Music Piracy
Blond
Self-Care see page 5...
see pages 6 & 7...
Holes in Schedules
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Fremont High School
the
PHOENIX
Vol. 5 Issue No. 1 sept. 23, 2016
Threats made against FUHSD students
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Photos courtesy of NBC Bay Area and Instagram
0 likes by Maggie Bernauer, Emmanuel Ramirez & Emily Wright Collaboration
A Fremont High School student, age 17, was arrested Labor Day weekend for Hate Crime and Criminal Threat. The incident occurred over that weekend, causing havoc amongst many in the Fremont Union High School District community. Threats and fear circulated the Fremont and Homestead campuses. Students from both Homestead and Fremont were tagged in photos through anonymous Insta-
gram accounts that specifically threatened violence against Jewish students, as well as other groups. Students and their parents alerted the school administration and authorities over the weekend. “Fremont then started the process of working with the District Office, Homestead and the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety,” Bryan Emmert, FHS principal, said. “We were just trying to figure out who it was, what was going on and how valid were any of the statements on Instagram.” Based on the threats
made, the police must undergo a process of verification. “To ensure they are valid, we first make sure if the statement is true or false,” Shawn Ahear, a SDPS Captain, said. “And then, second, we determine if they have resources [to carry out the threat].” An investigation with the SDPS started quickly after the threats were made over the weekend. According to Emmert, despite a police presence on campus Tuesday Sept. 6, around 200 students were absent. As the case closed and more information was released,
students began to return to school as normal with only around 20 students absent on Wednesday of that week. Parents of students were alerted about the arrest via Schoolloop by Emmert. However, not all students were aware of the issue at the beginning of school on Tuesday because not all parents currently have a Schoolloop account to receive notifications from the school. But students were not contacted directly. “Not everyone is on Schoolloop; there were a lot of people who just didn’t have the information and they were scared,” Emmert said, “We always think about how we should go about our notification, and notifying students is something we will definitely do if there is a next time.” Students were instrumental in the case because
they alerted the authorities. “When students see something like this [threat] . . . if they feel comfortable [enough] to show [it] to their parents and bring it forth to the school [it’s a positive thing for students to do],” Ahear said. “A threat to one student is a threat to everyone. [This investigation] started because someone cared enough to bring the issue forward.” The police’s job was significantly helped by the contribution of those who spoke up, such as Omri Sokol. “It was a really weird photo [on Instagram],” sophomore, Sokol, said. “It was scary. I told my family; they called the police.” The SPDS also has several tips on how to stay safe and protect yourself online. “Be careful what personal information you put
out there because it’s very easy for people to identify one another online,” Ahear said “There’s no such thing as privacy on social media.” In light of the events, a Community Conversation was planned for Sept. 19 for the community to participate in a conversation about how to stay safe online and having social media responsibility. “The nineteenth is a community conversation that we’re doing with a couple partners such as Sunnyvale Public Safety, the district’s attorney, [and] a representative from a social media company,” Communication coordinator, Rachel Zlotziver said. If students are concerned about any of these issues or if any other situation occurs, Administration and the Guidance counselors are always available.
News Underused college and school resources 2
sept. 23, 2016
by Roei Burstein & Michael Wang Collaboration
As students progress through high school, they face the thought of graduation and their future. It may be daunting, and even overwhelming to some, but many do not realize the abundance of graduation and college resources provided by Fremont High School. FHS offers a wide variety of resources ranging from college planning, SAT prep and even scholarships.
Despite the ample amount of said resources, most are not fully taken advantage of. “Naviance is one of our biggest unused resources,” Lorena Villagomez, College and Career Advisor, said. “It has a little bit of everything such as SAT and ACT prep, career exploration, and college prep as well.” Similar to Naviance, scholarships are also widely disregarded. “The numbers for applications for individual scholarships is extremely low especially considering
how hard these organizations work to make the money accessible and how many students claim they need the money and want scholarships,” Villagomez said. “Yet most of the time I only get four to five applications for each scholarship and for the really big ones I only get about twenty.” The counselors correlate the surplus of unclaimed scholarships with timing. “Timing is very tough,” said Villagomez “We understand that students are
young and need to balance finals, AP testing, college decision making . . . The scholarships close early spring and that’s when you find out where you get in, but by this time the scholarship applications close and you realize you’re paying forty thousand dollars a year.” In addition to having to pay more money, students can end up missing important deadlines. “We have workshops for all the community college stuff,” said Senior guidance counselor Dan Amezquita. “However students who don’t come to these workshops sometimes wait a little too long and then they miss some college application deadlines.”
Naviance is one of our biggest unused resources. It has a little bit of everything Lorena villagomez
Caroline He | The Phoenix
Current Events: What’s going on around you? by Sofia Agha Staff Writer
Resources for seniors are especially ample, and these too go unused by a majority of the students. “We have a ton of workshops for UCs, CSUs and private schools, ” said Amezquita. “FHS has offered college planning workshops for incoming seniors in the spring and the
Photo courtesy of Naviance
summer so there are a ton of opportunities to get help with the college process.” The guidance department focuses throughout the year to aid students with different needs. “Our [the guidance team] primary focus is to make sure everyone graduates,” said Amezquita “Then, we start shifting into whether kids understand all their options for next year. In this way, we get kids ready for leaving Fremont and for graduation.” With all these amazing resources the school has to offer, it is too bad that many of these go unused and that many students are not aware of all the guidance team
has to offer. Whether it is college help, SAT prep or scholarships opportunities, students would be better off knowing and utilizing all these resources. Students in high school are making decisions that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. With that being said, no one expects them to do it on their own, and talking to the guidance counselors or to Villagomez can only be beneficial. If more students were to take advantage of the assistance so close within reach, they would be far better off in the future.
U.S. News
Fremont High School News
- Hillary Clinton’s lead over Donald Trump in the new national polls has been cut in half according to ABC news. The Democratic nominee before had 50 percent compared to Trump’s 37 percent. However, Clinton has recently lost 10 percent of her votes among nonwhites, 9 points among college graduates, 7 points from women and voters under 35, and 6 among liberals and Democrats.
- According to the Mercury News, Fremont high school graduate, Josh Levin, is on season 8 of the show “American Ninja Warrior.” The 2012 graduate was one of the 30 out of 100 competitors that passed the qualifying round and will move on to the finals.
California News World News - CNN reports that 71 people killed and 33 wounded after a suicide car bombing at military training camp in Yemen. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack. The training camp was for forces allied with Yemeni president Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi. -According to the BBC news, Uzbekistan’s president, 78 year old Islam Karimov, has recently died after 27 years of power. He died 6 days after being brought to the hospital with a suspected brain hemorrhage. Karimov first came to power during the Soviet era and has led the country ever since its independence in 1991. He has also built a relatively stable secular regime despite the fact of being in a region threatened by Islamic radicalism. His funeral will be overseen by Prime minister and potential successor, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
- According to the San Jose Mercury News, recent statistics for California high schools show that participation in football has gone down by 7 percent in the last decade. Some schools even dropped teams or whole football programs. The reason behind this has been associated with the dramatic increase in concussions. About 3,064 girls and boys between ages 9 to 18 alone in the Bay Area were diagnosed with sports related concussions in 2015, an 82 percent increase since 2005. The fear of serious injury discourages students from the sport. - According to NBC, 28 year old quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick, refused to stand during the national anthem at a game. The reason for this was to voice support for racial justice and condemn police brutality. He has stated that he will continue to sit during the national anthem in the future until “justice is reaped by all members of American society.”
