The Talon | Issue 1 | October 4, 2019

Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA ■ October 4, 2019 ■ Volume XXXV, Issue 1

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lahstalon.org

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

CLIMATE STRIKE Find out how students walked out in protest against climate change. News, 3

AP Test Registration Check out web managing editor Isabella Borkovic’s opinion on the new AP Test registration deadline.

Opinions, 4

KYLIE AKIYAMA

New tardy policy excuses students in portables Students can request 90-second extensions for passing periods at the discretion of teachers

Victor Ngyuen Learn about math teacher Victor Nguyen and his quirky teaching style.

Features, 8

IT: Chapter 2 Read staff writer Nina Crofts review on the sequel to IT. Arts & Culture, 11

Girls Waterpolo Hear how girls waterpolo is “treading” the season with a new team dynamic.

Sports, 12

TOMOKI CHIEN RACHEL RUDYAK Staff writers

The school administration is piloting a new tardy policy giving students with longer walks to and from the portables additional time to get to class. The policy mandates that students consult their teachers on an individual basis in order to receive a passing period extension of 90 seconds. These extensions do not apply to periods at the start of

school and after lunch, brunch or free periods.

The new policy seeks to reduce the recent influx of tardies caused by the added walking distance between the portables and the main campus. By analyzing tardy data compiled in Aeries, administrators found that many students were struggling with the commute to and from the portables in the first few weeks of school.

The new portables, located near

the parking lot and baseball field, are housing the Social Studies Department until the completion of the two-story 500 wing building at the back of the school. Construction is set to be finished in 2021.

“The number of steps I’ve done this year is amazing,” Social Studies Department Coordinator Derek Miyahara said. “We had been starting classes later and ending them early so students could get to class on time. The new policy spreads

the burden [of dealing with tardies] so it’s not just on [the Social Studies Department].”

An alternative solution would have been to add time to all passing periods, thus changing the bell schedule itself and making the school day longer or cutting into lunch and brunch.

The policy does not specify which walking distances qualify for an extension.

“Tardy”

continues on page 2

Rediscovering childhood in “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” CEDRIC CHAN Staff writer

“Come on, vámanos, everybody let’s go! Come on, let’s get to it! I know that we can do it!”

This familiar song, alongside dozens of others, is more than some children's introduction to Spanish; it’s a treasured part of many childhood experiences. So when news of a Dora movie came out, I was immediately intrigued. People’s ecstatic responses, of course, were mixed with the usual skepticism that questioned how the cartoon would render as a live-action film on the big screen, especially given the younger targeted audience.

With a multi-faceted approach, director James Bobin’s interpretation of the franchise incorporates plenty of self-deprecating clichés that poke

UPCOMING EVENTS

fun at the original cartoon while still holding true to the central themes and messages. Despite receiving some initial ridicule, the movie still manages to appeal to a wide range of people. For younger audiences, it contains enough fantasy and adventure to keep them engaged in the movie. For teenage audiences, it’s a nostalgic blast back to simpler times.

And for any and all ages, it’s a film jam-packed with more laugh-outloud-moments than you can count.

“Dora and the Lost City of Gold” takes the cartoon six-year-old and transforms her into Isabella Moner’s rendition of a 16 year old. Following the events of the cartoon series, Dora has been homeschooled by her parents in the Peruvian rainforest.

“Dora” continues on page 10

October 8

Yom Kippur Begins End of First Quarter October 15

Red Cross Blood Drive October 16

PSAT Day

October 23

Homecoming Assembly October 25

Homecoming Parade October 26

Homecoming Dance October 31

Halloween

2 4 5

In-Depth Features Arts & Culture Sports

Performing his piece with great Fine(nesse) CEDRIC CHAN KAAVYA BUTANEY Staff writers

October 11

News Opinions Editorial

CEDRIC CHAN

6 8 10 12

NICKELODEON

Dora, her cousin Diego and fellow classmates navigate through jungle puzzles. The movie captures all the familiar tropes of the TV show with self-awareness of all the cliches.

Junior Evan Fine is a fine man with many fine talents: he is known as the finest “speech god,” a fine mock attorney, a fine history nut, a fine violinist and a fine writer—talents that he channels into a love for creation, whether it be playing the violin or writing stories.

He began playing the violin at age three after hearing Joshua Bell perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and allegedly told his mom, “Ma. I want.”

Now, at age 15, Evan is highly committed to the violin and has spent countless hours practicing.

“If it’s the same piece I’ve been playing for over four months and I

have to play the same thing again and again until I fix every note, I hate it,” Evan said. “What I do like is getting new pieces and feeling the nuance of the music.”

But beyond just playing, he’s also composed various pieces of music and worked with the Los Altos orchestra to play them.

“The sensation of creating something and watching it become a coherent piece—it works the same in music and writing,” Evan said. “It’s the same underlying principle.”

It all comes down to the way creativity makes ideas into something real.

“The je ne sais quoi factor,” Evan calls it. It’s this intangible quality that drew him to creative writing in the first place—watching the meaning behind the words come together.

“Evan” continues on page 8

The Talon October 4, 2019

Get daily LAHS updates and read the news archives at lahstalon.org/category/news

Tardy CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE “Students should be able to get to class on time at their natural walking speed, but we also recognize that it’s just a reality that some students walk faster than others,” assistant principal Galen Rosenberg said.

Principal Wynne Satterwhite appreciates that the policy will help students become more independent due to the lack of explicit guidelines. “[The tardy policy] lets students be proactive and advocate for themselves which is one of the things we’re trying to teach,” Satterwhite said.

The administration has an additional follow-up solution to help stu-

dents with classes in the portables after brunch and lunch get to class on time. According to Rosenberg, the administration might add an additional bell that rings 90 seconds before the end of brunch and lunch that will remind students to leave at the right time for their own commute. At this time, the addendum has not been decided upon and therefore has no set introduction date.

While some students and teachers are happy with the introduced policy, others feel that it doesn’t truly solve the issue of added walking distance.

Students like sophomore Anisya Malinovskaya have classes in the portables after brunch and lunch and have to incorporate the walk into their breaks.

“Brunch was short enough already, and now it’s just essentially an ex-

tended passing period,” Anisya said.

In addition, teachers aren’t able to start lessons on time regardless of whether or not they’re marking tardies.

“The tardies aren’t the problem,” sophomore Lily Aronovitz said.

“It’s the fact that the class is starting a couple of minutes later which encroaches on our class time. The ninety-second grace period doesn’t do anything about that.”

Keeping in mind opinions from students and teachers, Rosenberg plans to run the trial of the new policy until the end of the first semester.

“I think in terms of what’s next, it’d be worth knowing whether or not students and teachers think it’s worth sacrificing instructional time, adding to the school day or losing lunch or brunch,” Rosenberg said.

“We assume students and teachers

would not be in favor of that [but] it would be nice to know for sure.”

With the trial policy in place, ad-

ministrators will continue to monitor tardy data and feedback to decide on their next steps.

ELLI LAHDESMAKI

Students walk from the portables to the main campus during a passing period. They can now request extended passing periods from their teachers.

ODFL club volunteers in Kenya and Nepal KAAVYA BUTANEY Staff Writer

EMILY ZHU

School musical returns February 2020 performing arts].” must have a solo audition that Almost 100 students attended consists of reciting lines and Senior Writer the preliminary inforsinging. Those who are interested in The school musical produc- mational meeting on working behindtion that unifies all of the Per- Tuesday, September Even if you feel the-scenes can forming Arts disciplines is cur- 10.

“We had such a like you don’t contact stage manrently in the works. Last year, ager senior Sydney the musical was postponed but great turnout at the have the expeEnthoven. is set to return this winter from [first] meeting and it rience to be n All rehearsals Thursday, February 6 to Satur- just seemed like there was a lot of enthusi- a show, this is will take place in day, February 8. how you get January and early Mark Shaull, the former Choir asm,” said Oliver.

At the meeting, the experience and February. On averDirector, was on medical leave discussed it’s so much fun. age, an ensemble last year, so they were unable to teachers member will have put on their biennial produc- the audition process — senior Jessica Aaron and time rehearsal two to tion. This year, the committhree times a week new Choir Director ment for prospec- for one or two hours. The leads Lauren Diez, acttive cast members. will have rehearsals Monday ing teacher Nancy I think a goal There will be an- through Friday for two to three Moran and dance other meeting at the hours each day. When approachteacher April Oliver for me is to beginning of this ing the final performance dates, will be directing the meet a broader month to announce all students will be required to show. No experience range of kids the name of the pro- come to rehearsal on Saturdays is needed in order that I don’t usuduction as well as and attend rehearsals on school to participate in ally get to work the exact audition days that may take up to three to this production. All dates. Auditions for four hours. students—not only with and hopethe musical will be Senior Jessica Aaron perBroken Box, choir fully open them held sometime in formed a lead role as a freshman or dance students— up to the [perNovember. in the 2016 musical, “The Boyare encouraged to forming arts.].

Anyone interested friend” and plans to audition audition, as this is a — acting teacher in lead roles or en- for this year’s performance. school-wide activity.

Nancy Moran semble, which con“Musical theater is such a con“I would be happy sists of the support- fidence booster,” Jessica said. to get more kids involved that are not normally in ing actors, must audition. To be “Even if you feel like you don’t all of our classes,” Moran said. part of the ensemble, students have the experience to be in a “I think that’s a goal for me: to will audition in groups where show, this is how you get experimeet a broader range of kids they must sing and perform a ence and it’s so much fun. [Stuthat I don’t get to work with and dance that will be in the mu- dents] should definitely try it hopefully open them up to [the sical. For lead roles, students out; it’s awesome.”

