over one burning question: “Mom, what religion are we?”

Religion was never something we talked much about in school; in fact, I don’t even remember it being mentioned much in elementary school.

When I was in second grade, my sister, my mom and I went on a trip to a nearby mission as part of my sister’s fourth grade mission project. I can remember staring at a sculpture of Jesus Christ on the cross and

it freaked out little second grade me, the one who had never heard of Christianity.

For many years, I almost thought it was a dream; it was really my only personal experience with religion that I can remember.

That day in sixth grade, my mother had told me, “Well, we don’t really have one.”

Now, many years later, I feel most comfortable identifying as an atheist. I’m not an atheist in the same sense as those angry commentators on videos or the people who scorn anyone who is religious.

I just don’t believe in any kind of god. It’s that simple.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most comfortable whenever people talk religion. It was never a part of my life and the fact that people had such different upbringings can seem weird from my perspective.

Also, when many

people talked about religion around me, they did so with the assumption that I am Christian. It feels awkward to be treated as someone I’m not.

Sometimes it’s difficult to understand other people talk about going to church or whatever because I can never connect. Discussions about praising a god or being overly religious make me downright uncomfortable.

I haven’t always been comfortable with being labeled an atheist.

For a while, I told others I was “agnostic atheist”, somewhere in between an agnostic, a person who claims both a lack of belief and a lack of disbelief in regards to God, and an atheist, someone who does not believe in God. Every time there was an internet article that mentioned atheists in some way, there would

invariably be at least one comment telling them to go to hell.

It was difficult, at a younger age, to understand why the world was so full of hate, both towards atheists from religious people and from atheists to the religious. Now, I just try to avoid those articles altogether and will admit to being a bit more cynical than my younger, idealistic self.

Religion just never fit with the way I saw the world and other people.

Still, most of my friends are religious, and I think in some ways it’s a good thing because it helps me gain perspective.

According to the Pew Research Center, 4.0 percent of Americans identify as agnostic and only 3.1 per-

cent are atheists. I’m much more likely to work and live beside religious people than not, so it’s important to understand where the majority of the population is coming from.

We may see the world from different viewpoints, but that doesn’t mean that we have to hate one another because of it. I know that for many of my friends and peers, religion and spirituality is an important part of their lives.

But while it is important for them, it’s never really been a part of my life.

My family does celebrate holidays, as we’re more culturally Christian than anything else. We get together at Christmas and

exchange presents, but that’s about it. We don’t go to a service, we don’t put up manger scenes.

For many years, that’s all I thought Christmas was, but I cannot deny that it is, at its roots, a religious holiday. Even though I may celebrate it secularly, it was and still is a holiday for Christians.

Through my personal experiences, I’ve learned a great many things.

Right now, I think the most important one is that while we may have different beliefs and different walks of life, we are far more powerful united than divided.

Special Feature

feb. 3, 2017

6

The evolution o Disney incorporating social issues

by Sam Tumkur Staff Writer

Ever since 1923, Disney has been producing lovable family movies, ranging from Snow White to Moana.

Although most people recognize Disney for its movies and TV shows, the Walt Disney Company is a mass multimedia company that also owns several Disney resorts, and various TV channels like Freeform, ABC, ESPN and Disney channel.

As a result of this veritable empire, Disney movies have had an influential role in many children’s lives, such as on how they view themselves and the world around them.

In earlier Disney movies, such as The Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, traditional gender roles in which women were dependent on men were a main theme of the movies.

For example, in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, one of the songs is specifically titled, “Someday My Prince Will Come.” The entire song is based on how while working in servitude for her stepmother, Snow

White dreamt that a prince would come to save her and then take her away.

Another similar cliché present in old Disney movies is that the relationship between the prince and the princess is purely physical.

Most of the relationships between the prince and princess are based on a first encounter. In The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Phillip falls in love with Aurora after

own “prince” to save them.

Throughout the years, Disney has worked to tackle these stereotypes by introducing movies featuring independent yet bad ass princesses like Mulan, Tiana, Anna and Elsa, Rapunzel and Pocahontas.

Together, these reinvented Disney princesses have proven that women can support and defend themselves without being dependant

people.

In addition to guiding young girls to fend for themselves, Disney has also started addressing real world issues that young people may experience throughout their lives.

For example, in Big Hero 6, the protagonist of the story, Hiro experienced depression after losing his brother. The theme of depression is also present

(1995), Mulan (1998), The Princess and the Frog (2009) and most recently, Moana (2016).

On the topic of race, the 2016 movie Zootopia was a direct reflection on race in modern day society.

Although both society today and the society in Zootopia are advanced, both suffer the underlying tensions of race. Throughout the film, we can see how Zootopia is

meeting her in the forest.

Throughout the majority of the movie, both characters do not bother to get to know each other. The next time they would meet would be when Prince Phillip kisses her with a “true love’s kiss” to awaken her from her cursed sleep.

