March 29, 2016 | Issue 5, Volume 6

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Misconceptions of depression

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Fremont High School

the

PHOENIX

Vol. 4 Issue No. 6 march 29, 2016

milk Tea Sales: The uncomfortable truth that affects us ALL

by Caroline He Staff Writer

Fremont High School administration has been somewhat tolerant with what fare is permitted to be sold on campus for fundraising. This is due, in part, because of lack of funding within the Associated Student Body’s budget.

However, one problem with the biggest money maker, milk tea, is becoming increasingly harder to ignore.

Dietary guidelines in the State of California Education Codes are explicit on what can and cannot be sold on campus. Whether or not milk tea fits within these guidelines is debatable with the amount of sugar some variations of the drinks contain.

“In the future, maybe next year, we might have to have to ban milk tea,” School Financial Technician Johanna Moyoli said. “It’s the tapioca and the calories they have.”

FHS, as many morning announcements can illustrate, hosts milk tea fundraisers frequently, and

a substantial amount of student life relies on this revenue source.

It is a large decider in how well many clubs are financed.

in an average of 150- 200 up with a lackluster celebradollars, while other food tion. and non food fundraisers Losing this revenue average 30-60 dollars. source would be a big blow “The senior, junior, for clubs as well as other all the classes, the money student activities. It’s a they raise goes straight to dilemma for the administratheir prom, so it reduces tion. The school has a prithe prom price,” Assistant mary duty to look after their Principal Jeff Rosado said.” students’ best interests, but If this revenue goes away, it also has the official duty the pearl milk funof following the draisers, then laws set in place the price for

by California tickets to legislaprom go tion. up, or To you get fully a less explain nice this prom.” situInation, deed, one this loss must of revenue return to Sources: TapiocaExpress impacts all the origin. and McDonald’s student acAn observativities. Clubs may tion throughout have to scale back on activithis story is how student ties. Sports may have to ask activities are reliant on milk for more money, either from tea for additional funding. the school or members on The school ASB budget the team. Prom, which uses is supposed to fund student money from milk tea fundactivities, rallies, dances, raisers to pay off expenses, clubs and even certain may have to raise the ticket electives like yearbook and price for the dance, or scale drama. back on spending and end The ASB budget con-

Did you know?

“Milk tea is crucial to every single one of the clubs on campus,” Leanne Loo, President of the Fremont chapter Red Cross club said.

“It is our main source of revenue that we earn to fund any club activities, whether it be sending competitors to state tournaments or buying the band-aids necessary to restock all the first-aid kits on campus. Other types of fundraisers simply cannot generate the money that clubs need to run smoothly and function at their best.”

According to Moyoli, milk tea fundraisers pull

A regular sized milk tea with boba is about 523 calories, just 17 calories less than a typical Big Mac

sists substantially of funds obtained from ASB card sales. However, Fremont simply does not sell enough to fund everything well.

“Fremont ASB, the money we get from ASB card sales, is hundreds of thousands of dollars less than all the other schools, if not more than that,” Rosado said. “We just have less money, dramatically less money.”

A district source confirmed, “Lynbrook and Monta Vista continue to have large ASB card sales of plus 1,500 [cards]. While Cupertino, a growing population, has had a dropping trend each year with 2014-15 sales about only 950 sold, Homestead sold about 1,200, and Fremont might sell 600 this year.”

“It’s just a sheer numbers thing- kids aren’t buying cards,” Rosado said.

“And you can’t fault anyone on it. Fremont has more economically disadvantaged kids than any other school

in the district.”

Faced with this situation, the school administration has found other sources of revenue. This can be seen when ASB hosts milk tea fundraisers, asks for old equipment from other schools in the district and charges for sports games.

“We charge for things other schools don’t,” Rosado said. “We have to charge for volleyball games because we have to pay for officials. But in other schools, they don’t charge because they can pay for it.”

Since the ASB budget is so tight, the school administration has had to scrounge for funds. If there was more money, the school would no longer have to charge for entrance into certain types of sports games, dances would have a larger budget with a cheaper ticket price and the school could offer more leeway in financial support for clubs.

Graphics courtesy of Freepik

Current Events: What’s going on around you?

by Sarah Arkoh Managing Editor

Graphic courtesy of Freepik

U.S. News

Fremont High School News

- President Barack Obama visited Cuba during the week of March 21. This was the first visit of a United States President to the island since 1959. Obama hopes to restore relations with Cuba.

- JJ Escalera, Annah Jones, Jaydino Angeles, Mackenzie Cox, Kate Everhardt and Samantha Louie qualified for the Stanford track and field invitational, one of the largest track and field competitons for high school. However, due to technical issues with registration, they were unable to compete.

- One U.S. Marine was killed and several others injured when an Iraqi base came under ISIS rocket fire on March 19. In response, the U.S government plans to place more ground troops in the fight against ISIS.

California News - On March 16, University of California, Santa Cruz accidently released notice of admission to over 4,000 students on the East coast. None of the students who received the congratulatory email had applied. UCSC has apologized for the mistake.

- On March 6, former first lady Nancy Reagan passed away at the age of 94. A private memorial was held for her in Santa Monica and she has since been buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

- On April 1, FHS will host an Inter District Council (IDC) Exchange. Ten students from each of the four other schools in the FUHSD will have an opportunity to shadow students at FHS and attend the spring rally.

World News - A terrorist attack killing an estimated 34 people occurred in Brussels, Belgium early March 22. Three bombings tore through the Belgium capital leaving more than 170 people injured and authorities on high alert. While the terrorists have not been identified, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is thought to be behind the attack.

Sources: CNN, Seventeen Magazine and the Fremont High School website

News 2

Next Generation Science Standards

by Manavi Chandra Staff Writer

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), adopted on Sept. 4, 2013, bring new changes in the science curriculum scheduled to be in full effect by 2018 for California schools.

The NGSS is the revised version of the state standards that were approved in the 1990s, when memorization was needed to succeed in school, according to Ben Lowell, science department chair at Fremont High School.

Even though standardized science tests will not be administered until 2018, some of these changes from

NGSS are already reflected in science classes at FHS, including more emphasis on writing, Claim-EvidenceReasonings (CERs), engineering and designing.

“A reason why these standards are being implemented is because the old standards required students to memorize a list of facts for each subject, and that is not what science is really about,” Lowell said.

For FHS, some science teachers taught an understanding-based curriculum for a long time.

“The change might not be that dramatic since we’ve been doing that type of teaching already,” Lowell said.

According to AnnMarie Trione, a physics teacher at FHS, these changes do not impact AP Physics or other AP science classes because the College Board oversees the AP standards. On the other hand, NGSS will affect normal and honors science classes.

“The biggest change [in our content] is learning how to learn and doing science instead of just learning it,” Trione said. “Even though this is already done in science [classes], it will be more structured with the Next Generation.”

“The state is officially encouraging everybody to do that type of teaching and move into that direction,”

Dances organized for Special Ed Students

by Kelly Zhong

taught according to the old standards, to suddenly follow the new standards; this change might make it difficult for older students to adapt to them because the new standards demand more from students than the old standards.

“This becomes challenging for the science teachers as a result because they have to think about how to push students to meet these standards,” Lowell said.

Another worry that arises from these changes is related to the amount of time there is to successfully implement them.

“The fact that these changes are expected to be

fully implemented by 2018 means a lot of changes will be taking place in a short amount of time,” Lowell said. “At this point, the department and the districts want to ensure they do it right the first time.”

Nevertheless, science teachers who are in the process of implementing this new curriculum believe the NGSS will benefit.

“It is very different, and as a teacher I am really enjoying these science standards and implementing them because it is a more real world basis where we apply our knowledge of science and math skills to create something new,” McCabe said.

Abea set to retire by end of March

by Chau Nguyen

News Editor

A Saint Patrick’s Day theme dance was organized for students with moderate to severe disabilities on March 11 at Mountain View High School.

