The Pinion Vol. 99 No. 1 November 2020

Vol. 99 No. 1

November 2020

The student-run newspaper of McKinley High School

SCHOOL YEAR STARTS VIRTUALLY

Senior Ocean Mao said he is trying to figure out how to do his job in JROTC while distance learning.

Senior Tyler Sheindlin said he is comfortable with virtual learning.

Lieutenant Colonel Manny Pulido is new as a teacher, but familiar with McKinley High School because is an MHS alumnus.

school as well.

“With the current pandemic, situations can change daily, even hourly,” Vice Principal Candace Tonokawa said Lieutenant Colonel Manny Pulido replaced Major Cory Marlowe, who retired over the summer, as senior army instructor. Pulido is new as a teacher, but familiar with McKinley High School because he graduated from here.

He served in the army for 20 years and has presented in front of high ranking officials like generals. He’s been all over the country and has

worked in many different situations.

JROTC is a class with not only class activities but also extracurricular requirements. With distance learning, they can only teach the material from across the screen. The instructors and JROTC staff are working on ways they can incorporate some of the activities they used to do before, like drill meetings and non-strenuous physical activity “This by far has been the most challenging and rewarding assignment that I’ve ever been in. And I’m continuing to learn a lot from the students and I enjoy what I’m doing

by Althea Cunningham, reporter

M

cKinley High School started the school year virtually and one week late due to the coronavirus.

Teachers, students and administrators have been affected by the distance learning schedule. As the coronavirus presents new challenges and obstacles, life goes on, and the McKinley community adapts.

Teachers are taking up new teaching tactics. Students have to begin to be more accountable with assignments. Administrators are working on important decisions regarding the

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TEACHE NEWS

Student Journalists Althea Cunningham Kayja-lyn Kauahi-Kahookele Shane Kaneshiro Jerome Linear Justin Nguyen Christian Stutler

Adviser

CHALLENGES

Cynthia Reves

Mission The Pinion staff strives to provide and maintain accurate, entertaining and informative news for the students, staff and alumni of McKinley High School. We strive to show diligence in creating all our content so we can make a positive contribution to the public.

Publication Information The Pinion is published by the Newswriting class and printed by Reprographics Learning Center.

The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814

Email comments or questions to pinion@mckinleyhs.k12.hi.us A note from The Pinion adviser: Since School Year 2014-15, The Pinion has published a print issue at the end of every quarter. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s first issue is coming out in November and only in pdf format at issuu.com/mhspinion. The adviser designed the pages. All articles can also be found at mhspinion.com. As we become better at doing what we need to do during this time, The Pinion staff hopes to put print copies in your hands soon, particularly because this is our centennial year. The first Pinion was published Oct. 14, 1920.

by Justin Nguyen, reporter This year, McKinley High School started school differently from previous years, beginning virtually and one week later due to Covid-19. Online learning came with many expectations for students and teachers, some different and some similar to what actually happened.

Music teacher Natasha Taketa-Kim said her expectations of being a teacher haven’t changed.

“We need to be able to deliver in our classrooms to give the content always for the student and making sure everyone gets what they need,” she said.

Taketa-Kim also said her expectations on technology haven’t changed. Taketa-Kim said she expected that not all teachers would be decent computer users and this was not far from reality.

“It makes things a little bit difficult because not everybody is necessarily computer savvy,” she said.

She said students are having trouble with virtual learning as well and have difficulties with Google Classroom, Loom, and emailing.

“Most people would say that students are really great [at] using the computers because you folks have it all the time,” she said. “Unfortunately, we’re finding out as we go through that students are still having difficulties.”

Despite the new system of learning, Taketa-Kim said collaboration is still an expectation, even during a pandemic.

“We all do need to get into the same boat, we all need to work together, and we all need to be able to continue this school year and learn together with one another,” she said.

HERS SAY NEWS

THE PINION / 3

S OFFER OPPORTUNITIES

by Kayja-lyn Kauahi-Kahookele and Jerome Linear, reporters McKinley High School started the school year virtually and a week late due to the pandemic.

Despite this, English teacher Miyuki Rogers has a bright view of this school year.

“I try to find the silver lining in any situation,” Rogers said. “That’s usually my attitude in life.”

She said she feels this situation will help her become her better self and become a better teacher.

“I want to use this opportunity, where we are forced to do so, to actually better myself, so I’m excited at becoming a better teacher because of that,” Rogers said.

Rogers also said students can benefit from this situation.

“I believe that becoming more skilled at tech is only going to be beneficial for students and teachers,” she said.

Rogers also said this is something that can help students know a different community, which might help some students with coming out of their shell.

“I’m also excited at the opportunity of getting to know students in a different environment,” she said.

Rogers said she hopes the coronavirus numbers go down and schools can open in person.

Until that happens, Rogers will stay optimistic.