JULIE VARGAS

In June, 17 members of One Dollar for Life (ODFL), a club at Los Altos, went to Kenya and Nepal for two service trips.

They helped to build secondary schools and assist in the Girls’ Equality Project, an ODFL program that provides menstrual supplies and sexual education to those in need.

The organization, which was founded at Los Altos in 2006, is based on the idea that if everyone donated one dollar, they could make a difference in developing countries. The Girls’ Equality Project reaches 5,000 girls per year in Kenya, Nepal, South Africa and Zambia who are unable to attend school during their period. The project began in 2017, but this is the first year ODFL is making its own menstrual supply packets. This dropped the cost from $16 to $5 per packet, allowing girls to attend school during their period for a lower cost.

According to the United Nations (UN), without access to menstrual supplies, approximately 20,000,000 girls drop out of school per year. In September, a fourteen-year-old Kenyan girl was shamed for a bloodstain on her uniform by her teacher, and she committed suicide later that day.

“Educated girls make better choices in life, and improve

their whole society,” Girls’ Equality Project founder Brenda Birell said. “If we don’t do anything about this, many girls become second class citizens when they hit puberty.”

The female students who went to Kenya assisted ODFL coordinators in teaching Kenyan girls about puberty, sanitary pads and self-defense.

ODFL also builds infrastructure, such as classrooms, libraries, and medical clinics. With the funds raised by high schoolers, volunteers have built over 121 schools in Nepal, Kenya, South Africa and Nicaragua.

On this year’s service trip to Nepal, the volunteers helped to build an assembly area for the Chunadevi Secondary School and a library for the Setidevi Secondary School. In Kenya, the volunteers finished building a classroom at the Ngungu Secondary School.

Participants say that ODFL’s trips have affected not only the lives of Kenyans and Nepalis but also those of the students at Los Altos.

“It really taught me to just be grateful for everything I have here because I’ve seen kids who have so much less than we do,” junior Asha Jain said. “But they're still so happy and they still live their lives every day and have a smile on their faces, [which] was such a rewarding thing to see.”

COURTESY DARREN DRESSEN

Members of the ODFL club at Los Altos volunteer in Kenya in June.

ODFL builds small scale infrastructure projects in developing countries.

The Talon October 4, 2019

Los Altos students walk out to protest against climate change manded both the Mountain View Los Altos (MVLA) School District Staff Writers and Mountain View and Los Altos City Councils to reduce plastic and As part of the international “Cli- fossil fuel usage. They further demate Strike” movement, a group of manded the Mountain View and approximately fifty Los Altos stu- Los Altos City Councils to endorse dents led by the Climate Justice Co- the Green New Deal. alition club marched from Los Altos Most of the students didn’t want High to Mountain View City Hall on to skip school, but they felt it was Friday, September 20. the best way to take on the issue.

The student protestors were in“We want to make our voices spired by a fellow high school stu- heard,” senior Lexi Crilley said. “We dent, Greta Thunberg, a sixteen- can no longer save the world by year-old Swedish playing by the rules.” environmental advoStudents participatcate and founder of the ing in the march met Climate Strike move- We want to in the quad at brunch ment. Climate change make our voices and began to march to is a global issue that heard. We can Mountain View City will raise the global Hall, accompanied no longer save temperature, thereby

by Donnelly and hiscausing rising ocean the world by tory teacher Katherine levels and reducing playing by the Orozco. Along the way, biodiversity. they shouted chants rules.

The Climate Justice such as “This is what — senior Lexi Crilley Coalition was founded democracy looks like!” at the end of last year and “Hey-hey, ho-ho, by seniors Vivienne Coy, Lia Tsur climate change has got to go!” At and Anna Fletcher with history around 11:10 a.m, the group reached teacher Seth Donnelly as their advi- Mountain View City Hall and the sor. It was not a club made to sup- students gave speeches about their port and fundraise, but one made views of the climate crisis. An inon the will to protest as a communi- dependently organized strike at the ty of students and activists, accord- CalTrain station joined them at the ing to Vivienne. plaza; the group claimed their strike “More people need to know about was motivated by student activism. this issue [and] be educated about According to Orozco, this march it,” freshman Trishla Dedhia said. did not have a political purpose but “By striking out of school, we bring rather a humanitarian one focused this issue to the attention of so many on the idea that climate change afother people.” fects everyone, regardless of one’s In addition to supporting the political views. global cause, these protestors deHowever, despite what the inten-

KAAVYA BUTANEY NINA CROFTS

tions may have been, president of the Conservative Student Union senior Ethan Clarke, who participated in the march, thought it targeted Republicans, specifically President Trump.

“I saw people’s signs saying, ‘burn the GOP, f*ck Trump,” Ethan said.

“That is not tolerance.”

Furthermore, although the march was for the environment, not everyone agreed on what the best solution was.

“Everything from Exxon Mobil to all these other large corporations, they’re just being selfish and not caring about the planet that is around us,” freshman Logan Kim said.

While many, like Logan, advocated for increased government environmental regulations, Ethan had a different view. His solution was for the government to provide monetary incentives to corporations and individuals who implemented envi-

ronmentally friendly practices.

But when it came to the reasons behind the strike, many students felt the same way.

“I wish we could do things by the book,” Trevor said. “But that's obviously not working. We need to be loud and disruptive. We need to let [the government] know, we need to prove to them and show them that what they have done has screwed us and other future generations over.”

KATRINA ARSKY

Students and community members hold up posters to protest climate change at Mountain View City Hall.

This strike was a part of an international climate change movement started by Swedish sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg.

STEAM Foundations class adjusts curriculum structure mulative project during fourth quarter that students began to piece together the process as a STEAM Foundations began whole. This year, Hine and Altwo years ago headed by robot- varado are presenting the deics and physics teacher Stephen sign-thinking process through Hine and social studies teacher a more linear curriculum. They Sarah Alvarado. This year, the agree that students benefit class aims to take a new ap- when they learn the steps in orproach in their curriculum by der and apply them directly to mirroring lessons to the steps their projects. of students’ real-world proj“We found that some of the ects, hopes of giving students skills that they a more tangible learned earlier understanding in the year were of their in-class Now we have this a little bit rusty lessons. by the time they STEAM Foun- pattern where stugot to applying dations teaches dents learn a skill, them in their students the practice it once and own project design-thinking then apply it to their group,” Alvarado process with said. “Now we a methodical, project. That’s made have this pattern real-world ap- a huge impact on within it, where proach. Students how students are they learn the use the process understanding the skill, they practo develop sotice it once and process. lutions to onthen apply it to — social studies teacher campus issues their project. So Sarah Alvarado in their cumulathey're working tive project. For on the project example, last year, students throughout the entire school put ref lective tape on garbage year, not just the end. That’s cans around campus to prevent made a huge impact on how crows from pulling the garbage students are understanding the out. process and then applying it alThe design-thinking process most immediately.” is broken down into four steps: STEAM Foundations also frame, imagine, make and mar- aims to give a more general keting. The process is cyclical, understanding of the designmeaning that steps are often thinking process to students repeated as the project is de- who are already specialized in a veloped. Last year, the students certain field of STEAM. rotated through groups that “What I think a lot of stueach focused on one of these dents don't understand is when steps. However, Hine said that they’re on a design team in depending on which stage a industry, they all have to unstudent started with, it affected derstand what the rest of their how they perceived the pro- team can do,” Hine said. “They cess as a whole, and it wasn’t don't necessarily need to do it until students started the cu- themselves, but they need to

LUCAS BRICCA Senior Writer

understand what they’re capable of and what the possibilities are.”

Hine emphasized that even if students go into the class knowing what they want to do—for example, computer science—it is still valuable to understand how other pieces of the project fit together.

“If you are a computer modeler and you are given this task of designing a robotic arm, and you send it to the programmer without even knowing what the capabilities of a programming language are, they might send it back to you and be like, ‘I can’t program that… there's no way based on what we have avail-

able,’” Hine said. “So although you're like, ‘Yeah, I know computer science and I want to do computer science,’ you should still understand how 3D printers work, how modeling works; you should still understand what goes into the process of design.

Then, you just make a better team member in general.”

LUCAS BRICCA

Social studies teacher Sarah Alvarado brainstorms with freshman Ritam Saha for his cumulative project design this year. The STEAM Foundations class is taking a new approach to the class curriculum that allows students to apply their in-class learning immediately to their projects.

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The Talon October 4, 2019

Ethnic studies a day keeps the ignorance away STELLA HUANG Features Editor

“An Asian trying to learn English bothers me more than someone listening to Lil Uzi Vert while I’m trying to eat dinner.”

This remark was made by Shane Gillis, “comedian” and former Saturday Night Live cast member. I thought I had mastered the ability to ignore comments like his, from being called small-eyed to being teased about the food I brought to school. Still, I felt the blow when one of my all-time favorite television shows hired a racist to perform in front of millions of Americans.

Gillis is the perfect example of why Assembly Bill 331, which makes the Ethnic Studies course part of California’s graduation requirements, should be passed by the California State Board of Education (SBE). The purpose of the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC) is to focus on the contributions that minorities have made to further the development of California and the rest of the United States.

Despite its good intent, critics have accused previous drafts of the bill and ESMC of being anti-Semitic. Recently, the California Legislative Jewish Caucus wrote a letter of protest to the SBE, accusing the bill of omitting many atrocities committed against Jewish people

from the curriculum—such as the horrific 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—and for defining Jewish Islamophobia but not antiSemitism.