Graphic courtesy of Freepik
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News 3
Sept. 23, 2016
Fluctuations in class sizes by Jenny Nguyen Staff Writer
With the beginning of a new year comes new students with new schedules. This year, class sizes vary from as little as 15 students or as many as 40 students. Not accounting for classes like band, choir, orchestra or physical education, class sizes are decided on a general ratio decided by school policy. For each subject, there is a set number of students in each class that teachers should approximately satisfy. “History classes have a capacity ratio of 32 students,” Jeff Rosado, Assistant Principal, said.
“Not every class has to have 32 students, however the average total number of students should be 32. This means that one class can have 40 students while another class has only 24 students.” Because there is only a ratio and not a set number, some classes tend to be bigger than others. Whether or not this impacts the overall quality of education is debatable. There is a belief that smaller class sizes tend to benefit students more than big class sizes. According to a famous study conducted in 1999 by Alan Krueger, smaller class sizes during the younger
and secondary years lead to greater student achievement.
The average total number of students should be 32. This means that one class can have 40 students while another class has only 24. Jeff rosado
“Primary grade students assigned to smaller classes yielded higher results after four
years than their peers in larger classrooms. These students were also about 2 percent more likely to enroll in college by age 20 and 3 percent more likely to be attending college, with the largest effects in students who were minorities or economically disadvantaged.” In addition, the study says “A smaller class size increases student engagement and student focus, and decreases class disruptions, particularly for struggling learners.” However, it’s inconclusive on whether or not small classes help all students. As it is, the policy allows for flexibility in class sizes.
Fremont’s new staff members by Karen Newmark Staff Writer
PHOENIX Editor-in-Chief Maggie Bernauer
Managing Editor Emily Wright
News
Caroline He
Arts & Entertainment Ambika Vaidya Manavi Chandra
Sports
Michael Wang
Opinion
Dana Nissan Hannah Butay Center Spread Mira Dhingra Nadia Anees Online Momina Nadeem
Meet Emer Martin Emer Martin is a new English and Journalism teacher on campus this year. Martin is originally from Dublin, Ireland, and has lived in New York for ten years. She attended Hunter College at age 26. Martin is also an author, with published works such as More Bread or I’ll Appear and Breakfast in Babylon. Martin likes being in America but misses Ireland.
Meet Jessica Kelley Jessica Kelley is one of the new physical education teachers this year. She graduated from Homestead High School and went on to University of California, Berkeley for college. She has been working in education field for 7 years. She enjoys what she does because of how it makes her feel. “For the most part I go home very, very happy,” Kelley said. “[The students] bring a light heartedness to my life.” Outside of teaching, she spends a lot of time with her family and friends, eating food and being outdoors.
Meet Sydney Fernandez Sydney Fernandez is a new Dean of Students here at FHS. Fernandez grew up in Orange County, Calif. She went to University of Southern California for college. She wanted to become a teacher to influence students in a positive way like the teachers in her past had done for her. Outside of school, Fernandez loves to spend time with her family, especially her 3 year old son.
Meet Susan Rocha Susan Rocha is a new assistant principal at Fremont High School. Rocha graduated from Cupertino High School and majored in English and minored in Spanish at UC Davis. She also has two Masters Degrees from Stanford and San Jose State. Outside of school, she loves to spend time with her two daughters, read and exercise. Rocha worked as a teacher for 20 years, because her parents and sister showed her how rewarding it could be.
Karen Newmark | The Phoenix
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Sofia Agha Karla Alejandro Jessalynn Bautista Chirag Bhatia Suryan Bhatia Roei Burstein Natalia Etter Cassandra Gines Lexi Kleinberg Miranda Kushner Andrea Lanfranconi George Luna Claire Lyon Priscilla Martinez Karen Newmark Jenny Nguyen Thomas Poplawski Sophia Pulido Emaan Rao Patrick Ramos Emmanuel Ramirez Vivien Su Sam Tumkur Fremont High School 1279 Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)-522-2400 | fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com Advisor | Emer Martin Mission Statement:
The Phoenix, protected under the California Education code, is a public forum for the students of Fremont High School. The Phoenix staff will publish features, editorials, news and sports in an unbiased and professional manner. The Phoenix is the official student newspaper and is distributed free of cost to the students. The Phoenix publishes eight issues throughout the school year.
Editorial Policy Editorials are the official opinion of The Phoenix. Opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Phoenix. All content decisions are made by the student editors and do not reflect the official policy of Fremont High School, nor the opinions of the administration, faculty, or adviser. Advertise with The Phoenix Contact us for more details at fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com or call at (408)-522-2200. Want to be part of The Phoenix? Letters to the editor and questions for Ask Esteban may be submitted online through our website, room 145, Ms. Martin’s mailbox, or emailed to us. Identities of those who submit questions will remain anonymous. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to styles and policy.
News 4
sept. 23, 2016
AP chem increase by Caroline He & Manavi Chandra Collaboration
California statewide test scores by Thomas Poplawski Staff Writer
The amount of sophomores taking AP Chemistry has increased dramatically this year. School data shows that there were no sophomores taking AP Chemistry in the 2013-2014 school year. In the preceding year there were three sophomore AP Chemistry students. This school year, there are 11 AP Chemistry sophomore students. According to Ana Franco, freshman guidance counselor here at Fremont High School, a reason for this increase may be what is trending amongst students. “I think there are a couple of reasons why so many sophomores are taking APs this year,” said Franco. “One, I think it’s the culture. I think it’s a group of friends. It’s like a trend, if one wants to challenge oneself then the others want to challenge themselves as well.” Essentially, students want academic achievement. A driving desire to be accepted by a well-reputed school may play a role in this academic achievement. However, it is a partial misconception that taking more AP classes are essential for acceptance into a good college. “In reality, yes, colleges want AP and Honors classes, but there’s more to it,” said Franco. “Universities will also look at what else students are doing. Are they doing something meaningful to expand on their experiences as a student?” It could also be the genuine desire to learn that drives the students to take higher level sciences earlier. “There were a good few that said they wanted to take a class over the summer because they’re really passionate about the sciences,” Franco said. “They just wanted to be well rounded in the field.” This reason is reflected amongst sophomores taking AP Chemistry. “I want to get exposure to as many types of classes as I can throughout my high school career so that I can figure out a career that is best for me,” said Karthik Balakrishnan. “The only way to do that is to take courses that truly dive deep into advanced topics.” Along with this, some students are already certain of where they are heading after high school, and want to prepare accordingly. “I took AP Chem. as a sophomore because I believe science in general will impact my career in the future,” said Sophomore Anisha Bhat. “ I wanted to explore all the fields of science we have at Fremont.”
Calif. sought to revamp the standardized tests to more accurately measure the readiness of students for college. If these tests are as accurate as they wanted them to be, the state of Calif. has a long road ahead in preparing its students for the future. Even though Calif. students were able to score higher this year, fewer than half reached the readiness goals for their grade. Just last year, Calif. scored 25 percent readiness in Math, and 33 percent readiness in English. This year, scores sit at 29 percent readiness in Math and 39 percent readiness in English. All this comes from 3.2 million public school students ranging from Cupertino High (scoring 83 percent in math and 87 percent in English with around 500 students taking the exams) and of course, Fremont High School. FHS was able to score a 43 percent readiness in the math department and around 58 percent in the field of English with around 400 students taking both exams. Now, the range of scores from these tests could be because of any number of things, whether it be the Common Core standards, how well students were prepared for these tests or even just how
Photo courtesy of Clipartpanda
many resources the schools could provide with what they had. “I don’t think it’s fair to evaluate any school based only on one test.” Noe Ochoa, the Assistant Principal involved with the tests last year said. A separate problem
came up when discussing how the students were performing during the tests. “One of the concerns of standardized tests, even if the testing rates went up, we’re still not sure how serious the students take it, and that’s hard to gauge,” Ochoa said.
