Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA ■ December 17, 2013 ■ Volume XXIX, Issue 4
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Teachers negotiate salary raise District ALICE DAI Staff Writer
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
On November 25, the MVLA School District and its unions announced a one percent salary raise retroactive to the 2012-2013 school year for all staff members in the district. The raise goes toward all employees in the MVLA district. This means that the certificated/creden-
RED CROSS FUNDRAISES FOR TYPHOON VICTIMS
More to College Than Academics Read one writer’s opinion on the factors prospective students should consider when choosing a college. Opinions, 6
Elaine Lee: Taekwondo and Piano Extraordinaire
Tin Pot Creamery Offers New Take on Ice Cream The ice cream store located in Palo Alto Town and Country Village provides ice cream enthusiasts with a variety of unique options. Entertainment, 15
Boys Basketball Team Sets Goal to Win CCS
UPCOMING EVENTS Dec. 18 – 20
1st Semester Finals Dec. 20
End of First Semester Dec. 23 – Jan. 5
Holiday Recess Jan. 6 – 7
Teacher Service Day Jan. 8
Semester Begins Jan. 11
Gap Year Fair Jan. 14
PSAT Information Night Jan. 20
MLK Holiday News Editorial Opinions
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Features In-Depth Entertainment Sports
PARMIS TAIDY
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or the past century, our little town of Los Altos has grown to become one of Silicon Valley’s most coveted and treasured gems of serenity. Kids who grew up here can tell you all about the quiet, tree-lined streets they ran through and the clear blue sky that watched over them as they played in their grassy backyards. Ask them about school, and they will paint a picture of cozy classrooms and busy days filled with recess, laughter and after-school play dates at friends’ houses. In a nutshell, Los Altos is
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the grandparents’ house of the Silicon Valley. Fast forward to 2013, and Los Altos is now a bustling city populated with the world’s richest technology innovators and business people. Ethnic diversity has blossomed in the past decade, bringing fresh thoughts, perspectives and a new landscape to wide streets and towering oak trees. So how do you document such a vast and continuing change in a town so unique? CONTINUES ON PAGE 17
removes class rank SITARA SRIRAM Business Manager
On November 26, the MVLA School District Board voted to begin the process of eliminating class rank. If the school board decides to vote on a plan of action, the school will no longer rank students beginning with the class of 2015. Class rank essentially ranks students by their GPA. The higher a student’s GPA is in relation to his or her peers, the higher his or her class rank will be. Previously, the school would calculate two class ranks for each student, one based on the student’s weighted GPA, the other based on his or her unweighted GPA. The school reported the higher of a student’s two calculated class ranks on his or her transcript. The administration at Los Altos and Mountain View High school brought the idea to the board on Monday, November 18. “[The board was] supportive [of the idea], so we will not rank students for college admissions commencing with the class of 2015,” Superintendent Barry Groves said. The district is one of the last districts in the area to continue ranking students. “Very few schools do class rank anymore, they do percentiles,” Principal Wynne Satterwhite said. “I think [we kept ranking students for longer because] we’re more of a traditional school, our district is more of a traditional district.” In addition, the district wanted to be certain that ceasing to rank students would not harm students’ ability to get into college. Eventually, the district came to the decision that class rank was no longer necessary, as it is no longer a major component of college admissions. SEE ‘RANKINGS’ ON PAGE 3
A peek into Evans’ life before LAHS RILEY SOWARD
The basketball team, with the support of the LAHS Blue Crew, hopes to improve upon their CCS run from last year. Sports, 20
SEE ‘PAY RAISE’ ON PAGE 3
A series of public art installations seeks to celebrate the town’s character
Junior Elaine Lee has excelled in both taekwondo and piano, claiming top spots in both state and national competitions. Features, 8
Read about Jai Paul, the enigmatic British musician who has kept the audience waiting with bated breathes and taken the music industry by storm. Entertainment, 14
Association (CSEA) separately to negotiate the collective bargaining agreements for those unions. They do not look at the entirety of the contracts each year, but always discuss salary and benefits. The DTA and the district use a process called interest-based bargaining in order to reach agreements.
Project Los Altos
The Red Cross Club has been raising funds to help the victims of the devastating typhoon in the Phillipines. News, 3
Feature Artist: Jai Paul
tialed teachers in the DTA (counselors and teachers), the classified employees in the CSEA (custodians, cafeteria workers and other non-credentialed staff) and district managers (principals, the school board, other managing positions) all received the raise. The district sits down with the District Teacher’s Association (DTA) and the California School Employees
Staff Writer
Math teacher Carol Evans has been at the school for over a decade, becoming a prominent figure in the math department, but very few students know about her background before coming to the school. Evans has worked as a computer programmer, speech therapist, assistant professor at Stanford, language and music volunteer and substitute teacher prior to becoming a math teacher at the school. Evans’ journey began at the University of Rochester in New York, where she majored in psychology and minored in math as an undergraduate student. “Part of the reason I majored in psychology because it was a major that allowed me to take lots of other stuff,”
Evans said. “It was interesting and I could take everything. I took linguistics, I took computer science [and] I took all the math I could.” After graduating, Evans spent a year as a computer programmer at photography company Eastman Kodak before leaving Rochester to go back to school. “I went to University of Minnesota for a masters degree in communications, [with a focus on] communication disorders,” Evans said. “Then I taught speech and language in the public schools in North St. Paul Maplewood.” As school speech therapist, Evans worked individually with elementary school students who had speech impediments. Though she liked working with the kids, she didn’t like her role in the school system. SEE ‘EVANS’ ON PAGE 9
Undocumented Immigration
IN-DEPTH PA G E 1 0
PARMIS TAIDY
Math teacher Carol Evans has an incredible background that spans many fields. She’s been everything from a computer programmer to a speech therapist.
Follow the stories of three undocumented immigrants at the school
Find a timeline as well as general information on this subject
The Talon December 17, 2013
Get daily LAHS updates and read the news archives at lahstalon.org/news
Science department receives Google grant AMELIA BAUM RILEY SOWARD
ment. This brings the school’s labs up to a college-level so that Staff Writers Google can see the investment. The school recently received “We don’t buy glassware, or a $50,000 grant from Google to slides, that sort of thing,” Stoehr invest in new technology for the said. “We make sure that we are science department. The deci- trying to move the program forsion about how to spend the grant ward as opposed to just getting money was left up to science de- stuff that we’ve always gotten.” partment coordinator. The school also commonly re“The Google grants [have] no ceives money from the MVLA strings attached,” physics teacher Foundation to spend on technolAdam Randall said. “[Google tells ogy for the science department. us] ‘just do whatever you need to The majority of the Google grant do to bring [the dereceived last year, partment] into the combined with the modern world, to contributions from bring [your] students The Google the MVLA Foundainto the modern grants...give tion, was spent on world. We trust you.’” physics lab equipstudents the Over the last sevment such as wave eral years, the science opportunity to drivers and function department has been be exposed to generators, which althe recipient of sev- things that high low for quantitative eral large grants from school students analysis of natural Google. The grants phenomena. are not guaranteed to don’t get to “One of the things be given on an annual do at other we study in physics is basis, although Google schools. wave phenomenon, has contributed somespecifically the lin— Science Department what regularly over the Coordinator ear superposition of Greg Stoehr last few years. waves as they con“We have a special structively and derelationship with Google because structively add together,” Randall [it’s] a Mountain View company,” said. “We want to quantify these Science Department Coordinator things as much as possible and do Greg Stoehr said. “They have foun- labs in groups of two.” dations that are set up specifically Plans for this year’s grant include for the Mountain View community the purchase of devices such as [including] the Mountain View-Los handheld noise detection probes Altos Union High School District.” and laser sets of varying colors, Because the district cannot pre- both of which can be used across dict how often the grants will be many different science classes. given, the money is invested in The new technology that Google expensive, research-grade equip- and the MVLA Foundation fund ADVERTISEMENT
PARMIS TAIDY
Students utilize new wavedrivers which oscillate at special frequencies to create patterns in the sand. The school district receives grants from Google and spends the fund money on one-time big-item purchases. makes labs more hands-on and helps students better understand complex science concepts. “We are looking for high-level engagement: I’m not doing the lab, you’re doing the lab,” Randall said. “I’m facilitating your data, your analysis, and it’s [all] with equipment that produces great results. [Labs] are a skill-based thing that students should be able to do.” The money also gives science classes enough equipment to reduce the size of lab groups. “It’s so cool to be teaching in an environment where this kind of thing can happen,” Randall said. “I started 15 years ago, waving a string, creating wave patterns, and students were like ‘what is he
doing waving that string, he’s an idiot’ and now, this year, and next year, you’ll be working in groups of two with thousands of dollars of equipment in front of you.” Ultimately, the new technology gives students a head-start on college-level science labs and concepts. “The Google grants and the Foundation and community contributions give students the opportunity to be exposed to things that high school students don’t get to do at other schools,” Stoehr said. “A lot of the equipment we’re getting now is highly technical and... gives students a leg-up when they get to college because they’ve seen the material and seen the instru-
ments before.” The new technology does, however, require extra effort on behalf of the science department. Science teachers have been dedicating a lot of time and energy to learning how the technology works, creating new labs for it and integrating it into the curriculum. “We could teach a good science [program without] these probes… but we have the initiative to actually go out and look for things to enrich the experience that students have here,” Stoehr said. “It does take time, it takes a lot of effort on our part, in the department, but we’re willing to do it [because] we think it’s good for the students.”
FBLA partners with Wislr MAYA VARGHESE Staff Writer
Each year, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) partners with a different business so that members can learn from a variety of different companies. This year the club has taken on a joint project with the app company Wislr. Launched at the end of October, Wislr’s product description states that it is “an invite-only, high school mobile app built around your school, your classmates and your real-life friends.” As a social media app for high school students only, the company has enlisted actual students from Paly, Gunn, St. Francis and Los Altos to advertise the app. The app focuses on highlighting trends. Members create polls on topics that interest them and participate in others’ polls. Through the polls actual trends in popularity of sports teams, colleges and music among members can be viewed by students, allowing them access to what other students are interested in. The app is unique in that only high school students are permitted to use it. In an age where students are often forced to share private information openly if they want to participate on social media sites, Wislr provides an alternative. “Wislr could definitely be a safer option for students since it confirms that the user is a high school student through the phone’s location, number and contacts. This makes it very
difficult for internet predators to target victims through Wislr,” project director junior Michelle Deng said. FBLA’s main role in the company is to help promote the app to fellow students and give feedback on its different features. Though all members participate in this, Michelle, senior Tiffany Wu, junior Michele Tom and freshman Emiley Kim formed a team that meets with Wislr CEO Mandeep Dhillon and marketing employee Zoya Singh online and in the office to discuss feedback and marketing. The club has organized campaigns to further the spread of the app. For Halloween the “Hallowislr” campaign allowed Wislr members to participate in a costume contest on the app, and in November the team focused its attention on juniors and seniors with a CollegeWeek campaign including polls on aspects of different colleges. “The idea behind these campaigns is having more depth within a relevant topic so that high schoolers can see how Wislr can be relevant to their daily agendas,” Michelle said. The campaigns have been met with some success. Almost 200 members have joined, but at the time of publication only 16 of these were from Los Altos. One of FBLA’s main goals this year is to spread Wislr’s popularity in the school. Wislr is an opportunity for FBLA members to experience business in action. Members are learning how to
participate in an actual company and to create real marketing campaigns, and they have the chance to see how heads of startups really work to make their companies take off. “Partnering with Wislr is mutually beneficial, especially for FBLA,” Michelle said. “Students can learn from Wislr and gain communication, marketing and financial skills, while contributing to the company’s development.” The company itself has high hopes for the product. It believes that Wislr has found a unique niche in the social media market. “We believe that Wislr will become the primary way high school students share their thoughts, experiences and opinions,” Dhillon said. “High school students spend more time at school surrounded by classmates than any other activity. Wislr gives high school students an easy, mobile channel for deeper and broader interactions focused exclusively on things they care about.” FBLA’s partnership with Wislr will continue throughout the school year. Next year, the club will begin a new project with a different business and open new opportunities for its members as usual. However, individual members will be able to stay involved with the app outside of the club. For more information about Wislr, check out their website at Wislr.me
The Talon December 17, 2013
Red Cross raises funds for typhoon victims
COURTESY RED CROSS KEITH EDKINS / WIKIMEDIA
Above: Super typhoon Haiyan made first landfall in the Philippines. Left: The Red Cross team members helped raise funds for typhoon relief. COURTESY RED CROSS
SOFIA GUO Staff Writer
Typhoon Haiyan was a super typhoon which formed in early November and tore through the Central Philippines, lasting three days and causing millions of dollars in damages and deaths. The typhoon made its first landfall on November 8 in the city of Guiuan, Eastern Samar in the Philippines and raged northwestward through the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Cebu and Panay before moving towards Vietnam on November 10. The storm decayed into a tropical depression on November 11. Students at school have been busy joining the relief effort. The Red Cross Club held its first fundraiser, a bake sale, for the typhoon on November 25. The bake sale, raising a total of $158, began after sixth period and ran until around 4 PM in the quad. Brown-
Rankings CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE “Within the last few years, class rankings have become a decreasingly important factor to colleges and an increasingly rare practice in high schools,” counselor Ryan Carter said. “Due to a more holistic application review process, colleges are able to comprehensively evaluate a student’s application without a student’s class rank being included. Given that the practice of reporting class rank no longer provides any real benefits to the student in the admissions process, we believe that the stress that this practice creates for our students and families is unnecessary.” In some cases, the practice of reporting class rank can also discourage students from taking the classes they want. Class rank could lower a students’ weighted GPA if they took elective classes, like Acting 1 and Girls Ensemble. “If I got an A in ASB and [another student] didn’t take ASB...that [lowers my class rank in relation to the other student],” Principal Wynne Satterwhite said. ASB, like many elective classes, is neither an honors nor an AP class. Therefore, taking classes like ASB could lower a student’s weighted GPA, and hence their overall class rank.
ies, cookies, cupcakes and muffins were sold at 50 cents to one dollar apiece. “The fundraiser went very well, and some people even donated their money just for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan,” Red Cross club co-president Aya Suzuki said. “The food [sold] fast, and I’m very thankful for all the club members who brought food for the cause… I was really glad to hear that people are genuinely interested in international affairs and are willing to help out.” Red Cross will combine the bake sale proceeds with 25 percent of the money collected through ASB’s annual food drive, which is $1,463.65. Along with additional funds from the sales at the holiday faire, the total amount of money donated to the Red Cross will be over $1,621.65. The American Red Cross will use the money to buy food, water “We want students who are well-rounded and not choosing classes based on how it’s going to impact your rank...that shouldn’t really be what drives students to take courses,” Satterwhite said. “I think it should be about what you’re passionate about, what you want to learn.” Dr. Groves has considered the issue of reporting class rank for eight years, ever since he first came to the district. Ultimately, it was research and discussions with students, college admission officers, parents and faculty that convinced the board to stop ranking students. Satterwhite meets three times a year with principals of the schools in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. After they discuss athletics, Satterwhite and the other principals discuss other school issues, like the policy of removing class rank. “It’s always good to get [the principals’] takes on things,” Satterwhite said. “I just asked them what they think. I asked do you [rank students], do you not. And almost all of them said [that] they do not.” After speaking to a wide range of people and groups, the response for this change in practice was overwhelmingly positive. “We had [almost] no opposition, we talked to teachers, we talked to parents, we talked to students and there was no big upsurge of [people saying] ‘don’t do this it’s going to be terrible,’” Satterwhite said. “Most people [said], ‘we’re happy.’”
and emergency supplies. Workers and volunteers for the Philippines Red Cross will distribute the supplies and food. “We are planning to use the proceeds from the school’s Holiday Fair for the typhoon victims as well, since many members expressed interested in doing more fundraisers,” Aya said. “I think that’ll benefit both the victims and our club as a whole.” During the storm, rare storm surges, which are abnormal coastal waves due to the onshore winds of a severe cyclone, reached six meters high and devastated the islands. The typhoon has caused widespread death, injuries and homelessness, especially in the Central Philippines. As of the publication deadline, the death toll in the Philippines has risen to 5,924 with 1,779 missing. In the heavily devastated provincial capital of Tacloban on the island
Pay raise CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE “[Interest-based bargaining is when] each side identifies their interests, and we brainstorm possible solutions to meet those interests,” District Chief Negotiator and retired Associate Superintendent Steve Hope said. This one percent pay raise was initially negotiated for only DTA and CSEA employees, but once these two unions actually receive the raise, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District employees not included in the unions will also receive the raise, based on what is called a “me too” agreement, according to Hope. Because the official district revenue is not always determined until after the end of each school year, the Mountain ViewLos Altos Union High School District adopts what’s called a “look-back” arrangement to determine salary raises, meaning they look back at the previous year’s revenue. “Many times, because of the way we get income [data], we’re not sure of how much revenue we’re going to receive as a district because people haven’t paid their property taxes [when budgets have to be drafted],” District Superintendent Barry Groves said.