These storylines were reflective of gender roles at the time and affected the way young girls thought of their roles in society. While watching the movies, young girls could easily get the impression that whenever they were in trouble, they would have to wait for their

on a man.

For instance, Tiana had goals and dreams that were not solely based on marrying somebody or falling in love, while Anna, Elsa and Mulan proved that they didn’t need a young man to save themselves or others These princesses are perfect role models that now encourage young girls to pursue their own dreams and also teach them to look past what meets the eye. As Frozen has taught us, just because someone is good looking, it doesn’t mean they’re necessarily good

in Inside Out where they explain it in a child friendly, understandable way of how a mind behaves when it is affected by mental disorders such as depression.

Unlike other children’s movies, Disney could be one of the first to cover such heavy real world issues.

It wasn’t until 1992 until Disney introduced its first non-white princess in Aladdin. Aladdin was the start of diversity in Disney movies. After 1992, Disney released a string of Disney movies featuring people of color, such as Pocahontas

built to fit the needs of the largest animal to the smallest. However the very idea of all of the animals, predator and prey living together in harmony without any disputes is unfathomable.

The movie depicted how the tensions, of “predators” and “prey” still held a strong influence on how the citizens of Zootopia viewed each other and how it affected their daily lives and decisions. It was expected that predators and prey had to lead different lives, like how Judy Hopps was

media company as less people were watching the films at the time. After the war, many more films were released like Cinderella in 1950, Alice in Wonderland in 1951, and Peter Pan in 1953.

All of these movies were widely prosperous and are still canonical to this day.

Subsequent to the deaths of Walt and Roy Disney, the company attempted to replicate their previous success in animated films.

With poor results, they decided to shift into cable television and came up with The Disney Channel in 1983.

The shows made in the beginning of the channels history include Welcome to Pooh Corner, The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, and Good Morning Mickey.

Despite the many classic movies and animations that children have enjoyed growing up, new movies

have been replacing some of the older favorites. Specifically, movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Frozen (2013), and Inside Out (2015) have been huge hits.

Not only have many new modern movies been produced, but the filmmaking and animation behind Disney films has significantly improved. In the early years of Disney, the animations looked sketched and not as detailed. Techniques like pixilation and stop motion were used for creating films which both required all scenes to be shot frame-by-frame. Now, the quality of Disney movies has significantly improved as well and most movies are produced using computer generated technology.

The Walt Disney Company has been an

the first prey to become a police officer.

Similar to Zootopia, in modern day America even though we all live in a supposed “equal” place, barriers such as race affects which job we get, how we are treated and what opportunities we receive.

With the start of the 21st century, one could say that Disney has done it all, covering the evolution of gender roles and other real world issues such as race and mental health all in the form of children’s movies.

Disney throughout time

by Roei Burnstein and Claire Lyon Staff Writers

The Walt Disney company was founded in 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney. In almost a century of existence, they have ex-

panded to becoming one of the largest international media corporations branching out to television shows, cartoons, movies, theme parks, and merchandise. While most know Disney for their

contemporary creations, the beginning of the company’s history is quite fascinating.

Starting from the late 1920s, the legendary Mickey Mouse was born and starred in one of Disney’s first ever sound animations titled Steamboat Willie. The 1928 film depicts Mickey Mouse manning a steamboat naming himself the Captain when in reality Pete, the real captain of the ship, orders Micky off the boat. Many other well-known Disney characters were featured in this film such as Minnie

Mouse and Clarabelle Cow. Steamboat Willie instantly thrived and birthed Mickey Mouse’s fame as a character. Its success could be attributed to both Mickey Mouse’s appeal as a character and the fact that this was the first film with a synchronized soundtrack.

Only six years later, Disney developed the well known full-length animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Within two years the movie became the top grossing movie in 1939 and is still an iconic, popular movie today.

Throughout the next half decade, Disney released a series of familiar films such as Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942). World War II slowed down production from the

iconic company throughout its existence. From the beginning, they have created movies, cartoons, and characters that are very successful and recognized to this day. No other media company has the brand recognition and longevity that Disney has, as a majority of people are familiar even with their movies made almost a century ago.

Special Feature

feb. 3, 2017

7

of In a Galaxy Far Far Away...

by Miranda Kushner Staff Writer

On Dec. 16, 2016 Rogue One, the first Star Wars spin-off movie, was released, proving that no other cinematic franchise has had the same transgenerational success as this one. In fact, the Star Wars series has a total box office revenue of $7.075 billion, with the entire franchise worth $41.9 billion as of 2015.

When George Lucas first began writing Star Wars in 1973, he never expected it to be as successful as it was. His original concept was to release many different films in the same universe, but the positive reception that A New Hope received motivated him to continue it as a series.