The Caucus’s concern can be fixed by adding more instances of Jewish persecution to the ESMC, such as the 1915 Leo Frank affair, in which Jewish factory superintendent Leo Frank was lynched after being accused of murdering a thirteen-year-old girl working for him.

It is widely believed that Frank was innocent, and shockingly, the lynching led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) movement, which continues to commit hate crimes against the Jewish community.

In order to prevent more people from joining white supremacist groups like the KKK, we need the ESMC to mitigate the lack of understanding nativists have regarding other cultures. Especially in areas where minorities make up single-digit percentages of the school population, students do not have the opportunity to form and experience cultural organizations such as the Asian Student Union and the Jew Crew, like we do.

Although some may argue that world history touches on other cultures and populations, Ethnic Studies is still necessary to highlight the importance of being politically and culturally aware. After reading the comments on a The Washington Times article, concerning the EMSC, one left me es-

pecially surprised.

This comment was made by a woman named Mary Ahn Ludwig, who claimed that “it would be a disservice to those founders to insist that all other cultures are equal and important features of American life.”

As an Asian American w i t h i m mi-

and cultural identity. The ESMC is critical to teach people like Ludwig cultural appreciation.

Finally, Jewish Islamophobia should still be included in the ESMC rather than played down.

Students deserve the truth, and they should be aware of Jewish-Palestinian persecution.

W e

should, however, make sure that the curriculum informs students accurately about the conflict, including the fact that the Arab states were the first to attack Israel after its establishment in 1948.

Just four months ago, more than 200 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza, Palestine. The PalestinEMILY ZHU

grant parents who risked everything to provide me with a better life, I am angry with Ludwig, whose circumstances are likely the same as mine.

Both of our ancestors migrated here, and both of us are in the land of opportunities in order to live a safe, happy life where no one is discriminated against for racial

ian government’s barrage left Israel with no other choice than to respond with missile attacks, resulting in the deaths of four Palestinians, including a pregnant woman and her baby.

Students should understand that it was a mutual conflict and that the Palestinian government is using its innocent civilians as human shields against the Israeli government. Just because the ESMC is supposed to highlight the positive contributions minorities have made doesn’t mean that the curriculum should omit the negatives.

Only two decades ago did our country start teaching elementary schoolers about slavery, racism and the destruction of native peoples. Just like how these events were later unmasked for students, so should the oppression of the Palestinian citizens by the Israeli and Palestinian government. If the curriculum were to omit this mutual persecution, it would convey to students that ignorance is bliss, and that hundreds of Jewish and Palestinian people died in vain.

Finally, in response to Gillis and his shallow apology in which he states that “trying to be the best comedian requires risks,” the only risks were the ones taken by my family and others that moved to America trying to provide better lives and opportunities for their children.

I hope that the Ethnic Studies curriculum will help foster a culturally intelligent generation and prevent more ignorants and racists from infesting our society.

Early AP registration deserves a one ISABELLA BORKOVIC Web Managing Editor

Revolutionary, groundbreaking, and innovative—these are just a few of the words many are using to describe The College Board’s decision to move the Advanced Placement (AP) test registration deadline from March to November.

Just kidding—virtually everybody except The College Board is

against earlier registration deadlines.

As a senior, this new change is especially infuriating. Since I don’t foresee myself getting recruited to Princeton for badminton anytime soon, I won’t know what college I will be attending by November, and I won’t know which AP credits my college will accept. And with a price tag of $94 each, AP tests are expensive. This year, I’ll definitely spend a couple hundred dollars and at least eight hours of testing for AP credits that my future college may not even accept, and so will many other se-

niors.

I’m grateful that my family can afford to spend $94 on a test, so this change is just an annoyance to me.

But the new deadline places a huge financial and mental burden on lower-income students. Financially challenged students may not be able to drop hundreds of dollars for AP tests and will need to prioritize which AP tests to take to get a passing score. This new deadline forces them to decide whether to spend a huge sum of money on a subject they’ve only studied for two months.

The College Board’s decision to

EMILY ZHU

INTERESTED IN GUEST-WRITING FOR TALON?

move the registration date is clearly immoral. They are taking advantage of students, specifically lowerincome students, who need time to decide which AP tests to take. Every AP student is getting cheated by early registration. But what is The College Board’s justification for implementing these new changes?

On their website, The College Board lists how they came up with these changes in a YouTube video that boasts a four to one dislike-tolike ratio. They explain that their fall registration was “inspired” by schools because “more than half of all AP schools offer some form of fall registration.” They tested these changes in nearly 1,000 schools, and saw that schools that implemented fall registration see higher motivation, higher participation and better scores. In the 2017-2018 school year—the only year they have statistics from—the number of threes from students in the pilot program increased, with the passing rate of low-income students increasing by 20 percent.

However, many people aren’t convinced, including me. The inspiration shtick seems forced—while some schools may have offered fall registration, there was no demand or need for The College Board to implement it for everyone. And while the improvements they cite are amazing, they are also deceiving. The College Board only touts statistics that make them look good,

but by looking at the last two years of AP exam data, you can find the flaw in The College Board’s reasoning. Yes, more low-income students took the tests, and yes, more low-income students passed their AP tests. However, the percentage of low-income students that passed decreased, from a 60.3 percent fail rate in 2017 to 64.3 percent in 2018. As a student taking AP Statistics, I know that this is a significant increase that indicates a causal relationship between earlier deadlines and more failures (thanks College Board!)

This misleading data shows that earlier deadlines are just another way for The College Board to extort even more money from test takers and generate more revenue—even more than the $1 billion it makes annually.

The previous March deadline gave students enough time to determine if taking the AP test was worth it.

Students can’t know how confident they are in the material by November, which will lead to an increase in the number of students registering, but a decrease in the passing rate.

And of course, even more money in The College Board’s pocket.

While The College Board claims that earlier deadlines help students, it’s clear that their main motivation in pushing out earlier deadlines is money. The College Board should revert back to spring registration so high schoolers don’t have to waste any more money taking another one of their tests.

If you would like to write about your stance on an issue that’s affecting students at our school, email Opinions Editor Nikhita Boddu at talon.lahs@gmail.com with a summary of your idea.

The Talon October 4, 2019

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Please send letters to the editor to talon.lahs@gmail.com Los Altos High School

Fixing the parking lot predicament

I

n response to the beginning of long-term construction on a new two-story classroom building, the school administration has reassigned the majority of student parking spaces to staff: this year, the number of student parking spaces in the front parking lot dropped from 200 to 94 so that faculty could be given a total of 160 spaces, including free access to all 12 electrical charging stations. This dramatic shift in parking availability for both faculty and students is due to the closure of the 600 wing and the majority of the East Driveway for necessary site-work, which in turn has caused the loss of roughly 30—soon to be 40, when the rest of the East Driveway is closed next semester—staff-designated parking spaces.

With so little student parking, reasonable than a random lot- es are left empty as faculty come ing specific numerical distances the administration now relies on tery, these criteria do nothing to and go throughout the day; mean- and school commute times for the stricter student parking peraddress the fact that 94 student while, students without permits each applicant when delegating mit policy that was introduced spaces just isn’t enough. This are relegated to the few residential parking permits can help ensure

by ASB and Green Team last year year, no one outside the top pri- streets that allow parallel parking, that distribution is as truly fair and to ensure that the ority category was like Angela Drive and Los Ninos equitable as we claim it to be. The distribution of perconsidered for a Way. Space there isn’t as limited, process would certainly become mits is selective and parking permit, but it’s increasingly difficult to get more tedious, but the trade-off purposeful.

The This year, the but even then, not to class on time due to the added is worth it if it helps identify the allocation process number of student every “distance-el- distance from the main campus students who live furthest from has undoubtedly igible senior” ben- buildings. school and deserve parking perparking spaces in improved since its efitted—according Parents who drop mits the most. To implementation; the front parking to assistant princi- off their students ease the adminishowever, the past lot dropped from pal Suzanne Wool- at school are also workload, two months of stu- 200 to 94 so that Considering specif- tration’s folk, at least 30 of partially to blame all “distance-eligident complaints faculty could be these seniors were for the perpetual ic numerical disble” students could have revealed perdenied one. More parking shortage: tances and school even be required to given a total of 160 sistent flaws in the importantly, when many will loiter submit additional commute times for system that simply spaces. it came down to with their kids in each applicant can screenshots of their can’t be ignored. the final selection student spaces in commute route and Under ASB and of students for parking permits, the front park- help ensure that mileage calculated Green Team’s new policy, parking distance eligibility didn’t actually ing lot and public distribution is as in Google Maps as permit distribution is based on stumatter. Picking within the prior- spaces along Jardin truly fair and equipart of the parking dents’s commute to school rather ity bracket was completely arbi- Drive, the street di- table as we claim it permit application. than a typical lottery. Students are trary, meaning those who lived a rectly parallel to the And in regards to sorted into priority groups based to be. few blocks outside the designated tennis courts. Alparent “loitering,” on their seniority and home locaborder had an equal chance of though they evenstricter enforcetion on a bordered map: those that obtaining a permit as those who tually leave when the bell rings, ment of the drop-off policy can reside within a one-and-a-halflived more than five miles from it. this prolonged “hovering” puts un- remedy this— adult volunteers mile radius around the school are It’s important to clarify, howev- necessary stress on other students or the Los Altos police could poconsidered “at-large,” while those er, that the problem at hand isn’t struggling to park their cars in the tentially be talked into helping that live even further are “distancethe conditions of the policy itself hectic morning traffic before first student conduct liaisons Julie Coreligible.” Seniors that fall into the but rather the too-disproportion- period begins. zine and Seth Tasman supervise latter category are the first to reate student-staff Un fo r t u n a te ly, parking around the school. ceive parking permits, followed by parking space split. more parking spacThis new two-story classroom “distance-eligible” juniors, comThe number of stues can’t be created building is only the beginning of a muters in the off-campus Freedent drivers greatly Those who lived a out of thin air, but series of campus renovations that style program, “seniors-at-large” outnumbers the few blocks outside that’s not to say that are bound to further disrupt daily and “juniors-at-large.” In the past, number of faculty, the designated these issues can’t be school life; as such, it’s crucial that students with learner's permits so staff shouldn’t fixed with other so- we continue to refine our approach could receive parking permits as have nearly twice border had an lutions. to student and staff parking in acwell, but as of this year, an official the amount of equal chance of Students could cordance with ever-changing condriver’s license was required to parking spaces as obtaining a permit petition the Los ditions. That being said, however, apply. The borders that help disstudents. What’s as those who lived Altos City Coun- this system doesn’t deserve to be tinguish the “at-large” from the more, assigning evcil to temporarily labeled a complete “failure” just “distance-eligible” have also shiftmore than five ery staff member to open up more street because of a few setbacks. The ed to exclude a greater number of a parking spot—in- miles from it. parking around the current parking permit policy alstudents in nearby neighborhoods cluding part-time school until next ready shows undeniable potential, who can walk or bike to school in teachers—may not be the most fall, when all construction that and with improvement, it can cer15 minutes or less. efficient approach. On average, affects parking availability will fi- tainly grow into a more fool-proof Despite being more fair and around 30 to 40 staff parking spac- nally finish. In addition, consider- system.