Leyte, the population of 220,000 has buried hundreds in mass communal graves. Cities like Tacloban have suffered from slow aid due to its destroyed airstrips and transportation systems. The Wall Street Journal reports looting of everything from basic living supplies to furniture, which has resulted in violence that often ends in more deaths. Survivors walk streets reeking with rotting corpses due to the hot weather and an inadequate clean-up work force. According to United Nations reports as of the press deadline, 2.5 million people in the Philippines are in need of food aid, while four million people are displaced. The UN has asked for a $301 million in aid from other countries to help the Philippines recover and set aside $25 million in emergency aid for immediate relief efforts.
The United States has employed its aircraft carrier USS George Washington and other navy ships for aid, while countries such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand have already offered millions in humanitarian aid. More than 25 international aid organizations have set up camp in Tacloban. The Philippines Red Cross has been providing food, including rice, canned goods, sugar, salt and cooking oil, for survivors.and other affected areas, including the Red Cross and non-governmental organizations. “Students should be aware of the issues that are happening globally and help out even in the most minimal way,” Aya said. “In our case, every dollar really does matter. I hope our club can continue to raise awareness for future international affairs like we did.”
Last year’s revenue was $54.7 year. The California state avermillion. The district then com- age is around $85,748 a year, pares this amount to the previ- according to the California Edous years’ projected revenue, Data website. Including classiwhich was $49.7 million. Look- fied teachers, district managers ing at the extra revenue, the dis- and newly hired employees as of trict negotiates with the unions this year, the raise will cost the to determine if employees could district about $360,000, accordhave had higher salaries for the ing to Hope. previous year. As for the 2013-2014 year, neIn the 2012gotiations for as2013 school year, sociation salary 86 percent of the talks are scheddistrict revenue Because of the uled to start in considered for the way we get income January, when the raise came from district will “sunproperty taxes in [data], we’re not shine,” or publicly Mountain View, sure of how much announce, negoLos Altos and Los revenue were gotiations that will Altos Hills. The ing to receive as be discussed for MVLA High School this school year. a district because Foundation, which Although emdonated $1.2 mil- people haven’t paid ployee salary is lion, local dona- their property taxes negotiated annutions and an agree- [when budgets ally, this does not ment with an area have to be drafted]. mean teachers in Mountain View will receive raises —Superintendent also contributed to each year. Because Barry Groves the district’s reveof the unknown nue by 10 percent. nature of each The federal and year’s revenue, state governments, which each the district can only offer speccontributed two percent to the ulations as to what next year’s total revenue, provided a small raises will be. amount of funding for the dis“Our relationship with the district as well. trict is very positive and collabAccording to District Associ- orative and based on [collective] ate Superintendent Joe White, interest,” DTA negotiation team the Mountain View-Los Altos member Craig Seran said. Union High School District currently employs around 210 fullTo read updates time certified teachers, and the about the budget, visit average salary for certified teachlahstalon.org/news ers in the district is $105,000 a
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The Talon Publication Date
Please send letters to the editor to lahstalon.eic@gmail.com Los Altos High School
SIS should be open during finals The administration should change their policy of closing SIS during finals week. It makes little sense that they would increase stress by blocking students from seeing this information during one of the most important and stressful times of year. Proponents of this policy argue that leaving SIS open would lead to unnecessary student stress and cause parents and students to see incomplete and inaccurate information. However, these arguments are unrealistic and unfounded, ignoring the fundamental truth that students have a right to see their grades during this crucial time. The argument that closing SIS stops students from being stressed is without basis. In truth, it causes far more anxiety for students to be left guessing about how they are doing. It can even lead to students making incorrect assumptions
THUMBS DOWN
to students for skipping tutorial While the administration was wrong to cancel tutorial they are right that 200 students skipping tutorial is a serious problem. Tutorial provides a rare and valuable opportunity for students to catch up and get help on their work. Students should reconsider fleeing campus for the 35 minute period and should instead take advantage of the time allotted to keep up with classwork.
Dear Editor, I like the Blue Crew. I really do. But after attending the recent Los Altos-Mountain View rivalry volleyball game at the nest, I’m just not so sure its necessary anymore. The students were repeatedly hushed by the athletic director, bringing an awkwardly quiet vibe to the sea of blue. After all of the recent effort put in to develop and get this well manned student cheering section going, it seems a bit comical for it go to waste so early into its development. I’d think it’d be more efficient for the Athletic Director to cancel the Blue Crew all together. For god’s sake we were playing and beating Mountain View! And it was silent—well, except for the light clapping after an electrifying Annevelink spike. Upon my nightly social media update, I stumbled upon this gem, posted by a Los Altos volleyball player on Twitter: “good thing like 6 MV fans can outcheer a full stand of Los Altos fans #schoolspirit #werock #lolno.” To this I respond. How is this our fault? I was there. Would you rather have us cheer for two minutes and then get kicked out
about their progress. In particular, the administration argues that because SIS is being updated frequently during finals week, students and parents
end up seeing inaccurate information. Teachers and administrators are then flooded with calls and emails asking why students seem to be “failing” their classes.
However, this argument ignores the fundamental way the online system is set up. Teachers are able to enter assignments without making them visible to students. The fact that a few teachers don’t utilize this feature isn’t a reason to block all students from seeing their grades. Rather, the administration should ensure that teachers understand how to utilize the full capabilities of the online grading portal . Furthermore, parents and students need to exercise common sense. If major assignments are entered as zeros, they can reasonably assume that the teacher made a mistake or is still finalizing grades. For better or worse, grades are the primary method of evaluating student’s academic achievement. During one of the most pressing weeks of the year, students should be able to see their performance.
Canceling tutorial is misguided Last Tuesday, the administration decided to cancel tutorial as a punishment for the estimated 200 students who skipped the week before. While students cutting tutorial is a problem, this is the wrong way to address the issue. Punishing the majority of students for the irresponsibility of a small minority is wrong. If 200 cut, that means another 1600 were at school working. They are now the ones bearing the brunt of this pun-
ishment as those who cut aren’t the ones who value their tutorial. The administration argues that they need to utilize “peer pressure” to stop students from cutting. They want students to pressure their peers to use their time effectively so that the rest of the school can continue to do the same. However, few students are likely to get angry at their friends for skipping. Instead, those dedicated students are punished for something they had no part in.
Especially the week before finals, tutorial provides an invaluable resource for students. Some use this time to make up tests and other assignments they missed, while others use it to ask their teachers for help on concepts they don’t understand. It provides an opportunity for students to have much needed communication with their teachers. Canceling tutorial for the sole purpose of punishing a small group of students was the wrong approach.
and have no fans at all or silent stands? Pick your poison. Anonymous Dear Editor, We, the Amnesty International Club at Los Altos High School, want to shed light on the subject of the U.S. drone strikes addressed in one of the previous Talon articles. We believe that the issues against the drone strikes have not been fully explained. There is a strong case to be made that the strikes are in gross violation of international law. Moreover, any alleged “tactical” benefit is arguably nullified by the growing backlash (and potential “terrorist” recruitment) against the U.S. that these strikes engender. But there is a deeper, more important reality: these strikes are war crimes, responsible for the murder of many civilians, including children. By conducting these strikes, President Obama has positioned himself as a “global George Zimmerman,” to quote scholar Cornel West. The Amnesty International group conducted a thorough investigation of nine drone strikes in Pakistan. Four of these investigations included unlawful killing of civilians who were not supposed to be killed by the drones. These civilians were not part of any terrorist groups but were still shot down by the drones. Furthermore, two of the other investigations found extensive damage to the property and the livelihood of
locals. Because of these killings, the Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for the prosecution of the U.S. government on the grounds of war crimes. Amnesty International Club
countries whose resources could benefit us), it is not acceptable to sacrifice innocent people to a cause without their consent. Furthermore, our domestic safety is hardly under any threat whatsoever, let alone from groups like Al-Qaeda. The United States is the most powerful military force in the world. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, on the other hand, are “quite limited... they need many months, if not years, to gain enough expertise to be effective.” I would bet that I have a higher chance of being struck by lightning than attacked by a member of a Pakistani or Afghan terrorist organization in the United States. Throughout the article, I found that I could not find any evidence that drone strikes ensure “our domestic safety and the safety of our troops overseas,” only evidence that drone strikes are really, really good at killing people. I don’t believe in that as a “complex and multifaceted moral, legal, and pragmatic calculus,” but a crime against humanity. Maggie Kristian Senior
Dear Editor, I was disappointed by the article “U.S. drone strikes provide practical benefit.” Pushing aside morality is not a proper representation of the issue; morals are essentially the defining question in whether or not to use drones. It’s neither a fair nor sound argument to merely allude to the big bad media as hysterically condemning drones. The article stated that drone strikes are effective in “ensuring our domestic safety and the safety of our troops overseas.” We wouldn’t have to be worried about our troops overseas if we hadn’t deployed them. The United States claims to have military occupation in foreign countries in defense of democracy and the rights that it stands for. However, western culture, including and often primarily the United States, has killed far more people than any terrorist organization, deprived far more people of an education than the Taliban ever could, and consistently violated human rights for far longer than most terrorist organizations. Even if we truly did think we were using drone strikes to help civilians (we have an interesting tendency to care about humanitarian crimes mostly in
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201 Almond Ave., Los Altos, CA November 17, 2013 Volume XXIX, Issue 4 Editor-In-Chief Zoe Morgan Managing Editors Rebecca DeShetler (Print) Jared Eng (Print) Dhruv Madhok (Web) News Editor Tony Sun Opinions Editor Shiktij Dave Features Editor Casey Pao In-Depth Editor Carly Cohen Entertainment Editor Zach Cohen Sports Editor David Wu Media Editor Parmis Taidy Copy/Content Editors Maya Acharya, Steven Cui, Ariel Machell, Yuki Zaninovich Business Managers Perla Luna, Sitara Sriram Social Media Editor Emily Sims Senior Writers Robert Chin, Alex Cortinas, Cassidy Craford, Chase Eller, Sam Lisbonne, Joey Malgesini, John Naumovski, Jordan Stout Staff Writers Noy Anisman, Alex Barreira, Amelia Baum, Alice Dai, Salim Damerdji, Sofia Guo, Perla Luna, James Merrill, Yashar Parsie, Danny Rosenbaum, Johnny Scher, Riley Soward, Sitara Sriram, James Sun, William Jow, Maya Varghese, Katherine Yen, Kevin Yen Photographers Brandon Hong, Ian Mackey Graphic Artists Noy Anisman, Michael Zhu Webmasters Yuki Zaninovich, Michael Zhu Adviser Michael Moul
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The Talon December 17, 2013
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Double enrollment should be encouraged SAM LISBONNE Senior Writer
The fundamental objectives of our high school curriculum goals remain the same as it has for decades. School is still designed to maximize the exposure students get to a diverse range of topics. For some students, however, certain subjects are their unquestioned focus. These students should be encouraged to double enroll in classes within that discipline, and not feel restricted to core cur-
riculum courses. School policy supports doubleenrollment, if class size permits. Students who double enroll for sciences are given a choice to prioritize which class they prefer, and should space become available, spots are distributed on a first come, first serve basis. “We are keeping a running tab of everyone who wants double enrollment, they can tell us their first choice and we will enter it right in, and then once we [make the master schedule] and everyone has a science, then we start double enrolling,” assistant principal Perla Pasallo said. “It’s not that many kids, but if for some reason a student doesn’t get
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into a science, and his schedule won’t work, its very hard to get them back [into a science].” The school has even incorporated double-enrollment and class prioritization into SIS course selection. This new feature, combined with current school policies, makes for an encouraging system that students should take advantage of. Double enrollment offers several benefits which cannot be achieved through traditional course selections. The primary benefit is to expose students to multiple classes within a subject they already know excites them. Science-focused students may choose to challenge themselves with an AP core class like Biology, Chemistry or Physics, and also delve into a less common subject area, like Forensics. Mathematically inclined students could double enroll in classes like Trigonometry and Statistics, to experience a full five years of math without sacrificing quality in an online or summer course. These options don’t apply to all students, but for those who are certain which field is most engaging to them, double enrollment is a solution which should be emphasized. “I think double enrollment can be a really good thing. There are people who are ready for it. There are people who like it, and there are people who do it for fun,” teacher Carol Evans said. The school is consciously emphasizing STEM—science, technology,
engineering and mathematics—as courses, both in their subject and in part of its evolution. As part of this broader contexts. Double enrollment, for all its benmovement, science and mathematics departments are increasing the efits, is not a perfect system. Many number and diversity of their classes. may find that double enrollment reNew additions include computer sci- duces the overall scope of their studence, biotechnology and robotics. ies. While some know exactly which The school has also increased the field is their future, others may be number of non-core courses avail- limited by trying to specialize. Those students should not be able at less accelencouraged to double erated paces, like enroll. Understandthe new regular ably, the school budget statistics course I think double does not permit every that premiered enrollment can be student to double enthis year. This roll—so even if that was presents further a really good thing. requested, it would be options for stu- There are people near impossible to meet dents of all aca- who are ready for that demand. However, demic levels con- it. There are people this should not dissidering double who like it, and courage students from enrollment. asking to double enroll The immediate there are people if they feel it matches benefit to taking who do it for fun. their academic interests. new classes like - Math teacher While double enrollcomputer science Car0l Evans ment is no panacea, is exposure to an the benefits of double entirely foreign subject. The more nuanced benefit, enrollment far outweigh the disadhowever, is that these classes often vantages. Students should strongly complement existing knowledge or consider double enrolling in dishelp create foundational bases to be ciplines of their interest, as such used outside the classroom. While choices can broaden their horizons each new course is distinctive, over- within a certain field. Students who lap is unavoidable, and in this case only choose to double enroll beit helps students. Performing cal- cause of external pressures may not culations in statistics, for example, benefit, but dedicated and focused helps bolster former Algebra II skills. students certainly will. When Furthermore, skills taught in classes course selection comes around this like computer science create a foun- winter, try it. It will be two experidational base for other collegiate ences you won’t forget.