He believes that with enough work and teacher assistance students can be ready for this year’s test to persevere and do as well as other schools in the district.
New policy changes regarding free periods by Emmanuel Ramirez Staff Writer
As many students know, changes have been made in relation to having holes in their schedules. Students can now go off campus during these open periods. In previous years, Fremont has had a rule that forced students into becoming a clerk if there was an open period in the middle of their schedule. According to Jeff Rosado, the Fremont High School assistant principal, “It wasn’t always this way here. Some eight years ago, Fremont had no policy
regarding holes.” The student clerk policy came into effect when order could not be enforced. “[There were] too many kids wandering campus,” Rosado said. “Leaving class or causing havoc in the neighborhood [made it] too loose.” Complaints about too many kids on campus led to filling up schedule holes with student clerks, and so the policy began. Although school policies are respected, laws must also be obeyed. “Come this year Fremont High School has had to respond to a state law
[regarding holes],” Rosado said. “The law [comes] from a case in Los Angeles. They were assigning kids to phantom classes to go sit in the gym and get credit.” The law states that students must be given the option to choose between student clerk and an open period. Even if Fremont has been doing nothing wrong with the student clerk policy, this case led to the state enforcing the open period law all around, and Fremont happened to be affected by this. As much as Fremont does not want students with holes, having these open
periods is inevitable. “It is [too hard] to build a schedule that fits for everyone,” Rosado said.
Come this year fremont has had to respond to state law Jeff rosado
However, just because students have the opportunity to go off campus for open periods does not mean that they are always allowed
to. Fremont gave students the option to be a clerk or not, but it is ultimately up to the student’s parents whether or not they may go off campus. If a student’s parent does not allow him or her to go off campus, they must stay in designated areas for open period students. Of course, with every school policy, there are steps that must be taken. Students must first be given permission–as stated above–by their parents if they are allowed to go off campus. Then, students who are allowed go off campus must present a sticker
Photo courtesy of Fremont High School
for their ID that was given to them. This ensures that only permitted students go off campus during the open periods. However, it is no surprise that a student may have their permission revoked if it is a necessary punishment. It is similar to Off-Campus-Privilege in the ways that if violations occur, the privilege to be able to leave campus will be taken away. In any case, the student cannot be forced back into being a clerk. This change also calls for more trust from the Fremont staff. Students must be more responsible by getting to class on time and using their free time appropriately. Rosado seems confident that this change is for the best and that good may come from it, as no problems have risen yet. Teachers can only hope this auspicious sign does not change as the year goes on.
opinion Free music and piracy in the digital age 5
Sept. 23, 2016
by Momina Nadeem Online Editor
W
ith more widespread access to entertainment, there are many ways people can easily access and download their favorite music, both legally and illegally. Music piracy is the downloading of audio files illegally through an MP3 file hosting website like MP3Skull.com or using online converters such as youtube-mp3.org to convert audio from an online video to MP3. Most people can agree on the fact that piracy is bad because artists do not make any money for their work if someone downloads their song for free. Although the majority of artists are against piracy, there are some artists that do support it. For example, take Brendon Urie, the lead singer of Panic! At The Disco. He encouraged his fans to illegally download his band’s music if they can’t buy the music themselves. “If I like something bad enough, I’ll buy it,” Urie said to a fan on Periscope. “But if you don’t have the money to pay for it, I’m not going to ask you to pay for it. Rip it.” As a fan of Panic! At The Disco, it’s really nice
to know that Urie is okay with his fans illegally downloading his music. It shows that he looks beyond the money-making aspect of music production and appreciates that people are recognizing and listening to his work. Some other artists who are okay with music piracy include Lady Gaga and Shakira. “I like what’s going on because I feel closer to the fans and the people who appreciate the music,” Shakira said to Daily Mail. “It’s the democratization of music in a way. And music is a gift. That’s what it should be, a gift.” It is understandable that artists don’t get any money for their work when people illegally download their music. But big artists already have a lot of money anyway, from touring and merchandise sales as well as from people who actually purchase their music. When artists make enough money off of tours alone but are against the free distribution of music since they are not profiting, the artist comes off as selfish. For example, Taylor Swift pulled all her mu-
sic off of Spotify in 2014 because she believed that streaming services like Spotify devalued her art. “I think there should be an inher-
Business Times. Having her music available on Spotify won’t make much of a difference in the amount of
Photos courtesy of Eurosys and Capital FM
ent value placed on art,” Swift said on an interview with TIME magazine following the removal of her music. Swift has a net worth of 200 million dollars, according to International
money she has. In order for an artist to make decent money off of streaming services, they would have to be a very popular artist who can easily get a lot of streams on a song. Since Swift is such a
popular artist, she would easily be able to make good money off of streaming services such as Spotify. However, there are artists that support the use of Spotify, like Fall Out Boy. “There were always different avenues of getting music,” lead singer Patrick Stump of FOB said on an interview with Rolling
Stone. “We still bought records. We still went to shows. People that care still care. I don’t think streaming has hurt anything, and I’ve discovered a lot of great bands that way.” While on the topic of streaming services, another issue that has come up is how some artists are releasing their newest albums only on certain paid streaming services. Although this helps the artist get more money for their music, it
forces fans who wish to listen to the newest album to get a subscription they might not use otherwise. It is probably more worthwhile for fans to buy the album if it was available for purchase. An example of this happening is when Beyoncé released her album “Lemonade” exclusively on Jay-Z’s new streaming service TIDAL, which costs either $9.99 per month or $20.99 per month depending on which package you choose. This means that fans who aren’t otherwise interested in the streaming service but wish to listen to the new album are required to pay a monthly fee instead of just buying the album once. If a band or singer I listen to did that, I honestly would go and pirate the music instead. I wouldn’t want to have to pay a monthly fee to listen to only one album if I can just download it for free. I think it’s very limiting to fans who can’t afford the service and I don’t support it. Even with more free access to music, both legally and illegally, I don’t think the music industry is dying like some people may believe. I think that piracy and streaming services are not as bad as some artists paint them to be. Allowing free access to music means more public exposure for music, which means more people will be enjoying the music.
Learning to love yourself and your body have ever seen. On her Instagram, she posts pictures of herself in bikinis with captions speaking on how confident she is and how everyone else should be too. She is completely content with herself. Lawrence poses her positivity and radiates it to other people as well. by Sophia Pulido Staff Writer
I
used to dread going on Instagram, seeing all the skinny models and how it seemed as if they had no care in the world. Since then, I’ve come to realize that myself and my body are beautiful in every way. I can look at myself and love who I am. I love who I am because my mind-set is very different than everyone else and I don’t feel like I should change how I think. I realized this while looking at a “plus size” model’s Instagram. Iskra Lawrence, @iamiskra, is a plus size model and one of the most beautiful girls I
[Society’s body expectations] Are unrealistic and I don’t think anyone should think that they need to be followed. Lawrence has been on television regarding body image, self care and how we should respect our bodies and take care of ourselves. Her outlooks on body image
and loving yourself made me change how I look at my body and myself. Her posts have made me feel so empowered and confident. She says how confident she is and how she’s happy with her life. This helped me because I used to be insecure about how my body looked. I’ve seen girls and boys bring themselves down over the appearance of others. Boys are expected to have abs, be well-endowed and tall, but they cannot their genes. Girls are expected to have large breasts, a slim waist and wide hips. These expectations are unrealistic and I don’t think anyone should think that they need to be followed. We shouldn’t feel the need to compare ourselves to others. We have to take care of ourselves and treat ourselves with respect. You should always love yourself. Take care of your body, respect your body and be proud of your body.
