Issuu

Feminism:

Senior Quotes

The movement

Are they gone forever? see page 4

see pages 6 & 7

Cosmology Interested?

see page 4

Fremont High School

the

PHOENIX

Vol. 3 Issue No. 2 OCT. 28, 2014

Photo courtesy of the New York Times

Hong Kong protesters demand democracy by Julie Wi Staff Writer

The streets of Hong Kong remain impassable as thousands of young protesters fighting for democracy occupy the city. The goal of these protesters, who consist mainly of university students, is to obtain the right to freely select their own leader. Hong Kong is a region of China, however it has its own separate government from Beijing. China is communist, while Hong Kong is a very capitalist society. China calls this relationship “one country, two systems.” This is why having control of Hong Kong is essential for China. It is their link to the capitalist, commercial world. They can maintain that control by influencing who Hong Kong’s leader, or “chief executive” is. Technically, Hong Kong’s citizens do get to vote for their own leader. The problem is that voters can only choose between candidates approved by a pro-Beijing nominating committee. Because the candidates will all be chosen

by people who have the same interests as Beijing, China can influence Hong Kong’s government to benefit themselves, while still being able to call it a “democracy”. The students of Hong Kong, however, know that they do not have free choice. Looking at photos of the protests, the crowd is noticeably young. Most of the people involved in protests are students in their 20s. “The society is changing, and you have more and more of this discontented, active, sometimes assertive civil society led by the younger generation,” Joseph Wong Wing-ping, a former senior government official in Hong Kong, told the New York Times. Because most of the demonstrators are young students, their methods of congregation differ from some other groups. Social media is an efficient tool many students use to organize meet-ups and rallies. Within the past year, civil unrest concerning a desire for a more democratic

system has been building the tension that eventually led to a series of mass protests, which started around Sept. With the goal of “universal suffrage” in mind, the city’s students started to show acts of rebellion. According to the Guardian, thousands of university students participated in a boycott on classes and gathered in protest at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Sept. 22. In the days following that event, public protests have been occurring non-stop, with thousands of students blocking off and occupying some of the city’s main streets. The protesters of the movement, which goes by the name “Occupy Central,” are insistent in upholding their values of peaceful protest and civil disobedience. However, this does not mean the protests are always peaceful. According to Human Rights Watch, law enforcement officers have used methods such as “riot gear, pepper spray, tear gas, police batons and the detention of peaceful

protesters” to control the massive crowds. To protect themselves from the pepper spray, many protesters come prepared with umbrellas to use as shields. So many umbrellas can be seen in the crowds that it led to the protests being nicknamed the “umbrella movement.”

Some people will say, ‘this is completely, one hundred percent impossible.’ In this world, there are lots of things that are impossible; but they happened.

Police aren’t the only ones causing violence. The inconvenience caused by the Occupy protests has upset many Hongkongers, especially supporters of Beijing. There have been several reports of proBeijing protesters attacking

pro-democracy protesters and some people even had to be hospitalized. A video uploaded by South China Morning Post depicted a violent fight with the caption “Violence breaks out in Mong Kok as anti-Occupy Central protesters assault Occupy Central protesters.” Even with these protests being as heated as they are, it is still unclear whether the protests will even have an effect on the system. It is unlikely that the Chinese government will easily give the Occupy protesters what they want. Not even Hongkongers themselves seem to believe that this will make any difference, according to a poll held by South China Morning Post. While 48 percent said that lawmakers should veto Beijing’s restrictive reform for the 2017 election, “86 percent believed the Occupy Central campaign to paralyze the city’s business hub to press for more democracy had little or no chance of changing the central or local government’s stance on reform. Just 5 percent said Occupy was

likely to force a change.” Judging by how China has dealt with democracy protests in the past, it is unlikely that China is going to give up control of Hong Kong. Even in knowing this, the protesters are hopeful and determined. “Some people will say, ‘this is completely, one hundred percent impossible.’ In this world, there are lots of things that are impossible; but they happened,” one protester in an interview by the Guardian said. “So if we have hope, if we have a very clear objective, I believe this will happen. A miracle will happen.” The peaceful protests in Hong Kong may set an example for the rest of the world in its universal struggle for democracy. Hong Kongese students are asserting their right to democracy while demonstrating peaceful methods of disobeying the government. At the same time they demonstrate that the younger generation does have a voice, encouraging the world’s youth to take a stand against the injustices of their societies.

News

Oct. 28, 2014

Technological progression: influences on our society by James Kanuch Staff Writer

Over the past 50 years, digital technology has had a huge impact in the way people go about their daily lives. Whether it be staying in touch with friends on social media or learning about current world events, digital technology has grown and developed into an accustomed way of living in society. According to Robert Capriles, the engineer teacher at Fremont High School, there’s a definite reason behind this. “I think that what has happened is that engineering plays a big part in this, being that engineering is the practical use of math and science to solve problems,” Capriles said. “Engineers have solved many problems over the years, for example microcomputers in cars today now make the cars more advanced and fuel conservative. The solution being digital technology.” The uses of digital technology today also has greatly varied from past years that lead up to the present. In 1945, the very first computer was built by the United States Army called the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. The ENIAC was capable of solving complex mathematical problems and its purpose was to simulate firing artillery under a set of conditions to calculate the most effective way to hit a target. In the events of the 1950s through 60s, digital technology played a pivotal

ENGINEERS work on ENIAC computer in Pennsylvania.

role in what was called the ‘Space Race’ (a period in time in which the U.S and Soviet Union competed against each other for outer-space superiority). Efforts from the Soviet Union include the first artificial satellite known as Sputnik 1, while the U.S made efforts to have the first human beings to land on the moon. By the 70s and 80s, personal computers became available to the consumer, but they were fairly expensive and didn’t come preset with programs meaning the user would have to make their own programs out of scratch. Other notable technology in the 70s and 80s include the invention of the VCR, cell phones (digital in the late 80s), portable music players and the inkjet printer. In the 90s came the birth of the World Wide Web and the inclusion of operating systems in computers like Windows, Linux and Apple OS X. Also in the 90s to early 2000s, came the invention of the digital

Photo courtesy of education.mrsec.wisc.edu

answering machine, the PDA (early built predecessor of the smartphone) and DVDs. Today the tech industry is dominated by smartphones, tablets, and higher processing computers used for social media, streaming movies/TV shows, gaming, online shopping and more. There is an observation about technology progression called Moore’s Law, made by Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel. The observation was made in 1965 predicting that processing power for digital technology will double every two years. The prediction proved true for a very long time because technology developers are constantly working to fit as much as they can in microchips to make them much more powerful and faster than in the past. However, according to an article from wired.com, it seems that Moore’s Law could be coming to a decline as pointed out that new super computers pop up less frequently time from time.

Another news source cnet.com says that if Moore’s Law did come to a decline, then companies who rely on consumers periodically replacing electronics would take a big hit. However, cnet.com states that even if Moore’s Law started to slow down, the companies would work hard to resolve the issue by preparing and making improvements in advance so it won’t become an issue later. As digital technology progresses, society will change along with it. With cheaper and more affordable prices, digital technology has become more widely available to the mass market than before compared to the 70s and 80s. “One of the things engineers want to do is to improve and constantly make things better”, Capriles said. “As a result, engineers are making smaller and more efficient pieces to optimize the manufacturing process. For example, an engineer might make a part that costs a cer-

tain amount, and make the same part in smaller more efficient pieces at the same cost. The more consumers demand the technology, the more engineers want to make parts less expensive.” Through the rise of social media there has also been the rise of cyber bullying. According to statistics from nobullying.com, 52 percent of teenagers report being bullied while on social media. Also another statistic shows that 25 percent of teenagers report that they have experienced repeated cyber bullying via their cell phone and/or on the internet. However, according to an article from CNN there’s also a positive aspect of social media. One statistic shows from the article shows that 52 percent of teens feel that social networking has strengthened their relationships with friends. Capriles believes that there is a positive and negative side to the instant communication of social media. “Humans are impulsive and instant communication allow us to say what’s on our minds. For example, letters took preparation time to write but now not much time goes into texts. Once you say something in a text you can’t take it back. However a good side to this is when in an emergency. In which case the emergency response can arrive there within a minute.” An article from the tech news site whatculture.com mentions other ways that technology such as the Internet has changed the world. Positive aspects include the wide range of services and retailers that are available today for anyone to utilize. Other positive ways

include the electronic form of media trumping the physical form in cost and also information preservation that sites like Google and Wikipedia keep retaining. However some negative aspects of change include the rise in crimes such as piracy and scams to gain personal information. Also marketing techniques such as online ads, and emailed ads are now being tailored to generate products that reflect your search patterns as mentioned in the article. Capriles believes that engineers have to decide on a moral scale when making something and have to decide for themselves the uses people might use the new technology for. Digital Technology overall has made significant breakthroughs, pushing the limit that was once considered fiction now turned reality. With Moore’s Law, technology should become increasingly better, and once technology starts to society will too. “It’s tough to say what might be coming”, Capriles said. “Silicon cells should continue to get smaller, and technology more pervasive. What I would like is to have technology in places where it’s not available, like in West Africa to help fight Ebola. However the technology introduced can be harmful. Engineers have to decide on a moral scale what their technology is going to be used for and that’s what the technology class here at Fremont is for. So students can create new ideas to apply to the future using engineering.”