“In any negative situation, you should always find the positive side.”

-Miyuki Rogers, English teacher

by Shane Kaneshiro, reporter The coronavirus pandemic is always changing, making the future unpredictable. At the beginning of school, the administration was thinking that the students would be able to be back in person for school.

However, the cases spiked when people let their guard down, causing schools to open one week late and use distance learning only through October.

Osamu Ono is an AP, honors, and general biology teacher who teaches sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

“With the school starting late, that did affect the schedule for all the students,” Ono said.

The pandemic has forced people to be flexible. Many people had to make adjustments every week because of changes that popped up.

“So, we just had to play it by ear. … It was pretty challenging being patient and trying to think ahead at the same time,” Ono said.

Ono said there have been a few positives. He said it has forced everyone to learn new things about teaching. Ono said he thinks the current situation is kind of encouraging everybody to communicate better with each other.

“Whenever I work with parents or students, … there’s like a good sense of accomplishment on both sides,” Ono said It is still not clear when all McKinley students will be able to go back to school for quarter two in person. Ono said it really depends on how we as a society respond to the current situation.

“My personal hope, I would say that it would be great that we can come back and learn together and work together,” Ono said.

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NEWS

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very much,” Pulido said.

Ocean Mao and Tyler Sheindlin are seniors this year. They are both concerned about their education.

Mao said that with in-person teaching, people can partake in activities and work with one another more easily. He also worries that online learning will be of poor quality and that his electives might get ruined.

Online learning has impacted many performance-based classes, so Mao is trying to figure out how to do his job in JROTC. “How am I supposed to be the Battalion Commander of JROTC? No meetings, no events, no practices, and no competitions kill most of my

extracurriculars,” Mao said.

Sheindlin is concerned for his peers. Some students don’t have access to technology; others are having a hard time adjusting. It’s easy to fall behind if you’re not paying attention.

Senior year is a big year for many people, and he worries that online classes might lead to poor instruction from the teachers. He also wonders how teachers will deal with trouble makers and students who won’t try in school.

Other than that, Sheindlin said he is confident about the school year. He said he understands how to use computers proficiently and he has all the necessary tools to be successful.

“I think this change will make me a more disciplined scholar,” he said.

McKinley administrators have been hard at work making decisions on how to go about virtual learning. Vice

Principal Tonokawa said the school developed a process to provide computers and wifi to students in need so they may access Google Classrooms.

The teachers have their own class management system for the troubles that might happen like misdemeanors. All the counselors and administerators are ready to assist as well.

Tonokawa also encourages students to get their parents involved because they can help keep students on track.

“Everyone is adapting to changes quickly and trying their best to provide optimal learning conditions for student success,” she said.

The start of the school year has been very interesting and both teachers and students have to adjust.

“Learning curves for both students and teachers are very steep as we are now ‘doing school’ in entirely new

Words from McKinley High School’s student leadership This year has already been an interesting rollercoaster, yet a lot more things are yet to come. Let's all try to stay positive and push through this together!

Nicole Kate Durango, sophomore class secretary

The scariest part is watching the students disconnecting or passing up on our ideas, especially when we all work really hard on preparing it. However, no worries. That just means we have to think smarter.

Xinyan Zheng, student body corresponding secretary

This year we have to be especially creative about finding alternatives for school events and utilizing the platforms that we have. So far we’ve come up with a lot of things outside of the box.

Laiza Cabote, junior class treasurer

Tiger spirit doesn’t change because Tiger spirit is not just about assemblies. It’s not just about what class can yell the loudest. It’s not just about coming together physically, Tiger spirit is in you and and it’s about how you treat each other. It’s about how you support each other. It’s about love for this school. It’s about coming together, even if we cannot be physically together. ... I know this isn’t great. I know these are not ideal conditions and, especially to you seniors, I understand that. My heart goes out to you. But it doesn’t change who you are. Tiger blood still runs through your veins and we’re going to make it work, despite the conditions. ... We’re going to do everything we can, so look out for opportunities to stay connected.

Don’t be alone. Don’t stay isolated. Stay connected with your family. We’re here for you. Just know and understand that.

April Nakamura, student activities coordinator, speaking at the virtual Welcome Back Assembly

EDITORIAL

THE PINION / 5

GIVE IT A TRY:

‘AMONG US’

by Althea Cunningham, reporter

I

f you like the party game “Mafia,” you might want to try out “Among Us.” It’s almost the same thing except it’s on a spaceship and you’re an astronaut. I’ve played tons of times with my friends and randoms already and I had a lot of fun. I hope you can too if you try this game out.

Art by Althea Cunningham.

Customization – 5 Paws

In the game, people have no making-friends option, but people have found loopholes by making private rooms then telling their friends the room code so people can play with each other. Sometimes people go on a call together and talk. You can play with 4 to 10 players in one game.