There is no need to tear yourself down, constantly abusing yourself with the voice inside your head. You are unique. You should never bring yourself down because you think you aren’t skinny or pretty “enough.” Every shape and size is beautiful, but you should still love your own body shape the most. Everyone looks different and has their own outlook on things. No one can do what you do, so embrace how you think and put yourself out there. We should all boost each other’s self confidence and use our beauty to empower ourselves. We shouldn›t be shaming bodies for something they can not control because everyone’s bodies are different. Instead of “all about that bass” it should be all about that “self love.”
Karla Alejandro | The Phoenix
Special Feature
Sept. 23, 2016
6
Self Care: Giving y
Self-care is extremely important all year-round, but with the s times of feeling extremely overwhelmed which is hard to put asid that there will be nights where you are extremely stressed, but to make sure that you are taking care of yourself, nourishing y right and getting in enough hours of sleep.
Sleep sleep sleep by George Luna Staff Writer
Students must take good care of themselves in order to be on top of their academic game. An important way to stay healthy is to get the recommended amount of sleep each night. Not only does a good night’s sleep keep students healthy, but it also improves both test scores and their moods since being sleepy makes it harder to focus and get along with others. Despite the importance of sleep, according to National Sleep Foundation, more than 85% of students in the U.S. reported that they get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep, Lauren D. Asarnow, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley, studied the consequences of lack of sleep in teenagers. She was the lead author in the study to help show why going to bed late is bad for a student’s grades and emotional state. The study gathered data from about 2,700 students between ages 13 to 18 between the years of 1995 and 1996. “Going to bed after 11:30 pm, particularly in younger adolescents, predicted worse cumulative grade point average[s]... and more emotional distress in the college years and beyond,” said Asarnow. Teenager Carolyn Walworth is a prime example of the study. After 11:00 p.m., she often reached a
breaking point where she would cry for 10 minutes. Her demanding school kept her awake at night, afraid of failing her classes. She would return to school each morning, drained and tired, unable to focus during class. Her main goal at school was to get through the day so that she could go home and sleep. Later at night, she would try to catch up because of the work she missed in class. “It’s an insane system,” Walworth said. “The whole essence of learning is lost.” Walworth needed the sleep to stay sane during
school, but since she was sleep-deprived, both her emotional state and academic studies suffered. Walworth is not alone though because the majority of students across the US are just like her. Fremont High School sophomore, Sophia Rehbein, also struggles to keep her stress levels down and her grades up. Her social activities and schoolwork clash against each other. She tries to juggle both but ends up losing sleep in the end. “I stay up because of colorguard, a dog job and then I have a lot of home-
work,” Rehbein said. Multiple studies have revealed that sleeping early can help in the long run, many students still can’t seem to clock in those eight or more hours. This may most likely be because of homework or after school activities. “Normally the social aspect of my life overlaps with homework. So if I weren’t as involved in hanging out with friends or texting and calling, maybe I’d sleep a little bit earlier,” Fremont High School sophomore Sydney Sharp says. Managing time is an easy way to help get in more hours of sleep. Balancing school and social life by planning out one’s commitments is a good start. One way to do this is by completing those most time-consuming and important tasks first in order to leave smaller work loads for last, although there are many other ways to manage your time. Sleep is an essential step to self-care. Getting the recommended amount of sleep can improve a student’s academics and emotional state. Learning the consequences of not getting enough sleep and time management will demonstrate the importance of sleep in a teenager’s lifestyle.
Feeling g by Nadia Anees
Centerspread Editor
Self care means to take care of oneself mentally, physically and psychologically. It is arguable that one of the most significant ways to attain one’s well being is by acknowledging the benefits of good nutrition. The University of Michigan’s webpage, Campus Mind Works, describes nutrition and its effects on people. The parts of the brain that control memory, learning, mood and stress are partially dependent over diet. Therefore, having a healthy diet can positively affect the mind, lower stress and improve learning as studies have shown. Studies from The National Broadcasting Company, show healthy diets make for better students as eating healthy improves memory and performance in school and on standardized tests. During the school year, students tend to have very busy schedules and keeping a healthy diet can be really difficult due to what foods are convenient for them to consume. At Fremont High School, when students leave
Special Feature
Sept. 23, 2016
7
your body what it needs
school year comes Relaxing and managing stress de. Yes, it is likely overall, you need your body, eating by Maggie Bernauer and Claire Lyon Collaboration
Self-care is an important practice because it allows people to reconnect with themselves, reflect on the day and improve their physical and mental health that should be regularly maintained. Yet, self-care is something that a lot of people with full schedules forget to do. Many people make it sound easy when they say to “just take care of yourself.” However, for some, this seemingly easy task can be very hard to achieve. It consists of simple hygiene to managing stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, there is no single solution to getting rid of anxiety. Since everyone has different comfort levels it is key to identify what triggers one’s anxiety. Once it has been identified, it is important to figure out what activity is calming. Self care is important because in moments of stress, it is important to take time for one’s body and mind to recharge. “Self care is about ex-
posing yourself to different things and then recognizing the signals in your body, because it takes a certain level of self awareness that most teenagers don’t slow down enough for to have.” Joanna Gauthier Academic Communication teacher said. People claim to be incapable of practicing self-care, like eating three meals a day or taking time to relax, because they are “too busy and do not have time.” Working in healthy meals, sleeping, and exercising into a student’s daily routine is too hard with all the stress that is put on people. Exercising is a great way to relax that can be used as a way to get one’s mind off problems or stress. For example, yoga practices are personalized for each individual’s needs, similar to how self-care is. Another way many calm down is by running. Running is a good way to distract the
mind because it is no longer focused on the anxiety and stress, the goal now is solely to complete the run. Sleep is the way for the body to heal after a long day, but with a large workload it often gets cut out of a busy schedule. It is known that sleep can help a body heal, yet regular sleep schedules get ignored by people with a heavier workload. A common trifecta high school students have to balance are their social life,
grades and sleep. The myth is that only two can be managed at a time. Even with this saying people still ignore the importance of sleep. “Since my [sports] practice ends at 10, I usually stay up until midnight doing homework,” junior Erin Kaprelian said. Many students like Kaprelian have a large amount of homework, combined with sports practice or other extracurricular activities
which leaves them staying up late. People also forget about spending time with friends, family or even themselves. Spending time with friends, family and loved ones should not be overlooked as a waste of time. The article “Does Being Happy Make You Healthy?” in Good Magazine shows that being happy helps growth and focus. It may be beneficial for a student to take some time for themselves and do something that they enjoy, such as reading, writing, listening to music, exercising, seeing friends and family and many other things. Although it seems like a struggle to set aside the time to practice self care, it is very important to do so. Things like reading a favorite book, drinking tea or juice, yoga and other relaxing things that are enjoyable and stress-free should be included in one’s daily schedule.