The original trilogy is the series that changed science fiction entertainment from a niche “nerdy” genre to something everyone could enjoy. These first three movies of the trilogy tell the story of the Rebellion, a group fighting against the tyrannical Empire, and its leader, Darth

Vader. The main characters are Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

Luke trains to become a Jedi Knight and use the Force, which in this series is the energy that controls everything.

In the first film, A New Hope, the Empire seems to be defeated by the Rebels through their destruction of the Death Star weapon.

In the second movie,

are ambushed and Han is captured. Luke flies back to find his friends and fights Darth Vader, discovering a family secret in the process.

At the start of The Return of the Jedi, the third and final original installment in the series, Leia sneaks into a crime lord’s palace and rescues Han. The Rebels discover that the Empire is rebuilding the Death Star and form a plan.

Luke confronts Vader and defeats the evil Emperor

The Empire Strikes Back, the Empire gets revenge against the Rebels by attacking them. A Rebel base is destroyed and Luke runs away to train with the last living Jedi, a small green alien named Yoda. Meanwhile, Han and Leia travel to Cloud City, where they

Palpatine with his help.

Another trilogy of prequels was made afterwards, telling the story of Luke’s father, Anakin Skywalker, and how the Empire came to be. These movies were made 22 years after the first film, and by then technology was more advanced.

Lucas was originally not going to make the second trilogy, but his interest in new CGI technology drove him back to directing.

One example of changing technology was that most of the scenery was done with a blue screen, a deviation from the original films which were mainly shot on location.

George Lucas’s sound studio, Skywalker Sound, had been working with other movies during this time, and has gained a reputation as one of the best sound studios around. This studio has been nominated for Academy Awards since the release of Star Wars in 1977 and has won 18 Academy Awards in that time.

Recently, in 2012, Lucasfilms was bought

by Disney for $4 billion, beginning a new era for the franchise. The first of the new movies to be released was Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), followed by Rogue One this last December. Rogue One is not part of the main saga, but it ties in with the original three films,

providing some interesting background to those events.

What sets the two new movies apart from the older ones is not just superior special effects, but the diversity of the casting.

Both new films have female leads, Rey (Daisy Ridley) in The Force Awakens and Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) in Rogue One, as well as more ethnically diverse actors in important roles.

These are less stylistic differences and more socially progressive changes, showing that the stories have evolved to more closely reflect real life.

The conflicts of the stories have also changed to be more relatable to modern times. Rogue One has a strong message about hope in times of tyranny and resistance to oppression, all of which can be powerful in this changing political climate.

While Star Wars may have been around for many years, the movies are still popular and relevant nowadays, and will probably continue to be so in the future.

The happiest places on earth

by Patrick Ramos Staff Writer

Disney has been spreading magic through its resorts for over 60 years at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, over 45 years at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando and along with four other resorts across the globe.

DISNEYLAND Walter Elias Disney, also known as Walt, is the creator of the Disney corporation. At the start of 1952, Disney had an idea to create a park that whole families could enjoy. The first image for the park was a small lot called Mickey Mouse Village, but by the end of the year, Disney’s idea grew much larger. Once the project was finalized, Disney-

land cost 17 million dollars to build.

Today, Disneyland has a second park just across from it called California Adventure which opened on Feb. 18, 2001 and includes the popular rides Cars Land and Soarin’ Around The World. Disneyland is also currently constructing Star Wars Land due to the recent success of the new Star Wars movies and is refurbishing the Tower of Terror to become a Guardians of the Galaxy ride.

DISNEYWORLD After the success from Disneyland, Disney wanted to open a park that would be more advanced than the original. This park was named Disney World and would open in Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately on

December 16th, 1969, Walt Disney passed away from lung cancer. His brother, Roy Disney, took control and finished the first park in Disneyworld in which he created the Magic Kingdom in honor of his brother.

Since then, the company has added parks like Epcot, also known as Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, which houses a 150 feet tall sphere named Spaceship Earth. When Michael Eisner took over as CEO, he added Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is set to build Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also opened which will soon feature Pandora, the planet on which the movie Avatar was set in, like attraction.

TOKYO DISNEY RESORT Tokyo Disneyland was thought of by the Oriental Land Company and licensed the Disney name to open a Disney park in Japan. The park, located in Tokyo Disneyland, opened on April 14th, 1983 and is very similar to Disneyland in Anaheim. As time progressed, the Oriental Land Company turned it into a resort by adding Disneysea on September 4, 2001.

Today, it is regarded as one

of Disney’s greatest parks despite it being the only park the Disney corporation does not fully own.

DISNEYLAND PARIS Eisner also wanted a park that was completely Disney owned and was not in the United States.

On April 12th, 1992 Euro Disney, just forty minutes away from the Eiffel Tower, opened to visitors. However in its early days the resort had some major problems as many workers resigned due to unsafe working conditions and a ride malfunctioning injuring several guests.

The resort was saved by its recreation of Tomorrowland called Discoveryland which pleased many Europeans.