Students should think twice before skipping class ALEX BARREIRA Staff Writer
We’ve all been there—stressed with school work, balancing on the edge of chaos, as we all do at the upswing to the end of first semester, now is a trying time because it’s a formative one. In the face of new challenges and demands, students have the option to learn from their previous habits or continue them. There’s a gray area between the benefits of skipping a class or sitting through it. Forty minutes of productivity in a secluded corner at Starbucks, while a particularly uneventful class period drones on elsewhere, is in its own way a life-saver, just as the crucial lecture the day before a test beats any length of time studying alone, at
home. However students who feel that they should skip whenever it’s more productive to be elsewhere aren’t considering the full range of consequences from their absence. Generally the idea of skipping class has a delinquent connotation, which assumes that students in class don’t want to be there because they simply don’t care. However, even some of the best students wrack up many absences with defensible intentions. Overwhelmed students, often balancing coursework with intensive extracurriculars, call in absent to catch up on work or postpone tests. The temptation is especially strong for seniors, some of which have turned 18, and now can call themselves in absent. For some students, skipping feels like the best option simply because the subject matter of the class, or the laxness of a teacher’s assignment schedule, make absense an easy work-around. Oth-
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ers argue that with so many assignments and so little class time to work, missing class doesn’t have a significant consequence. “There’s an attitude around here that a single class period isn’t important...it’s just there,” AP Statistics teacher Carol Evans said. Quite reasonably, school policy doesn’t punish students for their first few unexcused absences. Unfortunately, some students take advantage of this rule to skip up to 10 classes before required Saturday school. Other students convince their parents to call them in sick, giving their absence seemingly no consequence. “At a certain point there is a cost [to accumulating absences],” AP Economics teacher Derek Miyahara said. “But up until then the cost is zero.” However, not factored in to many high-schoolers’ decisionmaking processes are the long term consequences of this habit. The purpose of high school isn’t just to secure students’ entry into college, but their preparedness for college-level work, and future work beyond. Stress isn’t fun, and a pile of unfinished assignments can seem downright terrifying, but in pushing students to a level they hadn’t previously thought themselves capable, they get better, and they grow. Intellectual curiosity needs to be exercised consistently like any muscle. Students should consider carefully before skipping class. The intention of high school is to develop real world skills like accountability and adherence to deadlines. Choosing to skip out on class not only wastes teachers’ time, but devalues students’
time in the long run as well. And students, by no fault of their own, aren’t the best judges of how their academic time should be spent. “Kids aren’t mature enough to be deciding to skip class,” Evans said. “At some point, [when] an adult with a broader perspective tells you that they think it’s the best use of your time, then it is.” Students should keep in mind that coursework is a valuable opportunity to learn skills whose consequence will last far longer than the class. Every class is a chance to engage and develop interests, some of which students may not be aware they’d enjoy. “It’s wrong to cut yourself off from learning before you’ve tried it,” Evans said. “If you don’t like it, fine [then], you don’t like it, but don’t say you won’t like something before you’ve even tried it.” Students are taught to value letter grades. For college applicants, even such things as life outside of school, and the uniqueness of a
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given personality are accumulated, and quantified. However, the cumulative impact of students’ developing years in a school environment is not adequately defined in test scores and volunteer hours. Rather, it’s found in awareness of ideas separate from those accustomed to, and the confidence to set ambitious goals and follow through with them. And big habits, the ones that define how people work and relate to others, start small, perhaps even at the classroom level. So next time the lecture sounds potentially boring, or the due date seems too near for completion, students should think of the long term rather than the short. One missed homework, a mediocre test, are small prices to pay for the learning experience of accountability, and the knowledge that through this sometimes chaotic, always trying time, you stuck with it.
The Talon December 17, 2013
To ease traffic, parents should pick up kids further away JOEY MALGESINI Senior Writer
As sixth period ends, anarchy begins. Student drivers rush to the parking lot to evade the impending traffic jam. Those to reach their cars first make it out quickly but in a matter of minutes the parking lot is full of stop-and-go traffic. “With no congestion it takes me about ten seconds to get out of the lot,” senior Nikhil Raman said. “After sixth period, however, it took me over twenty minutes from the time I turned the engine on to the time I pulled out onto Almond [Avenue].” The congestion is due not only to student drivers, but to parents picking up their kids from school. The problem with using the parking lot is that there is a small strip intended for dropping off and picking up. It fits approximately four or five cars at a time. When dozens of parents show up at the end of sixth period
and flood the parking lot so that they can pick up their kids right at the front of the school, it creates a traffic nightmare. It is inevitable that hundreds of students will be leaving at more or less the same time, however parents have the option to make the parking lot run smoother. “We have an event every single day where 1800 people all leave more or less at the same time, so you’re going to have traffic congestion,” Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg said. “Parents are like students, they want to do what they want to do, but without traffic law it’s hard to make people do something different.” According to Rosenberg there is no way to enforce where parents pick up their kids from school whether that be the street, the roundabout or the parking lot; they have the right to pick their student up. “If you’re gonna have a rule you have to try and enforce it,” Rosenberg said. “Some rules can work pretty well just through the cooperation of the community. You could suggest it and encourage it but not require it.” The fact is that we cannot mandate
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where parents go, we can only ask. According to Rosenberg, so long as parents obey traffic rules, they may park where they like. If instead, of picking up in the lot, parents would do so a block away from the school, traffic would run much smoother. “Parents are always stationary and parked throughout the lot clogging everything up,” senior Raag Uppuluri said. “There just is not room for
them all. As an underclassman I was picked up on Alicia [Way] so that my parents would not interfere with all the traffic in the lot. If more parents would pick up their children on the side streets everything would function much quicker and smoother.” If parents would consider waiting on side streets instead of parking in the lot, they would not only benefit student drivers, but also themselves
by cutting down congestion. Picking students up on side streets is legal so long as the parents are obeying traffic laws. “It’s not legal to stop parents from picking up their kids on the side streets,” Rosenberg said. “Personally if I had to pick up my student, I would on the back of the school.” Nearby side streets that would be perfect include the streets along the side of the school such as Alicia Way, Valencia Drive and Sunkist Lane. Other ideal streets are Gordon Way and two crossroads of Gordon: Merritt Road and Angela Drive. Jardin Drive in the back of the school as well as any of the several streets that intersect Jardin are also good options. “People do what is personally convenient for them without thinking about how it affects other people,” Rosenberg said. There exists the opportunity for cooperation to improve the traffic in the lot without any administrative involvement. All it takes is a willingness of parents to change and of students to walk a mere block prior to boarding their parent’s car.
Academic prestige not only factor in college selection YUKI ZANINOVICH Copy/Content Editor
The season of gift-wrapped presents and carol-singing dwarves is not always a merry one for seniors bogged down by the final stretch of the college application process. Starting in the fall and continuing on until the end of December, seniors undergo the chaotic ordeal of writing essays, filling out resumes and sending in applications. To use their time and money effectively, students choose the number of schools they plan to apply to, examining various aspects of each individual school to determine which one could be potential fits. In this process, some students first consider the academic prestige of the institution. This is certainly logical as there is a seemingly positive correlation between the academic prestige of the undergraduate university a student attends and their starting salary. Employers tend to scout for students at universities with competitive majors that are of their interest, such as Google heavily recruiting computer science majors from Carnegie Mellon University out of recognition for its outstanding computer science program. Top tier schools also tend to produce an intellectual hub, which can be beneficial to students for helping them focus on academics and using time efficiently. However, the significance of a school’s academic prestige is often overstated by academicallyfocused students and parents. It isn’t rare to see students apply to a myriad of schools, and make a selection based solely off the namebrand reputation a school has. Though the educational standing of a college is important to consider when making an ultimate decision as to where to attend, there are numerous other factors that contribute to the output of attending college as well as the college experience itself. “Students can go to college and be really focused on grades, but
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not get much out of the experi- financial investment, in that the ence,” Miyahara said. “The con- student is initially putting money nections you make, the things down in hopes of increasing their you learn, some of them are much future pay. Then, it is reasonable more valuable than the grades. If to conclude that the effectiveness you go to college with the attitude of going to a particular college can that [the prestige] is everything, be measured by juxtaposing the you’ll wind up missing two-thirds preliminary investment with the of the experience.” expected salary in the long-run. Understanding the This way, one can find economics of attendif they are truly geting a specific college is ting every bang for crucial. To mitigate the If you go to their buck. financial impacts of tu- college with the “For example, if it ition, an array of finan- attitude that costs twice as much to cial aid plans can be [the prestige] attend one school as it provided to students. does another school, Though there are mer- is everything, you have to ask yourit-based scholarships, you’ll wind up self, ‘Is this school the existence of need- missing twotwice as good? Am I based aid allows for thirds of the going to have double students of all qualifithe experience here experience. cations and socioecothan if I went to the — Economics Teacher nomic backgrounds to other school?’” MiyaDerek Miyahara apply to colleges withhara said. out as dire a financial To prepare oneself burden. Therefore, it is vital that a for such jobs, it is integral that stustudent sufficiently researches how dents take advantage of research much scholarship money a given and internship opportunities, college is willing to offer. as they give them a clear underBut regardless of whether fi- standing of what they will be donance is an issue to a student, ing once fully employed. However, doing a cost-benefit analysis of it does not hold true that the best enrolling into a specific college schools can provide the best ones; will assist in giving them a better it is almost an inverse relationship. picture of how effectively they are At higher level schools, students using their time and money. At- must fight for spots against other tending college is analogous to a competitive students, making it
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difficult to acquire a good internship or research program. However, if a student performs well at a less competitive school, they will have a much easier time standing out from the rest of the students, resulting in more recognition from professors and better letters of recommendation. This can be observed by companies such as Google recruiting more students from state schools than those from Ivy leagues in 2009, according to the Wall Street Journal. Such internships are especially important for students intending to allot additional time and money to delve further into their major in the form of attending graduate school. “One of my concerns was that there was a prestige gap between the two schools I was deciding between, [University of Southern California and UC Davis], the former being much more expensive than the latter,” Michael Yen ‘13 said. “But since I am planning to go to grad school anyways, I decided that the [prestige] of the better ranked school did not outweigh the cost I had to pay for it.” That being said, enjoying college is also a priority. Though college is primarily seen by academicallyoriented students as a vehicle to train students for careers, it is equally important to have a pleasant college experience. There are
frequent incidents of students transferring out of a school or experiencing depression out of an insatisfaction with their time in college. To prevent this problem from surfacing, students need to be mindful of elements of colleges that can affect their college life. One thing to consider is the physical aspect of the college. With anything from the campus setting to the daily climate, such details are bound to have some sort of effect on a student’s life in college, no matter how subtle. Since the student is staying a majority of the year in such an environment for anywhere from two to six years, it is essential that they are satisfied with where they are and what they are surrounded by. “After reflecting on my personality and what interests me, I realized that as someone who is extroverted and needs a lot of stimulation in my environment, New York University (NYU) was perfect for me because of its location in the city,” Caroline Deng ‘13 said. It is also necessary to acknowledge who the student is surrounding themselves with. Other than simply the size of the student body, individuals can have a preference for the type of people they are around; for some it can be the level of academic rigor while it may have to do with religious or ideological affiliation for others. “When I visited [some schools], I got the impression that there was an extremely competitive environment there,” Caroline said. “But at NYU, students value a school-life balance, meaning that they work hard, but they also find ways to explore the city and socialize, and I like that.” So as students check boxes on their Naviance and CommonApp, it’s important they understand that they are deciding not only their fate in the short-run of college life, but their future in the long-run. The factors incorporated into each student’s formula will be unique, tailored in hopes of bringing them the greatest degree of happiness later on, but there is one consensus to be made: academic prestige isn’t the only variable in the equation.
If you would like to write about your stance on an issue that’s affecting students at our school, email Opinions Editor Shiktij Dave at opinions.lahstalon@gmail.com with a summary of your idea.
The Talon Decenber 17, 2013
Sam’s Corner
By Sam Lisbonne
A Day At Google Nobody understands innovation like Google. This Thanksgiving break I was lucky enough to visit the Google campus, “Googleplex,” and not only eat at one of their famous free cafés but also walk around and explore several of their buildings. I visited the Android labs, easily identifiable by the enormous sculptures outside—each of an Android operating system, including Honeycomb and Jellybean. Each corridor contained another surprise, and I found that each of the various work distractions was designed to engage the creative mind in a surprisingly refreshing manner. As a student, witnessing this mecca of creativity was inspiring, and got me thinking about Google’s effective formula with respect to students. For every mark of corporate employment—from cubicles to work stations—there is something to counteract boredom with creativity. The ‘80s arcade in Google’s Android department is designed to inspire programmers and designers using the iconic games of their youth, like Frogger and Galactica. Various environments, like an immersive Google Earth panorama and stairs, which project current Google searches worldwide, also serve as inspirations for Googlers as they work. Students, particularly in high school, endure the daily grind of six classes in a regimented schedule for opportunities to get into great colleges and hopefully work at Google later in life. But while Google’s philosophy of flexibility and creativity is known for keeping Googlers some of the happiest employees in the world, I believe that we as high school students can glean a different but equally valuable benefit from their ideals. Students should place a greater emphasis on the childish creativity that is so obviously cherished at Google. Using their techniques of communal brainstorming and diversionary thinking can vastly improve the creativity of student work—even if students can’t afford the Google-like resources to support such ambitions. Suggesting that students ride slides three stories high or play beach volleyball during lunch hour is clearly unreasonable, but the expectation that students embrace processes embedded in those activities should not be. Too often students resort to daily habits and forget to detach, think and innovate. Whether those thoughts manifest themselves in computer programs or art projects, math proofs or creative writing, they are all equally important.Those processes are invaluable when creating, irrespective of whether you are a Google engineer or a high school student. And hopefully, those students can use Google skills to be a Googler some time in the future.
Computer science offers numerous benefits
to get students introduced to basic topics of computer science like using variables, conditional statePERLA LUNA ments, reiteration and recursion,” Business Manager Introduction to Computer Science teacher Jeanne Yu said. The basic computer science With course selections for the skills taught in the courses are uni2014-2015 school year coming up, versal and essential to whatever students are beginning to final- programming language students ize their classes for next year. In- might want to pursue. troduction to Computer Science “[The goal of the class] is to get and AP Computer Science are them used to some of the ideas two courses recently added to the that are in there and some of the school curriculum which several basic concepts of computer prostudents may be apprehensive to gramming no matter what lansign up for. However, both classes guage it is in,” Yu said. are proving to be excellent suppleDespite the school offering an ments to standard math classes introductory course as opposed to and offer added benefits that just AP, students are still hesitant should make them more attractive to sign up for a class they don’t as courses. think they have any Since the courses knowledge of beforeare still new (this is hand. Easily over only the second year “You do not need to AP has been offered 90 percent of have a lot of knowledge and it’s the first year students really beforehand but you for the college pre- enjoy computer need to be able to at least paratory class), the programming think logically and solve classes have eluded certain math problems,” the radar of many and that’s any Yu said. “That’s why we students who have student, even say the prerequisite is a vague notion as students that like a B- [in Algebra II].” to what the classes hated math. Many students who actually entail. Both are taking either course — AP Computer this year are finding the classes cover topScience teacher class to be a fun learning ics such as basic Michael Richardson experience that will help computer programming, how to prothem in the future. gram a computer to “I won’t lie, I struggled make decisions based on values of a bit during the first few weeks inputs and how to create game pro- but because of the support of my grams. teachers and classmates I was able “The goal [for the college prepa- to actually understand what was ratory computer science class] is happening and stick to it,” junior
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Gonzalo Garcia said. “But I know that I’m having fun and the people I know in that class are having fun.” Alternatively, for students who feel that they are up to the task, taking AP Computer Science without first taking the introductory course is an option. However, students are warned that time management is the biggest reason for failure. “If you don’t have a lot of time on your schedule you should probably try the introduction to computer science first but if you feel like you’re going to have the time to dedicate, or are willing to dedicate time, there’s plenty of people who have never done computer programming and they’ve turned out to be good at AP Computer Science without any introduction,” AP Computer Science teacher Michael Richardson said. Probably the biggest selling
point for students is the benefit of having the basic computer skills that they will receive from taking this class, even if they are not planning on going into a computer science related field. With high-earning careers becoming more and more intertwined with computer knowledge, the class teaches some of the basic foundations that’s becoming expected of employers in the workforce. “I think it’s probably wise for most people to take some sort of computer programming class in their lives because so much is being done on computers and it’s kind of expected that you can get a computer to do what you want even if it’s not your main job,” Richardson said. “They expect that you can do it and if you don’t have that skill it can be a disadvantage or it can be embarrassing sometimes.” Although becoming an engineer or going into a different computer science field might not be their career goal, students who are less inclined towards this type of class might find it surprising how much they actually come to enjoy the class. The courses are different than regular math classes because they are more project-based and have a lot of one-on-one time with the teachers so this might appeal to them. “I would say easily over 90 percent of students really enjoy computer programming and that’s any student, even students that hated math,” Richardson said. “I think people should try it out. They might be surprised at how much they like it and how good they actually are.”