Both of Fremont High School’s Academic Community Transitions classes, taught by Alexia Olivarez and Megan Render, attended the dance. Render saw the dance as not only a fun event for students, but also a valuable learning experience.

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to socialize with their peers,” Render said. “I really see the self-esteem [of students] increase. We can also work on communitybased instruction, such as crossing streets safely when we’re travelling to these dances, how to greet someone you haven’t seen in a while and how to make a request for food items they might be interested in.”

Students themselves also seem to enjoy these monthly dances. Junior Ethan Consuegra liked the remixed music at the dance, while him and freshman James Nguyen both enjoyed meeting and talking to new people.

“A couple of my students have been using their talkers to tell us about the upcoming dance a month in advance,” Render said. “One of my students in particular is so obsessed with the dances that he has all the dates memorized and he will circle [the calendar] at home and tell his family, extended family even, about the dances coming up, so it’s definitely a can’t miss situation.’”

Dances occur once a month on Fridays during the year. Most local high schools that are part of

Lowell said.

Even biology will be more inclusive of real-world application standards, according to Virginia McCabe, biology teacher.

Recently, all four biology teachers introduced an assignment involving a real-world problem called, “Reducing Bycatch in our Oceans,” which is part of the course’s population unit. It required students to model a design and build a prototype fishing net that would reduce bycatch, animals not intended for hunting but are trapped in nets set for other organisms.

However, the Next Generation causes students, who were previously

March 29, 2016

Editor In Chief

Photo courtesy of Megan Render

LEFT to right: Joon Kang and Jake Vilaubi smiling at the dance.

the same Special Education Local Planning Area host a dance annually to make sure dances are free for all students attending, according to Olivarez.

It’s a great opportunity for the students to socialize with their peers.

I really see the selfesteem [of the students] increase.

Megan Render

Furthermore, community involvement also helps offset costs. According to Render, several organizations such as Costco and

Trader Joe’s donated food and supplies for the dance.

The dance also included arts and crafts, cookie decorating, games and other activities. In addition, when a similar dance was held on Jan. 22 at FHS, members of the Best Buddies Club and the Associated Student Body also attended.

“I think it’s a good way to have fun and interact with other students,” Pooja Sudhalkar, President of the Best Buddies Club, said.

In the future, Milpitas High School will host a superhero theme dance in April, and Prospect High School will host a Disneytheme dance in May that also serves as a graduation dance honoring seniors.

“She’s every student’s mom,” Data Tech Sue Yim said.

Set to retire on March 31 from Fremont High School, Guidance Secretary Anna Abea plans to move back permanently to her birthplace of Nicaragua.

“I will be doing different things,” Abea said.

“My first wish is to help seniors with Alzheimer’s.”

Her desire stems from the past experience of losing her mother to Alzheimer’s.

From witnessing older people being left in nursing homes without visits from their family, Abea was inclined to reach out to the seniors who were ignored or forgotten by their family.

“They’re human beings,” Abea said. “She [My mother] loved the fact that I talked to her, hugged her, to be there for her. So if we can do these things, why not share?”

Because all of Abea’s family lives in Nicaragua, her children encouraged her to move back with

Chau Nguyen | The Phoenix

her family so she could be around them.

Although she struggled between choosing to remain at FHS or return to Nicaragua, she is excited to reunite with her family and will continue to help others, regardless of which hemisphere she lives in.

“I get to know people,” Abea said. “I don’t have to go to an empty house. There’s many people I can be helping.”

Other staff in the Guidance Department will

miss her organizational skills and ability to lead the Guidance team.

“She takes care of us,” Guidance Counselor Lisa Freitas said. “She keeps us organized and makes sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to do.”

“If she’s not here on a certain day, I have to tell the kids this all day long,” Yim said.

It is still unknown who the next Guidance Secretary will be, but the process for hiring one is still in the works.

Future renovation of campus

by Julie Wi

Opinion Editor

Fremont High School is planning to construct a new building expected to be completed by the 201819 school year, which will contain 16 classrooms as well as the main office.

FHS’ student population expects growth in the upcoming years; in 2021, it will have an expected 2,500 students compared to the estimate of 1,970 students now, according to Principal Bryan Emmert. This growth is the main reason for the addition of a two

story building, planned to include computer labs, science and special education labs, several offices and additional classrooms. The building will also contain new rooms for the Associated Student Body and journalism.

The building will be more convenient for people visiting FHS. The main office will be located on Fremont Avenue, and while counselors and offices like guidance and special education resources are currently spread around campus, the new building will have many of

them in one place.

Construction is said to begin after the next school year according to Emmert, and assuming there are no delays, it will take approximately a year and a half to complete.

“We were really lucky when we did the construction with the cafeteria because it didn’t rain, so there was really no delay,” Emmert said.

Emmert expects planning to continue for a few months, although the plans still need to be confirmed with the state in order to proceed.

News

March 29, 2016

California Lawsuit

Potential release of student information

by Momina Nadeem Staff Writer

Two organizations, The Concerned Parents Association and the Morgan Hill Concerned Parents Association, filed a lawsuit in April 2012 against the California Department of Education (CDE) alleging the state is not providing enough attention to its special education students in compliance with the law.

The main issue parents and students have is the potential release of personal student information, such as an individual’s Social Security Number, home address, Individualized Education Program information and other sensitive information. According to The San Jose Mercury News, Judge Kimberly Mueller has ruled the records will remain with the CDE; however,

other information such as STAR test data and mental health records, may still be released to the attorneys of the case.

According to Sue Larson, Communications Coordinator at the Fremont Union High School District, this case is more of a trust issue.

“When you go to a public school, the parent and the child trust that the school is going to handle important information well,” Larson said. “It’s rather strange that the information would be released [to the organizations] and you have no say in it.”

Parents and students over 18 have the option to protest against the use of their sensitive information in this case before April 1, 2016. However, the objection form does not guaran-

tee that a student’s information will remain private throughout the case.

“We have this information on each of our high school websites, but speaking candidly, a parent may not get the chance to look at a school website very often,” Larson said.

This is also a concern for students who are no longer in high school.

“Because the request for information goes back to 2008, it affects students who aren’t even in school anymore,” Larson said.

“If I graduated in 2008, I wouldn’t be checking [the District website] very often.”

Parents are still concerned that sensitive information may be released, according to The San Jose Mercury News.

Tutree: A tutoring app

by Chau Nguyen Editor In Chief

It’s like Uber, but for tutors.

With roughly 12,000 users, Tutree is a tutoring platform allowing high school and collegelevel students to tutor other peers of similar ages.

Ranging from Advanced Placement classes to SAT prep, the app tries to utilize “untapped resources” within schools.

The app allows students to select time slots of nearby tutors and has a feature where tutors can notify their departure time, estimated arrival time, and the end of a session.

According to creator Pranay Nath, his team has “reinvented who the tutor is.”

“In education, people are complaining that we don’t have good teachers,

or not enough teachers,” Nath said. “But they’re overlooking the fact that we have so much talent within the students themselves, and nobody is giving them an opportunity to spread the knowledge.

That’s where we come in.

The tutor doesn’t have to be a 20-year experienced teacher.”

Current prices for one hour of tutoring is 40 dollars, although Nath plans to reduce the costs to 25 dollars. On average, tutors are paid 20 dollars per hour.

Nath first started tutoring in college, and found that his teaching style of breaking down concepts into simple terms resonated with his friends.

His current peer-tutoring model is based on that discovery. “[The tutoring] is much more personal, and they can connect more to

3

the student,” Nath said.

“Overall, the outcome is much better. They can pass on that knowledge in a much more comprehensive way to other students in a way that is not written in books or taught in class.

Something which is more psychological.”

Tutors are required to have taken college-level classes like AP courses, maintain high grades and pass an exam testing the tutor’s understanding of the subject they desire to teach.

“Finding an experienced tutor or teacher is hard today,” Nath said.