Since then the park has significantly improved by adding a new park called Walt Disney Studios Park on March 16th, 2002 with Toy Story Land and an exact replica of the Tower of Terror in Anaheim, California.

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND In 1998 Disney proposed to build a Disney park in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland opened on September 12th, 2005 as the cheapest and smallest

Disney park built. It is the least visited resort of all the other Disney resorts even though it is visited by 6,800,000 visitors per year.

In hopes to get more visitors, Disney is set to renovate the park by investing 1.4 billion dollars from 2018 to

2023 and is set to demolish its castle which is a replica of the castle in Disneyland Anaheim and construct a new one. Disney is also adding a marvel land expansion and a frozen land expansion with many more plans to add to the resort.

SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND The newest park was thought up of in 2005.

However the Chinese government has been delaying the work for many years until June 16, 2016 when Shanghai Disneyland finally opened costing more than five billion dollars to create.

The park has the largest disney castle, the Enchanted Storybook Castle. It also is the first Disney resort that does not have a Space Mountain but instead a Tron thrill ride and is set to open a Toy Story land by 2018.

Photo courtesy of Disney

sports Kendal Moulton dominates the field

FEB. 3, 2017

8

by George Luna Staff Writer

The referee blows the whistle and the opposing team kicks off.

Senior Kendal Moulton is ready and confident on the field, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Moulton has been playing soccer for about twelve years. Before playing competitively, her first impression was that it was “coolest” sport. This was the start of her natural passion for the game. Motivated by defeating rivals like Homestead High School, she keeps coming back every game, energized and ready to play.

Scoring goals is Moulton’s favorite part of soccer, as it gives her a sense of accomplishment and joy. This helps her stay positive during a match.

“When you score, it’s helping your entire team because it makes everyone really happy, puts your whole team ahead, and can change your mindset. I can change the

outcome of the game, which has a big impact,” Moulton said.

Being fueled with passion and energy is not enough though. Even the best soccer players can be beaten.

“The hardest part [of soccer] for me is when someone’s either faster or stronger than you and you can’t beat them,” Moulton said.

This drives her to improve her effectiveness on the field and to keep herself in an optimal condition, doing so through practice.

Practicing is one key component to becoming a better player. Varsity soccer practices for two hours every weekday. There, Moulton is able to hone in on her soccer instincts and skills through rigorous training.

However, soccer is not just about training and competing. Soccer has allowed her to meet people, many of which are very close to her. In turn, she has created strong bonds with her teammates, commonly spending time with them outside of soccer practice.

As a student, Moulton has the same academic priorities as her peers. Soccer has encouraged her to keep up with her school work.

During a game,

Moulton tries to keep her head intact.

Keeping a clear, calm mind has helped her control her actions on the field and allowed her to execute every action with full intent.

“Yes playing is pretty serious and a lot of people get upset sometimes, but I tried not to get as into the game as other people do because I’m going to overthink it, so you just have to keep a clear head,” Moulton said.

“You tend to hesitate if you have the ball, so people can either take the ball from you or you mess up. You need to be quick with your decisions, so if you overthink, it usually takes too long [to make a correct move].”

When you score, it’s helping your entire team because it makes everyone really happy, puts your whole team ahead, and can change your mindset. I can change the outcome of the game, which has a big impact.

Kendal Moulton

Moulton also tries be as perfect as possible, making every movement as precise and articulated.

However, this is more difficult to do now because of an injury. Last January, she had to get surgery due to an injury to her ACL. She then tore it again this past August, currently still playing with it torn.

Although this has crippled her abilities, Moulton puts in extra work to make sure she’s up to par with her teammates.

This has led to her decision not to continue soccer throughout college, fearing the health risks of a third injury to her ACL. “[Soccer] is pretty bad for your joints so if I continue playing, there’s just a possibility of tearing it again,” Moulton said.

“I really want to do that because it has really bad long-term effects on your knees. There›s too much contact in soccer for me to continue for that long.”

Although Moulton will not continue playing soccer after high school, the sport will always be a special part of her life.

Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix

Fremont’s lack of facilities is crippling

by Roei Burstein & Andrea Lanfranconi Collaboration

Fremont High School offers a wide variety of sports, many of which are indoors and require the use of either the small gym or the large gym. Because of this, the gyms are always occupied.

The large amount of sports offered by Fremont allows all kinds of students to take part in an athletic activity and excel in a certain sport; there is a sport for everyone.

However, many times there is not adequate space for multiple sport practices or events to occur at once. The lack of indoor space means that many sports teams do not have ideal practice conditions, especially those that can only be played indoors and are limited to one of the gyms, such as badminton or volleyball.

Winter Percussion, Winter Guard, Boy’s and Girl’s Basketball, Boy’s and Girl’s Volleyball, Cheerleading, Wrestling (during tournaments) and Badminton

all require the use of a gym.