Tutors provide excellent resources for students STEVEN CUI
Copy/Content Editor
Peer tutoring has long been an effective and accessible way for students to receive help. As opposed to drowning teachers in an endless sea of struggling students, peer tutoring encourages students to assist their peers, thus taking stress off of teachers and allowing them to focus on other tasks, such as grading papers or planning lessons. In fact, the National Tutoring BRANDON HONG Association has found that “the re- Tutors help assist students in the school’s tutorial center. Tutors serve as search is clear that peer tutoring invaluable resources for struggling students, and they should be used more. is academically effective and costs tutoring program that is not receivsignificantly less to oversee than through higher education students. AVID tutors are a large part of the ing all the recognition or support private practice or other professionally driven tutoring programs.” The AVID support system to help inspire for its work is the supervised study students to learn. Tu- program, headed by teacher Jacob school offers many tors are prompted to Larin. Supervised study is very unforms of peer tutoring, help students with the derstaffed, with many periods of the such as those provided process of problem- class supported by just one tutor. in AVID and the Tuto- AVID is made “It would be great to have more, solving, so that the rial Center. However, to help kids skill can be used again around 2-3 tutors per period,” Lathese resources are not with less opin the future. It is con- rin said. “We could definitely use being fully recognized portunity get sidered an essential help in that area” or even used to their into any school Like AVID, peer tutoring in the strategy for closing the full potential. achievement gap and supervised study program helps to “We have a lot of tu- they want. It making the college offer support struggling students, a tors [in the Tutorial helps kids love dream accessible to all benefit that our school is fortunate Center],” Tutorial Cen- learning and to have. However, without enough students. ter coordinator Quyen want something “AVID is made to tutors and proper support for the Nguyen said. “People help kids with less op- students in the program, peer tutorreally need to stop by better for their portunity get into any ing in supervised study is not being and take advantage of futures. school they want,” utilized to its full potential. this great resource.” — AVID Tutor AVID tutor junior Liza “It’s definitely a system for small AVID tutoring is Liza Koulikova Koulikova said. “It groups,” Larin said. “The tutors one of these forms of helps kids love learning should know what to work on...it’s peer tutoring that is not fully recognized for all its work. and want something better for their not just the classroom environment, it’s knowing what to work on as well.” AVID stands for Advancement Via futures.” In other areas of the school, rePeer tutoring comes in forms Individual Determination, a college readiness system for elementary other than AVID as well. One peer sources are abundant and ripe for
the picking–yet they are still left hanging. The tutorial center houses many student tutors who specialize in a variety of topics ranging from algebra to English to history to physics. These tutors are available throughout the school day, from first period to seventh period. Some of these tutors even remain after school to offer themselves as a resource to any who may need them. “We’re growing every year, and we always have more than enough applicants,” Nguyen said. “I’m always proud of my peer tutors.” Despite the abundance of tutors, however, the resources that they offer are not being utilized to their full potential. Peer tutors often have nobody to help, and switch their attention to their own homework. “I think more people should take advantage of this opportunity,” peer tutor sophomore Ellen Dai said. “Personally, I enjoy the extra homework time but I would really like to be able to do my job and help someone understand schoolwork, too.” Since there is usually an abundance of underutilized tutors in the Tutorial Center, they can provide a much more efficient and tangible benefit to students by involving themselves with the supervised study program to put their skills to actual use. Currently, the valuable and abundant resources that the school offers students in the form of peer tutoring in both the Tutorial Center and AVID are underappreciated and underused. Students should consider visiting the Tutorial Center more often or volunteering as tutors to assist with the supervised study program to take advantage of the resources that we as students of LAHS are very fortunate to have.
The Talon December 17, 2013
Read more features articles at lahstalon.org/features
This Side of Lunadise
DeeTeeAce: student rappers ALEX CORTINAS JOHN NAUMOVSKI Senior Writers
By Perla Luna
A Year in Moments With the year coming to a close, I’ve started to reflect on this past year and the New Year’s resolution I made at the end of 2012. Instead of joining everyone else and promising that I would “self-improve,” I had decided I would do something to give myself a little gift at the end of 2013. I took inspiration from a post I saw on Tumblr and decided to write down anything that made me smile as it happened and put it away in a mason jar. The whole point of doing this was so that at the end of the year, I could open up my jar and read about all the moments I’d forgotten about; however, it didn’t turn out exactly as I had wanted it to. When I read through all the memories I had jotted down and tucked away, I wasn’t feeling very satisfied with the results. I was supposed to have a nice reminder at the end of the year of all the little things that made me happy but that I was likely to forget. What I actually ended up writing down were events. Getting a four on the AP exam that I thought I was going to get a one on. Impromptu Spanish class dance party. Seeing Jay Leno at City Walk. I’m sure they’re all moments I’ll be bringing up for years to come, but they are the kind of moments you journal about. They weren’t the kind that work for my happiness project. Sure, I love the amazing stuff that happened to me but I’ve come to the conclusion that what I should have written down in that mason jar is not something that can be explained in a quick, three-word sentence or pinned down to a specific moment. What happens to us throughout the year, whether good or bad, shouldn’t dictate how we feel overall about the year. This is the same reason why I never know how to respond when people ask me how I’m doing or how my day went. Should I let the trigonometry test that I probably failed or the moment at break when I fangirled over a TV show with friends be what dictates my answer? The moments that help me decide how 2013 went for me are the ones I can’t place in a timeline. Getting closer to people I hadn’t really known all that well before, realizing I had a passion for something other than books and TV, taking a more active role in my community. Those are the moments and accomplishments I should’ve written down. And if someone asks me—because they inevitably will—what I thought of 2013, I’ll look back at those moments and find my answer.
In this day in age, it is not uncommon for artists to begin pursuing their careers in high school. An era of online music and widespread internet access has provided near limitless options for individuals to pursue their hobbies with a new intensity. Juniors Oscar Martinez, Randy Rodriguez and senior Pedro Carbajal have taken what was once a hobby a few steps further, forming a rap group they call DeeTeeAce. Initially, DeeTeeAce began as two separate groups, Ace Mafia and DTA. After members from each group decided to go their separate ways, the two groups joined forming DeeTeeAce. Currently, the group features Oscar, Randy and Pedro, in addition to other high school age rappers from the area, Mitchell Marroquin, Misael Rodriguez and Julian Mederos. “I joined DeeTeeAce freshman year,” Oscar said. “Someone told me [Mitchell] was into rapping. I had previously made songs and then I showed him one random verse and he was into it.” Soon after, Oscar and Mitchell spent more time together, collaborating on songs. The two were later joined by Pedro and Randy. Their hard work and commitment to their craft has gained them attention in recent months, and has provided the opportunity to open shows
for other Bay Area artists. Their first big show was opening up for Baeza at the X Bar Lounge in Cupertino on September 21. DeeTeeAce also opened up for two shows at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, the first for Baby Bash on October 10 and the second, their biggest show yet, opening for the San Francisco-based rapper, Roach Gigz on November 30. “It’s been a good experience,” Randy said. “Every time we go to these shows there are other artists doing their thing too...this experience we’ve gained is good because we can use it to improve. We’re not the best out there...but [we] just keep on practicing and doing what [we] love to do.” Part of the overall experience of being in DeeTeeAce has revolved around publicity. Their sole meth-
od of publicity has been through social media such as Facebook and Spotify. Through Oscar, DeeTeeAce became connected to a promoter, Josh Dahl, or “Reign,” who has helped the crew gain exposure by booking shows for them. While each rapper has their own individual style that they cultivated and continue to develop on a singular level, they strictly collaborate during live performances. As events have passed, DeeTeeAce members find themselves feeling more at home performing. “[We] feel more comfortable on the stage,” Pedro said. “It feels good being able to connect with the crowd a little more and more every show.” The crew writes and produces their own songs and at times works with other local rappers. Most of the time, the process begins with producing a beat and then composing lyrics based on the feelings given from said beats. “I don’t try to make it all similar,” Randy said. “I don’t want people to think I rap about the same thing in every song. I try to tell stories, I try to tell real experiences to give something that’s relatable. You can relate to it with whatever struggle it is or if someone is in a stage of life they don’t want to be in.” All the members of DeeTeeAce mention a connection to rap and hip-hop music that stuck with them from a young age.
PHOTOS COURTESY OSCAR MARTINEZ
“I’ve been listening to that since I was a youngin,” Randy said. “Back in [Los Angeles] I used to rap stupid lines like, ‘I have a hat/imma hit you with my bat’...But I never took it seriously until now.” For the time being, DeeTeeAce is in the works of booking more gigs. Meanwhile, they continue to write and produce music and work to improve their craft. “We just got a lot of things to do,” Randy said. “We are going to drop our mixtape, our [Extended Play]. We have to book some shows too. We also have to cop a mic because we don’t have one to use. Right now we’re using a really horrible mic and it kind of sucks. It’s pretty bad but we’re starting from scratch here. You have to start off somewhere.”
Junior excels at taekwondo and piano SALIM DAMERDJI Staff Writer
While junior Elaine Lee recognizes that the combination of taekwondo and piano might seem odd to some, she clarifies that what ties the two passions together is that “both are art forms.” Elaine excels in both activities, competing in the highest echelon. For both taekwondo and piano, she has risen to be one of the top in the state through natural talent, guidance and years of dedication. At the age of seven, Elaine started mixed martial arts after being influenced strongly by her father, who is skilled in Hapkido, a Korean martial art that distinguishes itself from taekwondo by using pressure points and throwing techniques. “My father was in the military and so those values [of discipline] came into my family,” Elaine said. When she turned nine, Elaine
decided to switch to taekwondo so she could pursue an activity more infused with her Korean heritage. Poomsae is the form of taekwondo that Elaine chose to pursue, which separates itself from sparring by being an individual event. Much like her father facilitated her entrance into taekwondo, her mother’s passion for piano permeated into Elaine’s youth. Starting early, she had an edge against others her age. This was in part strengthened by all her childhood piano lessons. A strong factor in her success in both activities has been the ability to receive guidance. For instance, Elaine receives piano lessons at the San Francisco Conservatory. “I have a very intellectual and thoughtful teacher…who taught me what it means to dedicate myself to an art and how impor-
tant it is to play and interpret notes as a part of a larger whole,” Elaine said. The same necessity of learning in order to gain success is true for taekwondo. Elaine frequently attends seminars hosted by seasoned veterans and experts in order to learn more about the advanced nuances of competing in poomsae. As a result of these lectures and her hard work, she’s a third degree black belt and nationally competitive. To be selected for nationals, competitors must rank in the top four for their state for their gender and age group. In the special case of California, competitors must rank in the top four for either Northern and Southern California to compensate for the geographical density of talent. “California is one of the most competitive states in the nation...a very large percentage of Team USA for poomsae comes from Califor-
COURTESY ELAINE LEE
Junior Elaine Lee maintains extensive skill in both taekwondo and piano, having been introduced to these activities by her parents. She hopes to continue these activities in the future.
nia,” Elaine said. As a sophomore, Elaine ranked fifth in Northern California and barely missed the cut-off of top four. Most recently, Elaine ranked fourth place, which earned her a spot at the 2013 Nationals tournament last summer. At Nationals, Elaine finished in 15th place among her age bracket and gender. “I was disappointed. I was really hoping to make finals, which is top eight….but I learned a lot about immersing myself in the moment, which I’m hoping will push me over the edge this year,” Elaine said. While Elaine has earned trophies and won tournaments for the piano as well, she seems far more proud of receiving piano lessons at the San Francisco Conservatory, an intensive institution that focuses students to aim for greatness in the technical aspects of music as well as music theory, and is run by world-class instructors. For Elaine, playing music the way the artist intended is empowering and feels ineffable, especially as a shared experience. “My favorite [piano-related memory] was actually playing a piano concerto with the school orchestra...the music seemed to communicate with all of the players and I was touched that everyone seemed to really understand it,” Elaine said. Elaine is considering to continue studying piano, perhaps as a double-major in college. She’s also paying attention to which universities offer taekwondo as a school-sponsored activity. No matter what she ultimately decides, Elaines hopes to continue both activities in the future.
The Talon December 17, 2013
Senior joins National Model Airplane Team CHASE ELLER DANIEL ROSENBAUM Senior Writer Staff Writer
Not many students can say that they’re capable of flying rubber-band powered model planes for over 30 minutes. Senior Royce Chung can; he’s been building these planes for years. Although it originally started out as a hobby, Royce has taken it a step further and is currently on the U.S. National Model Airplane Team. Royce started out building planes when he was 10. He was introduced to the activity through a youth program at Moreland Gym in San Jose. “Every couple weeks they would have a class on Sunday where people would teach you how to build the airplane and then afterward you would fly [it],” Royce said. “I would go to the meetings and I really liked it. So afterwards when they stopped the program I still built a little bit on my own.” Royce said he enjoys taking simple objects such as wood and rubber
COURTESY ROYCE CHUNG
Senior Royce Chung has been building rubber-band powered model planes for over seven years. Originally pursuing these planes as a hobby, he tried out for and ultimately won a spot on the U.S. National Model Airplane Team. bands and turning it into something complex, noting his process has made him more patient. He has needed to experiment with different types of woods, materials and designs in order to gain the best flight
Evans
A Timelife of Ms. Evans’ Life
CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE
PARMIS TAIDY
“I enjoyed learning about how people learn to speak and learn language, that was fascinating,” Evans said. “But in the public schools I was a pain in the teacher’s neck. They had to remember to send their kid out of class to see me but almost never did because they didn’t see the importance of it. It was not a good situation.” So after five years, Evans quit her job to go back to school at the University of Minnesota. This time, she was studying to get a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA). “A friend was taking an accounting class and said it was interesting, so I took an accounting class at night,” Evans said. “The following summer, I started in the MBA program.” To help pay for her tuition, Evans taught undergraduate accounting classes, beginning in her first year. “I loved it,” Evans said. “I really liked that age group of people and it was just fun.” Evans enjoyed the teaching so much that she decided she wanted to teach business rather than become a business professional, so she left the MBA program for the Ph.D. program. For the next three years, she worked towards getting a Ph.D. in business—with a major in accounting and minor in economics. In order to receive her Ph.D., Evans took two years of classes, did a year of seminars and wrote a dissertation. Studying the co-insurance effect of corporate mergers, Evans collected data regarding the debt of 30 cases of merged companies. “So for each of my 30 mergers, I had to have a portfolio of 10 other companies that were matched on size and what business they were in,” Evans said. “That data was all in newspapers and every single number had to be copied by hand.” Although it was long and tedious work, she finally presented her research and received her Ph.D. Evans then applied to be-
time he can achieve. The airplanes are simply designed, but they are impressive nonetheless. “The planes are pretty much made out of balsa wood and tissue paper,” Royce said. “You wind it up and the
band twists the propellor...the [all time] record for the type of plane I fly is close to 40 minutes.” During this summer, Royce and his model airplanes became much more than a hobby. After continuing to work on his planes and improving his designs to make the plane fly 27 minutes and 19 seconds, he went to Idaho for a U.S. National Team Trial. “[The leaders of the youth program] thought it would be good for me and I had won a lot of the youth competitions so they thought it would be good to try and get on the [National Team],” Royce said. In order to qualify for the National Team, there was a competition held in Idaho for all participants to compete. The committee selects the best fliers to join the team based on flight time. Royce had gone to this competition the previous summer, however only as a participant, not a qualifier. Since he was not vying for a spot on the team, Royce said that it was much more “laid back since you can fly whatever plane you want.”