Ebola crisis: foreign crisis becomes nationwide threat by Nazmiye Rodriguez Staff Writer

Information about the outbreak of the Ebola virus has spread drastically due to the number of increasing deaths the virus has caused. According to Newsday, Ebola has been the cause of 3,431 deaths and it has sickened 7,470 people in West Africa. Although many people have begun to take drastic precautions due to the outbreak, Ebola is not very easy to contract. It is not known to be transmitted through the air. In fact the only ways in which one is able to get the virus is through bodily fluids such as blood, urine and vomit. The virus can live for a few hours at most on dry surfaces, while it can live for many days in liquids such as blood. Symptoms of the virus begin to appear two to 21 days after being exposed to the virus. On average, the first signs of Ebola are most

commonly seen eight to ten days after exposure. Initial symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat and weakness in the body. As the virus progresses, patients begin to have diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and hiccups. The places that have been affected most by the virus in West Africa are Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The first case of Ebola can be traced to 1976, when a Belgian nun became ill from a mysterious illness in Yambuku. A two-year-old patient from a small village in Guinea is believed to have been “Patient Zero” or the start of the Ebola outbreak. The child was infected by the virus through consuming contaminated water. According to CNN, only four days after showing symptoms of the virus, the child died on Dec. 6th, 2013. The first patient in the

U.S that has been confirmed to have the Ebola virus was Thomas Duncan, who, according to the Washington Post, died only eight days after his diagnosis. Duncan was infected by the virus in Liberia, where he helped neighbors carry an infected friend to and from the hospital. Duncan’s arrival to Dallas, Texas on Sept. 20th from Liberia, was meant to be a reunion with his spouse Louise Troh. Instead, a few days after, he was quickly taken to the Texas Health Presbyterian. Duncan died eight days after his diagnosis on Oct. 8th. Shortly after Duncan’s death, Nina Pham, the Texas nurse who treated him, was confirmed positive for Ebola. Pham reported to have had a “low grade fever” on Friday, Oct. 10, and was kept in an isolation unit. While in isolation, tests were being made for the disease, and on Sunday Oct. 12, the

SANITATION workers in Havana , Cuba diagnosed with the Ebola virus.

nurse was tested positive for Ebola. While attending to Duncan, the nurse wore protective gear. It is believed that she may have come in contact with the virus while removing the gear. On Oct. 9th, a second nurse named Amber Vinson was infected with Ebola while boarding a commercial flight from Cleveland. She had a fever of 99.5*F before boarding the plane. There were 132 people onboard the flight with Vinson, but none are said to become infected due to low

chances of contracting the virus. Further investigation is being held on 48 other people who have also tended to Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian. The only other people who the nurse has come in contact was one other person, who is currently being monitored, and her dog, who is currently being quarantined. Surviving Ebola is not impossible. There have also been a number of people who have been cured of the virus. Dr. Kent Brantly was

Photo courtesy of CNN

cured of Ebola after being in isolation for 19 days. With the help of five doctors and 21 nurses, Brantly left Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on Oct. 6. Brantly became ill with the virus in Liberia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way to avoid Ebola is to practice careful hygiene. Washing your hands with water, using hand sanitizer, and avoiding contact with bodily fluids such as blood and saliva are other ways to avoid the disease.

News

Oct. 28, 2014

An increase in teen border crossing the

by Sarah Arkoh

Arts and Ent. Editor

The number of teenagers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has increased dramatically in the past year. A large number of people, young and old, migrate to the United States each year often times fleeing conflict in their home countries and searching for a better life. Some tend to generalize those crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as middle-aged men looking for work to support their family. While this is true in some cases, it doesn’t apply to everyone migrating across the border. According to National Public Radio, from Oct. 2013 to July 2014, some 57,000 children under the age of 18 were apprehended in South Texas after crossing the border unaccompanied. While these young ones were all found unaccompanied, they don’t start out alone. For most, the journey begins in Central America. Parents pay coyotes, or guides that help people cross the border, to take their children on this long trip. Often times these guides are corrupt, raping, beating and ultimately abandoning kids soon after they are paid. These children fall victim to sickness and sometimes death. For the coyotes who legitimately want to help,

1279 Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd. Room 84 Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)522-2400 thephxnews@gmail.com fhsphoenix.com Managing Editors Ashley Chavez Kayla Layaoen US Customs Border Patrol in Houston, TX.

they often charge anywhere between $1,500 to $10,000 (depending on the age of the child) to bring children to the U.S. At the onset of their journey, kids board a bus in Central America and travel 1,200 miles to the city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The only thing that separates the city of Matamoros and the U.S. is the Rio Grande, a river that serves as a natural border separating both Texas and New Mexico from Mexico. The kids then cross the river in inner tubes and enter the U.S. At this time, many coyotes encourage kids to give themselves up to the Border Patrol. Due to a law passed in 2008 regarding undocumented youth, authorities are unable to deport minors

but instead must give them to the Department of Health and Human Services. The Department cares for the minors, giving them housing and education. Deporting the minors back to their home countries sounds like a simple solution but there is really much more involved. Many of these kids have left abusive households and poor living conditions. According to the Los Angeles times, “More than 90% of the youngsters detained are from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, countries where violence, particularly drug cartel and gang violence, has spurred an exodus for all ages.” Returning home would mean fear and even death. A number of minors don’t even have family to re-

Photo courtesy of CBS Houston

turn to because their family members have already made the journey to the U.S. The best and only option is to ease the young ones into an education and life in America. Under a ruling by the Supreme Court, the U.S. has an obligation to educate all minors, whether or not they are citizens. This means living in shelters in cities such as Washington D.C., Miami and Houston and attending high schools that offer programs such as English Language Development. Many of the children quickly grow accustomed to life in America, learning English and the American culture quickly. These young ones are trying their best to give back to their community and ultimately, create a better future.

Professors educate outside of college by Melissa Parlan

Opinion Editor

The FHS Lecture Series is run by a small interest group on campus, consisting of seniors Arlo Marquez, Sitar Harel, Jenny Han and Annam Quraishi. Because they all feel passionately about science, they decided to host these lecture series to give Fremont more of a scientific interest amongst students, according to the FHS Lecture Series board. “We created the FHS Lecture Series to inform students about scientific topics and spark an interest on a topic to show a new light on it and show interest to those fields,” Marquez said. On Sept. 26, the first lecture in the FHS Lecture Series was held in the small auditorium. Doctor Raja Guhathakurta from University of California Santa Cruz presented a lecture named “We Are Stardust”, teaching about the basic concepts of cosmology. About 70 Fremont students, staff and parents attended. The first lecture was planned out last summer, when Marquez went to

PHOENIX

a summer science program and met Doctor Guhathakurta. Marquez then asked if he’d be interested in teaching a lesson at Fremont and he agreed. “I talked to him about the steps they would take to make it happen,” Marquez said. “That’s when I reached out to the other people on the board of our interest group for help.” To keep the Lecture Series running, the board continued to look to Doctor Guhathakurta for help, using his colleagues to continue hosting lectures.

These scientists really want to talk about what they’re doing and researching,” Sitar Harel “After talking to Doctor Guhathakurta, he recommended a colleague Doctor Jill Helms, a stem cell researcher,” Harel said. “We are currently working with her to hold another lecture on that topic.” Although having a credible university professor come to Fremont

sounds like an extensive and expensive process, in reality, it’s not. Contacting, working and planning with these professors is just a matter of reaching out to them. “In the Bay Area, there’s so many scientists out there,” Han said. “We just need to go and reach out to them. A lot of them are interested in coming to Fremont, so it’s all about taking initiative.” Besides college professors and scientists being easily accessible and contactable in the area, these adults have a genuine interest in sharing their knowledge and work, especially to younger generations, like high school students. “These scientists really want to talk about what they’re doing and researching,” Harel said. “They especially like talking to younger people.” Although only one lecture has been held, it seems to be very helpful and beneficial to the students who attend. “I asked people who went to the first lecture and a majority of them said they wouldn’t have had that opportunity anywhere else,” Quraishi said. “These lectures are intended to show another aspect of the vari-

ous science fields they’re interested in.” As for the future, the board would like to make the FHS Lecture Series a monthly event. They are currently open to any suggestions or recommendations to different professors or topics for future lectures, so that students have a genuine interest in going. The team is also open to juniors and other underclassmen joining the board, to ensure the lecture series doesn’t leave with them at the end of the year. The FHS Lecture Series is not limited to just science topics. According to Han, the board is more than willing to host lecture on social sciences, mathematics, English and the arts. With the addition of these lecture series, not only is the Fremont community becoming more academic, but it is also showing a more genuine interest to learning.