Especially in the Winter and Spring seasons where a majority of these sports reside, lack of indoor space is very common.

Knowing that there are over 2000 people on campus and all of these sports and activities go on simultaneously, it seems unrealistic that all groups can get equal time in. To fit in every practice means that teams might start practice several hours after school ends, leading to students coming home late which gives them less time to do homework and sleep.

Most of our talented athletes have to balance study time, work, and other commitments. Balancing schedules becomes an impossibility. This is problematic for several reasons.

Ever-changing schedules cause physical and mental stress and can lead to problems within the classroom environment, creating even more stress for teenagers.

Although the people of Fremont are talented and tough, they are still only developing teens, and all this

Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix

A schedule of physical activities at Fremont, very tight and compacted

deterioration is very taxing.

However, overcrowded gyms are not all bad. The school gyms are always filled with students who wish to better themselves through sports.

It has been proven by multiple scientists in multiple fields of study that physical activity helps students focus more in the classroom as well as develop

the necessary advanced skills needed to succeed both in the workforce and in life.

It is well known that students at Fremont are among the most talented people in the Bay Area, excelling in academics and engaging in sports. Many, like Angelica Soriano balance work with two or more sports.

“It is very mentally challenging,” Senior Angelica Soriano, balancer of winter percussion, varsity cheerleader and a job at Rubios, said. “It sucks balancing out everything because I often would not start my homework until midnight.”

Coordinators work overtime along with their day jobs to make sure that everyone at least has a

chance to have gym space.

This is very taxing and clearly not a good option for the long run. As the school population begins to increase due to the influx of people in Sunnyvale and surrounding areas, there needs to be a better coordinating schedule to accommodate all the activities.

sports 9

Feb. 3, 2017

How did it feel to be unable to play your sport?

by Hannah Butay & Thomas Poplawski Collaboration

Tina Van | Badminton | Arm Injury

“I wasn’t able to hit as hard, and it would make me lose a lot of my games. I was bothered at first, because I’d never had an injury in my life until that time. It made me really angry too, because then I could only sit out and rest my arm instead of pushing myself.”

Naina Sah | Basketball | Broken Finger “It was really frustrating to not be able to play. I felt really helpless and useless because all I could do was watch. I felt like I wasn’t helping my team at all and it was really depressing.”

Omar Shorab | Basketball | Jones Fracture

“It sucks, a lot. Especially after I put in countless hours of work and practice in the gym only to have it all go to waste in my final season, but you have to learn to deal with it.“

Daisy Manriquez | Featherettes|Sprained Ankle “We had to be prepared for competition so it was a little hard to take this injury. When I first went back to practice I couldn’t do everything full out, I couldn’t do turns, I couldn’t do the routine full out which affected me because we had competition that week.”

Adrian Javorski | Marching Band | Torn ACL “I felt like I was becoming a burden to the group because the group was improving and I couldn’t do anything about it. Throughout my injury, I would look at the improvements the group made and made sure that once I could march, I would be on par with them.”

Latanya Lee | Basketball | Rolled Ankle

“I rolled my ankle playing basketball my freshman year. I was unable to play for about one to two weeks. It affected me because it put me back so I couldn’t play at my full potential. I did physical therapy for my ankle so I ended up getting stronger, but I still have ankle braces and problems with my ankle.”

Roei Burstein & Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix

Lee pins down the competition

by Jessalynn Landor Staff Writer

Every athlete knows that it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears in order to overcome the obstacles that prevent them from achieving their goals in life. Melissa Lee is known as one of the few female wrestlers at Fremont High School and is also one of the top wrestlers among other competitors in her division. Although Lee may be petite for a female wrestler her age, she still puts forth her best effort in wrestling.

When Lee first started wrestling, she viewed it as a new opportunity to build up her relationships with other people as well as her communication skills. However, she received much more than just that.

“Through wrestling, I have grown as a person and have learned many valuable lessons that I

have used in my everyday life,” Lee said. “For example, resilience. I learned that even when things are difficult, you should never give up.”

Wrestling may take up a large amount of her time, but that does not get in the way of other commitments such as her school work or spending time with her friends and family. In fact, wrestling has also improved Lee’s ability to manage her schedule and create time for other things she enjoys.

“Wrestling has taught me a lot of great life lessons such as time management because wrestling takes up a lot of my own personal time so I have to learn how to make sure I get my wrestling practice done,” Lee said. “And I also have

to save time to do things such as my school work and spend time with my friends and family.”

When Lee tells others that she does wrestling, most people do not believe her.

“Most of the time they’re really surprised at first when I tell them, but once they all see how much dedication I put into wrestling and how much I enjoy it, then they become really supportive,” Lee said.

Just because Lee is young and also a girl does not mean she is treated or works

any differently compared to other wrestlers. Lee wishes to reveal her inner strength through wrestling and show that females have the ability to do anything they want no matter what others say or think.