Then this past summer, already being familiar with the process, he went to Idaho to contend for a spot on the team. After three days of tough competition and nine overall flights, Royce was then selected for the U.S. National Model Airplane Team. “This process is kind of stressful because you have to make sure the plane is the certain weight and that your flights are all good,” Royce said. As successful as he has been, Royce is not finished with those model planes. This upcoming summer, he and his team will head to Romania for the Model Airplane World Championships against 15 other nations where he plans on continuing to improve his design and have a good showing in Romania this summer. He hopes to get a flight time of over 30 minutes, as well as place well among their competitors. Royce plans on studying mechanical engineering in college since building the planes has helped bolster his interest in the subject.
come a professor. but instead accepted a job offer “I [had interviews] at nine at the school. Evans was to teach schools,” Evans said. “I got jobs one period of a Specially Deoffers at...UC Berkeley, Stanford, signed Academic Instruction in UCLA, Washington University in English (SDAIE) math class for St. Louis, [University of] Pittsburgh one school year. and [University of] Michigan.” “It was hard because many kids Evans chose Stanford. In De- spoke zero English,” Evans said. “I cember of 1982, she moved out learned a lot of Spanish that year; to California and chose a pet- I can get by in classroom Spanish.” friendly apartment in Menlo Evans had only been hired for Park so she could keep her Sia- the 2001-2002 school year; at the COURTESY CAROL EVANS mese cat, Hannibal. end of the year she received her Math teacher Carol Evans had a The following January, she pink slip and left the school. Over multitude of jobs before arriving began as an assistant professor. the summer, however, a job in the at LAHS. She took time off She taught classes in the MBA math department opened up. from work in order to raise her program, Business Executive “Satterwhite, who was an assis- daughter and two sons, before Program and Undergraduate tant principal here at the time, returning full-time in 2001. School of Economics. She also called me in July and said ‘we got researched behavioral econom- something’ and I said ‘great,’ but under-challenged students and ics. During her time at Stanford, it was full time,” Evans said. “I some of them are pretty excited she published three articles. didn’t really want full-time, Ste- that they’re really doing someTen months after she arrived ven was nine, going into fourth thing that’s challenging,” Evans in California, Evans met Greg grade, and that’s a little bit said. “It’s exciting for them and Evans at her church and they got young to be left alone.” it’s exciting for me to teach them. married a year and a half later. Ultimately, she decided to go for it. And because Algebra 2 is the baThen, in 1986, they had their “It turned out to be a good thing sis of every math there is, there first child, Suzy. in the long run,” are so many things you can do.” “I took some time Evans said. This year Evans is teaching Aloff [from Stanford],” Evans taught gebra 2, Algebra 2 Honors, AP Evans said. “When The people I work SDAIE math and Statistics and AP Calculus BC. [Suzy] was little, with are good, Algebra 1 during She is quite happy with her posiI went back and most of them are her first few years tion at Los Altos. taught again.” at the school. “No job is perfect, every job seriously comHowever, after she When Algebra 2 has it’s ‘oh why am I doing this had her second child, mitted education Honors teacher [moments],’ but in general this Thomas, in 1988, Ev- professionals... Winnie Tseng left is a great place to work,” Evans ans resigned from It’s a great place the school in 2004, said. “The people I work with Stanford. For the next Evans took over are good, most of them are seto work. 13 years, Evans balthe class. riously committed education — Math teacher anced being a mother Since then, she professionals and the students Carol Evans and helping out at lohas never gone a vary all over in terms of qualcal schools. In 1992, school year without ity, you get the top of the world she had a third child, Steven. teaching an Algebra 2 Honors class. students and you get kids who “I stayed home and I taught This course has become her favor- really struggle, so you can do French for elementary school ite subject to teach. all kinds of teaching here...It’s a kids a couple times a week,” Ev“Algebra 2 Honors is new to great place to work.” ans said. “I [also] volunteered in ADVERTISEMENT my kids’ classrooms doing music programs, dancing and rhythm instruments. I sang and played guitar a little bit too.” As her kids grew older, Evans had more time to work. She tutored advanced math in her oldest son’s fifth grade class and became a substitute teacher for elementary school and junior high. “When my younger son was in first through third grade, I could do something full-time during school hours,” Evans said. In 2001, 15 years after Suzy was born, Evans decided she was willing to take on larger commitments in the workplace. Evans considered applying to teach at Santa Clara University,
The Talon December 17, 2013
The Stories of Undocumented Students
Please note that in order to protect our sources’ identities, many names have been changed. Names that are introduced without a last name have been changed.
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t the age of seven, Lily watched her mother make a decision that would forever change her family members’ lives. Lily, her sisters and her mother left Puebla Tejarta, their home, to meet up with Lily’s father, who had left for the United States two years before. “I didn’t have a choice whether or not I wanted to go,” Lily said “It’s because my father was here in the United States, and my mother couldn’t live another day without my dad. After my father had left, all I remembered would be his phone calls, as he would call for my birthday or for my sisters’ birthdays.” With Lily’s father in mind, the remaining family members set off to cross the border. Guided by “coyotaje” smugglers, they along with others hiked the distance across the border to the United States. “A total of 15 people were in my group; we all walked three days, straight through the desert,” Lily said. “There was no airplane, no nothing. That experience, it scarred all of us. For three years
my sisters were scared of helicopters. They would hide under a tree every time we would go out.” The border crossing was rough. Statistically speaking, the United States border patrol estimates that more than 5,600 people have died illegally crossing the border since 1998. “Out of the 15 group members, only 13 of us made it to America,” Lily said. “One of the people who died was elderly. Since there was no water, he drank his urine and he died.” Because of the treacherous journey, the group was unable to hang on to their possessions. “We took a bag of clothes but we left it behind in the desert,” Lily said. “When it came time to cross the border, we just couldn’t take anything with us.” However, her physical journey paled in comparison to the hardships she would face in America. After finally settling down on American soil, the family had to work hard to make ends meet. “I remember we didn’t have to worry about paying for rent and for school events in Mexico,”
“We all walked three days, straight through the desert...That experience, it scarred all of us.”
Lily said. “Here I feel like we go through struggle after struggle just to make ends meet.” While Lily’s family worried about money and rent, Lily spent the next few years of her life acclimating to her new environment. Language barriers coupled with her lack of proper identification left her feeling alienated and alone. “When I came to school for the first time, I came in the middle of the school year, so the other students all knew each other,” Lily said. “Since I didn’t know a single drop of English, I was completely lost; thank goodness my teacher was bilingual.” Lily’s experiences were not unique to herself; the Pew Hispanic foundation estimated that in 2008, 13.5 percent of all K-12 students in California were the children of undocumented immigrants. “For me, coming to America is just about having the opportunity to further my education and further my family and to learn and live,” Lily said. “Coming to America meant not being scared. In Mexico there are a lot of really bad things happening over there. I would love to go back home, but not to Mexico the way it is right now.” Lily is a senior at the school; she plans on attending a four year college after graduation.
I N T RO D U C T I O N
The model used in this p
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ndocumented immigration at Los Altos Hig of, or at the very least, know little about. Howe and their families, making it one that every st this topic to provide a series of stories and articles on w
Throughout the next four pages of this spread, thre with general information and various thoughts on the providing the perspecitive of undocumented student Contradicting viewpoints do exist, however this sprea more content at immigration.lahstalon.org.
By: Maya Acharya, Copy/Content Editor | Noy Anisman, Staff Writer | Alex Ba Editor | Alex Cortinas Senior Writer | Cassidy Craford, Senior Writer | Alic Senior Writer Riley Soward, Staff Writer | Sitara Sriram, Business Manager |
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or Alex, a junior at the school, receiving documents from the United States was a change that provided him opportunities he could never before imagine. This past summer, at 16, Alex applied for and was granted deferred action, a federal mandate that allows longtime U.S. residents who came to the country illegally as children to remain in the country with temporary status and attend college. Alex’s new status as a result of deferred action provides him with a Social Security number, which in turn provides him opportunities for employment and secondary education. “Well at first my undocumented status didn’t motivate me academically a lot. I’d be satisfied with just C’s so that I could pass the class. I didn’t know if I would be able to go to college or not,” Alex said. “Now that I got accepted into DACA, it’s actually a motivation to try harder in school to get good grades in order to
go to my dream college or a college that’s pretty good around here.” In a high school full of collegebound students, Alex often felt out of place before knowing whether he would be afforded the opportunity to continue his education. “I used to feel less than people at school because it’s easier for them to get a job and everything,” Alex said. “But now that I have deferred action I feel more equal to them. It’s a motivation to try harder to be able to get a better spot in college and a job.” This was not always the case though. Alex crossed the United States-Mexico border illegally at age six to be reunited with his mother and her husband, who had moved to the United States to work when Alex was two years old. “She came here mostly because of economic problems, like financial problems,” Alex said. “She wanted to give me a better life. So she was here and she would send me money to
“Now that I got accepted into DACA, it’s actually a motivation to try harder in school to get good grades in order to go to my dream college.” buy stuff or she would buy me stuff here and then send them.” Raised by his grandparents in Mexico, Alex always hoped he would be able to join his mother in the U.S. One day, the call he had been waiting for his whole life finally came. His mother told him over the phone he was going to come join her in the United States. “I got a call from my mom saying I was going to come, so I was kind of excited but kind of scared because it was my stepdad who was going to
come and pick me up at my grandparents house,” Alex said. “And I had never met him before. I just kind of had to go with my instincts in trusting him.” Leaving with his stepfather wasn’t the only part in Alex’s journey that required a leap of faith. Separated at the United States-Mexico border in Tijuana, Alex was alone for several hours while waiting to be driven across the border by a family friend who was going to help them enter the country.
“My stepfather was going to walk it and I was going to go through a car,” Alex said. “So we got separated and I was alone for a few hours just waiting.” An additional worry was Alex’s need to temporarily take on and memorize an entirely new identity in order to cross the border without documentation. “I had to learn a new identity just in case the immigration officer asked me,” Alex said. “And I had to give their address and everything. So I was like a whole different person for a whole day.” Even today, the memory of the person he was supposed to be for those fateful few hours is seared into his memory. “After I crossed... I still felt like that same person because I had to be him, I had to know him like it was actually me,” Alex said. “I was a bit traumatized because when they asked my name, I had to say the same of the
The Talon December 17, 2013
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photograph is in no way affiliated with the sources throughout the spread
gh School is something that many students are unaware ever, this topic affects a vast number of LAHS students tudent should understand. The Talon has investigated what it means to be an undocumented student.
ee undocumented students’ stories are revealed along e matter. We created this spread with the intention of ts, and therefore this spread may contain some bias. ad was written with the idea of empathy in mind. Find
arreira, Staff Writer | Amelia Baum, Staff Writer | Zach Cohen, Entertainment ce Dai, Staff Writer | Rebecca DeShetler, Managing Editor | Sam Lisbonne, | Tony Sun, News Editor | Katherine Yen, Staff Writer | Kevin Yen, Staff Writer
person they told me to be. It just took me awhile to forget about it so that I could start being myself.” Since entering the country, Alex has lived with his mother, stepfather and two younger sisters, both of whom were born here. Because proof of legal residency is not required for registration, he has been able to attend local public elementary, middle and high schools. However, his undocumented status meant that, until recently, attending college or even getting a job was out of the question. “During the last school year I was denied a job because I couldn’t finish the application,” Alex said. “I didn’t have a social security or anything. I turned it in like that, but they said that without social security I wouldn’t be able to work. So I was kind of upset for awhile…that a number could matter so much in a life.” Though deferred action allows Alex many more opportunities within the country, it does not
allow applicants to re-enter the country after leaving. Alex hopes that a law currently being debated would allow him the opportunity to visit Mexico in the future, and hopes, in the long term, to become a United States citizen. “My grandparents visit me like twice a year…they have a Visa,” Alex said. “But once again, there’s other family members that I don’t get to see, so I’m looking forward to seeing them.” While Alex readies himself for continued challenges regarding his status, he remains optimistic about his future. He aspires to study software engineering, and would like to attend San Diego State or a similar university after graduating. “I recently started video game designing on my own,” he said. “I mean, they suck, but I’ll get better. I’m excited to have the opportunity to actually go forward with my dream.”
orn in El Salvador to a teenaged mother, Anna was brought to Los Angeles by her grandmother at age three to join other relatives. At age seven, Anna moved to Texas for two years but moved back to California and eventually settled in the Bay Area at age 11 to live with her mother. Though Anna does not have a distinct memory of the events that led her here, she does have flashbacks of her and her grandmother making the journey through mountains and rivers, largely by foot. “There was this one time we were walking through this dirt road and there were these huge trees on the side of me and I could hear all these animals,” Anna said. “I was really young and I didn’t know what these sounds were and I was like ‘Grandma I’m so scared, what are those things?’ She was really religious and weird so she was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s the devil. You’re not baptized. They’re going to take you away.’” Anna settled into her new home but without her grandmother. After years of wondering why she could not visit her homeland, Anna’s mother finally revealed the truth when Anna was in fifth grade. “My mother said that I don’t have papers and I won’t be able to come back into the country,” Anna said. “It was a gradual thing. I just figured out that I couldn’t go back.” After discovering her status, Anna became fearful of being deported so she kept her status a secret until confiding in close friends in seventh grade. Through a gradual process, Anna became more comfortable with her status and it now serves as a personal motivator for her. “I do feel inferior at times because I don’t have the same opportunities as other people,” Anna said. “But it motivates me to push myself because I can get citizenship if I work hard. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m undocumented. I can’t do that, but I can do this.’” Although gaining comfort with her status, Anna has been presented with challenges but is more concerned with her own improvement rather than the hindrances set forth by these judgements. As Anna recalls, a student shared a piece written about undocumented immigration in English. An-
other classmate questioned this student’s status and threatened to report them. “That really scared me at the time because I couldn’t believe people like that still exist,” Anna said. “My attitude towards people like that then was being scared and also being angry at them. Like why would you say things like that? People have their reasons and that [prejudice] still exists but it’s different now. People are more accepting than they used to be.” Acceptance aside, looming in the back of Anna’s mind is the fear that her mother can be deported at any given moment. This fear is not too
become an English teacher. “I really like reading and writing, and all of my English teachers have been really inspiring to me,” Anna said. “They’ve always been there for me, every single one of them, and I want to be that person for a student. I want to be that person they can come to and be fun.” DACA opens a lot of doors for Anna such as a legal Social Security number and no threat of deportation, but for a person previously living off the grid, Anna finds herself in unfamiliar territory. “I was really scared and I know that my mom was scared because they’re going to have me on file,
“Even if I get citizenship I’m always afraid that my mom won’t. I’m afraid that I’ll just come home and I won’t see her one day.” far-fetched, considering a friend of Anna’s had her mother taken away. She came home and her mother was gone. “Even if I get citizenship I’m always afraid that my mom won’t,” Anna said. “I’m afraid that I’ll just come home and I won’t see her one day.” Anna sought assistance from the Center for Employment Training (CET) in San Jose. From the immigration assistance at CET, Anna learned more about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and applied. Now approved, Anna is permitted to stay in the United States for a period of two years at a time provided that she is studying and can reapply within that two year time frame to continue her education. Being DACA-approved sets her on a path to obtain a Visa and potentially citizenship. “They helped me through the process,” Anna said. “I had to pay like $800 for the application and they just sent it in. I provided school records.” DACA will help Anna pursue higher education with scholarship opportunities on state and local levels that cater to undocumented students. Anna’s ultimate goal is to
they’re going to know exactly who I am,” Anna said. “It’s not like I do anything, but it’s just scary now that they know who I am. Before, I didn’t exist pretty much. But it’s a good thing at the same time.” Despite the recent legislation that grants more freedoms to students in Anna’s situation, there is no aid for older generations. Anna’s mother awaits for news regarding an opportunity for her own citizenship. “She’s always watching the news hoping that they’ll give us a chance.” Anna said. With legislation and the overall attitudes of people shifting in favor of finding a resolution for undocumented immigrants that is not deportation, Anna remains optimistic and hopes for undocumented immigrants to not be seen in a negative light. “I would say that us being here isn’t a burden on anyone,” Anna said. “Personally I want to create a better world. The reason any immigrant does anything bad is because they don’t have the resources to either make money or help with anything. If I had those opportunities, those equal rights that citizens have I would just want to help.”