good about what you eat campus during lunch, some tend to go to places that do not offer the healthiest options like the gas station or nearby restaurants such as K’s Crepes & Cafe or In-N-Out. Instead of eating out and buying a meal that is not very beneficial to the body, a better option would be for students to bring their own lunches from home so they are able to use fresher ingredients to make a healthier meal. By making weekly meal plans, awareness of what is consumed is brought to attention and can help with improved eating habits. Creating meal plans before the week begins is a simple way to prepare for what will be consumed during the week. Planning to make a variety of healthy meals benefits the body and mind. It is essential to know what is healthy to be eating and why. Referring to the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate, a popular diagram of what the ideal healthy meal should look like can help with being informed as to what different people of different body types should eat. Everyone’s body type
is different, meaning that everyone requires consuming different amounts of different things, but the main idea illustrated in MyPlate is to consume more of whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, natural oils and low-fat dairy products. For maintaining a healthy diet and healthy mind, unhealthy foods such as foods high in sugar or low in protein should be avoided as much as possible, no matter how tempting they may be. Nutrient-rich, healthy foods should be incorporated in as many meals as possible. Foods made of good fats like avocados or olive oil or nuts are just some examples. However, everyone should know that allowing themselves to satisfy a craving or eating unhealthy here and there is acceptable— rewarding oneself can be a great mood booster after all. In order to maintain healthy lifestyles and diets, people need to be mindful of eating all three meals, on time and consuming food in controlled portions. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
and starting the day off without the right meal is a big mistake that many people make. According to Consumer Reports, consuming the right breakfast will keep people from overeating later on or staying too hungry throughout the day. Eating the correct breakfast also contributes to the majority of energy people exhibit during the day. Without eating good meals prior to starting the day, people will not be as energetic and active as they could potentially be during the day. Self care is about achieving a healthy lifestyle, routine and mind. People do not need to deprive themselves of what they enjoy eating or go on strict diets but simply need to keep in mind what is beneficial and what is debilitating. When it comes to self care, it is vital to give your body the appropriate nutrients.
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Photos courtesy of Colourbox.com, Karla Alejandro and Samhitha Tumkur | The Phoenix
Opinion
sept. 23, 2016
8
Undervalue of the arts
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ociety has taught us that being ourselves is the most valuable thing because it affects how people see others and feel about themselves. Although society as a whole is far more accepting now than it used to be, it still takes a lot of bravery to come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT), due to homophobia and judgment. A transgender person does not identify with the by Natalia Etter & body they were born in. They do not feel like they can Miranda Kushner be truly themselves with their assigned gender. Many, Collaboration but not all, transgender people will go through hormone treatment or even surgery to have their body changed to how they identify, all of which is an individual choice. Coming out leaves you open to more hate and discrimination than a straight or closeted person may experience. Transgender people feel held back by others’ opinions because they feel pressured to fit in. Transgender people should be able to be themselves as much as anyone else and they have the right to freedom too. There have been more opportunities for transgender people to be themselves in public lately. For example, at the Rio Olympics this past summer there were two transgender athletes competing. There were also around 43 openly gay and bisexual athletes competing, the most for any Olympics to date, according to OutSports. However, that is only a tiny fraction of the 11,000 athletes competing in the games. It is especially hard for people in the public eye to come out. Many actors, athletes and musicians do not come out until late in their careers because of fear of negative response, a reason that is consistent throughout LGBT people everywhere. The amount of people in the public eye who have to hide a part of themselves because society is not accepting of their identities is incredibly high, not to mention any backlash that may come from so-called fans. Take, for example, the homophobic chants that greeted the US women’s soccer team in Rio. Many members of this team are openly gay, and this led to the harassment from fans. Judging by all of this, it is not surprising that most LGBT celebrities do not come out publicly until they have a well-established career. This is a completely understandable decision, but it’s still sad how people avoid coming out because of fear. Despite this, there are still celebrities who are open about their identity, such as Laverne Cox, an actress best known for her role as Sophia in the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black.” Famous people are not the only people to have opinions on transgender issues. “Being born in the wrong body doesn’t feel right and it feels horrible. It impacts my mood a lot. Most of the time I try to ignore it, but it isn’t easy,” says an anonymous transgender source. “When I think about it, I have thoughts I really shouldn’t have.” It takes an incredible amount of bravery and self-confidence to come out, especially as transgender. They have to defy society’s norms to become who they were born to be. If society could be more accepting and inclusive, there would be less judgment and less fear for closeted people. Many states have laws discriminating against transgender individuals, one of which is the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act in North Carolina. This law is mainly in place because of fear. People should understand that transgender individuals are not weird, creepy, strange or crazy. Equality should be accessible to all, no matter their sexuality or gender identity. Oppression is something that affects all members of the LGBT community, but if society could work to be more accepting, this could change.
by Karla Alejandro Staff Writer
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very day we are surrounded by what seems important—the Internet. We value what’s on screen more than actual accomplishments. Art, poetry and any type of writing in general should be valued because they keep peace among us. They are what make us stop and think about the world. Whenever you look at a painting, you look for a meaning deeper than just what’s on the surface. I did a recent poll asking different students from different grades a variety of artist, poets and “famous people.” When asked who Cliffanie Forrester is, only one out of ten students knew who she is. Cliffanie Forrester is a high school student who accomplished her life goal at the age of 18. Her painting “Uganda” was selected to feature at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where very famous painters like Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet’s art is displayed. The same students were asked if they knew who “Damn Daniel” was and they all responded with a yes. Everyday I hear more about the recent Youtuber
than any recent artist or Many artist and poets have writer. influenced difference upon Cliffanie did get some the world. How did we go credit for this on Twitter. from a meaningful world Her tweet of this accomto a world where the only plishment was liked 87,000 thing that matters are the times. However, Damn type of shoes you have? The Daniel’s original video on day that our self-expression Twitter was liked 400,000 is taken or lost will be the times. He even got a spot on day we will really value what the Ellen DeGeneres show we had. We shouldn’t have and was gifted a lifetime to lose art to remember its supply of Vans brand shoes. value. Our society today has put We are fortunate aside poets and artists for enough to have a country people who make videos that doesn’t limit our self showing off their shoes. expression or harasses us How did we go from a for painting our feelings. world that was changed by Have artists like Pablo Picasso you ever to praising people for their had the shoes? Picasso’s painting, governGuernica, brought to light ment the brutality and absurcheck dity of war. The way it is all your painted with sharp, viopaintlent shapes in positions ings or of pain or protest create drawings? a powerful image of the Throughout horrors of war. history, works The lack of of art were art in life will censored by stunt imaginagovernments, tion. The lack whether the of poetry and motivation writing will for it was kill expresgood or not. If sion. If we their art didn’t cut poetry match up to and art out their norms, of our lives they were we would silenced. be stuck to a As huphone screen mans, we are free and wouldn’t to express ourinvest time in selves, we need other hobKarla Alejandro | The Phoenix self expression bies. Things in all aspects of would be so vague in our our lives. If we stop valuing world. art and poetry, it will vanish People today stand and future generations will up for what they believe forget the true meaning of in through social media, value. but a movement through art hasn’t been seen at all.