News Editors Jasmine Salik Sonya Jindal Sports Editor Chau Nguyen Arts & Entertainment Editors Sarah Arkoh Juan Martinez Opinion Editors Melissa Parlan Tatiana Castillo Lead Photographer Priya Lee Staff Writers Sravya Bathula Margaret Bernauer Hannah Marie Butay Ariana Honavar Hiro Sarah Kacmarsky James Kanuch Kristina Lechuga Dana Nissan Rachel Pena Nazmiye Ornelas Rodriguez Essam Rao Snigdha Rayala Nicole Stibbard Julie Wi Emily Wright Cindy Zhang Kelly Zhong Adviser Stacey Stebbins The Phoenix, protected under the California Education code, is a public forum for the students of Fremont High School. The Phoenix staff will publish features, editorials, news, and sports in an unbiased and professional manner. Editorials are the official opinion of The Phoenix. Opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Phoenix. All content decisions are made by the student editors, and in no way reflect the official policy of Fremont High School, nor the opinions of the administration, faculty, or the adviser. Business advertisements are accepted in The Phoenix. However, The Phoenix reserves the right to deny any ad. Those interested in running advertisements can call the Business Manager at (408)522-2400, or email thephxnews@gmail.com. Lettters to the editor and questions for the advice column, may be submitted to room 84, Ms. Stebbins’ mailbox, or emailed to thephxnews@gmail.com. Identities of those who submit questions will remain anonymous. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to styles and policy. Letters to the editor will be published at the discretion of the staff. The Phoenix is the official student newspaper, and is distributed free of cost to the students. The Phoenix publishes eight issues throughout the school year.

News

Oct. 28, 2014

Senior quotes: inappropriate content ruin it for the rest by Kayla Layaeon Managing Editor

Senior quotes are often laughed at for being too cheesy or over the top, but Fremont students won’t have to deal with that anymore -- the school will not be running any senior quotes from now on. According to yearbook adviser Aaron Eeg, there are a few reasons for this decision, one being low participation rates. According to data he collected, only about one in five students actually turn a quote in on time, and many of those students wish to make edits after the deadline has passed. “Before the first deadline last year, only 20 percent of seniors sent in a quote. So, the yearbook won’t look as good if one in five kids have a quote,” Eeg said. He says that sometimes, students attempt to sneak cryptic gang messages or use rap lyrics as their senior quotes, and it simply isn’t possible for administration to keep up with the latest slang. Omitting them will save administration time from having to look things up. “Some of the quotes that are sent in are very cryptic,” Eeg said. “They reference drugs, gangs, music lyrics, so that’s offensive, even to me personally. I don’t want to have to Google and Urban Dictionary all these song lyrics.”

However, these problems are not without remedy -- senior Vi Luong suggests having a small board of students to assist in screening quotes for such messages. “I think that in addition to having admin check the words in the quotes, there should be like a small panel of students or something to help with the process, since students

[The quotes] reference drugs, gangs, music lyrics, so that’s offensive, even to me personally. Aaron Eeg

tend to know more about the inappropriate words and symbols,” Luong said. Firebirds across grade levels are unhappy with this decision. In a poll posted to the Fremont High School and Class of 2015 Facebook groups, 159 students and FUHSD Communications Coordinator Sue Larson responded -- and their response was a unanimous agreement that senior quotes should not be removed. “I don’t want to pay $75 for something that doesn’t even have my own quote,” senior Vyvy Hoang commented on the post.

This comes after a string of new policies from school administration, like new late policies and detention practices, and for some students, it’s the last straw. “Honestly the entire fact that the school is getting more strict about every little thing is really upsetting. As a senior I think it’s really cool to express how you feel since you’re going to be leaving and that’s a little bit of your legacy,” senior Mikaela Rangel said. Eeg says that senior photos can now be run larger without the quotes. Contrary to popular belief, Fremont has not always had senior quotes, and not all schools offer them to students. According to Eeg, other schools charge to run senior baby photos -and students may be able to pay to get their senior quotes in the yearbook, provided that they buy a page or at least some part of it. “I like it because now the pictures can run bigger. The seniors can always buy a page or a quarter of a page to do whatever they want, so there is an option.” Watch the video report for this story at www.fhsphoenix.com.

Bus pass system altered for many by Tatiana Castillo

Assistant Opinion Editor

Although not many students are aware, there is a new system for deciding who receives a bus pass and who does not. In previous years, students whose household income was considered “eligible” to receive a free bus pass were given them by the school. Students who were “ineligible,” either because their household income was too high or their school attendance was insufficient, were able to purchase a bus pass at a reduced price of $15, which is $30 less than full price, as long as they live at least 1.5 miles (or over a 30-minute walking distance) away from Fremont High School. However, what students do not know is that FHS has been going about the district’s bus pass distribution policy completely wrong. The intended plan was to distribute free bus passes to those whose family income is below a specified amount, however they must live in the 94089 or 94085 zip code area in Sunnyvale. Only students who live in the 94086 area would be able to purchase reduced bus passes, as long as their estimated walk time exceeds 30 minutes. Bus passes would not be available for free or reduced price to anyone in the 94087 area of Sunnyvale, which is the

zip code surrounding our school. “A lot of people feel like they’re getting the short end of the stick when it comes to the way bus passes are working this year,” Noe Ochoa, Dean on campus, said. “If anything, they should actually be happy that they’ve been getting a pass this whole time even though they technically shouldn’t have.” Bus passes play a large role for about 1,000 students on campus, which is approximately 50% of the school’s population. These 1,000 students live in either the 94089 area, which can be identified as the Lakewood Village neighborhood, or the 94085 area, which is the Columbia Middle School neighborhood. Many students on campus depend on the bus to get them to and from school, five days a week for about 10 months a year. Other students who also use the bus as means of

transportation are, in most cases, seniors who are living outside of Fremont boundaries through the senior privilege. “It really sucks because I live on the borderline of Mountain View and Sunnyvale and sometimes I have to spend $3.50 just to get to school and get home,” senior Angie Luciano said. “It might not sound like a crazy amount of money, but it can definitely add up.” Even though there is a decrease in the amount of students receiving bus passes, the school is doing what they can to assist many students in getting to school. “We have a meeting with VTA coming up,” Ochoa said. “We plan on hopefully working out a better bus schedule that can be more convenient.” Information on bus schedules and qualifications can be found in the upper level of the ASB room or on a VTA bus.

A FLEX time lecture that’s out of this world by Essam Rao

the lectures are organized around key resources I found.” The lecture has had a surprising outcome of attendees. There are at least 40 students per lecture, and Amarillas now has to turn away students because of limited space. Right now, the lecture is only open to the 50 Physics Honors students that who attended the first session and made it on the roster.

Staff Writer

Students can learn about key concepts on Cosmology in the f lex time lecture series held by physics honors teacher Michael Amarillas. It takes place every Wed. in room 92. The lecture series is an introduction to cosmology, the study of the origin and history of the universe.

Some of the topics it covers are astronomy, the Big Bang, dark matter and dark energy. “They’re all key topics in cosmology,” Amarillas said. “I was strongly inspired by a video series I saw from Mark Whittle, an astro-

physicist at the University of Virginia.” There is very valuable information in this lecture series. Any type of information on cosmology that is available online can be categorized into two extremes. One type is very technical sources, like graduate-level lectures.

THE Big Bang is one of the many topics discussed in Amarillas’ lectures.