11.1 million
undocumented immigrants IN AMERICA IN 2011 DATA FROM PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Flip the page to read more Visit immigration.lahstalon.org for additional content
The Talon December 17, 2013
Understanding Undocumented Immigration An undocumented immigrant’s path to college Education Level by Immigration Status Highest level of education (ages 25-64)
15% 32%
35%
10%
27% 30%
Bachelors and higher Some college
18%
High school graduate Some high school
18% 24%
Less than 9th grade
31% 9%
6%
29%
13%
14%
DATA FROM PEW RESEARCH CENTER
mon misconception that they will not be able to apply for college. “At some point they think, ‘If I’m not even going to college, why am I trying so hard in school?’” said formerly undocumented sophomore Alberto. “But they have to try because they’re capable of graduating and getting to college. It’s a struggle to get there but it’s worth it because it’s the only way to help their families.” Another roadblock for many undocumented students, and college-bound students, is the financial cost of going to college. College tuition has skyrocketed over 400 percent in the last three decades, according to a NPR radio broadcast. This increase is particularly hard on undocumented families because their lack of
Timeline of immigration legislation
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Legal Undocumented immigrants immigrants M ORE E D U C ATI ON
USborn
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igh school is notoriously challenging due to the stresses of the college process as well as many other pressures that most students undergo. Undocumented students, however, face an entirely different set of challenges when applying for college that many people often overlook. One of these added difficulties is the psychological toll of living with the fear of deportation, which can have a negative ripple effect on a person’s life. “For the first year after I crossed the border, I didn’t actually feel safe, I didn’t go out that much,” senior Max said. “When I did go out, I was careful of my surroundings. When people passed by, I’d stand in a corner, I’d avoid them. I was scared of people outside the house.” Due to this fear of being “caught,” undocumented students are sometimes hesitant about identifying themselves to official organizations. As a result, many do not contact official organizations that could help them with financial aid or seek out support with the college process in their schools. “The students, in general, feel really scared and fearful about the whole process,” counselor Jacob Larin said. “They feel that because of their status and rumours in the community, they can’t come out and discuss their situation in public.” Larin and other school counselors address the college process for undocumented students by informing them about their options through financial aid and legal workshops so they can make the best decisions for their futures. The goal is that with some help, college will be an attainable goal for these students. “Now that I am able to go to college, I look forward to going,” undocumented junior Alex said. “Before I wasn’t even planning on going…But I applied for DACA and I qualified...it helped me push forward in order to get a better future.” On June 15, 2012, President Obama signed the memorandum Deferred Action for Arrivals (DACA) that allows undocumented students who are pursuing education or military services in the United States to not be deported for two years. The feasibility of college is crucial for undocumented students, many of whom lose motivation to try hard in school due to a com-
merica, home of the “American Dream,” has been a destination for immigrants since its beginnings. Immigrants have flocked to the American shores for centuries, seeking rumored opportunity in the hopes of creating a better life for themselves and for their children. However, in the past 15 years, the United States has tightened its immigration control, instituting several acts and legal codes designed to prevent so-called “aliens” from entering. Nevertheless, progressive idealism has been burgeoning out in more recent developments, especially on the state level. According to the United States legal code, immigrants can be deemed to be in the United States illegally based on certain criteria: entering without authorization or inspection, staying beyond the authorized period of entry and/or violating the terms of legal entry.
papers makes finding a well-paying job more difficult. Financial aid plays a major role in helping undocumented students pay for college tuition. “A lot of them are really nervous about how they’re going to pay for college because they realize they can’t apply for a FAFSA [Free Application for Federal Student Aid],” AVID teacher Arantxa Arriada said. “I’ve just been talking to them about that and trying to get them to see that there’s a way…They can apply for the California DREAM Act and get Cal Grant money. There are also private scholarships, so there are resources for these kids.” These resources consist of state laws passed in the past decade or so that have opened up new financial opportunities to undocu-
1996 AEDPA and IIRIRA
Federal level: The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) were published in 1996. Before AEDPA and IIRIRA, deportation was a two-step process in which authorities had to find out whether someone could be deported and then had to review the case that had brought this person to court. Under these provisos, the second step is not required and an undocumented immigrant can be deported without full due process rights.
mented students. Under Assembly Bill (AB) 540 passed in 2001, undocumented students are eligible to pay in-state tuition as long as they graduate from high school after three or more years, register at a California public higher education institution and plan to file or have filed for legal status. The California DREAM Act was passed in 2011 to allow students who meet AB 540 eligibility requirements to apply for state grants and scholarships such as Cal Grants. Both pieces of legislation were ratified with the goal of giving financial aid to college-bound undocumented students. “The passing of the laws is a huge relief,” Max said. “Before, we undocumented students had financial barriers and obstacles to overcome. But the passing of the laws...has cleared the path for us to go further in life than we could have before.” However, in light of soaring college tuition rates, opponents of the California DREAM Act argue that offering undocumented students financial benefits would disadvantage students who are here legally. “Here we are, at a time when we have just slashed the university system by $1.3 billion, and there are fewer spots for all students,” Tea Party legislator and California DREAM Act opponent Assemblyman Tim Donnelly said. “But somehow we have got that money to pay for people who are in the country illegally?” Nevertheless, Undocumented students have more opportunities than ever before to broaden their college prospects, and often times are the first generation in their families to go to college. The growing resources that the school’s counseling department offers and the financial aid presented by AB 540 and the California DREAM Act are clear indicators that the college process is becoming more accepting towards these students. “I’m going to go to college and get an education and my children are going to be born here,” undocumented senior Lily said. “It’s a better future...It’s the American Dream, like in English class. For me, the American Dream is having the opportunity to further your education and further your family and to learn and live.”
2001 The USA PATRIOT Act
Federal level: Following 9/11, Former President George W. Bush convinced Congress to pass the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act. In order to prevent terrorists from entering the United States, the USA PATRIOT Act grants the nation’s Attorney General the power to take “illegal aliens,” or any people that create suspicion, into custody where they face mandatory detention resulting in deportation or a criminal charge based on the grounds that they pose a threat to national security. In 2011, President Barack Obama extends three provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act for four years.
The DREAM Act
Federal level: In response to the USA PATRIOT Act, The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was proposed with the intention of protecting the deportation of minors based on their parents’ legal status. If approved, the DREAM Act would allow minors to live in the United States and receive the basic constitutional rights that citizens do. If an undocumented individual’s application were to be approved, he or she would be granted Conditional Permanent Residency and be expected to spend two years serving in the military or pursuing a higher education. When first introduced to Congress, the bill was quickly struck down.
The Talon December 17,2013
A look at the undocumented population Breakdown of Undocumented Immigrant Origins R NO
TH AMERI CA
E
CA
7%
OT
DATA FROM PEW RESEARCH CENTER
parts, largely due to their smaller size. “Undocumented Asians may conclude, to some extent correctly, that [immigration] is a fight that has to be waged and won by the Latino community because there’re just so many more of them,” Gabriel Chin, immigration law professor at the University of California, Davis, said in an interview with “The Atlantic.”
gravitating towards Chinese immigrants However, Asian involvement in the due to the high price they are willing to movement may increase in the future pay to come to the United States. as the number of undocumented Asian “Chinese immigrants commonly pay immigrants to the United States is growsmugglers upward of $40,000 each to ing. In particular, the number of unlead them from their homeland to the documented Filipinos in America is on United States,” David Jimarez, a spokes- the rise, partly due to the strong value of man for the United States Border Patrol family prevalent in the country’s culture. in Tucson, said in an interview with the “We tell our relatives ‘come here and New York Times. “In comparison...ille- we’ll take care of you,” Dr. Leon of the gal immigrants from Mexico commonly Philippines Consulate in New York said pay $1,500 to $3,000.” in an interview with ImmigraNation. Once here, undocumented Chinese “In a way that encourages some to come youth and immigrants face many prob- here even if they don’t have Visas.” lems in America. This is largely because The number of undocumented imthis demographic is much less visible migrants from India is also on the rise, and vocal than their Hispanic counter- partly because like Chinese immigrants,
Federal level: The DREAM Act, after outliving an entire Congressional period, was reintroduced three times with multiple revisions in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Opponents of the bill feared the DREAM Act would open the gates of the United States border and make immigration rates soar beyond the capacity of the country—immigrants would, in their minds, drain available resources, take available jobs and consume valuable space. All three times, it did not pass.
HER
2%
–Jose Antonio Vargas
The DREAM Act Continues
9%
AME
“There was such an assumption that you were Mexican if you were ‘illegal.’”
2007-10
ASIA
3%
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TH
O UR P
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79% SOU
“I
thought I must be the only nonMexican undocumented person in the whole world,” Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist and immigration reform activist Jose Antonio Vargas said. When Vargas found out that he was an undocumented immigrant as a 16-yearold Mountain View High School student, the news was quite a shock to him. “If you were undocumented back then when I was growing up, there was such an assumption that you were Mexican if you were ‘illegal,’” Vargas, age 32 said. “When this was happening, there was no Google. There was no YouTube. There was no Facebook. There wasn’t any of that. So there was no way for me to know that there were other people.” However, while the majority of immigrants do come from Northern American countries, a significant number of undocumented immigrants each year come from other locations. According Pew Research Center study, 11 percent of the nation’s undocumented immigrants were from Asia in 2009, signaling an increase from past years. Specifically, many of these undocumented immigrants hailed from China, the Philippines and India. According to the New York Times, the number of Chinese immigrants arrested while illegally crossing the United States-Mexico border into Arizona increased tenfold in the last fiscal year. Smugglers have been increasingly
2011 California DREAM Act
State level: The California DREAM Act, introduced and passed in 2011, allows undocumented students in California with an entry age of below 16 and who have consistently received a legitimate, verifiable education to apply for college financial aid benefits in the form of scholarships and grants. The major source of aid comes from Cal Grants, a type of monetary support available to people who meet GPA, parent income and high school graduation requirements. The bill was implemented in January 2013.
Indian immigrants are willing to pay smugglers large sums of money to come to America. “With fewer Mexicans and Central Americans crossing the border, smugglers are eager for more ‘high-value cargo’ like Indians,” Christopher Sherman and Will Weissert wrote for NBC News . Many Indians seek to elevate their social standing back home in India by coming to the United States. “If you’re prosperous, still you go abroad because, culturally, it gives you a higher status,” Pramod Kumar, a political scientist at the Institute for Development and Communication in the Indian state of Punjab said in an interview with NBC News. Regardless of the reason, the vast majority of undocumented immigrants come to the United States in search of a better life. However, American immigration regulations have historically shown preference for European immigrants, rather than allowing for equal opportunities for immigration. This has created stereotypes that can be seen in this area today. “People think it’s cute if you have European accents,” Vargas said. “I remember we had this guest at school that was this French person. It was so cool that she had a French accent, but then when someone from Mexico would talk with this Mexican accent or a Spanish accent, it would be really “ghetto”...what does that tell us? France is worth more than Mexico?”
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ndocumented immigrants are real people with real stories. The struggles, hardships and successes that they encounter occur on a daily basis are not to be ignored. This population is often shoved into the shadows due to the threat of being deported and separated from their families and lives. It is a population that is need of the empathy of others. On the other hand, some state that the limitations of rights for undocumented immigrants occur for an obvious reason. Regardless of if what they face may be unfair or undeserved, undocumented immigrants came to the United States illegally. This is neither a judgement nor an accusation, but a fact. There is a nationwide debate on how to handle this situation that has grown in the past 15 years and continues to grow daily. While it is far from a definitive end, one thing is clear: without a working knowledge of this subject, there is no chance at a solution. Two things must be considered in this debate: empathy and the real limitations of our nation’s resources. When making decisions on immigration reform, we must remember the restrictions that exist within American society while not forgetting the dreams and lives of undocumented immigrants who have come to America in search of a better future.
2012 DACA
Federal level: In 2012, the Democratic Party announced it would cease to promote the DREAM Act to Congress and would instead provide for immigration amnesty through the Deferred Action through Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Essentially, if undocumented immigrants are under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, meet a series of education and government requirements and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety, they can be accepted for deferred action. This is an immigration reform act that allows students to stay in the United States legally for two years. They must reapply at the end of those two years. If approved, social services can keep a record
on the individual who applies but will not deport him/her. State level: DACA is a federal bill that each state within the United States can choose to ratify or nullify. If the state chooses to nullify the bill within its borders, it can completely reject all components of the bill, or it can offer provisions to certain clauses within the bill and pass a modified version within the state legislature. In support for undocumented immigrants who receive a DACA grant, California allows them to have a state driver’s license so long as they follow certain state guidelines, such as paying income taxes.
2013 California Trust Act
State level: The Trust Act, which restricts who law enforcement can hold for possible deportation, was passed by California legislature on October 5, 2013. The law will go into effect January 1, 2014, and, according to the Los Angeles Times, means that “immigrants in this country illegally would have to be charged with or convicted of a serious offense to be eligible for a 48-hour hold and transfer to U.S. immigration authorities for possible deportation.” Alongside California’s approval of the Trust Act is the beginning of a movement for immigration reforms and legislation all across the United States. “While Washington waffles on immigration, California’s forging ahead,” California Governor Jerry Brown said. “I’m not waiting.”
The Talon Publication Date
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Jai Paul SHIKTIJ DAVE Opinions Editor
The Tallest Man on Earth
RICH ORRIS / FLICKR
Kristian Matsson performs on stage for his most recent album “There’s No Leaving Now,” which was released in 2012.
CARLY COHEN In-Depth Editor
Kristian Matsson, known as his stage name “The Tallest Man on Earth,” may seem like an ordinary coffeeshop-style singer-songwriter at first listen. But this up-and-coming artist from Sweden has taken over the United States folk scene with his poetic music. At age 30, Matsson has released three full albums along with two Extended Plays. Matsson gained popularity through his performances with popular artists such as Bon Iver. With a unique and soulful sound, Matsson’s use of finger-picked guitar paired with insightful lyrics set him apart from many of the artists that monopolize the radio today. While many of his songs have chord progressions that resemble the catchy tunes of some pop songs, they are presented in a simple way, pulling at the roots of what makes everyday pop songs so catchy. Matsson continues to bring his listeners to the root of his music through the purity in his voice and use of clean, unaffected sound. Matsson’s indie-folk songs are unique in their own right, but his poetic lyrical style is also comparable to that of artists such as Bob Dylan. In his song “Love is All” from his album “The Wild Hunt,” his lyric “Love is all, from what
I’ve heard, but my heart’s learned to kill,” is notable for its powerful meaning, something characteristic of all his songs. But, what brings Matsson’s lyrics to a level that can be compared to Bob Dylan? Metaphor is possibly the most used component of Matsson’s songs, accelerating them to be raised to an entirely new level. Seen easily in songs from his first album, “Shallow Grave,” such as “The Gardener,” Matsson describes love and the difficulties that come with it in a completely new and metaphorical way, bringing forth his unique take on various situations. While Matsson’s own distinct style makes his songs similar to each other, there are obvious differences between his albums. “Shallow Grave” offers a much more somber sound. This album is particularly darker than his second album named “The Wild Hunt,” a personal favorite, which employs a more upbeat style. His most recent album, “There’s No Leaving Now,” is set apart by Matsson’s use of new instruments in his repertoire, adding a new experience to his already sensational songs. Once hooked on The Tallest Man on Earth, there is no turning back. Matsson is an artist that should be taken note of.
Jai Paul is an enigma in popular music. While most other pop artists work throughout their entire careers for fleeting, transitory moments under the spotlight, Paul has made a conscious effort to avoid garnering publicity and attention. Instead, he’s allowed the fusion of this “nonpersona” and his creative genius to provide a much-needed injection of life into pop music with a musical style that’s uniquely his: an amalgam of contemporary R&B, electronica, chillwave (a new, emerging genre that features heavy use of synthesizers), indie and hip hop. Part of the allure of Jai Paul is that little to nothing is concretely known about his character, his background, his youth or his influences. That’s evidenced enough by the fact that the UKbased artist more officially released songs (2), than he does interviews (1). Where we can definitively start off with, then, is his 2007 debut “BTSTU,” posted on his now-defunct Myspace page, the brilliance of which set off the engines on an unrelenting Internet hype train that ultimately resulted in him being signed to XL Recordings in 2010. Paul’s “BTSTU,” re-released as “BTSTU (Edit)” by XL Recordings in 2011, is Paul’s most defining work to date. It encapsulates the essence of his musical talents with an ethereal falsetto that, rather paradoxically, croons a warning, “Don’t f*** with me, don’t f*** with me,” behind a backdrop of electro-soul synths, digital interference and sparkling dub-bass jolts. Jai Paul is a mad scientist that not only disregards formulaic procedures for production and lyricism but, rather, breeds together elements of distinct genres masterfully to create a soothing yet empowering ballad. “It felt like the first time all my ideas had come together into something really concise so I was really proud of it,” Paul said in his only published interview interview with Dazed Digital, speaking of “BTSTU.” “I didn’t think anyone would like it though. Music to me was just a hobby and, in a way, I didn’t care about showing it to anyone.” Rarely can one find instances in music where artists have struck gold on their only release the way Jai Paul did on his debut, “BTSTU,” which was sampled later in 2011 on a track released by Canadian rapper Drake, “Dreams Money Can Buy” and a Beyonce track “Till The End Of Time”. The track went on to further gain serious critical acclaim, making “Hottest Record in the World” for Zach Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 Show. Radiohead’s Thom Yorke has even featured it in his sets. If there’s one thing absolutely certain about the inscrutable
UK-based artist, it’s that he doesn’t make it easy on his fans in the slightest, who’ve been thirsting for a new officially released track following his second release in early 2012, “Jasmine (Demo),” a gorgeous rhapsody that once again exhibits Paul’s unique genius of beautifully piecing together fragments of genres that don’t necessarily seem like they’d work together. It’s a brilliant potion composed of distinct elements—the production features warped guitars, a rising, funky bassline and handclaps that meld perfectly with the almostincomprehensible whispers of his distorted falsetto. “Jasmine” showcases the brilliance of Jai Paul on another level—his understanding of the spatial aspect of his music allowed him to let build each of these manifold layers properly. The New York Times went so far as proclaim that “Jasmine” exhibited Prince-era sensuality, high praise for an artist with only two official releases to his name. It might seem absurd that an artist who has only released two songs in a span of five years has garnered as much hype and critical acclaim as Paul has. Many critics remain perplexed at his expansive following, attributing the lack of volumes of music in his catalog to having fueled an insatiable desire for his music, one that may never be fully realized. These critics consider the levels of anonymity associated with his personality to be part of the rampant thirst for his music—the fact that not many people know who he is, how he looks or his motivation has created a scope of mysteriousness about Jai Paul that amplifies that satisfaction gleaned by listeners from every unpredictable release. “Jai is a wizard...the way he’s going about things is, I think for many, baffling,” XL Recordings label founder and owner Richard Russell said. “But...he’s going about things in the most Jai Paul way you could possibly go about things. And who knows where that may lead.”