The more people, the more fun the game gets.

I deducted a paw because while 10 is a big number, at a large scale gathering you might have to separate into groups, and there’s a chance people will get left out.

This is one of my favorite parts of the game. You can name your character anything, without special characters. It doesn’t even matter if you have the same name as someone else. If you do join a game with someone with the same name as you, the game system adds a 1 to the end of your name.

You also have 10 colors to choose from. Only one person can be a certain color, but most people are nice enough to change colors if you ask. There are a wide variety of free hats to choose from like toilet paper, fedoras, cowboy hats, a balloon, etc. My personal favorite is the egg. There are more hats, costumes, and pets you can buy at the cheap price of $3.

Another cool feature is the game host’s ability to customize the room settings, like player speed, vision, and they can change the amount of tasks crewmates need to complete in order to win.

Availability – 5 Paws

Excitement – 4 Paws

Almost everyone these days has a smartphone or access to a computer. Anyone with a smartphone can access this app for free. It doesn’t matter if you have an IOS or Android. Those who like to play on computers have to pay $5, which is cheap.

Whether you’re an Imposter or Crewmate, the game can make the adrenaline flow. There’s no communication except during meetings, so there’s no telling who’s good or bad. Unfortunately, anyone can join a game, even negative and toxic players, but thankfully the game host can kick or ban players.

A large number of players – 4 Paws

Easy to play – 4 Paws The controls are simple, and it’s easy to learn on the spot. You can even take a tutorial to learn the different tasks you get when you’re playing as Imposter or Crewmate. Usually, the more you play as Imposter the better you get, so don’t fret if you’re not good at first. I lost many rounds as an Imposter. There’s fun to be found when playing Imposter or Crewmate, so don’t be sad if you don’t get the role you wanted.

I am deducting 1 paw because the gamer servers crash a lot, making it hard to join or create rooms. Thankfully the game developers are working on fixing the issue.

BR RING BACK THE PINION / 6

EDITORIAL

THE MONARCHY

by Justin Nguyen, reporter

T

hroughout history, people have formed societies as a better option than being alone. Plato says the benefit of a society is it takes advantage of each individual’s productive differences to accomplish tasks. He explains that humans are political and social animals. Because humans have realized the necessity of societies, they continue to exist to this day.

In a society, there must be a governing power to keep order. Thomas Aquinas explains why: “For where there are many men together and each one is looking after his own interest, the multitude would be broken up and scattered unless there were also an agency to take care of what appertains to the commonweal.: Next, we must decide the ideal governing power. One theory claims that a thing is more or less good based on how much it participates in or represents good. Governments have completely different properties; therefore, they can’t all be equally good.

There are many options for government systems. Hawaii once had a monarchy and now, under the United States, operates as a democracy A monarchy, though, has benefits over other types of govnerment.

One benefit of a monarchy is its sustainability. History shows that monarchies last longer than many other forms of government. The imperial house of Japan is one example.

The monarchy has been dated to 660

Art by Justin Nguyen.

BC and is still continuing today. Other examples include the Kingdom of Norway, the Sultanate of Oman, the British Monarchy, etc. Why is this?

One theory I have is that monarchs must think more long term than leaders of other forms of government.

Monarchs have to keep the country in excellent condition to pass the power to thier heir. However, in a democracy, leaders have four years of keeping the country organized and passing laws that match with their ideals.

This makes it easier for a president to think, “Someone else will be elected and will fix anything I did wrong.”

The monarchy also imitates nature. Thomas Aquinas explains his observations of nature’s functions by writing: “Now, every natural governance is governance by one. In the multitude of bodily members there is one which is the principal mover, namely, the heart; and among the powers of the soul one power presides as chief, namely, the reason. Among bees there is one king bee and in the whole universe there is One God, Maker and Ruler of all things. And there is a reason for this. Every multitude is derived from unity. Wherefore, if artificial things are an imitation of natural things’ and a work of art is better according as it attains a closer likeness to what is in nature, it follows that it is best for a human multitude to be ruled by one person.”

Imitation of nature is valuable in developing systems for humans. We can reason this even from a secular point. During the process of evolution, many organisms developed intricate systems. Theoretically, these animals “decided” what is best from millions of years of experimenting.

However, we must be careful with appealing to nature because humans have a much greater intellect and we must decide through reason if it is reasonable and logical to imitate a certain system in nature.

Another reason why a monarchy is an ideal form of government is that it is the most natural and natureconforming system out there. One example of how it conforms to human nature is that it fits in with human hierarchy.

Naturally, humans are not equal and people have realized this throughout history. Some people are more fit to lead than others. Therefore, we shouldn’t just let democracy decide who should lead a country, which is a really important job. A monarchy just skips straight to the point and removes the entire process of letting everyone decide who should lead the country.