The other extreme is entertainment-focused

sources, like YouTube videos looking for views and subscriptions. There are a few places where a personal professor with general science knowledge can get a good summary of

these two extremes, and this lecture series is one of them. The initial series is

eight lectures long. Each lecture is focused on one topic, with two guiding questions. Students ask many questions, so plenty of time is budgeted for that. “Students ask cosmology-related questions all the time, especially in my Physics Honors class,” Amarillas said. “I never felt like I could quite answer these questions well in just a few minutes, so f lex

Photo courtesy of Kinja.com

time seemed a good opportunity for enrichment lectures.” Amarillas has put in countless hours of his personal time to create the lecture slides and resources. Although Cosmology has only been a small part in his college education, it is a topic that has always interested him. “I’ve always been curious about cosmology myself,” Amarillas said. “So

I really like how his lectures covers so many crazy topics that I’ve never heard of, like all these insane things that I can’t even properly wrap my head around. Leilani Loo

“I’m really impressed at the students that attend the lectures,” Amarillas said. “I respect that they’re just curious about the

topic and want to learn more. They don’t get extra credit or anything.” The students who attend the lecture are both entertained and educated. “I really like how his lectures covers so many crazy topics that I’ve never heard of, like all these insane things that I can’t even properly wrap my head around,” Sophomore Leilani Loo said. “And you can’t get all the stuff he covers anywhere else.” “I think it’s a really nice way to introduce astronomy to students as most of us haven’t been exposed to astronomy in grade school,” Sophomore Barath Vedantham said. Due to the student interest, Amarillas sees this lecture series continuing in the future years. He is willing to deliver the lectures again and/or record and post them online.

Opinion 5

High school superficiality: the big picture

oct. 28, 2014

What is it about high school that fuels the superficial fire? by Maggie Bernauer Staff Writer

High school is known for its superficial habitat, because of the close quarters between all of the students and the element of wanting to fit in. According to Dictionary.com, superficial means to be concerned only with the apparent or obvious things; or being shallow. High school is a very experimental time. Trying new things is how students find their clique and find themselves. Age has a lot to do with it as well. The different age groups of the population of the students also affect the superficiality

of high school. The maturity level of a 14-year-old to an 18-year-old is very broad. Younger kids tend to be more superficial because they are still experimenting and finding out who they are. “Trend” is a word that is very present in a teenager’s mind. Everyone wants to be the “it kid” or be considered “the coolest”. Being superficial has a trend just like the appearance and social classes do. Younger teenagers tend to be more superficial because they are more insecure with who they are and are still trying to find what crowds to follow. As freshman come into high school they are still figuring out what teams or clubs they want to be on, that is why freshman year is a great year to take risks because it might result in something great, but if not there is still time to fix it. Age is a key aspect, but that does not automatically

make every upperclassman less superficial. In every stage of life there will always be a person doing things to impress people around them, it is just how humans work. People have the natural desire to be the best and on the top of the social pyramid. People have this desire because peer pressure causes people to have selfdoubt and they become superficial because they need reassurance of fitting in. It seems like unimportant things at the time make a huge difference, but that is only because of the environment high schoolers live. No one is going to care about things like that later in life. People care about what you are doing now. Things should not be done for popularity, activities should be done because they will help in your future life and because it is something you genuinely enjoy doing. High schoolers live in a very closed commu-

nity, meaning for those four years, students spend all their time and worries focused on high school. As people get older in life they become different and more independent and focus more on higher priorities

Not everything people participate in has to be a competition.

in life. They spend less time worrying about the less important stuff such as appearances, because they have more crucial things to worry about like money and family. Since this generation is addicted to social media, people become more superficial. Social media is used to show off peoples’ lives.

With the access to see every “promposal” and every little success, people tend to get jealous and try to make their life as good as the images they see on social media. Life and activities people want to participate in are not meant to be images for people to look at or for people to judge, my success is different from yours and my path is also different. Two people cannot be compared by their achievements. It is incomparable because people have different goals and want different outcomes. There is nothing wrong with trying to be the best and being on top, but goals should not be set if the outcome desired is popularity or social acceptance. Goals should be made because they will help progress your life and will help to get you to that next step. The reason high school is a superficial place is because most people focus

their goals on social acceptance. Even if they try to focus on goals that affect them in the long run it still turns into a competition. No matter what activities you participate, in people still want to know what colleges you are applying to, how many AP classes you are taking and whether you are on homecoming court or not. Not everything people participate in has to be a competition. More than one person can succeed, because people are doing different things and usually each path needs more than one person. There is not only one NBA basketball star and there is more than one doctor in the world. In order to stop being superficial, kids need to make goals that they can build on and goals that will get them somewhere. Students need to focus on completing their goals; they do not need to over rise above everyone else.

Age restrictions on relationships Line drawn on Halloween attire by Juan Martinez

by Sravya Bathula

Arts and Ent. Assisstant Editor

Staff Writer

Is dating someone younger than you really all that bad? Does age really matter? I don’t think so. Age is just a number. An intimate relationship is not based off of a number; it is based off of attraction. It emerges from an emotional and spiritual connection with that special someone. Nobody is able to choose his or her age. Age doesn’t define your maturity, but your actions and thoughts do. People give age too much attention and start creating barriers in their minds because of it. If people did not care about these numbers so much, then a lot of relationships would be created out of genuine interest between two individuals. Since negativity of age gaps is a common belief and could result in social shame, dating someone younger than you is considered an outrageous thing to do or even think of. Of course, pedophilia is a whole other concept, so there is no need to get into that. But to put it into simple terms, just keep it fairly legal. There should be no dispute about the idea of dating someone younger than you. Why? Emotions. When you are interested in someone, you don’t automatically think, “Oh wait,

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Kristina Lechuga | The Phoenix

how old are they?” When you are interested in someone, it becomes attraction, and that is something you have absolutely no control over. Many people have probably experienced a true connection with a possible companion, but they decide they can’t be with that person because society disapproves. Why put your happiness at stake? Happiness is the key to living a life of fulfillment. You have to ultimately listen to yourself and what you want. Happiness is one of the most important aspects in your lifetime; so don’t ruin it for yourself. If people freed their minds, then the social expectations of society would not be a burden on all of us. Dating someone younger than you wouldn’t be so unusual. Emotions wouldn’t have to be controlled or sustained. Compatibility is completely based on emotional and spiritual connections. If that significant other cares for you, understands you, admires you and appreciates you, then what else matters? Nothing. You have to be able to keep up a conversation with each other; otherwise

the fun in the relationship goes from one hundred to zero real quick. There is no need to convince others of your love and affection. Why should you prove something they can’t feel? You can’t prove attraction, affection, emotion, and spiritual connection. They’re just there. Don’t force yourself to love someone either, because desperation makes any relationship ugly. Overall, it is just very wrong and hurtful to the other person if they actually have genuine feelings towards you. Also, don’t pay mind to the disapproval of others. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions, but don’t dwell on those opinions, because some people have nothing better to do than criticize. Don’t ever think that you’re supposed to be with someone that is strictly in your age range. If you know the relationship is right and beautiful, then stay true to it. Don’t break it off because of society’s standards. Hold it down for the sake of love.

Halloween is a time for treats, frights, and judgment of the female race? Ladies have gotten a lot of “hate” over the years because of the way they dress on Halloween. Obviously when we think of female Halloween costumes, we think of Regina George and the rest of the plastics in Mean Girls. Realistically teenage girls are not going to follow the “slut rule” and dress in lingerie and animal ears. Furthermore, Cady Heron lied when she said no one could say anything about it. Everyone has an opinion on this subject and of costumes. First off I’d like to say that the “slut rule” is so unrealistic. I don’t know what part of town you’ve been to, but I have never a seen a respectable lady dress like that in public. Secondly they’re people not animals; you don’t need to grope them like you’re in a petting zoo. People need to learn to keep their hands to themselves. Showing skin is not a woman’s sign to put your hands on her. Lastly, a mask is a mask and a costume is just a costume, neither of which is an extension of who they are on the inside. Yes it is in fact Halloween season but that doesn’t justify wearing something that violates the school dress code. Teachers and the rest of the staff are going to feel really awkward seeing you throughout the school day in your revealing costume, or are going to send you home to change. “I’m all for women’s rights and wearing what you want to wear,” English teacher, Anastasia Zamkinos, said. “But at the same time you have to remember this is a learning environment and people come here to learn. There’s a point at which a costume becomes a distraction.” You also have to consider that later in the evening there’s going to be younger kids outside trick or treating. If you were

a parent you wouldn’t want your child exposed to that; consider having some courtesy and maybe a little modesty. Costumes can be inappropriate in two different ways. They can be really revealing or they can be morally wrong. An example of a revealing costume is the “naughty nurse costume” or “sexy witch costume”. They’re not only classroom inappropriate but are something you wouldn’t even see on a normal day. Nice try costume designers. Morally wrong costumes are costumes that perpetuate negative stereotypes or have some sort of racial connotation. In some cases, it could be nothing more than a harmless joke, but in the end if someone’s feelings are getting hurt that makes you look like an insensitive person. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. When in doubt don’t wear the costume. I don’t understand why we only verbally attack females on Halloween. The word “slut” is so un-evolved that its definition only applies to women. It’s an archaic way of saying only the female form is sinful and all women are evil by nature. It’s sad to see society be so misogynistic. And even when verbally assaulting someone, I feel that some people lack a sense of demoralization when they think or say anything negative about that person’s appearance. Having an opinion is one thing; it’s another thing to be a complete jerk. Not that I care what you wear or do on your free time, but it could just as easily be you on the other end of the slut-shaming bandwagon. Halloween shouldn’t be national slut shame day or an excuse to mock a religion, race or sexuality.