Like any other wrestler, Lee practices hard each and everyday. She practices after school from 3:30 to 6:30 everyday, where she trains with her fellow wrestling mates. With the motivation she receives from her friends, family and coach, Lee has the ability to take on any challenge and over power anything that prevents her from achieving her goals.

“As of right now, I only wish to place at CCS and hopefully qualify for State,” Lee said. “But I can see myself as a professional wrestler in the future because [wrestling] is something that I put a lot of effort

into and it makes me happy when I’m doing it. Especially at a match, it feels great to win.”

Because Lee sees herself as a professional wrestler in the future, she continues to work toward that goal and never loses sight of it.

For Lee, wrestling is definitely something that plays a huge part in her life. Even though there may be times where she wants to quit, she still maintains her strength and determination in order to continue and fight through it all.

“Wrestling is a big part of my life and is probably one of my top priorities,” Lee said. “It’s more than just a sport and has made me the person I am today.”

Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix

Arts & Entertainment 10

Club Feature

Dating Advice 101

by Cassandra Gines Staff Writer

Do you need date ideas? Do you struggle with creating the perfect day for that special someone? Here are some tips and tricks to help you figure out how to show your loved one to the romantic date they deserve.

The first thing to remember is that not all dates should revolve around money.

Dating a person is made up of many components: trust, communication, and affection, none that have to do with a person’s wealth. Before you start planning you need to make sure that you are willing to get to know the person, in order to help you understand their interests better. If you have a crush on someone and do not know how to confront them without feeling awkward, just start off as friends through texting and simple, in-person gestures such as waving or smiling. Getting to know a person can allow you to learn their interest, hobbies, and personal character traits.

After you become comfortable with the person you’re interested in, make sure you start to connect with them more frequently in person, to avoid future awkwardness.

When asking a person out, do it face to face and don’t beat around the bush.

One idea for a good first date is going out to eat at restaurant. You can either find a desirable place that both you and your crush are into, or try someplace new and go somewhere neither of you have been.

This will create an exciting mood while discovering new things together. Some other good ideas for a first date include hiking and creative arts such as making pottery or finger painting.

FEB. 3, 2017

by Natalia Etter Staff Writer

Another great idea is a picnic because being outdoors will make it easier to talk to one another. When going on a picnic date you should bring a blanket to sit on and basket containing fruits, vegetables, and good sandwiches. Bring simple foods for a first date so it won’t feel uncomfortable when eating. Try to also bring a hands-on game or activity the two of you can play together to keep the picnic fun and entertaining. Being hands on and keeping yourself busy can help get over your nervousness. As the anxiousness goes away, you will become more comfortable and connected with each other on a deeper level.

What you should avoid on a first date is going to the movies. In a movie theater, you can’t talk and get to know each other because there is a huge screen distracting you. Another big tip is to avoid being on your phone or checking it frequently, especially if your date is talking to you.

If you are picking your date up, keep in mind that you shouldn’t text your date when you arrive at their house saying anything along the lines of “I’m here” or “come outside.” If you are serious about your special someone, try actually going to their door. Also remember to hold and open any doors for your date. If and when you meet his/her parents do not be nervous, just remember to be courteous to show that you respect them and have polite manners. This will also impress your date and show that you care about their family If you plan to dress up or wear make-up don’t over do it and try to be somebody that isn’t an honest representation of yourself. The most important tip be and feel confident in yourself because that is the reason your crush likes you in the first place. Have fun!

Be The Change is a club here at Fremont High School that was established two years ago by the class of 2014. The club was formed to help make the campus a safer place.

Be The Change is an outgrowth of camp Everytown. Everytown is a leadership and diversity training camp that Fremont students have been attending for the past 15 years. It is run by a non-profit organization called Faces and is funded by the school. Principal Brian Emmert and the Deans have both recognized the value of the camp and set aside a budget every year for it.

The Robotics Club is run by math teacher David Dobervich. There are currently 70 active students that are all working hard for their Central Valley Regional in March.

If they win, they will be able to attend the World Championships in April.

“For me, our biggest accomplishment is how quickly we’ve grown and how much we’ve been able to teach our students,” Dobervich said.

They work six days a week in their lab to be able to learn and apply their knowledge to the problem they need to “solve” for their up-coming competition.

Fremont High School’s Speech and Debate team is run by Lit/Writ teacher Greg Lambrecht. The team meets Wednesdays before school, Fridays before office hours and during 7th block to work on their speeches.

The meetings can last an hour to an hour and a half.

“The culture of team is a big thing for us,” Lambrecht said. “The seniors and a few juniors mentor the freshmen to help them.”

Being a part of speech and debate for all four years of high school can also look very good on college applications. It can help individuals gain confidence in who they are, become better at interacting with others and make a student more responsible.