Part of the mystery associated with Jai Paul is the fact that, in April 2013, 16 untitled tracks that were apparently his debut album leaked online to Bandcamp. As it turns out, those tracks, while definitely Jai Paul’s music (stolen off of his laptop and leaked), were both finished and unfinished products that Jai Paul was working on for his debut album, “Jai Paul.” Even if whatever that assemblage of tracks was wasn’t his finished work, they were brilliant. “Str8 Outta Mumbai” is an exciting and exotic blend of Bollywood culture with an explosion of beat-driven energy. Jai’s falsetto is once again featured as he croons “I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to say” on a Bollywood sample of Vani Jairam’s “Bala Main Bairagan Hoongi”. “Str8 Outta Mumbai,” while dense in production style, is immediate. It serves to indicate just to how much variability an artist like Jai Paul has with the type of production— “Str8 outta Mumbai” is distinct from “BTSTU” and “Jasmine” in that it’s much more exciting but it retains the same scintillating quality to it that makes his music so alluring. The entire album, while probably “unfinished” by Paul’s standards, exudes vibes that only exist in The Avalanches’ “Since I Left You” and J Dilla’s “Donuts,” two of the perhaps most critically acclaimed releases in the experimental instrumental hiphop genre. The album flows seamlessly from track-to-track, almost to the extent that the album becomes a narrative such that listening to just one component of it at a time is almost sacrilege. It’s smart, new, genius and a breath of life into a stale plateau of popular music. Although, if you ever got Paul to open up to you about the album, he’d probably deny anything of the sort. “I don’t actually own an iPod and I don’t know what iTunes is,” he said. “I’m one of those boring guys who found the music they liked as a kid and stuck with it.”
JACK FORSYTHE / YOUTUBE
Jai Paul’s unreleased album cover art for “Jai Paul” emulates his untraditional style. The album’s release date is unannounced.
The Talon December 17, 2013
Beats by Barreira
Poet Billy Collins showcases unique voice ARIEL MACHELL
Copy/Content Editor
Aimless Love
Billy Collins, Jan. 2013 ★★★★☆
By Alex Barreira
Spotlight: Sufjan Stevens’ “Silver & Gold” It’s back! The incessant holiday spirit once again floats among us, a cough-inducing peppermint cloud of cheer that inspires otherwise sane, level-headed boys and girls to don ugly sweaters, barrel down clearance hallways and scarf down all the cookies they can find. “Merry Christmas!” they shout from the rooftops, awaiting Santa’s dubious arrival; those slow to succumb watch hesitantly, helplessly. Amid all the chaos emerges another crazy from his sleepy den in Brooklyn—Sufjan Stevens, the great folk-choir singer-songwriter of Michigan origin and “Illinoise” fame. This is his favorite time of the year, though sometimes it’s hard to tell whether Christmas is the love of his life or the thing he secretly loathes; his multiple essays on the subject detail a complicated relationship with the holidays in the characteristic Sufjan style: clever and calculated, but with a hint of mania. It’s that time of year, so let’s revisit the ultimate collection of Christmas cheers and jeers. “Silver & Gold, Vol. 6-10” is Sufjan’s five-volume second edition of holiday songs, released last year. The 58-track box set features a heavy heaping of covers and originals, as well as stickers, temporary tattoos, a fold-it-yourself star ornament and a poster, with an 80-page booklet of selected writing, including a few entertaining pieces of his own. Sufjan’s style makes the saturated holiday feel relevant to those not eagerly awaiting the first snowfall. He explores a wide range of moods and voices: cosmic nighttime wanderings to glitchy pop oddities, hard-edged rock to dorky sing-a-longs. His helpers this time around include the gorgeous choir and string arrangements from “Illinoise” and the experimental electronics from “Age of Adz,” plus the wintry piano-driven hush of “Michigan.” This isn’t to say it’s a perfect effort. Some songs are more silver than gold, some covers aren’t memorable, other experiments are downright unpleasant. But then again this daunting record, at its worst points burdensome and gleeful with annoyance, is a lot like the holidays themselves. It’s sometimes difficult to thaw that long frozen-over Christmas heart, but eventually, by God, Sufjan finds a way, and by the end you may find yourself screaming like he does on the final track, “I am the Christmas Unicorn/It’s alright, I love you.” Nonsensical? Maybe. But don’t the holidays celebrate something just as incomprehensible—life itself?
Two-time United States poet laureate Billy Collins recently came out with a new book of poems called “Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems.” The collection combines what he calls his “greatest hits” from his past four books—“Horoscopes for the Dead,” “Ballistics,” “The Trouble with Poetry” and “Nine Horses”— along with over 50 new poems. Among these is the poem of the titled name, “Aimless Love,” in which he writes about the most uncomplicated form of love: a love devoid of intention. “This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,/I fell in love with a wren/and later in the day with a mouse/the cat had dropped under the dining room table.” The collection gives the reader a chance to appreciate life in all its complexities and simplicities, turning the mundane into the extraordinary, offering glimpses into moonlit rooms, kitchen windows, dark gardens and romantic train rides. Despite this repertoire of unique topics, however, there are quite a few fan favorites from his past books that he did not include in the new collection. That being said, newcomers can fully appreciate the works without feeling as if there’s something missing, as Collins combines a vast and insightful use of imagery with a dry
wit that leaves any reader breathless. What often starts with wry humor transforms into a gentle inner reflection, showcasing the grandness, the—often dark—wonder inherent in all things, what he calls a “form of travel writing...a door into the serious.” “I’m trying to write poems that involve beginning at a known place, and ending up at a slightly different place,” Collins said in an NPR interview. “I’m trying to take a little journey from one place to another, and it’s usually from a realistic place, to a place in the imagination.” Perhaps the greatest aspect of Billy Collins’ writing is his ability to capture moments, to take snapshots of memories that make one ponder, make one feel, make one laugh. “Aimless Love” offers the opportunity to experience all of these things and more. The reader can open the book to read a single poem, or even a single stanza, and come away feeling just as tremendous as if one had read the entire volume from start to finish. Consider this stanza from the poem “Royal Aristocrat.” “Such deep silence on those nights/just the sound of my typing/ and a few stars singing a song their mother/sang when they were mere babies in the sky.” With his casual yet unique voice, Collins has a universal ability to enthrall all people, creating work that is approachable to enthusiasts and newcomers alike. His writing, often plain-spoken, is conversational and easy to follow; the profundity is not lost behind confusing metaphors and difficult language. He captures
BRANDON HONG
Collins’ most recent anthology, “Aimless Love,” is a collection of new poems that solidify his public image as a gifted artist. “Aimless Love” was released on January 1, 2013 the details in life that would normally go overlooked, like noticing that he is the same age as Cheerios. “One bright morning in a restaurant in Chicago/as I waited for my eggs and toast,/I opened the Tribune only to discover/that I was the same age as Cheerios./...Already I could hear them whispering behind my stooped and threadbare back,/ Why that dude’s older than Cheerios/the way they used to say/Why
that’s as old as the hills,/only the hills are much older than Cheerios/ or any American breakfast cereal,/ and more noble and enduring are the hills,/I surmised as a bar of sunlight illuminated my orange juice.” If you’re looking for a great way to pass the holidays with a bit of reading, consider picking up “Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems,” and be dazzled by Billy Collins’ wit, wonder and writing.
Tin Pot Creamery: a flavored experience CASSIDY CRAFORD Senior Writer
Tin Pot Creamery
Ice cream
855 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA
★★★★☆ Tin Pot Creamery’s tiny store front could be easy to miss in the maze of Palo Alto’s Town and Country: but by no means should it be ignored. Opened by a former Facebook pastry chef earlier this year, Tin Pot Creamery offers a variety of specialty ice creams, often mixing obscure tastes and textures together to create revolutionary flavors. Although it recently expanded its menu to include coffee, its claim to fame still resides in “small batch” ice cream. Tin Pot offers a menu of ice creams so extensive that it takes a few minutes to process the options before one can order. Ice creams like “Earl Grey Tea” and “Fresh Ginger,” which initially sound more like European gelato flavors, both proved delicious, especially when coupled with a sweeter flavor. Flavors such as “Sweet Cream with Honey Balsamic Swirl,” “Malted Milk with Milk Chocolate Pieces” and “Roasted Banana Fudge Ripple” are customer favorites, the employees behind the counter said. The employees are noticeably friendly and conversational, contributing to the ambiance of the creamery. They are eager to give you as many tastes as you need (and you will need many). With “mini scoops” starting at $3.95 and more complex, individual orders ranging up to $8.50, the price tag of an experience at the Tin Pot is completely customizable. If you choose to pursue a more complicat-
PARMIS TAIDY
Tin Pot Creamery, an ice cream parlor, is located in Town and Country. ed order; say a Brûléed Banana Split with a creme “brûléed” banana, vanilla ice cream, sea salt caramel sauce and hot fudge you might pay a higher price, but it’s worth the decadence. A single scoop of one of Tin
Pot’s favorite flavors drizzled with chocolate will do the trick too. Although their specialty is ice cream, Tin Pot also offers a selection of freshly baked goods, including a dark chocolate brownie and ADVERTISEMENT
chocolate “chunk” chip and shortbread cookies. Coupled with or without ice cream, the baked goods provide another option for customers who are looking to avoid a winter brain freeze. Tin Pot’s one drawback is its small storefront and floor space: ice cream must be enjoyed outside and the line often trails out the door. However, these flaws pale in comparison to the variety of ice cream provided and Tin Pot’s location in Town and Country. Benches are placed outside the door to sit on and enjoy your treat, or you can stroll around the boutiques and bookstores. A trip to the Tin Pot Creamery is a must if you have a sweet tooth or savor out-of-the-ordinary desserts and tastes. It’s worth the revolutionary flavors and brain freeze.
The Talon December 17, 2013
YouTube is dramatically changing the media industry JAMES MERRILL Staff Writer
this month in enter t ainment
YouTube has long been known as the place on the internet where one can go to watch videos of endearing cats, or cringe at people undertaking ambitious stunts that simply can’t end well. In the past, YouTube had been shrugged off by many in the entertainment industry as just that—a place for individuals to share their snippets of amusing videos, and not really a place to find “high art.” However, in the last few years, YouTube has emerged as a platform that has the potential to make waves throughout the media industry. There are several things about YouTube that have changed in the last several years which have enabled this change of heart from those involved in entertainment: primarily increased viewership, more opportunities for producers to monetize their content and the
Sun
rise of social media. become a much more notable feaYouTube is part of the collection ture than before: an individual proof platforms called “new media,” or ducer is able to connect and interact media that provides on-demand en- with his or her audience on a much tertainment from digital devices like more personal level and receive incomputers and smartstant feedback. Larger phones, with a particunetworks and conlar focus on interactivglomerates that create ity. YouTube had this YouTube has content can spread it interactivity from the emerged as a more and tailor their get-go, with features platform that content to more acculike rating videos and rately meet the evercommenting, being a has the potenchanging demand of part of the platform at tial to make content consumers. launch. In 2006, YouTube waves throughBut in 2005, social out the media became a Google submedia was hardly the sidiary, which brought industry. integral part of our with it an introduclives that it is now, and tion of the “partner this made it so that the advantages program” not long after their acquiover “old media,” particularly TV, sition. This change allowed users were slim to none. Now, with the with enough viewers to earn monnew-world culture surrounding so- ey from advertisements displayed cial media, the ability of video pro- before or during their videos. This ducers to share their content on and program has evolved with Google’s across social media platforms has AdSense program, which itself has
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become more and more refined, tailoring ad content to information collected on the user, which presents another advantage over old media that has grabbed the interest of media companies: targeted advertisements, and the increased profits thereof. YouTube also recently launched a “premium content” subscription model: particular channels can charge a fee of $0.99 to $6.99 a month for viewership of their content. Moreover, overall viewership on YouTube has increased massively, especially in the last couple of years. Unique users went from 800 million in 2012 to over a billion in 2013. In 2011, two billion hours of video were watched on YouTube, which increased to three billion in 2012. YouTube is also an attractive platform for artists in the music industry. All but one of the top 30 most viewed videos of all time are
music videos, with the exception of “Charlie Bit my Finger - Again!,” a viral video of two British children, in which the one-year old brother bites the finger of the older brother. Psy’s “Gangnam Style” tops the list with 1.84 billion views, and all of the other 29 have over 330 million. With the issue of piracy becoming more and more daunting to artists that try to sell their music, a model like sharing one’s music on YouTube and collecting ad revenue may represent the road forward, as consumers of music seem more willing to put up with ads to watch a music video for free, rather than pay a fee to see it, as with iTunes or album sales. All in all, YouTube presents an interesting path for creators in the entertainment industry now and may become even more enticing in the future; while it may never fully replace television or record labels, it certainly is, for the time being, an intriguing alternative.
Broken Box produces a “charming” play
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Yucca De Lac: Convenient and tasty Staff Writer
Yucca De Lac
American Chinese
660 Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA
★★★☆☆ Stanford Shopping Center sees many new restaurants opening up each day, but Yucca De Lac is set apart from them due to its accessible location, reasonable prices and delicious food. The convenient location of Yucca De Lac is complemented by its beautiful scenery and comfortable ambiance. Around lunchtime, it is fairly crowded inside and outside. The bright lighting and pleasant tone of the restaurant provides an upbeat setting to talk and enjoy a meal. The restaurant excels in the quality of its food. It is a Chinese cuisine restaurant, originally located in Hong Kong, and the menu includes both traditional and AmericanChinese food. Out of all dishes on Yucca De Lac’s abundant menu, the sesame chicken is the most popular dish. The semisweet, semi-spicy sauce that
came on the chicken made for a savory lunch. Along with the chicken, the dish included a beautifully arranged triangle of sticky rice and a little mixed salad. The presentation was stunning and the food delectable. Yucca is a big advocate for providing healthier, natural alternatives. They take pride in serving only non-msg foods. Their dishes all balance grain and green and there are plenty
WILLIAM JOW Staff Writer
“Chasing Charming”
About Emanuel”
EVENTS COMPILED BY YASHAR PARSIE | STAFF WRITER AND ROBERT CHIN | STAFF WRITER; GRAPHIC BY NOY ANISMAN
JOHNNY SCHER
PHOTOS BY PARMIS TAIDY
Broken Box Theater Company put on a production of the play “Chasing Charming” on November 21-23.
of options for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. While the food may impress, the service and reliability at Yucca De Lac are mediocre. The pricing, considering it’s a sophisticated sit-down meal, is still reasonable. The spicy satay chicken is $22. Overall, Yucca has many options for all tastes, and the fair pricing makes it a restaurant worth coming back to.