Cars and bikes: clashing and crashing
by Andrea Lanfranconi Staff Writer
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here is a constant debate on whether students should or should not bike to school. Students around campus often complain of the dangers of riding to school. Unfortunately, they are among the most unlucky of all. According to the LA Times, between 2010 and 2012, there was a 16 percent increase of bicyclist deaths. Out of the 63 responses I received, I saw that most students walk or go to school in a car. I found it fascinating that more people walk to school than use a vehicle. Personally, I use many different forms
transportation to get to school. Most often, I ride in a car with my brother and my dad on his way to work. It is very efficient because we get to school on time I also use an alternative mode of transportation, I bike to school. As a bicyclist, I have grown used to the dangers of riding in an urban environment. However, this is no excuse. Bicyclists must be respected just as one would treat an automobile driver. They should likewise be held responsible to know the rules of the road and proper signaling. As a passenger in an automobile, I have seen my fair share of near misses and accidents regarding bicyclists. Just the other day, I came within an inch of touching a large SUV who cut me off on the way to school. It is ridiculous that bicyclists do not get treated as equals. However, they often create their own problems. Many act like they are the
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
kings of the road and self entitled. However, this is a problem because there is a lack of respect for the bicyclists. Perhaps the reason they hog the road is because they are afraid. It is not easy on the road when you are smaller than other vehicles and more susceptible to injury in case of an accident. Nevertheless, this will never justify erratic behavior on
the road. In order for the number of accidents involving bicyclists and automobile operators to be reduced, there has to be a significant change from both parties. Cars must respect bicyclists as if they were another automobile and bicyclists must respect their boundaries. A bicycle should not be able to do anything that an automobile cannot do.
For example, a bicycle must be vigilant when exiting the bike lane and adequately signal to other vehicles in order to avoid blind spots and cutting them off. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles office, failure to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle or pedestrian is the primary collision factor in about 20% of
fatal and injury collisions in California. As a fellow bicyclist, this is very scary. The thought that I could die on the way to school is concerning. I still believe that if both groups respect each other on the road, this terrifying number will diminish. While the bicyclist should not live in fear of being involved in an accident with another vehicle, they cannot expect to go out onto the streets and be able to do whatever they want. Bicyclists must realize that they are smaller and more nimble. Whenever possible, they should yield to automobiles and respect the rules of the road. Like the saying goes, a little respect goes a long way.
Arts & Entertainment 9
Sept. 23, 2016
Pokemon Go or Pokemon No? by Vivien Su Staff Writer
Let’s face it, Nintendo was failing by late 2010. With one-hit wonders like Mario Kart and Wii Fit, they were drowned out by other video game consoles like Xbox and Playstations. Then out of nowhere, Nintendo came back with a worldwide phenomenon that has been sweeping the nation since the day it was released: Pokemon Go. Pokemon Go is a digital scavenger hunt. Once players sign up for an account, the app tracks their location. The moment the app is opened, it situates their avatar on a field, near Pokestops located nearby. Pokestops signify specific destinations where players can catch Pokemon. If the player travels to that selected destination, they will be awarded with at least one pokemon. These are collectable creatures that players use to battle with other users, if the opportunity arises.
There are many reasons why Pokemon Go is such a success. It is a great recreational activity that relieves the stress of our busy lives. Perhaps what sets it apart from being another phase such as Flappy Bird is that players actually get to explore the outdoors. There is something about the adventure of seeking new pokemons in the real world that make the app so interesting. Pokemon Go is appealing to many age generations because it brings out the younger side in all of us. Personally, I try to play during the weekends or in my spare time. My family and I will go on bike rides just to reach Pokestops. Currently, I have reached level 4, and I am looking forward to choosing my team, which will decide who I will battle against in the future. There are a total of three teams: yellow, red,
and blue. But of course, like everything in this world, Pokemon Go has its own set of cons. While it offers an original and spontaneous feature, its encouragement to go outside has increased crime rates nationwide. As reported by many police departments. The app also serves as a major distraction for drivers. According to USA Today, a recent accident involving Pokemon Go occurred in Auburn, New York in early July, due to the driver’s eyes not focusing on the road. Instead of catching more Pokemon, he ended up crashing into a tree. Unfortunately, it left him with several minor injuries, but no one else was hurt in the process. Being an avid player of Pokemon Go myself, I encourage everyone to go with the crazed wave that has been sweeping our country ever
since its release. It is one of those things that can make all the bad things in life disappear—even just for a minute. However, we have to be aware of our surroundings at all times when actively using the app.
Accidents may seem like a rare occurrence, but they do happen. Make sure to play responsibly and safely so we can maintain a happy and secure environment for all.
Photos courtesy of gadgetbeauty, woybff and the glaxay and bulbapediabulbagarden
Starbird: “Positively Delicious Chicken” by Suryan Bhatia Staff Writer
When someone thinks of chicken sandwiches, one usually thinks of the restaurant Chick-Fil-A. There was no competition for Chick-Fil-A in Sunnyvale until now. Starbird Chicken opened in June of 2016 and aims to provide better chicken sandwiches. The restaurant is a seven minute drive from Fremont High School and is located on El Camino Real. The quality of the sandwiches is exceptional. Each sandwich has either grilled or fried chicken, both of which are delicious. The sandwich includes coleslaw―a mix of kale, cabbage, carrots and sesame seeds. The coleslaw is excellent, adding a different taste to a meat sandwich while adding on to nutritional values. The sandwiches also have a variety of sauces which complement the savory chicken. Some of the sauces include mayonnaise, Greek yogurt ranch, honey mustard, barbecue sauce and five spice mayonnaise. Each sandwich is about double the size of one Chick-Fil-A sandwich. Pricing for the sandwiches ranges from $5.95 to $6.95. Aside from sandwiches, Starbird’s menu also includes tacos and burritos. The chicken filling in the tortillas is topped with different types of salsa, giving it a delicious, tangy taste. Tacos and burritos each cost $3.50. Starbird also serves
salads. Except for the Chicken Caesar salad, each salad comes with house dressing, fried chicken and a variety of vegetables. Grilled chicken or tofu can be substituted for the fried chicken. Each salad costs $8.95. Starbird includes a vegetarian option too. The chicken can be substituted for tofu. Starbird has a long table in the center, with chairs on either side. This arrangement makes it feel more like the FHS cafeteria tables than a regular restaurant set-up. This encourages diners to sit down on the chairs of the center table and socialize with others around them. If customers would prefer not to sit with others, then there are regular tables arranged by the walls as well. There are also tables outside which diners can use to enjoy their food in the nice weather. In addition to good food the service was fast.
My order of four sandwiches, drinks and sides to arrive was a little over five minutes. The restaurant includes a digital screen that displays whose order is ready and whose is being prepared at the moment. This was helpful, since this arrangement allowed the customers to see when their food is cooking and how many people are before them. Until 10:30 AM, the restaurant offers a breakfast menu which includes sausages, burritos, waffle sticks and sandwiches. All dishes feature eggs, with coffee as the only option for a side refreshment. Other drinks that are served during the rest of the day include lemonade,
iced tea, seasonal lemonade, coffee and bottled soft drinks. The lemonade and iced tea have almost no sugar, which is good if you prefer a healthier alternative; however, that makes the lemonade a little sour in taste. Starbird also provides hot and iced coffee, both of which are perfect for a before and after school drink. Starbird is a place ready to serve delicious chicken. The size and price of each sandwich is just right for their quality. Each of Starbird’s sandwiches have a different sauce and will keep you wanting to try new ones for a long time. Overall, Starbird is a great place if you are looking for new taste.