“Prices are absorbingly high. What we’re offering is a much cheaper alternative which is on par, or better. The students are the final deciders in what is best for us, and they have given their verdict that this works.”

Recognizing Student Teachers

by Susannah Schulze Staff Writer

Anna Lee grew up in Mountain View and was a history major at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her senior year there, she made a list of what her ideal job would entail, and later realized that being a teacher perfectly encapsulated all of her ideals. She is teaching World History, US History and Government/Microeconomics this year. Outside of teaching, some of the activities she enjoys are swimming, reading and hanging out with friends.

Natalia Fadul was born in Colombia but grew up in New Hampshire. She attended Brown University, majoring in Comparative Literature. While tutoring other students in writing at Brown, she realized that she loved to help other students.

As a Latino immigrant, she also wanted to teach in other Latino communities. Fadul is teaching World Literature this year and hopes to continue teaching ninth and tenth graders. Outside of teaching, she enjoys reading, biking, ceramics, hiking, going to the beach and spending time with friends.

Thach Do was born in Vietnam and moved to Southern California when he was 10 years old. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in both Math Economics and French. After graduating, he became an AVID tutor at his high school. He decided to become a teacher because he liked helping students figure out their future after high school. Do teaches Math Analysis this year. Outside of teaching, he enjoys cooking, paint nights, running and hiking.

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Photos by Susannah Schulze | The Phoenix

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PHOENIX

Fremont High School 1279 Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)-522-2200 | fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com Advisor | Stacey Stebbins 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.

Editor in Chief

Chau Nguyen

Staff Writers

Managing Editors

Jasmine Salik Sarah Arkoh

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

News

Kelly Zhong

Opinion

Julie Wi

Entertainment

Emily Wright

Sports

Essam Rao Maggie Bernauer

Copy Editor

Nicole Stibbard

Online Editor

Hannah Butay

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.

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Letters to the editor and questions for Ask Esteban may be submitted online through our website, room 145, Ms. Stebbins’ 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

March 29, 2016

4

Make Donald Drumpf, and America, great again

by Nicole Stibbard Copy Editor

I

’ll give you a hint, his toupeé looks like glued on squirrel hairs and he has spray tan goggle lines around his eyes. Haven’t guessed who yet? Here’s another hint, he’s frightfully winning the Republican primary for the 2016 election.

That’s right, Donald Trump. Or to be ancestrally correct, Donald Drumpf.

Yes, you read that correctly, Drumpf.

If you hadn’t already heard from John Oliver on LastWeekTonight, an ancestor of Trump’s changed their ancestral name from Drumpf to Trump.

To some, Drumpf may appear funny and entertaining with his shocking comments and immense ability to be bold and unforgiving; although, his current place in this election has lost all touch of hilarity considering the fact his beliefs are bigoted and prejudiced.

Currently, Drumpf has won 18 states for the Republican Party. This is surely worrying.

Many Drumpf supporters are on his side simply because he’s “bold” and “tells it how it is.” But does he really?

During the beginning of his campaign, on the topic of Mexican immigrants, Drumpf claimed, “They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing

by Boston Nguyen Guest Opinion

D

oody calls. Literally.

I know what you’re thinking. Looks impossible, right? How could a dog even write, let alone do it sophisticatedly?

But the reason I decided to reveal this secret is because I got something to say. Everywhere I walk on the streets, it’s there. Everywhere I left up my hind leg

crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

To assume the majority of those who come to this country in search of a better life are committing mass amounts of crime is absurd. According to the Immigration Policy Center, regardless of nationality or legal status, immigrants are less likely than the so-called native population to commit violent crimes or be incarcerated.

Apart from his bigoted racist opinions, you can’t forget about his sexist opinions.

During the very first Republican debate on Aug. 16, Megyn Kelly, Fox News journalist, said to Drumpf, “You have called women you don’t like ‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ ‘slobs’, and ‘disgusting animals.”

Drumpf avoided the comment and later called Kelly a “bimbo” and that he was not aware of the references she was making.

Back in 2013, on Drumpf’s Twitter he tweeted, “26,000 unreported sexual assaults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?”

This completely excuses men from being responsible for sexual assault and dismisses them from blame and instead promotes the idea that men and women should be separated so that sexual assault doesn’t occur. Or, you could, you know, encourage men not to sexually assault women.

And the list goes on of things he said that are undoubtedly false and offensive.

A site called

PolitiFact revealed how much of a liar he can be.

They examined 77 statements and found 76 percent of them were complete and utter lies. No other politician this election has drumpfed this percentage.

Get it? No? OK. So, do his supporters’ claim that he “tells it how it is” hold true?

On top of all of this, how would Drumpf really do as the President? Truth is, not as well as he thinks he would.

Brian Irvine, Fremont High School history teacher, agrees with this notion.

“If [Drumpf] got elected, that means there are people in this country that support his views, which makes me really scared about the people in this country.

If he wins, he’s going to realize he’s not a dictator, that he has to work in the

and take a whiz, it’s there.

It’s what people don’t pick up, yet what my owner Chau does. Not the trash people litter, not the god-awful squirts at day care people forget to pick up—it’s their dog’s poop.

We all poop. I poop.

You poop. Your dog poops.

But just because it’s universal, it doesn’t mean certain people have a special license that alleviates their responsibility to clean up after their dog. I didn’t go to no fancy school or nothing, but last time I checked, the government doesn’t hand out handicapped signs for the poop-picking disabled.

And for good reason.

In 1991, the Environmental Protection Agency labeled dog poop as a

nonpoint source pollutant, which is the same category that herbicides and toxic chemicals are in. It’s especially toxic because there’s no “source” of poop since it all washes away when the rain comes.

Not only does a dog’s poop ruin the streets just like how Chau’s bulbous pimples screw up his forehead, but poop’s toxic.

According to DoodyCalls, a professional pet waste removal company, my feces carries common diseases like tapeworms and salmonellosis. The potential for spreading disease not only impacts your dog, but your family’s health too.

Contrary to popular belief, dog poop doesn’t simply decompose. According to the University of

realm of the government.

The president only has a certain amount of power, so I’m thinking he’ll be very frustrated with how little power he actually will have,” Irvine said.

Drumpf is in no way qualified to run the country with the proper diligence required.

The United States is currently in $19.3 trillion debt, as stated by the FY17 Federal Budget. Also according to PolitiFact, four of Drumpf’s businesses have filed for bankruptcy.

Drumpf himself is the supposed reason these businesses filed for bankruptcy.

Clearly Drumpf is unfit to handle distribution of funds as well as the country’s issue with debt.

On top of debt, a hotly debated issue in the U.S. is the pressing issue of terrorism and foreign conflicts.

Drumpf has taken multiple stances on the issue, almost all of which are racist and downright scary.

On March 9, during a Cable News Network (CNN) interview conducted by Anderson Cooper, Drumpf made a sweeping statement.

“I think Islam hates us,” he told Cooper. “It’s very hard to define [the war]. It’s very hard to separate. Because you don’t know who’s who,” Drumpf said.

On Nov. 12, during an Iowa rally, Drumpf proposed a way to defeat terrorists, claiming, “I would just bomb those suckers, and that’s right, I’d blow up the pipes, I’d blow up the refineries, I’d blow up every single inch, there would be nothing left.”

Obviously, that is not the accurate response to terrorism due to fact it will only provoke more terrorism and risk the lives of many innocent people.

This general statement and his other proposals, such as the temporary banning of Muslims to the U.S., Drumpf is prompting the notion it is simply “too hard” to discover potential terrorists so everyone should be kept out.

Contrary to Drumpf’s beliefs, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 94 percent of terrorist attacks carried out in the U.S. are committed by non-Muslims. So Drumpf is wrong, again. His

solution to the war on terror is more terror. Also during the interview, he tried to renege on his statement regarding targeting terrorists families to defeat the terrorists.

In the end, Irvine does not believe Drumpf will become our next president.