201 Almond Ave., Los Altos, CA October 4, 2019 Volume XXXV, Issue I Editor-In-Chief Daphne Ih Managing Editors Kristen Fan (Print) Isabella Borkovic (Web) Kylie Akiyama (Media) News Editor Janie Dent Opinions Editor Nikhita Boddu Features Editor Stella Huang Arts & Culture Editor Daniela Gloster Sports Editor Navya Singhai Copy/Content Editors Mayu Alten, Cathy Wang, Elli Lahdesmaki Senior Staff Lucas Bricca, Greg Corn, Marie Godderis, Suzanne Guo, Parisa Larson, Ethan Ruyack, Mia Scher, Julie Vargas, Barett Wong, Emily Zhu Staff Allie Bricca, Kaavya Butaney, Cedric Chan, Tomoki Chien, Cameron Cox, Elana Eisenberg, Meleseini Loto’aniu, Emily McNally, Amid Najmi, Nina Crofts, Rachel Rudyak, Vaishnavi Sirkay, Kate Stadler, Isaac Tesfaye Adviser Michael Moul

POLICIES Los Altos High School’s Compositional Journalism class is solely responsible for The Talon, which is published eight times a year. The Talon also updates its website, www.lahstalon.org, with full-time coverage.

The Editorial Board sets the policies of The Talon and crafts its editorials and thumbs.

ADVERTISE & SUBSCRIBE Send advertisement and subscription inquiries to talon.lahs@gmail.com.

Talon Supporters Honorary Pulitzers

THUMBS UP to ASB for hosting Movie Night On Friday, September 20, ASB brought back Movie Night for the first time in four years with a surprise screening of “The Karate Kid.” Tickets sold for $5, and students could also use them as food vouchers to buy up to $6 worth of snacks from clubs. The event was a success: more than 300 people attended and 19 clubs sold food and drinks, with some making as much as $400. The Talon appreciates ASB’s efforts to give clubs an extra opportunity to raise money.

Natalie Arsky, Lucas Bricca, Kristen Fan, Srimedha Rajagopalan, Lenoid Rudyak

Silver Supporters Alice and Eric Cox, Janie Dent, Amanda Gamble, Braxton Gill, The Godderis Family, Jeffrey Kraskouskas, Isaac Tesfaye, Catherine Vonnegut

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The Talon October 4, 2019

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. REBUILD MIDDLE CLASS 2. IMPROVE THE INTERNATIONAL OPINION OF THE US 3. ELECTION REFORM (WGERRYMANDERING, DONATION REGULATIONS, ETC.)

Although Joe Biden currently first in the polls, his charisma andhis overall “Joe Biden Although Joe isBiden is currently in first place in the polls, charisma and overall “Joe charm”Biden” seems charm to haveseems worn to offhave sinceworn he was Vice President under Barack Obama.

BackObama. in off since he was Vice President under Barack Back 2008 and 2012, he was known for being able to take down the Republican Vice Presidential in 2008 and 2012, he was known for being able to take down the Republican Vice Presidential nominee in debates, whether it be Sarah Palinwhether or Paul Ryan, with aPalin natural ease. Ryan, However, nominee at Vice Presidential debates, it be Sarah or Paul with a natural in this ease. election, it seems that his inability to properly defend himself from attacks during However, in this election, it seems that his inability to properly defend himself from debatesattacks may beduring his downfall. have beenMost followed withhave a significant debatesMost may debates be his downfall. debates followed drop with in a significant his polldrop numbers, five points in the5days afterinthe andJune dropping three in hisdropping poll numbers, dropping points theJune daysdebate, after the debate, and dropping points 3after the after September debate. Most of his talking points include some reference points the September debate.

Most of his talking points include some to reference to ObamaObama and theand Obama administration, which demeans his standing as a sole candidate, the Obama administration, which demeans his standing as a sole candidate, as as people still still onlyonly see him as Obama’s ViceVice President.

In addition, he’s he’s constantly being people see him as Obama’s President.

In addition, constantly being called called out for his moderate-leaning policies that differ from his progressive competitors, out for his moderate-leaning policies that differ from his progressive competitors, and he and he doesn’t doesn’t seem as as to why he doesn’t support Medicare for Allfor or All or free seem to tohave havea agood goodreason reason to why he doesn’t support Medicare free university education for everyone.

If Biden wants a fighting chance, he needs to forget university education for all. If Biden wants a fighting chance, he needs to forget Obama and Obamabecome and become an individual candidate. an individual candidate.

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. END WASHINGTON CORRUPTION AND STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY 2. MEDICARE FOR ALL 3. ACHIEVE ZERO NET EMISSIONS BY 2050

NINA CROFTS, KATY STADLER, STAFF W

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. MEDICARE FOR ALL 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF A GREEN NEW DEAL 3. $15 MINIMUM WAGE

Senator Elizabeth Warren has led her campaign with consistency and composure. Her main goal is to end corruption in Washington and fix a system that, in her words, currently only works for the wealthy. On the debate stage, she is able to speak eloquently and passionately about her ideals and has continued to gain traction among voters along the debate trail. Some, however, have concerns about her “likability” ratings, due to some recent scandals concerning her minority status. Still, recent polls give confidence that Warren is overcoming this extra hurdle she has to face. In one of statistical analysis website FiveThirtyEight’s recent polls in Iowa, a key swing state, Warren was two points ahead of Joe Biden, who started the presidential race as a clear frontrunner. If Warren can keep doing what she’s doing and hold her ground against Trump on the debate stage, we might be electing our first female president in 2020.

Sanders has a strong supporting base given that he was the first to propose the majority of progressive ideas that are now considered the norm in the Democratic field, such as Medicare for All, free college tuition, and a minimum wage increase. However, there are serious doubts in his ability to go against Trump. He’s great on a debate stage defending his progressive policies against moderates, but his skills are far weaker when debating Republicans with completely different talking points. He may have been a candidate with new, fresh ideas in 2016, but for 2020, it’s becoming clearer that Elizabeth Warren has replaced him as the main progressive in the field, and many of his 2016 supporters are moving to her side.

TOP 3 GOALS: 1.CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM REFORM 2. INVEST IN THE COUNTRY’S EDUCATION SYSTEM 3. INCREASE GUN CONTROL AND BAN IMPORTS ON AR 15 WEAPONS

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. ESTABLISH UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME OF $1000 PER MONTH 2. MEDICARE FOR ALL 3. PROMOTE A FORM OF CAPITALISM THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE

Kamala Harris has had impressive success, especially after taking on Vice President Joe Biden in the July debate. Her policies are clear, needed, and useful. However, as a former prosecutor, her criminal justice record contradicts her policies about lighter jail sentences for nonviolent offenses. When she was Attorney General of California, she worked to slow the release of prisoners in jail, even after the Supreme Court found that jails were overcrowded. Inconsistencies like these are concerning because it shows that Harris might be more worried about becoming elected rather than sticking to her promises.

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang has become surprisingly popular recently, with the New York Times dubbing him the “Internet’s Favorite Candidate.” An entrepreneur with zero political experience, he approaches problems with a solutionbased mindset rather than one focused on public approval. His plans aren’t vague blurbs about America’s values but rather are specific and actionable. This is evident in his Freedom Dividend policy, which would implement a universal basic income (UBI) of $1000 per month for any adult, regardless of work status or any other factors. It’s clear he’s done his research: according to his website, UBI would grow the economy by $2.5 trillion by 2025 and increase the labor force. For all 150 of his outlined policies, he lists problems that each policy aims to solve and what he will do as President to implement it. Yang has shown us that he’s not a politician, but it may be a good thing.