Special Feature 6

oct. 28, 2014

Feminism Twitter Many Twitter users have turned to the social media site to express their views on issues women face regarding sexual harrassment with the hashtag #YesAllWomen. Celebrities especially have shown support for the issues with the hashtags #HeForShe and #Feminism.

Que B

The Pop icon utilizes her fame and influencial power to bring awareness to sexism in the music industry. by Melissa Parlan Opinion Editor

In the recent midst of popularity and uprising of feminism, B made major contributions to the gender equality fight. Knowles m and apparent announcement of her feminist beliefs during her wid popular performance at MTV’s Video Music Awards held on Aug. 2 to the Huffington Post, she gave an astonishing 17 minute perform definition of feminism, according to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, tions of songs: “Feminism is the social, political and economic equ performance ended with her silhouette in front the word ‘Feminist letters as her background. That debrief was a significant part of her performance, becaus monly been misinterpreted as “man-hating”. In reality, feminism, a is the belief that all sexes deserve equal rights and opportunities. I awareness of the history of female oppression to ensure true equal according to Time Magazine. It is most definitely a movement ben women. Aside from Beyoncé’s clear announcement as a feminist, the a and included in the Beyoncé album send an important feminist va known through her songs as a fierce and strong woman that can al combination of power, independence and sexuality in her songs, s it’s completely fine for a woman to be sexual and that it doesn’t un morality. Beyoncé has truly helped break social barriers associated with women, contributing to the idea that both men and women have the right to make of themselves what they want, without the need for social or political judgment. With Beyoncé’s amazing singing background and popularity, she’s made feminism more of a pop culture trend-- a meaningful social reform trend. Beyoncé may not be considered a huge contributor to the feminist community, through direct action, but she has shed a huge light towards the movement, which has been shunned and hidden for quite a while. With the tremendous amount of awareness and popularity of feminism today, its fair to say that feminism is here to stay.

Refresh View all HeForShe @HeforShe

FHS Phoenix

FHS Phoenix @fhsphoenix FHS Phoenix

Emma Watson @EmWatson FHS Phoenix

Sam PeppeR vs. The Feminist side of by Sarah Kacmarsky Staff Writer

On Sept. 22, an online content creator named Sam Pepper posted a video entitled “Pinching Girls’ Butts Prank.” Pepper is known for his numerous prank videos, but this video crossed the line of sexual assault. In the video, Pepper goes around to ask female strangers for directions and while they were distracted, he would pinch their butt. Many of the alleged victims immediately reacted by looking around for who had groped them or laughing

and walking away. After sparking multiple negative critics, Pepper uploaded a video of a woman pinching men’s butts in hopes of raising awareness about male sexual abuse. “In no way was this video downgrading the rights of a woman. I just wanted to shine a light on an otherwise dark corner, abuse on men.” Pepper said in his video. Since the video was uploaded, multiple women have spoken up about experiences they have had with Pepper. YouTubers such as Laci Green, a sexual

education advocate, put a video up online addressing the topic in detail. From a male’s point of view, TheThirdPew made a video saying “if you take away the camera, it’s just a guy pinching girls’ butts.” Levi Bernhardt also posted a video talking about how sexual abuse cases affect other YouTube content creators. Bernhardt stated, “If a soccer team stays in a hotel, and one player sneaks down and destroys everything in the lobby, the whole team is kicked out because they all play for the same team

Photo courtesy of YouTube

and represent one another.” However, OhhMyAnnie, thisbedottie and several anonymous sources have posted videos or written blog posts talking about their experiences with Pepper. Some stories come from girls as young as 13, while Pepper is currently 25. With the allegations of sexual abuse charged on Pepper, he has not been arrested but may be charged with sexual assault and rape. Pepper’s

YouTube account has been suspended, his management is no longer associated with him and he is not permitted to attend any VidCon events. Whether or not Pepper’s intentions were to spread a message about male abuse, he could’ve executed it with more decency. This is a prime example of why we need feminism. For those who don’t know, feminism is not hating men,

it is the belief that women are, and should be treated as, intellectual and social equals to men. Instead of using women as actual props, Pepper could’ve given context or done the femalemale abuse video first and he may not have gotten into so much legal trouble. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your intentions are, abusing anyone in any way is not acceptable.

Special Feature

oct. 28, 2014

/fem ,niz m/ e

noun the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

een Bey

He For She

cé Knowles de her most widely acn Aug. 24, ute perforda Ngozi olitical ilhouette ound. minism m, according to es. It’s all about uality of all sexes neficial to both

by Nicole Stibbard Staff Writer

On July 8th 2014, Emma Watson was appointed the position of United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador. The UNWG is an organization dedicated to the empowerment of women as well as gender equality for all. Watson gave an empowering speech on the topic of feminism to launch the campaign “HeForShe,” seen on Twitter as #HeForShe on Sept. 20th. HeForShe is a campaign for gender equality started by UN women. Its goal is to bring men’s eyes toward gender equality and have them take action against the inequalities both genders face. Watson’s speech not only touched base on reaching out toward men to join the fight for feminism, but also touched on the fact that feminism, as a whole, has been misunderstood by a large portion of the public. Toward the beginning of her speech, Watson said,

songs pert value. Beyoncé be quite sexual. nds the message dermine her sense

did you know?

cording to Forbes, over the past decade studies have own that women made only 77% of a man’s income.

r every dollar a man makes, a woman makes:

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She goes on to discuss her personal experiences with the lack of women’s rights.

feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me, but my recent research has shown me that feminism “IhasdecidedbecomeI wasan aunpopular word. Apparently I am among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, anti-men and unattractive. ” As seen on social media, as well as in day-to-day life, this cannot be disputed. Typically, feminism is depicted as manhating, due to the fact that the majority of people view each race, social group and religion, by their extremists. Watson later said,

“

Men, I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue too.

”

up this mantle, so their daughters, sisters and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so that “Itheirwantsonsmenhaveto takepermission to be vulnerable and human too—reclaim those parts of themselves they abandoned and in doing so be a more true and complete version of themselves, ” Watson finally closed her speech with,

$.69

was appointed six months ago and the more I have spoken about feminism, the more I have realized that fighting for “Iwomen’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop. ”

Statistics from Jessica Bennett of the New York Times

for a uniting word but the good news is we have a uniting movement. It is called HeForShe. I am “Weinvitingare youstruggling to step forward, to be seen to speak up, to be the “he” for “she”. And to ask yourself if not me, who? If not now, when? ” Moments and days after her speech, many male celebrities tweeted a picture of themselves holding a sign with the words, “#HeForShe,” on it. Celebrities such as Harry Styles, Chris Colfer, Russell Crowe, Logan Lerman, Tom Hiddleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Simon Pegg, Peter Gallagher and a few others held the signs. With the launch of the “HeForShe” campaign, continues the Twitter hashtag, #YesAllWomen. This tag is used for Twitter users to share their examples or stories regarding misogyny. “#YesAllWomen because no means no. Under any and all circumstances,” and, “#YesAllWomen because when I get angry by a sexist comment, I shouldn’t be told ‘boys will be boys’ or ‘someone’s on their period,’” are some of the tweets seen within this tag. With these two huge pushes toward the promotion of feminism, Watson and other feminists will continue to strive for the equality of the sexes.

Arts & Entertainment

oct. 28, 2014

The Best of Me: a love story far from the best

Photo courtesy of collider.com

by Priya Lee

Lead Photographer

3 out of 5 When someone hears that a movie is based off of a Nicholas Sparks novel, the first thing they think of is chick flick. When someone hears chick flick they think cliché, cliché, cliché. Even though the movie “The Best of Me” follows this formula that romantic movies seem to have, it also has its memorable moments that pull on the heartstrings. “The Best of Me” is about a couple, Amanda and Dawson, who reunite after 21 years because of the death of one of their friends. The couple had not seen each other since their breakup in high school and they had changed a lot since then. Amanda got married and had a son, while Dawson remained single after all of those years. When Amanda and Dawson met again in their hometown, their love rekindled.