Moreover, Irvine makes a great point; frankly, it is concerning that people in our country are in support of Drumpf and his ideas.

Drumpf spouts messages of hate, he believes issues can be solved through violence and racism, and if so many people are willing to stand on his side, what does that say about people in the U.S.? Nothing good, that’s for sure.

Drumpf does not want to make America great again, he wants to make America white again. It is evident by all his contradictory statements that his goals are not to help the common person, but to benefit everyone who is white, wealthy and male. He has no interest in helping or benefiting people of color, women, immigrants, the Muslim community and countless other communities.

He chooses to ignore the fact that people from other countries who come to this country do indeed bring their best people. Drumpf is not fit, nor levelheaded enough, to solve our country’s most sensitive issues, such as wars, terrorism, inequality, immigration, domestic affairs, debt and so many others. Drumpf handling these issues with the amount of power the President is granted would be detrimental to our country and many others.

The entertainment aspect of Donald Trump needs to come to an end. He must be put under the light that he truly belongs in.

Photo courtesy of Virginia Sherwood

Rhode Island, pathogens in my feces makes local waters “unswimmable and unfishable.” It’s mind-blowing how poop not only smells, looks ugly, and is disgusting, but also the ingrained laziness in people to pick up poop.

From personal experience, just walking around the streets are have.

When Chau and I stroll together, we’re ballerinas.

We dance, swerve, swivel and elegantly prance around the fattened, shriveled umbilical cords of poop.

We tiptoe around slithering coils of hissing poop blocking our routes.

Doggone it! The dog days really are over!

Your laziness also forces Nimitz Elementary kids to trudge through these cesspools of disgust that

put public YMCA pools to shame, discouraging them from going to school.

Despite the environmental consequences of potentially spreading disease and poisoning bodies of water, much is left uncleaned. Even though I’m just a dog, I still have standards. And do you really want to have lower health standards than a dog?

If you can afford the time to walk or vaccinate your dog, the least you can do is to clean up after your dog. In the long term, removing pet waste is crucial for the preserva-

tion of a sanitary environment for future generations of humanity and wildlife.

Clean-up doesn’t even take long.

Just like my vision, this issue is black and white.

There’s no ifs, ands or buts.

Actually, butts are involved, namely your dog’s butt. But this isn’t rocketscience. There’s no social, economic or political cost. Just bend over, put your hand in the bag, pick it up and throw it in the trash.

Illustration by Julie Wi

Opinion

March 29, 2016

Your college choice does not define who you are

by Sarah Arkoh Managing Editor

“W

hat college are you going to?”

I will admit I myself am guilty of asking my fellow classmates this annoying question. I ask this question because of my curiosity. I want to know where my classmates are going next year and where the next chapter of their lives will begin.

However, not every student asking this question has pure motives. “What college are you going to?” seems to stir up unspoken competition every spring within the senior class.

Some students proudly

announce their future school while others aren’t as vocal. The way students feel about the colleges their peers are attending is clearly evident in their responses.

Jealousy, sympathy, happiness and pity all seem to be at the highest levels during this time.

The fact of the matter is this: it doesn’t matter what your peers think.

That’s easy to say but it’s also very true.

Again, it does not matter what your peers think. 65 days from today, Tuesday, March 29, you will be walking the graduation stage. You and the people you’ve spent the last four years with will all go your separate ways.

My estimate is that 98 percent of us will never see

each other again outside the realm of social media. That brings me back to my first thought. Because many of us will never see each other again, why should you let what your peers think

affect you and your college decision?

Go to a school that you love. Go to a school where you will study what you want to study.

Go to a school that is the best fit for you.

Yes, this school might not be viewed by your friend as number one and it may not be on the Forbes list of “America’s Top Colleges”, but if you’re the one attending that school, your opinion should be the only one that matters.

One reason many people focus so much attention on attending a certain school is because they believe a degree from that school will increase

their job prospects.

In an interview I had with a Princeton alumni, my interviewer said something that really stuck with me: sure, a degree from a certain school may get you in the door for an interview, but who you are as a person is what gets you the job.

I’ll use my siblings as an example.

I have an older sister who studied at University of California, Los Angeles then went on to get her law degree at Stanford.

One of my two older brothers traveled a more diverse path. He took classes at Foothill, West Valley, spent a semester at Chico State then finally got a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State.

My third older sibling has a bachelor’s from Cal Poly, Pomona and is planning to attain a Master’s.

Each one of my siblings has had an incredibly different college experience. The colleges they attended all have different

5

levels of prestige. And yet, they’ve all done incredibly well for themselves.

No matter where your degree is from, who you are as a person is going to determine your pathway to success. If you aren’t capable of interacting with others or are simply an unlikeable person, paving your way to success is going to be incredibly hard.

At the end of the day, it’s important to realize that no matter where you go, you can make your own success.

People who are successful in this world are forward-thinking and don’t focus on the opinions of others. So say the name of your future home with pride and know that whatever you do, you can succeed.

Illustration by Julie Wi

Harmful effects of misunderstanding depression

by Jenny Nguyen Staff Writer

M

ost people are aware that depression is a growing mental disorder in teens.

Many know that it can vary from person to person.

However, some people don’t know much about depression and the misconceptions that exist and their ignorance can actually cause more distress for depressed people.

Being diagnosed with clinical depression was one of the hardest experiences I’ve ever had. People asked me what was wrong with me and it felt like they were blaming me for something that I couldn’t control.

Family members wanted to know the cause of my depression, friends wanted to know why I kept crying and strangers wanted to know if I was OK. I couldn’t answer them because I didn’t know the answers—I didn’t know why I was feeling that way.

Unlike a math test,

there is no right answer when it comes to depression. There isn’t one direct cause and there isn’t a simple explanation for it.

And maybe that’s why depression is so dangerous; it’s a confusing mess half the time and until you’re actually diagnosed, you might never even know you have depression.

The journey of discovering I had depression was hard. I was in constant denial. I didn’t want it to be true. I thought that it was my fault because I couldn’t blame anyone but myself. I didn’t want to ask for help. I was scared of being labeled, of becoming another statistic that people judge.

Everyone cared so much and I was irritated because I felt like I wasn’t worth their concern. When people made jokes, I would have to add something that made the joke turn dark. Best friends became good friends, good friends became just friends and just friends left. Eighth grade was the first time I ever felt alone.

Countless people told me I had to have a reason to be depressed, that other people in the world were in worse situations and that I should just “get over it.”

It’s never that easy. I didn’t choose to be depressed.

Why would I choose

to have a sinking feeling of paranoia and regret in my stomach everyday? I wouldn’t. Depression is not like the flu. Medication doesn’t make your thoughts disappear.

Unlike a math test, there is no right answer when it comes to depression.

Contrary to popular belief, depression isn’t as simple as choosing an outfit for the day. You can’t just magically wake up and decide that you’re going to be happy today. It’s harder than that. It’s more than not being happy. It’s like you can’t bring yourself forward to be happy, like something inside of you is anchoring you down and everybody else just doesn’t get it.

You look at everything you used to be so passionate about and compare yourself to how you are now and you wonder what happened.

But sometimes there is no explanation and that may be the worst part.

There’s almost never an answer.

There are wars in your head that you don’t know how to resolve and your thoughts are a tornado of

“how to die” and “how to live”; you’re at the point where you don’t know what’s worse.

I make jokes about dying because it’s the 21st century and jokes about dying are passed off as just that—jokes. No one really knows that I’m serious because I can easily tell them I’m just kidding.

And it’s gotten to the point where I can’t tell if I’m joking or not. People hide behind jokes because that’s their way of coping with depression.

Friends get concerned and ask me how they can help. But that’s the problem I don’t know what I need.

I don’t even know what I want. Sometimes I don’t even know why I feel that way.

People get frustrated because they want to help but they don’t know how to. I push people away because I don’t want them to get caught up in my problems.