The Talon October 4, 2019

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TOP 3 GOALS: 1. NET ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050 2. STRENGTHEN ACA AND MEDICARE FOR ALL 3. WORK TO UPLIFT RURAL AMERICA

After rising to fame as South Bend’s Mayor Pete, the initial shine of a young, small-town mayor running for president of the United States has worn off.

His polling numbers have dropped and he’s at a respectable fifth place, but among minority groups, he’s much lower. Buttigieg frequently polls around 1 percent with African-American and Latinx voters, likely because he’s neglecting to visit their communities on the campaign trail. He is a Rhodes Scholar who speaks seven languages, which is impressive, but he doesn’t need to keep flashing it around like a toy. Personally, we think he’d make a great Vice President pick for a candidate trying to appeal to young voters. He has a lot of popularity among the younger demographic and easily persuades people with his charisma, but he lacks the experience needed to be president. There’s nothing that stands out about his policies, or something that would compel voters to vote for him. He’s basically Joe Biden, just younger.

WRITERS | EMILY ZHU, GRAPHIC ARTIST

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. NET ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050 2. REFORM CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM 3. EXPAND GUN RESTRICTIONS

Beto O’Rourke may not be the most memorable candidate, but he’s made sure that we remember two things: his fluency in Spanish and the fact that his hometown is El Paso, a town that recently experienced a horrific mass shooting that killed 22. He has used the debate stage, and frankly, his hometown, as a platform to speak about gun violence. Receiving praise for his response of “Hell, yes” when asked if he would require that gun owners sell guns back to the government, his performance in Texas wasn’t deplorable, but it didn’t do his campaign any favors either. He remains one of the candidates with the weakest polling numbers.

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. PROVIDE PUBLIC OPTION FOR HEALTHCARE 2. EXPAND GUN CONTROL 3. NET ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050

Throughout the entirety of her campaign, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has championed the fact that she is from the Midwest, telling voters that she is essential to winning key swing states back for Democrats. While this may be true, it seems to be one of the only things that sets her apart from the other candidates. She believes in taking action to solve climate change and expanding gun restrictions—but so does almost every other candidate on the Democratic debate stage. Despite holding her own during debates, she’s had no standout moments that would make us believe she could go up against Donald Trump’s brutal tactics on stage.

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM 2. IMPROVE THE NATIONAL STANDARD OF EDUCATION 3. LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND RELEASE THOSE IMPRISONED FOR MARIJUANA CONVICTIONS

Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, who most people know for his sassy Twitter comebacks and his brutal interrogation of Brett Kavanaugh, hasn’t been very memorable in the race so far. Voters see him as friendly, casual and charming, but he’s desperately in need of a standout moment or a policy that will set him apart from the other candidates. Instead of making a name for himself, he’s been wasting his quite limited speaking time during debates preaching “party unity” and talking about his past as the mayor of Newark. Overall, that makes him somewhat of a forgettable candidate in the crowded field

TOP 3 GOALS: 1. IMMIGRATION REFORM 2. END POLICE VIOLENCE TOWARDS MINORITIES 3. IMPROVE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LIVING

Julian Castro seemed really promising until the third Democratic debate.

He has a solid and detailed plan for immigration reform that most other candidates lack. He also supports radical changes to government departments and programs that most candidates are not advocating for, such as the severe reform of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the reform of the Housing and Urban Development department. He’s a young, fresh face compared to the candidates that voters already know and have opinions about.

However, an attack on Biden’s poor memory and a hint that it was due to his age during the September debate wasn’t well received by viewers or the media—it may have been a complete backfire for his campaign.

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The Talon October 4, 2019

Read more features articles at lahstalon.org/category/features/

Evan

CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE Evan loves to write drunk stories, where authors simply write in a state of drunken stupor. He doesn’t get drunk; instead, he just writes whatever comes to mind, no matter how crazy or confusing. Through drunk stories and similar approaches, he cultivated a selection of stories and poetry.

Gradually, Evan’s collection of short stories and poems grew and took form to become the basis of the novel he is now writing, “Future’s Advent.” The easygoing approach Evan took to start his novel consisted of using voice memos to record his ideas, which, being unpredictable, would come and go at any given time. Evan always had his phone at hand, ready to record his ideas. Over time, they became a cohesive story.

As many aspiring writers would confirm, writing a novel is hard. It takes hours upon hours of work and planning, as well as a laser-like focus.

COURTESY EVAN FINE

Junior Evan Fine skillfully performs the Double Violin Concerto in D minor at Maryknoll Chapel. He is currently composing violin motifs for characters in his novel “Future’s Advent.”

When asked to give advice to readers, Evan mentioned a quote that he appreciates from his English teacher Michael Moul: “Look beyond the words; go into the nuances of the story.”

Although it requires significantly more effort than short stories, Evan loves writing “Future’s Advent,” which is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel. His inspiration for writing came at the exact same time his love for the violin did: when he was three-years-old, he watched and fell in love with the sci-fi movie “The Forbidden Planet.”

“Chronophobia, they call it—the fear of time—because you don’t know what is going to happen,” Evan said. “It’s that kind of fear that made me look into science fiction. It can talk about a good future or a bad future. And it’s that sort of uncertainty that makes it interesting.”

The plot of his book follows five humans—Ettian Durant, Andrew Asden, Jason Theoaran, Alex Shuman and Lana Nemeth—across a universe with two main political coalitions: the United Coalition and the Iron Stars.

The United Coalition is militaryfocused, without concern for its people, and it is terrorized by attacks by the so-called ESPERs, a mysterious alien force, occurring every 20 years. The Iron Stars is a meritocracy where people augment themselves by replacing body parts with robotic counterparts.

In a blend of his creative talents,

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Evan is working on composing a motif for each character in the novel.

“Jason’s motif starts like a very ceremonial thing, what you would expect of the president, and then it becomes a more human theme,” Evan said, humming the tune. “That’s what his character arc is, really.”

These distinct elements—writing and music—are unified by Evan’s passion for creation.

“I’m hoping to publish my music with the book,” Evan said. “Some-

thing I like is both writing and music, so I figured, why not do it together? Copyright the book, copyright the music, stick them together.

Voilà.”

This book has taken more than a year of planning, and Evan hopes to publish it before the end of high school. Motivated by his passion for creation, Evan hopes to have a sequel called “Afterglow.” So, as Evan once said, “Buy my stuff.” Or as we said, “Buy Fine stuff.”

Victor Nguyen: what’s on the Nguyen(side) counts the most “I don’t need people to take me seriously as long as they take class Staff Writers seriously and the work seriously,” Nguyen said. “It’s why I have a “My name is Victor Nguyen. ukulele in class.”

Nguyen aims to create a posiI’m 29. I like long walks on the beach—except actually, I don’t. tive and constructive relationship with his students.

It’s kind of sandy. It’s messy.”

“It doesn’t mean they need to This is how math teacher Victor Nguyen responded when asked to talk to me like they’re becoming my friends or BFFs, but at least I introduce himself.

You might know Nguyen as try to be more understanding and that teacher that looks more like as flexible as possible,” Nguyen a student. Maybe you know him said.

Seniors Elena Atluri and Sarah as that teacher with a fan club.

Or perhaps you know him as just Yung can attest to the relationplain old Mr. Nguyen, geometry- ships Nguyen forms with his students. When asked what fruit slash-calculus teacher.

Regardless, one of his most dis- they would describe Nguyen as, Elena and Sarah said, tinctive characteris“An orange because tics is the eccentric there’s a hard exteteaching style that he For me, you rerior, and he’s sour uses with students. when you first get Teaching for seven ally shouldn’t be to know him, but as years—with three at a teacher if you your rapport ripens, Los Altos—Nguyen don’t care for it gets sweeter.” is one of the more Math teacher Linh recent additions to your students.

Tran, who worked Los Altos’s faculty.

— math teacher Victor Nguyen with Nguyen in AlAs many students gebra II last year, might know, the reagreed with their lationship Nguyen has with his students is not the most typi- perspective.

“He pretends like he doesn’t cal. It’s common to see him joking around with, or maybe even care. You can say, ‘Hi’ to him, and he’d be like, ‘Oh, whatever,’ roasting, his students.

“I’m always able to roast people but you can obviously see that he very quickly and easily,” Nguyen loves his kids,” Tran said.

But while teaching is natural said. “I don’t know how I’m able for Nguyen, it wasn’t always the to—it just happens.”

He acknowledges that this plan.

“There was some pressure to go might be unorthodox to those who haven’t gotten to know him into medical, pre-med stuff being and what his class is like, com- from an Asian family in the Bay menting how an outsider might Area,” Nguyen said. “I didn’t rebe thinking, “Wow, really? He’s ally have too much opportunity gonna do that?” But it’s all in an to think about what I wanted to effort to create a laid-back envi- do, and so I was just like, ‘Okay, sure. Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll ronment in class.

CEDRIC CHAN VAISHU SIRKAY

be a doctor one day.’ And that’s just kind of how I operated for a very long time.”

However, after interning at a hospital in junior year of college, he realized that he didn’t want to be a doctor. He pursued teaching instead, mostly because it was a minor he could complete in his remaining year of college.

Although his choice of graduating with a degree in biochemistry and becoming a math teacher doesn’t exactly align, his decision wasn’t totally out of the blue. Despite the fact that Nguyen has always been good at math, he never really enjoyed it because of negative experiences with math teachers throughout high school, and preferred science. So, when he was deciding what to teach,

he looked back on his own high school experience, and became a math teacher with the motivation that he could “totally do it better than the people that taught [him].” He’s carried that attitude into the classroom to this day.