The movie switches back and forth from the past and the present showing how the couple first fell in love, and their current relationship. The actors that played the younger Amanda and Dawson, Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato did a better job making the audience believe the story than the actors, James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan, who played the presentday couple. The younger characters had more depth to them and really seemed like they were in love, while the present-day characters seemed to have an awkward and forced love. It was especially weird to watch the older Amanda and Dawson knowing that Amanda had a husband and son at home. There was also a slight problem in the casting as the present-day Dawson didn’t look anything like the younger Dawson. Also, throughout some scenes in the movie, you could tell that they filmed on a set because the background looked really fake and unre-

alistic. One of the main flaws of “chick flicks” in general is that they are extremely predictable. In every romantic movie the couple meets, falls in love, breaks up, has a dramatic makeup and end up happily ever after, or they meet, fall in love, a tragic accident happens and they end up not being together. Every romantic movie follows a variation of that sequence of events and “The Best of Me” is no exception. Even though the film was foreseeable, it is still shown in a way that will make the audience feel human emotion. One of the major points of a romantic film is to make the audience cry. And I did cry. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a sucker for romance and am extremely emotional, but I thought that the movie was touching. So if you want to see a predictable movie, with some good actors, that makes you cry, you should see “The Best of Me.”

ACTOR James Marsden plays Dawson.

Photo courtesy of fandago.com

Photo courtesy of stulovesfilm.com

Vallco mall: wonderful decades ago, now an epic fail by Kristina Lechuga Staff Writer

I want to love you Vallco, I really do. You have so much potential. When Sunnyvale Mall was knocked down in the early 2000s, I thought you’d be my super cool hangout spot in high school. But now you’re just an empty shell of a mall. Vallco Shopping Mall is a three level shopping mall in Cupertino, Calif., the heart of the Silicon Valley. It’s tacky and dated, but not in a charming way. The intercom plays unsettling, loud classical music, similar to the music that is probably played in the elevator that descends into hell. The only thing that’s worth coming to is the AMC theater, but even then, a three minute walk through this post-apocalyptic ruin might not be worth it just for a movie. There are random stock images proudly displayed

on the walls, not to mention the painfully bad variety of stores. Among the worst are the dollar store and the RC car racing place. Why someone would actually go to a mall to race an RC car is a mystery, but it’s one of the few places in the entire mall that has any patrons at all. There’s also a knife store conveniently located in front of Macy’s (in case, you know, you have the sudden urge to skin a deer or two while shopping). The deserted customer service desk hasn’t even replaced its computer since what seems to be the early 2000s. A good section of the parking lot is blocked off or deserted, ideal for quick and easy drug transactions or other illegal rendezvous. Vallco’s lack of guests is no secret, either. Plenty of parody social media pages have sprung up in recent years, the most notable being Twitter and Facebook accounts. “Like absolute silence?

Like being alone? Then come on down to Vallco, where you can find anything your heart desires (as long as it’s frozen yogurt).” “Ride escalators into oblivion and have a blast looking for places to shop.” “No lines, no hassle, no nonsense. Enjoy the same 6 pan flute songs on repeat.” Vallco has its own official Facebook page, but the parody one has twice as many likes, not to mention that the real account likes their own photos when no one else does. Awkward. But maybe I’m being too harsh. There are some nice things about this mall. The comic book store is pretty neat. Alexander’s Steakhouse a couple steps away is so classy it almost seems out of place. Sure, $150 might seem like a lot for Kobe beef, but there doesn’t seem to be anywhere else for Cupertino residents to spend their money. When it first opened in September of 1976, it was

Photo courtesy of twitter.com

one of the biggest malls in the Silicon Valley. The mall had some signs of life back then, but with competition such as Stanford Shopping Center and Valley Fair opening in the mid 1980s, Vallco’s popularity began to decline. At its peak, the mall had three levels with a total of 190 stores. By 2006, only 24% of the mall was occupied. Currently, the bottom level is closed off, with only

35 stores total. It’s just surprising that Cupertino couldn’t do better. Silicon Valley is one of the wealthiest and most expensive places to live in the United States, and being that Cupertino is the 11th wealthiest city in America, it’s an embarrassment that they can’t provide a decent shopping center. There’s an obvious market for a teenage audience; of

the five local high schools in the Fremont Union High School District, three of them are in Cupertino, and the rest are in a close radius. I mean, Apple headquarters is located in this city: 15,000 employees at Apple alone and all Cupertino has is this sad excuse of a mall. The market is there; open stores and restaurants, and the people will come. I believe in you, Vallco.

Arts & Entertainment

oct. 28, 2014

How to get away with an amazing television show by Sonya Jindal News Editor

This season’s hottest show, How to Get Away with Murder, stars Viola Davis an Annalise Keating, the feared, but respected, defense attorney and criminal law professor at Middleton University. The series begins with four law students looking over a dead body, hysterically deciding on how to dispose of it. We are then taken three months into the past to show how the students were able to get to that derailing point.

Keating’s teaching technique is unlike the average law professor; instead of sitting in a class discussing the court room’s laws, she allows her students to take part in court cases that she and her team are working on. Within the first case, she places an incentive for her students, stating that whoever brings in the best knowledge will be allowed a spot on her team. Throughout the episode we are thrown back and forth between the past and present, getting an insight of how the tragic events unfolded. During that last minute of the first episode the murder victim is revealed, causing a suspenseful ending and making fans to come back for

The star filled cast includes Viola Davis, who is known for her Golden Globe performance in The Help. Including familiar faces, such as Alfred Enoch, known for playing Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter series, Matt McGory from Orange is the New Black and Kate Findley from The Carrie Diaries.

Overall, I would rate this show a 4.5 out of 5. The suspense and mystery has me dying for more episodes, even resulting in me watching an episode various times. The only downside would be that it does go very fast, and since it is more of a “higher-educated” show, some things may be easily missed.

According to E!Online, the series premiere brought in more than 14.8 million views, with a rating of 3.8 amongst the 18-38 demographics. Various online reviewers have raved about their love for the show and excitement for upcoming episodes.

Thursday nights at 10 p.m. on ABC. Photos courtesy of ABC

Priya Lee | The Phoenix

Battle of the bands: FHS trumps by Kelly Zhong Staff Writer

Marching band shows are a major part of Fremont that should not be missed by anyone. This year’s 12th Annual Fremont Union High School District marching band expo was on Oct. 4 and featured six schools: Branham, Valley Christian, Lynbrook, Cupertino, Fremont and Homestead. Each school had a unique theme and decorations to their show. Branham’s show was called A Surfer’s Fantasy and had many decorative props on the field, including surfboards, huts and Hawaiian clothing. In addition, Branham featured a short skit before the actual musical performance, which set them apart from other

schools. To tie in with their theme, the music they played was upbeat and lively. Valley Christian’s show was called Faith, Hope and Love. As its name suggests, the songs they played sounded mellow and warm. What made them stand out were their props: they had a screen on the field that showed the growth of a person, from a baby to an adult, which fit into their mellow theme. While the film played, the marching band provided the soundtrack. In addition, they had two people act out the role of a couple on a stage behind the screen to show the theme. With music based on How to Train Your Dragon, Lynbrook’s show, Dragons Forged in Fire, didn’t really need any props to make it

stand out. The color guard uniform was especially flashy, with the bottom half made of shiny, orange-red material. Similar to Lynbrook’s show, Cupertino’s show, To Tame the Perilous Skies, did not have any unique props on the field. However, their show was unique because they aired a radio talk before the performance, and the color guard spun windmills instead of the normal sabers and rifles. Though Fremont’s show, The Little Shop of Horrors, wasn’t as flashy in terms of props like Valley Christian’s film, their show was by far the most intriguing. The only prop on the field was a shop. With four solos, the music sounded lively and not in the least bit suspenseful or creepy, contrary to their

show name. This was all a façade; after junior Sarah Jin’s flute solo, the shop on the field turned around to reveal a huge plant monster, which were Sarah and a few other players. After that, the music still sounded lively, which in turn actually produced a mysterious, creepy effect that pertained to their theme. Homestead’s show was called In Case of Emergency. They did not have props, but their unique choreography stood out amongst the other schools: whereas other marching bands marched in intricate swirls and patterns, Homestead’s band instead clumped together many times, just like an emergency.