Depression doesn’t equal suicidal, and yes, of course I asked myself if I was suicidal, but despite my death jokes, I don’t think I classified as

suicidal.

Suicide attempts are taken as a cry for help, but it seems like more of a cry to be taken seriously, a cry that says “I am hurting so much that the world has to come to a grinding halt for me.”

But if you have to come within inches of your life just to cry for help, something is wrong somewhere.

Either you weren’t crying loud enough or you weren’t around the right people to begin with.

Depression isn’t a joke.

It’s not a concept people should hide behind for attention. The misconceptions of depression hurt more than they appear to

Illustration by Dana Nissan

and the reality is that it’s an actual problem that could be happening to anyone.

Fallacies can make people feel alone, isolated and scared to ask for help. It can even lead to suicide.

If you’re one of those people experiencing this, it’s not your fault and you are not alone. I know it sucks to feel this way and I know that you’ve probably heard this so many times but believe me.

I can’t make the words go away, I can’t make you sleep and I can’t make you love yourself. But I need you to know that throughout the duration of you feeling this way, I’m going to be right here until you feel better and when you’re ready, you and I will reenter the world together.

Special Feature

March 29, 2016

6

rld

Food

Wo

o r u A n d e r t u h t e l u C

by Ambika Vaidya Staff Writer

fajitas, a platter of homemade sushi, a skewer of isaw ng manok or a pot of hot,

The Bay Area proves to be an incredibly diverse place. With so many different cultures represented, the number of food options are endless. Here are a few good places to try out.

Located at 670 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Tres Portillos is a small resturaunt with a large menu. The flavors are authentic and the portions are large.

Cost: About $10/person

Russian

Chinese

Mexican

Local Eats

steaming biryani rice, foods have a major role in keeping cultures alive.

Some food-related traditions occur during cultural holidays. Sophomore Muskan Dev says that during every Diwali (a Hindu light festival), her mother cooks different kinds of foods from her

everyday lives. Dev claims she eats Indian food almost everyday of her life. For others, however, foods from their cultures may only be a thing they get to taste once in awhile and can connect them back to their culture.

“Food is a major part of many cultures.

[Some foods come down] from your ancestors,” Richardson said.

Food is not only an essential part of life, it also brings families together and teaches people how to overcome cultural differences.

Pakistani

Special traditions have taken place for generations amongst families. Many of these traditions involve homecooked meals from one’s homeland. Whether it be a big tureen of spicy, African yam stew,

culture, such as cholé bhaturé, a cooked garbanzo bean curry dish with deep-fried flatbread. Her family also eats biryani, a dish with aromatic, spicy rice, often made with chicken or mutton.

Some families have food-related traditions, but their food doesn’t exactly define their culture or their ethnicity.

According to freshman Emily Richardson, her family tradition is eating Hungarian coffee cake every Christmas.

For many families, food from their countries may be a part of their

Cooking Papa serves Hong Kong stlye food. The address is 2830 Homestead Road. Although the place gets busy at lunch, the wait is worth it.

Cost: Between $10-30/person

A popular place to get Russian food is at the Russian Deli and Cafe at 1712 Winchester Boulevard in Campbell. The food is fresh and made to order Cost: About $10/person

Shan serves both Pakistani and Indian food. The resturaunt offers plenty of seating and authentic food.

Cost: About $10/person

What is your favorite thing about your culture’s food?

[In Africa], they use food as an opportunity to be hospitable. If you visit your friend or a relative comes to your house, you must give them food.

-Patience Awazi

I can’t cook Filipino food myself, so every time I get to eat home cooked Filipino food rather than what’s prepared in the restaurants, I definitely get to feel a bit closer to home.

-Robert Javier

We have thousands of Korean snacks. When you go to the Korean market, you can just pick out anything and you will like it.

-Sarah Jin

My favorite korean food is kimbap (like sushi). That’s my favorite because it’s convenient to bring it to school.

There’s rice, seaweed, spinach and meat. If you want you can put spam in it instead.

-Lisa Kim

Special Feature

MARCH 29, 2016

7

MENU From the Philippines by Hannah Butay Filipino cuisine has been influenced by the customs and tastes of other cultures, including Spanish and Chinese. Filipino cuisine combines saltiness, sweetness and sourness to create a savory taste. Vinegar is a staple for any Filipino dish and the food is traditionally eaten with the hands.

Chicken Adobo

Dinuguan

Dinuguan, also called chocolate meat, is one of the more popular Filipino dishes. It is a stew of meat, typically pork, that is simmered in the blood of a pig, vinegar and a variety of spices.

Adobo is perhaps the most popular Filipino dish, to the point that some consider it to be the unofficial national food.

To make adobo, pork or chicken is slowly cooked in vinegar, soy sauce and garlic.

The dish is usually served with rice.

Isaw Ng Manok

Isaw ng manok is usually sold on the streets of the Philippines. Isaw is pig or chicken intestines that are cleaned thoroughly. They are typically grilled or barbecued and served on skewers.

Indian Cuisine by Ambika Vaidya When people think of Indian food, they usually visualize a big, steaming tureen of boiling, aromatic-smelling, thick chicken curry. Beside the tureen is usually a big plate of freshly baked naan flatbread, and more often than not accompanying these two dishes is a bowl of a rice dish of some sort.

However, what many non-Indians do not realize is that there is more to Indian food than just naan, curry and rice. Indian cuisine contains a vast variety of foods. Most of them are rich in flavor, aroma, and yes, spice.

Roti

Idli

Almost all South Indian foods, such as idli (soft, small rice cakes) and dosas (rice-based crepes), consist of rice. In these hot and humid areas, rice is an easy-growing crop.

Another commonly eaten meal in India is roti, a type of flatbread. It is eaten more of an everyday food instead of naan, which is eaten more at events or on special days.

Pav Bhaji

The bhaji is a flavorful, spiced puree of vegetables such as tomato, potato, cauliflower and Bell peppers mixed with minced onion and garlic. The puree is served hot with buttered buns (pav) and garnished with onion, lemon juice and cilantro.

West African Dining by Sarah Arkoh African food is incredibly diverse. Food from the western part of Africa tends to be heavy in carbohydrates. The flavor in dishes comes from spices, peppers and a variety of stews and soups. Meat is also a staple in most meals. Most meals are cooked in peanut oil making for a high fat content. Nevertheless, West African food is quite tasty.

Fufu

Fufu (pronounced foo-foo) is made from cassava, yam or cocoyam flour. It is commonly eaten with a meat soup.

While fufu is a prodominantly eaten in Ghana, it has made its way to the Caribbean where there are several variations.

Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is cooked in a tomato sauce and seasoned liberally. Often cooked seperately is a meat that goes into the finished rice. This meat is usually beef, goat, chicken or shrimp. Jollof rice can be spicy and tends be a very popular dish in West Africa.

Puff-Puff

A puff-puff is much like a doughnut.

A mixed dough is deepfried in oil and the finished puff-puff is then sprinkled with sugar., cinnamon or nutmeg.

Photos Courtersy of Wikipedia Photos courtesy of Wikipedia

Arts & Entertainment PopBar, the great new popsicle place

MARCH 29, 2016

8

by Jessica Lara Staff Writer

There’s certain foods that bring on childhood nostalgia but seem to be taboo as we get older. So when I came across a more mature take on the average popsicle on my friend’s Instagram, I had to ask where to get one.

The place is PopBar, which serves customizable popsicles. It’s located on Prospect Road in Saratoga, CA and opened up this March. The concept is simple; come in, build your own popsicle with a variety of chocolate dippings and toppings.

The venue itself is rather small but has a simplistic, aesthetically pleasing design. With cute popsicle wall decors to look at and a straight forward line layout that walks you through the process, building a PopBar

is easy. Once you’re done building, there’s plenty of sitting space inside and outside. Luckily, the spot is also still relatively new, so it wasn’t overcrowded both times I visited.