Starbird Chicken 1241 W El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Suryan Bhatia and Emily Wright | The Phoenix
Arts & entertainment Frank Ocean returns after four silent years
Sept. 23, 2016
10
by Lexi Kleinberg Staff Writer
The wait is finally over. Grammy award-winning singer Frank Ocean released his long anticipated sophomore album, “Blonde.” Four years ago, in 2012, Ocean released his second full length album, channel ORANGE. This album picked up two Grammy nominations and won Best Urban Contemporary Album. After “channel ORANGE” was dropped, Ocean went completely off the grid, leaving fans yearning for details about his next album. Between 2013 through early 2016, Ocean was featured on several other albums such as Jay Z’s “Magna Carta” and Kanye West’s “Life of Pablo”. Ocean even performed unreleased songs at certain festivals. The release date of “Blonde” was leaked several times between the summer of 2015 and 2016. Publications and media outlets released false dates which created waves of conversation and excitement online. Therefore Ocean and other collaborators kept quiet about the details of his album before its release. In May of 2016, Complex Magazine sat down with Chance The Rapper, a friend of Oceans. Chance was asked about the whereabouts of Ocean and his
Release Date: August 20, 2016
Photo courtesy of Hypebeast, Lockerdome
highly anticipated album. “I know he’s away making a masterpiece,” Chance said. “Anything that you hear him on, that’s a feature that was recorded a long time ago…. I don’t think Frank is working on anyone’s stuff except for his own.” After a four-year wait, fans were ecstatic when the seventeen track long album was released exclusively on iTunes and Apple Music. Unlike his last album, “channel ORANGE”, “Blonde” is simple and stripped back. This album is a look into Ocean’s mind
and his past memories. Ocean attributes his boyhood and teen years, his love of cars, his sexuality and past struggles; all of which served as inspiration for “Blonde”. Most of the tracks on “Blonde” emphasize more on the story Ocean is focused on telling. Memorable lyrics include “I thought that I was dreaming when you said you loved me/ Some nights you dance with tears in your eyes/ I came to visit ‘cause you see me like a UFO/ I’d rather chip my pride then lose my mind/ You make me lose my self control.”
The tracks on “Blonde” are diverse, yet they come together to create multiple stories. Many songs on the album such as “Nights” and “Nikes” are simply Ocean’s vocals over smooth, light beats. Songs such as “Self Control”, “Ivy”, “Pink and White” and “Skyline To” are a clear sign that Ocean has broken out of his single genre R&B shell. Quite often throughout “Blonde”, Ocean plays around with auto-tune, vocal tones, and synthesizers, adding these elements to his incorporporation of guitar, drums, and piano.
Ocean did not stop at an album. On the same day that “Blonde” was released, Ocean also came out with a magazine titled Boys Don’t Cry. Only available at four “pop-up shops” in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and London. Ocean’s team gave out free magazines that include an exclusive version of “Blonde” on CD. In the magazine, Ocean also wrote about what he had been up to for the past four years. According to a personal piece written by Ocean in Boys Don’t’ Cry, he had moved to London for over a year. He recorded parts of “Blonde” in Tokyo, New York City, Miami, London and Paris. He also wrote a screenplay which is included in his magazine. Ocean traveled with friends, soaking up life all over the world. Boys Don’t Cry also included unreleased lyrics, horoscopes, photography, a screenplay and poems
all by Ocean himself. Also enclosed in the magazine was a list of collaborators who worked on “Blonde” alongside Ocean, some of which include, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, David Bowie, André 3000, Yung Lean and Tyler The Creator. Although this album doesn’t feature normally popular and upbeat tunes which most people would expect, “Blonde” gives the listener a privileged experience into Ocean’s past and present. This album artistically exceeds any pre-determined opinions formed before it’s release. R&B mixed with glimpses of indie and alternative aspects give the listener a taste of a whole new dimension of music. Although fans had to wait four years for this new content, Ocean is ready to share his evolution and is thoroughly excited for what is next.
Sully: the story of a hero or a fraud? by Jessalynn Landor & Ambika Vaidya collaboration
In January of 2009, two weeks after the new year had begun, the world heard of a particular “Miracle on the Hudson.” The miracle? An US Airways plane, Flight 1549, had crash-landed on the Hudson River, with all of its 155 passengers and crew alive and safe. Nearly eight years after this amazing phenomenon, on Sep. 9th, Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Productions released a movie based on this historic event: Sully. Directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood, a snowy-haired and mustached Tom Hanks stars as the main protagonist and hero, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, and works alongside other famous actors including Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney in this biographical drama film. Sully is based on the true story of Flight 1549. Captain Chesley Sullenberger and his co-pilot, Officer Jeffrey Skiles, are flying from Queens, New York to Charlotte, North Carolina. The flight goes smoothly, until a sudden attack of multiple bird strikes causes
Photo courtesy of Moviehole
both plane engines to die. Both engines are destroyed and the plane begins to fly at a dangerously low altitude. Sullenberger faces no other option but to land the plane on the Hudson River. Though many people across the nation believe Sully is a hero for his actions, some think otherwise. Throughout the movie, Sully is constantly villainized for endangering the lives of those that were on the plane during the scene. The whole incident creates an uproar in the media which causes a large amount of stress and frustration for the pilot. Due to the whole controversy on whether his actions were really heroic or completely unnecessary, Sully faces an investigation, which threatens his career and reputation.
Tom Hanks does an exquisite job when playing his role as Sully. Hanks expresses his emotions perfectly, just as the real Sully would’ve in that given scenario. For example, during a particular investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) claims that he had enough time to make it back safely to a nearby airport rather than crash-landing into a freezing river in the dead of winter. Sully denies this, but the NTSB refuses to believe him for a long time. Throughout this stress and frustration, Hanks does an excellent job at controlling his character’s anger, maintaining Sully’s dignity, and keeping Sully’s fear at bay. The entire Sully cast act out their individual parts very well. Because Sully is
based on a historical event, the movie should be as close to the real thing as possible. With no doubt, most of the main details were included. The producers did add some additional minor characters and extra scenes, but those small factors did not interfere in a way that affected the whole plot. Although the tone of the movie is serious and tense, some characters occasionally throw in a few comedic remarks so the audience can share a few laughs. The special effects and camera work are also impressive. The remake of the scene on the Hudson is aweing. How the crew recreated the scene with the plane crashing onto the Hudson River was amazing. It not only adds to the drama of the movie, but it
also makes the whole plot come together. All of the filming is done with IMAX cameras, making the scenes throughout the movie very vivid. The “Miracle on the Hudson” scene is quite intense and emotional. It is clear how panicked and terrified the passengers and crew are. After they are rescued and safe, the way people’s cries of fear transformed to cries of happiness and relief, knowing that they survived a water crash, is very touching. It is definitely the type of scene that makes the audience think, What would I do if I were in that situation? One very important detail the directors added into the movie was how Sully has become mentally and emotionally scarred
by the plane incident and how he will remember that fateful day for the rest of his life. The movie showed his often nightmares and hallucinations of the crash. The event that the country calls “miraculous” and “heroic” is actually a nightmare for the hero; Sully dreads to think what might have happened if the situation was worse. The beginning of the movie starts with Sully waking up in a panic from his most recent nightmare. Throughout the film, Sully also has flashbacks; some of them are about the crash, others are about his previous flying experiences. Though the crash itself was horrific and unfortunate, the quick, wise decisions on Sully’s part were truly heroic. The slightest hesitation on his part would have provided disastrous consequences. Because of Sully’s brisk actions, the passengers on the flight were saved from a terrifying fate. Sully is indeed the story of a hero. Incredibly filmed, informative, and thrilling, Sully is a movie that all drama-loving teens and adults will enjoy.
sports
11
Sept. 23, 2016
Stephanie Cori: Tennis Prodigy by Sam Tumkur Staff Writer
Senior Stephanie Cori has been playing tennis ever since she was ten years old, and now is the captain of Fremont High School’s Singles 1 Tennis Team. Cori comes from a family of tennis players that inspire her to keep doing what she does. “My cousin is trying to be a professional tennis player,” Cori said. “He’s number one in Peru, so that’s really inspiring to me.” Cori’s biggest accomplishment as of this year is her role as the captain of the Singles 1 team; her main role is to encourage the team so that they can become better individually and also as a team. However, this motivation is mutual. “Since I don’t play tennis out-
side of school, I would say the school team and being captain motivates me as well,” Cori said.