Photos courtesy of Mundoovo, Rib Busting Jokes, The Wrangler, Fremont High Robotics, and Peace Learning Center

The 2017 Grammy Awards Nominations

by Emily Wright

The 59th Grammys, hosted by James Corden, are coming up on Feb. 12. Here are just a few of the songs, albums and people nominated for an award:

Managing Editor

Record of the Year “Hello,” by Adele “Formation,” by Beyoncé “7 Years,” by Lukas Graham “Work,” by Rihanna featuring Drake “Stressed Out,” by Twenty One Pilots

Best New Artist Kelsea Ballerini The Chainsmokers Chance The Rapper Maren Morris Anderson .Paak

Photos courtesy of Cash Money Records, Def Jam Records, XL Recordings, Disrupter Records and Columbia Records, GOOD Music, Inertia, Monkey Puzzle, RCA, Westbury Road and Roc Nation, and Parkwood Entertainment.

Best Rap Album Coloring Book, by Chance The Rapper And the Anonymous Nobody, by De La Soul Major Key, by DJ Khaled Views, by Drake Blank Face LP, by ScHoolboy Q The Life of Pablo, by Kanye West

Best Pop Vocal Album 25, by Adele Purpose, by Justin Bieber Dangerous Woman, by Ariana Grande Confident, by Demi Lovato This Is Acting, by Sia

Best Music Video “Formation,” by Beyoncé “River,” by Leon Bridges “Up & Up,” by Coldplay “Gosh,” by Jamie XX “Upside Down & Inside Out,” by OK Go

Album of the Year: 25, by Adele Lemonade, by Beyoncé Purpose, by Justin Bieber Views, by Drake A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,

by Sturgill Simpson

Arts & Entertainment 11

Feb. 3, 2017

Coming Soon to Theaters in 2017

by Vivien Su

Staff Writer

With the new year, comes brand new films set to hit the big screens that will please many fans across the nation, no matter what genre they prefer. Below is a compiled list of what you should set your eyes on because after all, every high school student should punch in some time of enjoyment.

The Lego Batman Movie (February) From the people who created The Lego Movie comes The Lego Batman Movie. The long-loved superhero, voiced by the talented comedian Will Arnett, will have to conquer the troubles brewing in Gotham City and become the hero the civilians deserve.

But many obstacles stand in the way. For one thing, Batman must accept responsibility for his adopted son, Robin (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), while coming out of his shell to work with

others. With his dark ways, none of those pose as an easy task, but when it comes to Batman, anything is possible.

Beauty and the Beast (March) An enchanted revival of the original, classic, romantic tale that premiered 26 years ago, Beauty and the Beast will be starring Harry Potter starlet Emma Watson as the gracious Belle, and Downtown Abbey hero Dan Stevens as the Beast.

The supporting cast follows Luke Evans (Gaston), Josh Gad (LeFou) and actors who will voice various appliances of the castle household.

A story of isolation and cruelty, as well as the greater capacity of looking beyond the exterior will come alive in this film. Bill Condon commands the stage, as director, and promises to do justice to this unforgettable Disney masterpiece.

Alan Menken, the original composer of the 1991 film, returns to embrace his talents and bring new talent

to the table.

Fate of the Furious (April) The action-packed series never ceases to deliver stellar performances that leave audiences on the edge of their seat. Fate of the Furious poses as no exception to the high standards set before it. Now that Dom (played by Vin Diesel) and Letty (portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez) are on their honeymoon, the rest of the expiring team has settled down to adjust to normal lives. But such a task becomes an impossible wish, when a susceptible woman lures Dom back into a world of crime where escape is not an option. Thrill and action will definitely return, as well as the crew’s everlasting bond.

Despicable Me 3 (June) Kevin, Dave and the rest of the minion squad will be back to spread smiles in the summer blockbuster, Despicable Me 3, this June.

The cast of the “Despi-

cable Me” will be featuring returners Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig, playing Gru and Lucy respectively. 1980s child star Trey Parker will be making a comeback in the film as Balthazar Bratt. A possible twin will return to the big screen in this third Despicable Me installment.

Action, fun and laughter are bound to come for sure.

Directors Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda take the wheels behind this animated film.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (July) Fans can expect the warm of Spider Man. Tom Holland (the new Peter Parker) hopes to win the hearts of many with his fresh take on the beloved superhero. After making a successful run in the last Avengers installment, Peter now lies within the guidance of Tony Stark (played

by Robert Downey Jr.), to explore his identity. Being a normal kid isn’t an option for him anymore, especially because “with great power comes great responsibility.”

This time, a new villain, the Vulture, (played by Michael Keaton) puts Peter’s powers on the line, leaving question as to whether or not if Peter will be the last man standing.