The process of building a popsicle goes by smoothly and is explained on the walls as you wait for your turn. Pick your bar and then dip it or add toppings as you please. There are pre-dipped Popbars that are based on popularity. You can also purchase plain bars and build your own, or just eat them plain. Bars either have a sorbet, yogurt or gelato base. A plain bar is either $3.49 or $3.99 depending on the base, and unlimited dippings and toppings are only $0.50 cents each. Go crazy on toppings and dippings on any popsicle base and your PopBar won’t be over $5.

Flavors range from fruity, to nutty, to sweet.

There are also more exotic flavors such as green tea,

PopBar 18562 Prospect Road Saratoga 95070

dulce de leche and pistachio. The toppings include different crushed nuts and sweets, such as sprinkles or crushed almonds, and their dippings and drizzles are assorted melted chocolates.

I’ve tried the coffee gelato bar, half-dipped in milk chocolate, covered in toffee, and drizzled with white chocolate, and a mixed berry sorbet bar, half-dipped in milk chocolate and covered in crushed waffle cone. Despite their entirely different flavors, both were incredibly delicious and tasted wholesome and organic. This is most likely credited to their use of fresh fruit and other ingredients which you see when you walk in.

Other than popsicles, Popbar also offers customized shakes, a coffee gelato frappuccino, hot chocolate on a stick and both original or flavored frozen hot chocolate, all of which seem worth a try.

It’ll definitely take a few trips to try every flavor or treat that makes my mouth water. But don’t let the slight distance intimidate you—with summer just around the corner, PopBar is must for the hot days to come.

Jessica Lara | The Phoenix Popsicles illustrated by Momina Nadeem

Allegiant a big disappointment

by Maggie Bernauer Sports Editor

For a movie based off of a book, Allegiant does a horrible job representing the book.

Shailene Woodley and Theo James costar as Tris and Four, a couple trying to survive in a dystopian future. After their society created by factions has a downfall and turns into chaos, the cast tries to escape their past society to search for an alternate solution. They escape the enclosing of what used to be Chicago, the experimental city, to learn who the Allegiant are and how to fix their dysfunctional society.

The beginning of the movie did not recap the past two movies at all making the movie confusing. At some parts as I was watching I had to recall what happened in the book to try and remember what was happening, as the movie did not describe them clearly or at all.

Allegiant is very confusing and not grasping at all.

Full disclosure: I fell asleep in the movie due to lack of interest. It would have been better if it focused more on the plot from the book rather than having explosions every other scene.

The movie focused more on special effects than on quality of the plot. The

costumes they wore were elaborate and the props they used were very high tech and engaging. They also had exquisite fighting scenes. But a couple of explosions is not enough to keep viewers engaged during the movie.

I would not recommend this movie. The story line had no flow. The transitions were non-existent; it seemed as if they put random shots together, making the plot hard to follow and choppy.

The movie did not follow the book well. The ending and outcome of the characters were the biggest differences. Tris’ ending in the book is far different than in the movie.

As well as plot differences, important motifs were left out or not clearly portrayed. It was unclear that Tris was struggling with who to ally with and trust during the movie.

Throughout the book, her trust issues were reoccurring and a major point, but the movie played that down.

In June of 2017, the final film of the series, Ascendant, is coming out. While the producers decided to split up the third book into two parts, there was no sign of a continuation at the end of Allegiant. Hopefully, Ascendant will complete the series in its entirety.

Upcoming Band and Choir

March 30 - Fremont High School Choir Concert at the Shannon Theatre .

April 4 - POPS Concert in the FHS Large Gym April 28 - Middle School Exchange Concert: The FHS Wind Ensemble will be coordinating with Sunnyvale Middle School Band, Columbia Middle School Band, and Cupertino Middle School Band in the FHS large gym.

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

If you have a Question contact us at fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com

Arts & Entertainment 9

March 29, 2016

A prankster’s guide to a hilarious April Fool’s

by Sami Jin Staff Writer

Now that we’ve become older and more mature, practical jokes may be seen as less interesting and not worth the time.

But for one day, let’s throwback to the time when we were pranksters. Here are some creative prank ideas you can pull on your friends and family for April Fool’s Day!

Tired of having scrambled eggs every morning? Take out all the raw eggs from the carton and replace them with some hard-boiled eggs.

What difference does it make if they are both round, crunchy, and sweet? For once, onions need a dip in caramels too. Instead of an apple, use a fist-sized, peeled onion to replace the boring tradition. After dipping it in a tub of melted caramel, let it cool for about five to ten minutes before decorating it with crushed peanuts and sprinkles.

Whether for revenge, or for the good old excuse, “it was just for fun!” this is one sensational prank. Gather as many stacks of rainbow colored sticky notes there are to colorize your friends’ and family’s cars as well as their life. You can even leave “notes” on the car.

Illustrations by Sami Jin

How about presenting a special mug for that special someone? A left-handed dribble mug has a small hole that allows the beverage to leak out when the mug is held in the right hand. Therefore, right-handed people should watch out for these mugs, as they may be hazardous to your clothes.

Have a mint lover? Just replace the cream holding the two wafers of oreos with minty toothpastes, preferably white or mint to match the original color. Perfect the cookie by spreading the paste evenly and place them back in the package for a more realistic prank. *Warning: Overdose on toothpaste may cause stomach aches. Safety first!

Let’s make sure your parents or siblings don’t get up late for work. When you think everyone is asleep on March 31, secretly fast-forward the time five hours ahead.

Looking for a simple yet effective prank? Coat a bar of soap with many layers of clear nail polish. This will prevent the soap from lathering. Your whole family can fall for this one easy trick.

Rumor has it April Fool’s Day may originate from a calendar change in 16th century France, according to Cable News Network (CNN). When New Years was moved from April 1 to Jan. 1, those who still continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1 were often called “April Fools” and people pulled pranks on them.

by Essam Rao Sports Editor

Never bring a blind man to a gunfight.

Netflix recently released season two of their popular original series Daredevil. The show follows Matt Murdock, who runs a struggling law firm with his best friend Foggy Nelson, played by Eldon Henson, and their assistant Karen Page, played by Deborah Ann Woll, that helps the less fortunate people of Hell’s Kitchen who have no one to go to.

Murdock became blind from an accident when he was young, but he sees so much more than regular people. All of his other senses are extremely sharp and he has heightened abilities learned from his mentor. With his superhuman forces, he becomes the devil of Hell’s Kitchen at night where he strives to

make his city a better place.

But this show isn’t just about a man who dresses in red tights to go fight crime when the sun goes down.

Daredevil delivers a fantastic plot that captivates the audience. Even the dialogue in the show will never leave you bored.

The directing of the show is nicely executed.

Most scenes have a very dark atmosphere, adding to the overall gritty feel of the show. The action sequences of Daredevil in particular are very well done. They’re not as flashy as most superhero flicks, but they’re so much more realistic and believable.

The acting is also very authentic. Charlie Cox delivers a second round of an exceptional performance.

There is also a great chemistry between the main cast members of Cox, Henson, and Page. You can really feel all the emotions and struggles the characters go through.

In addition to returning characters, season two also introduces some new players to Hell’s Kitchen, one of which is Frank Castle or “The Punisher.”

Played by Jon Bernthal, the Punisher is a highly trained army veteran who wages a one-man war against the people who hurt his family.

Bernthal delivers a convincing performance as the villain of the show.

Other characters, like the fan-favorite Elektra, played by Elodie Yung, a highly trained assassin with her signature blades, make the show more fun.

Overall, Daredevil returns with a solid season two, adding more fun and action to everything we liked in the first season.

Photos courtesy of Netflix

sports 10

march 29, 2016

FEATURED ATHLETES

school’s best wrestlers at 113 pounds. This is his third year wrestling here at Fremont High School, but he has been wrestling since the seventh grade. He was originally a basketball player but his sister suggested he do an individual sport so he chose wrestling. Reyes started wrestling at Co-

lumbia Middle School and Sunnyvale Wrestling Club.