One of the chief issues Nguyen had with his teachers was their lack of communication skills.

“Part of it just seemed like they didn’t know how to teach a classroom. They didn’t know how to talk to kids, to teenagers,” Nguyen said.

So, in his teaching, he strives for the opposite: a line of communication with his students that feels natural, friendly and open. He takes what he wishes his teachers would have done and channels it into his own practices, creating a

safe place where students know he really cares.

“For me, you really shouldn’t be a teacher if you don’t care for your students,” Nguyen said, “I don’t know what other teachers are thinking or feeling but I’m just saying: if you’re not in this to help people, you probably aren’t the best fit to be a teacher.”

So the next time you see Nguyen walking around campus, you might still see him as that teacher that looks more like a student.

Maybe you’ll see him as that teacher with a fan club. Or perhaps you’ll see him as just plain, old Mr. Nguyen, geometry-slashcalculus teacher. But once you peel back the layers, you’ll also see that there’s something sweet there, just like there is in all of us.

AMID NAJMI

In his second period Calculus BC class, math teacher Victor Nguyen teaches juniors Grady Hofmann and Egor Cherkashin how to compute and graph derivatives on their calculators.

The Talon October 4, 2019

SUZANNE GUO PARISA LARSON SUZANNE GUO MARIE GODDERIS PARISA LARSON Senior Writers Senior Writers Photographer

After a few years of inactivity, the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Council, a student-run leadership program for the AVID classes, is making a comeback. AVID guides high-achieving minority students from all four grades through the college application process. Grouped together by grade levels, AVID students collaborate with their peers for their whole high school career and gain exposure to academic support and internship opportunities. Four seniors, advised by English teacher Aranxta Arriada, have risen up to lead a motivated group of AVID students to break their inactive streak this year. Filled with hope and promise, the council is striving to unite all four grades of AVID and create a stronger sense of community between the upperclassmen and underclassmen. Below are the personal experiences and goals of the four leaders of AVID Council: President Michelle Mejia, Vice-President Melaine Hernandez, Secretary Meleseini Lotoaniu and Treasurer Luis Gomez.

SENIOR MICHELLE MEJIA

SENIOR MELAINE HERNANDEZ

When Michelle was first recommended for AVID in middle school, she never imagined that she would lead a tight knit family of students connected by their shared dream of attending college.

“There is such a warm feeling when I walk into class,” Michelle said. “I’ve been with these students every year in high school and I’ve grown with them.”

Not only has AVID helped her by encouraging her to maintain high grades and offering her internship opportunities, it has also allowed Michelle to gain leadership qualities and confidence.

As President, she wants to instill the confidence she has received from AVID into the program’s underclassmen by ensuring that their voices are heard in club meetings.

“I don’t really like presenting,” Michelle said. “I’d rather talk with people. I just go up there and we talk about Homecoming or the fundraiser at movie night. At the end, I ask people if they have new ideas, and I want to make sure that all people’s ideas are represented.”

She is putting her goal into effect during meetings by delegating students in the club with different roles in committees such as fundraising, events and publicity. This system allows members to work together and feel like they belong.

“Just being in AVID feels like having a place on campus,” Michelle said. “You’re with a group of people that are like you and connect with you. They’ve been through the same things that you go through. AVID gives me a nice family on campus.”

Even before high school, Melaine had known that she would be part of AVID as a high schooler. As a first-generation student in AVID, Melaine has been paving the road to college for herself and for her younger brothers along the way.

“AVID has really impacted me because I am a first-generation student in my family, and they really hope I can go off to college,” Melaine said.

AVID has helped Melaine participate in the Child Development Academy at Foothill Community College and in an internship at the El Camino YMCA, where she emailed donors for fundraising.

This year, Melaine decided that she had to step in to ensure that the club remains active.

“Our council last year had one meeting, and then they kind of disappeared,” Melaine said. “The people who were in charge of it last year didn’t really do much. We’ve always wanted to be in the AVID Council, but we never had the chance to. Now we can finally be in it, so we really want to get it going this year.”

As Vice President, Melaine will be working closely with the event coordinators of the club to hold fundraisers, which publicize AVID to the student body and support the program’s activities. She wants to clarify the common misconception that AVID is a program for students who need help in their classes.

“It’s for students who are very determined throughout their whole high school career and are determined to go to college and do well,” she said.

“I really want AVID to get the recognition it deserves.”

SENIOR MELESEINI LOTOANIU

SENIOR LUIS GOMEZ

Like many other AVID students, Meleseini’s family does not have much experience with education in the Bay Area. Her parents are from the Kingdom of Tonga, a Polynesian island located in the south Pacific.

“It’s a small island nation where you’re isolated from the rest of the world,” she said. “They grew up in the chill island life, and all of a sudden they come here and [it’s all] iPhones and computers—and so much money.”

Her parents believe that college is important for her to experience, but they don’t fully understand the advantages of a college education. AVID has not only helped Meleseini change her parents’s perceptions, but it has also guided her through the application process.

“I know for sure if it wasn’t for AVID, [applying] to a four-year [college] would be so confusing,” she said. “AVID has taught me how to apply to schools that are more challenging.”

Looking back on her freshman experiences, she remembers how intimidated she felt by the upperclassman in AVID Council.

“That’s why I wanted to run for a position this year, so that I could be a frontrunner,” Meleseini said. “I could be someone actively involved and trying to make this club [more inclusive].”

Meleseini embraces the companionship she feels with fellow AVID students. As an active leader in the club, she hopes to promote these connections among all grade levels through an all-AVID trip to the beach.

“AVID has done so much for me,” she said. “I want to do something for AVID, too.”

Meleseini is a staff writer for The Talon.

Luis has always been closely involved within his communities. He participated in student government in middle school and helped a church with fundraising events and finances as a freshman. Now, as the Treasurer for AVID Council, he is able to apply his past experiences in financing to help lead AVID members.

Luis entered AVID as a junior, unlike most students who join their freshman year.

“I was actually recommended to join freshman year because my grades were good,” he said. “But I didn’t think I wanted [to] then.”

While at a volunteering event, Luis had a thorough discussion with one of his friends in the program, where he gained more detailed insight about the benefits of AVID. Now, Luis fits well into the AVID community—not only did he gain a group of supportive friends, but he was able to build onto his love for community service. “[AVID] emphasizes a lot of leadership and involvement,” he said. “I wasn’t lacking that, but I thought that it wouldn’t hurt to be a little bit more involved within the AVID community.”

Luis also hopes to build a strong foundation for the future of the club, so that it will continue after he graduates. He wants upperclassmen and underclassmen to interact more, especially so that the underclassmen have mentors to take advice from.

“Electing AVID students who are passionate about their community will be imperative in ensuring that every AVID class has people to look up to and learn from,” he said. “A club’s success can only be tied to the leadership running it.”

PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

VICE PRESIDENT

TREASURER

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The Talon October 4, 2019

Catch reviews of new movies, music and more, plus read the Arts & Culture archives at lahstalon.org/category/artsculture

Spiderman activist group disbands after fulfilling “true purpose” KATY STADLER

ists have, and the lengths we were willing to go to save our hero.”

A therapy-turned-activist group After getting the news that Spicalling themselves the “Spactiv- derman had been pulled from ists” recently hosted their final the MCU and being promptly meeting of celebration at a local fired from her job due to a violent Quizno’s, crediting themselves outburst that “put our children for Spiderman’s return to the in danger,” Peterson started the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Uni- “Spidey Bereavement Therapy verse) on September 27.

Group” (SBTG).

Named as a combination of The SBTG met twice a week at “Spiderman” and “activist,” the 8 pm in Peterson’s local Quizno’s group was formed when Spider- and quickly accumulated hunman’s initial exit from dreds of members, the MCU triggered some of whom extreme emotional came in looking responses from fans. We use any type only for a toasted They aimed to use “any of sign. sandwich but left means necessary” to with an ideology.

— Spactivist founder promote their cause, 16-year-old ConMary Peterson including “paper signs, nor Garcia was one plastic signs, wooden of the first memsigns, and even cardboard signs.” bers to join after a breakdown he “We use any type of sign,” com- described as “full of mucus, yet mented “Spactivist” founder and life changing,” which was trigformer second-grade teacher gered by a spider crawling across Mary Peterson. “I think that his calculus homework. Local shows the versatility us Spactiv- police reports state that the teen Staff Writer

Dora CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE When Dora’s parents leave in search of the lost Incan city of Parapata, they decide to send Dora to high school in LA with Diego, her cousin. This is shortlived, however, as Dora, Diego, and her classmates Sammy and Randy are soon kidnapped by treasure hunters who are after Dora’s parents’ research. Facing the obligatory challenges of treasure hunting in the jungle, the group navigates their way to the hidden city and their freedom.

The film starts off with what

one might expect of a typical cartoon to live-action transition: Elementary-aged Dora and Diego driving around the jungle in a bright yellow, child-sized Jeep, an unconvincingly rendered CGI Boots, and a chorus of singing rocks, trees, animals, a backpack and a map. Luckily for audiences that might be turned off by another one of those films, this scene is revealed as simply being the childish imaginations of the pair, the first joking hint at the ridiculous premise of the original show.

This humorous, self-deprecating tone is further emphasized throughout the film with Dora’s mannerisms clashing with the brutal life of high school. Perhaps the most memorable of these is Dora’s tendency to break the fourth wall.

was later found “naked and shivering,” hiding behind a crate of half-molded cabbages in a freezer at the Costco near his home.