Check out our new website www.fhsphoenix.com

Arts & Entertainment

oct. 28, 2014

School food: nothing to brag about by Chau Nguyen Sports Editor

3.5 out of 5 Despite cafeteria food now being served from food trucks among hungry students while impatient ones cut in line, cafeteria food isn’t that bad. All five schools in the Fremont Union High School District have similar lunch and brunch menus, although there are slight differences. Brunch costs two dollars and twenty five cents and lunch costs three dollars at Fremont. For a good deal, brunch is usually the best option because its menu has warm items like breakfast burritos or the sourdough sandwiches, which are served on those sacred Wednesday and Fridays. For lunch, the food truck that serves the most variety is the one near the construction site. That one serves according to special days, like pasta or stir fried day. But there’s also competition with other venues outside of school that serve lunch at around the same price. The sourdough sandwich is made with buttered sourdough bread that is grilled. It combines a soft egg patty with warm ham and gooey cheese that makes one forget the greasiness of the sandwich. An extra set of napkins is needed to combat slippery fingers. The sandwich also does a nice job of combin-

ing a sweet and sour taste and blending in contrasting textures. The defined crisp crust fits nicely with the soft and juiciness of the sandwich. What an amazing invention a sandwich is. But sometimes, the sandwiches are cold or hard and it ruins the taste. But really, brunch is worth checking out with its variety of munchies, like the yogurt parfait, different breakfast burritos or different muffins. Lunch is served at an acceptable price of three dollars and seventy five cents, but the food served won’t always align with one’s tastes. It might be steep for some people, but it really depends whether you want the special or not. Pasta and stir fried day can create happiness, but the day when meat loaf is made might not. The food truck nearest construction makes more of the different plates, while the other food trucks serve pizza and snacks. What I’m getting down at it is, there are some days you like it, some days you won’t. Most of the choices are great and more attractive than usual cafeteria food. There are sleeker plate designs and it ranges from Korean barbeque to chow mein. But people might prefer the outside because the portions are sometimes

Testing Season?

SAT Dates

December 6, 2014

January 24, 2015

March 14, 2015

May 2, 2015

bigger. It’s hard to review one specific item from the menu, like Friday’s previous spaghetti and garlic bread. However, most of the cheese was grated finely and the salad is given to make it healthier, although it’s often in the trash. The cafeteria food might not seem the best. Long lines might make it even seem more inconvenient and the allure of going outside usually beats eating inside. But really, it’s not that bad. Give it a try. The yogurt parfait is

Chau Nguyen | The Phoenix

cold and has a sweet tart taste and like the sourdough, combines a soft texture of yogurt with the crunchy of the oatmeal balls. Lunch is served at a reasonable price as well and the plus side is it has a variety of items. Lunch is served based on the day of the week, also depending on which week it is. Week one on Tuesday serves pasta, while in week two on the same day, the food trucks serve Korean barbeque.

Macbeth takes the stage

June 6, 2015

ACT Dates

December 13, 2014

February 7, 2015

April 18, 2015

by Kayla Layaoen Managing Editor

June 13, 2015

3.5 out of 5 The Advanced Drama class at Fremont performed Macbeth, their first play of the year, on the weekend of October 17. Though she didn’t play the lead, junior Noreen Boguiren stole the show. With her soulful acting and powerful speech, she easily gave a top-notch performance. Sophomore Steven Alvy, who played title character Macbeth, also gave a solid performance. The only flaw was that the two together didn’t work quite as well -- during the most dramatic moments in the play between the pair, it was hard to focus on the plot instead of their awkward attempts at holding hands and caressing each other’s faces. Yale Friedman also rocked the stage as one of the three witches. A major supporting role for the first act had to be filled in less than an hour before the show’s Friday

Are you ready for

Test Taking Tips Arrive Early Arriving to your Kayla Layaoen | The Phoenix

performance. This led to sophomore Matt Capovilla playing both his original role and the role of supporting character Banquo, orignally played by Matthew Hammers A plot summary was included in the playbook handed out to audience members, and it was much appreciated -- between the Shakespearean dialect and occasional mumbling on the part of the actors, it was a bit hard to follow. At times, actors did have their backs to certain portions of the audience, making it slightly more difficult to follow

along. For the most part, props were very hit and miss. The Christmas lights used in the three witches’ hair were fun and imaginative, while the rubberhead-on-a-stick prop made audience members giggle. They also used a fog machine during the production, filling the room with smoke and really making the audience feel like they were part of the show. The balcony built for the show was a nice touch, and really enhanced the storytelling. Drama students here at

Fremont often make use of audience space to enhance their shows, and this time was no exception. Hearing marching coming from behind and then watching the actors storm back onto the stage was really special, and the use of spotlights is essential to that. Costumes were fun and seemed era-appropriate, and makeup was done quickly and skillfully, especially on senior Savannah Melendez’s old woman character. Overall, Fremont’s drama department started the season strong with this play.

test location early will allow you the chance to find your way around, especially if you’re not taking it at your home school.

Don’t Be Hungry Make sure you

eat a healthy breakfast. Also, you are given several breaks throughout the test so bring something to munch on and a bottle of water.

Bring a Watch The test is timed

and having a watch will let you know how much time you have left.

sports

oct. 28, 2014

Getting more aggressive Spinal cord bone broken by Hannah Butay Staff Writer

The varsity girls water polo team has improved in their confidence, as well as their offensive and defensive plays. The team is working on different ways to approach teams. Since other schools are improving, the competition is getting tougher. The girls focus on other schools’ plays and figure out ways to counter them. For example, the girls work on swimming faster in order to keep up with schools that consist of competitive swimmers. The girls are additionally improving their defense and offense. Offensively, the girls aim to shoot into the high corners of the goal, since that is the hardest place for a goalie to block. In terms of defense, the girls are working on pressing, which is getting close to the other players of the opposing team, and setting themselves into better positions so the ball can be passed easier. “The other team uses the small mistakes [we make] to score,” Carmen Steinmeier, co-captain said. “We’re working on trying not to make those small, stupid mistakes anymore.” Currently, the team has a record of seven wins and four losses. “It’s simple mental mistakes,” Clark said. “If the girls start off the same way they play through the rest of the games, we’d win by higher scores.” In order to avoid starting slow, Clark encourages the girls to get into the right mentality, believing that if the girls focus enough, they’ll avoid making small errors. He expects the girls to put all of their effort into every practice and game, and is proud of them for doing so. “The beauty of it is that they always have a desire to improve, to get better,” Clark said. “That’s really good.” The girls improvement was shown in the home rematch game against Lynbrook on Oct. 16. The first quarter began with a fumble for the ball, which was intercepted by Carmen Steinmeier. After a failed pass to field player Caley Mason,

Lynbrook intercepted the ball and made the first three shots of the game. Steinmeier went on to attempt another two shots. One was blocked by a Lynbrook player, while the other went above the goal. In the last two minutes of the first quarter, Carmen Steinmeier and Priya Lee managed to make two goals, closing the first quarter with a score of 2-3 in favor of Lynbrook. “They got better,” one player of the opposing team during a timeout said. “A lot better.” In the second quarter, Lynbrook attempted to put more pressure on Fremont by having more aggressive plays. Lynbrook also aimed to make another shot, but it was blocked by goalie Lora Ilieu. Steinmeier made two more goals, giving Fremont the lead. In the third quarter, Lynbrook focused too much on offense. As the rest of the Fremont team moved back towards their side, fielder Christina Steinmeier stayed on the Lynbrook side. With nobody on defense, Carmen Steinmeier made an easy shot, raising Fremont’s lead by another point. Carmen Steinmeier also attempted a shot, which was blocked. However, Lee caught the rebounded ball and made a goal. Lynbrook made one shot, leaving the score at 6-4. During the final quarter, Lynbrook tried to regain the lost points. However, their shots were inaccurate and missed the goal by either flying too high or too far to the side. Another shot was attempted by Lee but was not counted due to a foul. Steinmeier made the final goal and the game ended with a score of 7-4. The win against Lynbrook, which is the first ranking team in the league, has put the girls closer to making it to Central Coast Sectionals, having done so last year. “We have a chance to repeat what happened last year,” Clark said. “It just means that everyone has to step up and do it.”

Fall Firebird Athletes

What do you struggle with?

by Jasmine Salik News Editor

On Sept. 26, Michael Alva, a junior on the varsity football team, broke a bone in his spinal cord while playing on the field. The injury occurred at an away game at Woodside High School against the Wildcats. Alva, the Firebirds’ offensive alignment player was tackled incorrectly by one of the players. “After the play, I was helping one of my teammates and next thing you know, one of the opposing team member’s helmets went straight into my back,” Alva said. “I was extremely scared because I couldn’t move my legs at first when I fell to the ground, and I thought I was paralyzed for a brief moment.” When Alva fell to the ground and realized he couldn’t get up, the paramedics were immediately called and once they arrived, took him away on the backboard. Alva was then rushed to the Stanford hospital and many of the parents and students in the bleachers at the game were shocked. “I thought it was scary after Michael was injured because he was just lying there on the ground for a while and the ambulance came and took him away in the backboard,” Neli Tsodikov, a junior who attended the game, said. “Michael’s mother looked really worried, and at first they weren’t letting her on the field, but she then rushed to help him.” Alva was in the hospital for about three full days, yet throughout the experience he is still able to remain positive and look on the bright side of things. “I was in the hospital from the Friday night of the game until Monday morning,” Alva

Sophomore Phillip Tran Sport: Varsity football Position: Quarterback I’m one of the youngest guys there and I struggle with reading defenses and seeing what they give me. I’m trying to watch more film.