From that moment on, he has never stopped wrestling.

Reyes wrestles Monday through Friday for two and half hours.

“Wrestling is an exhausting sport,” Reyes said.

“But, wrestling has taught me to overcome adversity

and to bounce back from a loss.”

This year Reyes has placed in six tournaments.

He placed first in the Webber Lawson and SCVAL League finals, second in the Overfelt Classic, third in the California Coast Classic and seventh in the Gilroy MidCals. Placing at the

Gilroy MidCal tournament is quite an accomplishment because of the numerous competitors who go to this tournament are ranked in the state. Reyes placed third in Central Coast Section, securing a spot in the State tournament, which he wrestled in earlier this month.

He went one and two.

“The guys I wrestled in the state tournament were willing to do anything to win,” Reyes said. “That’s what made a difference between guys at CCS and the State tournament.”

Even though the sport is physically exhausting, Reyes is motivated to keep wrestling by the competition and the people who are on his team.

“There are many nights that I am physically and mentally tired, but at the end of the day it’s all worth it to win and be on the podium at tournaments,” Reyes said.

Before matches, Reyes tries to clear his mind and look for ways to beat his opponent. If he ever makes a mistake in a match he tries to recover fast. If the mistake costs him the match, he then watches his match on a video so he can see how he can improve for future matches.

Before tournaments Reyes has to cut weight to make his weight class of 113 pounds. Typically, Reyes

perfection you can achieve in terms of your form,” Blanco said. “I watch my teammate Jaydino Angeles practice hurdles and the flawless perfection of his form has me shocked. I have yet to reach that point.”

Blanco dedicates countless hours to practicing and training for meets.

She is always trying her best and putting effort into her performance, which she believes is the key to her success.

“I don’t take any meets as just a practice meet,” Blanco said. “We’ve had practice meets where Coach Shields told us to ease up and just try our best, but [the fact that it’s just a practice meet] doesn’t matter to me. I still go as hard as I can.”

Along with practice and physical training, Blanco believes that having a positive and focused mindset is one of the most crucial factors in meets. Despite the countless times Blanco has practiced her events, tension and nerves still build up during the moments before a race. To ease the stress before competing, Blanco often shakes out her limbs to ease her muscles and keeps an optimistic outlook by imagining her fierce capabilities.

Blanco’s path on the team has not been without challenges. After being injured and out for six weeks last year, she had trained

hard to regain her strength and prepare for one of the most important matches of the year: League Finals. To Blanco’s surprise, she beat her personal record in both 100 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles. In addition, Blanco broke the League record for 300 meter hurdles for JV girls.

Despite Blanco’s success, there is always room for improvement; she still strives to progress continuously not only throughout this season, but also in the

future as well.

“I really want to cut down my time,” Blanco said.

“I’ve been getting a second or two over my personal best so just getting under is probably my biggest goal right now. I also hope to keep up with the varsity girls. I’m currently ranked top 12 in CCS right now, but I hope that I can keep going up.”

Throughout the past seasons, Blanco has realized that track has helped her see the world in a new

perspective that she would have otherwise never been able to see.

“Track has changed my whole mind,” Blanco said.

“Everything has come from running. From the way I see things to the way I think. It’s made me realize a lot and has made me push myself harder than I ever did in the past.”

Without track in her life, Blanco believes that she would be a completely different person. Running and competing has given her

Photo courtesy of Sheridan Reyes

REYES competes against Monta Vista High School at Fremont High School.

Michael Alva Staff Writer

Angelo Reyes is an unbelievable wrestler who has passion for the sport. Reyes gives it his all when he is on the mat; Whether he is up or down by two points, he always end up victorious.

Reyes is one of the

Mira Dhingra Staff Writer

It’s one thing to run as fast as you can; it’s another knowing that you’ll have to clear hurdles. Most people see these as terrifying obstacles, but sophomore Brenda Blanco sees them as an opportunity to thrive off of.

Blanco runs the 4x4 relay, 100 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles for the Fremont High School varsity girls track and field team. Although this is only her second year in track and field, Blanco feels as though her whole life revolves around running.

After participating in cross country during freshman year, Blanco decided to join the track and field team in order to pursue her love of running. With an unclear idea of what events she could be good at, she decided to give the 300 meter hurdles a try.

Blanco’s curiosity and ability to keep an open mind soon led to a newfound passion that will stick with her for many years to come.

“My favorite part about hurdles is the amount of

B L A N C O

cuts roughly 12 pounds a week.

“Cutting weight has to be my least favorite thing about wrestling,” Reyes said.

“I barely eat the week of competition and I can’t eat as much as I want to eat. It’s hard to cut weight during the week because of school and it’s stressful.”

Despite the wrestling season being three months out of the year and attending practice everyday, Reyes has managed to maintain a 3.5 grade point average.

Even with the exhausting practices he still gets his school work done to his fullest so he can keep a high GPA. Even though Reyes’s season is over, he has already set goals for next season.

“I want to win the CCS tournament next season to try and get my name on a banner in the gym, and potentially win the state tournament or at least place in it,” Reyes said.

the motivation that helps her succeed in all aspects of her life.

“It’s the mental pain of wanting more than what you’re giving,” Blanco said.

“It’s as if you’re running and you’re trying to go faster, but you can’t. However, that’s what makes me try even harder.”

As this rewarding feeling rushes over Blanco, it is truly evident that track and field has impacted her farther than the track extends.

R E Y E S

Photo courtesy of Tommy Gomez

BLANCO competes in the varsity girls hurdles at an invitational.

sports

MARCH 29, 2016

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How has the concussion you endured affected your life?

“I think the second time I had a concussion was a lot easier. The first time was more frustrating because I didn’t let myself rest, I just kept pushing it and it made it worse. The second time however, I knew how to handle the concussion and all my teachers were very supportive and wanted me to get better which was really helpful as well as my family being very supportive, so I had a good support system.”

- Katie Wingrove, senior

“At first, I didn’t really know what a concussion was. I was super dizzy, and nauseous. I just thought I was dehydrated or something, so I kept playing.”

- Nicole Henry, senior

“I was just really frustrated with myself. Because it hurt to think and it was exhausting to think. But the thing is, you don’t think about that. It’s normal for us. But the moment you need to think, you can’t.”

- Carolyne Sysmans, senior

Consequences of concussions

by Caroline He & Michael Wang Collaboration

“The problem with athletes is that when they’re hurt, they don’t care,” Carolyne Sysmans, senior, said.

When it comes to concussions, the injury students disregard can have extensive effects.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concussions classify as a traumatic brain injury, and occur when an impact or jolt causes a person’s brain to move in the skull and damage brain cells.

According to the National Institute of Health, high school athletes in the U.S. sustain an estimated 300,000 concussions per year.

During this fall season for sports at Fremont High School, at least ten concussions occurred overall, with three of those concussions being severe, according to athletic trainer, Mary Rhatigan.

“The number changes season to season,” Rhatigan said. “They generally range from anything like five to twenty concussions.”

According to Rhatigan, concussions are more frequent occurrences in football and girls soccer.

“I was playing soccer, at soccer practice, and my teammate completely ran her head into my head,” Sysmans said.

Sysmans concussion occurred on Oct. 27, 2015.

“I remember that I was in a lot of pain,” Sysmans said. “It was hurting, but I thought it would go away, so I stayed in practice, and even did a header after that. But I woke up the next day and I was still in a lot of pain. And on Friday it was really bad.”

There are many more instances similar to this.

“The first time I hit my head it was during a softball game, so I was just focused on playing so it didn’t hurt that bad, I had adrenaline going,” Katie Wingrove, senior, said.

She sustained two concussions, one in Feb. 2016 and another in March 2016.

“At first, I didn’t really know what a concussion was,” Nicole Henry, senior, said.

“I was super dizzy, and nauseous. I just thought I was dehydrated or something, so I kept playing.”

Henry’s concussion happened at a soccer tournament on July 17.