“It was after I had to cover my uncontrollably quaking ass with a cabbage that I knew something was wrong,” Garcia said, wringing his hands as he remembered his traumatizing realization. “I needed help.”

After seeing a SBTG flyer on the floor of his school’s boys bathroom, Garcia knew that the help he needed had arrived.

“My parents wanted me to see a therapist,” he said. “But I thought, WWSD—what would Spiderman do? So I said no.”

“After two weeks, it was just Mary yelling and waving her fist,” reported another Spactivist, 72 year old Gretchen Viner. “Sometimes we’d take breaks to cry and hold each other for a bit. We were angry, but we were inspired.”

Last Tuesday marked the date of the group’s last meeting.

In one scene, six-year-old Dora looks right at the camera—off into space for everyone else— and says, “Can you say ‘delicioso’? . . . Say ‘delicioso’!”

While Dora doesn’t carry this habit into her high school life, she does carry her seemingly endless stash of survival supplies. On her first day of school, Dora stops the whole security line as they find her emergency food kit, shelter, radio and GPS, among other things. Later on, after she is kidnapped, Dora pulls out a knife, earning a sarcastic “Oh, look: Dora brought a knife on the field trip, everybody” from her classmate Sammy. And, again eliciting much disdain from her classmates, Dora brings along her impromptu songwriting and animal imitations into every situation, whether it be trekking

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Dora, now a teenager, hugs pet monkey Boots goodbye. “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” brings the original characters from the cartoon to the big screen with a new live-action look.

SUZANNE GUO

“Now that we’ve fixed everything, it’s time to go back to our normal lives,” Peterson yelled across a room of a thousand SBTG members to begin the session, which ended in one last group cry.

Peterson was not available for further comment after the meeting, as she rushed to get to

her I Am Groot language class at the YMCA. Disclaimer for NML students: This article is satirical. The events and people quoted are fictional.

through dense jungle or going in terms of follow-through in to the bathroom in it. the rest of the movie: Dora’s Each of these things would fit behaviors remain, for all inperfectly in the original show, tents and purposes, the same. yet in the context of a live- Though the message might be action, seems to be completely to continue acting like yourself ridiculous. But instead of cut- no matter what, it isn’t reinting these out, Boforced enough. bin uses them to Another message, create sort of an however, does hit This allows all inside joke for exthe mark more acDora-watchers, a of the distinccurately.

Starting subtle allusion to tive and wellfrom the beginchildhood enter- loved characning of the film, it tainment masked is repeatedly statters a reprise, behind humor. ed that the search These also help the but with a touch for Parapata isn’t a film remain true to of live action treasure-hunting its roots by find- magic as well. mission; it’s an ading the balance beventure of exploratween reality and tion for the sake of the magical world that chil- education and archaeology. As dren can get lost in. the plot progresses, this is furThe talking map and back- ther echoed in things like the pack lose their personification, antagonistic role of the actual instead becoming a practical treasure hunters. And as the navigation tool and an endless climax arrives, Dora beats the supply closet. At the same time jungle puzzle while the treasure though, there’s enough malle- hunters fail because she values ability in the realism of Dora’s water over gold. All this circles world that Boots can exist as a back to one of the most basic cute, non-aging sidekick, and tenets of the original show, as Swiper can exist as a clumsy, seen in the title—“Dora the scheming villain who repeated- Explorer.” In the end, it creates ly smashes his face into a Jeep. a moral hierarchy with greed This allows all of the distinctive squarely at the bottom. and well-loved characters a reAnd while all these different prise, but with a touch of live- elements highlight what brings action magic as well. the character to life, it’s all tied As in the original show, Dora’s together by themes of positivity exuberance is boundless. From and inclusivity—the need to acthe moment she steps onto cept oneself among the judgecampus, she smiles and waves mental nature of teenage life, at every stranger she passes, even in the face of harsh crisaying, “¡Hola! Soy Dora” even tique and challenges. Further, as they ignore her. In class, she despite the treasure-themed shares her extensive knowledge adventure, there is a strong emon various topics, clearly en- phasis on the importance of cujoying school—a stark contrast riosity and the value of explofrom the bored students around ration of history over wealth. her. And at the school dance, Although the principles might she takes her animal imitations seem simple, the movie is able to the dance f loor, ushering in to hit on different tones that even more ridicule than before. will interest audiences of all age All of this climaxes as Dora’s groups. Each layer of the film resolve finally collapses in a captures another niche audipoignant scene where she faces ence with the fantasy, message, how hopeless her optimism is, tongue-in-cheek jokes and meas well as how Diego is being morial of the original show all targeted at school because of playing a part. And, of course, it. In the moment, the scene is everything’s all tied up in a big, powerful, but it does fall short must-watch, Dora-esque bow.

A R T S & C U LT U R E

The Talon October 4, 2019

“IT: Chapter 2” is more than a horror movie NINA CROFTS Staff Writer

Two years after the release of the first movie in the franchise, “IT: Chapter 2” goes further than a standard horror movie would, with a complex plot, killer cast of A-list actors, and a natural balance of funny and serious moments. IT: Chapter 2 is a satisfying watch (if you can handle Pennywise, that is).

“IT: Chapter 2” is set in 2016 in the town of Derry, Maine, where the middle schoolers of the first movie are now in their early forties and have all gone their own ways, forgetting both Derry and each other. Most viewers will remember Beverly, Bill and Eddie from the first movie, as they were given more developed storylines.

However, in “IT: Chapter 2,” more of the spotlight is placed on minor characters from the first movie.

Mike barely spoke in IT, yet in “IT: Chapter 2,” he leads the group in the fight against Pennywise. Richie, who was primarily a source of comic relief in the first movie, comes out as gay. Through

this storyline, viewers discover his love for one of his friends, Eddie, which he’s been hiding since childhood. Ben, who was simply Beverly’s doting admirer, finally admits his feelings to her and ends the love triangle between Beverly, Ben and Bill. By giving the less memorable characters from IT more fully developed character arcs in “IT: Chapter 2,” viewers are able to see the “loser’s club” as a united group in a more rounded conclusion to the story.

Although IT: Chapter 2 continues the story that was introduced in the first installment, the sequel feels different from its predecessor. It’s significantly gorier and doesn’t hesitate to use blood and graphic violence in ways that the first movie refrained from.

Although the excess blood and guts can seem unnecessary at times, it’s balanced by the addition of a more comedic feel.

The cast has a natural chemistry, and the reunion of the main characters is one of the funniest parts of the movie, as they tease each other about how different they are as adults. The comedic

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banter between the adults gives the movie a more lighthearted and humourous feel and without those comedic moments, the movie’s plot would have felt played-out and forced. The comedy and lighthearted feel provides the IT franchise with the revamp it needed for its second and final movie.

One of “IT: Chapter 2’s” most successful feats is how it manages to flawlessly connect the present to the past through flashbacks. These smooth transitions are made possible primarily by

the adult cast, who portray the characters in the “loser’s club” with seamless continuity to the children introduced in the first movie. Each character’s storyline felt incomplete at the end of the first movie, so it’s nice to see each character get a satisfying wrapup by the second movie’s close.

“IT: Chapter 2” doesn’t feel like a horror movie. Gore and jumpscares are done purposefully instead of just trying to elicit fear from the viewer. There’s a complex plot line and each character has a fully developed character arc, which most horror movies don’t typically bother to include. Part of this should be credited to Stephen King’s original material, but this movie does a great job of conveying the intricate plot and characters the way King intended— King even made a cameo halfway through.

If you’re looking for cheap scares, IT: Chapter 2 won’t deliver. However, if you’re looking for a tangled thriller with aspects of mystery dotted throughout, “IT: Chapter 2” is exactly what you’re looking for.

“Hobbs and Shaw” takes on Polynesia lation. ing a war dance before battling As a fan of the “Fast and Fu- with Brixton. Including these rious” films, I was traditions re“Moana” and “Lilo & Stitch” looking forward ally emphasized have always been cute, cud- to a spin-off fea- Being born and what a Polynedly films and two of my favor- turing Hobbs. He sian is: strong, ite Disney movies. But they was a compassion- raised in America, brave and diliweren’t just fun films to watch ate, large man who I never really saw gent. Watching with my family. They were the looked remotely people like me, these cultural only times we saw people like Polynesian and I and because of references unus on screen. Even then, they was hopeful that the fold on the big that, I didn’t feel weren’t real people—they were writers would match screen made cartoons. But the latest install- Dwayne Johnson’s confident expressme feel proud ment of the “Fast and Furious” half-Samoan heri- ing my culture—I of where I come film series, “Hobbs and Shaw,” tage with Hobbs’s. from, which is felt disconnected portrays Polynesian culture And they did. Norsomething I norfrom it. with real Polynesian people, mally, we’re only mally feel interwhich in Hollywood is rare. shown when charnally, but often The movie itself features acters take holiday vacations don’t feel comfortable showing. two main characters: Hobbs to Hawaii or other tropical isBeing born and raised in and, well, Shaw. Luke Hobbs land paradises, so the fact that America, I never really saw (Dwayne Johnson) is an Ameri- Hobbs and Shaw actually ad- people like me, and because of can D.S.S. agent who still makes venture to Samoa—and not just that, I didn’t feel confident extime to coach his daughter’s as tourists—is definitely a step pressing my culture—I felt dissoccer team, while Deckard towards the widespread recog- connected from it. The story of Shaw (Jason Statham) is a for- nition of Polynesia I’ve been Hobbs finding his way back to mer British MI6 agent who is longing for. his roots resonated with me benow a rogue assassin. Their inSeeing a major movie produc- cause I understood how it felt tense rivalry from events in pre- tion portray Samoa as a real, to be detached from your culvious films prevents them from nuanced place and watching ture. When Hobbs brought his working well together. Howev- the actors honor its culture daughter to meet his mother for er, they are forced to set aside earned my respect. In the mov- the first time, I teared up. I’m their differences when both are ie, Hobbs decided to go “old actually Tongan and not Samorecruited by the Central Intel- school” by using old-fashioned an, but it reminded me of when ligence Agency (CIA) to stop weapons like spears and axes, I spent time with my grandparBrixton Lore (Idris Elba) from wearing a lavalava (a tradition- ents and it made me feel nosobtaining a deadly virus that al woven piece of clothing worn talgic. Spending time with my could wipe off the entire popu- around the waist) and perform- grandparents in Tonga played a big role in reconnecting with my heritage. I saw myself on that screen. After so many years of dealing with people who had both an indifferent and hostile regard for my ethnicity, sitting in a theater and watching it on the big screen reaffirmed to me that my culture is important and real.