said. “The doctors gave me lots of medication for the pain and observed my injuries. Although I was in the hospital for that long, I thought it was pretty cool that I met 49er players while there.” Every athlete’s injury is a huge loss since they lose their opportunity to actively play and contribute to the team’s effort. Although it is evident Alva will not be continuing to play on the football team this season, he is worried about his ability to play during the winter season. “This injury is going to affect me for this football season only since I expect to be out there again playing next season,” Alva said. “I am more worried however, about my wrestling season this year, since it will be a possibility I won’t be able to play. If I do, it will probably be around late January until I can get back on the mat and wrestle.” Not only do serious injuries affect the player, but the team as a whole. If one team member isn’t able to play, this could potentially affect the consistency of the team. “I think that because we saw that someone’s opportunity to play can be taken away so quickly, we’ve

Freshman Christina Steinmeier Sport: Varsity waterpolo Position: Defender and driver I need to work on my offense more because my defense is OK.

come together as a team and we’re covering each others backs more,” junior widereceiver Jordan Hendy said. “This injury has definitely brought us closer together.” Many of the varsity team members have been doing various things to honor his injury and they always keep him in their minds while playing. Although Alva isn’t actively on the field playing, he still has a huge role in how well the team plays. “We give him a lot of support and always remind him that we’re always here and that we keep him in our minds at all times,” Hendy said. “We don’t have Michael now, but I feel as if his injury has brought as closer as a team, something we needed in order to play together better.”

Senior Luis Cordero Sport: Varsity cross country Position: Captain of the team Getting through the races with a positive mentality is something I struggle with.

Junior Annah Jones Sport: Varsity volleyball Position: Outside hitter

Junior Nir Bekker Sport: Varsity water polo Position: Left wing

Junior Rasika Kale Sport: Varsity girls tennis Position: Singles

Freshman Brenda Blanco Sport: Varsity cross country Position: Runner

I’m making myself other people and trying to be what others are. I’m basing my actions on others and use what works for them, rather than what works for me. But, I’ve been taking other’s strategies and making them fit with me.

I struggle with the mental part. You always have to want to win the game bad enough. You don’t have time to take it slow. I don’t sprint all the time. You always have to put 100 percent commitment enough to sprint the whole time.

I struggle with the mental game. Tennis is very focused and calm and I tend to get very animated, so it’s really hard to keep feelings and emotions in. I’m trying to work at being emotionless and keeping a better poker face.

I struggle with getting oxygen to my muscles and sometimes finishing. But I’ll finish some time or later. For other people, it’s a struggle to keep on going.

sports

oct. 28, 2014

Strong second half season by Cindy Zhang Staff Writer

Since the beginning of the season over a month ago, the varsity girls tennis team has won four of eight games and is showing a lot of improvement from last year. Coach John Musser attributes most of their improvement to a growth in physical stamina. The team started out strong, beating Wilcox in their first game with a score of 5-2. However, as the season progressed, four games were lost one after the other, until they finally came back strong with three consecutive victories over Mountain View, Wilcox and Santa Clara with respective scores of 4-3, 5-2 and 4-3. There are seven schools that belong to every league and Fremont plays against the other six schools twice each; once in a home game, and once in an away game. The tennis girls passed the halfway mark on Oct. 7, finishing six of their 12 games. Musser became the new coach for the varsity tennis team after the previous coach retired last December. He has been focusing on building physical strength in his players. “We’ve been doing a lot of physical conditioning,” Musser said. “I’d say this is the biggest reason they’re all in such good shape.” Due to this, the players have been able to outlast their opponents in every

game. Musser is very proud of his players’ physical improvement, for they’ve been benefiting from the conditioning done in practice. “They’ve been applying what we’ve been talking about in practice to a real game,” Musser said. “It’s nice to see it’s actually working. Not only does Musser train his players to outlast their opponents physically, he also trains them to outlast them mentally. “Tennis is a mental and emotional game,” Musser said. “You can’t be frustrated or emotional if you lose a point. You have to keep a calm demeanor and focus on the next point.” Despite their success in triumphing over their opponents physically, Musser thinks that his players can work controlling their emotions. “Sometimes, my players struggle to focus,” Musser said. “They often become upset or angry.” “As long as we stay mentally strong, we can lead a very successful season,” sophomore Vanessa Le said. However, most players have been fairly satisfied with how the season has been going. Jessica Kim, the captain of the varsity team, has an especially optimistic view of the season’s progress. “I think the season has been going really well,”

Kim said. “We have strong players this year, we’ve been working harder and our new coach has been giving us a lot more conditioning to help us get stronger.” Some players feel that, with a little more effort, the team can push the season back into their favor. “We’ve all been working really hard,” Le said, “and we’ve definitely improved from last year. However, I feel like if we can slightly step up our game, we’d be up to par with our opponents.” Furthermore, the players on the varsity tennis team this year are all extremely close to each other. “I feel like we are more family than team,” freshman Kyra Peters said. Although a majority of their games have been losses for the first half of the season, the tennis team has been anticipating more satisfying results for the rest of the season. “I think they’re very excited,” Musser said. “Many of them are looking for rematches with all the schools they’ve played. I believe we’re all looking forward to more victories for the second half of the season.” Sure enough, the tennis team has already won their first two games into the second half of the season, and everyone is anticipating a successful rest of the season.

Rough waves in the beginning of the season by Chau Nguyen Sports Editor

Although the varsity boys water polo team had some setbacks in the beginning of the season, their games and strategies are going swimmingly. They have finished more than half of their remaining games and the team has already rematched other schools from the first half of the season. Their record is 5-4. Against other schools, they had a harder time executing smarter plays and staying consistent, while in some, they play well. The Harker School defeated them 12-4, whereas last year, Fremont didn’t have any points. “I’m really proud of that game because we only lost to them 12-4,” junior Oded Tzori said. “We all clicked and our defense was amazing, even though we lost. We could take a lot from that game. It’s reassuring to see ‘Yeah we lost, but we gave it our all and that’s what it’s about.’” The team is largely made up of juniors and overall, it is small compared to other teams in the league. “I think we have a very,

very good team and a lot of pure talent and we’re getting better all the time,” Tzori said. “We have a team of players that not only cares for each other and how the team does, but cares for the game itself.” But that may be a generalization. In the beginning of the season, the team struggled with consistent attendance to practice. Some players prioritize school or tests, while others are more devoted. “Inconsistency is a huge problem,” senior Kenny Nguyen said. “We have three or fours guys in the pool consistently and three or four guys out of the pool inconsistently.” According to Nguyen, most of the players don’t swim as fast compared to others in the league. Junior Ofir Bekker says their games are sometimes inconsistent. “One game we do really well, another game we don’t do well,” Bekker said. “So we’re never constant, we’re always on waves.” But as the team enters half season, Coach Mike Fleming and other players step up. “Mike is a really good

coach,” Bekker said. “You can tell he knows what’s up. But it’s hard for him to work with the guys who don’t show up to practice and guys who don’t come. But even when not enough guys show up for us to scrimmage each other and work on plays, he gets in the water and plays.” One of the problems are referee calls.

So we’re never constant, we’re always on waves. Ofir Bekker

Priya Lee | The Phoenix

JUNIOR Ofir Bekker egg batters his way up to shoot among three Lynbrook players trying to block him.

“They’re not the best refs and we’ve had trouble composing ourselves in front of refs,” Fleming said. “They just don’t know water polo enough and it’s a complicated sport. It’s hard for them to make the right calls if they don’t know what the right call is.” They rematched the Lynbrook High School Vikings on Oct. 16. Fremont only beat Lynbrook 11-10 in their first game, but they won 14-9 in their rematch. In the second quarter

of their rematch, Fremont led with a strong 5-2 and the Vikings were more hesitant on shooting the ball. Some of their passes were too off, or too short. In the last 30 seconds of the game, the score was 6-3, but ended with a strong backhanded shot from Lynbrook, leaving it 6-4. Most of the Lynbrook players swam faster than Fremont, but their executions of their plans were not as solid. Around two minutes

in, Nguyen got behind defense and took three points within that quarter. Bekker’s long arms made him a strong driver and a hard defender. He scored four goals. Nearing the end of the third quarter, Fremont led 13-6, but the Vikings scored again in the last eight seconds, leaving it at 13-7. The last seven minutes of the game combined some stall techniques. Suarez blocked 14 goals and Fremont stalled their

thirty second possession time. After one of the referees mistakenly whistled for what he thought was a foul against a Lynbrook player about to shoot, goalie senior Javier Suarez exited out. Captain Liam Hanlon and Tzori replaced him as goalies and to block a penalty shot, which made it in. Despite some setbacks they are starting to play more consistently.