Calif. current policy, established by Assembly Bill No. 2127, requires an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in an athletic activity to be removed from said athletic activity for the remainder of the day.

They cannot return to the activity until evaluated by a licensed health care provider.

The reason for this caution is due to second

impact syndrome.

“Worse case scenario, if the brain is not given the proper amount of time to heal, there is something called second impact syndrome, where there is a very sudden and rapid swelling in the brain,” Rhatigan said. “It is almost always fatal.”

The CDC lists long and short-term head pain, concentration problems, nausea, dizziness and light sensitivity as symptoms and the result of concussions.

A concussion’s initial effect on student athletes vary widely, but are always obstructive. Head pain, confusion, and delayed response to questions are all characteristic symptoms of a concussion.

“I remember being at school, and in Calc, the teacher asked me where on the graph was decreasing and I just could not answer the question,” Sysmans said. “He asked ‘Carolyne, where’s this graph decreasing?’ And I looked at him for like 30 seconds and I just did not know what to say. I actually couldn’t comprehend the question because of the pain in my head.”

Along with that, concussions cause light sensitivity. This is especially obstructive to an athlete’s life as it becomes increasingly harder to use electronics with a screen.

“It was really hard to do anything,” Henry said.

“I couldn’t watch TV. I couldn’t look at my phone.

Just walking outside, I had to make sure I was wearing sunglasses. Otherwise, I would get a headache.”

While the short-term pain and discomfort from a concussion is difficult, it is the long ranging effects that many worry about.

“After a concussion, there is evidence of decreased cognitive skills, so they have a harder time learning,” Rhatigan said. “There could be long lasting headaches. You also become more prone to sustaining another concussion. There’s also a lot of evidence that shows it leads to an individual having a higher chance of experiencing depression and other mental illnesses later in life.”

Students also carry risk of developing postconcussion syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, this is where concussion symptoms persist for long periods of time and are caused by structural damage within the brain as well as disruptions of neurotransmitters.

“It’s messed up my eyesight,” Henry said. “I had to go to the doctor and get my eyes checked and

everything. I had to take minor precautions with everything just to be safe. It was definitely hard after my first major concussion to go back to soccer because I was paranoid of getting hit again.”

There is also an academic price to having a major concussion.

“It hurt to think and it was exhausting to think,” Sysmans said. “I had to drop two Advanced Placement classes, AP Lit. and AP Calc. It was really frustrating.”

Part of the issue is also that the healing time required for a major concussion takes students out of school for weeks, sometimes months. During this time, the CDC recommends a student to not participate in any physically or mentally demanding tasks. As a result, students that have been taken out of school for an extended period of time initially lag in academics.

“Since you are not supposed to have any cognitive strain with a concussion, I haven’t been able to do a lot of homework or fully participate in my classes, so it’s put me behind in my classes and now that I’m back fully I have a ton of makeup work

to do so it’s pretty frustrating,” Wingrove said.

The work that piles on can be so overwhelming that students may be forced to drop classes.

“My lit grade was

dropping and dropping and dropping to the point where I had missed big essays, and if you miss big essays, it tanks your grade,” wwww said. “So I talked to my counselor, and he said ‘How in the world are you going to do well second semester if you don’t have the foundations from first semester?’ That’s why I had to drop my classes.”

Illustrations by Julie Wi Photos by Chau Nguyen

sports

March 29, 2016

12

The Record Breaker Sam Tumkur Staff Writer

“Take your mark,” the announcer says as sophomore, David Noyes, takes the diving block. As the buzzer sounds, he dives into swimming pool.

Noyes has been swimming since he was five years old, taking encouragement from his mother to start lessons.

Around age seven, he joined SUNN swimming.

Now he swims at Santa Clara Swim Club and is a part of the Fremont High School varsity swim team.

He has been swimming on varsity since freshman year, and that year, Noyes broke three records: 200 IM, 100 Fly, 100 Back.

He is part of the highest level at his swim club. Noyes has been to other states to race against other teams

throughout the country.

Even though Noyes has attended meets in different states, he does not let them interfere with school.

For Noyes, swimming is a big part of his lifestyle.

Noyes trains six days a week and on Tuesdays and Thursdays he goes for morning practices at the International Swim Center. He goes at 5:30 a.m. before school, in addition to attending regular practices after school.

According to Noyes, practices are one of the most challenging aspects of swimming but are a vital part of being a successful swimmer. However, there are brighter and more enjoyable things about competitive swimming.

“I feel like the best parts are working hard to improve and I would also say the actually work is one of the worst parts,” Noyes said. “But we have to do it to

be successful, and one of the better parts of swimming is the social aspect, being with all your friends and peers after practices, joking about how hard it was.”

My mentality can either be on the positive or negative side depending on how well I actually do. However, I can also swim badly depending on who’s at the meets and how fast I want to go.

David Noyes

His main goal at practice is to work hard and get the most out practice.

As much as he wishes to

improve every practice, Noyes claims it is hard to do because practices are long and tiresome and the only scenario where he feels like he is improving is when his swim group does race pace practices with dives.

Noyes’s overall success at practices and meets depend on his attitude and who is competing at the meet. If he has a good attitude, Noyes claims he will perform better. His commitment to the sport and positive attitude sets him apart from the rest of the swimmers in his group.

However, Noyes believes that mentality is what he uses more in meets.

“Mentality is more when you’re going up against other people, thinking what do I need to do to beat them,” Noyes said.

“Practices are more like you work hard to please yourself. I don’t worry about

mentality until I’m at a meet because that’s the only time I really need to focus if you’re going to beat this person at this place.”

Although he attends all sorts of meets, he believes that the out of state meets and highly competitive meets like Junior Nationals are the most important to him.

“If it’s just a senior meet then there’s not really any goals because it’s not a super competitive meet.”

Noyes said. “But if it’s a higher meet like Junior Nationals, then I would say the main goal for those is qualifying for finals and doing better in finals. In the lower meets I would say the focus is just getting through the race.”

Noyes’s mentality regarding meets vary based on the type of meet he attends.

“My mentality can either be on the positive or

negative side depending on how well I actually do,” Noyes said. However, I can also swim badly depending on who’s at the meets and how fast I want to go. ” Despite his success on the swim team throughout high school, Noyes does not plan on swimming throughout college. As much as swimming is important to him, school is his main focus.

“I only want to swim freshman year [of college] because I want to be able focus on school.” Noyes said. “Morning practices are already a hassle for me and college teams will want you to wake up earlier, and it’ll be harder.”

Maggie Bernauer | The Phoenix

What do you like most about badminton?

Nick Mak | Varsity I Doubles

“I like the intensity of it, especially its speed. In fact, badminton birdies can be hit to fly at about 200 miles per hour. The fact that it can go really fast is really interesting. The pace of games are fairly quick, so I like to have very concentrated and intense games.”

Vanessa Le | Varsity I Doubles

“The best part about badminton is how challenging it is. Many think it is a simple game, but actual competitive badminton is extremely brutal. Despite its difficulty, I have the most fun when I simply play well. I believe that the feeling of self-improvement in badminton is one of the most rewarding feelings that exist.”

Mani Movva | Varsity III Singles

“I like that every time I play, it’s a mental game. If you aren’t there mentally, you’ll lose the game. The atmosphere is what I like as well.

The team is lively and it’s one of the sports where everyone cheers the most so it’s really fun.”

Tina Van | Varsity II Singles

“The love and support I receive from my teammates. They support me and cheer loudly in my games and it just gives off such a positive vibe.

And the anxiousness I feel before a game, and the excitement while playing is just an addicting feeling when I play.”

Dana Choy | Varsity I Singles

“I like badminton because I can always get better and be a leader of teams. It is fun because losing and winning gives new experiences and there’s always something to learn. “

Gina Le | Varsity I Doubles

“I like badminton because it’s a just a sport that I enjoy playing and I find it fun when everyone is excited about their game and when people are trying their best to get better.“