PARMIS TAIDY
Yucca De Lac is located in Stanford Shopping Center and offers a nice fusion of Chinese food. Yucca’s ambiance is comforting, but its service is lacking.
Nov. 21-23 2013 ★★★★☆
“Chasing Charming,” presented by the school’s very own Broken Box Theatre Company from November 21-23, impressed. The show opens with a distraught narrator (senior Emily Baird) who is in danger of losing her narrating license. However she is consoled by the Fairy Godmother (junior Elizabeth Kristian) and she begins her current story assignment, only to learn that Prince Charming (senior Andrew Sargent) is currently being held captive by the evil witch Hagragard (junior Chelsea Nivison). Thus, Fairy Godmother calls upon her magic to conjure a motley crew of six princesses—and Goldilocks—to save the prince. The plot is fairly standard; for the most part it follows the archetypical “settle our differences and storm the fortress” formula. The plot being easy to follow allowed for one particular character to stand out. Goldilocks’ character (sophomore Luke Dzwonczyk) was awkward enough to captivate the audience for the duration of the play. Despite Goldilocks’ relatively brief stage time, she periodically reminds the audience of her presence as the other characters neglect to include her name when listing the future saviors of the prince. The casting worked out extremely well here, as Luke was able to pull off a wonderful (and amusing) performance that was just right—and appropriately comedic. Other scenes in the show, such as the grumbling of the mail carrier
(sophomore Scott Delamare) and the introduction of characters such as Hagragard’s children Harriet and Hector (juniors Bronwyn Thomas and Borna Barzin) refreshed the lighthearted mood of the play. A few moments, such as the silliness of the minions added to the whimsicality of the show, and they complemented the overall charm of the production. When viewing the play, most of the attention was rightfully directed at the actors. That is, there weren’t many distracting visuals on stage, either as props or scenery. The backdrops were fitting enough that nothing ever seemed out of the ordinary, however the idle movement of the forest’s trees was sometimes enough to steal the spotlight from the human characters. In the end, this 90-minute production was very satisfying. Although a few lines were momentarily forgotten, the acting was well executed and was able to draw out many laughs.
Prince Charming (senior Andrew Sargent) proposes to the narrator (senior Emily Baird).
The Talon December 17, 2013
PROJECT LOS ALTOS Taking the town by storm, a new, modern art display is about to bring Los Altos into the future. Here are some of the artists that are making it happen. BY SOFIA GUO, Staff Writer PARMIS TAIDY
introduction CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is holding a free public outdoor and indoor exhibition, Project Los Altos, in downtown Los Altos from November 9 to March 2, 2014 in collaboration with the City of Los Altos and Passerelle. Passerelle is a private investment company that develops and manages commercial buildings in Los Altos and also funds community projects that promote local economic growth. Project Los Altos is part of the SFMOMA’s “off-site programming.” Since the SFMOMA’s closing in June 2013, the museum has begun holding exhibits in various cities and art centers around the Silicon Valley. These exhibits explore the unique characteristics of each location and will end when the renovated SFMOMA building opens in 2016. “While SFMOMA is off-site, reimagining the museum’s role and exploring new ideas, Project Los Altos provides an exciting moment to capture the experimental nature of exhibition making,” SFMOMA assistant curator of painting and sculpture Jenny Gheith said. “With this collaboration, we’re thrilled to present a compelling platform for artists to make new work and for the community in Los Altos and the surrounding areas to engage with
contemporary art in an unexpected way.” For Project Los Altos, the works of nine local and international artists are showcased at 10 different locations throughout downtown Los Altos. Two local artists, Jeremy Blake and Charles Garoian, already had existing works in the SFMOMA’s collection. Their works were inspired by Los Altos’ cultural history and people. Blake and Garoian’s artworks were used as inspiration for the seven other artists commissioned by SFMOMA to create their own interpretation of Los Altos. “The City of Los Altos has a rich history of supporting the arts, particularly public sculpture,” Los Altos City Manager Marcia Somers said. “By providing open space for a wide variety of art installations throughout the city, we enable residents of all ages to experience fine arts on a daily basis. This unique collaboration between the City of Los Altos, SFMOMA and Passerelle strengthens the artistic presence already thriving in the community and welcomes a whole new audience to experience the beauty and charm of Los Altos.” All eight artists’ works range from interactive installations to sculptures and movies. Here are descriptions of each artist and corresponding works.
Jeremy Blake One of the existing pieces of work chosen as inspiration for the commissioned pieces, Blake has combined three non-narrative video trilogies. “Winchester” (2002), “1906” (2003) and “Century 21” (2004) are featured at 242 State Street. “Winchester” and “1906” are based on Blake’s fascination of Sarah Winchester and her Winchester mansion, a Victorian home Mrs. Winchester built from 1884 to 1922 after the death of her husband who was a rifle-manufacturing tycoon in the late 19th century. Haunted by the ghosts of her husband and those killed by the rifles he manufactured, Mrs. Winchester commissioned continuous, nonsensical construction that included staircases leading to ceilings and doors opening to walls to ward off and confuse the ghosts. Blake, using his skill as a painter, digitally combined footage he shot of the house, vintage advertisements and pictures to create the films. “Winchester” explores the emotional trauma and fears of Mrs. Winchester that powered the construction, while 1906 features the unique construction and architecture of the mansion and is named for the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake. “Century 21” showcases local movie theatres and artists and actors that Blake believed represented the Wild West.
Chris Johanson As a child growing up in San Jose, Johanson passed time skateboarding, painting houses and designing posters for punk bands. His series of outdoor sculptures placed in various sites emphasize the positivity and bright colors characteristic to his work while simultaneously exuding curiosity of the world around them. The giant, 20-foot-tall inflatable question mark in “Village Park” was made from pieces of recycled fabric and is inflated every morning. In Lincoln park, eye-catching painted doors are placed around the park with unique details and an invitation to viewers to walk through them, ultimately representing the willingness of humans to find change and accept it. The last piece is simply a mirror Johanson installed on the rear facade of the building at 242 State Street as a place for passerby to reflect on themselves and the environment around them.
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Spencer Finch Finch created “Back to Kansas,” a study on the subjective perception of color based on the color palette of the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz.” One of the interactive pieces of work, the painting is a collection of colored squares displayed on a white wall in a movie theatre set up on 242 State Street and is illuminated by a large storefront window. During the day, the painting changes slightly depending on the light. When dusk approaches, the white lines that separate the blocks and shades of gray that are found around the grid blend into the bright colors to slowly transform the whole “screen” into darkness. Observers can sit on a couch in front of the painting and record the order of the colors that disappear on informative cards provided at the exhibition site.
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Mike Mills Mills produced his Project Los Altos piece in three mediums and aimed to expose the past, present, and future of Los Altos’ distinctly American culture through the worldviews of Los Altos’ inhabitants. Using the Costume Bank on State Street as the site for his installation, Mills designed a broadsheet (the largest size of a newspaper) that features the 1976 issue of the Los Altos Town Crier and an official document of the formation of the Apple Computer Company. He fast forwards to the present Los Altos with a rack containing eight costumes that are worn by residents with different ages and social statuses. The future is displayed in a video of interviews with the children of technology employees and finishes off the three-part work that documents the change of Los Altos from a quiet suburb to a fast-moving suburban city.
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Downtown Los Altos and the Project Los Altos art projects with artist names
Christian Jankowski Using videos of Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurs, programmers and thinkers, Jankowski created his work “Silicon Valley Talks,” an assembly of recorded talks written and given by the invited tech workers in which they use the occupation-specific technical words to answer topics they feel passionate about. These topics include “falling in love” and “holidays.” The installation is on 271 State Street and drives home the point that future generations may just communicate about everything, even emotions and nontech related topics, in almost all technology specific words. The screens of each media displaying the talks are framed in green chat bubbles to symbolize modern communication and are surrounded by other symbols of social media that double as furnitures or sculptures. As the videos run, English subtitles translating the English spoken help listeners put together all the technical terminology and contemplate how communication through speaking is an art.
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Alec Soth Soth aimed to use his skill in photography to document a trait of the Silicon Valley that normally cannot be captured in a photograph: its distinct culture for technological innovation. His project at 359 State Street is a collection of photographs taken of the campuses, cubicles and data centers of well-known technology companies such as HewlettPackard, Google and Facebook. Photos of less prestigious places like Silicon Valley computer repair stores, meeting places of the average resident and local bars add multiple dimensions to the life stories of the employees that work in the cubicles and campuses of tech giants. The collective project challenges the classic dream and expectation of success, technology and moving forward in the Silicon Valley. Instead, viewers are asked to compare the expectations and assumptions of cultural life in the Silicon Valley with the real lives they live.
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Katerina Seda Seda’s work centers around knocking down the physical and psychological obstacles surrounding the lives of everyday people. Past projects include organizing games, activities or competitions that expose certain social issues in our human society. “My work is meant to blend in with normal things, with ordinary life,” Seda said. “What I’m trying for is so that anyone can repeat what I’ve done; I’m trying to find the simplest solution possible.” Her Project Los Altos piece, “Everything is Perfect,” is a multi-step project that first begins with finding people with “ordinary talents” (the bluest eyes, the largest collection of salt and pepper shakers), or, conversely, incredible feats of “incredible” people described by The Guinness Book of World Records. The “competition” to win a talent began when Project Los Altos opened. Viewers can visit the designated website (www.everythingisperfect.org) to view the talents awards available and submit their application at 359 State Street. The work will be completed with pictures of the “winners” on the gallery walls that Seda will select and meet with.
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Charles Garoian The other artist that had existing work prior to Project Los Altos, Garoian graduated from Fresno State in 1969 and spent the next 17 years teaching art at LAHS. He developed a highly creative, nontraditional art curriculum at the school which taught performance art, an art form that combines visual art with dramatic performance and received the Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art award (SECA) from the SFMOMA in 1974. Garoian’s three works, “Ice Happening” (1970), “Watermelon Sculpture” (1972) and “Drill Team” (1973) were all performance pieces completed at LAHS during his teaching years. The works are displayed as a sequence of documentary images in the exhibition at 359 State street. For “Ice Happening,” Garoian asked his students to collect donations of “water to be frozen in any kind of container” from other students. On a designated day, the entire student body used the one ton of ice collected to build an ice sculpture and observe it melt away. “Watermelon Sculpture” was a grid arrangement of 40 watermelons on a platform in which students climbed onto the platform to cut the fruit into halves, quarters, etc. while eating the pieces. “Drill Team” involved adding a group of students drilling into wooden boards while marching behind the homecoming couples in the 1973 LAHS homecoming parade. They were followed by the floats and the traditional drill team.
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The Talon December 17, 2013
Girls soccer: a blend of experience and youth Last year, girls soccer overcame a string of tough opponents to secure the CCS title. This season, Los Altos returns with a strong roster in hopes of taking it again. NOY ANISMAN DANIEL ROSENBAUM Staff Writers
After securing the Division II CCS title last winter, the girls soccer team is hoping to end this season by claiming it again. With high hopes for the season, the Lady Eagles are looking to develop the new and returning talent on the team with the addition of six freshmen to the squad this year. Despite the large number of freshmen players, the team is not
lacking in experience or talent. “The freshmen are our secret weapon; it’s unusual to have so many freshmen so other teams might underestimate their talent,” junior Allie Crum said. “A lot of them play together on club teams, and since there are so many of them, they all work especially hard to earn playing time.” The combination of added freshmen and returning players from last year means the team is full of skill, giving the players hope for a successful season. Returning are last year’s leading scorer, Allie, and senior Sophia Hyver, who recently signed on to play for the Division II UCSD soccer team beginning next year. Goalie sophomore Carrie Wendelken is back this year as well.
PHOTOS BY IAN MACKEY
Freshman Hannah Wendelken (left) and sophomore Rachel Matthews (right) play in a game at practice. This year’s underclassmen are expected to play a significant role in the upcoming season. “We have both returning players and new faces,” Sophia said. “Our team is on the younger side once again, but all the new players and returning members are amazing and have a lot of talent to bring to the team.” In preparing for the season, head coach Armando Luna is working with the girls on several skills, including ball handling, communication and ball movement through the middle of the field. Due to scrimmages during practice, the Lady Eagles have honed their skills and developed strong team defense. “The season is already heading
towards the right direction,” sophomore Stephanie Kouvelas said. “Practices this year are already a lot more serious and of course we’d all like it to head towards winning CCS again.” Along with working hard to develop on-the-field skills, the team is focusing on getting into the mental state they need to secure the CCS title, such as bonding. Already close because of three sets of siblings on the squad, the Wendelken, Campos and Woolley sisters, the team is especially strong at working as a group. So far, the team has two games under its belt. On December 3, the Lady Eagles played their first game,
ultimately losing to Woodside with a score of 0-3. However, the team was able to come back from their loss with a strong game against Mills on December 7, winning 9-1. “[We] want to do as well as possible in league and CCS. Now that we know we have the potential to go far, we’re aiming high,” junior Annie Gaffney said. With a championship behind them and strong talent on the field, the Lady Eagles are determined to find success once again. “We’re staying grounded,” Annie said. “We know there will be competition and that we’ll have to work hard for what we want.”
Boys basketball poised for strong season in De Anza Division SAM LISBONNE Senior Writer
Last year’s record CCS run and Blue Crew spirit invigorated Los Altos’ boys basketball program. This year’s squad looks to continue the school’s tradition of excellence, returning three of four leading scorers. An experienced and deep group, the varsity team returns several leading scorers, including captain senior Joey Malgesini and Steven Garverick, who average 17.3 and 14.3 ppg through the first three games, respectively. This team aims to take full advantage of Blue Crew’s support this season and repeat league and post-season success. “We are counting on the Blue Crew to bring energy and intimidation,” Steven said. “We want people to have to stand around the court because there aren’t enough seats. Let’s make it a chaotic place for visiting teams.” Though the Eagles return with an experienced roster, they have their work cut out for them. The team moved up to the more competitive De Anza League this year, a move which will demand new
Games Played Fremont Dec. 2 Independence Dec. 5 Bellarmine Dec. 6
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strategies on defense. Head coach to break through this game and we Bob McFarlane has focused this need to tighten that up.” year’s defense on full-court press, The work to tighten up defenwhich requires intensity and fo- sively was inspired by the effort to cus at all times. When properly replicate last year’s success; Los Alexecuted, this systos pushed deep into tem creates steals last year’s CCS bracket throughout the game, with a run that culmibut when poorly per- We’re countnated in an appearformed, the defense ing on the Blue ance in CCS finals can surrender points Crew to bring and a mere two point easily. Developing energy and loss. To achieve such the skills necessary ambitious goals, with for such a defense has intimidation... respect to both team been a huge priority Let’s make it a and individual perforfor the Eagles. mance, practice has chaotic place This new strategy for visiting continued to incorpowas on display in Los rate the cohesiveness teams. Altos’ first preseason that made last year’s — Senior Steven game of the year on team so dominant. Garverick Tuesday, December 2, “Last year we sucagainst Fremont High ceeded because we School. The Eagles took a narrow had a lot of strong pieces that 65-62 victory over the Firebirds, worked well together,” Joey said. which was not only indicative of “That unity is something that the competitiveness of the upper won’t subside as years pass. We league, but also of the work that is hold everyone accountable. If one left to be done. person screws up, we all run.” “We are trying new kinds of This system of communal suppressure this year which can be ef- port and self-motivation is an intefective but is also risky,” Joey said. gral part of the team’s identity, and “We left too many holes for them will continue to inspire each athlete as the season progresses. The goals set in the beginning of the season to win the league and win CCS remain Upcoming objectives which the team strives Northridge @ Home Dec. 20 towards every day at practice. With Pioneer @ Pioneer Dec. 21 returning scorers and a deep bench, Monte Vista Tournament Jan. 2-4 the Eagles are poised to make boys basketball history. Starting the sea-
BRANDON HONG
Senior Steven Garverick takes a shot in Los Altos’ first home game of the season against Fremont. Steven is one of several returning varsity players and has been one of the team’s lead scorers through the first three games. son 2-1, with strong wins against Fremont and Bellarmine, only bolsters the team’s confidence. “We hope that lots of students will come out and watch games,”
Joey said. “I personally guarantee that it is an event worth experiencing and I ask every student to come watch and to take part in the Blue Crew.”