Thor: Ragnarok (November)

The mighty Thor, played by the masculine Chris Hemsworth, returns for the third blockbuster revolving around his character. Thor, now imprisoned on the other side of the universe, finds himself in many tribulations, with the major one being that the Hulk (portrayed by Mark Ruffalo), once his fellow Avenger, is now against him. Besides the Hulk, a new villain, Hela (played by Cate Blanchett) threatens to destroy his home and the Asgardian civilization. It’s up to Thor to quest beyond the ashes and conquer everything for the greater good.

Pitch Perfect 3 (December) The Bellas are back!

Led by new director, Trish Sie, as well as a majority of the cast members, Anna Kendrick (Beca), Hailee Steinfeld (Emily), Rebel Wilson (Fat Amy), Anna Camp (Aubrey) and Brittany Snow (Chloe) who have confirmed that they will be returning for the third film, fans are expected to be flowered with crude humor and amazing vocals. Ruby Rose joins the cast, but her role has yet to be revealed.

Although plot details are unknown, fans can expect another “aca-awesome” performance and much more.

Movies for every tastes, and something for everyone to enjoy! Be sure to invite families and friends for laughs, memories, and much more.

Photos courtesy of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Illumination, Universal Picture, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Dana Nissan | The Phoenix

Check out our 2016 Recap Issue!

It’s a full color, full length publication featuring the top stories, internet trends, movies, music and so much more from 2016! fremonthighphoenix.wixsite.com/the-phoenix/archive

Arts & Entertainment 12

Spotlight: Drew Cramer

FEB. 3, 2017

11th grader Drew Cramer was standing alone by the library on a cloudy Thursday afternoon. Playing “Feel No Ways” by Drake off his iPhone in one hand and his camera in the other, I approached and we quickly made our way to the football field rushing to beat the rain. Trying to find a dry area to sit, we ended up at the very top row of Fremont’s metal bleachers staring out onto the vacant field.

Cramer moved to Fremont High School half way into his sophomore year. In the past twelve months he has made many friends and fit seamlessly into the Fremont culture, luckily without too many bumps in the road. His kind impression made it easy to forget that we had come to talk about his ongoing passion for photography. Similar to most smartphone users, Cramer started taking photos on his iPhone.

When he discovered his passion for photography he upgraded to a professional camera, but not without hard work and dedication. You can find a great deal of his work on Instagram, where he features collaborations with not only models but his own friends. Just when we settled into our cold seats, the rain began to pour down as we began to discuss photography, his inspirations, and the impact of social media on his career.

The Phoenix When did you take up photography and why do you take photos?

Drew Cramer I started seriously taking photos a solid year ago when I got my camera. And why…? I’ve always been taking pictures on my phone…. I just wanted to try out something new.

The Phoenix Do you consider photography a high school hobby or something you could see yourself doing long-term?

Drew Cramer Probably for long term... Because it’s something that I have become more and more interested in as time goes by.

The Phoenix If you could photograph one person, who would it be and why?

Drew Cramer Hmmm… Probably Obama. It’s definitely easier for me to have conversations with people while I’m taking their photo. I’ve always wanted to meet Obama and I think we could have a really great conversation while shooting.

The Phoenix Walk me through a typical photo-shoot, where do you go to capture the images so many people love to look at on your Instagram?

Drew Cramer I in SF all the time so every time I go I find something new. I usually take the train up there with

a model or a friend. We usually just start by walking around… You can always find a good place to shoot in San Francisco no matter where you go.

The Phoenix Changing the topic a little bit, how has social media impacted the photos you take along with your passion for photography?

Drew Cramer I mean… If social media platforms like Instagram weren’t around, I probably wouldn’t be posting as much as I do. Allowing people who enjoy my work to access it so easily is definitely something that inspires me to keep shooting.

The Phoenix Would you ever consider shooting anything other than models?

Drew Cramer Yeah… Definitely, I would really like to photograph architecture. I’m pretty fascinated with Chinese architecture and everything about it.

The Phoenix What kind of impact or statement do you aspire to make through your photos? What message are you trying to send?

Drew Cramer I think I would say just try to go out more and experience more, you don’t always have to document or take photos to remember the places you go.

Also people have to remember to experience more than what they are surrounded by in their day to day lives.

The Phoenix Would you encourage other teens and young people to take up photography seriously and not just through their iPhone?

Drew Cramer Most definitely… It’s very easy to meet new people through photography events, and it’s fun you know? Photography is something that I practice and take seriously… But when I go out to take photos I don’t just shoot, I like to go out and have fun and hangout. I

bring people along… When somebody hires me it is not just strictly a boss/employee relationship. I also want to stress the idea that it doesn’t matter what kind of equipment you use. I started off shooting on my iPhone and then a camera worth about 400 dollars, which I worked for. My camera isn’t even the best money can buy at all, but it’s still nice… People upgrade to nicer and more expensive cameras because they think they will take better pictures but that isn’t true. You can use anything as long as you know how it works well enough to take pictures that make you feel confident.

Interview conducted by Lexi Kleinberg, staff writer