These are some, but not all, reasons a monarchy is a superior form of government. While not perfect, the basic premise and attributes make it the ideal form of govnerment.

EDITORIAL

THE PINION / 7

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

TAKE A STAND

by Kayja-lyn Kauahi-Kahookele, reporter

W

e as a community should take a stand for black lives. Recently there have been many protests that supported Black Lives Matter. Numerous people gathered together to get the message that black lives matter across. Some protests had riots; others kept it peaceful and made it clear that more violence doesn’t help the situation. Violence only worsens the situation and doesn’t help get the BLM message across.

In June 2020, Hawaii had a peaceful protest that included thousands of people. This peaceful protest was inspirational. As one community coming together peacefully, Hawaii people have taken a stand for a positive attitude.

Even as one person, you could take a stand by just posting something simple like a Black Lives Matter picture with an inspiring quote.

A quote I like is by Ida B. Wells-Barnett: “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

Say their names! Trayvon Martin shot and killed by

Art by Althea Cunningham.

George Michael Zimmerman. For what? Because he looked suspicious walking home from a store to a gated community where his dad lived? Imagine walking home and, because of your skin color, you automatically become a target. This is only one of the countless lives we have lost to injustice.

This is not right. We need to educate others about this situation for them to know black lives do matter. This does not say that other lives don’t matter, but it does say that black lives matter too and they deserve justice. As a community, we should take a stand, keep it peaceful and positive, and let others know what is the message we are sending. And that message is Black Lives Matter.

So take a stand. Make a change by changing how society is by making sure that society knows that justice needs to prevail and that black lives are no different than others.

So, as Hawaii’s community, we should take a stand and educate others about what is right.

THE PINION / 8

EDITORIAL

ANIME: MANY REASONS TO WATCH

by Jerome Linear, reporter Nowadays, people of many ages watch anime. There are many reasons watching anime is a good thing to do.

There are lots of different anime you can watch such as Naruto, One Piece and Dragon Ball Z. You can watch them in the comfort of your home, car, etc. These anime are interesting and interactive because you can discuss them with friends and family, Also, if you read manga, you and your friends can read the anime together in the same place.

Some people think that anime is only for children. This is not true.

There is actually anime for adults and

children. The anime for children are anime such as Pokemon, Digimon Adventures, etc. The anime for adults are anime such as Berserk, Black Lagoon, etc. Although there are anime specifically designed for a certain age group, there are also anime everybody can watch, such as One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, etc.

Watching anime is a good way to express your emotions better. Usually, the longer you watch an anime, the more attached you get to the characters. Sometimes, if a character dies, you may cry. The reason for that is because you started to attach to the

main character along the adventure or journey in the story. You’re expressing your emotion to the character as if it were somebody real. Anime can make you sad, mad, happy, etc, depending on what is going on and the type of anime it is.

To sum it up, anime is an emotional and social way of becoming more interactive. They could be a good option when you are feeling down.

Anime can pull you in, making the people that just started watching anime as interactive as the people that have been watching anime for a long time.

WE MUST TAKE CORONAVIRUS SERIOUSLY

by Shane Kaneshiro, reporter People think that COVID-19 is not dangerous but it is. The number of daily cases in Hawaii jumped into the triple digits. Despite this, some people are still refusing to wear masks that will keep the people around them safe or practice social distancing. We should listen to the scientists and the guidelines.

When officials started to reopen the

state, the people of Hawaii let their guard down. This has caused cases, and deaths, to rise.

Even with the number of cases and deaths increasing, some people think COVID-19 doesn’t exist or the virus is not dangerous. They think that the cases are fake and that creating “herd immunity” is how the pandemic will be over in a little while. Some also

believe that mask-wearing requirements or limits on their movement are violating their rights as a person in the U.S. There are ways to keep us safe. People need to listen to the rules. Wearing a mask will keep you and others safe because if one person with COVID is wearing a mask, that person will keep the virus from spreading.

MOTIVATION IS CHALLENGE IN ONLINE SCHOOL

by Christian Stutler, reporter Online school is the safest way McKinley High School students can learn during the coronavirus pandemic. Online school requires a student’s motivation to take on work.

However, I believe that online education is demotivating for many students.

Online school can negatively impact how a student feels. One big factor in the demotivation of students in online school is the ability to so-

cialize. There are rarely any circumstances where people can talk to each other casually during online classes.

You just sit there in front of a screen, listening to the teacher’s directions, and then doing the assignment that was posted in Google Classroom.

Also, students can get overwhelmed with work during online school. This of course depends on how the class’s teacher operates, but it is common to get a ton of work

slammed onto you at once, especially for those in advanced classes.

Another demotivating factor for students is how ‘comfy’ they can get.

They’re at home. There’s nothing really stopping them from missing out on school entirely. With online classes, it’s also really easy to procrastinate.

Online school is not working for many McKinley students.