If you wanna win, you usually have to control yourself like not to hit the ball too hard or out a lot, and if you’re feeling down, you can’t let that affect your game by making careless errors. Stephanie Cori
In addition, according to Cori, tennis is a very rewarding sport that has many lessons to teach. “I think [tennis] shows you how to work with other people and also be able to play as a team and it also helps you develop a stronger mentality.” Cori said. “Also as a captain, it pushes me to motivate the team more.” One of Cori’s many strengths as a tennis player that sets her apart from other tennis players would be her mentality.
“My mentality is to stay positive and not expect to lose or to win, I mainly try to go out and play,” Cori Said. “I try not to get too nervous and just have fun, and not have any expectations.”
Cori views tennis as a game where mentality plays a big role in performance. According to her, If she starts losing, she gets nervous, and while she stays positive, she plays better. . “Well tennis is mainly a mental game,” Cori said. “If your mentality is good then you play good but if it’s bad you play worse. Most of tennis is how you think of the point. If you wanna win, then you usually have to control yourself like not to hit the ball too hard or out a lot, and if you’re feeling down, you can’t let that affect your game by making careless errors.” As much as she enjoys playing tennis, Cori admits that balancing school and tennis is challenging. She practices with the FHS
Tennis team two hours every day during the tennis season. Focusing on academics and doing homework is already hard enough, but it becomes especially difficult on days she has games, because she won’t be home until later in the evening. Even though she is a great player, Cori views tennis as just a hobby. To her, tennis is something to look forward to everyday. “I think tennis is a good way to get steam out,” Cori said. “After I play tennis I’m in a better mood. I’m just able to play and have a good time.” In the future, Cori does not plan on playing tennis competitively in college and wants to major in business.
Photo courtesy of QuickCycle Photo, LLC
Assistant coach tackles new job by Priscilla Martinez Staff Writer
Nelson Gifford has been teaching at Fremont High School for four years as a special education teacher and a Geometry teacher, and is currently the new head football coach. For the past 3 seasons, Gifford was the offensive coordinator for the Fremont High School Football team under the previous head coach, Jake Messina. His teachers and coaches he had over the years have inspired him to enter the teaching and coaching field. Gifford’s desire to help students also played a role. “I wanted to be a coach to work with kids,” Gifford said. “I love helping them expand their knowledge whether it be school or on the field. I also like the relationships that come with the job.” After many years of being in the field and being at FHS for some time he decided he wanted to be head coach because of what it means to be part of a larger goal that is creates an environment that helps maximize student potential. He believes that the intersection of athletics and academics can create a perfect environment to create positive growth. Even since taking on the position, he has made changes to the team in order to improve performance.
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
COACH Gifford analyzes the players.
THE football team huddles to discuss their next play.
Gifford played football in high school, and he says that organization is a big part of teaching and coaching. “If you are not organized as a teacher or coach, kids—especially teenagers—are going to see it and point it out,” Gifford said.
“Because of that, I challenge myself to be organized and prepared every day.” He loves being a coach, especially at FHS because of all the excitement he gains from it, and he hopes to carry on in this role for many years to come. “The most exciting part
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
of my job is seeing the team play at a high level together, and see them having fun while they are doing it,” Gifford said. Gifford’s expectations for every game is straightforward—for everyone to give their all. “The goal is simple;
to get everyone on the team to contribute to their maximum potential,” Gifford said. “There’s so many different ways a person can contribute to a team, especially a football team. With 22 different positions along with the specialty positions, there’s a bunch of things going on at the same time so everyone has a role to play. In order to be success-
ful everyone has to fulfill their part to the best of their ability.” With Gifford’s coaching style and the changes he made, hopefully they will win a lot of games.
sports The best of both worlds: scholar athletes 12
Sept. 23, 2016
by Cassandra Gines Staff Writer
Here at Fremont High School, there a ton of student athletes who push themselves past their limits. Scholar athletes are students who have good grades, and put in a lot of hard work. At Fremont High School we offer a variety of sports. Each sport at Fremont has amazing team spirit and is very welcoming to newcomers. Here are some of the school’s scholar athletes:
Raymond Castillo|Varsity Baseball and Football
Senior Castillo joined sports to be a part of something great. His favorite part of sports is being on both teams with his brothers everyday and becoming not only a better player, but a better man. Being on a team helps him keep his priorities straight. “Taking a risk and trying something new while working hard pays off,” Castillo said.
Vanessa Le|Varsity Badminton & Tennis
Being on a team at Fremont allows Senior Le to bond with amazing teammates; she just really enjoys the feeling of improvement. By practicing any sport it feels extremely rewarding and it pushes you to continue playing for as long as you can. “Once I can feel myself growing as a player, my opportunity to succeed is amplified, and I can feel proud,” Le said. “Training, losing countless times, and feeling frustrated is tough, but it’s all part of the process. I simply just want to grow.”
Jesse Vega|Varsity Cheer and Football
Sports at Fremont are an amazing way to stay and get active in high school. “Stop hiding under other people’s shadows, make your own,” Junior Vega said.
Alyssa Guzman|Volleyball, Soccer & Softball
Junior Guzman loves to keep herself active and busy so she does not end up on a bad path. Playing softball, volleyball and soccer allows her to keep her mind clear. She recommends joining a sport freshman year because students get to meet upperclassmen that will be there for them for the rest of their time in high school. Also, being on a team allows her to build life skills, such as leadership communication skills.
Clark as new director by Chirag Bhatia Staff Writer
Fremont High School recently acquired a new athletic director, Morris Clark. He has been a history teacher at FHS for twenty years, and has coached water polo for ten years. When he heard about an opening for the position this year, he felt he could use his athletic skill set to Fremont’s advantage. To be an athletic director requires versatility. The job comes with many responsibilities such as taking care of the facilities, coordinating the usage of space and making sure the facilities are not double booked. Beside these aspects of the job, Mr. Clark is also very involved with the students. He must check if students are eligible to play sports based on their GPA. However, this is not an issue because he claims that students that are on a sports team are more con-
Andrea Lanfranconi | The Phoenix
nected with school, which allows them to get better grades. He is more connected with his athletes than his students since he feels that the relationships that he builds while coaching are very strong. “The differences between being an athletic director and a coach of a solo sport have challenged me. When I was only coaching water polo, that was my only priority,” Clark said. Now, he must focus on every sport, which he
finds tedious. “There are many bits and pieces to the job,” Clark said. “Before, I only coached water polo, and when that season was over, I didn’t have to focus on anything else. I wanted to be more involved in the Athletic Program this year. I’m still learning on the job.” Clark hopes to add field hockey as a sport at FHS in the near future.
Erin Kaprelian|Varsity Soccer and Water Polo
Junior Kaprelian joined sports to push herself and have a support system through her teammates. By playing soccer and water polo, it gives her a sense of competition that makes her push herself through her academics as well.
Tommy Gomez|Varsity Cross Country and Track & Field
“The feeling of accomplishment and success after finishing a race is something I and all other runners strive for,” Junior Gomez said. “It’s what pushes us through the pain and keeps us focused to do our best in every sport anyone plays. There are a lot of great things about being on a team and one is the competition. We all run the race and nobody wants to be beat, so we push each other and reach new limits. Without my teammates, I would definitely be much slower. When playing a sport at Fremont it pushes me to stay on track.”