Of course, there were still some misinterpretations within the film, one of the most notable ones being that the background music when Hobbs and Shaw arrived in Samoa was a Tokelauan song, a different Polynesian culture. Additionally, some of the actors weren’t Samoan. The actor who played FAST AND FURIOUS YOUTUBE CHANNEL Hobbs leads his army of brothers in a war dance before going to battle. Hobbs’ older brother was actu“Hobbs and Shaw” explores Polynesian culture, which is uncommon in ally Maori, another was Tongan and another brother, who was major Hollywood productions.

MELESEINI LOTOANIU Staff Writer

Dwayne Johnson’s real life relative and actually Samoan didn’t have any lines. This movie was portraying Samoa and Samoa only, so it felt unnecessary to cast people of different Polynesian heritages—we’re not all the same.

Overall, these little mistakes didn’t detract from the amount of recognition the movie brought to Polynesia. I am still glad Hollywood was able to shine a little light on the South Pacific and I hope “Hobbs and Shaw” isn’t the last of it. We have many stories to tell and certainly aren’t done telling them.

Tallon Llama

By Suzanne Guo

Sweater Weather?

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The Talon October 4, 2019

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Get daily updates on Eagle athletics and read the sports archives at lahstalon.org/category/sports

Freshman Lauren Soobrian races to gold ELANA EISENBERG Staff Writer

Winning a varsity cross country race is a significant achievement. Winning the first race of the season as a freshman is even more impressive. But winning an almost three-mile race despite getting lost multiple times? That wins the gold, just like Lauren Soobrian did at her first high school meet.

On Saturday, September 7, the Los Altos cross country team boarded a bus at 6:45 a.m. and headed up to San Francisco’s foggy Golden Gate Park for the 2019 Lowell Invitational Meet. Due to the rainy weather in the park, the race paths were reconfigured to route the runners through less muddy areas. This left Lauren, the leader of her heat, with no one to follow on the unfamiliar terrain.

“The course wasn’t really marked that well,” she said. “I had to ask the girl behind me which way to turn.”

Near the end of the course, Lauren said, they were both misdirected to go down a hill. When she reached the bottom of the hill, one of the volunteers monitoring the course informed Lauren that she had to run back up.

“I was confused [about] which way we were going, and I was kind of freaking out too,” Lauren said.

Nevertheless, she heeded the instructions, swallowed her irritation and found her way back onto the course. Despite the confusion, backtracking and additional mileage, Lauren ran the fastest time out of 182 varsity girls, completing the 2.8 mile course in

16 minutes and 39.3 seconds.

What was originally counted as a course record for the victorious freshman has been withdrawn, as this year’s course turned out to be 0.13 miles shorter than the usual route. Still, Lauren’s success so early in her freshman year is promising, and head cross country coach Steph Mackenzie is excited to watch Lauren challenge some of the school’s cross country records throughout her high school career.

Lauren is currently the fastest runner on the varsity girls cross country team and is one of the six underclassmen girls competing at the varsity level. However, she is dealing with more than just the pressure that comes with being a top varsity athlete. Aside from navigating steep hills and long Saturday runs, Lauren is also navigating a recent move back to the Bay Area.

Lauren grew up in the suburbs surrounding San Francisco—less than 15 miles from Golden Gate Park—but she and her family moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 2015. There, Lauren attended Crofton House, a private all-girls school where she discovered her love for running. Her fifth-grade teacher’s obsession with running laps introduced her to the sport, and she eventually joined the cross country team. In Canada, high school starts in eighth grade, but during cross country meets, the eighth graders were grouped into their own category and didn’t race against the older girls. Since her return to the Bay Area this past summer, Lauren has been training and racing with athletes

up to three years older than her.

Lauren said that running with the team, along with support from her family, has made her transition much easier. When she signed up for high school, the first thing she and her parents looked for was the cross country team.

As she reflected on that initial excitement, Lauren said, “It’s just been a really positive experience.

I’ve gotten to meet a lot of new people.”

When asked about these “new people” that Lauren has met, Mackenzie laughed.

“She’s doing workouts with some of the varsity boys, although I don’t know if the boys want to comment on it,” said the coach.

But senior Luke Sage was more than happy to compliment his freshman teammate.

“It's been really, really cool,” he said when talking about running with Lauren. “It's just shocking how fast she is.”

Lauren continues to shock audiences with her speed, racing her way to the top of the region’s ranks and proving that her first meet was not just a fluke. Just

this past weekend, at the De La Salle Nike Invitational Meet in Newhall Park, she placed second out of 207 varsity girls with a time of 18 minutes and 6.76 seconds on the three-mile course.

However, even with all this early success and excitement, Lauren is keeping her options open. She is focusing on improving her times this season and adjusting to high school life, and is still unsure if she will pursue running in college. Nevertheless, she says she is certain that running will always be a major part of her life.

BARRETT WONG

Freshman Lauren Soobrian pants as she heads down a large hill during the second mile at the De la Salle Nike Invitational Meet in Newhall Park, Concord. On Saturday, September 21, Lauren placed second overall in the girls varsity race with a time of 18 minutes and 6.76 seconds on the three-mile course.

Girls water polo swims for the win MAYU ALTEN EMILY MCNALLY

Copy/Content Editor Photographer

After winning CCS championships for the past two years, the varsity girls water polo team is currently 4-1 in their league and looking forward to continuing their streak with another outstanding season.

After losing last year’s seniors and key players like Kayley Gould and Cynthia Yee, the team’s current upperclassmen have stepped up to fill in their shoes not only with talent, but with leadership.

Now they guide the younger players and are training them to take their places next year. With only ten field players, the team is much smaller and the dynamic has changed–the team is extremely tight-knit. Furthermore, the younger players this year are held to the same standard as the upperclassmen due to their extensive backgrounds in water polo even before high school. Because of this, the players are able to regard each other as equals and work more fluidly as a team.

“We're anticipating a lot of girls to get a lot of playing time. We’re

EMILY MCNALLY

Senior Silke Tuyls raises her arm as she prepares to throw the ball against her Spartan defender. After winning CCS championships last year, they once again beat Mountain View 13-8.

working on making sure that they're ready to come in off the bench and kind of play through the game,'' varsity girls coach Katie Tasman said.

The girls kicked off the season with the annual Saint Francis invitational tournament on Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8. Tasman said the tournament was a great way for the team to practice working together and for the older players to test out their leadership roles.

Losing against a competitive team like Saint Francis in their first game with a score of 5-13 showed the team where they were lacking so that they could improve for the rest of the season.

“We had to play way more physically. That means if a team’s being super aggressive, not to shrivel up and sink under water,” Tasman said.

“We need to get up and accept that contact, kind of invite it and give it back to them in a sense where it’s still being positive and respectful to the other team but not letting them walk all over us. We need to be a little more forceful and make the first move rather than having to react to their moves.”

Once accomplished, the players can focus more on figuring out how each girl contributes to the team so they could play to their strengths.

To do this, the seniors have emphasized the commitment it takes to create a successful team.

“It's the dedication and the heart that they're really instilling into these younger girls that not only look at this as a high school sport, but to get them excited about it to play throughout the offseason,” Tasman said.

The team’s improved dynamic stems from the players’ growing equity when it comes to playing time and respect, and has allowed them to become closer. The girls’ close relationships especially after several team bonding activities has translated into the pool.

“This year, the leadership is a lot less explicit so it's more of influencing us through their actions,” junior May Jiang said. “It's through observational learning that we’re mentored by them and instead of explicitly tell us to do this thing.

And I think that this kind of leadership works better for us this year.”

In fact, the team has kept up the streak of defeating the Mountain View Spartans.

On Thursday, September 26, the team went out to play against

Mountain View for the first time this season after last beating them in the Division 1 CCS Championships. The varsity team won 13-8, but felt like they could have left more out on the field.

“As a team, our goal is to communicate and work together, which we are still trying to figure out how to do,” senior Olivia Cairns said.

We have great team chemistry, but still struggle with communicating on defense and forcing the right passes.”

During this game, the Eagles were able to learn what did and did not work. By testing out new plays to refining their defense, the game was a good opportunity to test the waters. In the long run, this was one of many steps to help the players not only improve their mechanics, but communication as a whole.

“There will always be a year where you lose big players, but it gives other players, that maybe haven't taken those key roles an opportunity to step up,” Tasman said. “That’s when you start to see some of the younger talent, when the younger individuals start to shine.”